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Tuesday, January 3, 2012

WORLD WINE WATCH (LCBO VINTAGES TIP SHEET) FOR JANUARY 7, 2012

WORLD WINE WATCH (LCBO VINTAGES TIP SHEET) FOR JANUARY 7, 2012
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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 normally available
for re-tasting from another bottle.
 
TOP VALUE WHITE WINES under $20 or so.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
1. Calamus Cosmic White 2009 VQA Niagara: here is the latest Ontario
white blend, with riesling, chardonnay, and gewurztraminer. Off-dry and
balanced. 12.4% ABV. +255893, $14.95, QPR: 89.
2. Hinterbrook Riesling 2010 VQA Niagara Lakeshore: semi-dry, very rich
tropicality, better as a sipper. 12.4% ABV. Gold Medal All Canadian
Wine Championship. +270512, $17.95, QPR: 89.
3. Konzelmann Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2009 VQA Niagara: more a sipper,
aged nicely. California style, with body, grass, some veggie tones.
13.5% BV. +257790, $12.95, QPR: 89.
4. Sue-Ann Staff Semi-Dry Riesling 2008 VQA Niagara: German mode, more
off-dry than semi-dry with balancing acid, 10% ABV. +258632, $14.95,
QPR: 89.
5. Stellar Running Duck Fair Trade Organic Chardonnay 2010 WO Western
Cape: rounded, oak tones, vanilla. Good body, long food finish. 13%
ABV. Great price. +149856, $12.95, QPR: 91.
6. Mont'Abano Pinot Grigio 2010 Friuli Grave: tasty, some body, citric
and flowers in finish. +249532, $16.95, QPR: 89.
 
TOP VALUE RED WINES under $20 or so.
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1. Coyote's Run Pinot Noir 2009 VQA Niagara: strong burgundian
character, m & m's (mocha and mushrooms), some underbrush. 13% ABV.
+53090, $19.95, QPR: 89.
2. Jip Jip Rocks Shiraz 2009 Padthaway: delicious shiraz components,
oaky black fruit, 14.5% ABV. Top medalist winner. +673897, $16.95, QPR:
90.
3. Small Gully The Formula Robert's Shiraz 2006 South Australia: the
juicy mocha sings here, tasty, depth, 15.9% ABV. Twist top. +142935,
17.95, QPR: 90
4. Chateau Tour Bicheau 2008 Graves: very god presence and value,
cassis and tones of age, good price. +226092, $17.95, QPR: 89.
5. Perrin & Fils Peyre Blanche Cairanne Cotes du Rhone Villages 2009: a
stylish southern Rhone, lots of black fruit, length and depth, 14% ABV.
+650960, $7.95, QPR: 89.
6. Rivera Cappellaccio Riserva Aglianico 2005 Castel del Monte Puglia:
deliciously well-aged, meaty, herby, and with great fruit showing.
+984120, $18.95, QPR: 90.
7. Conte Contini Bonacossi Capezzana Barco Reale di Carmignano 2008:
chianti-style with allowable cabernet sauvignon, an affordable food
wine, 13.5% ABV. +508531, $15.95, QPR: 89.
8. Campina de Toro Sabor Real 2008 Toro: a delicious food wine, crafted
from 70 year old Tempranillo vines. 14.5% ABV. +172932, $15.95, QPR:
89.
 
VALUE: "RESTAURANT READY" or "BRING YOUR OWN WINE BOTTLE" over $20
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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. Laguna Ranch Chardonnay 2008 Russian River Valley, +544981, $32.95
retail.
2. Domaine Carrette Chardonnay Pouilly-Fuisse 2009, +264481, $21.95.
3. Domaine Bonard Sancerre 2009, +140525, $21.95.
4. Red Mountain Fall Line Artz Vineyard Red 2007 Washington State,
+237735, $36.95.
5. Chateau de Lamarque 2006 Haut-Medoc, +194159, $29.95.
6. Domaine du Grand Montmirail Vacqueyras 2009, +251579, $24.95.
7. La Pieve Barolo 2007, +213132, $28.95.
8. Rosewood Merlot 2009 VQA Niagara Escarpment, +211896, $21.95.
9. Domaine Machard de Gramont Pommard Clos Blanc 1er Cru 2008, +189779,
$43.95.
 

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