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| Canada – Ontario |
| Red Wine |
HENRY OF PELHAM SPECK FAMILY RESERVE CABERNET/MERLOT 2002
VQA Niagara Peninsula |
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| 616433 (XD) 750 mL $50 |
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| TASTING NOTE: This is one of a new series of super-premium wines from Henry of Pelham, already well-known for their Cab-Merlots, and it deserves all its advance billing. The fruit is exceptionally well focused, and expresses the superlative growing conditions of 2002. The fruit-acid-tannin balance is almost perfect, and the wine is stylistically elegant, with a long finish. Pair it with a dish that will bring out the best in both, like well-herbed rack of lamb, grilled medium-rare. Score - **** (out of 5). (Rod Phillips, www.winecurrent.com, Feb. 19, 2005) |
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| Canada – Ontario |
| White Wine |
HENRY OF PELHAM SPECK FAMILY RESERVE RIESLING 2004
VQA Short Hills Bench |
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| 643361 (XD) 750 mL $30 |
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| TASTING NOTE: The 2004 is the current vintage and the extra age brings out the petrol-lanolin notes to go with intense citrus and mineral aromas. Simply delicious on the palate with soft lemon-lime flavours touched by a hint of sweetness that is all balanced out by the acid. (Rick VanSickle, The Ottawa Sun, Feb. 20, 2008) |
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| Canada – British Columbia |
| Red Wine |
BURROWING OWL MERITAGE 2005
VQA Okanagan Valley |
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| 695148 (XD) 750 mL $65 |
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| TASTING NOTE: This wine is rich, with an inviting aroma of vanilla, cassis and plums. That leads to flavours of chocolate, plums and currants. The long, ripe tannins and the bold oak flavours contribute to the satisfying, mouth-falling textures of this wine. The finish lingers forever, showing elegance and balance. The wines shows very well now but should age nicely for another five years. , Score - 90-91. (John Schreiner, www.planitbc.com, 2007) |
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| California |
| Red Wine |
AU BON CLIMAT ISABELLE PINOT NOIR 2005
California |
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| 59725 (XD) 750 mL $59 |
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| 'Isabelle' is a tribute to owner/winemaker Jim Clendenen's daughter. This powerful Pinot is a blend of the best from Bien Nacido, Sanford & Benedict, Talley Rincon, and Mt. Carmel vineyards. Clendenen's masterful touch creates a balanced, harmonious and complex wine from these different properties. You can enjoy this beauty now or put it in the cellar; it has serious ageing potential. |
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AU BON CLIMAT KNOX ALEXANDER PINOT NOIR 2005
Alexander Valley, Sonoma County |
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| 60376 (XD) 750 mL $55 |
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| Continuing Jim Clendenen's practice of naming wines after his children, this wine takes its moniker from his son, Knox. This is pure Pinot pleasure from the esteemed Bien Nacido Vineyard, delivering knockout aromas of berries and flowers that lead to a lush and lovely mouthfeel. Clendenen is a consummate producer of Pinot Noir and his wines get more and more impressive with every vintage. |
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VIADER DARE CABERNET FRANC 2005
Napa Valley |
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| 59527 (XD) 750 mL $39 |
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| Viader's wines are barrel-fermented in 100% new French oak and bottled with no fining or filtration. The 2005 Dare Cabernet Franc offers lifted aromas of red plums, raspberry and bing cherry accented with secondary spice notes. It shows appealing flavours of ripe black cherries and strawberries supported by velvety tannins and culminates in a long, textured finish. This wine is approachable now as it is designed to be enjoyed young. |
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CONIGLIO OAKVILLE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2004
Napa Valley |
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| 70755 (D) 750 mL $69 |
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| Coniglio's winemaking philosophy is to bring out the distinct characteristics of varietal and location in their single-vineyard wines. The grapes for this Cabernet Sauvignon were selected from the Oakville Mountain District of the Napa Valley. The resulting wine is intensely dark-purple in the glass, and displays a complex combination of dark fruit and earth aromas, with rich, silky tannins and ripe plum flavours. Match it tonight with rare steak or cellar it for 6+ years. |
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RUBICON ESTATE CASK CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2004
Napa Valley |
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| 29553 (XD) 750 mL $99 |
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| Formerly Niebaum-Coppola Estate winery, Rubicon uses only estate-grown fruit to craft its Cask Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine is barrel aged in American oak for twenty-four months, adding toasty vanilla notes to the powerful, ripe red cherry flavour. Firm tannins and excellent balance align here, suggesting the wine will reward 3-5 years of bottle ageing. |
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SIGNORELLO ESTATE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2004
Napa Valley |
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| 60152 (XD) 750 mL $49 |
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| TASTING NOTE: 75% Cabernet Sauvignon; 18% Merlot; 7% Cabernet Franc. Every bit as rich in creamy oak as is its high-priced proprietary partner [Signorello Padrone], this impressively extracted youngster is solidly focused on curranty fruit with accents of root beer, vanilla, dried herbs and tar scattered throughout. It is generally plump and fleshy in feel although it does run into a fair measure of finishing tannin, and it comes with the recommendation for another four or five years of age. Score - 91. (Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wines, Aug. 2007) |
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CHIMNEY ROCK ELEVAGE 2003
Stags Leap District, Napa Valley |
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| 659821 (XD) 750 mL $72 |
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| The 2003 Elevage is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Petit Verdot aged 18 months in new French oak. The wine displays sensuous aromas of dark chocolate, mocha, and ripe berry fruit, with succulent flavours of plum and black cherry. Elegantly structured with finely balanced tannins, this wine exhibits exceptional harmony. |
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GEYSER PEAK CABERNET SAUVIGNON RESERVE 2003
Alexander Valley, Sonoma County |
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| 716431 (XD) 750 mL $55 |
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| A Gold Medal winner at the 2006 San Diego International Wine Competition. Aged for 18 months in American oak, this powerful wine conveys heady aromas of blackberry and blueberry fruit along with cedary oak and a wisp of mint. Its rich and decadent palate also offers a pleasing, underlying elegance all of which reverberate beautifully on a persistent finish. A good candidate for short-term cellaring (2-3 years). |
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ROBERT YOUNG SCION CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2003
Alexander Valley, Sonoma County |
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| 670422 (XD) 750 mL $65 |
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| Aged in French oak (40% new) for 24 months, this Cab was judiciously blended with Cabernet Franc (9%), Merlot (9%), and, new this vintage, Petit Verdot (4%) by winemaker Kevin Warren. The Verdot upped the wine's spice and floral characteristics. The palate reveals dark fruit and smoky notes, herbs and spice, and layers of complexity. Cellar for up to 8 years. |
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ARROWOOD SARALEE'S VINEYARD SYRAH 2002
Russian River Valley, Sonoma County |
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| 64550 (XD) 750 mL $55 |
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| TASTING NOTE: The 2002 Syrah Saralee's Vineyard, which includes 3% Viognier in the blend, is one of the greatest Syrahs Arrowood has produced. Dick Arrowood has always been ahead of the educational curve with northern California Syrah, and this is a fabulous effort. Inky/purple-colored, with a glorious perfume of lilacs intermixed with blackberries, melted asphalt, and notions of bacon, smoke, and toast, this rich, opulent, voluptuously-textured Syrah exhibits great ripeness, purity, and richness as well as a layered, multidimensional finish. It should last and evolve for a decade. Drink 2003-2015. Score - 93-96. (Robert Parker Jr., www.erobertparker.com, Dec. 2003) |
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RAYMOND GENERATIONS CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2000
Napa Valley |
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| 59055 (XD) 750 mL $75 |
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| The Raymond winemaking family is now in its fifth generation in the Napa Valley. Aged for 24 months in new French oak, this exceptionally structured Cab offers concentrated flavours of cherries, plums, cassis and blackberries with notes of tobacco and light smoke. Cellar for up to five years or try it tonight with rare roast beef. |
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| California |
| White Wine |
CAKEBREAD CHARDONNAY RESERVE 2004
Carneros, Napa Valley |
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| 70763 (D) 750 mL $75 |
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| The harvest for the 2004 Cakebread Chardonnay Reserve was the earliest on record since 1982, resulting in a wine of extraordinary ripeness and densely concentrated flavours. Rich pear and melon aromas mingle pleasantly with creamy, buttery scents and toasty oak notes. The palate is well-balanced with pear, melon, and a hint of citrus on the long, silky finish. This has the structure to bottle age 5-8 years beautifully. |
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| Washington State |
| Red Wine |
PIROUETTE 2005
Columbia Valley |
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| 64410 (XD) 750 mL $75 |
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| Long Shadows Vintners was named 'Winery of the Year' in 2007 by Food & Wine Magazine. "Some people don't grasp the concept of retirement. By the time Allen Shoup stepped away from a distinguished 20-year career as CEO of Washington state wine giant Stimson Lane (owner of Chateau Ste. Michelle and Columbia Crest), he was already at work on a new venture. Shoup's groundbreaking new Long Shadows is devoted to producing luxury wines from Washington vineyards in partnership with international winemaking superstars (i.e., people who cast long shadows). Among the bottlings are the Sangiovese blend Saggi, from Tuscany's Folonari family; the Cabernet blend Pirouette, from Napa's Philippe Melka [and Agustin Huneeus Sr.]; and the Syrah Sequel, from Australia's John Duval (formerly winemaker at Penfolds). The wines are all produced at a state-of-the-art facility in Walla Walla - where a superstar may even be spotted from time to time." (Richard Nalley, www.foodandwine.com, Oct. 2007) While no reviews were available at press time, the last two vintages received scores of 93 from The Wine Advocate and this wine's reputation continues to gain momentum. |
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SEQUEL SYRAH 2005
Columbia Valley |
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| 64428 (XD) 750 mL $75 |
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| TASTING NOTE: Firm in texture, with a crisp feel to the tannins under the ripe, narrowly focused blackberry, plum and black olive flavors. The finish keeps singing, however, as the pretty flavors persist. Drink now through 2011. Score - 91. (Harvey Steiman, www.winespectator.com, Dec. 31, 2007) |
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CHESTER KIDDER RED BLEND 2004
Columbia Valley |
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| 64758 (XD) 750 mL $69 |
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| TASTING NOTE: (a blend of Bordeaux varieties and some syrah; this one's the wine of Gilles Nicault, who also serves as the resident winemaker for all of the Long Shadows bottlings; aged for 28 months in 85% new barrels that were air-dried for a full three years) Subtly complex nose melds plum, cranberry, chocolate, tobacco and fresh herbs. Very ripe, fat and sweet, with a hint of game adding nuance to the redcurrant and chocolate flavors. An attractively plump wine that finishes sweet and long, with impressively lush tannins. Score - 91. (Stephen Tanzer, International Wine Cellar, Nov./Dec. 2007) |
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FEATHER CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2004
Columbia Valley |
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| 64766 (XD) 750 mL $75 |
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| TASTING NOTE: The 2004 Feather Cabernet Sauvignon is made by Randy Dunn of Napa Valley fame. It is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon selected from five vineyards sources and aged for 23 months in French oak. This opaque purple wine delivers classic Cabernet aromas of toast, lead pencil, black currant and blackberry. It has excellent flavors and balance but is just slightly lacking in breadth and length. Nevertheless, it is an outstanding effort. Score - 91. (Jay Miller, www.erobertparker.com, Aug. 2007) |
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PEDESTAL MERLOT 2004
Columbia Valley |
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| 64782 (XD) 750 mL $75 |
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| TASTING NOTE: Dense and focused, yet balances deftly enough to let the currant, cherry and black raspberry fruit pierce through a veil of crisp tannins. Has power without excessive weight. The finish lingers extraordinarily well. Best from 2009 through 2014. Score - 93. (Harvey Steiman, www.winespectator.com, May 31, 2007) |
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