Red Wines    Other Red Wine    South Australia    Australia   
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Date Printed: 5/19/2013
Penfolds Koonunga Hill Shiraz-Cabernet 2007
Penfolds Koonunga Hill Shiraz-Cabernet 2007
 (search item no. 97350)
Australian Wine Companion rating: 90 points
PRICE ON 5/19/2013: $10.49

ratings pedigree (past vintages):
2010 Wine Spectator rating: 87 points
2009 International Wine Cellar rating: 88 points
2009 Australian Wine Companion rating: 88 points
2008 Australian Wine Companion rating: 89 points
2008 International Wine Cellar rating: 88 points
2006 The Wine Advocate rating: 91 points
2006 Australian Wine Companion rating: 90 points
2004 The Wine Advocate rating: 91 points
2002 The Wine Advocate rating: 89 points
2001 Wine Spectator rating: 85 points
2000 Wine Enthusiast rating: 87 points
2000 Wine Spectator rating: 85 points
1999 Wine Spectator rating: 85 points
1998 The Wine Advocate rating: 89 points
1997 Wine Enthusiast rating: 88 points
1996 The Wine Advocate rating: 91 points
1990 The Wine Advocate rating: 92 points
1986 The Wine Advocate rating: 91 points
1976 The Wine Advocate rating: 95 points

Winemaker's Notes:

 Koonunga Hill is very much a reflection of the Penfolds winemaking style and philosophy. Since the first vintage of 1976 of Koonunga Hill Shiraz Cabernet, the brands reputation has been built on widespread acclaim.

Koonunga Hill Shiraz Cabernet, a multi-district blend based on Barossa, McLaren Vale and Coonawarra fruit, has become a Penfolds classic with a reputation for over-delivery of quality at its pricepoint.
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About Penfolds Wines:

 Founded by a young, English doctor in 1844, Penfolds has been producing remarkable wines that have changed the landscape of Australian winemaking. Over the past century, Penfolds has indisputably led the development of Australian fine wine in the modern era. The introduction of Penfolds Grange in 1951 forever changed the landscape of Australian fine wine. Since then, a series of standout wines, both white and red, have been released under the Penfolds masthead. Under the direction of master winemaker, Peter Gago, Penfolds is now found in every major wine market in the country. Extraordinary wines such as Block 42 and Bin 60A have also been released during his tenure. Penfolds wines are now widely celebrated for their diversity and quality across many price-points. The strength of Penfolds is that the wine comes first. Penfolds' range of table wines is utterly Australian, evoking a generosity of spirit and the beauty of the Australian landscape.



Red Wines    Syrah/Shiraz    Barossa Valley    Australia   
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Date Printed: 5/19/2013
Langmeil Valley Floor Shiraz 2006
Langmeil Valley Floor Shiraz 2006
 (search item no. 93896)
Australian Wine Companion rating: 94 points
International Wine Cellar rating: 90 points
PRICE ON 5/19/2013: $19.99

ratings pedigree (past vintages):
2008 Australian Wine Companion rating: 93 points
2008 Wine Enthusiast rating: 92 points
2008 Wine Spectator rating: 90 points
2008 International Wine Cellar rating: 90 points
2007 The Wine Advocate rating: 90 points
2005 Australian Wine Companion rating: 93 points
2005 The Wine Advocate rating: 90 points
2004 Wine Spectator rating: 94 points

Winemaker's Notes:

 This wine is a blend of old and new Shiraz vines scourced from the Barossa's Valley Floor,complementing the different flavours which are sourced from individual vineyard's. The age of the vines range from 120, 70, 50 and younger vine parcels. They are hand selected from low yielding, minimally irrigated vineyards with exceptional soil and characteristics.

This wine is a classic example of honest traditional Barossa Shiraz. Ripe, rich plummy and dark cherry fruit with earthy tones and hints of spice, it displays fine toasty oak tannins resulting in a medium to full-bodied wine with an exquisite soft dry finish.

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About Langmeil:

 The land on which Langmeil Winery now stands was purchased by a 36 year old German blacksmith, Christian Auricht. He and his family arrived in South Australia in 1838 after emigrating from eastern-central Europe (Silesia) to escape religious persecution.

Christian planted his first acre of vines on the estate. The variety was Shiraz and the vines are still producing fruit today. Auricht's old vineyard is the source of Langmeil Winery's single vineyard Shiraz. This rare wine commemorates the pioneering spirit of the first settlers and, because of their willingness to endure so much hardship for the right to keep their faith, it has been named The Freedom 1843 Shiraz. The vineyard is believed to be one of the oldest known surviving Shiraz vineyards in the world (pictured here).

The property was purchased in 1996 by three local mates whose families have lived in the Barossa Valley for several generations: Richard Lindner, Carl Lindner and Chris Bitter. They restored the remaining old buildings and the village well and beautified the gardens. As a tribute to the early pioneers, the new owners refurbished the old winery and named it Langmeil, after the original village.

Langmeil's award winning premium range is internationally recognized and has contributed towards the winery being regarded as one of the top premium wine producers in Australia



Red Wines    Syrah/Shiraz    Clare Valley    Australia   
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Date Printed: 5/19/2013
Kilikanoon Covenant Shiraz 2005
Kilikanoon Covenant Shiraz 2005
 (search item no. 93645)
Australian Wine Companion rating: 94 points
International Wine Cellar rating: 92 points
PRICE ON 5/19/2013: $29.99

ratings pedigree (past vintages):
2008 Australian Wine Companion rating: 94 points
2008 Wine Enthusiast rating: 92 points
2008 International Wine Cellar rating: 91 points
2008 Wine Spectator rating: 90 points
2007 Wine Spectator rating: 93 points
2007 The Wine Advocate rating: 92 points
2006 Wine Spectator rating: 92 points
2006 Wine Enthusiast rating: 92 points
2006 Australian Wine Companion rating: 92 points
2006 International Wine Cellar rating: 91 points
2004 The Wine Advocate rating: 94 points

Winemaker's Notes:

 The 2005 Kilikanoon Covenant Shiraz displays an inky, crimson red color with purple hues. The fragrant nose shows lifted aromas of plum and ripe black fruits which combine with mint, char and smoky oak characters. The full-bodied palate is richly layered and textured offering blackcurrant, chocolate and plum fruits integrated with French and American oak. The finish provides incredible length and flavor persistence.
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About Kilikanoon:

 Founded in 1997 by Kevin Mitchell, Kilikanoon is a boutique Clare Valley winery with an international reputation for producing regionally expressive, terroir-driven wines. The Kilikanoon property, featuring a circa 1860s stone cottage housing Kilikanoon tasting room, was originally settled by early English migrants who named it after an historic old mansion in Cornwall. On purchasing the property in the 1990s, Kevin Mitchell inherited 30 year old Shiraz, Cabernet, Grenache and Riesling vineyards, many of which were planted by his father, Mort, in the 1960s. Fifteen years on, with the addition of partners Nathan Waks, a principal cellist with the Sydney Symphony, and Bruce Baudinet, Managing Director of Oracle Estates, Kilikanoon is rated by US and Australian critics as one of the Clare Valley's outstanding wineries, producing bracingly intense and long-lived Rieslings, along with powerful, yet balanced, Shiraz, Grenache and Cabernet Sauvignon.


Red Wines    Bordeaux Red Blends    Napa Valley    California   
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Date Printed: 5/19/2013
Sterling SVR Reserve 2006
Sterling SVR Reserve 2006
 (search item no. 102220)
green wine

Wine Enthusiast rating: 94 points
The Wine News rating: 92 points
PRICE ON 5/19/2013: $44.99

ratings pedigree (past vintages):
2007 Wine Enthusiast rating: 91 points
2005 The Wine News rating: 90 points
2004 Wine & Spirits rating: 91 points
2002 Wine Spectator rating: 91 points

Winemaker's Notes:

 Graceful and beautifully balanced, the 2006 Sterling Vineyards SVR offers spicy deep plum and berry aromas laced with licorice, cedar, violet, dried herbs and Asian five-spice. The rich, concentrated cassis, caramel and toffee flavors are expansive and weighty. Fine-grain tannins softly structure the opulent flavors, while spicy cloves notes from barrel aging linger on the long, fruit-imbued finish. As one of our top-tier reserve wines, the SVR celebrates the synergy between Bordeaux-style grape varietals with an artistic blend focused on finesse and seductive layers of fruit expression.
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About Sterling Vineyards:

 Sterling Vineyards was born in the 1960s, a time when creativity and entrepreneurial spirit abounded, especially in California. In 1964, Peter Newton, once a paper broker in England, purchased 70 acres of land in Calistoga and became a Napa Valley winemaker. He planted grapes others did not, bottled varietals others did not, and built a dramatic winery with an aerial tramway. His innovations put Sterling Vineyards into the public eye and helped establish the Napa Valley as a premier travel destination.

When Newton began planting his estate, Cabernet Sauvignon was the preferred variety. He planted the esteemed Cabernet, but his decision to also plant Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Merlot was a bold move. His Merlot vines were the first significant planting of that variety in the Napa Valley. Newton saw potential in the soft, velvety Merlot fruit, and in 1969 he took a chance by releasing California's first vintage-dated Merlot. This decision flew in the face of traditional standards, which held that Merlot was merely a blending grape, and forever changed the perception of red wine. People started to enter a restaurant and ask for a glass of Merlot!


Red Wines    Syrah/Shiraz    Barossa Valley    Australia   
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Date Printed: 5/19/2013
Kurtz Family Vineyards Shiraz Boundary Row 2005
Kurtz Family Vineyards Shiraz Boundary Row 2005
 (search item no. 105969)
screw cap wine

The Wine Advocate rating: 92 points
Wine Enthusiast rating: 92 points
PRICE ON 5/19/2013: $16.99

ratings pedigree (past vintages):
2006 Australian Wine Companion rating: 93 points
2006 Wine Enthusiast rating: 92 points
2006 The Wine Advocate rating: 91 points
2006 International Wine Cellar rating: 91 points
2001 The Wine Advocate rating: 93 points

Winemaker's Notes:

 This wine is made from selected premium parcels of Shiraz grown by Kurtz Family Vineyards. The wine was matured in a mixture of new and older French and American Oak hogsheads for 24 months prior to bottling. The bouquet shows a great expression of bright Shiraz fruit with plum, sweet vanilla, floral notes, and spice. Silky, dusty tannins combine with pure fruit to form an ample-weight wine with a supple consistency, and an agreeable complexity. Blackberry, violets, plum and chocolate flavours, together with loads of dried herbs, finish slightly sour but with good length.

I suggest a big T-Bone steak, cooked as little as possible, a few greens, button mushrooms and some potato chips.

My Notes:

About Kurtz Family Vineyards:

 The idea for the formation of the Kurtz Family Vineyards is by no means unique. It commenced from a long family history of growing grapes, drinking the end product, and a desire to see wine made exclusively from their own grapes.

Alfred Bernhard (Ben) Kurtz commenced growing grapes in the sub region of Light Pass in the Barossa Valley in the 1930's and this block is still worked to this day. His son, Bernhard Otto Kurtz, commenced grapegrowing in 1957 at his Light Pass vineyard and his grandson, John Bernhard Kurtz, moved to the existing vineyards in the early 1960's.


Red Wines    Cabernet Sauvignon    Napa Valley    California   
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Date Printed: 5/19/2013
Trefethen Cabernet Sauvignon Estate (375ML half-bottle) 2005
Trefethen Cabernet Sauvignon Estate (375ML half-bottle) 2005
 (search item no. 103065)
Wine Enthusiast rating: 97 points
PRICE ON 5/19/2013: $24.99

Winemaker's Notes:

 Our Cabernet Sauvignon vines are planted in the northwestern quadrant of our estate vineyard in the Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley, in gravelly soils that warm quickly in the spring. This warmer site, combined with limited yields, produces Cabernet Sauvignon fruit with bright, complex flavors, resulting in wine with deep ruby color and heady aromas of plums, blackberries, and forest-floor spice.

Deep ruby in color, this complex Cabernet Sauvignon exhibits luxurious nose of blackberry, black cherry, plum, black currant, black pepper, cola nut, and chocolate with a hint of black pepper and olive. The tannins are ripe and velvety, leading to a richly textured palate. The wine's fresh, rich raspberry jam, blackberry, currant, and chocolate flavors lead to a long persistent finish of cherry and toasted oak vanilla.
My Notes:

About Trefethen Vineyards:

 Built in 1886, John and Janet Trefethen began restoring what is today the Trefethen winery in 1973. A national historic landmark and the only wooden gravity-flow winery in the Napa Valley, Trefethen is also one of Napa's largest estate wineries, with its 600 acres of vineyards surrounding the winery. The Trefethen family creates Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Riesling as well as limited quantities of Library Selection Chardonnay, Library Selection Cabernet Sauvignon and Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon.


Red Wines    Grenache    Barossa Valley    Australia   
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Date Printed: 5/19/2013
Betts & Scholl Chronique Grenache 2006
Betts & Scholl Chronique Grenache 2006
 (search item no. 106475)
Wine Spectator rating: 93 points
International Wine Cellar rating: 91 points
PRICE ON 5/19/2013: $34.99

Winemaker's Notes:

 Wine Spectator's Harvey Steinman writes: 'Americans Richard Betts, sommelier at Montagna, the Wine Spectator Grand Award-winning restaurant at the Little Nell in Aspen, Colo., and Dennis Scholl, a Miami-based collector of contemporary art, teamed up in 2001 to start the Betts & Scholl label and make Grenache in Australia. They have since added projects in the Rhône and California, but the flagship wine is The Chronique, a Grenache of arresting presence and vivid flavor. Australian Grenache seldom gets this much finesse to go along with power. Betts and Scholl buy grapes from growers with old vines in Barossa. Betts flies to Australia four or five times a year to work with winemaker Christian Canute, who shepherds the wines through his Rusden winery. In tasting what the individual vineyards did in 2003, Betts and Canute kept going back to one lot, entranced by its floral, creamy berry flavors. "It was chronic," Betts says. Hence the name."'
My Notes:

About Betts & Scholl:

 Betts & Scholl is a cooperative effort between Master Sommelier Richard Betts, Wine Director to all friends at the Little Nell in Aspen, and Dennis Scholl, contemporary art collecter and joyous wine drinker, who typically finds himself either in Aspen or Miami Beach. Together, we have forged special relationships with star growers and winemakers from around the world to share in our project.

The partnership is totally dedicated to making great wine as we see it, which is ultimately, wine thate we like to drink. No trophies, no wine for competition, just wine for the table-wine made to be enjoyed in the spirit of those wines that got Richard hooded on the whole deal in the first place. This is to say wine you can drink everyday -a grocery, if you will-something that is on the table at lunch, at dinner in harmony with food, and essential part of the meal. This notion is fundamental to great living all over Europe, and it's one that we've brought back and live ourselves everyday.

So we've chosen to make the good stuff! Our shared aesthetic spoke for elegant complex, balanced wines of great perfume and finesse with the power to seduce. The object of our fancy is neither the obvious nor the forceful. Instead, it is those wines that transport: they taste only of the place from where they've come. Come take the trip.


White Wines    Chardonnay    Carneros    California   
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Date Printed: 5/19/2013
Rombauer Chardonnay (375ML half-bottle) 2009
Rombauer Chardonnay (375ML half-bottle) 2009
 (search item no. 106797)

PRICE ON 5/19/2013: $14.97

ratings pedigree (past vintages):
2010 Wine Spectator rating: 91 points
2005 Wine Spectator rating: 92 points
2002 Connoisseurs' Guide rating: 88 points
1999 Wine Spectator rating: 88 points
1997 Wine Spectator rating: 92 points
1996 Wine Spectator rating: 91 points
1995 Wine Spectator rating: 91 points
1994 Wine Spectator rating: 93 points
1993 Wine Spectator rating: 92 points

Winemaker's Notes:

 Rich and vibrant tropical fruit flavors blend with toasty oak notes. Peach, pear and a touch of pineapple integrate with creamy vanilla. This full-bodied wine has a velvety and lingering mouth feel. Our favorite pairing for this wine includes pasta primavera, halibut and grilled chicken.
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About Rombauer Vineyards:

 Rombauer Vineyards was founded in 1982 by Koerner and Joan Rombauer and sits on a tree covered knoll overlooking the Napa Valley. The winery features caves that extend for over a mile into the hillside. The caves provide a constant temperature and humidity which result in optimum conditions for aging our wines.

Rombauer wines are consistently ranked high in the wine trade journals. Many of the finest restaurants throughout the country include Rombauer wines on their list and feature them by the glass. The joy of wine is something that's important to Rombauer. Whether you are a collector of fine wines or like to have wine with food, wine is something that truly should be enjoyed. Rombauer Vineyards puts a lot of hard work and tender care into making drinkable wines. And because wine is a simple product to enjoy, emphasis is given to taking the mystique out of enjoying fine wines.

Our emphasis on the joy of wine comes from the heritage of the Rombauer family. Koerner's ancestors made wine in the famous Rheingau region in Germany and his great aunt, Irma Rombauer, wrote the book The Joy of Cooking. Hence our focus on wine as complements to good food and good friends. Every family member is actively involved in the day to day operation of the winery from selecting grapes for the winemaking process and getting the wine to market.



Red Wines    Cabernet Sauvignon    Napa Valley    California   
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Date Printed: 5/19/2013
Anderson's Conn Valley Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve (375ML half-bottle) 2007
Anderson's Conn Valley Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve (375ML half-bottle) 2007
 (search item no. 105284)
collectible wine

The Wine Advocate rating: 95 points
PRICE ON 5/19/2013: $38.99

ratings pedigree (past vintages):
2010 The Wine Advocate rating: 96 points
2009 The Wine Advocate rating: 96 points
2008 The Wine Advocate rating: 98 points
2006 The Wine Advocate rating: 94 points
2005 The Wine Advocate rating: 96 points
2004 The Wine Advocate rating: 93 points
2002 The Wine Advocate rating: 95 points

Winemaker's Notes:

 Classic Conn Valley bouquet, cassis, cigar box, black pepper and crushed granite. Complex and dense. Full bodied, blackberries, sweet tannins, coffee, chewy and concentrated long finish, lingering aftertaste. Should age effortlessly 20-25 years.
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About Anderson's Conn Valley Vineyards:

 Anderson's Conn Valley Vineyards are located just east of St. Helena in the Napa Valley where Conn Creek flows out of Howell Mountain. Twenty-six acres of vineyards, divided into nine blocks, along with a fifteen acre-foot reservoir are the heart of this 40-acre grape-growing paradise.

Separated from the Napa Valley floor by a north/south running ridge, the world-renowned wineries of Joseph Heitz and Joseph Phelps are located on the west side of this ridge and the Anderson's Estate Vineyards are on the east side at a perfect elevation of 400 feet.

The vineyards not only enjoy Napa Valley's superb microclimate, but share the same Bale Loam Series as are found on the famous Rutherford Bench. This combination of clay-loam soil and microclimate produces up to 106 tons of exceptional fruit each year. One from which a world-class Cabernet Sauvignon and Bordeaux-style blend, called Éloge, can be artfully handcrafted.



Red Wines    Pinot Noir    Central Coast    California   
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Date Printed: 5/19/2013
Wild Horse Unbridled Pinot Noir 2007
Wild Horse Unbridled Pinot Noir 2007
 (search item no. 105644)
Wine & Spirits rating: 93 points
Wine Enthusiast rating: 91 points
PRICE ON 5/19/2013: $26.99

ratings pedigree (past vintages):
2006 Wine & Spirits rating: 90 points

Winemaker's Notes:

 The 2007 Unbridled Pinot Noir from Santa Barbara County shows characters associated with rich, classic California style Pinot Noir with aromas of mint, alpine forest floor, and pomegranate with a mouthfeel well structured tannins and rich with berry cobbler and spices. Pair this beautiful Pinot Noir with herbed lamb chops or any salmon dish.
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About Wild Horse:

 Located south of Paso Robles in Templeton, California, Wild Horse Winery was founded in 1983 by Ken Volk. Wild Horse Winery was named for the wild mustangs that roamed the hills east of the vineyard estate. These mavericks suggest a free, noble spirit and are the ideal symbol for the Wild Horse Winery commitment to spirited winemaking. The vineyard and winery location was selected for its low vigor soils, proven ground water table, proximity to Estero Bay and rural atmosphere. Wild Horse Winery creates compelling wines from 16 diverse appellations and more than 40 vineyards from the Central Coast. Wild Horse Winery is committed to sustainable viticultural and business practices and creating fine wines that express the best of the region’s diversity. "Live Naturally, Enjoy Wildly" reflects the attitude and personalities of the people who have been creating these wines for over 25 years.