{"id":4600,"date":"2018-05-10T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2018-05-10T09:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.michaelpinkuswinereview.com\/index.php\/2018\/05\/10\/saturday-may-12-2018-vintages-release-report\/"},"modified":"2018-05-10T09:00:00","modified_gmt":"2018-05-10T09:00:00","slug":"saturday-may-12-2018-vintages-release-report","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp.michaelpinkuswinereview.com\/index.php\/2018\/05\/10\/saturday-may-12-2018-vintages-release-report\/","title":{"rendered":"Saturday May 12, 2018 – Vintages Release Report"},"content":{"rendered":"

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 <\/p>\n

Key to the 5-star rating system:<\/strong><\/em>
5 = Outstanding … 4.5 = Excellent … 4 = Very Good … 3.5 = Good<\/em><\/p>\n

Wine colour indicators – Red<\/span>, Whites<\/span>, etc.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Foci …<\/strong> Bordeaux (Bor<\/strong>), New Zealand (NZ<\/strong>) and Rosé (Ro<\/strong>)
The Skinny …<\/strong> There are 150+ wines in this release: the Bordeaux selection is weak and so is the New Zealand selection (unless you go with the In-Store Discoveries). The Rosés are a pretty good lot and if you are looking for some great reds there’s a Plan de Dieu (France) and a California Cab that you need to get.<\/p>\n

Argentina …<\/strong>
Alamos 2014 Seleccion Malbec<\/em><\/span> ($16.95 – #322800) – spiced-cherry, raspberry and oak.  (*** ½)
Kaiken 2016 Leyenda Ultra Cabernet Sauvignon<\/em><\/span> ($19.95 – #135202) – full on cassis, blackberry, black cherry, mocha and vanilla.  (*** ½+)<\/p>\n

Australia …<\/strong>
D’Arenberg 2012 The Laughing Magpie Shiraz\/Viognier<\/em><\/span> ($29.95 – #936971) – floral, spiced-peppers, violets and blackberry.  (*** ½)
Elderton 2015 Barossa Shiraz<\/em><\/span> ($24.95 – #713024) – silky smooth with blackberry, plum, chocolate, white pepper and mocha.  (*** ½+)
Margan Family 2017 Hunter Valley Semillon<\/em><\/span> ($19.95 – #493338) – lanolin, citrus pith and orange peel.  (*** ½)
Wakefield 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon<\/em><\/span> ($19.95 – #744235) – juicy and approachable with blue and black fruit, floral and a black cherry finish.  (*** ½)<\/p>\n

Canada<\/strong> (Ontario) … click on wine name for full review<\/em><\/span>
Cave Spring 2014 Estate Bottled Gewurztraminer<\/em><\/a> ($17.95 – #302059) – *** ½+
Featherstone 2017 Four Feathers<\/em><\/a> ($14.95 – #341586) – ***+
Featherstone 2017 Rosé<\/em><\/a> ($15.95 – #117861) – *** ½+ … Ro<\/strong>
Henry of Pelham 2017 Three of Hearts Rosé<\/em><\/a> ($19.95 – #552562) – **** … Ro<\/strong>
Malivoire 2017 Vivant Rosé<\/em><\/a> ($19.95 – #498535) – **** … Ro<\/strong>
Thirty Bench 2016 Winemaker’s Blend Double Noir<\/em><\/a> ($18.95 – #493973) – *** ½<\/p>\n

Chile …<\/strong>
San Pedro 2015 1865 Selected Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon<\/em><\/span> ($19.95 – #037911) – minty, herbal and blackberry.  (*** ½+)<\/p>\n

France<\/strong> (Bordeaux) …<\/em><\/span>
Chateau Fleur Haut Gaussens 2010<\/span><\/em> ($18.95 – #445510) – approachable with blueberry, mocha and black cherry.  (*** ½) – Bor<\/strong>
Chateau La Brande 2015<\/em><\/span> ($19.95 – #550418) – spiced blackberry, cassis and coffee.  (*** ½) – Bor<\/strong>
Chateau La Prade 2015<\/em><\/span> ($29.95 – #527283) – smoky coffee bean, big tannins and hidden fruit.  (*** ½) – Bor<\/strong>
France<\/strong> (Lauguedoc) …<\/em><\/span>
Abbotts & Delaunay 2015 Corbieres<\/em><\/span> ($17.95 – #537944) – intense black fruit, spiced-plum, mocha and cherry.  (****)
Gerard Bertrand 2015 Syrah\/Grenache<\/em> <\/span>($16.95 – #413237) – red fruit forward with a little herbal adding complexity.  (*** ½+)
France<\/strong> (Midi) …<\/span><\/em>
Gerard Bertrand 2017 Cote des Roses Rosé<\/em><\/span> ($18.95 – #373985) – herbal, peach pit and mineral.  (*** ½) – Ro<\/strong>
France<\/strong> (Provence) …<\/em><\/span>
Caves D’Esclans 2017 Whispering Angel Rosé<\/em><\/span> ($29.95 – #325076) – pretty mineral, delicate sour cherry and strawberry.  (*** ½+) – Ro<\/strong>
France<\/strong> (Rhone) …<\/em><\/span>
Marquis D’Aqueria 2017 Tavel Rosé<\/em> <\/span>($19.95 – #556274) – full on strawberry, orange and red cherry.  (*** ½+) – Ro<\/strong>
Olivier et LaFont 2015 Chateauneuf-du-Pape<\/em><\/span> ($47.95 – #539908) – nice chocolate, cherry with mineral, leather, vanilla and herbs, good tannin structure.  (****+)
Remy Ferbras 2015 Terre de Mistral Cotes du Rhone Villages Plan de Dieu<\/em><\/span> ($15.95 – #538009) – lots of red fruit, intense spice, and a mocha finish; best value of the release.  (****)
France<\/strong> (Southwest) …<\/em><\/span>
Chateau Clamens 2017 Julie Rosé<\/em><\/span> ($19.95 – #491910) – orange, peach, lime with a slight tannin nuance.  (*** ½) – Ro<\/strong>
Chateau Lamartine 2014 Cuvee Particuliere Cahors<\/em><\/span> ($27.95 – #441238) – some old school Cahors here with more tannins than fruit but their coming.  (*** ½+)<\/p>\n

Italy<\/strong> (Emilia-Romagna) …<\/em><\/span>
Umberto Cesari 2014 Liano Sangiovese\/Cabernet Sauvignon<\/em><\/span> ($27.95 – #225086) – mocha, chocolate and spiced cake; fruit will be coming.  (*** ½)
Italy<\/strong> (Piedmont) …<\/em><\/span>
Giacomo Borgogno & Figli 2014 Langhe Freisa<\/em><\/span> ($23.95 – #388660) – drying tannins, wood smoke and dried fruit.  (*** ½+)
Italy<\/strong> (Tuscany) …<\/em><\/span>
Villa Puccini 2012<\/em><\/span> ($14.95 – #540930) – fruit forward with oak, ripe tannins and a smoky finish.  (*** ½+)
Italy<\/strong> (Veneto) …<\/em><\/span>
Tommasi 2015 Graticcio Appassionato<\/em><\/span> ($15.95 – #338939) – fruit forward with enough herbal and savoury notes to make it interesting.  (*** ½)<\/p>\n

New Zealand …<\/strong>
Elephant Hill 2013 Le Phant<\/em><\/span> ($23.95 – #447367) – ballsy, blackberry, cassis and black cherry with a smoky nuance running right through.  (*** ½+) – NZ<\/strong>
Hunter’s 2014 Pinot Noir<\/em><\/span> ($24.95 – #586115) – delicate with beet root, cranberry and sour cherry.  (*** ½+) – NZ<\/strong>
Nautilus 2016 Chardonnay<\/em><\/span> ($27.95 – #331652) – mineral and mushroom with silky mouthfeel, slight butter, smoke and peach cobbler with a spicy finish.  (****) – NZ<\/strong><\/p>\n

Portugal …<\/strong>
Fonseca 2011 Late Bottled Vintage Port<\/em><\/span> ($18.95 – #087551) – smooth and supple with plum, black cherry and chocolate.  (*** ½+)
Graham’s Six Grapes Reserve Port<\/em><\/span> ($23.95 – #28405) – plum, chocolate, blackberry and spice.  (*** ½)
Kelman 2014 Tinto<\/em><\/span> ($17.95 – #549766) – mocha cherry and vanilla, pretty floral note with nice fruitalong with herbal and spice.  (****)<\/p>\n

South Africa …<\/strong>
Simonsig 2017 Chenin Blanc<\/em><\/span> ($13.95 – #981167) – melon a la cantaloupe with apple and pear notes.  (*** ½)<\/p>\n

Spain …<\/strong>
Camparron 2014 Crianza<\/em><\/span> ($18.95 – #547125) – chocolate cherry, and intense fruit of black and blue berry. (****)
Ercavio Roble 2014 Tempranillo<\/em><\/span> ($17.95 – #067504) – lean, gentle blue fruit and white pepper.  (*** ½)
Monasterio de Las Vinas 2012 Reserva Garnacha\/Tempranillo\/Carinena<\/em><\/span> ($14.95 – #166579) – nicely aged, smoky black fruit and a vanilla tickle on the finish.  (*** ½+)<\/p>\n

United States<\/strong> (California) …<\/em><\/span>
Bogle Vineyards 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon<\/em><\/span> ($22.95 – #904565) – sweet blackberry, black cherry and chocolate.  (*** ½)
Buena Vista 2013 Pinot Noir<\/em> <\/span>($28.95 – #304105) – decent Cali-Pinot with smoky, cherry and strawberry notes.  (*** ½)
Lake Sonoma 2014 Zinfandel<\/em><\/span> ($26.95 – #498766) – sweet cherry, plum and chocolate.  (*** ½)
Surf Swim 2016 Chardonnay<\/em><\/span> ($17.95 – #547943) – vanilla, butterscotch and baked apple.  (*** ½)
Tom Gore 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon<\/em><\/span> ($19.95 – #451336) – fruit forward and smoky with black cherry, dark chocolate, and plum with good acidity and spice on the finish; still good value.  (****)
United States<\/strong> (Oregon) …<\/em><\/span>
Kings Ridge 2015 Pinot Noir<\/em><\/span> ($27.95 – #237776) – anise, black cherry and smoke.  (*** ½+)<\/p>\n

________________________________________<\/p>\n

In-Store Discoveries:  wines that appear at selected Vintages outlets …<\/strong>
Bachelder 2015 Wismer-Foxcroft N.2 Chardonnay<\/em><\/a>, Ontario ($44.95 – #547299) – *** ½+
Chateau La Louviere Blanc 2012<\/em><\/span>, Bordeaux ($47.95 – #552067) – *** ½
Dusted Valley 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon<\/em><\/span>, Washington ($40.95 – #070615) – *** ½
Grasshopper Rock 2015 Earnscleugh Vineyard Pinot Noir<\/em><\/span>, New Zealand ($44.95 – #493163) – *** ½+
Greywacke 2014 Wild Sauvignon<\/em><\/span>, New Zealand ($39.95 – #282806) – ****
Mt. Beautiful 2015 Pinot Noir<\/em><\/span>, New Zealand ($37.95 – #552026) – ****
Jose Zuccardi 2013 Malbec<\/em><\/span>, Argentina ($44.95 – #163725) – *** ½+
Ridge Vineyards 2014 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon<\/em><\/span>, California ($94.95 – #089284) – ****
Villa Maria 2015 Taylors Pass Single Vineyard Chardonnay<\/em><\/span>, New Zealand ($33.95 – #495010) – *** ½+
Zorzal Eggo 2016 Blanc de Cal Sauvignon Blanc<\/em><\/span>, Argentina ($29.95 – #551846) – *** ½<\/p>\n

If You Can Afford It:  wines worth their high price …<\/strong>
Chateau Yon-Figeac 2015, <\/em>Bordeaux<\/span><\/span> ($64.95 – #550525) … *** ½+
Montes 2015 Purple Angel<\/em><\/span>, Chile ($62.95 – #062364) … **** ½
Silver Oak 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon<\/em><\/span>, California ($204.95 – #936039) … ****
Solaia 2014<\/em><\/span>, Tuscany ($257.95 – #987586) … ****+<\/p>\n

Best Values in this Release – (May 12, 2018) …<\/strong>
Abbotts & Delaunay 2015 Corbieres<\/em><\/span> ($17.95 – #537944) – France
Kelman 2014 Tint<\/em><\/span>o ($17.95 – #549766) – Portugal
Remy Ferbras 2015 Terre de Mistral Cotes du Rhone Villages Plan de Dieu<\/em><\/span> ($15.95 – #538009) – France
Tom Gore 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon<\/em><\/span> ($19.95 – #451336) – California<\/p>\n

Happy Shopping<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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