Well! The fall wine season is upon us, and there are a number of good
wines that have come in and others that will be
in soon.
2001 Burrowing Owl Merlot -- Okanagan Valley. Nice to know that Canada
can produce such a good wine. Hard to believe how much demand there is
for this wine--just under $29.
2001 Sandhill Merlot, from the Burrowing Owl Vineyard, but from another
winemaker--the well-known Howard Soon. It's described as: concentrated
blackberry aroma and flavors. Rich and smooth with plenty of soft,
integrated tannins. Long finish. Under $17.
2001 Fleur du Cap Shiraz, from the Republic of South Africa. R.S.A. is
finally producing some fine wines again. This one is medium to full
bodied. Elegant spice bouquet and smoky ripe
plums on the palate. Serve with grilled beef, roast
lamb, venison or game birds. Match with mature
cheeses, smoked food, spicy stews and stir
fries or with fruit and salads. Rivals Australian
shiraz in the same price range. Under $14.
2002 Trinity Hill Sauvignon Blanc -- Shepherds Croft. Hawkes Bay, NZ.
Superb vintage. Typical characters of passion fruit, nectarine and citrus
with a hint of gooseberries. Just over $18.
If you haven't tried the 2002 Isabel Sauv Blanc. Try it again. Wow!
2001 Farnese Sangiovese from Italy. Intense ruby color, nose of cherries
and raspberies. Rich in body. GREAT value. $8.
2000 Osborne Solaz. Tempranillo/Cabernet Sauvignon from Spain. Intense
real color. Ripe fruit flavors and spicy nuances. Another great value
from one of the oldest and most prestigious
winemakers in Spain. Just over $10.
Also in are their well-known Osborne Manzanillo Sherry as well as the
Osborne Cream Sherry. Both are selling at special prices!
2000 Charles Cimicky Daylight Chamber Shiraz. South Australia. Rich and
robust showing spicy black pepper and cherry fruit aromas with vanillan
oak; long lingering finish. Classic shiraz that
will live well beyond the next decade, but drinking
well now. Brought in for a special order, but now a
regular on the shelves. Under $25.
2000 Chateau Millegrand Minervois. Languedoc, France. Grenache and
Syrah. Garnet-red in color w/ nose of red
fruits. Perfect with deli and cheeses. Requested by a
Crystal Decanters Club Member--just over $14.
2001 The Stump Jump -- Grenache/Shiraz/Mourvedre. McLaren Vale, South
Australia. Part of the famous D'Arenberg stable. Made from very old
Grenache vines. ww.darenberg.com.au. Under $14.
2001 Wirra Wirra Church Block Cab/Shiraz/Merlot, South Australia. With a
record which spans three decades, this has been one of Australia's most
sought after red wines! Rich fruit, balanced with structure to develop
over the next decade. Elegant with a lengthy
finish. info@wirra.com.au. Under $17.
2000 Peter Lehmann The Barossa Cabernet Sauvignon from South Australia.
This small vintage has produced an intensely flavored cab with deep
color. Shows rich black currant character with a firm
long finish. Drinks well now
and can be cellared for the medium term.
www.peterlehmannwines.com.au. About $18.
2000 Fox Creek JSM -- McLaren Vale South Australia. Blend of Shiraz, Cab
Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Will get even better with medium term
cellaring. Has blackberry and lifted spice aromas. Rich fruit flavors on
the palate. Supported by fine tannins. Has excellent length.
www.foxcreekwines.com. Just over $29.
2000 Wolf Blass Brown Label Classic Shiraz. After a brief hiatus of 2-3
years, this wine is back! Comes from Barossa/Langhorne Creek / Mclaren
Vale in South Australia. Full of peppery, spicy
fruit and chocolate. balanced,
rich and full bodied. $Under $30.
1998 Wolf Blass Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon. A scarce wine from the
Barossa Valley, South Australia. This wind was awarded the coveted Jimmy
Watson Trophy. The '98 was one of Australia's finest vintages ever!
Highly concentrated fruit with multiple layers.
Elegant. Will benefit for up to a
decade in the cellar. Want a good wine to put away? This is the one!
Try to beat this price--just over $76.
The yearly allotments of Penfolds wines are here. To order your
requirements, call me ASAP to ensure your needs. No Bin 707 was made this
vintage, and Grange is too scarce to imagine.
The 2000 Bin 28 Kalimna Shiraz Blended with grapes from the same vineyard
that supplies Grange. Full flavored classic
shiraz. Spicy fruit with soft tannins. Drinks well
now! Decanter Magazine has declared it their Wine Of
The Month! $Under 30.
The 2000 Bin 389 Cab Sauv / Shiraz. Opulent, varietal flavors,
well-balanced with firm tannins. Known as Baby
Grange at a fraction of the price. Just over $32.
Bin 407 Cabernet Sauvignon -- South Australia. Full bodied with typical
Australian minty black currant flavors, and
superb oak integration. Elegant. Won the Gold Medal
in the San Francisco Wine Challenge. Under $30.
1999 Penfolds St. Henri, as usual, gets excellent ratings. Wine
Enthusiast awarded it 91 points.
2002 Tinhorn Creek Gewurtztraminer -- Oliver, BC. Intense Gewurtztraminer
characters with Lychee spicyness and floral aromas. Smooth and fruity
with just enough sweetness for balance. Enjoy
with spicy meals including Asian or Indian food. or,
just by itself. Under $15.
2002 Gray Monk Pinot Auxerrois. Okanagan Valley, BC. Aromatic, off-dry,
full bodied with crisp, nicely balanced acidity. Hints of peach,
nectarine and almond. No oak. Excellent as an
aperitif. Complements hearty salads,
veal and shellfish. Under $13.
2001 Bonterra Chardonnay-- Organically grown in Mendocino County,
California. Slightly spicy, butterscotch and vanilla character. Apple,
lemon, grapefruit and tropical fruit flavors. Drink with grilled or
sauteed seafood or chicken, or, lightly herbed
roast pork. $20.
Also just in, from Margaret River in West Australia, Palandri, a 2001
Cabernet Sauvignon. It has dark berry aromas with concentrated flavors of
cassis and blueberry. www.palandri.biz
Enough for today. More good wines to follow. Anybody remember the
Francis Coppolla wines from Clalifornia?
They're available and may be arriving soon. Contact me
for details.
REMEMBER, LIFE IS TOO SHORT TO DRINK POOR WINE!
Cheers,
Al Lakusta
The Beer Box/York Hotel
