Nicholas Pearce introduces highly rated wines from Portugal, Italy, New Zealand and Australia.
Paulo Laureano Reserve Tinto 2014 – Alentejo $19.95
VINTAGES#: 488775 | 750 mL bottle
90 Points Wine Spectator
Offers lots of cedary and graphite notes to the concentrated red plum and sour cherry flavors. Black pepper details show on the well-structured and sinewy finish. Drink now through 2019. Score – 90. (Kim Marcus, winespectator.com, June 30, 2016)
90 Points WineAlign
From the still somewhat unheralded and rising to stardom Alentejo the grape expectation here from vidigueira is no shrinking Reserve. The fruit is ripe and reeks of red plum while the palate gets a dose of something analgesic. This would make for a curious consumer side step into something different but at the same time so obvious and comfortable. At this price you can’t afford to do neither. Drink 2017-2020. Tasted March 2017. Micheal Godel, WineAlign.com
Kellerei St. Magdalena Pinot Grigio – Sudtirol – Alto Adige 2015 – $17.95
VINTAGES#: 249466 | 750 mL bottle
88 Points John Szabo MS, WineAlign.com
A fleshy and ripe, quite fat pinot gris from a warm and generous vintage, with plenty of immediate appeal. This certainly has more weight than the typical grigio, though less cut and freshness. It should appeal widely in any case, and depth is solid. Tasted March 2017. Value Rating: **
“Pinot Grigio wines from the cool Alto Adige region are beloved for their crisp, elegant and lively character. Easy-drinking and ideal for warm weather enjoyment, these mouth-watering wines superb as an accompaniment for seafood, or simply as sippers. This popular example is typically floral, fruity and minerally with a backbone of bright and cleansing acidity. (LCBO Vintages Panel) “
Invivo Central Otago Pinot Noir 2014 – $24.95
VINTAGES#: 466029 | 750 mL bottle
93 Points Sam Kim – Wine Orbit
It is instantly appealing on the nose displaying red/black cherry, clove, vanilla and cedar characters with nuances of game and floral. The palate is beautifully weighted and richly textured, and delivers loads of delectable flavours, wonderfully framed by polished tannins. The wine offers elegant opulent together with subtle savoury complexity. At its best: now to 2019.
90 Points David Lawrason – WineAlign.com
It’s not easy to get good Otago pinot to Canada at this price. And there a sense of obvious wood. But this is delicious. It has a nicely ripe, rich, cherry scented, oaky and vanilla nose. It’s medium bodied, quite smooth and rich on the palate as well. The length is very good to excellent. Quite tasty. Excellent length. Tasted March 2017
Sister’s Run Epiphany Shiraz, McLaren Vale 2014 – $17.95
VINTAGES#: 269464 | 750 mL bottle
90 Points James Halliday
Black jelly bean, asphalt, raspberry and coffee flavours provide plenty of entertainment on a well-powered palate. Score – 90. (James Halliday, winecompanion.com.au, Aug. 11, 2016)
Sara D’Amato – WineAlign … “lively, vivacious nature”…
A rich, sexy little number with a great deal of aromatic character and a peppery, floral palate. Mid-weight to full-bodied with natural feeling freshness despite the ripe dark fruit and bitter chocolate present on the palate. Tannins give texture but are unobtrusive and the wine has a lively, vivacious nature. Drink now to 2020. Tasted March 2017.
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