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Wednesday, March 30, 2011

April 2/11: LCBO Vintages Release -- TOP Values


WORLD WINE WATCH (LCBO VINTAGES TIP SHEET) FOR APRIL 2, 2011
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com.
Creator of Canada's award-winning wine satire site at http://fauxvoixvincuisine.blogspot.com. My
"Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net Compendium" is a guide to
thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers
and spirits, at www.deantudor.com since 1995. 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 available for re-
tasting.
 
TOP VALUE WHITE WINES under $20 or so.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
1. Pelee Island Winery Vendange Tardive Pinot Gris 2008 VQA Pelee
Island: dynamite focused almond and apricot flavours, late picked for
that off-dry character, concentrated body, unctuous. Well-priced, buy
it all. +0224196, $16.95, QPR: 92.
2. St. Lucas Torrontes 2010 Mendoza: the aromatic grape of Toronto!
Modest price for great fruit value. Where pinot gris should be, but
isn't. +694513, $11.95, QPR: 90.
2. Arboleda Chardonnay 2008 Casablanca: good balance of fruit-oak-acid.
Long finish, full bodied. +606772, $15.95, QPR: 90.
3. Chateau La Grave D'Arzac Blanc 2009 Graves: all Semillon, fabulous
texture and body, great fruit on palate, some sizzle on the finish for
food. +206714, $14.95, QPR: 90.
4. San Felice Perolla Vermentino 2009 IGT Maremma Toscana: soft,
forward, melons and citrus tones, thick body. I drank a lot of
vermentino during my three months on the Riviera. +222802, $15.95, QPR:
91.
 
TOP VALUE RED WINES under $20 or so.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
1. Kaiken Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 Mendoza: juicy and chewy, Euro
flavours are all there. +143248, $14.95, QPR: 90.
2. Errazuriz Single Vineyard Syrah 2008 Don Maximiano Estate Aconacagua
Valley: dynamite, full blown syrah component of character complementary
flavours. +211938, $19.95, QPR: 90.
3. Chateau Bellevue 2006 1er Cotes de Blaye: almost ready, MVC good
Bordeaux, lay down one year (will get better if you wait). +206649,
$14.95, QPR: 90.
4. Chateau La Verriere 2008 Bordeaux Superieur: fabulous price for a
Gold Medal winner, give it two years more, good investment. +199000,
$14.95, QPR: 90.
5. Roux Pere et Fils Cote de Beaune-Villages 2009: MVC for the region,
needs a bit of time (not before Christmas 2011) but all the burgundian
pinot tones are there. 13% ABV. +208520, $17.95, QPR: 90.
6. Barba Vignafranca Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 2006: flavours galore from
this occasionally pussy-wussy grape variety. 13.5% ABV. +203984,
$17.95, QPR: 90.
7. Tommasi Arele Appassimento 2008 IGT Veronese: the Ripasso-style wine
flavour of the month from the LCBO. +224188, $17.95, 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. Freestone Vineyards Ovation Chardonnay 2007 Sonoma Coast, +210302,
$39.95 retail.
2. Domaine Roux Pere et Fils Les Chaumes Chassagne-Montrachet 2009,
+208512, $38.95.
3. Michael David Petite Petit 2008 Lodi, +213017, $24.95.
4. Paul Hobbs Crossbarn Cabernet Sauvignon 2006, +118695, $34.95.
5. Saltram Mamre Brook Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 Barossa, +48579, $24.95.
6. Domaine Daniel Rion Les Lavieres Nuits-Saint-Georges 2008, +208454,
$47.95.
7. Domaine Gille Cotes de Nuits-Villages 2008, +210864, $24.95.
8. Maison Roche de Bellene Beaune-Bressandes 1er Cru 2008, +208504,
$47.95.
9. San Cassiano Amarone Della Valpolicella 2006, +210799, $38.95.
10. Chateau Musar 2002 Bekaa Valley, +109413, $51.95.
 

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