Friday, October 30, 2009
GPCi for Nov 7th 2009 release at the LCBO
Canada (Niagara Peninsula)
2007 FLAT ROCK CELLARS CHARDONNAY - $16.95
GPCi - Frances, I believe you told me about this wine. Seems like a good Chardonnay, from the excellent 2007 vintage for a very reasonable price.
Chile (Casablanca Valley)
2007 ARBOLEDA CHARDONNAY - $15.95
GPCi - here is one to compete with the one from our backyard. Expect a good fight... :)
The Chardonnay from the Casablanca Valley seems to deliver good value for the money. Try it with any creamy dish.
Chile (Colchagua Valley)
2007 MONTES ALPHA CABERNET SAUVIGNON - $19.95
JM=91 ; now to 2019
GPCi - a very consistent Cab Sauv. I love the wines from Montes Alpha. Although this is not the highest series, it delivers very high quality red wine - expect think, complex dark fruit flavours. A very good example of how Cab Sauv should be made AND cost less than $20.
Chile (Maipo Valley)
2007 CONCHA Y TORO MARQUES DE CASA CONCHA CHARDONNAY - $17.95
JM=91
GPCi - Another one for the competition above (with the Flat Rock and ARBOLEDA). I had previous vintages of the MARQUES DE CASA CONCHA and it never failed. great QPR.
Argentina (Mendoza)
2006 ZUCCARDI Q CABERNET SAUVIGNON - $19.95 (Must Try!)
JM=90 ; 2011 to 2018
GPCi - Since we're in a competition mode... I would be tempted to compare this Cab with the Montes Alpha. For the same price and from a different terroir. Interesting tasting competition for sure.
2007 VIÑA COBOS FELINO CABERNET SAUVIGNON - $19.95
JM=91
GPCi - A 3rd partner for this week Cab Sauv competition (along side the ZUCCARDI and the Montes Alpha). And may the best wine win...
2004 WEINERT MALBEC - $15.95
www.wineandspiritsmagazine.com = 90
GPCi - there were a few Malbecs this release. I personally wasn't so impressed from the 2008 ARGENTO RESERVA MALBEC. Don't get me wrong it's a good wine, it just lacks the "oomph" factor that I expect Malbec to bring. I hope the 2004 WEINERT MALBEC will bring it...
Spain
2006 LAS ROCAS GARNACHA - $15.95 (BUY!!!)
JM=91
GPCi - this wine was introduced to us in January this year. A great QPR. I found it much more rewarding the second day, which means that if you decant it for an hour or so, you will enjoy it much more. Buy a CASE!
France (Alsace)
2008 LOUIS HAULLER GEWURZTRAMINER - $16.95
GPCi - GEWURZTRAMINER from Alsace and for $17 - what's not to like? Serve it chill with spicy Asian or Indian dish.
2007 TRIMBACH RIESLING - $19.95
www.winespectator.com = 91 ; Drink now through 2015
GPCi - If you haven't had a dry Riesling from TRIMBACH before, that's a great opportunity. The 2007 vintage was rewarded 90 by RP. This wine can be cellared for the next 5-6 years. An absolute buy.
France (Bordeaux-Côtes de Castillon)
2005 CHÂTEAU DE LAFAURIE-MONBADON - $15.00 (Must TRY!)
GPCi - I like to try as much wines as I can from the 2005 vintage from Côtes de Castillon especially when they cost $15. The description sound like an excellent week-day wine.
France (Rhone-South)
2007 PERRIN & FILS LES CORNUDS VINSOBRES - $17.95
WS=91
GPCi - The 2007 classic vintage, $18, great review and from a very consistent producer. Do I need to say anything else beside BUY?
Italy (Tuscany)
2005 ROCCA DELLE MACÌE CHIANTI RISERVA - $15.00
GPCi - An excellent Chianti Riserva. I had previous vintages and loved it. QPR!!!
Whenever you look for the food friendly wine and don't know what to choose, this is a safe bet.
Australia (Eden Valley, South Australia)
2008 YALUMBA VIOGNIER - $22.95
Tyson Stelzer = 93
GPCi - Yalumba, another great and consistent producer. I love a good Viognier and I haven't tried this one. A bit at the "higher end of the price scale", but very tempting.
Australia (Valley Hunter)
2007 HOPE ESTATE SHIRAZ - $17.95
GPCi - A very good Shiraz with an excellent message (Hope) and for a fair price.
Australia (McLaren Vale)
2006 PIRRAMIMMA CABERNET SAUVIGNON - $22.95
JH=95 ; until 2015
GPCi - Whenever PIRRAMIMMA comes with a wine, I buy it. It's as simple. Their Cab Sauv as well as their Petit Verdot are just "bang on". They've always delivered for the buck!!!
Australia (Barossa Valley)
2007 THORN-CLARKE SHOTFIRE QUARTAGE - $23.95
www.winefront.com.au = 91+ ; A blend of cabernet sauvignon, petit verdot, merlot and malbec.
GPCi - what got my attention was the blend. If you take this Bordeaux blend (only the Cab Franc is missing) and let the THORN-CLARKE people to produce wine from it, I wouldn't expect anything less than amazing wine.
2006 YALUMBA SHIRAZ/VIOGNIER - $19.95
WS=91
GPCi - Here we go Yalumba again. This time with a typical Rhone-North blend. I had this wine from previous vintages and it is really rewarding especially with a medium-rare NY steak cut. enjoy...
Austria
2007 LOIMER GRÜNER VELTLINER - $16.95
www.erobertparker.com = 90
GPCi - John M, I got this one as an option for our "Big Dinner". Seems like a very interesting-different not the "typical" wines to see in our neighbourhood.
Great review and the price is more than attractive.
2007 FLAT ROCK CELLARS CHARDONNAY - $16.95
GPCi - Frances, I believe you told me about this wine. Seems like a good Chardonnay, from the excellent 2007 vintage for a very reasonable price.
Chile (Casablanca Valley)
2007 ARBOLEDA CHARDONNAY - $15.95
GPCi - here is one to compete with the one from our backyard. Expect a good fight... :)
The Chardonnay from the Casablanca Valley seems to deliver good value for the money. Try it with any creamy dish.
Chile (Colchagua Valley)
2007 MONTES ALPHA CABERNET SAUVIGNON - $19.95
JM=91 ; now to 2019
GPCi - a very consistent Cab Sauv. I love the wines from Montes Alpha. Although this is not the highest series, it delivers very high quality red wine - expect think, complex dark fruit flavours. A very good example of how Cab Sauv should be made AND cost less than $20.
Chile (Maipo Valley)
2007 CONCHA Y TORO MARQUES DE CASA CONCHA CHARDONNAY - $17.95
JM=91
GPCi - Another one for the competition above (with the Flat Rock and ARBOLEDA). I had previous vintages of the MARQUES DE CASA CONCHA and it never failed. great QPR.
Argentina (Mendoza)
2006 ZUCCARDI Q CABERNET SAUVIGNON - $19.95 (Must Try!)
JM=90 ; 2011 to 2018
GPCi - Since we're in a competition mode... I would be tempted to compare this Cab with the Montes Alpha. For the same price and from a different terroir. Interesting tasting competition for sure.
2007 VIÑA COBOS FELINO CABERNET SAUVIGNON - $19.95
JM=91
GPCi - A 3rd partner for this week Cab Sauv competition (along side the ZUCCARDI and the Montes Alpha). And may the best wine win...
2004 WEINERT MALBEC - $15.95
www.wineandspiritsmagazine.com = 90
GPCi - there were a few Malbecs this release. I personally wasn't so impressed from the 2008 ARGENTO RESERVA MALBEC. Don't get me wrong it's a good wine, it just lacks the "oomph" factor that I expect Malbec to bring. I hope the 2004 WEINERT MALBEC will bring it...
Spain
2006 LAS ROCAS GARNACHA - $15.95 (BUY!!!)
JM=91
GPCi - this wine was introduced to us in January this year. A great QPR. I found it much more rewarding the second day, which means that if you decant it for an hour or so, you will enjoy it much more. Buy a CASE!
France (Alsace)
2008 LOUIS HAULLER GEWURZTRAMINER - $16.95
GPCi - GEWURZTRAMINER from Alsace and for $17 - what's not to like? Serve it chill with spicy Asian or Indian dish.
2007 TRIMBACH RIESLING - $19.95
www.winespectator.com = 91 ; Drink now through 2015
GPCi - If you haven't had a dry Riesling from TRIMBACH before, that's a great opportunity. The 2007 vintage was rewarded 90 by RP. This wine can be cellared for the next 5-6 years. An absolute buy.
France (Bordeaux-Côtes de Castillon)
2005 CHÂTEAU DE LAFAURIE-MONBADON - $15.00 (Must TRY!)
GPCi - I like to try as much wines as I can from the 2005 vintage from Côtes de Castillon especially when they cost $15. The description sound like an excellent week-day wine.
France (Rhone-South)
2007 PERRIN & FILS LES CORNUDS VINSOBRES - $17.95
WS=91
GPCi - The 2007 classic vintage, $18, great review and from a very consistent producer. Do I need to say anything else beside BUY?
Italy (Tuscany)
2005 ROCCA DELLE MACÌE CHIANTI RISERVA - $15.00
GPCi - An excellent Chianti Riserva. I had previous vintages and loved it. QPR!!!
Whenever you look for the food friendly wine and don't know what to choose, this is a safe bet.
Australia (Eden Valley, South Australia)
2008 YALUMBA VIOGNIER - $22.95
Tyson Stelzer = 93
GPCi - Yalumba, another great and consistent producer. I love a good Viognier and I haven't tried this one. A bit at the "higher end of the price scale", but very tempting.
Australia (Valley Hunter)
2007 HOPE ESTATE SHIRAZ - $17.95
GPCi - A very good Shiraz with an excellent message (Hope) and for a fair price.
Australia (McLaren Vale)
2006 PIRRAMIMMA CABERNET SAUVIGNON - $22.95
JH=95 ; until 2015
GPCi - Whenever PIRRAMIMMA comes with a wine, I buy it. It's as simple. Their Cab Sauv as well as their Petit Verdot are just "bang on". They've always delivered for the buck!!!
Australia (Barossa Valley)
2007 THORN-CLARKE SHOTFIRE QUARTAGE - $23.95
www.winefront.com.au = 91+ ; A blend of cabernet sauvignon, petit verdot, merlot and malbec.
GPCi - what got my attention was the blend. If you take this Bordeaux blend (only the Cab Franc is missing) and let the THORN-CLARKE people to produce wine from it, I wouldn't expect anything less than amazing wine.
2006 YALUMBA SHIRAZ/VIOGNIER - $19.95
WS=91
GPCi - Here we go Yalumba again. This time with a typical Rhone-North blend. I had this wine from previous vintages and it is really rewarding especially with a medium-rare NY steak cut. enjoy...
Austria
2007 LOIMER GRÜNER VELTLINER - $16.95
www.erobertparker.com = 90
GPCi - John M, I got this one as an option for our "Big Dinner". Seems like a very interesting-different not the "typical" wines to see in our neighbourhood.
Great review and the price is more than attractive.
