Fall 2012 Cellier release: listing

My copy of the fall issue of the SAQ’s Cellier magazine arrived today. As none of the other wine geeks I’ve spoken to have received their copies, as none of the local wine boards have any discussion of it or the associated releases, as the staff at the SAQ Sélection outlet I called seemed clueless about the releases and as SAQ.com currently has no mention of them, I’ve typed up the list of wines involved. You’ll find it after the jump.

The dates of the two Sélection releases are September 13 and 27. The Signature release is on September 20. (I cannot fathom why the dates are kept secret until a week or two before the first release, which greatly complicates the planning of Cellier tastings. The editorial staff must know the dates many weeks if not months in advance. Would it kill them to share that information with us? Announcing the dates and maybe the themes – not the wines – a month or so out might even create some sorely lacking buzz around the releases.)

The main theme is 2009 red Bordeaux. There’s also a handful of purportedly oyster-friendly whites, four non-Bordeaux reds for cellaring, a mini-vertical and a couple of big bottles.

Upmarket Bordeaux being fantastically overpriced, the Sélection releases focus mainly on lesser appellations; there are lots of cru bourgeois wines, Médocs and Haut-Médocs, Pomerol satellites, etc.

The alcohol levels are startlingly high. (In the list, I’ve boldfaced the 14%, 14.5% and 15% wines.) It’s telling that the only Bordeaux under 13% is also the only old wine in the bunch (the 1990 Château Les Ormes Sorbet). Yes, 2009 was a very ripe vintage but there’s obviously something else going on here (Parkerization? New Worldization? Global warming? All of the above?). Interestingly, none of the pricey Signature wines clock in at more than 13.5%.

The Mo’ Wine Group usually holds a tasting in conjunction with each Cellier release. This time around, I’m not sure. While it’s true that the group should probably be tasting more Bordeaux, on first glance I’m finding it hard to muster much enthusiasm for this lineup. Unfortunately, that’s beginning to seem like a trend: Cellier releases used to generate a lot of enthusiasm online and in the stores. These days, not so much.

UPDATE (2012-08-30): The “Bravo Bordeaux” listing is finally available on SAQ.com. Going by comments online and off (here, for example), I’m not the only person who finds it lacking.

♦

SEPTEMBER 13, 2012
Bordeaux
Château Teyssier 2009, Saint-Émilion grand cru ($28.95) 14%
Château de Gironville 2009, Haut-Médoc, cru bourgeois ($22.65) 13.5%
Château Brown 2009, Pessac-Léognan ($39.00) 14.5%
Clos Marsalette 2009, Pessac-Léognan ($36.00) 13%
Château de Pez 2009, Saint-Estèphe, cru bourgeois ($44.00) 14%
Château Chasse-Spleen 2009, Moulis-en-Médoc, cru bourgeois ($45.50) 14%
Château Les Grands Chênes 2009, Médoc, cru bourgeois, Bernard Magrez ($32.50) 14%
Château Fourcas Hosten 2009, Listrac-Médoc, cru bourgeois ($24.95) 13%
Château de la Dauphine 2009, Fronsac ($31.25) 14.5%
Château Lynch-Moussas 2009, Pauillac, grand cru classé ($50.75) 13%
La Fleur de Boüard 2009, Lalande-de-Pomerol ($52.25) 14%
Château Sérilhan 2009, Saint-Estèphe, cru bourgeois ($28.50) 13.5%
Château Maucaillou 2009, Moulis, cru bourgeois ($35.00) 14%
Château Corbin 2009, Saint-Émilion, grand cru classé ($48.75) 14%
Château Tour des Termes 2009, Saint-Estèphe, cru bourgeois ($31.25) 14%
For the cellar
Touriga Nacional 2008, Douro, Quinta do Noval ($49.25) 14.5%
Salanques 2009, Priorat, Mas Doix ($42.75) 15%
Cenit 2008, Tierra del vino de Zamora, Viñas del Cenit ($53.50) 14.5%
Terra di Monteverro 2008, IGT Toscana ($47.00) 15%
Oyster-friendly
Rias Baixas 2010, Albariño, Finca de Arantei Single Vineyard, Bodegas La Val ($19.25) 12.5%
Roussanne 2007, Sierra Foothills, Terre Rouge ($28.30) 14.5%
Grüner Veltliner Heiligenstein 2011, Kamptal, Weingut Hirsch ($23.45) 12.5%
Riesling Rüdesheimer Trocken 2011, Weingut Leitz ($19.25) 11%

SEPTEMBER 20, 2012 (Signature)
Château Valandurand 2009, Saint-Émilion grand cru, J.-L. Thunevin et M. Andraud ($461.00) 13%
Tertre Roteboeuf 2009, Saint-Émilion grand cru ($223.00) 13%
Château Roc de Cambes 2009, Côtes de Bourg ($80.00) 13%
Château Saint-Pierre 2009, Saint-Julien, grand cru classé ($115.00) 13.5%
La Mondotte 2009, Saint-Émilion, Comtes von Neipperg ($615.00) 13%
Château Le Gay 2009, Pomerol ($180.00) 13%
Château Le Bon Pasteur 2009, Pomerol ($115.00) 13%

SEPTEMBER 27, 2012
Bordeaux
Château Patache d’Aux 2009, Médoc, cru bourgeois, Domaines Lapalu ($20.85) 13.5%
Château Lespault-Martillac 2009, Pessac-Léognan ($44.00) 13.5%
Château Les Roches Blanches 2009, Saint-Émilion grand cru, Vignobles Reiffers ($26.60) 13.5%
Château La Tour de Bessan 2009, Margaux, cru bourgeois, Marie-Laure Lurton ($28.60) 13.5%
Château Pontac-Lynch 2009, Margaux, cru bourgeois ($32.75) 13%
Château Tournefeuille 2009, Lalande-de-Pomerol ($26.50) 14%
Château La Garde 2009, Pessac-Léognan ($35.50) 14.5%
Château Clauzet 2009, Saint-Estèphe, cru bourgeois ($28.95) 13%
Château Poujeaux 2009, Moulis-en-Médoc ($45.75) 14%
Château de Carles 2009, Fronsac ($24.80) 14.5%
Château Croix Figeac 2009, Saint-Émilion grand cru ($32.50) 14%
Château Mazeyres 2009, Pomerol ($38.25) 13.5%
Château Pouget 2009, Margaux, grand cru classé ($62.25) 13%
Clos du Jaugueyron 2009, Haut-Médoc, cru bourgeois ($27.90) 13.5%
Petit Guiraud 2009, Sauternes, Château Guiraud ($23.20) 13.5%
Mini-vertical
Château Les Ormes Sorbet 1990, Médoc, cru bourgeois ($57.00) 12.5%
Château Les Ormes Sorbet 2009, Médoc, cru bourgeois ($32.50) 13.5%
Oyster-friendly
Riesling Calcaire 2009, Alsace, Domaine Zind-Humbrecht ($33.75) 14%
Friuliano 2011, Colli Orientali del Friuli, Livio Felluga ($27.80) 13%
Brut 2008, Willamette Valley (Oregon), Argyle ($28.95) 13%
Magnums
Bolgheri Rosso 2007, IGT Toscana, Le Macchiole ($57.65) 14.5%
Vertente  2009, Douro, Vinhos Niepoort ($49.75) 13.5%