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I wonder if the
Vintages think tank is running low on ideas and themes for new
releases. The release is “Europe’s Wine Rivers.” What will be
next? Lame or not, there are one or two wines worth looking for. Do read
on.
Wines from the close to the rivers section:
 703561 QUINTA DOS ACIPRESTES 2004, Douro Valley, Portugal $18.95
Pleasant aromas of black liquorice, caramel, sweet spice, damson and
plum. It has warm climate chewiness on the palate, but the acidy is
pronounced, finish is fruit laden and creamy. Find this wine
075713 CHÂTEAU DELORD 2005 Premières Côtes de Bordeaux $17.95
The stimulating and unusual nose of tamarind, earth, mineral and fruit
leads to a rather tight palate where the tannin controls and subdues any
other elements this wine has. It is solid though, and for the price and
vintage, it may well be worth laying a couple down for a year or two to
see how it turns out. Find this wine
 976910 ONTAÑÓN CRIANZA 2005 Rioja, Spain $14.95
A rich wine showing pure black fruit, salt bacon, balsa and cherry on
the nose. The palate opens with a blast of blackcurrant that hangs on
well into the finish. There are tannins, but they are silky and nice
black fruit acids linger long. Nice wine for the price. Find this wine
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 042929 LAN RESERVA 2001 Rioja, Spain $20.95
Initial leafy notes of bay, black tea and underbrush give way to layers
of plum, cherry and raspberry. The palate carries the fruit; soft
tannins interrupt for a moment, there is a touch of oak and balanced
flavours hit the finish. Find this wine
073890 GUYOT CROZES- HERMITAGE LE MILLEPERTUIS 2005 $21.95
Green peppercorn and black fruit dominate, but there is a perfumed layer
of sweet black fruit, mineral and spice. It is clumsy right now, there
is tons of pepper on the finish, but give this time and it should be
tasty. Find this wine
 076646 DOMAINE DE LA NOBLAIE CHINON LES CHIENS-CHIENS 2005, Loire
valley $19.95
All too often I steer away from red wines from the Loire valley. Tsk tsk,
lesson learned. There is a touch of bell pepper, but it is soon masked
by a contingent of black fruit, liquorice and spice. The palate opens up
to flavours of black fruit, tobacco, plum and cherry. The finish is
long. Find this wine
Wines from the regular release:
067926 CHATEAU ST. JEAN SONOMA MERLOT 2005 Sonoma County $35.95
This Merlot gives off plenty of tobacco and dark cherry notes; it is
rich and chewy, with an expected finish of creamy oak. Find this wine
060426 FREI BROTHERS RESERVE SYRAH 2005 Russian River Valley,
Northern Sonoma $25.95
Another highly extracted wine, only this carries notes of cola,
lavender, black berry and sweet blueberry aromas. It echoes on the
palate, showing all the fruit, a dense texture, and good balance. I
really like this wine. Find this wine
061028 LYETH L DE LYETH CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2005 Sonoma County $16.95
Some odd and slightly off putting aromas at first almost reminding me of
Pine-Sol or some other type of cleaner. Once it settles it shows typical
Cabernet fruit, but it is not the most exciting wine of the release. Find this wine
 066670 MATCHBOOK BLOCKHOUSE 2004 Dunnigan Hills $20.95
Notes of leafy underbrush, thyme and black berry subside to show a smoky
wine that displays charcoal and coal dust aromas as well as good fruit.
The palate rocks with flavours of blackcurrant and dark cherry. The
finish disappoints a little, but I will try this again. Find this wine
746040 CHAIN OF PONDS THE AMADEUS CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2004 Adelaide
Hills, South Australia $27.95
Rock me Amadeus; this does start nicely with its monstrous nose of pure
blackcurrant, backed by a quartet of dark cherry, plum, Thai basil and
coffee grounds. Although the palate is quite sweet, there is good
acidity. There are some dusty tannins that need to resolve. I like it; I
am just not sure about that sweetness. Find this wine
 932541 ERATH PINOT NOIR 2006 Oregon, $ 24.95
Earthy notes of cooked rhubarb, dark cherry, aniseed and sweet spice.
The palate is dusty, quite full, the fruit is fine and red liquorice
pops up on the finish. Well balanced and quite tasty. Find this wine
$27.95 HOLLICK CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2004, Coonawarra, South Australia
$26.95
Well I have to be careful here. This wine smells a bit like pot, judging
of course from what I have been told pot smells like. It is smoky to say
the least; there is an array of black fruit, plenty of mineral, dried
herbs and a layer of blueberry that rides out through to the finish. Find this wine
010223 TORBRECK OLD VINES GRENACHE/SHIRAZ/MOURVÈDRE 2005 Barossa
Valley, South Australia $22.95
Hot, freshly baked, steaming black berry pie with a rich butter crust
and a twist of freshly ground black pepper. The palate is full and well
balanced. It is floral, smothered in black fruit with traces of
liquorice, chocolate and aniseed. It is really worth seeking out.
Find this wine
069302 HENRI DE VILLAMONT POMMARD 2005, Burgundy $42.95
This is a shock to the system; the aroma is burnt rubber, graphite and
black cherry. The rubber note even shows on the palate. Maybe a wine to
pull out at a NASCAR tailgate, but something is seriously flawed with
this wine. Could have been a bad bottle I guess!
Find this wine
 061267 CHÂTEAU MIRAUSSE LE GRAND PENCHANT 2006 Minervois, $18.95
Pretty notes of balsamic, fresh cut flowers, black fruit and dried herb.
Blackberry rides across the palate in full command. It has nice acids on
the finish and it packs plenty of power. Not an elegant wine, but it is
balanced and ready to pop. Find this wine
993964 DOMAINE DU GRAND TINEL CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE 2004 $37.95
Sweet, with plenty of fruit aromas, a touch of green pond water, trust
me I recognize these aromas, earthy mineral notes and honeysuckle. The
palate has great fruit, some pepper and thyme with a coating of tannin
on the finish. Good stuff and it should be very tasty in a couple of
years. (Editor's note: Alan recently cleaned out his
backyard pond so he probably has a lot of pond scum on the brain right
now)
Find this wine
973644 MARCHESI DI BAROLO 2003 Piedmont $53.95
Spice box, featuring cinnamon, clove and cardamom. It is tannic on the
palate, but cherry and raspberry flavours make their way to the surface.
It finishes with spice, dry powdered chocolate and an almost Chambord
like sweetness. Find this wine
073502 MÁTÉ MANTUS MERLOT SANT’ANTIMO 2004 $29.95
Funky New World label. Dark fruit, a little blackberry jam, mace,
nutmeg, and bay leaf. The palate is full, ripe, but not overly so. It
has plenty of dark fruit flavours, a touch of fennel seed and mineral.
Tannins are ripe, there is a touch of heat on the finish, but all in all
it is a tasty and well polished wine. Find this wine
 075127 MICHELE CASTELLANI AMARONE DELLA VALPOLICELLA CINQUE STELLE
2003 $64.95
A mélange of blueberry, Turkish Delight, white pepper, red liquorice and
clove. It is so clumsy right now. The sweetness and fruit concentration
goes one way and the tannins go in another. When the two make up and get
back together, this will be one fine Amarone.
Find this wine
413179 ZENATO AMARONE DELLA VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO 2004 $52.95
A little heat on the nose, along with grapefruit zest, lime leaf, black
fruit and cardamom seed. The palate is rich and ripe, quite tasty, but
that heat jumps up and burns. Find this wine
902742 QUINTA DOS QUATRO VENTOS 2005 Douro, Single Estate, Portugal
$19.95
A warm wine with annotations of raspberry, blackberry, cherry and iron.
Lovely black fruit acids tone down the sweet oak and round out the
finish nicely. It is the wine of the month so there should be lots
around. Worth trying. Find this wine
 075150 LOS 800 2003, Priorat, Spain $19.95
A nose of stewed plum, iron, floral notes, damson and plum. It is tight,
the palate seems wound up and shows little of its potential. It is by no
means unpleasant as there is lots of sweet creamy black fruit and
toffee. I think it is in a funky stage and just needs a little time to
come around. Find this wine
Cheers
CZ
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