World Wine Watch for May 15, 2010

WORLD WINE WATCH (LCBO VINTAGES TIP SHEET) FOR MAY 15, 2010
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com.
Creator of Canada's award-winning wine satire site at http://fauxvoixvincuisine.blogspot.com. My
"Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net Compendium" is a guide to
thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers
and spirits, at www.deantudor.com since 1995. My tastings are based on
MVC (Modal Varietal Character); ratings are QPR (Quality-to-Price
Ratio). Prices are LCBO retail. Only my top rated wines are here. NOTE:
The LCBO does NOT put out all of the wines of the release for wine
writers or product consultants. Corked wines are not available for re-
tasting.

 

TOP VALUE WHITE WINES under $20 or so.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
1. Peninsula Ridge Inox Reserve Chardonnay 2007 Beal Vineyards
Beamsville Bench VQA: lovely development of white flowers, very good
consistency, quite floral. No oak. +7328, $18.95, QPR: 90.
2. Las Moras Reserve Chardonnay 2008 San Juan Argentina: excellent all
round chard at this price, a bit of fruit, wood, zest, long finish.
Snap it all up!! +32896, $11.95, QPR: 92.
3. Rodney Young Chalk Hill Chardonnay 2007 Sonoma: lovely tropical
fruit, crisp finish and toast. 14.3% ABV. +275552, $19.95, QPR: 90.
4. La Joya Viognier Reserve 2008 Colchagua Chile: enjoyable floral
flavours, good price, but best with food rather than as sipper, 14.3%
ABV. +168542, $13.95, QPR: 90.
5. Sileni Cellar Cellar Selection Sauvignon Blanc 2009 Marlborough:
tasty, zesty, nervy, good food finish. +662882, $15.95, QPR: 90.

 

TOP VALUE RED WINES under $20 or so.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
1. Renwood Sierra Foothills Red Label Syrah 2005: good wood and syrah
development, uplifting, lovely finish. +588095, $15.95, QPR: 90.
2. Santa Julia Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 Mendoza: good price for a wine
made from organic grapes, hits all the cab notes, finishes well.
+68452, $12.95, QPR: 90.
3. Chateau Hauchat 2006 Fronsac: good Bordeaux MVC, nice finish.
+123489, $14.95, QPR: 90.
4. Villa Girardi Bure Alto Ripasso Valpolicella Classico Superiore
2007: very tasty but North American fruit bomb appeal, long length.
+161844, $17.95, QPR: 90.
5. Bod. Valcarlos Fortius Reserva 2004 Navarra: raisins, nicely aged,
well-priced. +166611, $16.95, QPR: 90.

 

VALUE: "RESTAURANT READY" or "BRING YOUR OWN WINE BOTTLE" over $20
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Restaurants should consider offering these FINE VALUE wines at a $10
markup over retail; the wines are READY to enjoy right NOW. Consumers
should buy these wines to bring to restaurants with corkage programs.

 

1. J. Lohr Arroyo Vista Chardonnay 2007 Monterey, +171272, $29.95
retail.
2. Heggies Vineyard Chardonnay 2008 Eden South Australia, +903559,
$23.95.
3. Roux Pere & Fils La Chateniere Saint-Aubin 1er Cru 2007, +169177,
$39.95.
4. William Fevre Chablis 1er Cru 2007, +169805, $29.95.
5. Dr.Nagler Riesling Auslese 2002 QmP Rudesheimer, +161646, $22.95.
6. Quails' Gate Pinot Noir 2007 Okanagan VQA, +585760, $24.95.
7. Kaesler Stonehorse Shiraz/Grenache/Mourvedre 2007 Barossa, +6551,
$23.95.
8. Chateau La Confession 2006 St-Emilion Grand Cru, +563684, $62.
9. Domaine Daniel Rion & Fils Les Grandes Vignes Nuits-St-Georges 2007,
+981548, $44.95.
10. Marchesi de Frescobaldi Castelgiocondo Brunello di Montalcino 2004,
+650432, $49.95.
11. Querciabella Chianti Classico 2007, +728816, $34.95.

 

Chimo!  www.deantudor.com AND http://gothicepicures.blogspot.com