G'day, fellow winelovers!
It's been awhile since the last newletter, but there was golf, and......,
and.........
A number of new things have peeked over the wine horizon. The Special Purchase
Opportunity of the Penfolds' wines was great. I hope to put together more
packages such as that. However, the odds of getting some '98 Grange next year
are very slim. It was a very small harvest, and consequently, a small bottling.
The Bin 707 Cab will be even more difficult. For some strange reason, top
restaurants seem to have more pull in obtaining both the Grange and 707.
I still have some '99 Bin 389, the new '99 Kalimna Bin 28 Shiraz, as well as Bin
407 Cab. There doesn't appear to be any more St. Henri available, but I'm still
working on it, and will notify those of you who have an interest in it.
I still have a few bottles of the 2000 Langmeil Cab left. Check out the website
at
http://www.langmeilwinery.com.au.
New wines:
Vinas del Vero: the line includes a Cab Sauv, a Merlot and a Chard from Spain,
and will be here in one or two weeks. Interesting good value wines for about
$12.
Montes Alpha Syrah 2000 arriving next week (tasted it at a trade show in
Edmonton, and it's great!). It will probably be priced at $23-25. This one
will be on the wine rack at the rear of the store.
Feuillate Brut Premier Cru champagne. Comes with great reviews, and in a gift
tin. About $35, and arriving next Thursday.
Dow's 2000 vintage port--received a great review from James Suckling in Wine
Spectator (90-92 points0. This is one to be put down for a few years. Should
be about $60-65. I was very pleased to be allocated this one, since vintage
ports are hard to come by. Only a small amount was brought into Alberta, and it
arrives today.
Alvear Pedro Ximinez de Anada 375 mL desert wine from Spain. Described as
raisin pie in a glass. I tasted some and absolutely loved it, and I don't even
like raisins or raisin pie!! Arrives today, and should be $16-18. Well priced
for a dessert wine.
I want to remind you of two of Rosemount's flagship wines--Balmoral Syrah and
Blue Mt. Shiraz Cab. Both are the excellent '98 vintage. Great to add to your
cellar, or as a Christmas gift for someone special.
Many of you have tasted the Peter Lehmann wines. Any interest in one of their
top wines--the Peter Lehmann Stonewell Shiraz from the Barossa Valley? I may be
one of the fortunate ones to be able to get a case. It'll sell in the $45-50
range. Robert Parker gives this one a 95! Check the wine out on their website:
http://www.peterlehmannwines.com.au. Let me know fairly soon if you are interested.
I have been offered a case of De Loach O.F.S. (Our Finest Stuff) Zinfandel and
De Loach O.F.S. (Our Finest Stuff) Cab Sauv from California. These wines were
some of the top wines at the California Wine Show this summer, and only six
cases of each were brought in to test the waters (four of each went to one store
in Alberta). The wines are made from old vines and are some of the
richest, full bodied wines out of California. They were offered at a
one-time introductory price which is almost 40% below their normal wholesale.
They will sell at about $50. As I usually do with wines of this calibre, I
try to obtain an indication of interest, and if there is enough to warrant
bringing in a case of each, I'll do so. I've heard great things about these
two. It is reported to be superior to the Blockheadia Zin that some of the
Decanters tasted and raved about at the GPREMS tasting this Spring.
Those of you who were at the Decanters' Zinfandel tasting may recall that we
tasted only some of the Zins that Andy assembled. He and I tasted the 2000
Ravenswood Vintners Blend that we hadn't gotten around to at the tasting, and
were we impressed! So much so that it was necessary to order a case. Anyone
else interested? About $18.
Finally, Wine Spectator has rated both the Tyrell Old Winery 2000 Shiraz ($13) ,
and the Paringa 2000 Shiraz ($16) at 90! Hard to beat at that price.
Another top-rated Aussie shiraz is the Lindemanns Padthaway. I ran out of it,
but more should be in today. It will price out at $15-16.
I've had some inquiries about the Tinhorn Creek Gewurtztraminer that had a hot
review in the Edmonton Journal. Sorry, but that one was in such short supply
that it didn't even make it into the general catalog listings. It won't be
available until next year (a new vintage). However, another Gewurtztraminer,
Grey Monk, is available at under $14. It gained notoriety when it was reported
that the Governor General's wine cellar stocked it.
If you don't see some of the above wines on the shelves, ask about them. Some
of them are only kept in our temperature controlled wine room. Also, feel free
to take some of the tasting notes that are on the rack by the rear wine rack.
Finally, any interest in wines by Grgich Hills, Stag.s Leap, Wente?
Al Lakusta, Manager
York Hotel/Beer Box
532 5945 532 1511 Fax: 532 0617
Remember, Life is to Short to Drink Poor Wine.