jason’s blog

Here are highlights of the June 10 LCBO Release:

 Damien Laureau Le Bel Ouvrage Savennières 2005, Loire, France $54.00

Laureau’s 2005 Savennieres Le Bel Ouvrage offers a gorgeous aroma of diverse flowers, quince, pistachio and pralines. More powerful and less elegant and refined than the 2004, it nevertheless preserves bright citrus notes along with its voluminous peach and quince fruit and peach kernel and wet stone bitterness, finishing with superb brightness, density, grip, and over-arching floral perfume. Score – 91. (David Schildknecht, www.erobertparker.com, Aug. 2007)

Domaine De La Mordorée La Dame Rousse Rosé Tavel 2007, Rhône, France
$29.00

 Juicy and very focused, with mouthwatering cherry, watermelon and strawberry fruit backed by a rich but refreshing finish. Drink now. Score – 90. (James Molesworth, www.winespectator.com, Web Only, 2008)

Domaine Du Meix-Foulot Clos Du Château De Montaigu Mercurey 1er Cru 2005, Burgundy, France $35.00

Outstanding! A very mild touch of reduction detracts from the expressiveness of the otherwise pretty red berry fruit and subtle spice aromas that precede the rich, full and still tight big-bodied flavors that possess serious volume and plenty of underlying muscle, all wrapped in a textured and overtly structured finish that makes it quite clear that this is built to age. It will need at least a decade to be at its best and perhaps longer. A great Mercurey. Drink [until] 2015. Score – 92. (Allen Meadows, www.burghound.com, Oct.1, 2008)

Vignerons De Caractère L’Authentique Vacqueyras 2006, Rhône, France $29.00

Quite dark, with currant, coffee and fig notes at the core, surrounded by hints of mesquite and incense. The sleek, lengthy finish still has a touch of grip to shed. Best from 2009 through 2012. Score – 91. (James Molesworth, www.winespectator.com, Oct. 31, 2008)

Castello Di Meleto Rainero 2004, Tuscany, Italy $45.00

The estate’s 2004 Rainero is equal parts Sangiovese, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon that spent 14 months in new French oak. Nothing in particular stands out here, this is just one of those rare wines of outstanding balance and harmony where everything is in the right place. Medium in body, the wine offers a core of dark fruit beautifully framed by finessed, ripe tannins and beautifully-integrated oak. It is another outstanding effort from Castello di Meleto. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2019. Score – 92. (Antonio Galloni, www.erobertparker.com, June 2008)

Altanza Seleccion Especial Reserva 2001, Rioja, Spain $59.00

The 2001 Altanza Reserva Seleccion Especial spent 18 months in new French oak. Dark ruby in color, it exhibits an enthralling bouquet of cedar, smoke, tobacco, leather, cherry, and black raspberry. This is followed by a medium to full-bodied, plush, elegant wine with layers of fruit, lots of grip, and a long finish. Although it can be enjoyed now, it will certainly provide pleasure through 2020. Score – 92. (Jay Miller, www.erobertparker.com, Feb. 2008)

This entry was posted on Wednesday, June 10th, 2009 at 9:20 am and is filed under Food & Drink. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.