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Tuesday, March 27, 2012

WORLD WINE WATCH (LCBO VINTAGES TIP SHEET) FOR MARCH 31, 2012

It's the  Blue Moon release for March 2012 !!!
 
 
WORLD WINE WATCH (LCBO VINTAGES TIP SHEET) FOR MARCH 31, 2012
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 
By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com.
Creator of Canada's award-winning wine satire site at
http://fauxvoixvincuisine.blogspot.com. My Internet compendium
"Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net" is a guide to thousands of news
items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, at
www.deantudor.com since 1994. 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 normally available for a re-tasting.
 
THIS IS THE BLUE MOON RELEASE !!
 
Recommended for the Blue Moon (drink it tonight) is: Chateau de
Trinquevedel Tavel Rose 2011, delicious flavours and FRESH like you
wouldn't believe (only 7 months old). Perfect colour, 13.5% ABV.
+729947, $17.95, QPR: 89.
 
TOP VALUE WHITE WINES under $20 or so.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
1. Cave Spring Estate Bottled Gewurztraminer 2010 VQA Beamsville Bench:
good MVC for the grape, but also with a perfumed finish. +302059,
$17.95, QPR: 89.
2. First Press Chardonnay 2010 Napa: standard but well developed
California Napa Chardonnay, 14.5% ABV. +199810, $19.95, QPR: 89.
3. Zuccardi Serie A Chardonnay/Viognier 2010 Mendoza: a sipper, off-dry
fruity chardonnay, apples, peaches and lemons dominate. +262097,
$14.95, QPR: 89.
4. Auntsfield Long Cow Sauvignon Blanc 2010 Marlborough: delicious,
with plenty of MVC zest skewed to the green green grass of home.
+663286, $19.95, QPR: 89.
5. Chateau Roquetaillade La Grange Blanc 2010 Graves: youthful and
useful, sip or food, good body, fab price. +240374, $14.95, QPR: 89
6. Velenosi Villa Angela Pecorino 2010 Offida Marche: good orchard
fruit in tone, slight nuttiness, long finish, body, 13% ABV, much
better than pinot grigio at this price level. +173252, 13.95, PR: 89.
 
TOP VALUE RED WINES under $20 or so.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
1. Cosentino Cigarzin Zinfandel 2008 California: time for a stogy? This
is thick, juicy and ready, with good aging. 15.4% ABV, chocolate and
mocha overlays. +269340, $19.95, QPR: 90.
2. Rodney Strong Merlot 2008 Sonoma County: minty bacon-y, plumy, not
your typical merlot. +497933, $19.95, QPR: 89.
3. Tyrrell's Rufus Stone Shiraz 2009 Victoria: deep, ready now, much
like an Hermitage. +91488, $19.95, QP: 90.
4. Flagstone Music Room Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 WO Western Cape: heavy-
heavy rap music, twist top, 15% ABV heat. Black fruit and eucalyptus.
+205245, $17.95, QPR: 89.
5. Chateau La Fleur Terrien 2009 Lussac Saint-Emilion: easy drinking
merlot-based Bordeaux, affordable. +199059, $14.95, QPR: 89.
6. Gerard Bertrand Minervois Syrah/Grenache 2009: fresh, syrah
component dominates, black fruit throughout, finishes with some acid
for food. Gold Medalist. 14% ABV. +95284, $15.95, QPR: 89.
7. Taurino Riserva Salice Salentino 2008 Puglia: nicely aged, with some
earthiness and Italianate complexity, 14% ABV. +177527, $14.95, QPR:
89.
8. Albino Armani Egle Ripassso Valpolicella Superiore 2008: the Blue
Moon Armani-suited Ripasso of the Month. +247916, 5.95, QPR: 89.
 
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. Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Karia Chardonnay 2009 Napa, +54585, $37.95
retail.
2. Amayna Chardonnay 2008 Leyda Chile, +76265, $25.95.
3. Yalumba Viognier 2010 Eden Valley, +954644, $24.95
4. Corte Riva Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 Napa/Sonoma, +89318, $39.95.
5. Sodaro Felicity Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 Napa, +272641, $43.95.
6. The Paring Red 2007 California, +218909, $33.95.
7. Chateau Ste. Michelle Indian ells Merlot 2008 Columbia Valley,
+408864, $25.95.
8. Chateau Larrivet Haut Brion 200 Pessac Leognan, +264283, $48.95.
9. Guy Farge Terre de Granit St Joseph 2009, +270215, 26.95.
10. Terre Nere Brunello di Montalcino 2006, +208462, $35.95.
 
Dean Tudor, Ryerson University Journalism Professor Emeritus
Treasurer, Wine Writers' Circle of Canada
Look it up and you'll remember it; screw it up and you'll never forget it.
Creator of Canada's award-winning wine satire site at http://fauxvoixvincuisine.blogspot.com

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