Paul's Picks from the LCBO New Release of April 14, 2012 - My Top 3 from the Argentina Feature and GSM

 Hello to all my wine friends,

Looking at this New Release (NR), apart from the wines featured in the following two highlighted segments, here are a few wines I would like to bring to your attention. If you are a fan of Rioja wines from Spain, here are two of them for you to consider; Coto De Imaz Reserva 2005 (023762) at $19.95 and Rioja Bordon Gran Reserva 2004 (114454) at $22.95. Both of these two Tempranillo base Rioja’s are ready to enjoy, the aging as all been done for you, these to wines are best served with food. Also the Australian selection has pretty good wines for the BBQ session coming up which includes; Shottesbrooke Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 (198275) at $21.95, Shingleback Shiraz 2007 (057844) at $24.95 and on my shopping list Brokenwood Shiraz 2009 (265975) at $29.95. I have notice that some Ontario wineries have been experimenting with Canadian oak, we will see in a near future if there is a market for our Canadian oak barrels. In the mean time you may want to try Featherstone Canadian Oak Chardonnay 2010 from Ontario (149302) at $21.95. Well let’s get started.

My Top 3 from the Argentina Feature;  Again the LCBO staff who put this NR magazine together did a fantastic job, with beautiful stories and photos about Argentina. It makes me want to call my travel agent and travel to Argentina right now. But unfortunately the wines chosen for this NR are nothing to get excited about. With a total of 14 wines, with 11 of them under $20.00, none of these wines created much of a buzz that would cause a rush at the store for purchase. If you have been researching or lucky enough to attend a wine event, featuring the wines of Argentina, you know that there are some fantastic wines to be had. I think that if a region or country is the main feature in a NR, the selection should make that region proud and showcase some of their best wines.

• Carinae Reserva Malbec 2009 from Mendoza (261735) at $15.95 – The best value red wine in this release in my book. This wine is 100% Malbec grapes from 85 years old vines, grown in 2 sub regions of Mendoza with maturation taking place in French oak barrels for 12 months. This winery is also a client of Michel Rolland, the Bordeaux wine consultant.

• Catena Chardonnay 2010 from Mendoza (918805) at $19.95 – The Catena Chardonnay 2010 is 100% Chardonnay grapes blend from these three vineyards La Piramide, Domingo and Adrianna, barrel fermented in French oak (30% new) and aged for 9 months in barrel. A wine with crisp acidity and creamy mouthfeel. Enjoy this Chardonnay with grilled salmon, roast pork or roast chicken.

• François Lurton Piedra Negra Malbec 2007 from Uco Valley (924001) at $34.95 – This wine is 100% estate Malbec grapes, grown in Vista Flores at the foot of the Andes, fermented with native yeasts and aged for 18 months in new French oak. To be enjoyed at its best, this full bodied Malbec will need 4-5 years for all the elements of this wine to blend together.

GSM; You may have heard of this acronym before, but if you haven’t, in the wine world, it means a red blend of Grenache, Shiraz and Mourvèdre. These wines are modelled on the wines from the appellation of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Vacqueyras, Gigondas and Côte du Rhône in southern Rhône, France. Those wines made outside France carrying the label GSM are usually more approachable in their youth and bolder. Here are three wines using all or some of these three grapes, one from Australia and two from France;

• Grant Burge ‘The Holy Trinity’ Grenache/Shiraz/Mourvèdre 2008 from Australia (236257) at $33.95 – I have been a fan of Grant Burge ‘The Holy Trinity’ for quite some time now, a big powerful wine with concentrated flavours, savoury notes and velvet mouthfeel. The exact blend of this wine is 44% Grenache, 40% Shiraz and 16% Mourvèdre, aged 12 months in oak barrels before bottling. Great companion with anything lamb or a good quality steak on the Barbie.

• Domaine de la Colline St-Jean Vacqueyras 2009 from France (038661) at $22.95 - From the very good 2009 Rhône vintage, this wine is a blend of mostly Grenache with a small amount of Syrah with maturation taking place in tank, no oak barrels here. Should drink nicely over the next 3-4 years.

• Brotte Château de Bord ‘La Croix de Frégère’ Côte du Rhône-Villages Landun 2009 from France (264218) at $16.95 – On the very good vintage like 2009, Côte du Rhône are one of the best value there is. Also a blend of Grenache and Syrah, aged 12 months in oak, to enjoy now and over the next 3-4 years.

My top three wines of this release;
1-Antinori Badia A Passignano Chianti Classico Riserva 2007 from Italy (384552) at $43.95

2-Grant Burge ‘The Holy Trinity’ Grenache/Shiraz/Mourvèdre 2008 from Australia (236257) at $33.95

3-Hamilton Russell Chardonnay 2010 from South Africa (931006) at $31.95

My top three wines for value;

1-Carinae Reserva Malbec 2009 from Argentina (261735) at $15.95

2-Brotte Château de Bord ‘La Croix de Frégère’ Côte du Rhône-Villages Landun 2009 from France (264218) at $16.95

3-Tamaya Reserva Malbec/Cabernet Sauvignon/Syrah 2009 from Chile (062497) at $15.95

These wines did not make my shopping list but are worth considering;

Red Wines;

1-François Lurton Piedra Negra Malbec 2007 from Argentina (924001) at $34.95 – Cellar Candidate

2-Beringer Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 from California (149955) at $119.95 – Cellar Candidate

3-Cyrus Cabernet Blend 2007 from California (269233) at $59.95 – Cellar Candidate

4-Tamaya Reserva Malbec/Cabernet Sauvignon/Syrah 2009 from Chile (062497) at $15.95

5-Katnook Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 from Australia (590471) at $29.95 – Cellar Candidate

6-Shingleback Shiraz 2007 from Australia (057844) at $24.95

7-Grant Burge ‘The Holy Trinity’ Grenache/Shiraz/Mourvèdre 2008 from Australia (236257) at $33.95

8-Domaine de la Colline St-Jean Vacqueyras 2009 from France (038661) at $22.95

9-Mastrojanni Brunello Di Montalcino 2006 from Italy (942508) at $46.95 – Cellar Candidate

10-Passadouro Vinho Tinto 2008 from Portugal (267997) at $21.95

11-Coto De Imaz Reserva 2005 from Spain (023762) at $19.95

12-Rioja Bordon Gran Reserva 2004 from Spain (114454) at $22.95

White Wines;

1-Catena Chardonnay 2010 from Argentina (918805) at $19.95

2-Featherstone Canadian Oak Chardonnay 2010 from Ontario (149302) at $21.95

3-Frog’s Leap Chardonnay 2010 from California (713552) at $34.95

4-Gloria Ferrer Chardonnay 2008 from California (083345) at $23.95

5-Quintay Q Sauvignon Blanc 2011 from Chile (276493) at $14.95

6-Dog Point Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2011 from New Zealand (677450) at $20.95

That is it for me and my team. We will be back for next New Release of April 28, 2012

Cheers,

Paul YWG