Peter Lehmann The Barossan Shiraz 2018

 Peter Lehmann The Barossan Shiraz 2018 (SKU 144937, $22.39 tax included)

This was an updated version of the 2015 vintage that I wrote about two years ago. The 2015 vintage was rated at 92 points by Wine Spectator but available at less than $25. The current version was on sale at $3 off, so I decided to give it a try. The 2016 and 2017 vintages were not as good as the 2015, so there was nothing to write about. However the 2018 vintage, though not rated by Wine Spectator, was similar to the 2015. When I opened the bottle, my nose was filled with intense jammy fruit. On the palate, it was another big fruit bomb. However, there was a hint of some Chinese herbs and an aftertaste of honey. It went very nicely with some satay beef and pork. In fact it probably would go well with any red meat. The classic pairing for Shiraz is always with lamb. I think this very economical wine can be enjoyed now or left in the cellar for ten years. At this price one cannot be wrong by buying half a dozen. Just note that there is a Cabernet Sauvignon version of The Barossan at the liquor store and I have not tasted it. Make sure you buy the Shiraz.

Mazzei Ser Lapo Chianti Classico Riserva 2016

 Mazzei Ser Lapo Chianti Classico Riserva 2016  (SKU 176842, WS94 pts., $37.94 tax included)

I read about this in a newspaper column and decided to try it out. It was a Chianti from the Tuscany region of Italy. Upon opening, there was a full nose of fruits. Upon first tasting there were more berry like fruits. I was a little bit surprise because the Sangiovese grape was supposed to be quite dry. Further research indicated that this was a blend with some Merlot grapes. That would explain the fruitiness on the palate. The body was full and the finish was long. It went well with some Italian dishes. It also came with a small poster of the explanation of the name, something to do with some prince marrying some lady. In any case this was a great value wine for the cellar since it was a reserve level Chianti and the price was less than $40. Wine Spectator suggested drinking between 2022 to 2043, so there is a lot of life to it. There is adequate stock in the BC Liquor stores.

Beringer Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

 

Beringer Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2018  (SKU 352583, $45.99 tax included)

I saw my usual favourite U.S. cabernet sauvignon at the liquor store on sale this month, so I took one bottle home to taste it. My executive chef happened to prepare some hamburger for dinner. I was slightly surprise as hamburgers were not on our usual dinner menu. But as luck would have it, the wine and the food were a match made in heaven. The hamburger was The Keg Prime Rib beef burger from Costco. When I first tasted the wine, I was met with some dark fruits on the nose and the palate. There was a slight bitter aftertaste with a hint of licorice. With the burger, the character of the wine changed completely. The palate was full of jammy fruits, more like an Australian Shiraz and the aftertaste was fruit. The finish was long and satisfying. As I indicated, this wine always tasted better than the ratings and almost tasted like a reserve level wine. It was unusual that it was produced from grapes from the Sonoma Valley, usually lower quality than its Napa cousins. But the offering from Beringer's Knights Valley seemed to be the exception and was very enjoyable. There was no Wine Spectator rating at the time of writing but I would not be surprised if the eventual rating would be 90 points. It is on sale at $7 off for the month of December. For your Christmas and New Year steak dinner, you cannot go wrong with this wine. There is ample supply in all of the LDB stores.

Chapoutier Crozes-Hermitage Les Meysonniers 2016

 

Chapoutier Crozes-Hermitage Les Meysonniers 2016 (SKU 131078, WS 93 pts., $34.49 tax included)

I read about this wine in an article in the Vancouver Sun a couple of months back. When I visited the LDB stores then, they had the 2017 vintage. I tried it and it was not impressive. Then earlier this week I saw the 2016 vintage at the Cambie and 39th store. I checked the Wine Spectator rating again to confirm that it was indeed rated at 93 points. I opened it last night to pair with some home cooked Chinese food. The colour was a very pleasing garnet. The nose was not bad and there were a lot of tannins. Then tonight my executive chef prepared some duck breasts and used the wine to make a sauce. I drank the leftover wine with the dish. The nose tonight was much more intense with obvious dark berries. The palate had a spicy taste and the finish was medium long. It paired really well with the duck breast. Crozes-Hermitage was one of the Northern Rhone wine regions producing economical wines. The grape was 100% syrah. This would be the same grape as the Australian shiraz. The way the French (old world) made their wines was very different from the Australians (new world). I personally preferred the Rhone wines since they were more subtle and they expressed themselves slowly over time. There is adequate stock in most of the LDB stores but make sure you check the vintage before buying.

Beringer Brothers Chardonnay Bourbon Barrel Aged 2016

 

Beringer Brothers Chardonnay Bourbon Barrel Aged 2016 (SKU 233513, $22.99 tax included)

I was visiting the Alberni and Bute store to buy some wine when I saw four boxes of this wine sitting in the corner. When I asked the staff what the price was, they had to open a box and scanned a bottle to give me the price. I recalled that the Beringer Private Reserve Chardonnay was a very good wine, so I thought I would try this offering at a more affordable price. The wine was aged in Bourbon oak barrels for sixty days to give it more flavour. When opened, the bouquet was pleasantly fruity. The body was medium to full since it was a Chardonnay. The palate showed some fruits like apricot and pear. The finish was medium. I tasted it with some home cooked halibut and it went well. I also took it to a Chinese restaurant and tasted it with my tasting panel. They all like the pleasant taste and thought it went well with a Chinese meal. It was not too dry, so it was easy to appreciate. The alcohol content was 14.5%. For this price, this would be a great daily white wine to compliment any fish or chicken dish. There is ample stock in the LDB stores.

Beringer Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2014

Beringer Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2014 (SKU 836759, WS 93 pts, $74.72 tax included) I was visiting a friend living in West Vancouver and was early, so I dropped by the Park Royal LDB store. I had my eyes on this Sonoma reserve wine. Normally Napa Valley cabernet sauvignon was better than Sonoma Valley ones. The exception was Beringer Knights Valley. In previous tastings, the regular version almost tasted like a reserve wine and had always been on my watch list. This reserve wine was listed at $10 off, so I jumped on it and brought a few bottles home. I tasted it with some barbeque beef ribs and chicken. The nose was full and the palate was luscious. I tasted a lot of dark berries and chocolate and my tasting panel tasted plum. The impressive feature was the wine tasted very consistent from start to finish. It was like a horse race where the winner led from the start gate all the way to the finish line. The finish was very long. Wine Spectator recommended drinking between 2018 to 2032. So this one was definitely destined for my cellar for medium term storage. Similar quality Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon wine probably would cost at least twice the price. So this would be a great wine to put away to celebrate some of life's milestone events. The LDB website listed the 2015 vintage but I actually bought the 2014 at the Park Royal store. It does not matter which vintage you find since both are rated at 93 points by Wine Spectator. It is on sale until September 5, 2020. There is limited stock at the Alberni and Bute LDB store and lots of stock in Park Royal.

Chateau Peyros Madiran Tannat-Cabernet Franc 2014

Chateau Peyros Madiran Tannat-Cabernet Franc 2014 (SKU227918, $22.99 tax included)

I was given this as a present by a friend who came to dinner and opened it later with some Chinese take-out. The grape was Tannat and Cabernet Franc. Madiran was a wine region in the Southwest of France and Chateau Peyros only grew these two grapes. There was not much of a nose upon opening the bottle. However it had a very fresh taste with hints of spices. It was a lighter body wine suitable for general food pairing. I had Chinese style beef tenderloin in tomato sauce, spare ribs in butter sauce and oyster in hotpot with it and it paired well. At this price, it was a good daily home drinking wine. There is ample stock in the LDB stores.