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Friday, December 23, 2011

Recommended wine gifts...


Great prices and great wines....



2009 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon....$59.99
Compare to Wine Spectator price of $68
Supple and creamy-textured, with mocha, ripe plum and cherry flavors that show touches of tobacco, espresso and underbrush. Full-bodied, gaining tannic traction on the finish, elegant and readily approachable. Drink now through 2018. 71,690 cases made. 
–JL
Rated 91/100 The Wine Spectator
2009 Caymus Special Selection...$99.99
Compare to Wine Spectator price of $130
Temptingly rich and layered, with complex mocha, plum and wild berry fruit that's spicy and aromatic. Full-bodied, gaining depth and turning ever more elegant and detailed, with tannins that give this traction. Drink now through 2019. 29,820 cases made. –JL
Rated 93/100 The Wine Spectator



Beringer Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon....$16.99
(net, no additional discount)
Score: 91
 | $27  Suggested Retail

"A lot of Cabernet at this price. Combines ripe, plump, plum, black cherry and black berry flavors in a rich, smooth, polished style, full bodied and firming nicely on the finish, where the tannins have a minerally edge. Drink now through 2021. 79,500 cases made. —J.L."
Rated 91/100 The Wine Spectator
Here is more info from James Laube --
Last week, in one of my regular weekly blind tastings, I came across a pair of wines that consumers will love....But one is also a wine that has to make Napa Cabernet producers nervous.    Beringer has another 2009 Knights Valley red, this one also a Cabernet, for $27, with 79,500 cases made.....damn good. These are the kinds of wines that get you excited about 2009 reds. So far there have been many exciting wines from this vintage, but also a few I've tried that show the difficulties of the growing season.
James Laube, The Wine Spectator




2010 Rombauer Chardonnay...$25.99
(net, no additional discount)
Compare to $32 at Rombauer.com
Golden yellow color with a pale hue. Seductive aromas of peach, melon, and citrus are balanced with honeysuckle and vanilla. On the palate, flavors of pears, peaches and melons are backed with lively acidity. A nice touch of vanilla-scented oak provides an added flavor dimension. The creamy palate has a lingering finish of melon and citrus fruit with a satisfying buttery complexity.




2008 Phelps Insignia Proprietary Red ....$134.99
(net, no additional discount)
Compare to $200 on Joseph Phelps.com
"The blend of the 2008 Insignia, 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Petit Verdot and 4% Merlot, is not terribly different from the 2007. However, I suspect the production will be a lot less given the frost damage in early spring. The color is an inky/purple and the wine shows lots of cassis, blueberry, graphite and floral notes, good acidity, stunning concentration and purity, and a long finish. Another great success for Phelps, the 2007 and 2008 Insignias may be the best back-to-back vintages they have produced since 1995 and 1994. The 2008 has some tannins to resolve whereas the 2007 has already assimilated them. It appears the 2008 will require 2-3 years of bottle age, but should last for three decades."
Rated 95-97/100 Robert Parker The Wine Advocate 




2010 Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio....$17.99
(net, no additional discount)
"Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio is the benchmark by which all other Pinot Grigios are judged. Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio was named the leading Italian wine and continues to be requested by name. Its crisp, elegant character makes it versatile for a wide array of cuisines. The 2010 vintage displays its signature sensory profile, along with fragrant aromatics and freshness on the palate."  -  winery


2006 Chateau St. Jean Cabernet Sauvignon…$15.99
Compare to $27 at the winery
Inviting aromas of blackberry, black tea and hints of leather begin the nose of this Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine is concentrated and structured with a ripe fruit core of dark berry fruit. The palate is round and full and leads to a lingering finish


2009 Beringer Chardonnay Private Reserve...$26.99 
Compare to $37 at Beringer.com
"The 2009 Chardonnay Private Reserve, which comes primarily from Napa’s Gamble Ranch site, is a bigger, richer, more nutty-styled Chardonnay revealing tropical fruit, butter, brioche and hazelnut characteristics. They backed off the oak in this cuvee, which results in more fruit, interest and personality." 
Rated 93/100 Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate 
"A very classy wine that combines rich, layered, complex fruit with a sense of delicacy and finesse. Full-bodied, but not heavy, offering detailed fig, melon, apple and spice. What's most impressive is the texture and length, with the flavors continuing to develop. Drink now through 2015. 12,500 cases made. –JL"
Rated 93/100 The Wine Spectator

1 comment:

Dacey said...

Wine is available in different quality and in different brands.White wine and red wine is mostly considered during parties