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Sparkling Wines 87 Mas fi Cava Brut N/V Macabeo - Parellada - Xarello Penedès, Catalunya, Spain BC $15.00 speculative listing - Seacove Group Medium fine mousse with light floral, citrus, biscuit, green apple, quince and pear skin aromas.
Sparkling Wines
87 Mas fi Cava Brut N/V Macabeo - Parellada - Xarello
Penedès, Catalunya, Spain
BC $15.00 speculative listing - Seacove Group
Medium fine mousse with light floral, citrus, biscuit, green apple, quince and pear skin aromas. Fresh, off dry, juicy palate with nutty biscuit, floral, pear, honey, grassy, peach pit flavours. Creamy with good fruit and acidity but a tad too sweet. Solid value here in cava. (AG-ST)
White Wines
88 Veramonte Sauvignon Blanc Reserva La Gloria 2011
Valle de Casablanca, Region de Aconcagua, Chile
BC $14.00 specialty listing, AB $15.00 private wine shops, NB $15.00, NS $15.00, ON $13.95, QC $14.25
The Veramonte style is fresh and crisp mixing gooseberry, dried herbs and lemongrass with tropical fruit nuances, minerality and along fresh finish. Clean and pure you get a lot of wine here for a little money. A perfect wine for West Coast shellfish. (AG)
88 Louis Latour Ardèche Chardonnay 2011
France
BC $14.00 Everything Wine, AB $13.00 private wine shops, NF $14.50, ON $12.45 general listing, PEI $16.00, QC $15.70
Maybe the best Ardèche we have tasted. The nose is fresh and complex with lemon toast and lees notes. The attack is bright and fresh with ripe red apple fruit and flecks of butter and nuts. Impressive for the price and wonderful with white meats. Excellent value. (AG-ST)
88 Wynns Coonawarra Estate Riesling 2012
Coonawarra, South Australia, Australia
BC $15.00 specialty listing, AB $17.00 private wine shops, MB $15.00, NB $19.00, ON $17.00
Open fresh slate and lime rind nose with bits of green apple skin and mineral aromas. The attack is fresh and fruity with more juicy green apple, citrus spicy, nectarine flavours. A clean, fresh style of riesling tailor-made for Pan Asian foods or serve liberally as an apéritif. (AG-ST)
88 Cono Sur Organic Sauvignon Blanc 2012
Valle de San Antonio, Region de Aconcagua, Chile
BC $14.50 specialty listing
Passion fruit, lime, light jalapeno, gooseberry, grassy, chalky aromas. Fresh, juicy, elegant palate with a bit of sweetness. Ripe passion fruit, guava, gooseberry, grapefruit and jalapeno flavours. Lots of fruit and intensity in this fine valued offering. (AG-ST)
88 Poggiotondo Toscana Bianco 2011 Vermentino - Ansonica - Malvasia
Florence, Tuscany, Italy
BC $15.00 speculative listing - Trialto Wine Group, AB $13.00 private wine stores, ON $14.00 consignment - Trialto Wine Group, QC $15.00 Private Import - Winspeer Altovin
Winemaker Alberto Antonini loves the lean, fruity, leesy, chalky style in this case spiced with lemon zest, floral and almond aromas. The attack is dry and tight with a fresh, juicy palate and grapefruit rind, quince, pear, floral, ginger and lemon oil flavours all with a touch of freshening squirt of CO2. A crisp almost austere style with plenty of flavour and length for seafood pasta dishes and grilled calamari. Good value. (AG-ST)
88 Penfolds Koonunga Hill Chardonnay 2011
South Australia, Australia
BC $15.00 specialty listing, AB $15.00 private wine shops, NB $16.00, NF $16.00, NS $15.00, ON $15.00, QC $16.00, SK $18.00
This is a classic example of the trickle-down effect at Penfolds where chardonnay has been on 15 year long journey. KH is fresh, light, bright and clean and while it can please with its green apple skin, pear, honey and butter aromas and flavours it is the light lees, brioche and complexity that is most welcomed here. Koonunga Hill is still sourced from multiple districts with significant contributions from South Australia GIs Clare and Padthaway. Some 46 per cent is matured in stainless steel the rest in new and seasoned oaked barrels. Impressive for the price. (AG-ST)
87 Casillero del Diablo Chardonnay 2011
Valle de Casablanca, Region de Aconcagua, Chile
BC $13.00 specialty listing, AB $15.00, MB $13.00, NF $13.00, NS $12.95, SK $13.10
A blend of Casablanca and Limari fruit, this has honey, green apple, lees, light garlic, nutty, citrus, passion fruit aromas. Fresh, juicy, round, off dry palate with creamy, grapefruit, nectarine, green apple, vanilla, guava with light garlic lees flavours. Good juicy style with some complexity. A continued fine value and effort. Great party wine. (AG)
87 León de Tarapacá Sauvignon Blanc 2011
Valle del Maipo, Region del Valle Central, Chile
BC $13.00 specialty listing
An easy-drinking commercial version of this variety with a fair whack of residual sugar. The aromas and flavours are a mix of citrus, grass, pink grapefruit with red apple with just a hint of dried herbs. More picnic style or wine to be served on the patio with spicy appetizers. A kinder gentler version of the aggressive New Zealand style. Try this with a goat cheese salad. (AG)
87 Castaño C Macabeo Chardonnay 2011 Chardonnay - Macabeo
Yecla, Valencia and Murcia, Spain
BC $12.00 speculative listing - The Delf Group
Pear, citrus, green apple and nectarine aromas. Fresh, juicy, delicate and off-dry palate with green apple, floral, lime, honey and peach flavours. Simple, elegant and fruity, a great summer and seafood offering that offers continued great value. (AG-ST)
87 Ruffino Orvieto Classico 2010 Procanico - Verdello - Malvasia - Grechetto - Drupeggio
Umbria, Italy
BC $11.99 General
Umbrian white wine can punch above its weight as this Orvieto Classico does with its distinctively fresh style. A mix of grechetto, procanico and verdello that is long on freshness with buttery, nutty, pear and mineral aromas and flavours. Perfect for crab cakes. (AG)
87 Max Mann Riesling Classic 2010
Nahe, Germany
BC $15.00 speculative listing - International Cellars
Green apple skin, matchstick, slate, green peach, floral, light almond aromas. Crisp, juicy, odd-dry palate with honey, floral, green apple, nectarine and light lees flavours. A bit soft and lean but solid fruit. (AG-ST)
87 Cono Sur Bicicleta Gewurztraminer 2012
Region del Valle Central, Chile
BC $11.00 specialty listing, AB $12.00 private wine stores, MB $12.00, YK $12.00
Similar to the previous edition with spicy, dried litchi, floral, orange, ginger aromas. The attack is fresh, the palate drier with honey, dried litchi, light sausage, ginger, rose petal and apple skin flavours with only minimal oiliness. Good viscosity and fruit intensity. Great effort and a steal at the price. Greta with Indian or Thai dishes. (AG)
87 La Vieille Ferme Côtes du Luberon Blanc 2011 Grenache Blanc - Bourboulenc - Ugni Blanc - Roussanne
Côtes du Lubéron, Provence, South of France, France
BC $14.00 Everything Wine, AB $13.00, MB $14.00, NS $11.66, ON $11.30, ON $20.00, QC $13.30
Floral, quince, pear, lemon oil, baked green apple, ginger and slate aromas. Fresh, round, juicy off-dry palate with a creamy texture and similar flavours. Well balanced, easy drinking style with some complexity. Solid value here. (AG-ST)
87 Lagaria Pinot Grigio 2011
Veneto, Italy
BC $15.00 speculative listing - Christopher Stewart, MB $17.00 private wine shops, US $7.00 SRP
Ripe pear, apple skin, lemon, matchstick, floral aromas. Round, dry, elegant but slightly lean with almond, honey, red apple, citrus and lees flavours and a juicy finish. Solid effort here. (AG-ST)
87 Lindemans Bin 65 Chardonnay 2012
South Eastern Australia, Australia
BC $13.00 specialty listing, AB $12.00 private wine shops, MB $12.00, NB $13.00, NF $13.25, NS $12.00, ON $10.00, PEI $14.50, QC $12.00, SK $12.50
You can't really expect more than you get here for $13. The style is fresh and perfectly leaned out for food with light aromatic peach and citrus notes. There's a touch of butter to smooth out the fresh peach and light lemon and lees flavours that coat the palate. A touch watery (juicy) in a good way in the finish. Simple, well-made, fresh atypical cheap chardonnay that' sis perfect with chicken or seafood. Good value. Has Yattarna reshaped every chardonnay at Treasury? (AG-ST)
86 Remy Pannier Sauvignon Blanc di Touraine 2010
Loire, France
BC $15.00 specialty listing, ON $13.00
Gooseberry, grapefruit, light passion fruit and bell pepper aromas. Fresh, juicy, slightly austere palate with passion fruit, floral, grassy, gooseberry flavours with a bit of a bitter grapefruit rind finish. Best with chicken or seafood dishes. (AG-ST)
86 Jacob's Creek Moscato 2011
South Eastern Australia, Australia
BC $12.00 private wine shops, MB $13.50, NB $13.50, NF $14.00, NS $14.00, ON $11.00
Nice floral, nectarine, spicy, lime, minty, peach skin aromas. Fresh, juicy, spritzy, somewhat sweet palate with honey, minty, green apple, nectarine skin and ginger flavours. Juicy, delicate, fresh style that is not too sweet. Solid, easy summer or food style at only 8% alcohol. (AG-ST)
86 Jacob's Creek Cool Harvest Sauvignon Blanc 2011
South Eastern Australia, Australia
BC $11.75 private wine shops, NB $15.00, NF $15.00, NS $13.50, ON $11.00
Grassy, nettle, lemon, grapefruit rind aromas with a touch of gooseberry and matchstick. Fresh, light, juicy palate with some light sweetness and spritz. Pink grapefruit, passion fruit, nettle and herb flavours with some green apple notes. Good juicy, elegant style for consumers and solid value. (AG-ST)
86 Bodega Lurton Pinot Gris 2012
Valle de Uco, Tunuyán, Central Region, Mendoza, Argentina
BC $14.00 specialty listing, AB $14.00 private wine shops, NB $15.00, NF $15.00, NS $14.00, ON $12.00, QC $15.00
Floral, spicy, citrus, earthy, pear aromas. Soft, round, slightly sweet palate with canned pear, grapefruit, honey, chalky apple flavours. A softer more commercial version than we are used to seeing. (AG-ST)
86 ViVi Falanghina 2011
Campania, Italy
BC $15.00 speculative listing - Stile Wines
Pear, honey, floral, matchstick, spicy, lemon, minty, almond aromas. Very fresh, dry, slightly austere palate with lemon oil, floral, pear, spicy lees, grassy, citrus rind flavours. Has intensity and the will to vivi (to live) but it's a bit to tart and chalky on the finish to sip solo. Try this with linguine vongole. (AG-ST)
86 Finca Los Primos Chardonnay 2011
San Rafael, General Alvear, Southern Region, Mendoza, Argentina
BC $10.00 specialty listing, AB $13.00 private wine shops, MB $10.00
Another ridiculous chardonnay value. The nose is a mix of citrus, peach skin, light lees and butter aromas. The attack is fresh and juicy with off-dry flavours of grapefruit, green apple, earthy, honey and nectarine with a buttery but fresh finish. Good value here for in a versatile everyday white. (AG-ST)
86 Fetzer Chardonnay Sundial 2011
California, United States
BC $14.00 Specialty, AB $12.00, ON $12.95, QC $14.95
Baked peach, citrus, apple, light butter and guava aromas. Round, soft, off dry palate with grapefruit rind, apple skin, lemon and butter flavours. A bit oily and sweet but solid balance for the money. Note to Concha Y Toro: this has potential if dried out and finished under screwcap. Go after a different market. (AG-ST)
86 Fish Hoek Sauvignon Blanc 2010
Western Cape, South Africa
BC $14.90 specialty listing
Intense gooseberry/grapefruit aromas with a touch of canned asparagus. The attack is bracingly fresh with lime rind, citrus and nettle notes. This is sauvignon with personality which isn't all so bad given its reasonable price. Well balanced. (AG-ST)
86 Lindemans Bin 85 Pinot Grigio 2012
South Eastern Australia, Australia
BC $10.50 specialty listing, AB $11.50 private wine shops, MB $12.50, NB $13.00, NS $12.00, ON $11.00, PEI $14.50, SK $13.00
Lindemans winemaking tends to overcome a lot of its competitors for the price delivering a fresh, clean style. In this case you get a whiff of floral notes and apple skin and a fleeting taste of nectarines and Granny Smith apple in a well-balanced in-oaked style. Drink all summer on the patio. (AG-ST)
86 Aveleda Casal Garcia Vinho Verde N/V Loureiro - Trajadura - Arinto - Azal
Vinhos Verde, Northern Portugal, Portugal
BC $12.00 specialty listing, MB $12.00, NF $11.50, NS $12.00, ON $10.00, PEI $13.50, QC $11.00, QC $20.00, SK $12.00
Light frizzante in the glass with lemon flower, honey, green apple, lees aromas. Fresh, light, crisp palate with pear skin, lemon, lees, quince and apple skin flavours. Delicate, juicy and fresh for any summer seafood. Continued good value. (AG-ST)
86 Deinhard Green Label Riesling 2011
Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Germany
BC $14.00 specialty listing, AB $13.00 private wine stores, ON $12.00
Floral, almond, peach, matchstick, light tropical aromas. Fresh, juicy, somewhat sweet but delicate with honey, baked apple, lime, grapefruit, slate and peach flavours. A bit sweet but good fruit and juicy. Good summer sipper and fine value. (AG-ST)
86 Nederburg Sauvignon Blanc The Winemaster's Reserve 2012
Western Cape, South Africa
BC $13.00 specialty listing, AB $11.00, MB $13.49, NF $14.50, NS $12.00, ON $11.45
The 2012 is fresher than last year with less asparagus more grapefruit and gooseberry aromas and flavours. Crisp fresh and bright with lemon and grass highlights and a dry finish it is all it should be for the price. Try this with your favourite shellfish or a piece of fresh goat cheese. Good value. (AG)
Rosé Wines
88 Marrenon Classique Rose Syrah Grenache 2011 Syrah - Grenache
Luberon, Provence, South of France, France
BC $14.00 speculative listing - Seacove Group
Floral, black cherry, spicy, peppery, citrus aromas. Fresh, juicy, off dry palate with cherry, apple, plum, earthy, peppery, liquorice flavours. Very well crafted and fun to drink. Excellent value for the price and very food-friendly too. (AG-ST)
86 Canapi Rosé 2011
Sicily, Italy
BC $13.00 specialty listing
Light raspberry salmon colour. Cherry, floral, apple, tobacco, licorice aromas. Fresh, juicy, off dry palate with earthy, licorice, tobacco, cherry, orange peel and apple flavours. A clean, fresh, juicy style. Solid value again here. (AG-ST)
86 La Vieille Ferme Côtes du Ventoux Rosé 2011 Grenache - Syrah - Cinsault
Côtes-du-Ventoux, Southern Rhone, Rhone Valley, France
BC $14.00 specialty listing, AB $13.00, NB $13.50, ON $13.00 general listing, QC $13.90
Pale salmon copper colour. Floral, strawberry jam, licorice, tobacco, spicy, peppery aromas. Dry, fresh, slightly soft and austere palate with strawberry, cherry jam, peppery, leafy, licorice, toasty, floral flavours. Bit long in the tooth and getting flat on the palate but still with solid fruit. Best with food. (AG-ST)
Red Wines
88 Marrenon Classique Rouge Syrah Grenache 2010 Syrah - Grenache
Luberon, Provence, South of France, France
BC $14.00 speculative listing - Seacove Group
Open peppery, meaty, spicy, black cherry nose with liquorice root and savoury garrigue notes. The attack is full and smooth with light tannins and balanced acidity. Black cherry jam, plum, liquorice, pepper, tobacco, gamey flavours. Good fruit and intensity and excellent value. Try with any game or fowl dish. Super value. (AG-ST)
88 M. Chapoutier Domaine de Bila-Haut Rouge 2011 Syrah - Grenache - Carignan
Côtes du Roussillon, Roussillon, South of France, France
BC $15.00 speculative listing - Pacific Wines & Spirits, AB $17.00 private wine shops, QC $16.35
It opens with floral, liquorice root, savoury, black cherry aromas with bits of smoky herb and spice. The attack is smooth, the palate juicy with plum, black cherry, liquorice, gamey, smoky, peppery, savoury flavours. A warm finish but with excellent fruit and texture with some finesse. You can drink this now or over the next two to three years. Continued fine value from this Roussillon red made with bio-dynamically grown fruit. (AG-ST)
88 Gayda Grenache 2011
Vin de Pays d'Oc, Languedoc, France
BC $15.00 specialty listing
Peppery, liquorice fresh black raspberry nose with spicy, meaty, savoury aromas. Fresh, round, smooth, juicy palate with black raspberry jam, candied orange, spicy, red liquorice and kirsch flavours. A touch of sweetness but good fruit and a juicy drinking style. Lots of potential here with pork, turkey or lamb. Good value. (AG-ST)
87 Graffigna Centenario Malbec Reserve 2010
San Juan, Argentina
BC $12.00 speculative listing - Corby Pernod Ricard, AB $13.50 private wine stores, MB $14.25, NB $20.00, NF $15.00, NS $16.00, ON $15.00
Open peppery, spicy, black cherry and liquorice nose with tobacco notes. The attack is warm and fresh with earthy, liquorice, black pepper, black cherry and savoury flavours. A solid, fresh, simple style red that is fruit-forward offering solid value. Think hamburgers all summer. (AG-ST)
87 Nuevo Mundo Cabernet Sauvignon Malbec 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon - Malbec
Valle del Maipo, Region del Valle Central, Chile
BC $15.00 specialty listing
This is a 75/25 mix of organically grown cabernet sauvignon and malbec that comes off De Martino's Isla de Maipo vineyards. The nose is fresh and clean with pleasing red fruit and spice notes. The attack is soft and balanced with fairly meaty, leafy black-fruit flavours and some rustic but not overpowering tannins. Try this with hearty fall vegetable dishes and or grilled meats. Good value. (AG-ST)
87 Pascual Toso Malbec 2011
Maipú, Northern Region, Mendoza, Argentina
BC $14.00 specialty listing, AB $13.00 private wine shops, ON $13.00, QC $14.00
Look for a savoury, black cherry jam, tobacco aromas that preview a supple, but sweet, black fruit palate. This is a ready-to-drink, warm (alcoholic) red with an easy-sipping style that would be best with grilled meats. Toso uses 20-year old, massal selection malbec fruit in this label and some 40 percent of that is aged in two three and four year old oak to help create a soft, supple textures throughout. (AG-ST)
87 Navarro López Pergolas Old Vines Tempranillo 2009
Valdepeñas, Castilla-La Mancha, Spain
BC $12.00 specialty listing, AB $12.00, QC $15.00
Tempranillo can surprise when well-made as this spicy, peppery, tobacco, black cherry, smoky red with caraway and leather aromas is. The palate is fresh and elegant with light astringency and more smoky, tobacco, meaty, cedar, peppery, cherry, orange and herb flavours. A touch astringent and young but with fine balance and intensity to go with meat dishes. Solid value and effort here. (AG-ST)
87 Boekenhoutskloof The Wolftrap 2011 Syrah - Mourvèdre - Viognier
Western Cape, South Africa
BC $15.00 specialty listing, AB $16.00 private wine shops, MB $15.00, NF $14.00, NS $14.00, ON $14.00, QC $16.00
Big smoked meat, leather, savoury, chocolate, saddle leather, baked earth and coffee aromas. Soft, round, warm, off dry and fresh palate with cigar, chocolate, smoked meat, raisin, leather, black berry jam, prune, medicinal flavours. It has a rich, warm, meaty finish. Try this with grilled meat entrees or a sausage pizza. (AG-ST)
87 Bodega Palacio Quemado Tempranillo 2011
Ribera del Guadiana, Extremadura and the Southwest, Spain
BC $14.00 speculative - Pacific Wine and Spirits
Spicy, black cherry, earthy, tobacco, plum, licorice and pepper aromas. Dry, fresh, elegant and juicy but delicate palate with peppery, sausage meat, black cherry, orange, tea, fig and spicy herb flavours. Good finesse in a forward style for current drinking. Solid value. (AG-ST)
87 Santa Rita Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva 2010
Valle del Maipo, Region del Valle Central, Chile
BC $15.00 general listing, AB $13.90 private wine shops, MB $15.00, ON $14.00
Big cassis, sappy, menthol, bay leaf, tobacco, earthy, chocolate aromas. Dry, fresh, slightly tannic palate. Cassis, leafy, tobacco, dill, cedar, coffee, sappy, smoky flavours. A solid mid-week red. Try this with flank steak. (AG-ST)
87 León de Tarapacá Malbec Syrah 2011 Malbec - Shiraz
Valle del Maipo, Region del Valle Central, Chile
BC $13.00 specialty listing
Malbec and syrah may seem an unlikely couple in Chile but this wine suggest they should consider a long term relationship. The rich lush fruit of malbec is bolstered by the spice and meaty notes of the syrah and for $12 you are the winner. Fresh round supple delicious and easy-sipping this wine has barbecue written all over it. Back up the truck and load up. Lamb, meatballs hamburgers, beef kabobs and more. (AG)
86 Cecchi La Mora Morellino di Scansano 2010
Morellino di Scansano, Maremma, Tuscany, Italy
BC $15.00 specialty listing
Open spicy prune, smoky, blackberry, tobacco, liquorice aromas. Fresh, dry, smooth, easy palate with black cherry, plum, earth, liquorice, tobacco flavours with a touch of cedar. Solid value and style for immediate consumption. Try it with meaty pizza. (AG-ST)
86 Saint Saturnin Le Clocher 2010 Syrah - Grenache - Carignan
Languedoc, South of France, France
BC $15.00, YK $17.20
Not quite the same richness as in 2009 here. Peppery, rooty, spicy, savoury, black cherry, meaty aromas. Dry, fresh, light bodied palate with cherry, raspberry, tobacco, meaty, licorice and chocolate flavours. Warm, dry finish with good acidity and fruit but a bit lean in the back end. Needs food. (AG-ST)
86 Finca Los Primos Malbec 2011
San Rafael, General Alvear, Southern Region, Mendoza, Argentina
BC $12.00 specialty listing, AB $12.00 private wine shops, MB $10.95
Black cherry, tobacco, rooty, liquorice, bramble, chocolate and plum aromas. Soft, round, fresh and slightly sweet entry with black cherry jam, lifted plum, tobacco, licorice, prune flavours. A bit warm and tart in the finish but solid for the price. (AG)
86 Monte Nobile Nero d'Avola 2010
Sicily, Italy
BC $15.00 specialty listing
Remarks This simple Italian red is both dry and fresh with meaty, cherry, liquorice and dried floral aromas. The palate is similar if slightly astringent with cherry, prune, coffee and tobacco flavours with a bit of chocolate in the finish. There is good fruit and concentration. Good value in a spaghetti red. (AG-ST)
86 Finca Flichman Misterio Malbec Oak Aged 2011
Mendoza, Argentina
BC $14.00 specialty listing, AB $14.00, MB $13.00, NB $13.00, NS $13.00, ON $8.00 LCBO
This label has had its ups and down but 2011 looks like an up year. There is a smoothness and a sweetness to the wine that should have large appeal to the Tesco, Costco crowd but there is a dash of black fruit and spice with the requisite savoury tones than make it fun to sip. A barbecue red at a fair price. (AG)
86 Doña Paula Los Cardos Malbec 2011
Luján de Cuyo, Northern Region, Mendoza, Argentina
BC $14.00 specialty listing, AB $14.00 private wine shops, NB $16.00, ON $13.00, QC $14.00
Open soft, smoky, raspberry/pepper nose. Similar notes on the palate with more cedar, resin and black raspberry fruit in the finish. A simple, smooth commercial red wine that delivers for the price. Splash decant and served with grilled meats for best effect. (AG)
86 Farnese Primitivo 2010
Puglia, Italy
BC $11.00 specialty listing
Intense in a rustic manner with floral, black plum jam and liquorice aromas. The attack is supple, with more sweet black fruit with light tannins and earthy, floral rooty liquorice, black cherry fruit. A solid if simple spaghetti red for mid-week. Good value. (AG-ST)
86 Three Winds Syrah 2011
Vin de Pays d'Oc, Languedoc, South of France, France
BC $14.00 specialty listing
Typically smoky meaty, liquorice nose with leather, barnyard aromas. The attack is dry and supple with fresh acidity and more smoky, gamey black cherry flavours with a pinch of dried herbs. Try this with lamb chops or lamb osso buco. (AG-ST)
86 Finca Los Primos Cabernet Sauvignon 2011
San Rafael, General Alvear, Southern Region, Mendoza, Argentina
BC $12.00 specialty listing
One of the better editions of this wine where ripe fruit meets savoury black berry, smoky tobacco aromas. The attack is round with soft textures and slid ripe fruit reminiscent of peppery, black olives, cassis and black cherry flavours. Still some youthful tannin to shed but this can easily be knocked down by a piece of grilled meat. Good value for inexpensive cabernet sauvignon. (AG)
86 Finca Los Primos Syrah 2011
San Rafael, General Alvear, Southern Region, Mendoza, Argentina
BC $11.00 specialty listing
Bright clean nose, Flichman seems to have effectively dealt any reductive notes from the screwcap or syrah. The attack is floral and with sweet black plummy fruit with spicy meaty highlights. The flavours are a bit sweet and sour but at this price the wine over delivers. Pair it with hamburgers or other simply prepared barbecued meats. Fine value. (AG)
86 Torres Sangre de Toro 2009 Garnacha - Cariñena
Penedès, Catalunya, Spain
BC $14.00 specialty listing, AB $16.00, MB $13.00, NB $15.00, ON $12.00 LCBO, QC $13.00, SK $15.00, YK $16.00
A steady red if ever there was one at this price point. A touch reduced on opening so be sure to splash decant and get some air on the wine. The attack is pretty with smoky, black cherry jam and savoury aromas with dried herbs, black cherry, liquorice, caraway flavours. A well-made red that will excel with most simply preferred foods. (AG-ST)
86 Lindemans Bin 99 Pinot Noir 2012
South Eastern Australia, Australia
BC $13.00 general listing, AB $16.00, NB $13.00, NF $13.25, NS $13.00, ON $12.00, PEI $14.50, QC $14.15, SK $13.00
Fruit for the '09 wine comes from across South Eastern Australia. The vintage was early the alcohol at 13 per cent moderate. The nose is very pinot with an earthy mushroom forest floor edge mixed with sweet cherry fruit. Simply soft and warm this is a perfect match for salmon salad. Balanced and affordable. Good value. (AG-ST)
86 Pablo Old Vine Garnacha 2011
Calatayud, Aragon, Spain
BC $14.00 specialty listing
Liquorice, meaty, black cherry jam, earthy notes mark the nose with more garrigue, sage and pepper throughout. Dry, fresh, slightly tannic and lean with black cherry, liquorice, earth, spice, leather and chocolate flavours. A bit youthful and astringent but with fine fruit. Solid value. Serve with lamb or duck dishes. (AG-ST)
86 Henry's Drive Vignerons The Morse Code Shiraz 2010
Padthaway, South Australia, Australia
BC $14.00 specialty listing, AB $14.00 private wine shops, NB $15.00, NS $15.50, ON $13.00
The style is fruit driven hence the minimal use of oak. Expect a ripe savoury nose with bits of mint and plummy fruit all with some acidity and freshness pushing through the finish. The palate is mid weight and soft with more eucalyptus and thin red fruits. Ready to drink and best with grilled chicken or a pre-dinner charcuterie plate. (AG-ST)
86 Castillo de Monséran Old Vine Garnacha 2008
Cariñena, Aragon, Spain
BC $15.00 specialty listing, AB $14.00 private wine stores
Earthy, liquorice root, tobacco, savoury, compost, light black raspberry aromas. Round, dry, soft but fresh palate with light tannins. Cedar, vanilla, tobacco, pepper and orange peel flavours. Solid fruit but a bit tart on the finish. Try this with chicken. (AG-ST)
86 Santa Rita Merlot 120 2011
Region del Valle Central, Chile
BC $10.00 general listing, AB $11.00, NF $13.00
Leafy, bay, riparian, black cherry, sappy, chocolate aromas. Round, fresh, smooth palate with bay leaf, tobacco, peppery, black cherry and herb flavours with a touch of dry tannins on the finish. A solid value hamburger red with some intensity. (AG-ST)
86 Santa Rita Merlot Reserva 2010
Valle del Maipo, Region del Valle Central, Chile
BC $14.00 general listing, AB $14.00 private wine shops, NB $19.00, NS $17.00
Intense sappy, cassis, black cherry, leafy, coffee, herbal, bay aromas. Ripe, round, dry, fresh palate with some grainy tannins. Cassis, cedar, black cherry, coffee, smoky herb and tobacco leaf flavours. Solid fruit but a bit tart and resiny. (AG-ST)
