Key to the 5-star rating system:
5 = Outstanding … 4.5 = Excellent … 4 = Very Good … 3.5 = Good
Wine colour indicators – Red, Whites, etc.
The Foci … Loire Valley (LV) and Wine of the Pacific North West (PNW)
The Skinny … The selection from the Loire is pretty good so there is lots of choice there. The winner of the Pacific North West is Washington with a plethora of good wines, especially the reds. Meanwhile the old world wins out with Portugal, Spain and France pulling off some of the best values in this release.
Australia …
Balnaves 2009 Shiraz ($33.95 – #45237) – floral, smoky-vanilla, plum-cherry and raspberry. (*** ½+)
Rolf Binder 2012 Hales Shiraz ($19.95 – #54239) – nice balance, lots of blackberry and black cherry with a smoky-mocha-plum finish. (*** ½+)
Canada (British Columbia) …
Cedar Creek 2013 Riesling ($18.95 – #423269) – petrol is emerging with hints of lime at its core. (*** ½) – PNW
Dirty Laundry 2013 Say Yes Pinot Gris ($19.95 – #423202) – offers nice balance of sweetness and dryness with Bosc pear skin, peach and a touch of honeycomb. (*** ½+) – PNW
Gehringer Brothers 2013 Dry Rock Vineyards Cabernet Merlot ($19.95 – #556001) – nice fruity wine with blueberry, plum and gentle spice. (*** ½+) – PNW
Canada (Ontario) … click on wine name for full review
Colio Estate 2012 Bricklayer’s Reward Block 3 Merlot ($19.95 – #41908) – *** ½
Inniskillin 2012 Reserve Shiraz/Cabernet ($24.95 – #225482) – *** ½+
Keint-he 2013 Portage Pinot Noir ($30.00 – #373415) – *** ½+
Rosewood 2014 Sussreserve Riesling ($14.95 – #258806) – ****
France (Bordeaux) …
Chateau Chantelys 2010 ($21.95 – #421214) – anise, black currant and cedar/oak. (*** ½)
Chateau Maurac 2010 ($23.95 – #365817) – plum, black cherry, spicy and chewy. (*** ½+)
Chateau Plaisance 2009 ($19.95 – #404285) – big fruit for Bordeaux, black and brooding with nice weight and structure; balanced with fruit and oak/cedar backing. (****)
France (Burgundy) …
Joseph Drouhin 2013 Macon-Villages ($19.95 – #356956) – nice apple, pear with a hint of minerality, green apple skin and decent acidity. (*** ½)
France (Loire) …
Bouvet Brut Excellence Cremant de Loire ($17.95 – #303636) – nice acidity, fresh, crisp, lemon/lime; a good way to get into bubbly without spending a lot of dough. (*** ½+) – LV
Chateau Favray 2014 Pouilly-Fume ($21.95 – #323642) – smoky-flinty and grapefruit pith. (*** ½+) – LV
Domaine Bonnard 2013 Sancerre Rouge ($23.95 – #65995) – delicate, dried cherry, earthy with hints of Pom juice. (*** ½) – LV
Domaine des Cotes Blanches 2013 Sancerre ($24.95 – #409292) – apricot, peach, zesty, fragrant and pretty. (*** ½+) – LV
Domaine Jacky Marteau 2014 Sauvignon Touraine ($13.95 – #745349) – almost New Zealand-like in its make-up and intensity but at half the price. (*** ½+) – LV
Justin Monmousseau 2014 Vouvray ($16.95 – #271940) – lovely bit of sweetness with good balanced acidity: pineapple, apple, pear and lime. (*** ½+) – LV
France (Midi) …
Chateau de Lancyre 2013 Esprit de Garrigue ($15.95 – #415695) – sweet red licorice entry with strawberry-raspberry linger. (*** ½+)
Domaine Lafage 2013 Cote Est ($14.95 – #179838) – fresh with citrus pulp and pith and a hint of pear sweetness. (*** ½+)
France (Rhone) …
Famille Perrin 2013 L’Andeol Rasteau ($19.95 – #976845) – lively cherry fruit with hints of herbal and oak. (*** ½+)
Germany …
Wegeler 2012 Sweet Riesling ($19.95 – #409672) – yes it is sweet but it is balanced with acidity along with peach and delicious apple. (****)
Italy (Piedmont) …
Paolo Conterno 2010 Riva del Bric Barolo ($39.95 – #172783) – sweet fruit nose, nice palate showing cherry fruit with oak and herbal character. (****)
Italy (Puglia) …
Antica Masseria 2011 Jorche Primitivo di Manduria ($21.95 – #417535) – big dark fruit, mocha licorice, plum and black cherry. (****)
Italy (Tuscany) …
Capezzana 2012 Barco Reale di Carmignano ($17.95 – #508531) – coffee, mocha, black cherry and herbs. (*** ½+)
Dei 2011 Vino di Montepulciano ($27.95 – #285510) – fine structure with leather, herbal, licorice and enough fruit ties it all together at the back end to make it interesting. (*** ½+)
Italy (Veneto) …
Giuseppe Campognola 2013 Ripasso della Valpolicella Classico Superiore ($19.95 – #313486) – the brown on the bottle hints at the burnt coffee bean and blackberry; not traditional but interesting. (*** ½)
Portugal …
Ramos Pinto 2013 Duas Quintas ($17.95 – #359893) – deep dark black cherry, plum, blackberry, mocha, chewy yet round, rich and thick like Port but dry and tasty; this wine is full of flavour for years to come. (****+)
South Africa …
Mulderbosch 2014 Chenin Blanc ($14.95 – #675421) – honeycomb, lime, pineapple and melon rind. (****)
Spain …
Bodegas y Vinedos Valderiz Valdehermoso Crianza 2011 ($22.95 – #422063) – black cherry, spiced-mocha and a touch of vanilla. (*** ½+)
Cosme Palacio 2009 Reserva ($22.95 – #14662) – sweet fruit centered, a little oak with plum and raspberry. (*** ½+)
Vicente Gandia Nebla Verdejo 2014 ($14.95 – #422048) – grapefruit pith and zest with herbaceous notes. (*** ½+)
Vivanco 2010 Seleccion de Familia Crianza ($17.95 – #673491) – plum, blackberry, black cherry, vanilla, toasty with nice balance and spicy character. (****)
United States (California) …
Cline 2013 Ancient Vines Carignane ($24.95 – #32177) – lots of chocolate, plum, mocha, spice, vanilla and smoky; so much complexity and excitement in one sip, imagine a full bottle. (****+)
Easton 2012 Zinfandel ($27.95 – #328377) – shows restraint from all that could be yet shows what is: cherry reigns with raspberry-strawberry, mocha, plum; sweet on the palate but with the right amount of balancing spice. (****+)
First Press 2013 Chardonnay ($19.95 – #199810) – vanilla, mac apple and a little flinty. (*** ½)
Napa Cellars 2012 Merlot ($23.95 – #161299) – juicy blue and black berry with a hint of smoke. (*** ½+)
Pali 2012 Huntington Pinot Noir ($27.95 – #417519) – nice bite of black cherry and black pepper. (*** ½+)
United States (Oregon) …
Adelsheim 2012 Pinot Noir ($41.95 – #683821) – nice balance of sour and sweet cherry, white pepper and delicate spice. (****) – PNW
United States (Washington) …
Airfield Estates 2012 Runway Merlot ($24.95 – #420703) – a little leaner than the other Washington Merlot but still with lovely fruit. (*** ½+) – PNW
Chateau Ste. Michelle 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon ($19.95 – #269357) – mocha, blackberry, black cherry, licorice with recurring mocha; lovely linger on the palate with balanced acidity. (****) – PNW
Chateau Ste. Michelle 2013 Riesling ($16.95 – #685651) – fresh and fleshy, juicy with a touch of sweetness like white peach and honeydew. (*** ½+) – PNW
Columbia Crest 2012 Grand Estates Cabernet Sauvignon ($17.95 – #240093) – nice core of plum, gentle spice and crème de cassis. (*** ½+) – PNW
Seven Falls 2012 Merlot ($19.95 – #420711) – juicy mocha cherry, ripe and luscious. (****) – PNW
Wines of Substance 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon ($24.95 – #419770) – this one is from Charles Smith and is a rich, juicy and yes substantive Cab from Washington with generous fruit, chocolate, vanilla and layers of dark and red fruit and herbs, a really beauty. (**** ½) – PNW
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In-Store Discoveries – wines that appear on the shelves of your local Vintages outlet …
Aberrant 2012 Amplus Grann Moraine Pinot Noir ($69.95 – #424994) – Oregon (*** ½+)
Domaine Drouhin 2012 Pinot Noir ($49.95 – #961284) – Oregon (****+)
Sbragia 2010 Monte Rosso Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon ($79.95 – #291054) – California (*** ½+)
If You Can Afford It – wines worth their high price …
Charles Heidsieck Reserve Rosé Champagne ($84.95 – #409342) – Champagne, France (****+)
Dry Creek 2011 The Mariner Meritage ($61.95 – #271320) – California, USA (*** ½+)
Piper-Heidsieck 2006 Brut Champagne ($79.95 – #409326) – Champagne, France (*** ½+)
What I’ll Be Lining Up For – August 8, 2015 …
Chateau Plaisance 2009 ($19.95 – #404285) – Bordeaux
Ramos Pinto 2013 Duas Quintas ($17.95 – #359893) – Portugal
Vivanco 2010 Seleccion de Familia Crianza ($17.95 – #673491) – Spain
Wines of Substance 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon ($24.95 – #419770) – Washington
Happy Shopping