Vintages Release - December 11, 2010

This is my last column before January, so all the best for the season to all of you. There are some good wines, and good values, in this release

SPARKLING WINES

The holiday season is upon us (how did that happen so fast) and sparkling wines will be in demand. There are a lot of good choices in this release, but here’s where I would go:

If you have the coin for a real champagne (and no matter what they say, there is something special about the real thing) go for the Delamotte Brut Champagne ($47.95). The producer is very reliable and a sister house to the super expensive Salon. This is a creamy offering with note of lime, chalk and brioche. This is a high quality champagne which, especially for the price, is good value. It is a very good choice for an aperitif, your New Year celebration, or even to accompany your Christmas turkey.

If the Delamotte is out of your price range, go for the Segura Viudas Brut Reserva Heredad Cava ($29.95) from Spain. This is an excellent good second choice. It is nicely balanced with great mouth feel, a medium long finish and notes of creamy lime and mineral. It may not be the real thing, but for the money, it’s pretty close.

If the Cava is also too much for a strained December budget, or if you’re into making mimosas (you can get big points with a significant other by delivering some flavoured orange juice to them first thing on a holiday morning) go for the Seaview Brut Methode Champenoise ($13.95) from Australia. This is not a Vintages wine, it’s general list, but it is a very tasty wine. You needn’t be embarrassed to serve it on its own, but, given the price, it won’t cause you pain if you adulterate it with juice either.

WHITE WINES

Try any of the following, depending on your taste:

The Jean-Marc Brocard Chablis Montmains 1er cru 2008 ($33.95) – crisp, dry with lots of flinty mineral and pear, with notes of spice honey and toast. Great with seafood, especially shellfish.

Gainey Vineyard Chardonnay 2008 ($24.95) from California. If you like butterscotch, this is for you. Will work with your turkey or a soft cheese.

St. Francis Chardonnay 2008 ($19.95) from California. Perhaps a mite less rich than the Gainey, but classic, buttery California chardy all the same. Lots of vanilla, a mélange of ripe fruit (tropical and citrus) and a bit of well integrated oak.

Vincent Lacombe Vielles Vignes Chardonnay Bourgogne 2009 ($18.95) from Burgundy. Quite crisp on the opening but mellows into a surprisingly rich flavour. I didn’t get any oak, but it may just be very well integrated. Dry, with green apple, pear, mineral and a touch of spice. Some banana on the nose.

Wither Hills Wairau Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2009 ($18.95) from New Zealand. Lots of gooseberry, tropical fruit. A bit grassy, but that’s a good thing. Well integrated acid gives a zingy mouthfeel. Good with whitefish, soft cheese or on its own.

RED WINES

And try any of these:

I loved the Bodegas Franco Espanolas Rioja Brodon Reserva 2004 ($18.95) from Spain. Medium bodied and lively, with a nose of violets and lavender, and milk chocolate, sour cherry, spice, smoke and gorse on the palate. Buy this wine.

I also loved the Monte Antico Sangiovese/Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 ($15.00) from Tuscany. This combination of grapes produces a lovely medium bodied wine with white pepper, sweet black cherry and red licorice. Very good with red meat, or meat and tomato dishes, or with turkey and gravy. Buy this wine.

The Elio Filippino Nebbiolo 2007 ($15.95) from Piedmont. Typical, slightly earthy nebbiolo (the same grape as used in barolo) with lots of black fruit and herbal notes. Slightly effervescent and fairly light.. Good value, and perfect for pasta dishes.

Hess Select Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 ($23.95) from California. Very well integrated California cabernet, with well integrated, generous flavours of dark chocolate, cherry, and ripe plum. Relatively light bodied for a Californian. Drink on its own, or with red meat, as long as it isn’t too lean a cut.

Mitolo Jester Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 ($21.95) from Australia. A perennial favourite of mine. A big, Australian cabernet which packs a real punch with concentrated, dark fruit flavours and spice, with licorice and gorse notes. Great with steak or lamb.

And at the higher end of the price spectrum:

The Penfolds St Henri Shiraz 2005 ($74.95). One of Australia’s best wines. Rich, concentrated black fruit and Christmas cake spice, well integrated and beautifully layered, with a long finish. Pricey yes, but it’s one of those wines that you’ll remember for a long time.

Two very good chateauneuf choices:

- Domain Chante Cigale Tradition Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2007 ($37.95). Big chewy wine with flavours of smoked meat, leather, black cherry, plum, spice, cassis and a lot more. You won’t regret buying this wine.

- Le Vieux Donjon Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2008 ($52.95). Also big and chewy, with candied fruit, leather, pencil box, spice, white pepper, smoke and raspberry. If you’re into keeping wine for a while, this will age better than the Cigale. If not, you may not want to spend the extra, even though there is an extra layer of complexity here.

I’ve always been a huge amarone fan, so I’m picky about it. The Tenuta Sant’Antonio Selezione Antinio Castagnedi Amarone Della Valpolicella 2006 ($41.95) passes all my tests and is well priced to boot. Expect raisin, dark chocolate, and kirsch flavours, with notes of black and red licorice and black pepper. Drink now (with at least an hour’s aeration) or keep for up to five years. Serve with strong tasting meat (lamb or venison) or in place of port (with hard cheese) after dinner.