Vintages Release - August 1, 2009

The theme of tomorrow’s Vintages release is “hot summer grilling” which is certainly not something any lawyer (or at least not I) wants to be associated with. I assume what they mean is wines that go with barbecued food, a somewhat specious category in that it undoubtedly includes, depending on the food, every wine ever made.

On the other hand, there are very few wines that go with bad sarcasm.

More seriously, there are few standout wines in this release, but there is some good value.

WHITE WINES

Chardonnay lovers get a real deal with the Inniskillin Okanagan Reserve Chardonnay 2007, from British Columbia, which is going for only $13.95. This is a rich creamy, vanilla laden, slightly oaky wine, with grapefruit, apple, pineapple, melon and toast, with a slight aroma of white flowers and musk. It would be a good buy even if it were priced a couple of dollars higher, but, at this price, it’s terrific. Great, on its own, as a hot weather sipper; or with poultry or salads. I just wish they wouldn’t use plastic corks.

By way of sauvignon blancs, the Babich Black Label Sauvignon Blanc 2008 ($17.95) from New Zealand is really good. This is a classic, well made, offering, very refreshing, with grapefruit, kiwi, lime and gooseberry, with some grassy notes and a long finish. It will go well with most kinds of seafood, chicken or Caesar salad. Closed, like most wines from New Zealand, with a screw cap, which, in case there’s any doubt, I consider to be a good thing (except perhaps for red wines that need some years of aging).

If aromatics are what you’re looking for, I also liked the Featherstone Black Sheep Riesling 2008 ($16.95) from Niagara. There is a bit of the characteristic petrol on the nose, with a refreshing blend of citrus, tropical fruit and chalky mineral on the palate. Traditionally, wines like Rieslings are paired with spicy, often asian, foods, but this wine is crisp enough to drink on its own, or with something like a chicken caesar salad. Also closed with a scew cap.

Sticking, for the moment, with both Niagara and screw caps, the Henry of Pelham Pinot Blanc 2008 ($14.95) is also a good wine. It’s light, and pleasant, with rich, mild apple and pear flavours. There’s little discernible acid, but is certainly well balanced, and, despite the lush fruit, very dry. Not the most complex wine, but very drinkable nonetheless. I’d be happy with it on its own, but it would work with a garden salad or steamed mussels in broth.

My last white is the E. Guigal Cotes du Rhone Blanc 2007 ($17.65) from the Rhone. This wine is a blend of lesser known grapes, including vigonier, roussanne and marsanne, yielding a complex offering, with honeyed white flowers on the nose, and rich citrus (sweet, red grapefruit) and tropical fruit (pineapple) flavours, and some pear, apricot, and herb/minerality. This is more of a food wine than a “by itself” sipper, and I’d match it with shellfish in a light cream sauce, or salmon. Once again, a very good effort from a quality producer.

ROSÉS

If I’m going to drink a rosé, I want something that doesn’t taste like bad soda pop or fake juice. In other words, it has to be dry and refreshing, with sufficient complexity to taste like wine, not a melted slushy. The Domaine des Carteresses Tavel Rosé 2008 from the Rhone passes those tests with flying colours. It’s nice and dry, with strawberry, plum and lemon flavours, and a crisp, mineral finish. It’s a very nice rosé, and will go very well on its own, or with a salad, on a hot day. I do wish, however, that it was a bit cheaper than its current $16.95, and that they would use a screw cap rather than a plastic cork.

SWEET WINES

Anyone who’s ever had a good sauterne, especially with politically incorrect foie gras, knows that there are few sensations like it. The Chateau Doisy-Vedrines 2005 is not one of the better known sauternes, but they only want $32 for it (375 ml. bottle) rather than the hundreds you’ll pay for the bigger names. This is a good sauterne, with flavours of dried fruit (apricot and pineapple), cloves, honey and oranges. The intense nose gives dried fruit, honey and spice. It will certainly work with foie gras, but also with virtually any sweet dessert, especially a chocolate/fruit mixture. A lovely wine to cap off a good meal.

RED WINES

Any time you can find a good Cote du Rhone at less than $15, you should seriously look at it because these wines make such good everyday house wines. You can drink them on their own, and they match lots of foods. This release contains two good choices from the region, both under $15:

- the Domaine de la Bastide Visan Cotes du Rhone-Villages 2007 ($13.95) is a very fruit forward, syrah based, new world style wine, which, quite obviously, many people like. The predominant taste is ripe raspberry, with cherry and undertones of mineral and underbrush (forest floor), with some herb de provence. The nose gives ripe cherry and glycerine. It gives up a bit of structure in terms of the relatively jammy fruit, but compensates with juicy flavour.

- the Domaine du Grand Retour Plan de Dieu Cotes du Rhone-Villages 2007 ($11.95) is also a fruit forward, almost jammy wine, with a peppery, cassis nose, with spicy, rich black plum, strawberry, cherry and blackberry and marzipan flavours on the palate. For the price, this is incredible value, especially if you don’t insist that your red wines always be bone dry. There is a place for slightly off dry reds, especially on their own; with mild cheese; a salad with raspberry vinaigrette dressing; or even with chicken, pork chops or grilled salmon.

If neither of the Cote du Rhone’s turn your crank, the Mont Tauch Vieilles Vignes Fitou 2006 ($17.95) from the Midi is also a good choice, albeit at a slightly higher price. Expect lots of vanilla and soft tannins with dark plum and cassis. This is a well structured wine which does better with food – anything from burgers to ribs would work. I’d suggest aerating for a couple of hours, or even keeping for a year or so.

I have to confess to a nostalgic affection for Grant Burge shiraz since it was his Black Label Shiraz (alas, no longer available), circa 1990, that first turned me on to doing more with respect to wine than drinking my just purchased bottle as soon as I got it home. The Grant Burge Barossa Vines Shiraz 2006 ($17.95), from Australia, doesn’t quite live up to my exalted memories, but this is a well structured wine which is worth the money. Expect ripe blackberry, black plum, and lots of oak, with a long finish. This wine would be great with a rib eye or New York steak. Another screw cap.

Shifting continents, once again, the Finca el Origen Reserva Malbec 2007 ($14.95), from Argentina, is also really good value. There’s nothing flabby about this wine despite the rich fruit. There’s blackcurrent and vanilla on the nose, and layers of earthy blackberry; ripe, black plum; vanilla and spice on the palate. The rich, hot weather grown fruit, is ripe and lush, but the wine is well balanced with acid, and there’s a long, satisfying finish Pair with burgers, steak or any other grilled meat. You can’t lose at this price.

If, despite my best efforts you insist that your wine must always be bone dry, you should get one, or both, of the following:

- The Altesino Rosso 2007 ($19.95), from Tuscany, is terrific. This is the second wine of a famed brunello producer, and a beautifully integrated combination of sangiovese and cabernet sauvignon. It has an interesting nose of bluebells and pencil box, and a lovely palate of tangy sour cherry, raspberry and pencil shavings, with an exceptionally long finish. It would be impossible not to like this wine, especially with a good steak beside it.

- Regular readers of this missive will likely recall that I have a preference for Burgundian pinot noirs as opposed to their new world counterparts. Although this is by no means a universal view (given that there are some very good pinots from Canada, the U.S. and Australia/New Zealand), the Duvergey Taboureau Pinot Noir Bourgogne 2007 ($17.95) is not the exception which proves the rule. New world pinot’s are often softer and more fruit forward than Burgundian offerings, and I usually prefer the elegance and reserve usually exhibited by the French version. This wine is very well priced for a Burgundian pinot and has tons of beetroot with undertones of characteristic sour cherry, mineral and spice. Don’t be fooled by the light colour. This is a substantial wine, medium bodied, with a long finish and good mouth feel. It will go well with pork, salmon or poultry, but I wouldn’t hesitate to serve it with lean beef. A very good effort at a good price.

I can’t finish without talking a little about Bordeaux. The 2005 vintage was one of the best ever, and most wines from that year certainly aren’t ready to drink yet. Five or ten years from now, however, you’ll be awfully happy with yourself if you have the foresight to spend a bit to get some of those wines now. In that regard, there are lots of good choices but the Chateau D’Aiguilhe 2005 is going for a (relatively) modest $48 and looks to be ready earlier than other top wines from that year without giving up anything as to quality. This may not be a classified producer, but you’ll pay more than 20 times this price for a first growth, without getting a whole lot more in return. Expect a very complex wine with a rich, earthy blend of vanilla, cassis, plum, medicine and coffee. You can drink it now, with substantial decanting, but waiting for a few years will repay your patience, especially when paired with a good cut of beef.