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Tuesday, October 6, 2009

LCBO VINTAGES Oct 10, 2009 Release: notes

WORLD WINE WATCH (VINTAGES TIP SHEET) FOR OCTOBER 10, 2009
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing <deantudor@deantudor.com>
Always at www.deantudor.com since 1995. Also visit my "Wines, Beers and
Spirits of the Net Compendium", a guide to thousands of news items and
RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits.
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. Also, some defective
or corked wines are not available for re-tasting.
 
TOP VALUE WHITE WINES under $20 or so.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
1. Flat Rock Cellars Unplugged Chardonnay 2007 VQA Twenty Mile Bench
Niagara: expressive of fruity-and-unoaked chardonnay, 13.5% ABV, very
good value from the 2007 harvest. +68015, $15.95, QPR: 91.
2. Inniskillin Winemaker's Series Montague Vineyard Chardonnay 2007 VQA
Four Mile Creek Niagara: delicious Burgundy style, moderate finish.
+586347, $18.95, QPR: 90.
3. Clayhouse Adobe White 2008 Central Coast California: highly
aromatic, floral-scented, big wine. +137059, $16.95, QPR: 90.
4. Kenwood Sauvignon Blanc 2008 Sonoma: a resto wine, very good
complexity not bizarre. +971754, $17.95, QPR: 90.
5. Grant Burge Summers Chardonnay 2007 Adelaide Hills: toast, smoke on
nose and mid-palate, falls off to citrus tones, needs good food.
+57315, $19.95, QPR: 90.
6. Yalumba Y Series Riesling 2008 South Australia: great zest, and
great price for an Oz Riesling. Strong aroma. +625129, $15.95, QPR: 90.
 
TOP VALUE RED WINES under $20 or so.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
1. Ironstone Vineyards Merlot 2007 California: all purpose, useful and
intelligent red. +704353, $16.95, QPR: 90.
2. Leese-Fitch Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 California: MVC for the joosers
amongst us. +135285, $17.95, QPR: 90.
3. Finca el Origen Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 Mendoza: intense
fruit, long finish. +128991, $14.95, QPR: 90.
4. Arboleda Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 Aconcagua Valley: dynamite juice
and flavours, 14.5% ABV, development needs taming but lush now and
lusher later. +606764, $17.95, QPR: 92.
5. Goats Do Roam Goat-Roti Syrah/Viognier 2007 Coastal Region South
Africa: nice knockoff of a Cotes du Rhone, Euro style syrah, yet juicy.
+943175, $19.95, QPR: 90.
6. Chateau Thebot 2005 Bordeaux: nice enjoyable Bordeaux, standard MVC,
needs a bit more time, priced to go. +138792, $16.95, QPR: 90.
7. Cantine Due Palme Primitivo 2005 IGT Salento: off-dry character,
good as entry level for zinf lovers. +658351, $15.95, QPR: 90.
8. Volpaia Citto 2007 IGT Tuscany: delivers long length and generous
fruit, good basic Italian food wine. +134817, $13.95, QPR: 90.
9. Remo Farina Ripasso Valpolicella Classico Superiore 2005: tarry,
great finish, aged well. +999946, $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
could buy and bring to those restaurants with corkage programs.
1. Mer Soleil Silver Unoaked Chardonnay 2007 Santa Lucian Monterey,
+66159, $29.95 retail.
2. Domaine Bonnard Sancerre 2008, +140525, $22.95 retail.
3. Studert-Prum Riesling Spatlese 2004 Mosel, +140756, $23.95 retail.
4. Rodney Strong Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 Sonoma, +226944, $22.95.
5. Shingleback Shiraz 2006 McLaren Vale, +57844, $23.95.
6. La Spinona Bricco Faset Barbaresco 2004, +134726, $38.95.
7. Bodegas Alejandro Fernandez Tinto Pesquera Crianza 2006 Ribera del
Duero, +341461, $29.95 retail.
8. Miguel Torres Mas La Plana Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 Penedes, +129676,
$44.95 retail.
 
 

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