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US Wine Importers Since 1998
Specializing in Australian and Spanish Wines
July 2008 Featured Wines
Bremerton 2007 Verdelho Bremerton 2006 "Selkirk" Shiraz Bremerton 2006 "Tamblyn" Bremerton 2005 "Old Adam" Reserve Shiraz Bremerton 2003 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Bremerton 2004 B.O.V. (Best of Vintage)
Latest Stephen Tanzer Press - Australia
92 Alkoomi 2005 Blackbutt Frankland River Youthful purple-ruby. Sexy black and blue fruit aromas are complicated by vanilla and cola qualities. Fleshy cassis and blueberry flavors are framed by gentle tannins, which also add grip. Gains sweetness and depth with air, finishing with a suave note of black raspberry and slow-building tannins. This is surprisingly elegant.
91 Alkoomi 2007 Riesling Frankland River Light yellow. Intensely mineral aromas of lemon, lime pith, green apple and wet stone; picks up floral and honeycomb scents with aeration. Light-bodied citrus and orchard fruit flavors are dry, precise and nervy, with zesty white pepper and clove notes on the back end. Finishes with excellent juicy persistence and strong echoes of citrus and minerals.
90 Alkoomi 2005 Shiraz Viognier Frankland River Bright red. Highly fragrant scents of raspberry, blackberry, candied cherry and musky underbrush. Pinot-like in its elegant expression of fresh berry fruit, with no apparent tannins or rough edges. Gains sweetness and depth with air, finishing with impressive tangy lift and good cling. This is very pretty.
90 Alkoomi 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Frankland River Ruby-red. Vibrant red- and blackcurrant aromas are complicated by musky tobacco, cedar and underbrush; very cabernet. Bitter cherry and licorice add firmness to the sweet berry flavors, with dusty tannins contributing grip. The tannins gain strength on the finish but the wine maintains freshness and a sweetly seductive personality.
89 Alkoomi 2007 "White Label" Unwooded Chardonnay Western Australia Pale gold. Complex bouquet of white peach, poached pear, green almond and anise. Buttery orchard fruit flavors are braced by dusty minerals, with refreshingly bitter citrus pith on the back end. Gains weight and sweetness on the finish, which leaves a tangy, peppery quality behind.
89 Alkoomi 2006 "White Label" Late Harvest Riesling Western Australia Light gold. Zesty citrus and pit fruit aromas are complemented by kerosene and wet stones; this doesn’t smell like a sweet wine. Deeper, sweeter pit fruit nectar flavors pick up a smoky quality with air, as well as hints of floral honey and caramel. Finishes with good nervy cut and precision, echoing the pit fruit flavors.
89 Alkoomi 2007 Sauvignon Blanc Frankland River Greenish-yellow color. Spicy citrus flesh and pith aromas are complemented by white flowers and minerals; no herbaceous qualities here. The midweight lime and green apple flavors are clean and direct, picking up deeper melon and peach character on the back. Finishes on a soft note of yellow peach, with very good persistence.
88 Alkoomi 2007 "White Label" Semillon Sauvignon Blanc Frankland River Light yellow. Waxy pear, peach and apricot skin aromas are complicated by honeycomb and dried flowers; really showing its Semillon side today. A fresh, tangy blend with good mineral snap and clarity. Finishes with moderately persistent, zesty citrus and green apple character.
92 Bremerton 2004 B.O.V. (Best of Vintage) Langhorne Creek Inky ruby. Extremely ripe, highly perfumed bouquet of blueberry, boysenberry, smoked meat and fresh rose. Coats the palate with deep, velvety dark berry flavors and exotic Asian spices. Picks up a bitter chocolate and roasted coffee character on the finish, which is sappy and strikingly long. This is really alluring.
91 Bremerton 2005 "Old Adam" Shiraz Langhorne Creek Deep ruby color. Seductively aromatic nose displays sexy blackberry, blueberry and candied licorice aromas. Rich and fleshy, with deeply concentrated dark berry liqueur flavors, supple texture and peppery spices. Combines richness with vivacity, finishing with excellent clarity and cling.
90 Bremerton 2006 "Sekirk" Shiraz Langhorne Creek Vivid, glass-staining red. Spicy blackberry and blueberry aromas are complicated by violet, dried rose and incense. Fresh and juicy, offering energetic dark berry flavors and good mineral lift. If there any tannins here, I couldn’t find them. Finishes clean and nervy, leaving behind a zesty trail of berries.
88 Bremerton 2005 "Tamblyn" Cabernet/Shiraz/Malbec/Merlot Langhorne Creek Medium red. Pungent cherry and cured tobacco on the nose, along with cigar box and pungent herbs. Sweet, sappy and round, offering moderately concentrated red and dark berry flavors, gentle tannins and building ripeness. Riper plum on the finish, which is firmed by mounting tannins.
90 Bremerton 2004 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Langhorne Creek Deep red color. Red- and blackcurrant aromas are complemented by vanillin oak and baking spices. Deep and sweet, offering concentrated dark fruit flavors and very good mineral snap. Quite fresh for such richness, with an energetic, tangy berry skin quality to the finish.
87 Bremerton 2007 Verdelho Langhorne Creek Light, bright yellow. Intensely floral scents of fresh tangerine, lime pith, honeysuckle and jasmine. Tangy citrus and green apple flavors gain power with air, picking up deeper pear and melon character. Finishes a bit soft, with a sweet touch of spun sugar and gentle mineral snap.
91 Butting Heads 2005 Shiraz Barossa Valley Deep red. Exotic, intensely perfumed bouquet of cherry preserves, redcurrant and gingerbread, plus a jolt of peppery spice. Clean and brisk, with lively red and dark berry flavors and a silky texture. Becomes spicier and more energetic on the finish, which delivers impressive nervy cut and lift. An elegant style, with the balance to reward cellaring.
91 Cooper Burns 2006 Shiraz Viognier Barossa Valley Deep ruby. Powerfully scented, complex bouquet of cassis, blueberry, violet, baking spices and incense. Fresh and lively, with brisk dark berry flavors and silky texture. Very nicely balanced wine with impressive finishing lift and clarity. This will reward a few years in the cellar but it’s already delicious. 91 Cooper Burns 2006 Shiraz Barossa Valley Glass-staining ruby. Smoky raspberry and blackberry on the nose, with pungent floral and herbal qualities adding interest. Fleshy and rich, with sweet dark berry liqueur flavors, velvety texture and building tannins. A subtle vanillin oak spice quality gains strength with air and lingers on the long, sappy finish. Offers surprising energy for its rich character.
91 Jinks Creek 2005 "Longford" Shiraz Gippsland Deep, glass-staining ruby. Hugely aromatic nose displays suave red and dark berries, Asian spices, tapenade and smoky bacon; this could pass for a northern Rhone wine. Energetic black raspberry and blueberry flavors deliver solid punch but are surprisingly lithe, carrying no fat or excess ripeness. Turns brighter on the finish, leaving behind tangy strawberry and graphite flavors. Graceful and vibrant wine. 90 Jinks Creek 2007 Pinot Gris Gippsland Light, bright yellow. Fresh, spicy, expressive bouquet of lime, pink grapefruit, pear and quinine. Bracing citrus flesh and pith flavors offer excellent clarity and precision, along with a firm mineral bite. Finishes clean and long, with impressive lift and balance.
89 Jinks Creek 2006 Pinot Noir Gippsland Light red. Ripe redcurrant and raspberry preserve aromas are complemented by anise, black tea and cured meat. Deeply flavored but relatively light in body, with sweet red berry and cherry fruit given structure and grip by dusty tannins. A bitter cherry quality builds through the finish, which echoes the sweet tobacco quality.
89 Jinks Creek 2005 Sangiovese King Valley Light red. Spicy, perfumed bouquet of candied raspberry, rose, lavender and smoked meat. Fresh and silky in the mouth, with moderately concentrated red berry flavors and no obvious tannins or rough edges. Bright strawberry and cherry flavors gain sweetness on the broad, gently tangy finish. This is more elegant than most non-Italian versions of the variety.
90 Leconfield 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Coonawarra Deep red. Suave bouquet of redcurrant, cherry, baking spices and fresh rose displays impressive precision and freshness. Brisk red fruit flavors are lightly chewy, with dusty tannins adding grip. Focused and fat-free, with very good finishing cling and a long echo of sweet red fruits. Very nicely balanced cabernet with no rough edges to get in the way of early drinkability.
91+ Richard Hamilton 2004 "Centurion" Reserve Shiraz McLaren Vale Inky ruby. Pungent aromas of red and dark berries, dried flowers and Asian spices gain volume with air. Brisk, tightly wound black raspberry and bitter cherry flavors loosen with air to show a seductive sweetness, a gentle spiciness and underlying minerality. I’d give this a few years to gain fat but the fruit is awfully appealing now.
90 Richard Hamilton 2005 "Colton’s" Grenache McLaren Vale Bright red. Impressively complex nose offers a range of red berry, floral and spice scents. Very grenache, with sweet raspberry, floral pastille and white pepper flavors underscored by gentle minerality. Fat-free and refreshing, with excellent finishing lift and cut to its sexy spice and sweet red berry flavors.
90 Richard Hamilton 2005 "Burton's" Old Bush Vine Grenache Shiraz McLaren Vale Vivid red color. Smoky strawberry and raspberry aromas are complicated by cracked pepper and fresh violet. Racy red fruit flavors are firmed by gentle tannins and sharpened by juicy acidity; showing its grenache side today. Finishes with brisk mineral lift and a bite of white pepper. I’d bet on this gaining complexity with a few years of aging but would still opt to drink it now for its vibrant fruit.
89 Richard Hamilton 2007 "Slate Quarry" Riesling McLaren Vale Light yellow. Dried pear, apple and beeswax on the nose, with a spicy undercurrent of white pepper and wet stones. Brisk and sharply focused, offering zesty lemon, lime and green apple flavors. Gains weight and flesh with air and finishes with suave orchard fruit and melon qualities. Those who find many Australian rieslings austere will go for this.
88 Richard Hamilton 2008 "Yette’s" Viognier McLaren Vale Light, bright gold. Dusty minerals, white peach, lemon zest and flowers on the nose. Fresh and spicy but a bit tough, with chewy citrus and pit fruit flavors and a late note of tangerine. Becomes smoky and spicy with air, finishing with a kiss of anise.
88 Richard Hamilton 2006 "Gumprs" Shiraz McLaren Vale Bright ruby. Spicy red berries and cherry on the nose, with vanillin oak gaining strength with air. Sweet red fruit flavors carry an overlay of baking spices and vanilla. An easygoing style that’s drinking well right now.
93 Shottesbrooke Wines "Bernesh Bray" Fine Old Tawny Port (500 ml) Medium amber color. Spicy strawberry and raspberry on the nose, with exotic marzipan and peach liqueur notes adding complexity. Strikingly complex on the palate, offering notes of candied red berries, cola, cinnamon, maple syrup and orange marmalade. Plenty sweet (244 grams per liter of residual sugar), but surprisingly energetic, with a gently gripping finish that features a lingering note of candied red berries. Very impressive stuff.
91 Shottesbrooke 2006 "Eliza" Shiraz McLaren Vale Deep ruby with a bright rim. Highly aromatic nose combines black raspberry, violet and minerals, picking up cured meat and incense qualities with aeration. Deep, sweet dark berry liqueur flavors offer excellent palate coverage and clarity, with velvety tannins lending shape. Becomes firmer on the finish but not at the expense of its fruit, which lingers impressively. This was raised in new American oak hogsheads but the wood is nicely absorbed by the strong fruit.
91 Shottesbrooke 2006 "Punch" Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon McLaren Vale Opaque ruby. Spicy blackberry and boysenberry aromas are complicated by fresh violet and smoky minerals. Suave dark fruit flavors display impressive freshness and considerable early appeal. The silky tannins gain strength with air, but the fruit keeps pace and lingers impressively on the long, sappy finish.
89 Shottesbrooke 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon McLaren Vale Deep red. Intensely floral aromas of blackberry, cherry, rose and violet. Silky and sweet, with fresh dark berry flavors and an exotic floral pastille quality on the back. Gentle tannins gain strength on the tangy, persistent finish.
88+ Shottesbrooke Shiraz McLaren Vale Deep red. Smoky blackberry and cassis aromas are complicated by smoked meat and black olive. Bitter cherry and dark berry flavors are given grip by dusty tannins and lifted by tangy minerals. Slowly gains sweetness on the finish but this is still youthfully tough right now.
88 Shottesbrooke 2007 Sauvignon Blanc Adelaide Hills Green-tinged yellow. Mineral-driven scents of lime, pink grapefruit, thyme and dusty talc display good energy and clarity. Citrus and orchard fruit flavors become nervier with air, picking up lime pith and wet stone character. Finishes with good breadth and cling, leaving an impression of peach skin behind.
87 Shottesbrooke 2006 Merlot McLaren Vale Light, bright red. Smoky red berries, flowers and herbs on the nose, with a light peppery quality adding lift. Light-bodied red berry flavors display decent complexity and are underscored by tangy minerality. Finishes with a zesty mint quality. Ready to drink, but I’d have liked a little more sweetness.
Latest Wine Advocate Press
90 A2O 2006 Albariño Rias Baixas, Galicia The A2O Albarino is produced by Bodegas Castro Martin. Approximately 20% of the wine went through malolactic fermentation. Medium straw-colored with a green tint, the nose offers up notes of minerality, peach, jasmine, citrus, and a hint of tropical fruits in the background. Crisp, lingering, and refreshing on the palate, this lively effort would pair well with flaky fish courses.
90 Abelis Carthago 2004 "Lui" Selection Toro, Castilla y León The 2004 “Lui” Selection was aged for 9 months in French oak before being bottled unfined and unfiltered. Opaque purple-colored, it has an attractive perfume of toast, violets, spice box, licorice, black currant, and blackberry. On the full-bodied palate, notes of kirsch and chocolate emerge. The wine is supple-textured, layered and ripe with several years of aging potential. This lengthy effort will drink well through 2020.
90 Abelis Carthago 2004 "William" Selection Toro, Castilla y Leon The grapes for the 2004 “William” Selection were sourced from a 40-year-old Tinta de Toro vineyard and aged for 14 months before being bottled unfined and unfiltered. Dark crimson-colored, it offers an expressive nose of smoke, toast, cassis, blackberry, and chocolate. The wine’s full-bodied personality is ripe, layered, and fleshy, with notes of spice, earth, and assorted black fruits. It will evolve for 2-3 years and drink well through 2020.
91 Abelis Carthago "Fighting Bulls" Selection Toro, Castilla y Leon The 2004 “Fighting Bulls” Selection was sourced from Tinta de Toro vines over 100 years of aged and raised in French oak for 18 months. Black purple in color, it has an alluring aromatic array of pain grille, espresso, damp earth, blackberry, licorice, and chocolate. This leads to a full-bodied, opulent wine with gobs of flavor, serious depth and length, and 5-7 years of aging potential. Despite its size, this powerful effort manages to remain light on its feet. Impressive!
91 Bodegas Amador Garcia 2004 Reserva Vendimia Selection Rioja The 2004 Amador Garcia Reserva is 90% Tempranillo and 10% Graciano aged for 12 months in French oak. Purple-colored, it reveals an enticing perfume of cedar, tobacco, leather, spice box, black cherry, and blackberry. Medium-bodied with a firm palate presence, the wine is still a bit tightly wound but has more than ample fruit, excellent flavors, and a sense of elegance. Give it 4-6 years to round out and drink it through 2025.
88 Bodegas Amador Garcia 2004 “Penagudo” Crianza Rioja The 2004 Penagudo Crianza is 90% Tempranillo with the balance Garnacha and Mazuelo. The wine was aged for 12 months in mostly French oak. Medium crimson-colored, it offers up an attractive nose of cedar, tobacco, spice box, red licorice, cherry, and black raspberry. Medium-bodied and smooth-textured, the wine is nicely balanced with some silky tannin in evidence. This lengthy effort will evolve for 2-3 years and drink well through 2020.
90 Bodegas Lomablanca 2003 Gabarda IV Carinena, Aragon Bodegas Lomablanca’s Gabarda II and Gabarda III are excellent values noted in the Best Buy Chart at the end of this report. The wines are all produced from the 95 hectares of estate vineyards. The 2003 Gabarda IV is a blend of 25% Garnacha, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Syrah, 15% Tempranillo, and 15% Merlot aged for 19 months in French and American oak. Deep crimson-colored, it offers up an expressive bouquet of toasty oak, mineral, earth, black cherry, kirsch, blueberry, and black currant. Smooth textured, intense, and well-balanced, it has enough structure to unfold for another 4-6 years. Lengthy with a pure finish, it will drink well through 2025.
89 Hemar 2005 Crianza Ribera Del Duero, Castilla y León The 2005 Hemar Crianza spent 13 months in French oak. Dark crimson in color, it exhibits a nose of cedar, mineral, spice box, cassis, and blackberry. This leads to a medium to full-bodied wine with notes of blue and black fruits, licorice, and spice as well as good depth and a firm structure. It has 3-5 years of aging potential and should drink well through 2020.
92 Llanum 2004 Ribera Del Duero, Castilla y Leon The grapes for the 2004 Llanum were sourced from the Pago del Llano, an 80-year-old Tempranillo vineyard. The wine spent 15 months in French and American oak. Purple-colored, it delivers an alluring bouquet of toasty oak, earth, truffle, violets, black cherry, and blackberry. On the palate the wine is smooth textured, layered, concentrated, and shows incipient complexity. Give this long, flavorful wine 3-5 years to unfold and drink it through 2025.
90 Oriol Rossell NV Brut Rosat Cava, Penedes The N.V. Rosat is made from 100% Trepat. Medium pink-colored, it has a lovely bouquet of roses, strawberry, and cassis. Dry, elegant, and nicely balanced, the attractive flavors make it an ideal breakfast wine.
87 Oriol Rossell NV Gran Reserva Cava, Penedes The N.V. Gran Reserva has no dosage and was aged for between 42 and 48 months prior to disgorgement. Medium straw colored with persistent small bubbles, it offers aromas of wheat thins, apple, and pear. Dry on the palate, it has a creamy texture and some elegance but is in need of a bit more concentration. Crisp and tasty, this is a solid value in sparkling wine.
BEST BUYS $20.00 AND UNDER
BEST BUY SPANISH RED WINES $20 and UNDER
Bodegas .Amador Garcia 2006 Penagudo
Tinto 88 BEST BUY SPANISH WHITE WINES $20 and UNDER
Hacienda del Carche 2006 Blanco
85 BEST BUY SPANISH CAVA $20 and UNDER Familia Oliveda NV Rosat 86
Latest Wine Enthusiast Press
93 Amador Garcia 2004 Reserva Vendimia Selection Rioja The 2004 Amador Garcia Reserva is 90% Tempranillo and 10% Graciano aged for 12 months in French oak. Purple-colored, it reveals an enticing perfume of cedar, tobacco, leather, spice box, black cherry, and blackberry. Medium-bodied with a firm palate presence, the wine is still a bit tightly wound but has more than ample fruit, excellent flavors, and a sense of elegance. Give it 4-6 years to round out and drink it through 2025. Cellar Selection
91 Amador Garcia 2004 "Penagudo" Crianza Rioja Charcoal, cola and licorice are all components of this wine’s dark and meaty nose. And the palate hardly disappoints; there’s depth and harmony to the berry, coffee and mocha flavors. It feels good and has just enough kick to keep you thinking. A really nice crianza that will settle and only grow more complex over the next few year. Editors Choice
93 Abelis Carthago 2004 "Lui" Selection Toro, Castilla y Leon The wine shows brilliant violet tint in front of intense, inky aromas of black cherry and chocolate cake. The palate is super ripe and bucks like a bronco; the tannins are dense and form titanic structure, and the finish of coffee and spice hints at a fine cigar. Editors Choice
90 Abelis Carthago 2004 "William" Selection Toro, Castilla y Leon The wines of Abelis Carthago are enigmatic.The lowest-priced Lui is the most balanced and complete. This wine, William, is dark and dense, with shoe polish and raw crude oil on the nose. It’s super strapping and tannic, with bitter chocolate and coffee notes carrying the racy palate to a fiery finish. It lacks nuance and subtlety but will augment a good steak with nary a problem.
88 Fulget 2006 Albariño Rias Baixas, Galicia This wine's nose bears an uncanny similarity to animal crackers, and along the way there's peach and melon aromas. The palate is sweet and slightly punchy. with mango and white raisin flavors. Overall bank on sweetness and liquidy ripeness from this drink now Albariño.
88 A2O 2006 Albariño Rias Baixas, Galicia A solid wine with mineral, white pepper and waxy fruit aromas. The palate is ripe and bulky, but also acidic enough to be balanced and stylish. Pineapple is the forceful flavor; while the finish is full and slightly oily. Drink this fruity bigger framed Albariño now.
Last Modified July 19, 2008
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