JUSTIN'S WINE PICKS
SEPTEMBER 24, 2013
Wines
released for sale in Ontario on Saturday, September 28.
We
are home safe from our holiday in Iceland. What an amazing country!
Volcanoes, glaciers, geothermal pools, wonderful friendly people. A
great trip made even better by our fellow travellers on the bus!
The
dining experience was a most pleasant surprise. All the guide books
totally panned the local cuisine but they were way wrong. We had many
excellent meals with lamb and fish heading the menus. A pastrami like
hors d'oeuvre of horse foal was highly tasty and interesting. The
wine selection leaned heavily towards Argentina, which was fine thank
you.
The
country is SUPER-EXPENSIVE so a prepaid tour with meals included is
the way to go. Shopping is pretty much out of the question, without a
platinum credit card.
All
right the holiday is over and the LCBO needs to move some wine if the
government are going to build that new gas plant three or four more
times. I was a bit underwhelmed with the new selection until I hit
the Australian section. There are some real Wows arriving from the
far South!
Also
some excellent bubbly from relatively obscure sources is on offer.
Sparkling wine can take the guesswork out of what to serve with what,
as it complements a wide range of foods.
This
is a big release as the LCBO stocks up for Thanksgiving and
Christmas.
Superb
Australian Reds.
#1 is
surely Two Hands Lily's Garden Shiraz 2011 $59.95. This is a
supercharged, heavy, fruity behemoth that demands red meat or a
really rich stew.
D'Arenberg
D'Arry's Original Shiraz Grenache2010 $19.95. “Explosive black
raspberry and cherry compote flavours...nose of rose, white pepper
and licorice.”
Brick
Kiln Shiraz 2010 $24.95. Well balanced but still big wine.
Oscar's
Estate Shiraz/Viognier 2010 Barossa Valley $16.95. White Viognier
really boosts the aromas!
Pirramimma
Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 $24.95. A rich wine with a long, grand
finish.
Sister's
Run Cow's Corner Grenache/Shiraz/Mataro 2011 $15.95. BEST BUY! “tons
of peppered red berry flavour layers in the mouth.
Superior
Bubbles.
Sumac
Ridge Steller's Jay Brut 2008 Okanagan Valley B.C. $25.95. A fine
wine from a winery that doesn't ship here very often, to our regret.
Joseph
Cattin Cremant D'Alsace Brut $16.95. I love this wine! “Apple,
pear, grapefruit.”
Aimery
Grand Cuvee 1531 Cremant De Limoux Southwest France $19.95. Serve
with lobster.
Best
White Wine On Release: Cave Spring Chardonnay Musque 2011 $15.95. I
admit to prejudice here because I have enjoyed this wine immensely
through several vintages. Highly aromatic, bone-dry and palate
cleansing. Reminds me of very fine Chablis.
Really
Good!! Whites.
Paco
& Lola Albarino Spain 2011 $17.95. Albarino is a grape to look
for. Dry, aromatic, peachy.
Reichsgraf
Von Kesselstatt Scharzhofberger Riesling Kabinett 2008 Mosel $20.95.
“Racy and firmly stuctured, with a wonderful aftertaste.
Dreyer
Family Lion's Lair 2012 S.A. $13.95. Juicy, fresh, dry, bottled
sunshine!
Nikolaihof
Hefeabzug Gruner Veltliner 2010 Austria $24.95. Since our Danube
cruise I have been diligent in buying these deliciously dry wines.
This is as good as it gets!
Gisselbrecht
Frankstein Riesling 2009 Alsace Grand Cru $20.95. Drink with
Thanksgiving Turkey.
Cave
De Beblenheim Heimberger Gewurztraminer Alsace 2011 $19.95. Drink
with spicy items.
Wither
Hills Wairau Valley Sauvignon Blanc N.Z. $17.95. Lush lime &
gooseberry.
Domaine
Du Chardonnay Montmains Chablis 1er Cru 2011 $28.95. Designed for
fish!
Inniskillin
Reserve Pinot Gris 2012 Niagara $19.95. “Juicy, round,
mouthfilling.”
Tawse
Sketches of Niagara Riesling 2012 $17.95. Great balance!
Best
Red On Release ( Outside the Australians listed above. ) Selection
Laurence Feraud Chateuneuf-Du-Pape 2010 $47.95. This wine demands
at least 10 years of ageing but the rolling, dynamic fruit flavours
and nose are worth waiting for.
Striking
Reds.
Herdade
Das Servas Tinto 2009 Portugal $18.95 is one of the reds I will
certainly buy this time. The other is the D'Arenberg listed above.
Cramele
Halewood Prahova Valley Feteasca Neagra Special Reserve 2011 Romania.
$12.95. I have no idea if this is bad mouthwash or fantastic dry wine
but I do know that the old Iron Curtain wineries are back in private
hands, and trying to produce quality instead of the vast quantity
demanded by their former party bosses. At $12.95 take a shot, it
could be wildly good!
Croft
Late Bottled Vintage Port 2008 $18.95 is luscious! Open a bottle on
Christmas eve, when it's cold outside and your family is warm around
you.
Juana
De Sol Reserva Malbec 2010 Argentina $15.95. “Spicy, ripe, nicely
proportioned.”
Fog
Head Reserve Pinot Noir 2011 California $19.95. Funky, fruity, spicy
wine.
Pizzella
La Posta Malbec Argentina 2011 $15.95 BEST BUY!!
Officially
the oldest person who ever lived was Jeanne Louise Calment. Died at
Arles in 1977, age 122. Took up fencing at age 85 and rode a bicycle
until 100. At age 90 she sold her apartment to a lawyer with
something called a reverse mortgage, where he agreed to pay her a
fixed price until she died. As a result he paid her more than twice
the value of the apartment.
She
put olive oil on all her food, rubbed it into her skin, drank Port
wine, and ate 2 pounds of chocolate a week. She also smoked until she
was 117, stopping only when her sight was so bad she couldn't light
the cigarette. Her immediate family was long-lived.
Great
reads: Between Man and Beast by Monte Reel. An offbeat account of
19th
century African explorers, the evolution debate and a bunch of other
neat info.
Orders
From Berlin by Simon Tolkien ( he is the grandson of J.R. Tolkien )
Great mystery about a Nazi plot to assassinate Winston Churchill.
Angel's
Flight by Michael Connelly. Another Harry Bosch mystery. I love this
series.
Thanks,
Justin
