WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for AUGUST 8, 2020
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 No winery 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).
Currently, the wine media have no access to the 50 or so tasting samples usually provided to us in the LCBO lab on a fortnightly basis. This will go on or some time. HOWEVER, the wine media will still have access to the advance spreadsheet of the wines to be released. So I know what is to be released and when. SOME (but not many) of these wines I have recently tasted since January 2020 or so, and I can comfortably recommend them based on this prior sampling.
Some New Wines Tasted Over the Past Fortnight ---
1.Henry of Pelham Old Vines Baco Noir 2019 VQA Ontario, +459966, $19.95 LCBO General List: Same price as the last vintage. Low yielding grapes come from 1984 and later plantings in the Short Hills Bench area. As with their previous baco noirs, HOP has maintained both the rich jammy black currant spicy character and the low price – under $20. Both new and older (one/two year old) US barrels are used for initial aging before transfer to 5000L oak foudres. Total aging: 1 year. It is still needs another two years for proper aging, but with decanting it can be enjoyed now. 13.5% ABV. One of the top baco noirs at the LCBO for under $20. Works best with pronounced meats such as pork/boar, lamb, wild game – all either braised or grilled. Quality/Price rating is 90 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.
2.Sartori Valpolicella Ripasso Superiore DOC 120th 2015, +15084, Vintages September $29.95: this is a limited release, to celebrate the company's 120th anniversary. The mix includes corvina veronese (55%), corvinone (25%), plus croatina and rondinells. It was done up in stainless steel fermentation to which malolactic fermentation was employed. And then the second fermentation of ripasso began on the unpressed skins of the Amarone leftover. It was all aged in medium and large oak casks for 24 months, and then blended with a cuvee selection. Red fruit dominates, especially ripe cherries and a twist of savouriness near the deep, deep finish. Great with red meats and older cheese. 14% ABV. If you're going to spend $39 on a better ripasso valpolicella, then this is the one to get. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.
3.Henry of Pelham Riesling Estate 2019 VQA Short Hills Bench, +557165 Vintages, $19.95 Vintages September: intense riesling in a Rhine style of cool fermentation, with very off-dry palate but dry finish (good acid levels on the finish) – broad grapefruit and lemons on the mid-palate, sip (mainly) or food. 9.8% ABV, 19.5 g/L RS, twist top, from HOP's oldest Estate riesling vineyards (planted 1984). Should also age well. Try with fish that live in water but die in wine. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.
4.Ferraton Pere & Fils Samorens Cotes-du-Rhone Rouge 2018 AOC +168708, $16.95 Vintages September: a very good bargain wine (it costs a lot more in the USA), especially for its depth and intensity. Very meaty on the approach and full of saturated flavours on the mid-palate. Grenache is the main grape (85%), with syrah (10%) and cinsault (5%). Yet it does not have that papery taste of most French grenache .. it is more like Cannonau di Sardegna. Red fruit dominates. 14.5% ABV. There is also a very aromatic Blanc wine, not yet available in Ontario. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.
SPECIAL FINDS FOR AUGUST 8, 2020 --
Sparkling+438200 WESTCOTT VIOLETTE SPARKLING Charmat method, VQA Ontario 2019 $25.95 MVC/QPR: 90
Rose+557611 MEIOMI ROSÉ Monterey/Sonoma/Santa Barbara counties 2018 $27.95 MVC/QPR: 89
Rose+493171 OYSTER BAY ROSÉ Marlborough, South Island 2019 $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89
Rose+490904 SAINT AIX ROSÉ AP Coteaux-d'Aix-en-Provence 2019 $48.95 MVC/QPR: 90
Rose+556274 MARQUIS D'AQUERIA TAVEL AP 2019 $19.95 MVC/QPR: 91
Under $20
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W+ 80234 FEATHERSTONE BLACK SHEEP RIESLING VQA Niagara Peninsula 2019 $18.95 MVC/QPR: 90
W+519025 FEATHERSTONE PHOENIX VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Escarpment 2019 $18.95 MVC/QPR: 89
W+315119 JEAN GEILER PINOT GRIS AC Alsace 2018 $19.95 MVC/QPR: 90
W+391847 THIERRY DELAUNAY TOURAINE SAUVIGNON BLANC AP 2019 $16.95
MVC/QPR: 89
W+484139 DOMAINE DU TARIQUET SAUVIGNON BLANC Vegan, IGP Côtes de Gascogne 2019 $13.95 MVC/QPR: 89
W+13000 GÉRARD BERTRAND TERROIR PICPOUL DE PINET AC 2019 $16.95 MVC/QPR: 90
W+15716 SWARTLAND TERRE NOIR CHENIN BLANC WO Swartland 2018 $16.95
MVC/QPR: 89
R+479303 IVORY & BURT ZINFANDEL Lodi 2017 $19.95 MVC/QPR: 90
R+12281 CHÂTEAU DE RIBEBON AC Bordeaux Supérieur 2016 $15.95 MVC/QPR: 89
Over $20
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W+10421 ASTROLABE SAUVIGNON BLANC Sustainable, AMW, Marlborough, South Island 2019 $24.95 MVC/QPR: 89
R+14880 DOMAINE DE LA PLAIGNE MOULIN-À-VENT AC 2016 $20.95 MVC/QPR:89
R+14584 SARTORI 120TH ANNIVERSARY VALPOLICELLA SUPERIORE DOC 2016 $24.95 MVC/QPR: 90
R+568899 LUIGI BOSCA TERROIR LOS MIRADORES MALBEC Uco Valley, Mendoza 2017 $34.95 MVC/QPR: 90
May we all have 2020 vision.
Chimo! www.deantudor.com
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