Search This Blog

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for NOVEMBER 9, 2019

WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES:  under/over $20 for NOVEMBER 9, 2019
 
By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at http://www.deantudor.com since 1994.
 
These notes for good wines available through  LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis)  can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca  or at  http://www.deantudor.com
Thirty years ago I announced  in my newsletter that "Nobody can buy their way into, or out of this publication".
 
Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price).
 
NOTE: The first portion  is based on my sampling of the table wines chosen by the LCBO from this release for tasting. This presentation for Nov 9 release is 111  different labels out of about 153 released. These wines are basically those that fit the categories of  any of the Featured Themes, Wines of the Month, Local Talent, and "new" -- wines that the LCBO has ordered in sufficient quantities for the Ontario marketplace. Not put out for us are the re-orders (even though they may be of a different vintage)  and the ISDs. Thus, my report comes from a restricted database. I did not taste every one of these 111 category wines, nor did I rate several of the wines I did sample because they did not seem to be of particularly good value in terms of their price. For the most part, these particular wines come from the New World.
 
NOTE: The second part (at the end) is a simple listing of  those wines that were NOT presented to the media, and are given here simply as a record of  what sampling I could not do. I have left in the name of the agency, in fairness to all.
 
PART ONE:  The "best" wines of a reduced tasting  --
 
THIS MONTH'S SPECIAL FINDS --
 
Fizz+234161    JACKSON-TRIGGS ENTOURAGE GRAND RESERVE BRUT SPARKLING    Traditional method, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario    2015    $29.95
Fizz+546762    CUDDY BY TAWSE SPARKLING    Traditional method, VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario        $25.95   
Dessert+341024    SOUTHBROOK FRAMBOISE    Ontario $19.95 375mL
 
Under $20
=========
W+ 330407    KAIKEN TERROIR SERIES TORRONTÉS    Cafayate Valley, Salta    2018    $17.95       13.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 89
W+10765    IN SITU RESERVA CHARDONNAY    Aconcagua Valley    2018    $14.95
13.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 91
W+662775    D'ARENBERG THE HERMIT CRAB VIOGNIER/MARSANNE    McLaren Vale, South Australia    2017    $17.95     13.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 90
W+148429    PENCARROW SAUVIGNON BLANC    Martinborough, North Island    2017    $18.95 12% ABV, MVC/QPR: 89
W+10104    CHRISTINA THE HERITAGE COLLECTION CHARDONNAY    WO Robertson    2017    $18.95  13.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 91
R+10473    DISTRICT 7 CABERNET SAUVIGNON    Monterey County, Central Coast    2016    $19.95 14% ABV, MVC/QPR: 90
R+421198    UNDERWOOD PINOT NOIR Oregon 2017    $22.95     13% ABV, MVC/QPR: 89
R+249201    SAN PEDRO 1865 SELECTED VINEYARDS CARMENÈRE    DO Maule Valley    2017    $19.95 14.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 88
R+11141    VUELO GRAND RESERVA MERLOT    Cachapoal Valley    2016    $16.95     14% ABV, MVC/QPR: 90
R+10762    WILLIAM COLE GRAND RESERVE PINOT NOIR    Casablanca Valley    2017    $19.95 14.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 88
R+446146    SIDEWOOD SHIRAZ    Adelaide Hills, South Australia    2016    $19.95     14.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 88.5
R+983742    L.A. CETTO PETITE SIRAH    Guadalupe Valley, Baja California    2016    $13.95 14% ABV, MVC/QPR: 88
R+68767    NEDERBURG THE MANOR HOUSE CABERNET SAUVIGNON    WO Western Cape    2016    $16.95 14% ABV, MVC/QPR: 89
R+403683    GÉRARD BERTRAND FITOU GRENACHE/CARIGNAN    AP    2017    $17.95 14% ABV, MVC/QPR: 89
R+    452789    CONFIDENCIAL RESERVA    Vinho Regional Lisboa    2014    $14.95 14% ABV, MVC/QPR: 89
W+    489963    DOMAINE DE LA RENNE TOURAINE SAUVIGNON BLANC    AC    2018    $16.95    12% ABV, MVC/QPR: 88.5
 
Over $20
=========
W+643361    HENRY OF PELHAM SPECK FAMILY RESERVE RIESLING    VQA Short Hills Bench, Niagara Escarpment    2018    $24.95 10.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 90
W+483875    THE TRAGICALLY HIP AHEAD BY A CENTURY CHARDONNAY    VQA Niagara Peninsula    2018    $21.95 13% ABV, MVC/QPR: 88
W+424507    WESTCOTT ESTATE CHARDONNAY    VQA Vinemount Ridge, Niagara Peninsula    2017    $27.95 12.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 91
W+326165    ROBERT MONDAVI TO KALON VINEYARD RESERVE FUMÉ BLANC    Napa Valley    2015    $59.95     14.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 89
W+45583    SHAFER RED SHOULDER RANCH CHARDONNAY    Carneros, Napa Valley    2016    $84.95 14.9% ABV, MVC/QPR: 90.5
W+359513    CLOUDY BAY CHARDONNAY    Marlborough, South Island    2016    $38.95     13.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 90
W+924555    KIM CRAWFORD RESERVE SAUVIGNON BLANC    Marlborough, South Island    2017    $24.95 12% ABV, MVC/QPR: 89
R+556613    BURROWING OWL PINOT NOIR    BC VQA Okanagan Valley    2017    $39.95     14% ABV, MVC/QPR: 88
R+238261    FAUST CABERNET SAUVIGNON Napa Valley    2016    $59.95     14.9% ABV, MVC/QPR:  90
R+350454    RODNEY STRONG ALEXANDER VALLEY CABERNET SAUVIGNON    Alexander Valley, Sonoma County    2016    $32.95 14.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 90
R+12217    TURLEY JUVENILE ZINFANDEL    California    2017    $49.95     15.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 88
R+316984    VERSADO RESERVA ANCIENT MALBEC    Mendoza    2013    $59.95     14.9% ABV, MVC/QPR: 89
R+123729    VIÑA COBOS BRAMARE MALBEC    Unfined and unfiltered, Uco Valley, Mendoza    2015    $44.95 15% ABV, MVC/QPR: 88
R+115311    VIÑALBA GRAN RESERVA MALBEC    Uco Valley, Mendoza    2015    $24.95     14.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 88
R+222323    BEST'S BIN NO. 1 SHIRAZ    Great Western, Victoria    2016    $21.95     14.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 91.5
R+9175    ELDERTON CABERNET SAUVIGNON    Barossa, South Australia    2016    $24.95    14.8% ABV, MVC/QPR: 90
R+329706    THORNBURY PINOT NOIR    Central Otago, South Island    2017    $27.95     13.5% ABV, MVC/QPR: 89
R+10497    DE MORGENZON MAESTRO BLUE    WO Stellenbosch    2015    $29.95     14% ABV, MVC/QPR: 90
R+203364    ERRAZURIZ ACONCAGUA ALTO CABERNET SAUVIGNON    DO Aconcagua Valley    2017    $21.95     14% ABV, MVC/QPR: 88
 
PART TWO: The "rest" of the release [not offered for sampling by media] with agents --
 
    13961    UNITED STARS KINDZMARAULI    PDO Kindzmarauli, Kakheti    2017    $17.95    THE DOCHAS COMPANY INC.
    23408    SAN FABIANO CALCINAIA CHIANTI CLASSICO    DOCG    2016    $21.95    WOODMAN WINES & SPIRITS
    244228    PETRA ZINGARI    IGT Toscana    2015    $19.95    NOBLE ESTATES WINES & SPIRITS INC.
    288530    MAZZEI SER LAPO RISERVA CHIANTI CLASSICO    DOCG    2016    $24.95    DU CHASSE WINES & SPIRITS
    342444    MASI TOAR VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO SUPERIORE    DOC    2015    $23.95    AUTHENTIC WINE & SPIRITS MERCHANTS
    408138    QUINTA DO QUETZAL GUADALUPE WINEMAKER'S SELECTION RED    Vinho Regional Alentejano    2016    $16.95    VINYA
    443945    EL GORÚ MONASTRELL/SYRAH/PETIT VERDOT    DOP Jumilla    2018    $13.95    THE KOLONAKI GROUP INC
    166579    MONASTERIO DE LAS VIÑAS RESERVA GARNACHA/TEMPRANILLO/CARIÑENA    DOP Cariñena    2014    $14.95    NOBLE ESTATES WINES & SPIRITS INC.
    53397    LAKEVIEW CELLARS CABERNET FRANC ICEWINE    VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario    2017    $29.95    TRAJECTORY BEVERAGE PARTNERS
    117861    FEATHERSTONE ROSÉ    VQA Niagara Peninsula    2018    $15.95    FEATHERSTONE WINERY
    368415    LOUIS ROEDERER BRUT ROSÉ CHAMPAGNE    AC    2013    $104.95    AUTHENTIC WINE & SPIRITS MERCHANTS
    1537    NEWTON UNFILTERED CHARDONNAY    Napa Valley    2017    $73.95    CHARTON HOBBS INC
    11255    CARABELLA ESTATE PINOT GRIS    Chehalem Mountains, Willamette Valley    2017    $27.95    DB WINE & SPIRITS INC.
    556217    MATURANA NARANJO ORANGE WINE TORONTEL    Maule Valley    2018    $24.95    WINE LOVERS AGENCY INC.
    10956    MONTEMAJOR FIANO DI AVELINO    DOCG    2017    $23.95    CARTO ENTERPRISE
    130997    TAWSE LAUNDRY VINEYARD CABERNET FRANC    VQA Lincoln Lakeshore, Niagara Peninsula    2014    $34.95    TAWSE WINERY INC.
    163725    JOSÉ ZUCCARDI MALBEC    Uco Valley, Mendoza    2015    $44.95    DIONYSUS WINES & SPIRITS LTD.
    986133    LEEUWIN PRELUDE VINEYARDS CABERNET SAUVIGNON    Margaret River, Western Australia    2014    $31.95    TERRA FIRMA WINES
    156828    BABICH WINEMAKERS' RESERVE MERLOT    Hawke's Bay, North Island    2015    $29.95    DIONYSUS WINES & SPIRITS LTD.
    11963    VILLA MARIA RESERVE GIMBLETT GRAVELS SYRAH    Gimblett Gravels, Hawke's Bay, North Island    2016    $49.95    PHILIPPE DANDURAND WINES LTD.
    195255    CHÂTEAU PIPEAU    AC Saint-Émilion Grand Cru    2015    $86.95    PARADIGM FINE WINE AGENCY
    51458    LE VOLTE DELL'ORNELLAIA    IGT Toscana    2017    $64.95    MARK ANTHONY WINE & SPIRITS
    10407    MASI MAZZANO AMARONE DELLA VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO    DOCG    2012    $321.95    AUTHENTIC WINE & SPIRITS MERCHANTS
    265710    TORRES COS PERPETUAL    DOCa Priorat    2015    $59.95    PHILIPPE DANDURAND WINES LTD.
    748798    LUSTAU PALO CORTADO PENINSULA SOLERA FAMILIAR DRY SHERRY    DO        $35.95    JOHN HANNA & SONS LIMITED

Chimo! www.deantudor.com

No comments: