WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for SEPTEMBER 5, 2020

 

WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES:  under/over $20 for SEPTEMBER 5, 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 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 RECENT SPARKLING ROSE WINES TASTED --

 

Wines are either at the LCBO (CSPC given) or the winery. Wines are arranged randomly.

 

**DEAN'S CHOICE "best sparkling wine" was Laurent-Perrier Cuvee Brut Rose Champagne NV $99.95 +158550 (personal rating of 93-94).

 

**DEAN'S CHOICE "best sparkling wine value" was Colio Estate Wines Lily Sparkling Rosé NV $17.95 +536565 VQA Ontario (92)

 

I did not rate Leitz Eins-Zwei-Zero    NV Rheingau    Pinot Noir Sparkling $12.95 LCBO  +12549 as it has no alcohol, but it certainly tastes magnificent for 0% ABV, and of course it is in a category by itself.

 

Producer    Product Name    Vintage    Price    LCBO #     Country    Region    Grape Varieties    Alc. %

 

**** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms):

-Laurent-Perrier    Laurent-Perrier Cuvee Brut Rose    NV    $99.95 +158550    Champagne    Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier    12%    LCBO Vintage Essentials

-Huff Estates Winery    Cuvee Janine Rose    2017    $30    +405035    Canada    PEC (VQA PEC)    Pinot Noir     12.5%    Winery/Online   

-Chateau des Charmes    Rose Sparkling    2014    $34.95        Canada    Niagara    Pinot Noir & Chardonnay    12%    Online, Winery

-Colio Estate Wines    Lily Sparkling Rosé    N/A    $17.95     +536565    Canada    VQA Ontario    90% Riesling 10% Cabernet Franc    12%    LCBO    Year Round   

-Gruet Sparkling Brut Rose NV Method Champenoise New Mexico $26.95 +15686 pinot noir 12%  Vintages

-Flat Rock Cellars    Crowned Sparkling Brut    2015    $45.00    Niagara Peninsula    Pinot Noir    12%    Winery Only    New Release   

-Bottega Spa    Bottega Vino Dei Poeti Brut Rose    NV    $14.95     +277202    Italy    Veneto    Pinot Nero    11.5%    LCBO

 

 

Under $20

======

 

W+68015    FLAT ROCK UNPLUGGED CHARDONNAY    Certified sustainable, VQA Niagara Peninsula    2019    $17.95 MVC/QPR:  89

W+557165    HENRY OF PELHAM ESTATE RIESLING    Certified sustainable, VQA Short Hills Bench, Niagara Escarpment    2019    $19.95     MVC/QPR: 90

W+225557    ERADUS SAUVIGNON BLANC    Awatere Valley, Marlborough, South Island    2019    $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89

W+15614    REMY PANNIER VOUVRAY    AC    2018    $19.95     MVC/QPR: 89

R+168708    FERRATON PÈRE & FILS SAMORËNS CÔTES DU RHÔNE    AC    2018    $16.95     MVC/QPR:  92

R+323741    ROBERT OATLEY SIGNATURE SERIES CABERNET SAUVIGNON    Margaret River, Western Australia    2018    $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89

Rose+117861    FEATHERSTONE ROSÉ Sur lie, VQA Niagara Peninsula    2019 $15.95  MVC/QPR: 89

 

Over $20

======

 

W+258186    ROBERT MONDAVI RESERVE CHARDONNAY    Carneros, Napa Valley    2017    $61.95     MVC/QPR: 89

W+520403    BACHELDER WISMER WINGFIELD OUEST VINEYARD  CHARDONNAY    VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Escarpment    2017    $47.95 MVC/QPR: 89

R+157347    ENRICO SERAFINO BARBARESCO    DOCG    2016    $29.95     MVC/QPR: 90

R+15084    SARTORI RIPASSO VALPOLICELLA SUPERIORE    120th anniversary bottling, DOC    2015    $29.95 MVC/QPR: 91

R+719211    CLINE ANCIENT VINES ZINFANDEL    Contra Costa County    2017    $26.95  MVC/QPR: 89

R+127712    FERRATON PÈRE & FILS LA MATINIÈRE CROZES-HERMITAGE    AC    2017    $26.95 MVC/QPR: 89

Sparkling+460865    CAVE DE LUGNY BRUT BLANC DE BLANCS CRÉMANT DE BOURGOGNE    Traditional method, AC, Burgundy, France     $22.95 MVC/QPR: 89

Port+216424    POÇAS COLHEITA PORT    DOP Douro, Portugal    2003    $45.95 MVC/QPR: 89

 

May we all have 2020 vision.
Chimo! www.deantudor.com