Justin's Wine Pick November 23, 2013

Wines released for sale on Saturday, Nov. 23 in Ontario.

Alright wine campers, it is time to suspend your belief and sally forth into the land of dreams that would welcome you after a Lotto 649 win. This would involve millions of shekels wafting into our bank accounts and a complete collapse of common sense! BUY!! Buy!! BUY!! Drink, DRINK, DRINK!!!

The LCBO has outdone it's greedy self this time and slipped the bonds of reality, enticing you towards new realms of excess.

For example the cheap Single Malt available this time is $241.95 per bottle. A mere Bagatelle!

Sharpen up that Gold Mastercard and join the breakfast club @ the LCBO on the 23^rd to ensure that you snag some of the following.

There is a short section at the end for those whose income only runs to about a half million per year.

Best Single Malt Speyside at the 2008 World Whiskies Awards: The Glenrothes Vintage Speyside 1978. Bold and fruity! $649.95

Bargain basement Single Malt: Glenfiddich Gran Reserva 21 Years Old Rum Cask Finish $241.95.

Stocking Stuffer for a brandy lover: Comandon Single Barrel Grande Champagne XO Cognac $174.95.

Mimosas on Christmas Morning: Dom Perignon Brut Rose Champagne 2003. $299.95, or save $240.00 and go with 13^th Street Grand Cuvee Blanc De Noir 2007 Niagara $59.95.

Quinta Do Portal Vintage Port 2003 $58.95. “Dense, intense wine.”

Wonderful Whites:

Stratus 2010 Niagara $44.20. “A rich blend of Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier and Chardonnay.

Ambullneo Fang Blanc Chardonnay 2007 California $62.95. “Full-bodied, fresh, crunchy.”

Domain Rijckaert Puligny-Montrachet Les Champgains 1er Cru 2010 $69.95. An amazing rendition of Chardonnay! Wow!!

Ch. De Fontaine-Audon 2012 Sancerre Loire $29.95. Sizzling Sauvignon Blanc!

Graacher Domprobst 1 Star Riesling Auslese 2010 Mosel $36.95. Sinful!

Ravishing Reds:

Ornellaia 2010 Tuscany $189.95. One of my two most favourite wines in the world!

Antinori Solaia Tuscany 2010 $251.95. This one is pretty close to perfection!

Dunn Vineyards Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 Napa $109.95. 2019 to 2036. Parker 96.

Pahlmeyer Proprietary Red 2009 Napa $159.95. Mostly Cab/Sauv.

Elderton Command Shiraz 2009 Barossa $89.95. Huge and elegant!

Mountadam The Red 2009 Australia. Cab/Sauv, Merlot, Cab/Franc $34.95. A veritable BARGAIN!!

Chateau De Beaucastel Chateauneuf-Du-Pape 2011 $89.95. Wine usually doesn't get any better than this one!

Urbina Gran Reserva Especial 1994 Rioja $46.95. Aged for you!

Good Buy Whites:

Featherstone Black Sheep Riesling 2012 Niagara $16.95. Really Racy Acidity!

Hauller Muenchberg Riesling 2011 Alsace Grand Cru $21.95. A MUST BUY!!

Ruhlmann Gewurztraminer 2011 $19.95. Needs a spiced dish.

Solid Reds:

Kaiken ultra Malbec 2010 Argentina $19.95. Big, ripe and very rich.

Sol De Andes Reserva Especial Syrah 2008 Chile $16.95 . Drinking well now.

Oyster Bay Merlot 2012 N.Z. $18.95. Tasted in Scotland. Very good, rich wine!

Xavier Cotes Du Rhone 2010 $16.95. BEST BUY!!

Aldiano Riserva Montepulciano D'Abruzzo 2009 $18.95. “Tangy lift on the finish!”

Di Majo Norante Contado Riserva Aglianico Del Molise 2010 $17.95. Powerful, mature!

Maritavora Tinto 2008 Portugal $16.95. Very well made, delicious!

Vega Sauco Adoremus Tinta De Toro 2008 $19.95. “ Impressively complex nose. “

Great Reads: Phantom by Jo Nesbo featuring the intrepid Harry Hole.

The Last Policeman by Ben Winters. A very well written Sci/Fi Mystery.

Thanks,

Justin

Justin's Wine Picks November 5, 2013

JUSTIN'S WINE PICKS NOVEMBER 5, 2013

Wines will be released for sale in Ontario on Saturday, November 9.

Good news wine fans! The Ontario Government must be ready to build a new subway line, eliminate all hospital waits and put a large chicken in every pot! Nothing else could explain the prices of the wines on offer this time. The price range here for most items starts at $30.00 and goes quickly skyward.

More bad news: There appears to be a sharp rise in global wine consumption combined with a decrease in worldwide production. Less wine is being produced in Europe particularly. I guess they have finally dried up the wine lake of the 70's and 80's.

You get one guess at what that will do to your wine purse.

I almost skipped this edition but there must be a lot of financiers out there who need to spend all that loot that they ripped us off for in 2008.

I will give you my pick of the top five I would buy when Sheila hit the lottery jackpot.

There are also a slim number of affordable values here.

Need a gift for that Single Malt lover that you love a whole bunch? Buy them two bottles ( one to drink and one to collect ) of The Macallan Fine Oak 21 Years Old Highland Single Malt, a steal at only $499.95! What the hell, it's Christmas, throw in the nickel to tip your Spirits Merchant in this lucrative festive season.

Cash in those bonds and buy:

Antinori Guado Al Tasso 2009 Tuscany $99.95. Wine Enthusiast Rating 98!

Renatto Ratti Marcenasco Barolo 2008 $52.95. This wine is always SPECTACULAR!!!

Penfolds Bin 389 Cabernet/Shiraz 2010 $44.95. Simply WONDERFUL red wine!

D'Arenberg The Dead Arm Shiraz 2009 McLaren Vale $54.95. Amazing nose!!

Domaine Durieu Lucile Avril Chateauneuf-Du-Pape 2010 $44.95. Must age at least 10 years.

Best White Wine available.

Domaine Zind-Humbrecht Calcaire Pinot Gris 2011 $27.95. One of my all-time favourite producers. Full-bodied, rich, with brilliant acidity. A WOW!!

Classy Whites.

Abbazia Moscato D'Asti 2012 $14.95. Low in alcohol, very high in bubbly flavour! Serve this with a citrus fruit dessert or a bowl of sugared strawberries.

Hinterbrook Sauvignon Blanc 2011 Niagara $16.95. “ Fresh, crisp & racy citrus zest. “

Rockway Small Lot Reserve White Assemblage 2012 Niagara $16.95. A most interesting blend!

Great Red Wine Bargain: MacMurray Ranch Pinot Noir 2010 California $21.95. This is a classy bottle of wine that shows the fruit intensity and richness that are the hallmarks of fine Pinot noir.

Great Value Reds.

Casa Del Bosque Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 Chile $19.95. “Superbly structured.”

Chilensis Lazuli 2010 Chile $17.95. This needs red meat!

Natura Carmenere 2012 Chile $14.95. BEST BUY!!!!

Ninquen Antu Chilean Mountain Vineyard Syrah Chile 2011 $17.95 “A very good wine!”

Dark Side of The Moon Shiraz 2011 Clare Valley $27.95. “Loaded with dark fruit depths.”

Henry Of Pelham Reserve Baco Noir 2011 $24.95. A perennially delightful wine!

Frey Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 Mendocino $19.95. One of California's top Vintners!

Southern Cross Reserve Cab/Sauv 2011 S.A. $17.95. Great flavour & aromas!

Foncalieu St. Gervais Reserve Du Crouzau Cotes Du Rhone-Villages 2011 $16.95. Drink now.

La Luna E I Falo Barbera D'Asti Superiore 2010 $19.95. Piedmont. Tres Good!!

Castello D'Albola Chianti Classico Reserva 2008 $22.95. “Beautiful Floral Notes!

Great Books To read: Sheila reads almost as much as I do and she highly recommends the novels (10) of a Canadian Author, Linwood Barclay. Very well written thriller/mysteries.

The Mad Scientist's Guide To World Domination is a completely fun compendium of short stories, featuring some really whacked out megalomaniacs! Editor is John Joseph Adams.

Thanks,

Justin