My top three enjoyed wines for October 2011

When going over the list of wine reviewed for this month, the price category of $35 to $50 delivered the most bang for the money and left me with the most memorable impression.  I first narrowed the list down to six; two from Australia, one each from Argentina, France, Italy and the US. And here his the three wines that made the final cut.

My top three enjoyed wines in October;

1-Chateau Haut-Marbuzet 2002, Saint-Estèphe, Bordeaux, France
http://paulnjoywine.blogspot.com/2011/10/chateau-haut-marbuzet-2002-saint.html

Three elements came together which make this wine enjoyment a real memorable one. A mature wine which I think is drinking at its peek right now. Having my brothers family over for dinner and sharing this great bottle with them and finally pairing this wine with a great dish, Coq au Vin.

2-Elderton Ode to Lorraine Cabernet Sauvignon / Shiraz / Merlot 2008, Barossa Valley, Australia
http://paulnjoywine.blogspot.com/2011/10/elderton-ode-to-lorraine-2008-barossa.html

A seriously good wine here with a lots of detail in both aromas and mouthfeel. Above all excellent balance and drink ability.

3-Caymus Vineyards Zinfandel 2007, Napa Valley, California, USA
http://paulnjoywine.blogspot.com/2011/10/caymus-vineyards-zinfandel-2007-napa.html

This beautiful full body Zinfandel sure warm up my soul. A big, bold and beautiful wine.

Penfolds Bin 128 Shiraz 2008, Coonawarra, Australia

I love the sophisticated nose here; with aromas of blackberry, dark plums, cassis, black olives tapenade, smoky and savoury notes. The palate reveals a Shiraz with fresh acidity, silky tannins with savoury, rich and concentrated flavours. Very good length on the finish, with savoury,  smoky notes, white pepper and a solid core of ripe dark fruit lingering. The 2008 Bin 128 Shiraz was aged 12 months in French oak hogsheads, with alcohol coming in at 14.5%. A lovely wine to smell with a robust structure yet very approachable right now. Strongly recommended.    

This wine was purchased August 20, 2011 LCBO New Release at $34.95.

Salcheto Rosso Di Montepulciano 2008, Tuscany, Italy

This 2008 Rosso di Montepulciano is a very fruity and uncomplicated blend of 84% Sangiovese with Canaiolo and Merlot rounding out this blend. The wine was fermented and aged in stainless steel only, no oak aging here. Very aromatic on the nose, with aromas of fresh raspberry, plums, cranberry and floral notes. This wine is medium bodied, framed by dusty tannins, lively acidity and fresh berry fruit flavours. The finish is medium length and fruity. Without the oak aging, it doesn’t have the complexity of their Vino Nobile Di Montepulciano of course but an enjoyable and easy drinking wine at a very good price.  Now what is with the synthetic cork? I am not a fan of synthetic corks, but the strange thing here is the French inscription of “Mis en bouteille au Château Salcheto”  I am sure that my bottle was meant for the foreign market and not the domestic Italian market. Sold like this in the home market, there would be riots in the streets of Tuscany.

This wine was purchased October 29, 2011 LCBO New Release at $17.95

Paul Picks from the LCBO New Release of October 29, 2011 - Wines of Sonoma and German or Ontario Riesling ?

Hello to all my wine friends,

Following this New Release (NR), there will only be three more NR before Christmas. At first glance, not as an exciting NR as I would have liked, definitely nothing to go crazy and fill your cellar with here. Simply a few everyday value wines like Salcheto Rosso Di Montepulciano 2008 from Italy (165357) at $17.95 – a mostly Sangiovese blend. I was so impressed with there Salcheto Vino Nobile Di Montepulciano 2005 from August 6, 2011 NR. I wanted to experience more of their wines. Also for your consideration, fans of Chenin Blanc, a very well reviewed, Marc Brédif Vouvray 2009 from Loire, France (685362) at $20.95, and a great value Amarone from Pasqua Italy (247890) at $36.95. Well let’s get started.

Wines of Sonoma; Hard to compete for attention when your big brother is Napa Valley. I personally prefer Sonoma over Napa, here is why; Sonoma makes more balanced wines with it's cooler region, Sonoma wines have better acidity, less alcohol, dryer wines and are a better value. As a big fan of Zinfandel, with sub-appellations such as Alexander Valley, Russian River Valley and Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma has a lot going for it. A Zin which I have had my eye on in this NR, Gallo Family Frei Ranch Vineyard Zinfandel 2009 has received mix reviews, like this review from David Lawrason of Wine Align “Two bottles were tasted – one was quite cooked and raisiny. The other was much better..... I have encountered this bottle variability before with Gallo’s Sonoma wines. I would buy one bottle at a time." This review does not inspire confidence, David Lawreson is a wine expert, tasting hundreds of wines a year, most people who would open that first bottle, would say this is not a very good wine for their taste and never buy it again, or return it. Never realizing there could be variations or inconsistent wine by bottle. Here are 3 Reds and 1 White Sonoma wines worth considering;

• Benziger Family Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 from Sonoma County (597237) at $29.95
• Frei Brothers Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 from Alexander Valley (038075) at $23.95
• Rodney Strong Estate Pinot Noir 2009 from Russian River Valley (954834) at $24.95
• CrossBarn Chardonnay 2008 from Sonoma Mountain (235945) at $21.95

German or Ontario Riesling? You all know by now, my love for Riesling. With a few exceptions (Washington State Château St-Michelle) all my other Riesling purchases originate from these two colder climate countries; Germany and Canada (British Columbia and Ontario). First, Germany is a no brainer, off-dry, light-bodied Riesling's are there specialty; somewhat sweet, but well balanced by strong minerality, zesty and refreshing acidity with many designations such as Kabinett, Spätlese and Auslese. As for Canada, both British Columbia and Ontario producers can produce equally brilliant Riesling; fuller body than Riesling from German but with great aromatics, mineral notes and fresh acidity. In my view, no other white wine is more food friendly than a Riesling, and here are two recommendations from this NR, one from Germany and one from Ontario and under $18.00

• Lingenfelder Bird Label Riesling 2009 from Pfalz, Germany (568634) at $13.95
• Tawse Sketches of Niagara Riesling 2010 from Niagara Peninsula, Ontario (089029) at $17.95 

My top three wines of this release;

1-Penfolds Bin 28 Kalimna Shiraz 2008 from Australia (422782) at $34.95

2-Benziger Family Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 from California (597237) at $29.95

3-Pasqua Amarone Della Valpolicella 2007 from Italy (247890) at $36.95

My top three wines for value;

1-Lingenfelder Bird Label Riesling 2009 from Germany (568634) at $13.95

2-Salcheto Rosso Di Montepulciano 2008 from Italy (165357) at $17.95

3-Meandro Do Vale Meao 2008 from Portugal (244731) at $23.95

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

Red Wines;

1-Frei Brothers Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 from California (038075) at $23.95

2-Rodney Strong Estate Pinot Noir 2009 from California (954834) at $24.95

3-NK’MIP Qwam Qwmt Meritage 2008 from British Columbia (252080) at $26.95

4-Chehalem Reserve Pinot Noir 2007 from Oregon (233577) at $44.95

5-Concha Y Toro Winemaker’s Lot 54 Syrah 2008 from Chile (227496) at $16.95

6-Jim Barry Clare Red Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 from Australia (243543) at $24.95

7-Château de Beaucastel Coudoulet de Beaucastel 2009 from France (048884) at $29.95

8-Lento Lamezia Riserva 2006 from Italy (972208) at $19.95

9-Barone Ricasoli Rocca Chianti Classico Riserva 2007 from Italy (943613) at $24.95

10-Pasqua Amarone Della Valpolicella 2007 from Italy (247890) at $36.95

White Wines;

1-Hoopenburg Integer Chardonnay 2007 from South Africa (174672) at $21.95

2-Loosen Bros Dr. L. Riesling 2010 from Germany (599274) at $14.95

3-Inama Vin Soave Classico 2009 from Italy (949768) at $17.95

My team and I will be back for next New Release of November 12, 2011 where the main Feature is Premium products for Holiday fêtes, so save your toonies and get ready to pace yourself over the next six weeks on your wine purchases.

Cheers
Paul YWG

Navarro Correas Structura Ultra 2006, Mendoza, Argentina

On LCBO New Release day I go to the store with my shopping list in hand, but every once in a while I will stray from the list because of a wine that is strongly recommended by the in-store Product Consultant. In this case the Product Consultant is Niki Deol at the World Exchange in Ottawa. She was highly enthusiastic of the Structura Ultra 2006, a blend of Malbec 52%, Cabernet Sauvignon 30%, and Merlot 18% aged for 18 months in French Oak, of which 80% is new.  If Structure Ultra was a boxer, it would be competing in the Heavy Weight division; a big wine on all fronts. Big fruit, big alcohol 14.9%, big flavours, big and heavyweight bottle ( not a positive here), big… well you get the picture. The reaction of pulling the cork was an upper cut of flavours, with ripe black fruit (cherry and blackberry), plums, black currant, cedar and floral notes. This full bodied mouthfeel has rich and velvet texture, concentrated fruit flavours, toasty oak, fresh acidity and grainy tannins. This blends finish is long, rich and sensuous. An awesome wine, a great recommendation Niki, strongly recommended for people who enjoy this style.   

This wine was purchased October 15, 2011 LCBO New Release at $34.95.

Guenoc Cabernet Sauvignon 2009, Lake County, California, USA

This young Cabernet Sauvignon is a little awkward at the moment. A little shy on the nose with aromas of dark fruit, dark chocolate, cedar, smoke and dust. On the mouthfeel this medium to full bodied Cabernet has loads of dark fruit, enough acidity and hard tannins. The back label says smooth and velvet finish, it is nothing but. I get a great deal of oak and aggressive tannins. Don't get me wrong, a good wine, at a great value, but it needs time in the cellar. This wine lacks finesse, right now.  

This wine was purchased October 15, 2011 LCBO New Release at $17.95.

Saltram Mamre Brook Shiraz 2008, Barossa Valley, Australia

From a hot 2008 vintage of the Barossa Valley, comes this big (15% Alcohol), dark almost inky black and very fragrant Aussie Shiraz. The fruit is from low yielding vines that was matured in new and used French and American oak barrels for twenty-two months. On the nose, this wine opens up with ripe blackberry, plums, savoury, coffee and cedar aromas. Big and rich flavours on the mouthfeel, cherry pie, chocolate, clove with sufficient acidity and ripe tannins. The finish is long, velvety, savoury with sweet flavours lingering. A classic example of the “Barossa Style”, big fruit and big alcohol but well balanced and well made. Very enjoyable.

This wine was purchased July 9, 2011 LCBO New Release at $24.95