JUSTIN'S WINE PICKS, OCTOBER 10 2012

Wines released for sale in Ontario on Saturday, October 13.

Just back from three, very fun weeks in sunny Scotland! The sun really did shine on us. Rain for two days only, in a water filled year.

Back to the land of the LCBO, OH MY!! The selection of wines available on websites alone in Britain dwarfs the measly offerings of our big brother monopoly, not to mention buying wine in grocery stores where they treat it as a food rather than as an evil drug.

Anyway we do return to a selection of new wines that include some real winners!

Best White: Bollinger Brut Special Cuvee $69.95. “ Hints of marzipan,honeyed malt, bread dough, baked apple and gingersnap. Intense acidity, refined texture and a lingering finish.”

Great Whites

Tawse Sketches of Niagara Riesling 2010 $17.95. “ Intense, juicy, fresh and exceedingly bright.”

Domaine Viticole De La Ville De Colmar Pinot Gris 2010 Alsace $17.95 “Long, delicious finish.”

Willy Gisselbrecht Tradition Gewurztraminer 2010 $18.95. Needs a spicy dish!

Beauvignac Picpoul De Pinet 2011 Midi $12.95. I fell in love with this grape a long time ago. Very dry with grapefruit/citrus on the nose and a glorious hit of fruit on the palate.

H. Thanisch Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Spatlese 2010 Mosel $24.95. Here is a wine that is truly grown for aging! These Rieslings change and develop over years, in a most interesting fashion.

Buy a case of 6 and open one every two years.

This has absolutely nothing to do with vino but I love an optimist!

“A Scottish football (soccer) fan made a slight mistake in 1992 when he altered his coupon in an attempt to convince Ladbrokes ( bookies firm) that he'd correctly predicted all 61 results in the Boxing Day English and Scottish league program. His stake was 50p and Ladbrokes calculated that, if he was right, he had won 3,826 billion pounds: 10 times Britain's gross national product and 6.5 times the nation's annual tax revenue. He later pleaded guilty to forgery.”

from The Lore of Averages by Karen Farrington.

Best Red: Michelle Castellani Cinque Stelle Amarone 2007 $54.95. “Tar and leather notes, with dense tannins...layered with subtle hints of kirsch, coffee liqueur, dried herbs. Drink from 2015-2032.

Two interesting Barolo's made in contrasting styles are featured this time. ( Good timing Gord and Henry!) Marchesi Di Barolo Barolo 2006 $34.95 is old/style heavy-hitting Nebbiolo with lots of cherry/licorice and a long finish. Very tannic, don't drink until maybe 2020 through 2030.

Sobrero Ciabot Tanasio Barolo 2007 $39.95. Rich cherry/rose fruit with solid tannins. Drink from now, although 2016 would be better, through 2021.

Masi Grandarella 2008 $24.95. New to me this is a Super-Veneto, made in the Amarone method of drying the grapes, albeit with a radically different grape mix. “Big, rich and delicious.”

Continuing with the Italian theme, DON”T MISS! Mazzei Ser Lapo Chianti Classico Riserva 2007 $24.95 “Best Chianti Classico ever from here. Georgeous wine. “

Osborne Pedro Ximenez 1827 Sweet Sherry $17.95 is a truly decadent, super/sweet dessert wine!

Red Wines of Note:

Quail's Gate Pinot Noir 2010 BC $24.95. One of Canada's Top Vintners!

Kenwood Jack London Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 $37.95. This was one of the first reds I tasted in my younger days which opened my eyes and tongue to real quality.

Benmarco Malbec 2010 Argentina $17.95. “succulent, intensely flavoured.”

Ch. Brown Pichon 2008 AC Lussac St.-Emilion $16.95. “plum, cherry, cedar.”

Cave De Rasteau La Domeliere Rasteau 2009 $15.95. BEST BUY!!

Ch. De La Gardine Chateauneuf-Du-Pape 2010 $32.95. This has to age a long time but will be worth waiting for. You need to be under 60 to anticipate sipping it in this lifetime.

Maritavora Tinto 2008 Portugal $15.95. This is the country that should be filling up your wine cellar now! Really rich but also very well balanced.

Quinta Dos Roques Vinho Tinto 2009 Portugal $15.95. See above. Exquisite flavours.

Arrocal 2009 Spain $16.95. 100% Tempranillo from the Ribera del Duero. BARGAIN!!

Pedro Martinez Alesanco Reserva 2006 $17.95 Rioja. Absolutely superb wine!

The best book that I read in Scotland was Gentry by Adam Nicolson, a great portrait of the English, featuring aristocrats on the way down and new money on the way up.

Also very good is Scribble, Scribble, Scribble by Simon Schama.

Thanks,

Justin