ARGENTINA & AUSTRALIA Reds

December 2008

CABERNET, GRENACHE, MOUVEDRE, & MALBEC

CATENA Zapata Cabernet - $700.00 cs/6 - Parker 98+pts."Catena Zapata’s flagship is the Nicolas Catena Zapata, a Cabernet Sauvignon-Malbec blend. The 2004 Nicolas Catena Zapata is composed of 72% Cabernet Sauvignon and 28% Malbec. It spent 18 months in 100% new French oak. A saturated black purple in color, it has an aristocratic perfume of pain grille, mineral, espresso, saddle leather, cassis, black currant, and black raspberry. Opulently textured, complex, ripe, and sweet on the palate, it maintains a sense of elegance as well as power. It demands 10-15 years of further cellaring and should still be providing pleasure at age 50. It strikes me as being Argentina’s equivalent of a great vintage of Lafite-Rothschild.  When all is said and done, Catena Zapata is the Argentina winery of reference – the standard of excellence for comparing all others. The brilliant, forward-thinking Nicolas Catena remains in charge, with his daughter, Laura, playing an increasingly large role. The Catena Zapata winery is an essential destination for fans of both architecture and wine in Mendoza. It is hard to believe, given the surge in popularity of Malbec in recent years, that Catena Zapata only began exporting Malbec to the United States in 1994."

2004  Bodegas Caro Cabernet/Malbec - $39.99*bot. - Parker 93pts."The 2004 Caro is a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon and 45% Malbec. It was aged for 18 months in French oak, 80% new. Purple-colored, it has a classy perfume of wood smoke, spice box, pencil lead, black currant, and black cherry. Medium to full-bodied, the wine is elegantly styled with a smooth texture and silky tannins. The fruit has excellent depth and concentration. It should evolve for 4-6 years and drink well through 2025. Bodegas Caro is a joint project of Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite) and Nicolas Catena." plus A TOP 100 WINERY: Wine Enthusiast 94pts., Wine & Spirits Magazine 91pts. and  Wine Spectator 90pts. "A nice solid core of black currant and fig fruit is backed by notes of espresso, mineral and bittersweet cocoa, with a solid, structured finish. Match: Steak, Beef Wellington, Lamb"

2003 Calvulcura Argentine Merlot/Cabernet - $200.00 cs/6(33.34) - "Plenty of ripe fruits, plum with hint of vanilla and spicy aromas. Full bodied, good balance and strong tannins. It can be consumed now but can age as well. It has a long lingering and unforgettable finish."

2004 Yarra Yering Dry Red #1 (Bordeaux Blend) – Retail $75.00 bottle – NWW SALE $399.99 cs/12($33.34) -  Parker 95pts."A combination of 70-80% Cabernet Sauvignon, about 20% Merlot, and dollops of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, the 2004 Dry Red Wine No. 1 offers a beautiful perfume of incense, dried herbs, red and black fruits, damp earth, and cedar. With fabulous fruit purity, medium to full body, and moderately high tannin, this rich, stunning red should age effortlessly for twenty years. It will be even better with 2-4 more years of bottle age."

SHIRAZ

n/v Andrew Harris Double Vision Sparkling Shiraz - $49.99 - SALE  $225.00 cs/6(37.50) -"Big rich earthy Blackberry flavors, velvety tick yummy black fruit with a touch of mint."

2003 Clarendon Hills Liandra - $99.99* bottle - Parker 92-95pts. Issue 155

2003 Clarendon Hills Moritz - $99.99* bottle - Parker 92-95pts. Issue 155

2004 d'Arenberg Dead Arm Shiraz - $350.00 cs/6(58.340 - Parker 95pts.fashioned from ancient head-pruned vines, is stunning. An inky/purple color is accompanied by a glorious perfume of creosote/melted road tar, blackberry and cassis liqueur, pepper, and spice. This deep, rich, full-bodied, tannic Shiraz should be drinkable in 2-3 years, and will last for two decades or more. Finest Dead Arm since the 2001."

2005 Godolphin Shiraz / Cab.Sauv. - $375.00 cs/6(62.50) - Parker 93pts."The 2005 Godolphin, a blend of 80% Shiraz (from 85-year-old vines) and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon (from 60-year-old vines), was aged in 100% new oak, primarily 300-liter French hogsheads. It represents a beautiful marriage of power and elegance, displaying an inky/blue/purple color as well as notions of black raspberries, blueberries, graphite, and sweet pain grille. Ripe, pure, and medium to full-bodied with sweet but noticeable tannin, it can be drunk now or cellared for 12-15 years"

2004 Marquis Philips Shiraz - $15.99 bot. - Tanzer 86pts.”Roasted plum, blackberry, kirsch and fruitcake on the big, rich nose. Full and broad on the palate, with sweet berry flavors and notes of dates, dried cherry and mocha. The clinging finish shows a sweet, spicy, slightly peppery cherry character. (Fans of the sweet, berry confit school of winemaking will no doubt score these wines higher. Note: As of the 2005 vintage, Sarah and Sparky Marquis will no longer be involved in this project.)”

2006 Mollydooker Enchanted Path - $80.00 bot. - $425.00 cs/6 - 93pts. - Harvey Steinman-Wine Spectator! "this beautiful Shiraz/Cabernet is one of our favourites. The two varieties synergistically blend to create a lovely leafy, rhubarb and plum fruit nose and chocolate, spice and blackberry flavours. Its opulence, elegance and incredible structure are amazing. It is seamless from beginning to end."

1998 Penfolds Grange - $399.99 Net bottle.

2004 Penfolds RWT Shiraz - $425.00 cs/6 - Parker 95pts.”The 2004 Shiraz “RWT” was barrel-fermented and aged for 14 months in 69% new French oak. Opaque purple-colored, it delivers an expressive nose of smoke, leather, grilled bacon, game, blueberry, and licorice. Full-bodied, it is dense, ripe, and layered as well as opulent. More forward than the Magill Estate, this hedonistic Shiraz can be enjoyed now but will continue to evolve for another 8-10 years. Penfolds, arguably Australia’s most famous winery, continues to perform at a high level under the leadership of Head Winemaker, Peter Gago.”

2004 Shirvington Shiraz - $420.00 cs/6(70.00) - Parker 95pts. "inky/purple color is followed by aromas of graphite, blueberries, and creme de cassis. It offers wonderful purity, plenty of stuffing, toasty espresso notes from new oak barrels, admirable intensity, and a tremendous finish. Drink it over the next decade. Former winemakers Sarah and Sparky Marquis have left Shirvington and the wine is now being made by Kim Johnston. Little has changed, although the 2004s appear to be more streamlined and delicate than their 2003 and 2002 counterparts."

2004 The Colonial Emigre (Fairway-NWW) $595.00 cs/6(99.16) - Parker 94pts."Grenache,Shiraz, and Mourvedre with Cabernet. Exhibits a sweer perfume of graphite, black fruits, sweet cherries, licorice and vanilla. Full-bodied and rich tectured with an impressively long finish." 

2005 Torbreck Factor - $475.00 cs/6 - Parker 97pts. "Made from 100% Shiraz that spent 24 months in French oak (30% new), the exuberant, flamboyant 2004 The Factor offers up gorgeously pure blueberry and blackberry fruit intermixed with smoke, bacon fat, camphor, and graphite. Silky smooth, and, as David Powell says, “the most Barossa-like!” of all his wines, it represents Powell’s rendition of a Cote Rotie. It can be drunk over the next 15-20 years." Also available in 3 liter size $750.00 each.

2004 Torbreck Run Rig - $1,499.99 cs/6(249.99) - Parker 99pts. "Our flagship wine. RunRig is a structured, muscular wine with phenomenal density, dry vintage port-like concentration, and magnificent notes of smoke, blackberries, cassis, leather and coffee. A hint of Viognier's sweet marmalade character comes through as the wine sits in the glass. A true 'Vin de Garde' to reward those with the patience to cellar it."

2004 Two Hands Harry & Edward Shiraz - $150.00 cs/3(50.00) Tanzer 93pts."Dark ruby. Concentrated aroma of mulberry, blueberry, boysenberry jam and candied plum, with notes of licorice and potpourri; this is positively room-filling. Fat and very sweet, with explosively rich but focused boysenberry and mulberry flavors. This shows superb precision for a wine with such fruit concentration and breadth of flavor. Finishes fresh and juicy, with fully absorbed tannins and a lifting, brightening note of acidity. The mix of opulence and cut here is impressive."    Parker 92pts."exhibits an explosive perfume of melted road tar, camphor, blackberries, and cassis. It builds incrementally in the mouth, revealing layers of richness, full body, and silky tannin. Drink it over the next 10-12 years."

2004 Two Hands Samanthas Shiraz - $150.00 cs/3(50.00) - Tanzer 94pts."Deep, saturated red. Explosive raspberry and ripe strawberry on the captivating nose, with bright mineral tones providing lift and precision. Utterly pure, vivid and sweet, the unadorned red berry tones showing great precision and energy. "With Clare Valley fruit, you don't head down the oak route," says Twelftree, and this example certainly makes his case. Silky in texture, with a raspberry flavor that expands endlessly on the finish, picking up a note of floral pastille. A gorgeously graceful, pure wine in a strikingly elegant package. The structure and balance here suggest that cellaring will be rewarded, but it's ridiculously delicious now."  Parker 93pts."a dark ruby/purple color and a beautiful, sweet nose of black raspberries, black currants, licorice, smoke, and toast. Full-bodied, rich, and heady, this gorgeous Shiraz should drink well for a decade."

* = Deduct 5% from total price on assorted 12 bottle purchase.

OUR SATISFACTION GUARANTEE: When you purchase any FULL CASE from our inventory, you may return unused bottles for refund, NO QUESTIONS ASKED, valid for 60 days from purchase!