Frescobaldi Brunello di Montalcino Castelgiocondo 2007

Frescobaldi Brunello di Montalcino Castelgiocondo 2007 (WS90 $54.99 SKU 333989) This was one of the many brunellos available at the LDB store recently. The best vintage was of course the 2004 but they were all sold out. The 2007 is still a bit of a mystery but most brunellos need 7 to 10 years in the cellar. Wine Spectator indicated that this wine is best from 2014 to 2023.

 

I tasted it last night with some snacks and cheese. The aroma was sweet with lots of fruit. The body was medium to full and the finish was quite long. This was a powerful wine and would need some more time in the cellar. It certainly would go well with some Italian food, especially those prepared with cheese.

 

The price is attractive for a 90 point brunello and there is great potential for cellaring. You can open it now with proper decanting or put it away for a year or two. There is ample stock in the LDB system.

Chateau La Grave a Pomerol 2003

Chateau La Grave a Pomerol 2003 (WS92, $73.99, SKU 789131) This was one of the recent re-release of vintage Bordeaux wines at the LDB store. I had my eyes on it since the 2004 and 2005 vintages were very sought after. This was a right bank wine from the Pomerol region, so the wine had more Merlot than Cabernet Sauvignon. 2003 was a very good vintage and Wine Spectator said it should be ready after 2009.

 

I finally decided to get a bottle on Dec. 14, 2012. When I paid for it, it scanned out at $55. I checked the bar code and description and it was the correct wine. So I sent all of you an e-mail that evening. One friend managed to get six bottles of this the next day at the lower price. But when I went to the LDB store, they had already corrected their “mistake” by using a felt pen to cross out the bar code. When they entered the SKU, it indicated a  price of $73.99.

 

In any case, I opened it tonight in the decanter for an hour and drank it while having some  Greek food (lamb shoulder and chicken). The aroma filled the room when the wine was being decanted. The color was slightly brown, consistent with the age of the wine. It was very smooth in the mouth and the fruit was pleasant. Since there was more Merlot, the tannins are not as pronounced and would be easily appreciated by novice drinkers. One tasting panel member found it had a caramel nose. It was a very easy drinking wine and easy to enjoy. I would say this wine is at its prime and should be enjoyed now. At $73.99, it is a little pricy but still a good effort from a good vintage. This would definitely be a great Christmas present. There are still 3 cases at the 39^th and Cambie store.

Vincent Girardin Moulin a Vent Clos de la Tour 2009

Vincent Girardin Moulin a Vent Clos de la Tour 2009 (WS92, $29.99, SKU 181180) This is a special Beaujolais that can be enjoyed now or cellared. It was the No. 54 of Wine Spectator’s Top 100 wines of 2011. I first opened a bottle in December 2011 and found the color very richly red. It drank like a red Rhone wine - fresh and fragrant with a medium finish. I recently opened another bottle at a banquet and it was equally good. It went well with lighter Chinese food but also stood its ground with a steak. This is a lighter wine, but it grows on you. It is quite balanced but obviously still has lots of potential.

 

Beaujolais red wines usually are consumed when released because it is a lighter wine. The grape is gamay noir and the color is usually a lighter red.  However the 2009 vintage is quite a different breed as it can be enjoyed right the way or cellared. Wine Spectator indicated that this wine can be cellared until 2016, quite a long life for a Beaujolais. When I sent my friends to get some at the 39^th and Cambie LDB store, a certain store employee told them that this wine should not be cellared. The employee obviously relied on his/her usual knowledge of Beaujolais but did not know about this exceptional vintage. In addition, the price is very attractive for a wine in the Top 100 ranking. I last saw seven bottles of it at 39^th and Cambie. LDB website indicated that there are lots of stock scattered at various stores.

Barossa Valley Estate Shiraz Ebenezer 2007

Barossa Valley Estate Shiraz Ebenezer 2007 ($39.99, SKU 528349) I just saw this yesterday at the Cambie and 39^th LDB store. The 2004 vintage was a highly rated wine (WS 93 points) but needed a lot more time in the cellar. So I picked up a bottle for dinner. We were having crab cake and roast chicken from Costco. The bottle was a screw cap, so it was easy to open. The aroma rushed out of the bottle when first opened. The color war dark garnet and the wine looked serious. I knew the wine needed decanting, so I used my breathable glass. But even after 15 minutes in the glass, there was a lot of tannin while the nose was strong. I did not think it had the same impact as the 2004 vintage but it was certainly a solid wine. It was like a wild horse that needed taming. With the roast chicken, the fruit started to come out. There was no WS rating on this wine. Alcohol content was a hefty 14.5%. The best thing would be to buy it and leave it in the cellar for five to ten years. But at this price and a screw cap, it would be difficult to hold it for so long, so I would suggest giving it some serious decanting of two to for hours before enjoying it with some heavy meat such as beef or duck.

Ronan by Clinet, Grand Vin de Bordeaux 2009

Ronan by Clinet, Grand Vin de Bordeaux 2009 ($35) I have to break my promise again as this is a economical 2009 Bordeaux but can only be purchased from private sources. However I have to write about it since I tasted it with the Chateau Croix Mouton 2009. This was a 100% merlot wine made with grapes just outside the Pomerol region. Apparently it was made in the same way as the Chateau Clinet 2009 but because the grapes were grown just outside the boundary, it could not be called a Pomerol wine. I decanted it for an hour and found the nose to be mellow. The body was medium, so was the finish. It was not as fruity as the Croix Mouton even though it was 100% merlot. It had characteristics of a typical Bordeaux. It would go well with a good steak. Again if you see it in the States, bring some back.

Chateau Croix Mouton , Bordeaux Superieur 2009

Chateau Croix Mouton , Bordeaux Superieur 2009 ($28.00, SKU 749424) I started my blog by promising to write about wines of good value that you can purchase at the LDB stores. I have to break my promise with this wine since it is good value but you cannot buy it at LDB anymore. This was one of the 2009 Bordeaux release that I recommended to you. One of my friends was kind enough to pick up a few bottles for me while I was away during the release on September 29, 2012. This was not the bottle that the LDB printed in the Bordeaux booklet. This one was a Merlot blend, with 87% merlot. I decided to decant it for an hour despite its low price since some of the review I read online suggested it. The nose was quite sweet when I first opened the bottle. The color was quite dark in the decanter. There was definitely lots of fruit when tasted and the body was medium. It also had medium finish. My tasting panel was surprised at the quality of this wine at this price. One tasting panel member thought this was an Italian wine because of the taste. Wine Spectator gave it 86 to 89 points in the barrel tasting in 2010 but no final score. Robert Parker gave it 89 to 91 points. I think this one is definitely an over-achiever. If you happen to travel to the States, check out the wine stores to see if you see it. Take as many back as you can.

St. Urbans-Hof Kabinett Riesling Piersporter Goldtropfchen 2010

St. Urbans-Hof Kabinett Riesling Piersporter Goldtropfchen 2010 (WS93. $29.99, SKU 598003) I was looking for a white wine for a banquet and found this sitting next to the Ockfener Bockstien that I tasted before. The sweetness code at LDB was “03”. The name was really long but it gave me more idea what the wine was like. Kabinett was one the styles of making Riesling by the Germans. I tasted it with some takeout Chinese food and found it went well by itself or with the food. The nose was sweet with immediate taste of apple. The body was full and the finish was long. My tasting panel also found it to be very intense. It is good from 2011 to 2030. At this price, I think it is a great deal for a 93 point Riesling. There are 45 bottles at 39^th and Cambie, 11 bottles at Dunbar and 20 bottles at Park Royal in West Vancouver. The bottle looks exactly like the Ockfener Bockstien, so do not confuse the two.

Chateau Ste. Michelle Columbia Valley Chardonnay 2010

Chateau Ste. Michelle Columbia Valley Chardonnay 2010 (WS87, $17.99, SKU 232439) This wine was $2 off its regular price at the LDB stores. I needed a wine to go with some Chinese food. It was quite fruity with a medium body. It tasted like a typical chardonnay and I found it went well with the many tastes of a Chinese meal. The price was very reasonable and there was lots of stock.

Domaine Faiveley Mercurey La Framboisiere 2009

Domaine Faiveley Mercurey La Framboisiere 2009 ($37.99, SKU 188144) I needed a Burgundy red wine to go with some abalone and sea-cucumber and decided to try this entry level wine. There is no WS rating on the wine yet but the less expensive version (without “La Framboisiere”) was rated at 89 points. The 2009 vintage is rumored to be a very good vintage for the Burgundy wines. When I first opened the bottle, I was greeted with a very pleasant floral nose. My tasting panel all had Burgundy wine glasses and I poured the wine into each glass. Over the course of two hours, the wine evolved very nicely just like any good Burgundy. The nose was still very strong after two hours. Even though the wine was probably too young to be opened, there was a taste of some fruits in the background with a medium body. This wine should probably be cellared for another three to five years. I must remind you that Burgundy wines are not for everyone. The taste is much lighter than the Bordeaux and other new world wines and the body is not as full. You also need a lot of patience (like two to three hours) to let the wine evolve in the glass but you will be rewarded. It went well with the abalone.

Yalumba Viognier Eden Valley 2010

Yalumba Viognier Eden Valley (WS90, $27.99, SKU 34066) I was going to serve a Californian Chardonnay as a starting wine for the evening but saw this 90 pointer at the LDB store. I figured that this was less expensive than the chardonnay and has a WS rating, so why not. I normally do not know how to appreciate the viognier grape but found this to be quite pleasant. There was medium body with some fruits and a medium finish. It would go well with seafood or Chinese food.

Viticcio Bere Toscana 2009

Viticcio Toscana Bere 2009 (WS90, $19.99, SKU 206490) I found this inexpensive Italian wine while wandering around the 39^th LDB store. I wanted to try it to see what this inexpensive wine did to deserve 90 points. Wine Spectator did say that it should be enjoyed between 2013 to 2020.  I opened it for dinner but found it too harsh and dry. I sent it over to one of my tasting panel members. He later told me that he drank it the next evening and still found it very dry. However he tasted it after another four days and liked it. So I gave it another chance. This time I opened the wine in the morning and decanted it at lunch time. I poured it into a breathable wine glass at 7 p.m. and still it did not open up for the next two hours. It would have been a good wine to complement a nice Italian pasta with tomato sauce or pizza. I poured the rest back into the bottle and waited another two days. Then it the harshness was gone and it started to taste like a decent sipping wine. My problem is this: who would want to put a $20 bottle of wine in the cellar and wait five years. Furthermore, who would want to decant a $20 bottle of wine for two to three days before drinking it. So if you have the patience and/or serving some Italian food, open a bottle the night before and serve it with the food.

Preiss Riesling 2009

Preiss Riesling 2009 ($19.99, SKU 15230) This was another one of the white wines from the Alsace region but the grape was a Riesling. The taste was medium dry, definitely different from the German Kabinett Riesling. Body was medium and it went well with tapas with tomato sauce. It was a good sipping wine with food.

Lucien Albrecht Gewurztraminer Reserve 2009

Lucien Albrecht Gewurztraminer Reserve 2009 ($25.99, SKU 269712) This was one of the wines mentioned in the Vancouver Sun Arts and Life section this weekend. The wines from  the Alsace region was featured and I wanted to see what they were like. Gewurztraminer is a sweet white grape, so the wine was quite fruity. Taste of Lychee was obvious on tasting. The body was a bit thin and the finish was short but it went well with some tapas. If you like sweeter white wines, this one would please you. There is ample stock in the system.

Chateau Jouanin Castillon Cotes de Bordeaux 2009

Chateau Jouanin Castillon Cotes de Bordeaux 2009 ($20.95, SKU 222661) This was another 2009 Bordeaux for early drinking recommended by a LDB consultant. This wine is from the right bank and therefore is Merlot based. Aroma was full when the wine was first opened. I tasted it with some pork chop the first night and it was fruity with medium body. I sent it to my tasting panel and we tasted it again 48 hours later and it was holding up well with medium to full body. At this price, it was an amazing bargain since the 2009 Bordeaux is expected to be very expensive. There is no WS rating on it but the LDB consultant said it can be cellared for 3 to 5 years. There is ample stock at all the LDB stores but this is a one-time buy for them.

Intriga Cabernet Sauvignon Maipo Valley 2008

Intriga Cabernet Sauvignon Maipo Valley 2008 (WS88, $24.99, SKU 313346) This was tasted along with other Chilean red wines and it stood up well. It was a medium to full body wine but the after taste was a bit short. It paired well with beef meat ball and grilled meat. At this price, it was a easy to enjoy wine. There is limited stock in Vancouver but you can ask the LDB to order it in from the other stores.

Celler Malondro Montsant Besllum 2008

         

Celler Malondro Montsant Besllum 2008 (WS86, $19.99, SKU 874651) This was another one featured 90 point wines in the aisle of the 39^th store. I don’t know who gave it 90 points but decided to try it anyway. It was a blend of 50% Carignan and 50% Garnacha. It had medium body and didn’t hit me when first tasted. However, it went very well with some heavy Greek food. It also went well with a spicy curry duck dish. It was a good value easy drinking Spanish wine. There is ample stock in Vancouver.

Vina Altair Sideral Rapel Valley 2007

Vina Altair Sideral Rapel Valley 2007 (WS87, $24.99, SKU 198077) This was recommended to me by a fellow wine lover. He mentioned that a Cabernet/ Carmenere/ Syrah/ Cabernet Franc blend aged in French oak barrels at such a price is unbeatable bargain. Two separate tasting panels of friends both liked this wine. When first opened, the nose is very pleasant with a hint of smoke. Without much decanting, the taste was definitely sweet. It went well with grilled lamb and chicken and also with grapes and cheeses. Don’t let the WS rating fool you, this is one easy drinking wine that would please most people. This would be a wine you should stock up and open a bottle whenever your friends drop in for dinner. There is stock at 39^th as well as the Alberni store.

Concha Y Toto Chardonnay Limarí Valley Marqués de Casa Concha 2009

Concha Y Toto Chardonnay Limarí Valley Marqués de Casa Concha 2009 (WS90 $19.99, SKU 342857) I wasn’t looking for this wine but picked it up because it was one of the featured Chilean wines and I needed a white wine for a party. It was designated as a smart buy by Wine Spectator. It turned out to be quite an easy drinking wine with typical chardonnay fullness. It went well with some sashimi appetizers and some fresh lobster. Ample stock at the 39th LDB store.

Two Sauternes - Ch. La Tour Blanche 2003 & Ch. Raymond-Lafon 2007

Chateau La Tour Blanche Sauternes 2003 (WS97, $72.99, SKU 159178) This is a highly rated Sauternes wine, the dessert wine from the Bordeaux region. I like the Sauternes more than the B. C. ice wines because they are not as sweet. However this one is quite a sweet Sauternes with lots of flavour or pineapple and honey. It is like syrup and sticks to your mouth. It goes well with any dessert, especially cakes.

Chateau Raymond-Lafon Sauternes 2007 (WS92, $29.99/ 375 ml., SKU 100164) This is another Sauternes wine available in the LDB stores. This is more balanced with loads of fruits in its taste but not overpowering like the Chateau La Tour Blanche. I actually like this one more even though the rating is lower. As with most Sauternes, the longer one puts in the cellar, the better they get. So there is no hurry to drink it after you buy it. The better Sauternes are getting more and more expensive (up to $99 per 375 ml. bottle), so this is one is a relatively good value wine.

Anciano Tempranillo Gran Reserva 2001

Anciano Tempranillo Gran Reserva 2001 ($15.99, SKU 7893554) This is a surprise find at the back of the 39^th LDB store. This is a Spanish wine that has been aged for 10 years. The bottle is wrapped with a golden net, making it look very exquisite. I tasted it twice, once with take-out Chinese food and once with a Spanish dish. It went well with either type of food. There is quite a bit of mineral in the taste but is easy to drink. There is no WS rating but Robert Parker gave it 90 points. There is lots of stock at the 39^th store.

Vieux Chateau des Templiers 2000

Vieux Chateau des Templiers 2000 ($45, SKU 776351) This is one of the 2000 Bordeaux wines that the LDB put out recently. I tasted it with dinner last week and found it to be an enjoyable wine. It is from Pomerol, the right bank, so it is a Merlot based wine. It has good nose when opened and needs a quick decanting. The body is medium to full with enough sweetness to please the new drinkers. At $45 it is not cheap but this is, after all, a 2000 Bordeaux. I would recommend this with any red meat dish. There is very little stock in Vancouver but it can be ordered from the other stores.