The theme of tomorrow’s release is Ontario’s “Shining Moment – our sensational 2007 Vintage”. There is also a sub-theme composed of Portuguese red wines.
We’ve had such a rotten summer that it’s hard to remember back two years to when we had a good one. But 2007 was a good year for Ontario wines, and, if you have a particular favourite Ontario winery, its products should just about be coming into their own about now. I recognize that it may be an unfair generalization, but I am not a great believer in the longevity of Ontario wines, no matter what they tell you at the winery. There are exceptions, of course, and I very much believe that Ontario wine is improving in quality, but all too often the results are uneven – at least in part due to our relatively short growing season.
I am a believer, therefore, in drinking most Ontario wines within two or three years. That may be even more true for hot years like 2007, when sugar levels will be relatively higher, and acid (to balance the tannins) somewhat lacking.
Aside from 2007, 2005 was also a very good year in Ontario.
Thus endeth the sermon.
I must confess that I don’t know as much about Portuguese wines as I’d like to. I do know that they have been steadily earning a reputation for improving quality and that they are usually big, rich robust wines (many of the grapes are the same ones used in port) often with a slight raisiny quality, as well as demonstrating rich black fruit, coffee, leather, mocha and blueberry flavours. Given the abundance of sun in Portugal, grapes have plenty of time to ripen, although the rocky soil in many regions, together with the hot, dry climate, stresses the berries to produce concentrated, if not extraordinarily long lasting, wines.
Portuguese reds are made to go with food, usually strong tasting, even spicy, red meats. Best recent vintages for red wines from Portugal: 2000 and 2003-05.
WHITE WINES
If you like pinot grigio’s, the Maculan Pinot Grigio 2008 from Veneto is for you. Priced at $15.95, it’s easily worth the money. This offering is a little richer than the norm from this varietal, which can sometimes be quite lean, although very refreshing. This is a beautifully balanced, complex wine, with honey, tropical fruit and citrus. It goes down like candy on its own, but would be a great match for most seafoods, salmon or chicken salad, or for pasta in a light sauce.
For a slightly leaner version of the same thing, and at the same price, try the Zenato Pinot Grigio 2008. I’ve long been a fan of this winery, which consistently delivers good, reliable wines at a decent price. This offering is a crisper version of the Maculan, with grapefruit, pear and mineral notes, and great mouth feel. There are some white flowers, as well as citrus, on the nose, and there’s plenty of acid to cut through dishes with cream sauce, or to complement whitefish.
By way of sauvignon blancs, I very much liked the Lone Kauri Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2008 ($14.95) from New Zealand. Despite the inviting price, this wine may not be for everyone, in that it’s a bit grassy, with definite peapod notes, and quite acidic – which is my taste in whites, but isn’t everyone’s. If you do like very lean, crisp whites though, this is a good choice, with lots of gooseberry, citrus, and tropical fruit. I like it on its own, but you can tone down the acid (without giving up on the mouth feel) by serving it with seafood or soft cheese.
You’ll pay somewhat more if you want some of the better chardonnay’s in this release, but you’ll be getting good wines for your money, and there’s a good selection. The only surprise is that the burgundian offering is at the southern end of the price spectrum as far as these wines are concerned (it’s usually the other way round), but you won’t go wrong (at least in the non-economic sense) by buying any of them. (I’m presenting them in order of price, not necessarily in order of preference):
- the Domaine Raphael Sallet Macon Uchizy 2007 from Burgundy embodies what I think is some of the best in chardonnays, but it is definitely not as rich as we have come to expect from California tastes. This wine is lightly oaked, so it yields some vanilla, but it is still quite lean, with chalk and mineral flavours, rather than fruit, dominating on the palate. That’s not to say that the fruit is missing. It isn’t, but the fruit flavours, like pear, are more delicate and less forward than many chardonnays. I think it’s a great deal for the price ($17.95) but it won’t deliver the rich buttery taste that many chardonnay lovers want.
- the Clos du Bois Sonoma Reserve Chardonnay 2007 ($22.95) is the real deal for anyone who likes California chardonnays. This is a rich, buttery wine, with lots of vanilla, mocha, melon, pineapple, grapefruit, spice, apple and oak. From the opening, and through a rich, and varied mid-palate, to a long finish, this wine has a taste and texture that is almost the quintessence of California chardonnay. Drink it on its own, or serve with, as Vintages suggests, chicken or seafood pasta.
- If you want to out-California, California, try the Hidden Bench Chardonnay 2007 from Niagara ($35.20). This a rich, rich chardonnay personified, with mature Bosc pear, and concentrated melon, plum and hazel nut notes on a vanilla base, and with a coconut cream finish. Try on its own, or with poultry.
RED WINE
For some (happy) reason, this release features a number of good pinot noirs in a variety of different price brackets. Since pinot noir, as a grape, is notoriously finicky to grow, and varies markedly in quality (and price) I had a great time tasting the following (also presented in order of price, but all recommended):
- There was a time when Ontario’s Stoney Ridge winery incurred my ire (is that still a word?) because, in my view, it was gouging its customers every time it managed to produce a good wine, while still trying to get them to buy the inferior stuff at prices which most other Ontario wineries charged for their better labels. Well, Stoney Ridge has seen the error or its ways (no doubt impelled by a near brush with bankruptcy) and has brought back one of its original founders, Jim Warren, to set it back on course. The winery has done the near impossible, and put out a decent pinot noir at the astonishingly low price of $14.95 – the Stoney Ridge Founders Signature Collection Pinot Noir 2007. This is a good wine – not a great wine – but, for the price, a very good pinot noir. It’s a relatively light wine, with sour cherry, some pomegranate and underbrush. It starts well, without being overly fruity, maintains its grip on the mid palate, and takes its time finishing. This is a very creditable offering, especially considering the price, and will work well with poultry or pork dishes, or, with a bit or aeration, on its own.
- I’ve usually preferred Burgundian pinots to their New World cousins, but usually cringed at the price. At $18.95, the Domaine Du Prieure Bourgogne Hautes Cotes de Beaune 2007 doesn’t make me cringe (pricewise) and has a lot going for it otherwise. Expect a classic village type burgundy, with beetroot and sour cherry flavours, very lean and mouth pleasing, with a long, elegant finish. I really like this wine. It’s not overly complex, but it’s a very good basic pinot.
- Moving upscale, the Lailey Pinot Noir 2007 ($24.95) from Niagara impressed me. In fact this winery has impressed me in the last little while under the direction of winemaker Derek Barnett, because it has been very consistent in producing quality products. This pinot is a case in point. Expect some real complexity on a medium bodied offering, with beetroot, cocoa, rhubarb and dark cherry notes, and a long, impressive finish. This wine is big enough to stand up to rare beef, let alone the “white” meats.
- When I said that I generally preferred Burgundian pinots to New World ones, I hadn’t really thought that there was anywhere in Europe, except Burgundy, that produced the grape. Apparently there is. The Miguel Torres Mas Borras Pinot Noir 2007 ($29.95), from Spain, of all places, is just terrific. This is just a lovely wine, with a gentle, slightly floral nose, and with rich mocha, raspberry and black cherry notes, and with exquisite balance, soft tannins and a long finish. As I said, I really liked the Domaine Du Prieure, but this wine is in a completely different snack bracket. It’s perfectly approachable now, but will last for at least 5 years or more. Serve with beef, or game dishes like rabbit, wild fowl or tortiere.
- We have come to expect Niagara’s Clos Jordanne winery to produce superior pinot noir (at a superior price), and it hasn’t disappointed this time. The Le Clos Jordanne Talon Ridge Vineyard Pinot Noir 2007 ($37.00) is a special wine. It is fruit forward enough not to be mistaken for a Old World pinot, but still elegant and understated. There’s great potential here – plum, raspberry, sour cherry, beetroot and earthy notes, but lots of tannin as well. I think this wine would benefit from at least a couple more years in the bottle, but when you bring it out, make sure it’s for a special occasion because it’ll be worth it. It will easily stand up to any red meat you serve with it. As for the price, and in Clos Jordanne's defence, I've certainly seen inferior pinots at much higher prices than this.
As for the rest:
- If you’re feeling flush (not flushed) this week, you should get the Chateau Clos de Sarpe 2005 from Bordeaux. It’ll set you back $155.00, and you shouldn’t open it for at least 7 years, but it’ll be lovely when you do. If, on the other hand, you have taxes to pay, children to school, a mortgage, car loans, grocery bills – and/or all of those other expensive habits we tend to acquire or life thrusts upon us – you might want to try the Chateau Rauzan Despagne Reserve 2006. It’s not as good as the Clos de Sarpe, but you can drink it now – with at least an hour’s decanting – and it’ll set you back $18.95. This is a big wine, with concentrated flavours of cocoa, juicy black plum, cherry, vanilla and cassis. There are some underbrush notes, semi-soft tannins, and a long, rich finish that will complement rare beef or strong cheese.
If you like chocolate, go for the Quinto de Ventozelo Touriga Nacional 2005 ($19.95) from Portugal. This is a big, big, wine, with notes of blueberry, raspberry, vanilla and coffee, but what I got most was masses of dark chocolate. The tannins, and there are plenty of them, are very soft, and the fruit is both mature and concentrated so that there is almost a port-like texture. This is a very enjoyable wine.
From Australia, the Wits End The Procrastinator 2006 ($16.95) is a spicy shiraz, cabernet sauvignon and grenache blend. Inasmuch as a wine can be called “racy” this is it. It’s a combination of blackberry, raspberry and olive flavours that would make a great barbecue wine – but a barbecue wine with some spice and character. Whether you serve it with hamburgers or steak, the almost sweet and sour notes will be a good, if somewhat unusual, complement.
Despite its cumbersome name, the Finca Flichman Expresiones Reserve Malbec/Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 ($15.95) from Argentina is a very tasty wine. This is a rich, very concentrated combination of black fruit, mocha and vanilla, with a smoky/spicy finish. If you like your wine perfectly dry, this may not be for you, but if a bit of yummy, jammy fruit appeals, so should this wine.
Finally, if you have some spare cash, you might want to consider spending it on the Quintarelli Valpolicella Classico Superiore 2000 ($89.95) from Veneto. I won’t tell you that the wine isn’t over-priced. Valpolicella is the little brother of amarone, and you can get some very good amarones for half the asking price of this wine. On the other hand, Quintarelli himself is one of the premier winemakers in Italy (if not the premier winemaker), and he has been turning out exceptional valpolicellas and amarones for about half a century. The man knows his craft, and he produces incredible wines. I opened a bottle of the 1993 version of this wine last month, and – 16 years later - it was better than most amarones I’ve had. I’m not into wine as an investment, but if I were, I suspect I could make a little bit of change on this wine. More important, open it any time in the next ten years, and you’ll have a totally memorable wine, with rich dried red fruit, raisin, and Christmas cake spice that you can’t help but love.
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