By Gaby Israel
Here’s my best cellar wines list for this release as a shopping list that you can print and will show you LCBO stock availability.
Top picks for under $20:
Choice #1 – Spain – Rias Baixas – Pazo Pondal Leira Albariño 2011 (115816)-$15.95
I have mentioned the uniqueness of this grape a few times before – it doesn’t resemble any other white grape, yet it’s absolutely delicious. The Albariño white Spanish wine is a great match with fatty sea food. This 2011 Pazo Pondal Leira Albariño receievd 95 by Decanter (I thought Decanter had a 5 star system?) and it’s very reasonably priced. Try it and have it as your white house wine.
Choice #2 – Spain – Bierzo – Tilenus Envejecido En Roble 2007 (297143)-$17.95
Bierzo is located on the north-west part of Spain. From all the reviews I’ve encountered in the web, this seems to be a steal for $18. RP gave it 91 and indicated it can be consumed between 2013 and 2022, which makes the GPCi incredible with a strong recommendation to buy.
Choice #3 – France – Pierre Amadieu La Grangeliere Vacqueyras 2010 (076398)-$19.95
A blend of Grenache and Syrah. Aged 9 months in barrels (50% in new oak). As usual, when a Vacqueyras wine from 2010 costs $20 (usually $25+), and got 92 by WS, I have two words to share – “must buy”. I’d buy 2-12 bottles.
For the cellar (deeper pockets):
Choice #1 – Italy – Tuscany – Corte Pavone Brunello di Montalcino 2006 (237263)-$49.95
Yet another great example from the 2006 vintage in Tuscany. This 2006 Corte Pavone Brunello received 96 by James Suckling, 93 by WS and 93 by Wine Enthusiast. This wine can probably lay down until 2025 if not longer. An important addition to the 2006 Tuscany collection.
Choice #2 – Australia – Victoria – Domaine Terlato & Chapoutier Lieu DIT Malakoff Shiraz 2010 (290874)-$51.95
A partnership between Terlato (Australia) and Chapoutier (France) was established in 1998. In 2004 they have produced their first Terlato & Chapoutier Lieu-dit Malakoff Shiraz. Since then this wine is one to follow. The 2010 in the Victoria region was excellent (RP rewarded the vintage with 92T). These wines gracefully age for 15+ years which makes it a good buy for the cellar. RP rewarded this wine with a remarkable 97 a mark you usually see only with very expensive Australian wines that cost hundreds of dollars (e.g. Grange etc.).
Choice #3 – France – CdP – Le Vieux Donjon Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2010 (700922)-$53.95
I’ve been collecting this CdP since 2001. What a great Domaine. So consistently good, even in only ‘good years’, let alone when it comes to the amazing 2010. RP rewarded it with 93-95 indicating a drinking window of 2015 until 2031+. I’d buy 2-6 bottles, this is truly a keeper.
Gaby Israel has been providing wine tasting notes and buying recommendations for several years now.
The name WineGPCi (pronounced Wine Gypsy) was given by his friends. GPCi stands for Gaby’s Potential Cellaring Index. While searching for “treasures for the cellar” without going to the bank, the GPCi was initially used to calculate the ratio between the price of the wine and the number of years it can potentially be cellared for; trying to find the wines that had the smallest index/ratio possible.
Any good wine that had a GPCi of 3.5 and under, was worth buying (mainly if you were planning to develop a cellar). Many years and “750 bottles in the cellar” after, his knowledge, experience and passion continued to grow. He continues to focus on helping the consumer finding “logical” ways of buying wines and planning the budget for it.
His great passion for wine revolves around old-world wines such as Spain, France and Italy while experimenting the new world exciting regions of Chile, Argentina, Australia, Canada, the United States and others.
Posted with permission of the LCBO.
