Saturday, August 17, 2013

Easy Italy - August 17, 2013 VINTAGES release


In this release, August 17, 2013, VINTAGES release features:

The price point of new releases is somewhat higher so I'm changing my focus for my selections.  In the past, I made a list of those most likely to make it into my bag but that leaves many intriguing choices out.  As always, my picks usually sway towards something I haven't tried before - I always like to expand my sommelier horizons.  Having said that I'm a sucker for a good wine for sipping so I might go back to a past favourite.  Bolded text continues to indicate what caught my eye. An → signifies that it is most likely going in my shopping bag.  Please follow along as I go page by page.

My picks include ...

I'm intrigued by the blend ... TOTUS TUUS RESERVA CAVA VINTAGES 226282 | 750 mL bottle Price $15.95 - Sparkling , White Wine, 11.5% Alcohol/Vol.; LCBO Tasting Note: "(40% chardonnay, 18% xarel-lo, 18% macabeo, 18% parellada and 6% pinot noir): Bright, green-tinged straw. Quinine, green apple and pear on the nose and in the mouth. Bright and nervy on entry, then richer in the mid-palate, showing a touch of honeydew and building spiciness. Finishes smooth and broad, leaving pear and melon notes behind. Score - 88. (Josh Raynolds, International Wine Cellar, Nov. 2011)"

→ the oldest planting of Chardonnay in Canada ... DANIEL LENKO OLD VINES CHARDONNAY 2010 VINTAGES 352328 | 750 mL bottle Price $22.95 - White Wine, 14.0% Alcohol/Vol.; LCBO Tasting Note: "Made from vines planted in 1959, which Lenko says is the oldest planting of Chardonnay in Canada. The wine is barrel fermented and barrel aged in U.S. oak for 12 months, 80% new oak. A full-blown nose of Bosc pear, butterscotch, coconut, ripe citrus, toasted vanilla and a full pantry of baking spices. It is wonderfully complex and rich on the palate with gushing fruit, sweet oak spices and creamy butterscotch all balanced out by a healthy vein of acidity. Delicious and opulent. Score - 91. (Rick VanSickle, winesinniagara.com, Dec. 29, 2012)"

60+ year old estate vines ... CICCHITTI EDICIÓN LIMITADA MALBEC 2008 VINTAGES 260893 | 750 mL bottle Price $24.95 - Red Wine, 14.0% Alcohol/Vol.; LCBO Tasting Note; "Cicchitti's 2008 Malbec Edición Limitada was sourced from 60+-year-old estate vines. The wine was fermented with native yeasts and went through malolactic fermentation in barrel. It spent 18 months in French oak before bottling without fining or filtration. Dark ruby red in color, it offers up an enticing nose of cinnamon, clove, smoke, lavender, black cherry, and black raspberry. Dense, layered, and richly fruity on the palate, this lengthy offering will evolve for 2-3 years; drink in its prime from 2012 to 2023. Score - 91. (Jay Miller, erobertparker.com, Dec. 2010)"

back to the future ... PAXTON MV SHIRAZ 2011 VINTAGES 327403 | 750 mL bottle Price $17.95 - Red Wine, 14.0% Alcohol/Vol.; LCBO Tasting Note: "Paxton calls its eco-conscious approach to vineyard work 'back to the future,' signifying a return to hands-on farming techniques and a focus on natural vineyard health. Brimming with deep, powerful dark berry fruit and plum jam notions, this classic Australian Shiraz is so impressive you'll swear there are 1.21 gigawatts coursing through your glass. Pair with organic steaks or peppercorn-mushroom burgers. (VINTAGES panel, Dec. 2012)"

Alsacian Pinot Blancs are often hidden gems ... ANDRÉ BLANCK ET SES FILS ROSENBOURG PINOT BLANC 2011 VINTAGES 626606 | 750 mL bottle Price $14.95 - White Wine, 12.5% Alcohol/Vol.; LCBO Tasting Note: "Lovely peach, nectarines and minerals aromas, with flavours that are bright with golden apple, lemons and limes. Alsatian pinot blancs are often hidden gems. Food suggestion: French onion tarts. Score - 90. (Gordon Stimmell, The Toronto Star, Aug. 31, 2012)"

its hallmark is always refinement & balance ... BOUTARI NAOUSSA 2008 VINTAGES 23218 | 750 mL bottle Price $12.95 - Red Wine, 13.5% Alcohol/Vol.; LCBO Tasting Note: "The 2008 Naoussa, that is, a Xinomavro, is the latest iteration of a well priced bottling that I have come to rely upon as one of the better red values in Greece, often available on the street for well under its list price. This year seems like an exceptional vintage for this bottling, which makes it one of the better values recently. Its hallmark is always refinement and balance. It is never a rustic Xinomavro, but at the same time it still preserves its essence and characteristics and expresses its terroir well as time goes on. Caressing in texture, yet increasingly powerful as it fleshes out in the glass to show good depth, it lingers on the palate and grips it. When the baby fat goes, which I began to see with extended aeration, it will show increasing transparency and character, becoming earthier and purer, more complex and transparent and become interesting as well as tasty. It shows the ability to change into something more with age and it should age gracefully. It drank beautifully the next day, showing that promised purity and transparency, seeming clean and unadorned. If you like Xinomavro -- or Barbaresco -- this is a fine overachiever that I liked more and more as it aired out. It is well worth seeking out. While approachable with some air, it is pretty tight. Drink 2013-2025. Score - 91. (Mark Squires, erobertparker.com, Feb. 2012)"

→ superb value ... CANTINE RIONDO APPASSIMENTO 2010 VINTAGES 326595 | 750 mL bottle Price $13.95 - Red Wine, 14.0% Alcohol/Vol.; LCBO Tasting Note: "Fans of Ripasso will want to give this unique red a try. Made with Veneto's native Corvina grape in tandem with Merlot, it employs the region's famed grape-drying technique to intensify this wine's dark cherry, fig, plum and mocha spice notions, and add depth and roundness to its mouthfeel. Superb value. Enjoy with mushroom risotto or grilled eggplant-and-mushroom kebabs. (VINTAGES panel, Oct. 2012)"

→ traditional Mencia grape - a must-try for any wine lover curious about why Bierzo is on everyone's lips these days ... BODEGA DEL ABAD DOM BUENO CRIANZA 2006 VINTAGES 244699 | 750 mL bottle Price $14.95 - Red Wine, 13.5% Alcohol/Vol.; LCBO Tasting Note: "Spain's Bierzo region is in the midst of a renaissance for creating fine wines from its traditional Mencia grape. Here the variety's trademark notes of plummy dark fruit and herbs are embroidered by lovely cocoa, earth and kirsch accents and wrapped in solid tannins. Finishes long and strong. Exceptional value, and a must-try for any wine lover curious about why Bierzo is on everyone's lips these days. (VINTAGES panel, Jan. 2013)"

there you have it ... my picks from August 17th VINTAGES release.  bottoms up!

sit. sip. savour.
Éva Nagy - accredited sommelier & yummy food enthusiast
Posted by Unknown at 3:24 PM

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