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January 30, 2009

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Insider Best Buys
Vintages February 7th Sale

Michael Vaughan
Friday, February 6, 2009

Tomorrow’s Vintages February 7th Sale features some 120 wines. The only way to check my score is to go to our Vaughan on Vintages database where all my scores and tasting details are posted. Unlike the LCBO's list, my
list is fully linked to our database, which in turn will reveal store inventory. It means that you don't have to re-enter the information (cspc number) for a second time. With only two exceptions, every item in the sale is linked to
my tasting note database. Also, I have indicated those items which I believe should be recommended at the new lower price and those which are a BEST BUY.

When I checked the first item, a 2005 Aussi Grenache, I discovered that it was untasted ISD. The second item, OVER THE MOON ROSÉ 2007 from Penley Estate, rated *+ when released on July 5, 2008. The Vintages sale sheet says it is reduced 22% from $15.25 to $11.90. In fact, it was initially listed at $17.95, which was just too expensive for what it was. As I say in my note "Not quite as good as the last shipment 2005 on August 5, 2006 at $12.95 which was a blend of 41% Merlot, 31% Pinot Noir, 15% Chardonnay and 13% Cabernet Sauvignon." Is it a buy at the new $11.90 price? If you read my notes, the answer would appear to be no!

Perhaps if Vintages wasn't so needy (greedy?) in trying to upsell its captive market by pushing prices higher and higher, this type of discounting would be unnecessary because wine prices would be more reasonable to begin with. Today, for instance, I couldn't find a single Vintages wine under $13.95 in the March 14th Vintages release preview. Prices are up significantly - two, three, four dollars and more from just a year ago.

In-Store Bin End Sale Starts Saturday, February 7, 2009
Note: Only 40 of the 120 sale items are worth buying at the lower price!

For product availability and store locations visit www.vintages.com or call VINTAGES Sales Centre at 416-365-5767 or 1-800-266-4764 (Monday-Friday, 9 am-5 pm, except holidays). Not all products are available in all stores. While supplies last. No transfers between stores.

Country LCBO # Product Name Size (mL) Was Now You Save j

Germany
Germany 944504 BÜRGERSPITAL WÜRZBURG SILVANER KABINETT TROCKEN 2007 750 $21.95 $16.95 $5.00 (22.8%) - recommended
Germany 599274 LOOSEN BROS. DR. L RIESLING 2007 750 $14.95 $11.95 $3.00 (20.1%) - Best Buy

Hungary
Hungary 74328 PANNON TOKAJ TOKAJI ASZÚ 3 PUTTONYOS 2001 500 $22.95 $16.95 $6.00 (26.1%) - recommended

Italy
Italy 660977 ALBINO ARMANI FOJA TONDA 2004 750 $18.10 $14.95 $3.15 (17.4%)
Italy 30338 BERLUCCHI CURTEFRANCA ROSSO ANTICA FRATTA 2004 750 $32.70 $24.95 $7.75 (23.7%) - recommended
Italy 13417 BERTANI AMARONE DELLA VALPOLICELLA VALPANTENA 2004 750 $56.95 $42.95 $14.00 (24.6%) - Best Buy
Italy 84079 CAMPAGNOLA RECIOTO DELLA VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO 2006 500 $33.95 $24.95 $9.00 (26.5%)
Italy 551507 CAMPO AL SORBO CHIANTI RUFINA RISERVA 1997 750 $33.95 $24.95 $9.00 (26.5%)
Italy 65854 CANNETO VINO NOBILE DI MONTEPULCIANO 2003 750 $39.95 $29.95 $10.00 (25%)
Italy 508531 CAPEZZANA BARCO REALE DI CARMIGNANO 2006 750 $17.95 $13.95 $4.00 (22.3%)
Italy 66043 CASTELLO SONNINO SANELEONE 2001 750 $39.05 $29.95 $9.10 (23.3%) - recommended
Italy 96883 FABIANO VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO SUPERIORE 2006 750 $18.95 $14.95 $4.00 (21.1%) - Not Permitted to Taste
Italy 85340 GAMBA GNIREGA AMARONE DELLA VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO LE QUARE 2004 750 $50.95 $39.95 $11.00 (21.6%)
Italy 73502 MÁTÉ MANTUS MERLOT SANT'ANTIMO 2004 750 $29.95 $22.95 $7.00 (23.4%) - Best Buy
Italy 681692 MONTE ZOVO CA'LINVERNO 2004 750 $21.95 $17.95 $4.00 (18.2%) - recommended
Italy 23911 MONTE ZOVO CORVINA 2005 750 $18.95 $13.95 $5.00 (26.4%) - Not Permitted to Taste
Italy 72231 OCONE GRECO 2006 750 $15.00 $11.95 $3.05 (20.3%)
Italy 95802 PETER ZEMMER PINOT GRIGIO 2007 750 $17.95 $14.95 $3.00 (16.7%)
Italy 650812 POGGIO SAN POLO BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO 2003 750 $65.95 $49.95 $16.00 (24.3%)
Italy 974402 PROVOLO VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO SUPERIORE CAMPOTORBIAN 2004 750 $26.95 $19.95 $7.00 (26%) - Not Permitted to Taste
Italy 82230 S. GIORGIO AMARONE DELLA VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO 2003 750 $55.95 $39.95 $16.00 (28.6%)
Italy 992941 SANTA BARBARA SALICE SALENTINO ROSSO 2005 750 $14.95 $11.95$3.00 (20.1%)
Italy 97600 TEDESCHI VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO SUPERIORE LA FABRISERIA 2006 750 $37.95 $27.95 $10.00 (26.4%) - Not Permitted to Taste
Italy 29850 TENUTA SANT'ANTONIO MONTI GARBI VALPOLICELLA SUPERIORE RIPASSO 2005 750 $21.95 $17.95 $4.00 (18.2%)
Italy 82057 TENUTA VIGLIONE PAGLIONE BIANCO 2005 750 $16.95 $12.95 $4.00 (23.6%)
Italy 13284 TOMMASI LE FORNACI 2007 750 $17.95 $12.95 $5.00 (27.9%)- Best Buy
Italy 70870 TOMMASI SOAVE CLASSICO VIGNETO LE VOLPARE 2007 750 $17.95 $12.95 $5.00 (27.9%)
Italy 71092 TRE TORRI CARIGNANO DEL SULCIS ROSÉ 2007 750 $14.40 $9.95 $4.45 (30.9%) - Not Permitted to Taste
Italy 658377 VINETI DEL GEOGRAFICO FERRAIOLO 2004 750 $33.95 $24.95 $9.00 (26.5%) - recommended
Italy 413179 ZENATO AMARONE DELLA VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO 2004 750 $52.95 $39.95 $13.00 (24.6%) - Best Buy
Italy 23176 ZENI VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO SUPERIORE VIGNE ALTE 2006 750 $16.95 $13.95 $3.00 (17.7%) - Not Permitted to Taste

Moldova
Moldova 74351 FIREBIRD LEGEND PINOT GRIGIO 2007 750 $11.95 $9.95 $2.00 (16.7%)

New Zealand
New Zealand 683342 WAITIRI CREEK PINOT NOIR 2006 750 $37.95 $29.90 $8.05 (21.2%)

Portugal
Portugal 77222 BRUNHEDA VINHO TINTO 2003 750 $19.95 $14.95 $5.00 (25.1%)
Portugal 81752 HERDADE DO PERDIGAO VINHA DO ALMO 2005 750 $18.95 $14.95 $4.00 (21.1%)- Best Buy
Portugal 80333 QUINTA DO VALDOEIRO TOURIGA NACIONAL 2006 750 $18.20 $14.95 $3.25 (17.9%) - recommended
Portugal 80986 QUINTA SANTA EUFEMIA RED 2005 750 $14.30 $10.95 $3.35 (23.4%)
Portugal 673079 SANDEMAN VINTAGE PORT 2003 750 $73.40 $49.95 $23.45 (31.9%) - Best Buy
Portugal 520106 SMITH WOODHOUSE MADALENA VINTAGE PORT 1996 750 $47.95 $32.95 $15.00 (31.3%)

Spain
Spain 673574 ALBARIÑO D FEFIÑANES 2006 750 $21.95 $16.95 $5.00 (22.8%)- Best Buy
Spain 977843 ALVARO PALACIOS LES TERRASSES 2006 750 $39.95 $29.95 $10.00 (25%) - Best Buy
Spain 703066 BODEGAS ARGÜESO SAN LEÓN MANZANILLA CLÁSICA 750 $13.85 $9.95 $3.90 (28.2%)
Spain 48157 EMILIO LUSTAU FINO DEL PUERTO SOLERA MATURED BY JOSÉ LUIS GONZÁLEZ OBREGÓN 375 $12.85 $8.95 $3.90 (30.4%) - recommended
Spain 673707 JEAN LEON TERRASOLA SYRAH/GARNACHA CRIANZA 2005 750 $15.95 $12.95$3.00 (18.8%)
Spain 720482 MARQUÉS DEL REAL TESORO ALMIRANTE OLOROSO 750 $16.95 $12.95 $4.00 (23.6%) - Best Buy
Spain 80705 MAS COLLET BARRICA 2005 750 $17.95 $13.95 $4.00 (22.3%)
Spain 74872 ÒNIX FUSIÓ 2006 750 $27.95 $19.95 $8.00 (28.6%)
Spain 47944 OSBORNE PEDRO XIMENEZ 1827 SWEET SHERRY 750 $17.95 $12.95 $5.00 (27.9%) - Best Buy
Spain 675934 PALACIOS REMONDO PLÁCET 2006 750 $29.95 $24.95 $5.00 (16.7%) - Best Buy
Spain 597880 PALACIOS REMONDO PROPIEDAD 2005 750 $41.95 $29.95 $12.00 (28.6%) - Best Buy

USA
USA 94508 NHL ALUMNI DARRYL SITTLER SIGNATURE CHARDONNAY 2007 750 $14.95 $12.90 $2.05 (13.7%)

Insider Best Buys
Vintages January 31st release

Michael Vaughan
Friday, January 30, 2009

Tomorrow’s Vintages January 31st Release features some 120 items in total including 12 In-Store Discoveries, which are all available in Vintages today, Friday, January 30. It has a 90+ Wines thematic featuring 29 selections, most of which in actual fact receive only 90 points. I am not a wine snob, but I must admit, I was truly amazed that some of these wines would score 90 points anywhere, anytime.

In general, I was not moved by the 90+ whites. A couple which were downright disappointing – mature and over-the-hill. As for the reds, I had two recommended best buys. My personal highlight was a truly amazingly delicious Delas Frères 2006 Domaine Des Grands Chemins Crozes-Hermitage (101105) at $28.95. Rating ***/***+ (out of ***+), it certainly is a contender for the Best Value Red for 2009. This 100% Syrah has a very deep intense purple colour. It has a lovely, complex, vanilla-tinged, black cherry purée nose and dry, well-structured, slightly earthy, plummy, ripe black cherry purée flavours followed up by a lingering, harmonious, vanilla-tinged finish with hints of cedar cigar box. It’s showing beautifully and is one of the finest Rhones to cross these lips for less than $40 – never mind for under $30!

Moving on, back again is one of my favourite bone dry sherries Tio Pepe Palomino Fino Muy Seco Sherry (242669) at $16.95 scoring **/**+. Very light yellow in colour, the nose is slightly spicy, quite intense and peppery with bright, dried ripe lemon peel notes. That pretty much describes the way it tastes along with its bracingly dry, crisp finish. A bit of an acquired taste, serve chilled by itself or with appetizers and soups. Keep chilled once you open the bottle.

There are a couple of tasty, reasonably priced Sauvignon Blanc. The best value *+ comes from Chile’s Casablanca Valley William Cole 2008 Mirador Selection Sauvignon Blanc (93948) at $13.95. It’s fairly intense, rather spicy and appealing on the nose with honeyed, ripe apple-melon-peach compote notes with hints of lemon. On the palate it is very dry, medium-light bodied, rather spicy and bright with gently grassy, ripe lemon-melon-rhubarb-peach flavours and a crisp, lingering finish. Ready to drink with fairly wide appeal, it is the type of wine you like to find in restaurants being poured by the glass.

Italian Pinot Grigio is all the rage. I occasionally am hard pressed to comprehend what all the fuss is about. Fortunately, if you taste Borgo Magredo 2007 Pinot Grigio (72389) at $16.95 then you’ll understand why people like this grape. This *+/** winner has an attractive, slightly spicy, ripe apple-melon nose. On the palate, it is fairly dry and harmonious with slightly floral, ripe melon flavours and a crisp, lingering finish. Versatile and ready to enjoy, you may want to wait until Monday, February 2 when you will receive 4 bonus AirMiles with the purchase of each bottle.

I rarely get excited by Bordeaux, but here is a gem. Château La Gorce 2005 (91397) at $19.95 is a serious, over-achiever scoring a remarkable **+/***. This Médoc has an extremely deep intense purple colour and complex, rather earthy, stewed plum-prune nose. On the palate it is solid, dry and medium-full bodied with baked plum, stewed red and black cherry flavours and a lingering, mocha, licorice-tinged, fairly earthy finish. The blend of 50% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc/Petit Verdot is usually aged 12 months with 50% new oak. I like this style and realize that perhaps it isn’t for every palate. So before you buy a case, try it first.

You can get all the ratings TODAY for both the current January 31st and upcoming February 14th Vintages releases by becoming a FBTI Supporter (click here) plus you will save $20.