Cases of Six from Rogers & Company
November 2009
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Greetings!
What a difference a year can make! With our dollar climbing and so many wineries around the world readjusting their pricing, there's hardly been a better time to be a wine collector than now.
However, we realize that investing in twelve bottles of premium wine can be expensive, so we continue to do our best to provide as many of our wines as possible in six-bottle per case format. There is an old wine-buying rule that says to always buy at least three bottles - one to drink immediately, one to drink when you think the wine is starting to open at its peak, and one to drink fully mature, just before the wine's downturn.
I say buy six! One for now, four to drink as the wine progresses to maturity and one in its golden-age. There's few things as complex and wonderful as a glass of really mature, soft, silky wine with a just hint of life left in it.
So, here is a small selection of wines from our catalogue that are packed in cases of six. Our portfolio offers many more wines packed the same way, as well as a large selection of half-bottles.
Please visit the Rogers & Company website for the Retail Price List and look for the [6/cs] symbol to indicate cases of 6 bottles. We also have the most up to date tasting notes and scores available, as well as news about our upcoming Vintages store releases.
All the wines listed here are 750ml bottles and the prices I have listed are per bottle, pre-GST.
Have a great week.
Sincerely,
Chris.
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Chateau Montelena Napa Valley Chardonnay 2007 [750ml/6cs] $59.95
 Probably the most well-known Chardonnay in Napa, this is the wine that won the famed 1976 Paris Tasting. Bo Barrett's style is a reference point for "non-malolactic" Chardonnays. This means that the wine's malic acid is not converted to lactic acid, thus keeping a crispness to the wine even after barrel-maturation.
2007 was a great year for Napa Chardonnays, long and cool, great for developing both balance of sugars and acids. This wine drinks very well young and has the structure to age for 4-8 years.
"Bright yellow. Musky peach, pear and apple fruit aromas and flavours are complicated by flowers and herbs. Concentration and precise, with a dusty impression of extract and very good length. Quite strong for this no-malo chardonnay. "
91 points, Wine Spectator, May 2009
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Flowers Sonoma Coast Chardonnay 2007 [750ml/6cs] $64.95
 The far Sonoma Coast is blessed with limestone soils, abundant sunshine and cool Pacific air. Perfect conditions for elegant, cellar worthy Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
Wine & Spirits magazine named the 2006 vintage of this wine the top Chardonnay in America with a score of 95 and named Flowers Winery a "Winery of the Year" (Oct 2009).
The 2007 Sonoma Coast Chardonnay is a blend from this famed vineyard and other Sonoma Coast properties grown to the Flowers' exacting specifications.
This wine shows balanced depth and complexity, with a light straw to golden colour.
Aromas unfold with layers of lemon drop, pear, apricot and wet stone
minerality. This vintage shows crispness and intense fruit on the
palate; a lush and balanced citrus finish with roundness in the mouth. It is showing very well now and will continue to gain complexity for 1 - 3
years.
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"Faive" Rosé 2008 (sparkling Cabernet/Merlot) [750ml/6cs] $24.95
 Nino Franco is known as the top Prosecco producer in Italy and his inimitable style comes through in this sparkling rosé. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, it displays a pale salmon colour and a creamy midpalate. Soft notes of cranbery and citrus and very fine bubbles make this a very good substitute for Rosé Champagne at a fraction of the price.
"Faive" comes from the Venetian dialect and refers to the small gilded
red sparks that rise out of a fire and which are lightly and freely
carried into the sky by the wind.
Excellent as an apertif, the structure and mid-palate richness also make this a great food-wine.
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 Whether it's called a Chianti Classico Riserva or a Super-Tuscan, this blend of 80% Sangiovese and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon is a legend - arguably the top Chianti Classico Riserva produced and one of the highest scoring Tuscan wines every year.
If you like Antinori's Tignanello take note - this wine is virtually the same blend (except for a splash of Cabernet Franc in Tignanello), it is also a single-vineyard wine, outscores Tig (especially in 2006), is in more limited supply and costs approximately $30 less per bottle.
"The 2006 Chianti Classico Riserva Vigna del Sorbo is seriously
dark, rich and intense. Dark cherries, tobacco, herbs and minerals come
together in this brooding, weighty Vigna del Sorbo. Today the wine
comes across as completely closed and folded in on itself, but with
time it should emerge as a beauty. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2026."
95 points, Wine Advocate, August 2009
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Domaine Brusset "Les Hauts de Montmirail" (Res.) Gigondas 2007
[750ml/6cs] $52.95
A true specialist among Southern Rhône producers, Domaine Brusset hailed by critics for their modern, cellar-worthy, full-throttle reds, especially this bottling which is arguably the top wine made in Gigondas in any year.
"The top offering, the 2007 Gigondas Les Hauts de Montmirail, is made from 50-year old Grenache and Syrah, but it undergoes a longer maceration and cuvaison than Le Grand Montmirail. Half is aged in tank and half in small barrels. It reveals less new oak than its sibling (Le Grand Montmirail), along with abundant quantities of blackberries, black raspberries, licorice, smoked herbs, and a hint of toast. While this full-bodied, layered, rich Gigondas is very modern in style, it retains its Provencal character. Drink it over the next 10-15 years."
91-94 pts, Wine Advocate, February 2009
"Fresh, ripe and concentrated, but supple and pure, with a lovely beam of raspberry and plum flavours supported by well-embedded acidity. Hints of spice, graphite and violet fill out the finish. Very well-balanced. Grenache, syrah, mourvedre. Drink now through 2013. 1,665 cases made."
92 points, Wine Spectator, September 2009
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Jasmin Côte Rôtie 2007 [750ml/6cs] estimated $65.50 ETA January 2010
 Patrick Jasmin's wines are atypical of the Côte Rôtie. Yes, you read that correctly.
Much more "Burgundian" than his contemporaries like Guigal and Delas Freres, his wines are matured in used Burgundy barrels to "raise" the wine, not to add a layer of flavour. The terroir of these "roasted slopes" is apparent on the palate. A great wine for pan roasted hangar steak with crispy shallots.
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate calls Jasmin's wines.. "The most elegant and polished wines of the Côte Rôtie..."
"Deep red. Textbook Côte Rôtie aromas of red and dark berries, smoked meat, violet, minerals and licorice, with a zesty kick of black pepper. Lush and creamy but by no means soft, offering sweet raspberry and cassis flavours, along with baking spices, beef jerky and a slow-mounting olive tapenade quality. Tannins arrive late and add structure but are quickly absorbed by the sweet fruit on the lengthy finish. This will be accessible early. Patrick Jasmin told me that this wine started out with a high pH but that the acidity has been gaining steadily."
90-93 points, International Wine Cellar, February 2009
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Belle Glos "Taylor Lane" Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2006
[750ml/6cs] $69.95
 The 10 acre Taylor Lane vineyard is in a blustery, sun drenched corner of Occidental, California, 950 feet in elevation, just off the Bohemian Highway. Six miles from the Pacific on a southwest facing bluff, the Wagners (of Caymus fame) have developed this vineyard with an Italian-style pergola trellis to maximize ripening and air-circulation. The early ripening Dijon clones produce only 2 tons per acre, and harvesting is done by hand.
This is true artisan-level winemaking. The wine matures for 9 months in French oak and the wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered.
"This 2007 Taylor Lane is well focused, elegant and balanced with ample juicy dark red cherry and berry fruit accented with notes of cola, earth and Asian spice. With its rich but focused texture and feel and bright cherry acidity, it really lasts in the mouth. Bright and alive with flavour. Still developing but already excellent."
94 points, Charles Dalton, Houston Chronicle, May 2009
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Flowers Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2007 [750ml/6cs] $64.95
 The Flowers vineyards were planted in the early nineties and they are producing truly "Burgundian" Pinot Noirs. So much in fact that Matt Kramer features Flowers prominently in a Wine Spectator article "An American Grand Cru?" (Oct 15, 2005).
This 2007 is a complex blend of 90% Estate grown fruit and 10% from contracted growers. The wine leads with fresh focused fruit aromas of cherry, raspberry, and plum which are followed
by hints of violet, spice, mineral, and pepper. It offers crisp
acidity upon entry unfolding with juicy intense flavours of strawberry,
raspberry, black fruits and leather.
The tannins are supple creating a
lingering finish with cola and smokiness. Enjoy now or cellar up to 4
years.
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Kenwood "Artist Series" Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 [750ml/6cs] $82.95
 "Rich and spicy, intense and concentrated, with full-bodied currant,
cedar, blackberry and black licorice fruit that's impeccably balanced
and well-structured, offering firm tannins and vibrant acidity.
Excellent length. Drink now through 2015. 2,146 cases made."
93 points, Wine Spectator, web only 2009
"With
this wine, Kenwood is seriously poaching on Napa cult Cab territory.
Shows powerful, intense chocolate, blackberry pie filling and smoky new
oak flavours wrapped into soft but complex tannins. Yes, the alcohol is
high, but the wine is dry and frankly delicious."
92 points, Wine Enthusiast, April 2009
Wine Enthusiast couldn't have said it better. This wine is creamy, complex and has the luxury "polish" found normally in only much more expensive Cabs. The majority of the wine comes from their old vineyards on Sonoma Mountain, and the fruit on the palate is deep, dark and chewy. I recommend drinking a few of these now and laying down a few for at least a decade (if you can keep your hands off of it.)
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Alain Graillot Crozes-Hermitage "La Guiraude" 2007 [750ml/6cs]
estimated $49.95 ETA mid December
 Simply the greatest Crozes-Hermitage produced, this truly special bottling has a "cult" following due to its rarity, longevity and similarity to top Hermitage.
"In great years, he [Alain Graillot] makes tiny quantities of a barrel selection knows as
"La Guiraude," a rare and spectacular wine. Graillot's wines are
structured, but still very appealing and approachable in their youth,
and their longevity is truly remarkable...These are must-haves for any
serious Northern Rhone fan. " Skurnikwines.com
"A supertaut, traditional style, with grilled herb, tobacco and tangy red and black currant fruit laid over a racy, iron-filled finish. Rock-solid, with excellent cut. Should blossom with cellaring. Best from 2010 through 2018. 600 cases made."
92 points, Wine Spectator, Nov 15, 2009
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Chateau Montelena "The Estate" Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
[750ml/6cs] $114.85
 "I can think of only three wineries that were making fabulous
Cabernet Sauvignons in 1973 that have continued to make great wines,
with no qualitative slumps through 1995 - Caymus Vineyard, Ridge, and
Chateau Montelena. Remarkably, there is not a bad vintage of Chateau
Montelena to be found..." Robert Parker.
Since 1995 this wine has averaged over 93 points from The Wine Advocate and has never scored less than 90 points.
"The flagship wine, the 2005 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon Estate displays a lovely perfume of fresh herbs, loamy soil, black cherries, and black currants. Spicy and very Bordeaux-like in this vintage, with high tannins, a cool climate freshness, and a leaner personality than is found in riper vintages, it will benefit from 1-2 years of cellaring, and should drink well for two decades or more."
91 points, The Wine Advocate, December 2008
"Good deep ruby-red. Complex aromas of currant, licorice, graphite, bitter chocolate, smoked meat, tobacco and brown spices. Began juicy, penetrating and quite youthfully unevolved, but aeration brought a suppler, rounder texture and more generosity to this impressively structured wine. Complicating notes of bitter cherry, menthol and minerals. This will require a good eight to ten years of aging but the substantial tannins are sweet and lush. Very long, pure and powerful on the finish. Bo Barrett compared this to top previous vintages like 1986 and 1997."
93+ points, International Wine Cellar, May/June 2008
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Frog's Leap "Rutherford" Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 [750ml/6cs]
estimated $110 ETA early November limited availability
 The Napa Cabs that were made in the 1940s by Louis Martini, John Daniels and André Tchelistcheff are legendary. They were drinkable young and they're still drinking well today.
Organic farming, lower alcohol, balance and drinkability - these are the hallmarks of classic Cabs. These wines are what drew growers and winemakers to Napa and they are the template for Frog's Leap today.
Since the early 1980's owner/winemaker John Williams has been a leader for organics and responsible farming and the benefits they bring to the finished wines - ageability and complexity and above all drinkability at an early age. I've had the pleasure of drinking some Frog's Leap wines from the early eighties and let me tell you, they have years of life still ahead.
This wine is the essence of Rutherford terroir. Dusty tannins, soft fruit, subtle acidity and impeccable balance. It always drinks well young and I believe the cellar life is monumental. Simply put, this is one of my favourite wines in our portfolio.
The 2006 is new to the market and has yet to be reviewed, but the 2005, which experienced similar vintage conditions received 4 of 5 stars from Decanter (Steven Spurrier) in an article titled "Better than Bordeaux?" (Aug 2008) and 93 points from Wine Enthusiast in March 2009 with this review:
"A gorgeous Cab, lush, soft, delicious. Shows a New World cult winemaking sensibility, with super-ripe fruit and melted tannins framing blackberry and cherry pie, cassis, dark chocolate, anise and cedar flavours."
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Chris McLean
416 961 2294 x 29
c.mclean@rogcowines.com
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