Vintages Release - May 15, 2010

Tomorrow’s Vintages release features the wines of Burgundy; California chardonnays; and rosés from around the world.

Burgundy

I’m not going to rattle on about burgundian wines. This is one of the great wine regions of the world, and produces some of the best, as well as the most expensive, wines you can buy. Burgundy is a fairly unique region in Europe in that it produces almost all of its wines from essentially three grapes – pinot noir in the Cote d’Or, gamay in southern Burgundy (reds) and chardonnay (whites). Amongst the whites, most of the wines from the Chablis sub-region are unoaked, while southern Burgundian chardonnays are almost all oaked.

Best recent years for red wines in Burgundy: 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005 and 2006. 2005 was a spectacular year. 2005 and 2006 vintages are generally considered too young to drink.

Best recent years for white wines in Burgundy: 1999, 2002, 2005-2007. 2002, 2004 and 2005 could be aged more.

California Chardonnays

California is pretty well the spiritual (pun intended) home for new world chardonnays. The state produces some extremely fine examples of the varietal, many of which are characterized by buttery, vanilla and nutty notes, as well as oak, tropical fruit and butterscotch. They are often very big wines for whites, and are good complements for food.

Best recent years for California chardonnays: every year since 1995, except 2001. 1995 and 1997 were rated exceptional. 2000, 2004 and 2005 could be aged more.

BTW (and it may be redundant)

It’s easy to talk about good years, so-so years and requirements for more aging, but these are only averages and, at best, only a very general guide. A good winemaker will make a good wine even in a bad climatic year, and micro-climates will have a drastic impact.

Rosés

It’s my impression that rosés are becoming more common in North America. They used to be viewed (rightly or wrongly) as light, hot weather quaffers, not to be taken seriously as anything other than as thirst quenchers, or as a form of alcoholic soda pop. More and more, however, wine makers are paying attention to quality and producing blush wines of good quality. I’m still not hugely enamoured of them, but they are becoming increasingly popular.

My recommendation from a fairly good crop in this release is the Chateau La Croix de Queynac Bordeaux Rosè 2009 ($13.95) from Bordeaux. It is fairly pale coloured with a faint raspberry nose. Don’t be fooled by the nose and appearance though. This wine is very dry with concentrated strawberry, raspberry, cranberry and mineral notes. It’s very refreshing with good mouth feel and a long finish. A good hot weather quaffer but it packs a bit of a wallop with 13% alcohol It will drink well on its own, but will stand up to burgers, pizza or a salad with raspberry vinaigrette.

WHITE WINES

The Glass Mountain Vintner’s Selection Chardonnay 2008 ($13.95) is a really good wine for the price. It’s lightly oaked, with a nose of tangerine, pear and, especially, peach. Those flavours replicate on the palate with some honey, tropical fruit, and vanilla. If you’re not looking for butterscotch and too much concentration, this wine is for you.

The Alta Vista Premium Torrontes 2008 ($13.95) from Argentina is also a good deal for the price. Expect white flowers and lime on the nose, with lime, honeysuckle, mint, apricot and lychee on the palate. This is a light bodied, very refreshing offering that drinks well on its own, but would go well with a salad (at least absent the tomato).

You get more good value with the Sileni Cellar Selection Sauvignon Blanc 2009 ($15.95) from New Zealand. This perennially reliable producer has done it again with a very tasty, well balanced sauvignon at, if memory serves, a lower price than last year. It has lots of well integrated acid, with green apple, lime, grapefruit and some slightly grassy, herbal notes, good mouth feel and a long finish. Match with a baguette and some soft cheese, or with fried white fish, or sip it on its own.

The Robert Oatley Pinot Grigio 2009 ($17.95) from Australia is a complex wine for a pinot grigio. There’s grapefruit and new mown grass on the nose, with sweet grapefruit, lime and red apple on the palate. It’s quite soft and very well balanced with a medium finish. A very enjoyable wine.

At the upper end of the price spectrum for whites, I have two suggestions, either of which should impress:

- The J. Lohr Arroyo Vista Chardonnay 2007 ($29.95) from California is everything a California chardonnay should be, with rich, creamy flavours of butterscotch, vanilla, tropical fruit, red apple, cinnamon and hazelnuts, with a core of well integrated oak. This is a lovely wine. It should be paired with food – ideally anything in a light cream sauce – but try it on its own first. You may not be able to wait for the food.

- The Domaine Roux Père & Fils La Chateniere Saint-Aubin 1er Cru 2007, from Burgundy will set you back $39.95, but everybody should have a bottle like this occasionally. This wine offers rich layers of well integrated flavours, with hazelnut, almond, ripe peach and apple, and a long, buttery finish. If your bank manager won’t spring for this wine, there’s a younger sister, the Roux Père & Fils Clos Des Mollepierres Rully 2007 in this release for $23.95. The younger sibling is a good wine, and I’m happy to recommend it, but the Saint-Aubin really is a special experience that is a lovely treat. I’m sure you can think of some reason why you deserve it.

RED WINES

The deal of this release is the Domaine La Croix Belle Cuvee Syrah 2008 ($11.95) from the Midi. Expect leather on nose, with leather, cherry, sour black plum, cocoa and spice on the palate, and a finish that won’t quit. Go to the store early and buy this wine (it won’t last long), then serve with barbecued sausages or any spicy dish.

If it wasn’t for the La Croix, I’d be saying that the Blue Pyrenees Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 is the deal of the release at $16.95. The Australians do cabernet sauvignons really well, and this wine is proof. It’s a big, well structured combination of concentrated cassis, plum, cedar and dark chocolate with a long, long finish. This wine needs red meat. It’s drinking well now, but if you popped a case into the basement, I think it would be even better in a year or so (if you can leave it for that long).

If you prefer shiraz to cabernet sauvignon, go for the Evans & Tate Shiraz 2007 ($19.95) from Western Australia. Some shiraz’s are too jammy, more like fruit bombs that overwhelm your palate at first taste. Not this one. It has lots of big fruit – ripe plum and rich blackberry, with vanilla and coffee, but structured into layers of flavour; with a big finish and a chewy texture. Vintages suggests pairing with rotisserie chicken or barbecued Portobello mushrooms, and I agree, but I wouldn’t hesitate to have it with a striploin or spareribs either.

I love valpolicella ripassos because they’re so rich that they’re really mini amarones, but occasionally I like to go back to the classic valpolicella, which is much leaner and not quite so overwhelming on the palate. They’re also generally easier on the wallet. To that end, go for the Brigaldara Valpolicella 2008 ($14.95) from Veneto. This reliable producer has put together a good wine, which will go well with tomato based dishes or red meat, with notes of sour cherry, spice, plum and pencil box. Before you buy, though, check to see if your store has any of the Cantine Francesco Minimi Valpolicella 2008, which will set you back only $12.95. It isn’t in the release but a number of the stores have it. If you can find it, expect an interesting palate of sour cherry, cocoa and smoked meat. These are burger/comfort food wines, but they are reliable wines for everyday and a wide variety of foods.

For Bordeaux lovers, the Chateau Lafon Cuvee Classic 2005 ($19.95) comes from the stellar 2005 vintage, and has lots of cassis on nose, with notes of black plum, cassis, earth, oak, mushroom, forest floor, tobacco, smoked meat and blueberry on the palate. This is a complex wine with a long finish, that will beautifully complement most red meats. Don’t, however, keep for more than a few months (at most) or aerate much before serving.

The Quails' Gate Pinot Noir 2007 from British Columbia will set you back $24.95. It is starting to attract a bit of a cult following. Expect a medium bodied wine with well integrated, earthy layers of cooked cherry, spice, raspberry, tobacco and dark chocolate with a long finish. I like new world pinots with barbecued salmon or pork.

At the upper end of the red price spectrum, try:

- the Fontanafredda Barolo Serralunga D'Alba 2005 from Piedmont is only $27.95. Part of the reason for the price is that this is only a 500 ml. bottle (as opposed to the standard 750 ml.) but the rest is that this is good value. This is one of the best known Barolo producers, and you can confidently expect great mouth feel, with soft tannins, cassis, and a hint of the classic tar and roses. This is a well put together, medium bodied wine, which can be drunk now, or any time in the next three of four years (maybe longer). Pair with a hard cheese or lean red meat.

- The Domaine Daniel Rion & Fils Les Grandes Vignes Nuits-St-Georges 2007 ($44.95) from Burgundy comes from a producer that’s an old favourite of mine, and has yet to let me down. This may not have been a stellar vintage in Burgundy, but you can still expect a chewy, well structured, elegant wine with classic sour cherry, raspberries, blackberries, smoke, leather, earth, and a tinge of chocolate on the finish. Vintages suggests pairing with veal or roast beef, and I agree.

- Good brunellos don’t come cheap, but they’re usually worth a premium. At $49.95 the Castelgiocondo Brunello Di Montalcino 2004 from Tuscany is well priced, and comes from a very good vintage, and an extremely reliable producer. Soft, silky tannins, smooth texture and expressive black fruit are what brunellos, including this one, are all about. Add smoke and violets and you’ve got a wine that will complement virtually any meat dish.

- Silver Oak is one of my favourite cabernet sauvignon producers from California, and the Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 isn’t cheap at $84.95, but neither are good California cabs from very well rated years and good houses. You’ll get a great wine for your money, with concentrated black cherry, vanilla, licorice, plum and smoke. This is a big, velvety wine with long, supple tannins, and a long, slightly spicy, glycerin finish. It compares well to California cabs at twice the price or more. Aerate for at least two hours before serving with a good cut of beef.