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Welcome to our Top 100 wines and ties for the year 2004.
What follows are the 100 best wines we tasted and rated out of 100 points in 2004. Those wines bearing identical scores are listed in alphabetical order.
96 Fonseca Vintage Port 2000 Touriga Nacional - Touriga Francesa - Tinta Roriz - Tinta Barroca
Douro Valley, Northern Portugal, Portugal
AB $130.00; AB $259.95 (1500 ml); BC $125.30; BC $64.75 (375 ml)
The 2000 Fonseca is a monster with huge black cherry black plum jam aromas mixed with licorice and spice and streaks of blueberry with black pepper. Very rich, ripe, round stylish port with amazingly soft but substantial tannins and grip. Bags of blackberry and dark plum jam fruit with big licorice, pepper, spicy tea notes. Drinkable with strong cheese now but we say wait 10 to 15 years. Very Fonseca - opulent, aromatic, structured and engaging throughout the ageing process.
95 Benziger Tribute 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon - Cabernet Franc - Merlot - Petit Verdot
Sonoma Mountain, Sonoma County, California, United States
BC $99.95 Specialty
Vancouver is the first market to get its hands on the inaugural release of Benziger Tribute, a 100 percent biodynamic, Sonoma Mountain wine produced at the Benziger single vineyard property just out of Glen Ellen. The fruit, a mix of blocks 21 and 29 wine, was fermented on 100 per cent natural yeast for 21 days before it was drained warm into barrique where it was racked twice a year. Tribute has been many years in the making but it would appear the wait was well worth it. As fine as the reserve cabernet is, this 80/12/6/2 blend of cabernet sauvignon/ cabernet franc/petit verdot/merlot is even better. The nose is aromatic with black berry jam, cassis, pepper, vanilla, coffee and black olive aromas mixed with a background of tobacco, barnyard, licorice and gamey notes. Rich, concentrated, round the tannins are super supple and ripe. Intense vanilla, coffee, tobacco, licorice and pepper flavours mix with mint, olive and black berry jam notes. The finish is slightly, dry and firm at this point with more cassis, violet and coffee. Long, balanced and surprisingly drinkable now it will keep for three to seven years comfortably. Certainly one of the best ever for Benziger and true "tribute" to biodynamic production. Fabulous collector's wine.
95 Cliff Lede Poetry Cabernet Sauvignon 2001
Stags Leap District, Napa Valley, California, United States
BC $165.00 Speculative - Next Beverage
Ripe cassis jam, blackberry, violet, peppery, licorice, vanilla nose with saddle leather and Christmas pudding streaks. Rich, round, intense and smooth with ripe tannins. Big blackberry, vanilla, chocolate, peppery, spicy, cassis, licorice root flavours and a long cedar, vanilla, cassis finish. A bit alcoholic but fine balance and intensity. Will improve over the next five years.
95 Fonseca Vintage Port 1994 Touriga Nacional - Touriga Francesa - Tinta Roriz - Tinta Barroca
Douro Valley, Northern Portugal, Portugal
BC $60.00
The '94 has enormous color, huge concentrated youthful aromas that stem from small berries. They added up to 22 per cent colorless spirit and it still has massive colour. This is going to be one hell of a port. Although it started out life similar to the 1992 this wine is growing in the bottle and many think it will keep comfortably until 2040. Bruce Guimaraens says, "It has the structure 1977, maybe 1955, probably also 1985 which will be a classic year. It's a tiny vintage 50 per cent less production than average. Rich supple pruny raisin packed with spicy Christmas cake flavours. Delicious.
95 Kendall-
BC $99.99 Special Order - Renaissance Wine Merchants
Made entirely from a single block on the Santa Maria Bench. Look for a huge floral, pineapple, mango/citrus nose with honey and peach aromas and a spicy, creamy vanilla note. Rich, round and oily like most big chardonnays yet it is still elegant thanks to a mineral / citrus baked apple undercurrent. The flavours are peach, mango, honey, creamy spicy lees with a floral, creamsicle undercurrent. Long, intense and balanced with good acidity and a creamy, citrus apple finish. Great stuff.
95 Kendall-Jackson Cabernet Sauvignon Stature 1997
BC $235.95
According to winemaker Randy Ullom, Stature represents the pinnacle of Kendall-Jackson winemaking excellence and we agree. A rigourous selection process begins in the vineyard before moving to the barrel room. Stature is essentially handmade and it tastes like it. The '97 Stature cab is made mostly from
95 Patrimo
AB $149.99; BC $189.90 Speculative - Stile Wines
Made from what was originally thought to be aglianico, but it's now believed to be a clone of merlot. Aged in new French oak barrels for 16 months. Very complex nose with spicy, tobacco, coffee, orange rind, liquorice, pepper and plum jam aromas with cardamom, gamey, saddle leather streaks. Rich, ripe, concentrated and round with very supple tannins. Huge spicy, coffee, plum jam, vanilla, chocolate pudding, orange peel flavours with a long, peppery, cardamom finish. A very ripe, hedonistic wine with balance and complexity. Very much like Masseto, Le Macchiole and Tua Rita wines - or the new big Pomerol garagistes wines.
95 Penfolds Shiraz Grange 1976
US $600.00 Specialty Retail Wine Shops
I must admit the '76 Grange was a bit of shock to me. So rich and supple yet full of mature dried fruits far more alive than I would have expected. The aromas are complex with just a hint of briar and dried leaves. Both rich and textured it is alive with mocha and black licorice fruit. There's still some time left for this one. Certainly one of the best remaining red wines from the 1976 vintage from anywhere in the world.
95 Penfolds Grandfather Fine Old Liqueur Tawny Port N/V Shiraz - Mataro
Barossa Valley, South Australia, Australia
BC $84.99 Specialty
The Grandfather Fine Old Liqueur Port tradition dates back to the 1940s, when a blend of the company's best ports, going back to 1915, was put together for the exclusive use of the Penfolds family. Today Grandfather Fine Old Liqueur Tawny a blend of
95 Signorello Padrone Cabernet Sauvignon 2000
Napa Valley, California, United States
BC $126.00 Specialty
Peppery, cardamom, tarry, barnyard, coffee, olive, dill, saddle leather aromas with smoky, blackberry cassis fruit core. Rich, round, concentrated and long with supple tannins. Intense black pepper, tarry, smoky, vanilla, black olive, dill, spicy blackberry jam flavours. A bit tannic on the finish but ripe, long and balanced. Big and an excellent 2000 - should improve for the next 5-7 years. The 2001 will be even better but at a slightly higher price ($150).
94 Allegrini Amarone Classico 2000 Corvina - Rondinella - Molinara
Verona, Veneto, Italy
BC $99.95 Specialty
Call it new wave, or modern Italian; any way you put it the 2000 Allegrini Amarone is an Amarone unlike most others. Clean and fragrant it has a big chocolate pudding, vanilla, and white pepper nose with streaks of cigar, cassis jam, black cherry and coffee aromas. Rich, ripe, and warm, it carries its young grainy tannins well underneath a full flavoured mix of black cherry jam, pepper, chocolate, licorice, cedar, vanilla and plum pudding. It's a bit alcoholic but with fine intensity and structure for aging. You can drink it now with strong game or fowl dishes. The blend is a 75/20/5 mix of corvina Veronese, rondinella and molinara.
94 Altesino Brunello di Montalcino Montosoli 1999
Montalcino, Siena, Tuscany, Italy
BC $149.00 Speculative - Stile Wines
Intense ripe cherry, plum, kirsch nose mixed with black pepper, licorice root, smoky game and orange peel with a bit of vanilla and celery salt. Rich, ripe and round with substantial grainy tannins. Big mocha, peppery, licorice root, orange peel, cherry kirsch, gamey flavours with a Christmas pudding finish and very good acidity. Big stuff, somewhat backward, this will reward 7-12 years of cellaring.
94 Conterno Fantino Barolo Sorì Ginestra 2000
Montforte d'Alba, Cuneo, Piedmont, Italy
AB $109.50 Fine Wine Boutiques; BC $115.95 Empson Canada; QC $107.95
The Ginestra cru is 100 per cent select Nebbiolo from southerly exposed vines on growing on marly, calcareous terrain. Look for a tarry, coffee, spicy clove nose with cherry and strawberry jam nose. Rich, ripe and concentrated with ripe tannins. Vanilla, coffee, spicy, tarry, plum jam flavours with a peppery, cherry, clove finish. Big, long, ripe style that will improve for the next 15 years. Great intensity
94 Fonseca Vintage Port 1997 Touriga Nacional - Touriga Francesa - Tinta Roriz - Tinta Barroca
Douro Valley, Northern Portugal, Portugal
AB $64.95 (375 ml); AB $130.00
Soft round fruity easy sipping at the moment in this young stage. This will need plenty of time to mature and put on some weight and depth. Lots of raisin black fruits and o shortage of tannin bode well for the future.
94 Fonseca Vintage Port 1970 Touriga Nacional - Touriga Francesa - Tinta Roriz - Tinta Barroca
Douro Valley, Northern Portugal, Portugal
BC $0.00
It's fair to say 1970 was good for most producers and great for Fonseca. This is a fabulous old mature port with some dryness and perfectly smooth raisin-y flavours. Bruce Guimaraens says it fills the mouth with bottled sunshine and finishes long. Soft round and delicious there is no need to wait any longer to drink this one. As they say at Fonseca anytime you are not drinking port is a complete and utter waste of time.
94 Gaja Barolo Gromis 1999
La Morra,
AB $70.00; BC $80.99 Speculative - Maxxium
A blend of grapes from La Morra, Cerequio and Silio. Tarry, coffee, gamey, saddle leather, peppery nose with strong truffle, liquorice root, black cherry and anise streaks filled with toasty vanilla. Rich, warm and concentrated but soft, ripe tannic structure. Coffee, tarry, tobacco, liquorice, black cherry, black plum flavours with some almond, peppery, mint notes on the finish. Big but ripe with finesse and great aromatics. Very good, needs 5-10 years.
94 Gaja Nebbiolo Conteisa 1999
La Morra, Cuneo, Piedmont, Italy
BC $184.99 Speculative - Maxxium Canada; ON $196.20 Classics Catalogue Spring
Ripe cherry jam, gamey, barnyard, peppery, minty, tarry tobacco nose with a touch of black olive. Rich, ripe and round with good acidity and finesse. Tarry, spicy, menthol, tobacco, strawberry jam flavours with a coffee, peppery, minty, liquorice finish. This is long and balanced, silky. The term conteisa is the Piemontesi word for "quarrel" and refers to an historic dispute between the communes of La Morra and Barolo for possession of the Cerequio land that was settled by written agreement in 1216.
94 Jean-Marc Brocard Chablis Les Clos Grand Cru 2002
Chablis, Burgundy, France
AB $59.95 Fine Wine Boutiques; BC $71.95 Specialty
Ripe apple, butter, floral, mineral, passion fruit aromas with some citrus and melon. Rich, round, elegant and juicy with citrus, green apple, smoky flint, honey flavours and a spicy, minty finish. Great acidity with roundness with finesse. Fabulous bottle of wine.
94 Joseph Phelps Insignia 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon - Petit Verdot - Malbec
Napa Valley, California, United States
AB $185.00 Fine Wine Boutiques; BC $219.95 Specialty; MB $185.00; ON $249.00 Vintages
In '01 the fruit comes off estate vineyards in Stag's Leap and Rutherford and 89 per cent of the blend is cabernet sauvignon. Look for spicy, vanilla, clove, tobacco, plum and blackberry jam aromas jump from the glass with some barnyard, coffee and pencil lead streaks. Rich, ripe and concentrated with good supple tannins and grip. Intense cassis jam, black berry, creamy vanilla, peppery clove flavours. Nice length and acidity with coffee, vanilla, orange peel on the finish. A touch warm but Insignia is back in a big way in 2001. One to put away for a minimum five years.
94 La Poderina Brunello di Montalcino 1997
Montalcino, Siena, Tuscany, Italy
BC $74.99 Specialty
Licorice root, smoky, Christmas pudding, black berry jam, pepper, orange peel aromas with gamey, vanilla, plum notes - very aromatic. Rich, ripe, round and quite elegant with fine, smooth tannins - a true '97. Big smoky, licorice, black berry, peppery, plum pudding, gamey, leather flavours with a vanilla, coffee, dried orange peel and cherry finish. Young but has fine structure. Drink now or over the next 10 years. A fine Brunello at a fair price.
94 Luigi Einaudi Barolo Cannubi 2000
Dogliani,
BC $111.95 Speculative - Empson
An unbelievably good Barolo from the superstar cru of Cannubi. Grown at an altitude of some 220 meters at 2.2 tons/acre Cannubi is complex and luscious. Look for an open tea and saddle leather nose spiced with pepper, toasted vanilla and cherry/tar aromas. Rich concentrated and moderately tannic it remains elegant from front to back. Peppery, spicy, leather, tar, black cherry flavours with a long resiny, vanilla, smoky finish. Good acidity, excellent balance, fine stuff. Expensive but a top Barolo worth aging for 7-10 years.
94 Matanzas Creek Merlot 2001
Sonoma County, California, United States
BC $49.50
We love the sophisticated toasted, smoky oak vanilla aromas streaked with pepper, chocolate and black plum jam. The 01
94 Penfolds Shiraz Grange 1999
South Australia, Australia
AB $225.00 Fine Wine Boutiques; BC $230.00 Specialty; ON $240.00; QC $236.25
Rich vanilla cream, peppery, cola, blackberry, pencil lead, mocha, roasted pepper nose with some saddle leather, Christmas pudding and clove. Rich, concentrated, tight palate but somewhat alcoholic too at 14.5 per cent. Very peppery, spicy, mocha, cola, blackberry flavours with a long licorice, vanilla, Christmas pudding finish. A bit tight and acidic at this point and very young with some leanness. Needs 5-7 more years to smooth out and integrate. Not as total as the previous vintage but still an excellent effort.
94 Penfolds Bin 60A 1962
BC $0.00
Now tasted twice once in March 2000 and again in June 2004. Unchanged if not better after four more years especially on the nose. Bin 60A is a 65/35 blend of Coonawarra cabernet sauvignon and Kalimna
94 Pieve Santa Restituta Brunello di Montalcino Sugarille 1998
Montalcino, Siena, Tuscany, Italy
AB $130.00 Fine Wine Boutiques; BC $153.99 Speculative - Maxxium Canada; NS $199.98; ON $159.00 Classics Catalogue Winter
In 1994 Gaja acquired its first estate in Tuscany: Pieve Santa Restituta in Montalcino. The property's forty acres of vineyards produce two Brunello di Montalcino wines called Sugarille and Rennina. The parish church, or "pieve," of Santa Restituta stands on the winery property and gives it its name. The Sugarille vineyard was first recorded in the inventory of the Pieve complied in 1547. It has remained the name of the vineyard for more than four centuries. Look for peppery, spicy tobacco, liquorice root aromas with big gamey, meaty, black cherry jam and cedar streaks. Rich, ripe and round with forward, ripe tannins but nice structure and a touch bigger than the Rennina. Ripe black cherry, black plum, liquorice, peppery, orange rind, smoky flavours with a long cigar, vanilla, coffee game finish. Moderately tannic on the finish, needs 4-10 years but gripe fruit, excellent.
94 Pine Ridge Andrus Reserve 2000 Cabernet Sauvignon - Merlot - Cabernet Franc - P.Verdot - Malbec
Napa Valley, California, United States
BC $280.00
Very spicy, blackberry jam, orange rind, cherry, leather, coffee and tobacco aromas with some dill, tar and vanilla - very aromatic. Rich, smooth, ripe and round with vanilla, cherry, blackberry, tobacco, roasted earth and soy with spicy, pepper notes. Long, balanced, smooth and refined, will improve for 3-7 years.
94 Pol Roger Extra Cuvée de Reserve Vintage 1996 Pinot Noir -
AB $50.00; BC $59.95; MB $59.21; ON $64.95 Vintages
Fine continuous mousse. Toasty, brioche, green apple, floral, mineral, peach, honey aromas. Rich, round, crisp and very creamy. Fairly intense flavours of brioche, cashew, baked apple, citrus peel, mineral, quince and grapefruit. Very crisp, long, citrus peel finish. This is big with very good acidity. Drinkable now, will improve over the next 10 years. Fabulous
94 Robert Mondavi Pinot Noir Reserve 2001
Napa Valley, California, United States
AB $55.50 Fine Wine Boutiques; BC $59.99 Specialty; BC $69.99 Specialty; ON $59.00; SK $59.77
Medium red colour. Smoky prune and barnyard nose with less fruit, more licorice root, and more spicy tea leaf. Super ripe and soft and more importantly with great balance. Sweet smoky vanilla and highly polished. I'm not sure you'll want to age this only because it's absolutely delicious now. Serious pinot at a reasonable price.
94 Vérité La Joie 2000 Cabernet Sauvignon - Merlot
Sonoma County, California, United States
BC $175.00 Speculative - Vinterra Wine Merchants
A complex blend of 72/19/9 cabernet sauvignon / merlot and cabernet franc all grown at Sonoma Mountain vineyards. Look for a spicy, blackberry jam, clove, and cassis aromas with some aromatic plum and vanilla notes. Rich, round and concentrated, it has excellent intensity, ripe fine-grained tannins and plenty of grip. The flavours are a spicy mix of cloves, cassis jam and coffee flavours with a big waxy, plum and earth finish. Very
93 Allegrini La Poja 2000
Verona, Veneto, Italy
BC $110.95 Speculative - Winspeer
A single vineyard special selection made from 100% corvina Veronese. Open mineral, cedar, black cherry jam, tobacco, lanolin, chocolate, leather, smoky barnyard aromas. Rich, round, warm, smooth textures with intense coffee, black cherry, Christmas pudding, cedar, licorice and smoky vanilla flavours. Very ripe,
93 Austin Hope Syrah 2001
Paso Robles, San Luis Obispo County, Central Coast, California, United States
AB $84.95; BC $94.95 Specialty
Spicy, savoury, peppery, Christmas cake notes mixed with vanilla coffee, currants and meaty, roasted notes. The style is rich, smooth and round; the palate packed with super fine tannins. Ripe blackberry, black cherry, coffee, and vanilla flavours are mixed liberally with cola, licorice and more peppery, Christmas cake flavours. Long and flavourful with good balance despite a warm, alcoholic finish. If you like your syrah big this is it.
93 Benziger Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2000
BC $77.95 Specialty
Another blockbuster Benziger. Rich spicy, peppery, cassis jam nose flecked with tobacco, vanilla, coffee, barnyard and black cherry aromas. Rich, concentrated, round and supple with smooth, grainy tannins. On the palate it has a big spicy cassis, mocha, coffee flavour with tobacco, clove, pepper flavours and just a hint of mint. The structure is terrific with fine mouth feel and a long warm finish. Drinkable now but should improve for 3-5 years.
93 Conterno Fantino Barolo Parussi 2000
Castiglione Falletto, Cuneo, Piedmont, Italy
AB $88.50 Fine Wine Boutiques; BC $95.95 Speculative - Empson (Canada) Inc.; QC $90.95
One of the more recent Conterno Fantino purchases is Parussi, a Barolo cru from Castiglione Falletto where the calcium-laced soil is known to produce elegant wines. Look for a strawberry, forest, tarry, violet, truffle nose with peppery, gamey, coffee streaks and excellent complexity. Definitely elegant and showing some finesse but it is dry and tannic too. Spicy, coffee, tarry, gamey, strawberry jam, cherry and iodine flavours. Long with fine structure and flavours but a bit less rich and ripe than the Sori Ginestra.
93 Cuvaison Syrah 2000
Napa Valley, California, United States
BC $47.95 Speculative - The Seacove Group
This is truly syrah and not shiraz with an intense blackberry, gamey, garrigue, saddle leather, smoky nose streaked with licorice and black plum. Ripe, round, smooth and dry with ripe, fine tannins. A bit alcoholic on the palate with very ripe black cherry, black plum, vanilla, smoky, peppery spicy flavours with a floral, licorice, chocolate finish. Well balanced with fine syrah character. Drink now or over the next 2-5 years.
93 Fonseca Vintage Port 1963 Touriga Nacional - Touriga Francesa - Tinta Roriz - Tinta Barroca
Douro Valley, Northern Portugal, Portugal
BC $0.00
Clearly the best of the 60s at Fonseca the 63 remains riper and richer than the 1966. The colour is mature with cedar cigar box notes and spice throughout. It remains feisty with some spirit characters showing through. It is all in balance with plenty of power and as Nick Heath would say plenty of ability to reveal itself.
93 Graham's
BC $99.99 Specialty
The first vintage to be declared since 1985 produced a very small but high quality harvest. This is a big port with spicy, black tea, peppery, plum jam, licorice root nuances on the nose some orange peel and smoke. The entry is supple with ripe, smooth tannins and cherry, plum jam, peppery, spicy, resiny, licorice root and cola flavours. Still a touch fiery and youthful at present but wonderful balance. It's drinkable now but will improve over the next 10 years or more.
93 Jackson-Triggs Okanagan Riesling Icewine Proprietors' Grand Reserve 2002
Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $59.99 (375 ml) Speculative - Atlas Wine Merchants
The PGR shows more yellow colour than the PR. The nose is an intense mix of mineral, plasticene, baked apple and quince aromas with a touch of citrus peel and apricot. Again it is richer and a bit riper (versus the PR) with lots of acidity and still balanced. More mineral, citrus rind, green apple skin, peach and baked pear flavours marked the palate with a slightly bitter rind and butter finish. Ready to drink.
93
BC $52.99 (375 ml) Specialty
Intense fresh baked apple, vanilla cream, mineral, pear nose. Rich and intense with crisp acidity. Big green apple, citrus, buttery, baked pear flavours with a mineral, nectarine finish. Quite intense but also has good balance and finesse. Solid.
93 Jackson-Triggs Okanagan Riesling Icewine Proprietors' Grand Reserve 2003
Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $69.99 Specialty
This is one of the best icewines yet from JT and it should turn heads everywhere. It's all riesling from its fragrant, open, floral peachy/apricot nose to the rich honeyed fruit flavours of pear and apple and orange. Rich long sweet, powerful but with a sense of elegance. Very fine. Enjoy it now.
93 Lokoya Cabernet Sauvignon Diamond Mountain 2000
Diamond Mountain, Napa Valley, California, United States
BC $210.00 Specialty
Very exotic spicy nose with cumin, cardamom, cedar, pepper, saddle leather, cassis and blackberry aromas with vanilla, briny olive and mint notes underneath. Suave, round and balanced on entry and light, dry tannins. More spicy, cumin, peppery, cassis, vanilla, smoky tobacco and chocolate flavours with olive, minty, licorice flavours on the finish. Reminds one of great Indian spices ground fresh in the restaurant. Very complex yet in a lighter style for a mountain wine and certainly it is drinkable now. It should improve over the next 3-4 years.
93 Luce della Vite 2000 Sangiovese - Merlot
Montalcino, Siena, Tuscany, Italy
AB $90.00 Fine Wine Boutiques; BC $93.00 Specialty; MB $98.26; MB $228.71 (1500 ml); ON $99.95 Vintages; ON $54.95 (375 ml) Vintages; ON $236.95 (1500 ml) Vintages; ON $480.95 (3000 ml) Vintages; QC $99.00
Big ripe black cherry, black plum jam, spicy, clove, tobacco, black pepper nose with saddle leather, smoke and vanilla - great fruit intensity. Rich, round and ripe with big concentration and grainy tannins. Intense peppery, dark chocolate, vanilla, cassis jam, black cherry, smoky root and gamey flavours. Long and intense with good acidity although the finish is somewhat alcoholic. Perhaps the best yet and should improve for 3-6 years at least.
93 Michele Chiarlo Barolo Triumviratum 1996
Piedmont, Italy
AB $99.95; BC $119.90 Specialty
Big tarry, smoky, peppery, cigar butt, black cherry, truffle nose with some coffee pudding underneath. Rich, dry, warm and tannic but this is a balanced, more traditional style. Lots of peppery, tarry, cigar, earth, licorice root, prune and black cherry vanilla flavours. Warm and somewhat hard on the finish, needs a good 5 years.
93 Ostertag Riesling Grand Cru Muenchberg 2002
Alsace, France
AB $45.99 Fine Wine Boutiques; BC $63.95 Restricted
The 100 per cent bio-dynamic, grand cru rated, amphitheatre-shaped Muenchberg is described by English MW and wine buyer Jasper Morris as "a suntrap protected by the 900m Undersberg Mountain. Its soils are as unique as its microclimate: 250 million year old sandstone with volcanic topsoil which heats quickly cools slowly and drains well. The riesling is sublime. Slate lime rind, peach, mango, baked apple aromas spiced with a touch of smoke. It's extremely ripe and rich yet elegant with just a hint of sweetness. The flavours are more fresh lime rind, baked apple, warm mango, honey and spice flavours. Fine intensity and good acidity and huge concentration. Outstanding.
93 Penfolds RWT Shiraz 2000
Barossa Valley, South Australia, Australia
AB $91.00 Fine Wine Boutiques; BC $109.95 Specialty; ON $110.00; QC $111.75
RWT is a single-region (Barossa Valley) shiraz whose initials stand for 'Red Winemaking Trial. It was the working name affixed to the developmental wines as early as 1995 when former chief winemaker John Duval began work on the initial bottlings. The 2000 RWT, a Penfolds shiraz aged exclusively in French oak (60 per cent new and 40 per cent one-year old) is the third release ( there was no 1998) turns three with the 2000 vintage a powerful, masculine, perfumed red that reeks of blueberry and blackberry fruit. The tannins are opulent yet well manicured leaving a wonderfully rich red that has a big future. Well done and clearly a Penfolds label to be reckoned with.
93 Penfolds Cabernet Sauvignon Bin 707 2001
South Australia, Australia
BC $99.99 Specialty
A blend of Coonawarra, Padthaway, McLaren Vale and Kalimna fruit contributes to a rich vanilla, coffee, leather, blackberry jam nose with spicy coriander and plum highlights. Rich, concentrated and intense, spicy, smooth tannins, massive, coffee, vanilla, blackberry jam and leathery flavours. The finish is long and waxy with toasted vanilla and pepper. Intense, smooth Aussie-Bordeaux style. Definitely back on track in 2001.
93 Penfolds Yattarna Bin 144 Chardonnay 2001
Adelaide Hills, South Australia, Australia
AB $72.00 Fine Wine Boutiques; BC $89.99 Specialty; ON $89.00; QC $89.50
The 01 Yattarna spent 8 months on its lees where it sees no sulphur, some but not a lot of early battonage, and no stirring later on. Eighty-five percent of the grapes come from outside
93 Penfolds RWT Shiraz 2001
Barossa Valley, South Australia, Australia
AB $91.00 Fine Wine Boutiques; BC $109.99 Specialty; ON $110.00; QC $111.75
RWT is a single-region (Barossa Valley) shiraz whose initials stand for 'Red Winemaking Trial. It was the working name affixed to the developmental wines as early as 1995 when former chief winemaker John Duval began work on the initial bottlings. The '01 has a unique spicy, pencil lead, coffee, saddle leather nose with peppery, sandalwood, blackberry jam notes. Rich, concentrated and intense with good grainy tannins and blueberry, blackberry jam, leather, coffee and creamy vanilla flavours. The finish is long and intense with cassis and smoky pepper highlights. It needs another two to five years to really offer up its best.
93 Ruffino Romitorio di Santedame 2000 Colorino - Merlot
ON $89.95 Vintages; QC $88.00; SK $79.95
Romitorio is an unusual 60/40 blend of colorino and merlot that was launched in 1990 but not exported until 2000. Look for mocha, coffee, peppery, gamey, black plum fruit and licorice with streaks of violet, vanilla and floral spices. It's rich, round and warm on the palate with grainy, soft tannins and plum, mocha, coffee, vanilla, cardamom flavours. The finish delivers more saddle leather, mint and smoked cherry fruit. Fine concentration and balance with ripeness and good acidity. Fine quality, big price.
93 Seghesio Omaggio 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon - Sangiovese
Alexander Valley, Sonoma County, California, United States
BC $63.00 Speculative - Pacific Wine and Spirits
"Omaggio" is Italian for homage and is a tribute to Eduardo and Angela Seghesio who purchased the family's first vineyard in America in 1895. The first vintage of this small lot wine was from the Centennial harvest in 1995. A blend of 60-40 cabernet sauvignon-sangiovese, it has very spicy, ripe blackberry, peppery, saddle leather, mocha, compost and cassis aromas with some earthy, game notes. A love ripe and concentrated red with some grip and grainy tannins.
93 Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese Fassprobe 2003
Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Germany
BC $27.95 (375 ml) Specialty
Honey, spicy, mango, pineapple, slate, green apple nose with lime oil. Rich, fresh, intense honey, peach, pineapple, orange flavours with a slate-y, apricot, juicy apple finish. Fabulous flavours, richness and balance. Buy and drink or hold 10 years. A fabulous tank sample sealed with a NOMA-style cork.
93 Schug Chardonnay Carneros 2002
Carneros, Sonoma County, California, United States
AB $30.00 Fine Wine Boutiques
We can't say enough good about '02 Schug Carneros. Walter Schug and Michael Cox use four clones of chardonnay all grown at the cool-climate Carneros Estate vineyard and barrel fermented and sur-lie age the lot to add complexity. Vanilla, honey, cream aromas with citrus, nectarine and a touch of nutty lees. Rich, round, fresh palate but elegant with honey, mango, citrus, baked apple and butterscotch flavours. Long, balanced and quite intense on the finish. Drink now or over the next two years. Outstanding.
93 Serpico
AB $82.99; BC $99.99 Speculative - Stile Wines
Made in part from century old pre-phylloxera vines but 100% varietal. Very deep black cherry colour. Smoky, gamey, saddle leather, peppery, black cherry jam nose with some liquorice, plum pudding and vanilla underneath, very ripe. Round, rich and concentrated but a bit alcoholic with big, ripe tannins. Intense black plum, black cherry jam, vanilla, mineral, flavours with a long liquorice, gamey, peppery finish. Super ripe, intense style with some hotness but needs at least 5 years to start rounding out. Very much a Parker appeal here.
93 Speri Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Sant' Urbano 2000 Corvina - Rondinella - Molinara
Pedemonte Valpolicella, Verona, Veneto, Italy
BC $79.95 Speculative - Empson Canada
It starts off like Valpolicella, but select bunches of Corvina grapes are dried on racks after the harvest, achieving greater concentration. After 120 days of drying the results are a huge black cherry, tobacco nose streaked with chocolate and spicy, jammy aromas. The 2000 is rich, intense and slightly sweet on entry with cherry jam, almond, chocolate, spicy vanilla flavours and a peppery, Christmas pudding finish. Long, intense and smooth it carries the normal 15 per cent alcohol. Should improve over the next 5-12 years.
93 Virna Barolo Preda Sarmassa 1999
Barolo,
BC $64.00 Specialty
The somewhat different soils, exposures and microclimates of the Preda and Sarmassa vineyards combine to produce a well-balanced red. Look for an open peppery cardamom coffee nose with sweaty saddle leather and some dried cherries strawberry jam with a hint of compost. Wow packed with fruit tannin and acidity that leaps off your palate. Look for a great mix of leather, smoky tar, and dark red fruits with just a wisp of dry tannins in the finish. It's the 'semi-modern style' --there is some approachability but the wine will keep easily for a decade or more. Stock up. Due in B.C. in June.
93 William Fèvre Bougros Cote Bouguerots Chablis Grand Cru 2002
Chablis,
BC $94.99 Specialty
Another fabulous effort from Fèvre in 2002. This wine has such purity it is a poster child for serious Chablis. Minerals, chalky crushed seashells mix with floral fruit a bit of spice and just a hint of wood. More white
92 Bollinger Special Cuvee N/V Chardonnay - Pinot Noir - Pinot Meunier
Champagne, France
BC $72.00 Specialty
The denomination Special Cuvée was created in 1911 as a way to avoid calling what is an amazing champagne "non vintage". The Special Cuvée is the purest expression of the Bollinger style. Look for a very refined mousse and a lovely toasted biscuit nose. The textures are creamy with a nutty, citrus undercurrent. It's dry round and elegant on the palate with creamy textures and more citrus, baked apple, creamy, toasted flavours with a dried orange, nutty, fig finish. Fine acidity, balance and intensity, especially for a non vintage.
92 Bongiovanni Barolo Pernanno 2000
Castiglione Falletto, Cuneo, Piedmont, Italy
AB $85.50 Fine Wine Boutiques; BC $89.95 Speculative - Empson (Canada) Inc.; QC $84.95
Pernanno is made from selected Nebbiolo fruit that comes off a single plot within the estate's finest vineyard. The grapes are left on the vines for several extra days after the regular Barolo is harvested, for even greater concentration. Look for cola, spicy, rootsy, very peppery, shoe leather notes mixed with mineral and hot cherry jam aromas. Rich, concentrated and ripe with good finesse and tight tannins. Intense clove, tarry, vanilla, spicy, black cherry flavours with some coffee and violet on the finish. Good length and intensity but tight. This will need five to eight years to open up or more.
92 Ca'Marcanda Camarcanda 2000 Merlot - Cabernet Sauvignon - Cabernet Franc
Bolgheri, Tuscany, Italy
AB $102.00 Fine Wine Boutiques; BC $116.99 Speculative - Maxxium Canada
The terraces of Bolgheri (70 to 200 meters above the coast) provide the soil for the vineyards of Ca'Marcanda's signature wine made from a blend of 50/40/10 merlot/cabernet sauvignon/cabernet franc all less than five years old. Spicy, coffee, gamey, black cherry jam and cassis aromas with smoky, pencil lead, vanilla streaks and a hint of curry. Ripe, round and concentrated with soft tannins. A touch alcoholic with tobacco, spicy, minty, cherry jam vanilla flavours and nice fresh cherry, orange, smoky cigar finish. Good finesse and fruit for such young vines. Will improve for 2-6 years.
92 Caymus Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon 2000
BC $199.63 Specialty
At Caymus Special Selection gets all the attention. It's
