2013 1st Half Summary - Whites+

CPR Freight Eastbound circa 1953

The 80 Whites+ below include 65 Whites, 9 Rosés and 6 Bubblies tasted from January 1st to June 30th this year.  Shown in brackets is the month of tasting where the original notes can be found.  Wines rated 90 and above are considered excellent, are flavoured appropriately for their grape and style and have 'complexity'. Those 85 to 89 are enjoyable and those 84 and below have progressive degrees of being less distinctive of their grape. 

The value that is hyphenated to the rating indicates whether a wine is 'worth the price', one that I'd buy in 'multiples', or one I'd buy in 'quantity'. 

Everyone has their own preferences so consider this one person's view and perhaps a starting point if it helps. Hope you find something of value.

For a list of Reds click on REDS. 

Cheers, Ww
 
Whites:

• Brancott Estate Letter Series 'B' Sauvignon Blanc 2011,  94-3  --  G, Marlborough, NZ,  #278689 $19.95  (Feb)
• Henri Bourgeois 'Les Baronnes' Sancerre 2011,  94-3  --  V, Loire, France, #542548 $24.95 (Feb)
• Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2012,  93-2  --  V, Marlborough, NZ, #304469 $29.95 (Mar)
• Daniel Lenko Estate 2008 Reserve Riesling VQA Niagara Peninsula,  92-3  --  O, Beamsville, Ontario, #Winery  $15.05 (Jun)
• Mud House The Woolshed Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2010, 92-2  --  V,  Marlborough, NZ, #312744 $20.95  (May)
• Cannonball Sonoma County Chardonnay 2010,  92-2  --  V, Hopland, California, #311563 $20.95 (Jun)
• Scott Family Estate Dijon Clone Chardonnay 2011,  92-2  -- V,  St. Helena, California,  #099051  $23.95 (Jan)
• Mountadam Barossa Chardonnay 2010, 91-2  --  V, Eden Valley, South Australia, #641878 $17.95 (Apr)
• Brancott Estate Letter Series 'B' Sauvignon Blanc 2011,  91-2  --  G, Marlborough, NZ,  #278689 $19.95 (Mar)
• Daniel Lenko Estate 2008 Unoaked Chardonnay VQA Niagara Peninsula, 91-2  --  O, Beamsville, Ontario, #Winery  $20.05 (Jun)
• Southbrook Vyds Organic & Biodyn Triomphe Chardonnay 2011 VQA Niag-on-the-Lake, 91-2  --  V, NotL,  #172338 $21.95 (May)
• Fallen Angel Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2011,  91-1  --  V, Waiheke Island, NZ, #041301 $26.95 (Mar)
• Cave Spring Chardonnay Musqué Estate Bottled 2010 VQA Beamsville Bench, 90-2  --  V, Niagara, Ontario, #246579 $15.95 (Apr)
• Anne Boecklin Gewurztraminer Collection 2010,  90-2  --  V, Alsace, France, #141226 $18.95 (Jan)
• Miguel Torres Cordillera de los Andes Chardonnay 2011,  90-2  --  V, Limari Valley, Chile, #296624  $18.95 (Feb)
• McManis Family Vineyards Chardonnay 2011,  90-2  --  V, River Junction, California,  #265983 $19.95 (May)
• Henry of Pelham Estate 'Barrel Fermented' Chardonnay 2011 VQA Short Hills Bench, 90-2  --  V,  St. Catharines, Ontario, #268342 $19.95 (May)
• Maycas del Limari Reserva Especial Chardonnay 2009, 90-2  --  V, Limari Valley, Chile, #162040 $19.95 (May)
• Henri Poiron Fief Giraud Muscadet Sèvre & Maine Sur Lie 2011,  89-2  --  V,  Loire, France,  #327726  $14.95 (Jun)
• Ghost Pines Chardonnay 'Winemaker's Blend' 2010,  89-1  --  G, Healdsburg, California,  #308122 $19.95 (Mar)

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• Daniel Lenko Estate 2009 White Merlot VQA Niagara Peninsula, 89-1  --  O, Beamsville, Ontario, #Winery  $20.05 (Jun)
• Kunde Family Estate Chardonnay 2011, 89-1  --  V,  Sonoma Valley, California,  #745406 $21.95 (Jun)
• Southbrook Vineyards Triomphe Chardonnay 2011 VQA NOTL,  89-1  --  V, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, #172338  $21.95  (Mar)
• Daniel Lenko Estate 2010 Old Vines Chardonnay (French oak) VQA Niagara Peninsula, 89  --  O, Beamsville, Ontario, #Winery  $30.05 (Jun)
• Ironstone Obsession Symphony California 2011,  88-1  --  G, Napa, California, #295931 $15.10 (May)
• G. Marquis 'The Silver Line' Single Vineyard Chardonnay 2011 VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake,  88a-1  --  V,  Beamsville, Ontario,  #258681 $16.95  (May)
• Fairhall Downs Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2012, 88-1  --  V,  Marlborough, NZ, #990580 $18.95 (Mar)
• Malivoire Musqué Spritz 2011 VQA Beamsville Bench, 88  --  V, Niagara, Ontario, #189670 $19.95 (Apr)
• Spy Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2011,  87a  --  V, Marlborough, NZ, #686675 $18.95 (Jan)
• Salomon-Undhof Wieden & Berg 'Tradition' Gruner Veltliner 2011,  87  --  V, Austria, #670513  $19.95 (Mar)
• Masi Masianco Pinot Grigio & Verduzzo delle Venezie 2012, 87-1  --  G, Veneto, Italy, #620773 $14.00* (May)
• Mt. Boucherie Estate Collection Semillon 2008 VQA Okanagan Valley, 87-1  --  V,  Kelowna, BC, #279364 $16.50 (May)
• Mount Riley Marlborough Chardonnay 2011, 87-1  --  V, Blenheim, NZ, #032318 $17.95 (May)
• Domaine LeComte Quincy 2011, 87  --  V, Loire, France, #172528 $18.95  (Jun)
• The Little Grape That Could Torrontes NV,  86-1  --  G,  Argentina, #274738  $11.80 (Feb)
• Salomon Groovy Gruner Veltliner 2012, 86-1  --  V, Burgenland, Austria, #669606 $13.95 (Jun)
• Le Bine Monte Foscarino Soave Classico 2011,  86-1  --  V, Veneto, Italy,  #134551 $13.95  (Jun)
• Featherstone Black Sheep Riesling 2011 VQA Niagara Peninsula, 86  --  V, Vineland, Ontario, #080234 $16.95  (Jan)
• Sol de Andes Reserva Especial Chardonnay 2009, 86 --  V,  Casablanca Valley, Chile,  #254326 $17.95  (Mar)
• Bel Echo by Clos Henri Sauvignon Blanc 2011,  86  --  V, Marlborough, NZ, #309609 $19.95 (Mar)

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• Roger & Didier Raimbault Sancerre 2011,  85 --  V,  Loire, France, #082255 $22.95  (Jan)
• MAN Vintners Chardonnay 2011,  84  --  V,  Coastal Region, S. Africa, #295329 $13.95 (Mar)
• Laurent Miquel Nord Sud Viognier 2011, 84  --  V, Languedoc, France,  #673236 $14.95 (Jun)
• Pondview Dragonfly Pinot Grigio 2011 VQA Four Mile Creek,  84  --  G, NOTL, Ontario,  #260372  $16.95 (Mar)
• Tiefenbrunner Pinot Grigio 2012, 84  --  V, Alto-Adige, Italy, #954024 $18.95 (May)
• Vineland Estates Winery Elevation 'St. Urban Vineyard' Riesling 2011 VQA Niagara Escarpment, 84  --  V, Vineland, Ontario,  #038117 $19.95 (Mar)
• Roche De Bellene Vieilles Vignes Bourgogne Chardonnay 2010  84  --  V,  Burgundy, France, #299867  $19.95 (Jan)
• Sonoma-Cutrer 'Russian River Ranches' Chardonnay 2011,  84  --  V, Sonoma Coast, California,  #608653 $23.95* (Feb)
• Clay Station Unoaked Viognier 2011,  83  --  V, Lodi, California, #025411 $16.95 (Mar)
• Murphy-Goode The Fumé Sauvignon Blanc 2011,  83  --  V,  The North Coast, California, #721092 $18.95 (May)
• Trapiche Broquel Chardonnay 2011, 82  --  G, Mendoza, Argentina,  #270231  $13.95 (Feb)
• La Cappuccina Soave 2012,  82  --  V,  Veneto, Italy, #081489 $14.95 (May)
• Wente Vineyards 'Morning Fog' Chardonnay 2011,  82  --  G,  Livermore Valley, California,  #175430  $16.95 (Feb)
• SIMI Sonoma County Chardonnay 2010,  82  --  V, Geyserville, California, #673806 $20.95 (Mar)
• Domaine de Fussiacus Vieilles Vignes Pouilly-Fuissé 2010, 82  --  V, Burgundy, France, #276444 $23.95 (Apr)
• Peninsula Ridge Equinox 2002 VQA Niagara Peninsula, 81  --  O, Beamsville, Ontario, #Winery  $16.95 (Jun)
• Flat Rock Cellars Chardonnay 2009 VQA Twenty Mile Bench,  81  --  V, Jordan, Ontario, #286278 $16.95 (May)
• Conundrum 2011,  81  --  V, California, #694653  $24.95 (Feb)
• McManis Family Vineyards Pinot Grigio 2011,  80  --  V, Ripon, California, #181453  $17.95 (Jan)
• Palatine Hills 'Neufeld Vineyard' Chardonnay 2010 VQA Niagara Lakeshore, 80  --  V,  Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario,  #319772 $22.95 (May)
• Flagstone 'Word of Mouth' Viognier 2011, 78  --  V, Western Cape, S. Africa,  #278408 $16.95 (Feb)  
• Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2012, 75  --  V,  Renwick, NZ,  #316570 $16.95  (Apr)
• Sogrape Gazela Vinho Verde NV,  NR --   G, Gaia, Portugal, #141432 $7.95* (May)
• Skinnygrape Pinot Grigio NV,  NR  --  Andrew Peller Ltd.,  Boutique, $11.95 (Jan)
• Santa Rita Reserva Chardonnay 2010,  NR  --  G, Casablanca Valley, Chile, #348359  $12.45* (Jan)

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Rosés:

• Claude Riffault la Noue Sancerre Rosé 2011,  88-1  --  V,  Loire, France, #323626 $19.95 (Apr)
• Dao Cabriz Rosé 2012, 86-1  --  V, Dão, Portugal, #030445 $12.95  (Jun)
• Casali Borgo del Boiardo Reggiano Lambrusco Rosato Secco 2011,  86-1  --  V,  Emilia-Romagna, Italy, #314526 $14.95  (Apr)
• Carte Noire Rose 2012, 85  --  V, Cotes du Provence, France,  #319384 $15.95   (Jun)
• Carpineto Dogajolo Rosato 2012,  83  --  V, Tuscany, Italy, #699934 $13.95 (May)
• Cave Spring Dry Rosé 2011 VQA Niagara Escarpment, 83  --  G, Jordan, Ontario, #295006 $14.95 (May)
• Liberty School Rosé 2012,  82  --  V, Paso Robles, California,  #276667 $16.95 (May)
• Domaine des Carteresses Tavel Rosé 2012, 80  --  V, Tavel, France, #739474 $16.95  (Jun)
• Zenato Bardolino Chiaretto Rosé 2012,  77  --  V,  Veneto, Italy, #045203 $12.95 (May)

Sparkling:

• Cave Spring Blanc de Blancs Brut Sparkling Wine NV VQA Niagara Escarpment,  91-1  --  G,  Jordan, Ontario, #213983  $29.95 (Jun)
• Schloss Wachenheim Riesling Trocken Traditionelle Flaschengarung Sekt NV,  88-1  --  V, Pfalz, Germany, #301366 $16.95 (Apr)
• Prevedello Asolo Superiore Extra Dry Prosecco 2011,  88-1  --  V,  Veneto, Italy, #262881 $17.95 (May)
• Domaine du Clos de l'Epinay 'Tête de Cuvée' Brut Vouvray,  83  --  V, Loire, France, #298398 $19.95  (Apr)
• Louis Bouillot Perle Rare Brut Cremant de Bourgogne 2008,  82  --  V, Burgundy, France, #178137 $19.95  (Apr)
• Schoenheitz Brut Crémant d'Alsace,  81  --  V, Alsace, France, #319962 $19.95  (Jun)

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