Coast O Lounge Wines

Coast O Lounge Wines Segment

Christmas Entertaining

91 Veuve Clicquot Brut N/V Ice Jacket, Champagne, France $69

The Veuve house style is to use a majority of pinot noir for fuller body and structure. This one has about 50% pinot noir and aged 3 years before disgorging. Continued fine style with baked apple, pear, honey, toasty, nutty, cherry, floral aromas. The mouth is fine and round if a touch foamy with a crisp edge and a touch on the sweet brut side. Citrusy, nutty, toasty, green apple, baked pear flavours with a touch of honey on the finish. Good overall intensity and balance.

87 Mionetto Il Prosecco Frizzante N/V, Veneto, Italy $18

Open floral perfumed nose flecked with rose petals, peaches and apple skin notes. The entry is fresh and dry with more apple, mineral, floral, green peach with a cashew undercurrent. Like most Mionetto wines it is very well balanced and gentle. The perfect apéritif bubble with or without food and good value to boot. Love the yellow crown cap closure you just pop off; no cork taint possible.

90 Mission Hill Compendium 2006, Osoyoos, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia $40

Peppery, earthy, barnyard, compost, black olive nose with northwest notes of black cherry, vanilla and leather. The entry is dry and round with more smoky, earthy, peppery, tobacco, black olive, liquorice flavours flecked with vanilla, clove, caraway and black cherry flavours. Best with roasted meats.

89 Quails’ Gate Chardonnay 2007, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada $19

The QG Estate chardonnay is 35 per cent tank fermented and 65 per cent barrel fermented in 20 per cent new French and American oak for 10 months. The nose is clean and fresh with rich honey and hazelnut aromas and flavours. Somewhat reminiscent of Western Australia chardonnay with a dash of Burgundy. The textures are rich and creamy but with a clean citrus finish. A modern style.

89 Sonoma-Cutrer Russian River Ranches Chardonnay 2007, Sonoma County, California, USA $30

Fresh nutty, honey lees with floral, creamy vanilla pear and baked green apple aromas. The palate is full and rich but with good finesse and moderate alcohol. More Spicy, creamy, nutty pear and buttery, honey flavours. Fine complexity, good value and ready to drink.

90 Liberty School Syrah 2007, Central Coast, California, United States $24

Expect a simply delicious syrah combining beautiful floral notes with rich dark berry fruit flavours with a twist of game and pepper in the background. Its age in mostly French oak, sensibly only 15 to 20 percent is new. Winemaker Austin Hope adds a dash of viognier to the mix to cleave open the syrah, stabilise the colour and lift the aromatics. Well done.

88 Taylor Fladgate Late Bottled Vintage Port 2003, Douro Valley, Portugal $26

It makes good sense that the creator of “Late Bottled Vintage” port is widely accepted to be its best producer. Made from a single vintage blend Taylors LBV ages from four to six years in cask. Look for a perfumed, elegant style port with attractive fiery flavours. Its fragrant nose is highlighted by chocolate and layers of pepper, earth and dried fruit. Its middle-dry finish and smoky, raising notes are perfect for revitalizing the palate after a rich meal.

Top 50 Wines Under $50 for the Holidays

W 88 Cono Sur Viognier Limited Release 2009, Valle del Colchagua, Chile $11

W 87 Santa Carolina Sauvignon Blanc Reserva 2009, Valle de Leyda, Chile $12

R 87 Castillo de Almansa Reserva 2005, Castilla-La Mancha, Spain $13

W 88 Quintay Clava Sauvignon Blanc 2008, Valle de Casablanca, Chile $13

R 87 Viu Manent Malbec 2008, Valle del Colchagua, Valle del Rapel, Chile $13

Rosé 87 La Vieille Ferme Côtes du Ventoux Rosé 2007 Rhone Valley, France BC $14

R 87 Pascual Toso Malbec 2008, Maipu, Mendoza, Argentina $14

W 89 Paul Mas Viognier 2008, Languedoc, France $14

W 88 Torres Vina Esmeralda 2008, Catalunya, Spain $14.50

R 89 Boekenhoutskloof The Wolftrap 2008, Western Cape, South Africa $15

R 88 Emiliana Adobe Syrah Reserva Orgánico 2007, Valle del Colchagua, Chile $15

W 88 Domaine du Tariquet Sauvignon 2008, Gascony, France $15

R 88 Louis Bernard Côtes du Rhône Rouge 2007, Rhone Valley, France $15

W 88 Stork’s Tower Sauvignon Blanc – Verdejo 2008, Castilla-Leon, Spain $15

W 89 Domaine du Clos du Bourg Sauvignon Touraine 2008, Loire Valley, France $16

R 88 Espelt Sauló Garnacha Cariñena 2007, Empordà, Catalunya, Spain $16

R 88 Jean Bousquet Malbec (Organic) 2007, Tupungato, Mendoza, Argentina $16

W 88 Mission Hill Pinot Grigio Five Vineyards 2008, Okanagan Valley, BC $16

R 88 Renacer Punto Final Malbec 2008, Mendoza, Argentina $16

S 88 Segura Viudas Brut Reserva Cava N/V Penedès, Catalunya, Spain $16

R 88 Don Miguel Gascon Malbec 2007, Mendoza, Argentina $17

R 89 Emiliana Novas Winemaker’s Selection Syrah 2006, Casablanca, Chile $17

R 87 Las Rocas de San Alejandro Garnacha 2006, Calatayud, Aragon, Spain $17.00

R 88 Chono Reserva Syrah 2007, Elqui Valley, Chile BC $18

R 87 Ikella Cabernet Sauvignon 2007, Mendoza, Argentina $18

S 88 Mionetto Il Moscato N/V, Veneto, Italy $16

R 89 M. Chapoutier Belleruche Côtes du Rhône 2007, Rhone Valley, France $18.50

W 89 Boutari Moschofilero 2008, Mantinia, Peloponnese, Greece $19

S 87 Codorníu Pinot Noir Brut N/V, Sant Sadurní d’Anoia, Penedès, Spain $19

R 91 Quinta do Crasto Douro Vinho Tinto 2007, Douro Valley, Portugal $20

S 88 Parés Baltà Cava Brut B N/V, Penedès, Catalunya, Spain $20

R 89 Altesino Rosso 2007, Tuscany, Italy $22

W 89 Laurenz V. Und Sophie Singing Grüner Veltliner 2007, Lower Austria $22

W 90 Burgans Albariño 2007, Rias Baixas, Spain $24

R 90 Liberty School Syrah 2007, Paso Robles, California $24

R 89 Mount Riley Pinot Noir 2008, Marlborough, New Zealand $25

W 90 Pieropan Soave Classico 2007, Alto Adige, Italy $25

R 91 Yalumba Bush Vine Grenache 2008, Barossa Valley, South Australia $25

W 90 Rodney Strong Chardonnay 2007, Chalk Hill, Sonoma County, California $27

W 89 Dr. Loosen Blue Slate Riesling Kabinett 2007, Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Germany $27

F 90 Quinta do Crasto Late Bottled Vintage Port 2004, Douro Valley, Portugal $27

W 90 Yalumba Viognier Eden Valley 2008, South Australia $28

R 90 Jim Barry The Lodge Hill Shiraz 2007, Clare Valley, South Australia $29

R 90 Le Volte 2007, Tuscany, Italy $34

R 93 Emiliana Coyam 2007, Valle del Colchagua, Valle del Rapel, Chile $35

R 90 Louis Bernard Châteauneuf du Pape Rouge 2005 Rhone Valley, France $38

R 91 Insoglio del Cinghiale 2007 Bolgheri, Tuscany, Italy BC $38

R 91 Sonoma-Cutrer Pinot Noir 2006, Sonoma Coast, California, United States $40

R 94 Quinta do Crasto Douro Reserva Old Vines 2007 Douro Valley, Portugal $43

R 88 Marchese Antinori Chianti Classico 2003, Tuscany, Italy $47

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