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.
Spain – Ribera del Duero – 2008 Legon Crianza (276089)-$15.95
This is my #1 GPCi choice of the Sep 1st, 2012 release. 2008 was a very good vintage in Ribera del Duoro region (wait for the 2009 wines – they are even better!). RP gave this Legon Crianza 90 with a 8 year cellaring window (until 2020), which makes the GPCi almost par with 2 (remember, any GPCi below 3.5 is a good GPCi).
Chile – Maipo Valley – 2010 Vina Tarapaca Gran Reserva Carmenere (057513)-$16.95
My #2 choice for a day-to-day wine from the Sep 1st, 2012 release. Viña Tarapacá was founded in 1874, at the foot of the Andes Mountains. Viña Tarapacá is part of the VSPT Wine Group, which has wineries in both Chile and Argentina, each with brands that are highly prestigious in the international market. Viña Tarapaca Gran Reserva is consistently producing QPR wine. Expect dark fruit, concentration, richness, hints of spice and all for an affordable $17 price.
Spain – Carinena – 2006 Monasterio de las vinas Reserva (166579)-$13.95
I’ve visited Grandes Viños Y Viñedos in Carinena back in 2007. Very impressive facilities with massive production without compromising quality. They produce wines at all Spanish quality levels from Crianza all the way up to Gran Reserva. This is a typical blend for the Carinena reigion – 70% Garnacha, 20% Tempranillo and 10% Carinena. RP gave this wine 90 and indicated a mid-term cellaring window (now until 2018).
For deeper pockets:
Italy – Tuscany – 2006 Fattoria dei Barbie Brunello Di Montalcino (928028)-$41.95
Many great things were said about the 2006 vintage and I’m not sure this is the best example of the vintage when it comes to cellaring potential – not an amazing GPCi (close to 4). RP gave this wine 92 indicating it can be consumed between 2014 and 2022. If you’re short in cash this month, I’d wait for other 2006/2007 Brunellos with similar qualities and price but with longer cellaring potential.
Italy – Tuscany – 2008 Capraia Classico Riserva (023374)-$29.95
A typical Chianti blend of 90% Sangiovese, 5% Canaiolo, 5% Colorino. Interestingly enough the Canaiolo grape during the 18th century may have been the primary grape used in higher percentage than Sangiovese. The Colorino grape, as expected from its name, is known for its deep dark coloring and is used primarily as a coloring agent in red blends.Many people think/expect Classico Riserva wines to be light-simple Italian wines. This is not one of these wines. Expect concentration of dark fruit flavors. RP gave this wine 92 indicating anticipated maturity of 2013-2023 – now that’s more like it (GPCi of 2.7!). I’d buy 2-6 bottles.
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.
