Vintages Release - August 29, 2009

Tomorrow’s Vintage’s release features the wines of the Rhone, with a sub-feature on California red Zinfandels.

The Rhone region is generally comprised of the Rhone river valley and surrounding areas, and is usually divided into two different parts – the Northern Rhone and (surprise, surprise) the Southern Rhone. Both regions produce red and white wines, but, in both, the reds tend to predominate.

In the north, the only red wine grape permitted is syrah (shiraz), although some of the red wines are blends of syrah and a few white wine grapes. The climate tends to cold winters and hot summers, and vineyards are usually located on steep, often rocky, terraced hills. The region generally produces wines which are less rich, and somewhat more tannic and austere (and usually more expensive), than the southern part of the region. Northern Rhone wines age well, and are known for aromas of green olive and smoky bacon. Hermitage, Cornas and St. Joseph are three of the best known appellations of the Northern Rhone. Best recent years: 1995, 1998-2001, 2003, 2005 and 2006.

The Southern Rhone is characterized by a more Mediterranean climate (hot summers and milder winters) and vineyards are more likely to be on loamy or clay soil in the river valley. In some regions, however, vineyards are full of galets (largish stones) which absorb the sun’s rays during the day, and give off heat after sunset, thus keeping the vines warmer at night. Producers use a considerable variety of grapes, both white and red, and the red wines are almost always blends, with grenache noir being the most common red grape, although syrah, carignan and mourvedre (to name only a few) are also commonly used.

Southern Rhone wines are generally approachable early (although some can be quite long-lasting) and can vary quite widely – depending on the micro-climate, the terroir, and the grape varieties employed. Higher quantities of grenache tend to produce a fruit forward, jucier wine, often with spicy notes or licorice, that is relatively high in alcohol (due to the sugar levels), but low in tannin. Mourvedre and carignan often impart higher levels of tannin and structure, often with tar, leather and/or herbal notes. The most famous appellation of the Southern Rhone is Chateauneuf-du-Pape, but Gigondas, Rasteau, and Vacqueyras are also quite well known. Most of the wine from this region is classified as Cotes du Rhone (the lowest) or Cotes du Rhone-Villages, although higher levels of the classification system permit the name of the specific village of origin to appear on the label. Best recent years: 1995, 1998-2001, 2003-2007.

Zinfandel seems to have adopted southern California as its spiritual home. The varietal was once thought to be closely related to the Italian grape, primitivo, but there now seems to be some considerable doubt as to the relationship between the two. There are suggestions that it is more closely related to a Croatian grape, crljenak. At any event, California now produces most of the better known red zinfandel based wines, which are usually characterized by high alcohol levels and ripe, even jammy, red or black berry flavours, and with a wide variety of different possible notes, such as spice, chocolate, anise, briar and pepper, to name but a few. Red zinfandels are usually big, assertive, rich, fruit forward wines, bursting with flavor and almost always approachable early. (I should note that California also produces white zinfandels. The less said about that, however, the better, especially since Vintages has spared us that particular sugary horror).

There are some very good wines in this release, although the prices are somewhat higher than we’ve become used to recently.

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ROSÉS

Perhaps I protest too much, but rosès are not normally my thing. But the La Cadierenne Cuvee Grande Tradition Bandol Rosè 2008 ($18.95) is a pretty special wine, which it should be at this price. It’s very dry, of course, with strawberry and dried green pepper on the nose, and herbal strawberry flavours on the palate, with a long finish and great mouth feel. A lovely, hot weather sipper, that would go well with a salad, chicken or whitefish. Very tasty.

WHITE WINES

For something a little different, try the Urban Uco Torrontes 2008 ($11.95) from Argentina. It’s sort of an Argentinean version of a Rhone white, mostly vigonier grapes, so you get a bouquet of white flowers, and a little honey. This is not a complex wine (at this price, you shouldn’t expect too much) but it’s very refreshing with lots of citrus, good balance, and a white pepper finish. It’s good on its own, but would work very well with whitefish or shellfish.

Except for the next wine, the Henry of Pelham Barrel Fermented Chardonnay 2007 ($19.95) from Niagara is about as good a chardonnay as you will find in this release. It’s from a reliable producer in a good year, and you should expect a buttery, vanilla laden wine with smoke and lots of ripe fruit (peaches, apple and pear). Good on its own, and rich enough to complement almost anything short of red meat. A good example of a tasty, new world chardonnay.

Moving somewhat upscale, the Simonnet-Febvre Chablis 2007 is $22.95, but, if you like Chablis (as I very much do) it’s worth it. It has a minimal nose of citrus, with perhaps a touch of white flowers. This is also chardonnay, but unoaked, On the palate, there’s a clean, pure taste, very dry, but full-bodied despite the light colour, with a long finish and great balance. This is a lovely wine at a very good price, since you rarely see a good Chablis for much less than $30. Highly recommended. It can be consumed on its own but would work well with virtually any kind of seafood.

If you aren’t a chardonnay fan, you can’t go far wrong with the Seifried Sauvignon Blanc 2008 ($17.95) from New Zealand. This is a complex wine, a little grassy, with citrus and apple predominating, and with notes of peach, nectarine, and some cooked onion and herb on the finish. A well balanced wine with enough acid that you may want to take this wine with food, perhaps a soft cheese, instead of on its own.

RED WINES

The Paolo Manzone Magna Dolcetto D’Alba 2007 ($16.95) is a true dolcetto – a very pleasant and soft wine, with raspberry on the nose and the palate, and lemon/lime notes. It is exceedingly ready to drink, and just a pleasure to drink, either on its own or with food. It would go well with chicken or grilled pork, or with a raspberry vinaigrette salad. This is not a hugely complex wine, but it is just a pleasure to drink. Highly recommended.

I had high hopes of the Tommasi Vigneto Le Prunee Merlot 2007 ($16.95) from Veneto, since I liked the comparable offering from Zenato (the Cormi) so much. This is a dry, prune and raisin flavoured offering, quite intense, with a long finish, and notes of cocoa, raspberry and cappuccino, that is made to go with food. Vintages suggests pasta, and I don’t disagree, but I would match it with a hard cheese like parmesan. This is a good wine and I have no trouble recommending it, but if you can still find the Cormi 2006 (there is still some left in the system) I think I’d pay the extra $3.

If you’re looking for a keeper, get the Chateau St. Georges 2005 ($34.95) from Bordeaux. This is a great producer in a great year, and you will really enjoy this wine in two or three years. Expect rich cherry, plum and earthy notes, with leather and smooth tannins, on a well structured wine that will go really well with grilled red meat or strong, hard cheeses.

As for the featured varieties/regions:

Zinfandels –

There really is only one choice from this release if you want a zin, and that’s the Seghesio Sonoma Zinfandel 2007 ($28.95). This is an outstanding wine, approachable now, with pure cassis, pepper and herbs, beautifully structured, with a long, mouth filling, satisfying finish. This is a great wine, especially with ribs, where the sweet sauce acts as a perfect complement, but match with a grilled steak, especially a rare one, and you won’t be disappointed.

If you don’t, for some reason, want or can’t get, the Seghesio, the Gnarly Head Old Vine Zin 2007 ($17.95) is a pretty good substitute. This is a big, chewy, wine with masses of ripe black fruit, tobacco, smoked meat, spice, pepper and earthy notes, with lots of tannins and a long finish. Once again, a great complement for ribs with a sweetish sauce.

The Rhones

If you only get one Rhone from this release, it ought to be the Delas Haute Pierre Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2007 ($35.95). This is a very well priced wine from a very good producer, with aromas of violets and black cherry, and complex flavours of black plum, dark cherry, herbs, lavender and licorice. This wine is so well structured that the transition from open to finish is totally seamless. Just delicious. Let it open for an hour or two before serving, and drink with grilled red meat or roast beef.

The Domaine Saint-Pierre Vacqueyras 2005 ($24.95) is also very good. It’s a little leaner than the Delas, with ripe black cherry, herbs and glycerin, but very well structured, and with a lip-smacking finish. Once again, aerate for an hour or two before serving and use to complement red meat or strong cheese.

Vintages Release - August 15, 2009

Tomorrow’s Vintages release features the wines of Chile, together with some of the whites from southern Burgundy.

There was a time, not that many years ago, when I was frankly dismissive of Chilean wines. At the time, I found the reds, in particular, overly earthy and tannic, without any of the sophistication or nuances exhibited by wines from many other parts of the world. No more. Chilean winemaking has come a long way in the past while, and the country now produces some extremely good wines which can compete virtually anywhere in terms of quality, while often still yielding very good value.

Chilean geography in the wine regions, in many ways, resembles California, in that the grapes are grown is a relatively narrow strip between the ocean and the mountains. The differences in terroir (aside from soil issues) are primarily that Chile is somewhat hotter, with a longer growing season, than California, and that the Chilean vineyards are often at higher altitudes than their California counterparts. Accordingly, the grapes are often treated to very high temperatures, with lots of sunshine, during the day, and with comparatively cooler nights.

Although the country produces most major grape varietals, chardonnay, cabernet sauvignon and carmenere are the most prominent. The first two, of course, are well known. Chilean chardonnays tend to be rich, replete with tropical fruit, and with less vanilla and oak, and somewhat less buttery, than many other new world chardonnays. Cabernet Sauvignons from Chile (and bordeaux blends) are usually rich and concentrated, and (like Californian cabs) approachable earlier, with softer tannins, than old world cabernets. They often have flavours of mint, black current, olives and smoke.

Although carmenere has become the signature grape of Chile, it originated in Bordeaux. It produces rich, but not long lived, wines, characterized by a deep red colour, spice and red fruit, with notes of smoke, earth, chocolate, tobacco and leather.

Chilean wines are often best consumed with food rather than on their own. Best recent years in Chile: 2001 and 2003, although the climate and most vintages are remarkably similar and consistent (at a high level).

The white wines of southern Burgundy are almost exclusively chardonnays. The wines are richer, with softer fruit, than the more minerally offerings from Burgundy’s other famous white wine region (Chablis), and (unlike most wines from Chablis) are often stored in oak for various periods of time. They are finesse wines, with a variety of flavours (everything from tropical fruit, stone fruit, apple, citrus, mineral, nuts, herbs, and wood). The area produces some of (if not the most) expensive white wines in the world.

Best recent years for white burgundies: 1995-7, 1999, 2002, 2005 and 2006.

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As with the last release, there are some very good values available tomorrow, together with a few, not overly expensive, exceptional offerings.

ROSÉS

Hot weather (finally) is rosé weather, and the Bieler Pere et Fils Sabine Rosé 2008 ($12.95) is well priced and comes from the home of rosés (Provence). It’s very dry (a must for me) with a deceptively light colour, but assertive strawberry, cherry, and raspberry fruit, and a longish, slightly herbal finish. It drinks well on its own, but would be a great complement for chicken or for a green salad (especially one with a raspberry vinaigrette dressing). If you like rosés, this wine will be for you. Closed with a screw cap. Just note that, at 13.5% alcohol, this wine may sneak up on you a bit, because it goes down so very easily.

WHITE WINES

I noted in my introduction that southern Burgundy produces some of the most expensive white wines in the world, so I’m not going to make apologies for recommending the Nicolas Potel Montagny 1er Cru 2007 from Burgundy even at $24.95. This is despite the fact that I rarely find it either necessary or desirable to review white wines over $20 because there are so many good ones (even in this release) south of that figure. But this price is still pretty reasonable for a white burgundy, and there is so much going on with this wine, that you shouldn’t miss it. There’s ripe pear and honey on the nose, and pear, apple, honey, buttered toast, oak, vanilla, pineapple, hazelnut and spice on the palate, with a long, lemony finish. A really good wine by itself, or with any seafood dish, chicken or pork.

Break the rule once, might as well break it twice. The Montes Alpha Chardonnay 2007 from Chile is also over $20 at $22.95, but it’s also worth the small difference. This is also a rich, buttery wine, with grapefruit, peach, pear and spice with a long, yummy finish and great mouth feel. It’s concentrated enough to stand up to almost any food short of red meat. I like the idea of it with pasta or shellfish in a cream sauce.

Sticking with chardonnay, but dropping to the other end of the price spectrum, the Leyda Reserva Chardonnay 2008, from Chile is extremely good value at $13.95. It’s a concentrated mélange of flavours including honey, apple, pear, tangerine, peach and grapefruit, with vanilla and oak. A lovely hot weather sipper alone, or try it with pork chops and apple sauce.

One more chardonnay – I can’t help it, there’s a lot of good chardonnay in this release. This one is the Domaine Francis Fichet et Fils Macon-Villages 2007 ($16.95) from Burgundy. This is a bit of an unconventional wine for a chardonnaty, with aromas of baked apple, and with green apple, citrus, and young pear on the palate. It’s not as rich as the previous three wines, but has a fresh and refreshing clean taste, with some sour grapefruit and apple on the finish. Good on its own, or with either white fish or a soft cheese (eg. brie or camembert, for preference).

The Mas des Bressades Cuveé Tradition Blanc 2008 ($13.95) from the Rhone isn’t a chardonnay, but it is as rich as most chards. It has a bouquet of white flowers and pineapple, and a rich tropical fruit and peach flavour. Another pleasant, hot weather sipper that will complement poultry or a Caesar salad.

I’ve been writing this column for almost four years now, and, despite a visit to Austria, I have only once before recommended a gruner veltliner, and that was only a month ago. No one, therefore, is more surprised than I when I come up with another one out of this release. But the Salomon Undhof Sal’mon Groovey Gruner Veltiner 2008 ($12.95) is not only well priced, but tastes very good as well. There is a bit of the characteristic white pepper, which is not overwhelming, together with medium ripe pear, and an exquisite balance ending in a soft, mouth pleasing finish. This is a dry wine which would go really well with white fish or spicy oriental food.

RED WINE

If you’re looking for a Chilean cabernet sauvignon, go for the Tabali Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 ($14.95). This is not the most complex wine you’ll ever taste, but it’s good value for the money, with smoky oak, blackberry and ripe black cherry. A burger wine, but a good burger wine. It would also be good with ribs or a not overly lean piece of grilled beef. Don’t decant for more than about 30 minutes before serving.

You also get good value from the Terra Andina Carmenere 2008 ($11.95), from Chile, provided that you like cedar flavours. There’s a lot more to the wine than that – with ripe blackberry, dark plum, mint and cloves – but the cedar is pretty prominent. A really good, fruit driven, deal to go with a casual barbecue. Screwcap.

The Montgras Reserva Carmenere 2008 is also from Chile and not much more expensive at $12.95. This is a less “in your face” wine than the Terra Andina. The fruit is very much in evidence, but there is more sophistication, with the ripe black cherry and raspberry opening giving some way to vanilla, mocha and oak on the mid palate and finish. A very good wine for the money.

Switching both continents and wine styles, the Chateau de L’Engarran Gres de Montpellier 2006 ($18.95) from the Languedoc will appeal to lovers of Rhone and Rhone-like wines. Expect a fruit forward blend of raspberry, herb de provence, mocha, gorse and spicy notes, with a long finish, that will go well with virtually any red meat coming off your barbecue. A nice compromise between a traditional Rhone style wine, with the complexities you would expect, and new world style abundant fruit.

I just finished drinking my 2000 Chateau Haut-Canteloup, so the Chateau Haut-Canteloup 2003 vintage, from Bordeaux, has arrived just in time. At $17.95, this wine is well priced, although, because the weather in 2003 was so hot, we can’t expect this version to last all that long. Expect an eminently approachable wine, with lots of ripe black fruit, smoke and some earthy notes. This is a good price for a consistently good, albeit unrated, left-bank wine. It will work well with red meat (of virtually any description)

Finally, at least for the value end of the spectrum, the Elderton E Series Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon 2006, from Australia, will appeal to anyone who likes a rich, fruit forward wine, especially at the $14.95 price point. Expect a peppery, rich (maybe jammy) wine with blackberry, cherry and pencil-box notes, and a medium-long finish. Serve with hard cheese or red meat.

The upper end of the red spectrum

The release contains at least four wines that are very much worth buying if you can bear to wait a bit before opening them. If you don’t want to wait the two or three years that all of these wines need, I’d suggest decanting for a least four hours before consumption.

- The Chateau La Serre 2005 ($58.00) from Bordeaux is an offering from a good producer in a great year. Expect a classic, powerful, left bank bordeaux, with vanilla, chocolate and cassis, and some earthy notes preceding a long finish. This is a big wine and will need roast or grilled red meat, or strong cheese, as an accompaniment, but, when you open it, you’ll be glad you bought it.

- The Casa Vinicola Cortese Barolo 2004 from Piedmont is only $31.95, and well worth the money, and the wait. This is a very good example of why some people call barolo the King of Wines, with loads of plum, rose petals, cassis, mushroom, cherry, leather and earthy notes. This is a medium bodied wine, with great potential but, for the moment, lots of tannins. It will go beautifully with a rare piece of lean beef.

- I have long been a fan of Barossa Valley Estates, an Australian winery that produces some of the country’s best cabernet sauvignon and shiraz. This release contains two of their offerings, the BVE Ebenezer Shriraz 2004 and the BVE Ebenezer Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 (both $39.95). The Ebenezer is the second wine from this producer, but it is extremely well made. Expect the cabernet to have a nose of dark fruit, with rich cassis and mocha/chocolate on the palate. The shiraz has coffee, raspberry and sandalwood on the nose, and complex, long lasting black cherry, tobacco, spice, coffee and smoke on the palate.