I know I said I wouldn’t be reviewing full releases any more, but I’m entitled to make exceptions, and the October 1 release warrants some extra consideration. The theme of the release is “Syrah and Shiraz around the World”, which is a little disingenuous considering that it’s the same varietal, simply called syrah in France, and shiraz in the new world. There are certainly differences, however, from region to region, as to taste and treatment of syrah’s/shiraz’s, and I have a few thoughts as to what you should get from both, but I’ve by and large ignored the theme in this missive.
The fact is I went overboard in spending on this release and when my wife finds out (which she will when she reads this) I’m going to be raked over the coals. She usually forgives me though, because she does get to share in the fruits of my vinous excesses.
With Thanksgiving coming up next weekend, and the fall release of a whole bunch of good reds and dessert wines, this was a release to let go of the purse strings a little.
Where to start?
DESSERT WINES (both of these wines are highly recommended)
There are two good choices in this release, and I bought them both:
Sauterne in Bordeaux may be the most famous dessert wine region in the world (although to be fair Niagara ice wines are right up there) but there is nothing quite like a chilled sauterne, either with foie gras, or with nuts, fruit and or a tangy sweet dessert. The Chateau Doisy–Vendrines 2007, is, in my mind, a bargain at $29.00 (for the 375 ml. bottle). You get a mélange of sweet fruit notes (primarily apricot) with nectarine, peach, orange peel, almond and honey, balanced nicely by the acid so you get a sweet sensation without the sugary taste. You can pay well into the hundreds of dollars for a good sauterne, but, if you like this style of wine, you won’t be disappointed in this one, especially at this price.
There are many good things coming out of Hungary, but the first of them that comes to mind for me is Tokay, the iconoclastic Hungarian dessert wine. Tokays (more properly tokaji’s) are ranked on a scale of up to 5 puttonoys with five being the best (although I admit I’ve never seen a one or a two). I always wait for the fives though, because the price differential between a four and a five isn’t much, but the quality difference can be immense. I love the Royal Tokaji 5 Pottonoys Takaji Aszu because I’ve never even had a mediocre offering from this house, and the 2006 version is no exception, and represents great value at $19.95 (for a 250 ml. bottle). I got honey, apricot, ripe peach and marmalade, on this rich, mouth filling, well balanced wine. The finish goes on forever.
RED WINES (all of these wines are highly recommended, but are on the pricey side)
I didn’t buy all of these (I promise, Lee) but I did buy a lot of them, and would have bought them all were it not for the thought of the cost (and I don’t primarily mean the money).
One that I did buy was the Ornellaia 2008 ($184.95) from Tuscany. This winery produces a number of reds including the Le Volte dell´Ornellaia (which is usually available in Vintages and sells for $29.95) and the Le Serre Nuove dell’Ornellaia (which Vintages carries when it’s released. The 2008 version sold for $59.95, and I bought a lot of it. The Ornellaia (which is in this release) is this house’s premier wine, and I know it’s expensive, but it’s just too good for me to resist. This is a Bordeaux blend of 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 16% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot, and it’s is just exquisite, with an Christmas cake and cedar nose, and notes of tobacco, tar, olive, chocolate, plum, smoke and vanilla. Properly stored, this wine will get better and better for ten years (at least) and will be the perfect wine for an intimate celebration for two any time after 2015. Drink without food (after aeration) if you like, but a complement of a hard cheese or a cut of lean beef would be ideal. Although I’m not into this, I’d be willing to bet it will double in value in ten years (or maybe a lot less) too.
I also bought some of the Caparzo Brunello do Montalcino 2005 ($39.95) from Tuscany. This is a great price for a good brunello, and this is a very good brunello. Expect kirsch, tobacco, black cherry, spice, licorice, vanilla, sweet oak, leather, violets and cocoa on this medium bodied, well integrated wine. There are very soft tannins and a long finish. Just a lovely wine to pair with a veal chop. Drink any time you like, but aerate for at least 30 minutes – preferably 60 – first.
Without going into whatever else I bought (plausible deniability is worth something) try any of the following and you are not likely to go wrong:
- the Stag’s Leap Winery Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 ($49.95) from California. This is one of Napa’s most reliable wineries in this price range, and this offering delivers the full California cab experience. Expect a smooth, and very drinkable wine with rich plum, sweet blackberry, cedar, vanilla and earthy flavours. Good on its own, or with virtually any beef dish. Also works with chocolate.
- There are some good choices from the Rhone (and from Bordeaux, even though they are not syrahs), but the syrah I would recommend is the Domaine de Bonserine la Sarrasine Côte-Rôtie 2008 ($49.95). This is a big, dense, chewy wine, packed with cherry, cedar, vanilla, spice, smoke and raspberry. The finish goes on and on, but it will need two or three years in the bottle or at least an hour’s aeration, preferably more. This is a food wine. Don’t drink on its own, but serve with hard cheese, beef or even lamb.
- My shiraz recommendation is very much the opposite of the Bonserine, and, not surprisingly, comes from the other side of the world. The Barossa Valley Estate Ebenezer Shiraz 2006 ($39.95) from Australia is an old favourite. I’ve visited this winery and have always loved their wines. You’ll find intense but lively blackberry, sweet oak, soft tannins and licorice on this ready to drink, well-structured offering. Many Aussie shiraz’s are too jammy for me. Not this one.
I could go on. There are a lot of good, higher priced reds in this release, but the ones noted above are my favourites. Get any of them, and you’ll be pleased you did.
TURKEY WINES
There are a lot of choices for wines to go with turkey. The food pairing guides always suggest that you try to pair with the strongest tasting food you’re serving, which is often not the turkey, but could be the cranberry sauce, the gravy or even a spicy stuffing.
I have three suggestions for varietals. Go with the one that you like best.
Especially if you like white meat, a buttery chardonnay is a good choice. Chardonnay is generally the most flavourful white varietal, and will not be overpowered by the fatty turkey juice. Some possible choices from this release:
- the Kendall Jackson Vintner’s Reserve Chardonnay 2009 ($19.95) from California. Buttery, but not too buttery, with green apple, tropical fruit and just a touch of vanilla and olive. A nice, complex chardonnay, with a long finish, at a quite decent price. Not at all oaky for those who have strong feelings one way or the other about oak.
- the Yalumba FDW [7c] Chardonnay 2008 ($23.95) from Australia. This is a cooler weather chardonnay with hazelnut, green apple, peach, citrus, mineral and smoke dominating. This is a big wine (for a white) well rounded and mouth filling. If the full bodied California chardonnay is your taste, this probably won’t be, but if you like muted oak and Burgundian elegance, this will likely please.
If you like to pile on the cranberry sauce, you might want to pair your turkey with a pinot noir. My preference, in general is for Burgundian pinot over new world ones because I think that the French versions have more structure and elegance, but there is something to be said for having a more fruit forward style with turkey, especially since new world pinots (especially California ones) sport slightly riper fruit than traditional French pinots. Your choice really.
- from California, the Clos Du Bois Pinot Noir 2008 ($18.95) is a good example of a warm weather pinot, with ripe cherry and notes of beetroot, blueberry and smoke. Well structured, with a long finish.
If your preference is for a somewhat more austere, less fruit driven pinot, try any of the three I mentioned in my last two newsletters. Or you could try something a little different:
- Oregon pinots tend to be less fruit forward than California comparators (might have something to do with the cooler climate) but are often lighter and spicier with more pepper. The Elk Cove Vineyards Pinot Noir 2008 ($36.95) has the spice, together with some nice beetroot, and cherry and raspberry notes.
- If you happen to be down in Niagara, you could stop in at Lowrey Vineyards Five Rows Winery. This is a relatively new Ontario winery, although not new to the grape growing business, and it has hit upon the interesting idea of numbering all of its bottles, and asking customers to register the bottles and leave tasting notes on their web site. I recently tried one of their 2008 pinot noirs, and liked it quite a lot. You can see my tasting note here http://www.fiverows.com/provenance/, about half way down the page, together with the reaction from other customers. The pinot costs $50.00. You can only get it at the winery.
If you like dark meat, or like gravy with your turkey, try a shiraz. You still get all the fruit, and more, of a pinot, but the wine is generally a little bigger, and complements the richer flavours of the food, while maintaining and enhancing the fruit complement of the cranberry.
- I’d suggest the Thorn-Clarke Terra Barossa Shiraz 2009 ($16.95) as being really good value, in a non-jammy shiraz. It was released a few weeks ago, but there is still a lot in the stores. This is a well structured wine with dark plum, a little eucalyptus, spice, cherry, olive and a touch of kirsch. It’s good on its own, and will stand up to beef.
If none of the “turkey” options presented here work for you, and you want to move upscale, the Barossa Valley Estate Ebenezer Shiraz 2006 (reviewed above) would not be a bad choice either.
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Friday, September 23, 2011
Vintages release - September 17, 2011
The major focus of last Saturday’s release was the wines of Bordeaux and Burgundy, possibly the most storied wine regions in the world.
Just before I get started on the wines, however, I thought I’d pass along what looks like a pretty good deal on wine cellars (the refrigerator style) which is now on sale at the Wine Establishment. You can view the unit here:
http://thewineestablishment.com/shopping?page=shop.browse&manufacturer_id=12
The cellar in question is the KoolR 220 Bottle Wine Cellar, which regularly sells for $995, but the black model is now on sale for $695. For an additional $125 they will deliver and set it up for you.
This is a very good price for a decent unit, and a good way to protect your better wines while they mature. It will hold up to 220 Bordeaux bottles (a somewhat lesser number of bottles from other regions because of their shape) at a constant temperature and humidity. I have one of these units, and it was served me well for about 8 years. If you browse the site, you will note that you can pay up to $5,000 and more for smaller, although no doubt prettier, units.
If you are interested, the Wine Establishment is at 250 The Esplanade, Courtyard Suite 104, Toronto, M5A 1J2 (near St. Lawrence Market). Telephone 416.861.1331 • Toll Free: 1.800.268.8418 • Email: mail@thewineestablishment.com. And before you ask, I have no financial interest in the business, and have not received or been promised anything for noting this offer.
As to the wines from last Saturday, I was really happy with:
· The Chateau Semonlon 2008 ($17.95) from the Haut Medoc on the left bank of Bordeaux. You will not often find a good Bordeax under $20, and this one is very much worth your while, with a gamut of flavours – raspberry, blueberry, leather, spice, plum and blackcurrent. It will, and did, go well with a barbecued roast. It’s quite ready now (with a little aeration) and sports some soft tannins and a medium finish. Vintages suggests that it will last for up to three years, but I wouldn’t keep it that long. It should easily last a year though. Strongly recommended.
· The Chateau St. Georges is back, and the 2008 version($29.95) is as good as ever. This right bank wine (mostly merlot) has been a favourite for years and represents (despite the price) good value. This is a wine I’m going to be putting away for 2- 3 years. It is drinking well now, with flavours and aromas of earth, cherry and tobacco, with notes of plum and sweet oak, but it will be better when the tannins have had a bit of time to smooth out. If you want a reasonably priced Bordeaux to put away, this is it.
· For those of you who missed the Albert Bichot Pinot Noir Bourgogne Vielles Vignes 2008 burgundy at $13.25 a bottle, all I can say is that you missed a bargain. The Bouchard Pere et Fils Cote de Beaune-Villages 2008 will set you back $22.95, which is still a pretty good price for a decent burgundy, even though it’s not the steal the Bichot was. The Bouchard is still very much worthwhile though, with beetroot and candied sour cherry, great balance and mouthfeel and a long, slightly acidic finish that does really well with pork. Drink now, or within the next two years, but aerate for at least 30 minutes first.
· Rhone lovers should really take to the Domaine Grand Veneur Clos de Sixte Lirac 2009 ($23.99). This wine has a lot of similarity to a chateauneuf-du-pape, although I’m not going to tell you that it has all of the flavours and layers of some of the best from that region. However, at this price point, it is a pretty good imitation. It’s a big, chewy wine, and needs beef or cheese, to bring out some of the spice and earthy flavours, with notes of black fruit, leather and smoke. A very good, all purpose wine to go with most red meat dishes.
· Finally, you’ll have to look pretty hard to find better value than the First Press Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 ($19.95) from California. This is a great price for a wine of this quality, with lots of smooth complexity; an aroma of cassis and vanilla; and lovely notes of chocolate, mint, cedar, dark fruit and spice. The structure and finish yield a beautifully balanced wine that’s drinking well now, and will keep for at least 2 years. Enjoy it on its own, or with virtually any red meat (as long as it isn’t too spicy). Strongly recommended.
Just before I get started on the wines, however, I thought I’d pass along what looks like a pretty good deal on wine cellars (the refrigerator style) which is now on sale at the Wine Establishment. You can view the unit here:
http://thewineestablishment.com/shopping?page=shop.browse&manufacturer_id=12
The cellar in question is the KoolR 220 Bottle Wine Cellar, which regularly sells for $995, but the black model is now on sale for $695. For an additional $125 they will deliver and set it up for you.
This is a very good price for a decent unit, and a good way to protect your better wines while they mature. It will hold up to 220 Bordeaux bottles (a somewhat lesser number of bottles from other regions because of their shape) at a constant temperature and humidity. I have one of these units, and it was served me well for about 8 years. If you browse the site, you will note that you can pay up to $5,000 and more for smaller, although no doubt prettier, units.
If you are interested, the Wine Establishment is at 250 The Esplanade, Courtyard Suite 104, Toronto, M5A 1J2 (near St. Lawrence Market). Telephone 416.861.1331 • Toll Free: 1.800.268.8418 • Email: mail@thewineestablishment.com. And before you ask, I have no financial interest in the business, and have not received or been promised anything for noting this offer.
As to the wines from last Saturday, I was really happy with:
· The Chateau Semonlon 2008 ($17.95) from the Haut Medoc on the left bank of Bordeaux. You will not often find a good Bordeax under $20, and this one is very much worth your while, with a gamut of flavours – raspberry, blueberry, leather, spice, plum and blackcurrent. It will, and did, go well with a barbecued roast. It’s quite ready now (with a little aeration) and sports some soft tannins and a medium finish. Vintages suggests that it will last for up to three years, but I wouldn’t keep it that long. It should easily last a year though. Strongly recommended.
· The Chateau St. Georges is back, and the 2008 version($29.95) is as good as ever. This right bank wine (mostly merlot) has been a favourite for years and represents (despite the price) good value. This is a wine I’m going to be putting away for 2- 3 years. It is drinking well now, with flavours and aromas of earth, cherry and tobacco, with notes of plum and sweet oak, but it will be better when the tannins have had a bit of time to smooth out. If you want a reasonably priced Bordeaux to put away, this is it.
· For those of you who missed the Albert Bichot Pinot Noir Bourgogne Vielles Vignes 2008 burgundy at $13.25 a bottle, all I can say is that you missed a bargain. The Bouchard Pere et Fils Cote de Beaune-Villages 2008 will set you back $22.95, which is still a pretty good price for a decent burgundy, even though it’s not the steal the Bichot was. The Bouchard is still very much worthwhile though, with beetroot and candied sour cherry, great balance and mouthfeel and a long, slightly acidic finish that does really well with pork. Drink now, or within the next two years, but aerate for at least 30 minutes first.
· Rhone lovers should really take to the Domaine Grand Veneur Clos de Sixte Lirac 2009 ($23.99). This wine has a lot of similarity to a chateauneuf-du-pape, although I’m not going to tell you that it has all of the flavours and layers of some of the best from that region. However, at this price point, it is a pretty good imitation. It’s a big, chewy wine, and needs beef or cheese, to bring out some of the spice and earthy flavours, with notes of black fruit, leather and smoke. A very good, all purpose wine to go with most red meat dishes.
· Finally, you’ll have to look pretty hard to find better value than the First Press Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 ($19.95) from California. This is a great price for a wine of this quality, with lots of smooth complexity; an aroma of cassis and vanilla; and lovely notes of chocolate, mint, cedar, dark fruit and spice. The structure and finish yield a beautifully balanced wine that’s drinking well now, and will keep for at least 2 years. Enjoy it on its own, or with virtually any red meat (as long as it isn’t too spicy). Strongly recommended.
Friday, August 26, 2011
Apologies and Suggestions
Hello everybody
I think that I owe all of you an apology - which is hereby tendered - for taking an unannounced sabbatical from this column, but it was starting to feel a little bit too much like work. I do intend to pick it up again, but, I think, on a more scaled back basis. In other words, instead to trying to cover every Vintages release, I intend to write more irregularly (is that a word?) as products that strike me as being really exceptional come to my attention.
Along those lines, I have a few suggestions:
Burgundy lovers should get some of the Albert Bichot Pinot Noir Bourgogne Vielles Vignes 2008, which is presently on sale for $13.25 a bottle. This is an unbelievable price for a decent burgundy, with notes of sour cherry and beetroot. Not the most complex wine, but it is great value, and will go really well with pork or poultry dishes. It's medium bodied, quite dry and with good structure and a medium to long finish. This is a general list product, and you may have to search around a bit for it, but you won't regret the effort. It even has a screw cap, which, from my point of view, is a great advangage and convenience for any drink now wine. I bought a case, and you should buy some too.
I also bought a good bit of another burgundy, the Dufouleur Pere et Fils Chambolle-Musigny 2007 at about $49.00 a bottle. This is a very elegant, complex wine which will benefit from another year or so in the bottle, or an hour or so of aeration, and is easily big enough to stand up to a rare cut of beef, as well as more traditional pinot noir accompaniments. I thought it was worth the $49, so imagine my chagrin when I found it in a clearance centre for $40.35. I bought more. If there's no clearance centre near you, your local vintages consultant should be able to get it for you. Highly reccommended.
If you're like me, you've been spoiled by Grey Goose Vodka, but you're more than a little put off by the price ($48.95 for a 750 ml bottle). If so, I have three suggestions for you, and, although they are not quite the same, I found all three very comparable (I generally drink my vodka pretty straight in martinis with only a drop of vermouth for flavour) and at much better prices. These are all general list products.
- My favourite of the 3 is Slava Ultra Premium Vodka ($32.95) from the Ukraine. Quite similar to Grey Goose, but perhaps not quite (but almost) as smooth. A very good substitute, though, at 2/3 the price.
- Russian Standard Vodka ($25.45). This is a wheat vodka from Russia, and, on a recent trip to St. Petersburg, is clearly quite popular in the birthplace of vodka.
- Zirkova Premium Vodka ($22.95). This is the younger brother (sister) of the Slava (above), and is also from the Ukraine. It is a step down from its more expensive sibling, but, if you like your vodka ice cold, or mixed, I'd bet you won't be able to tell the difference.
Any one of these three vodkas, depending on your taste, represents good value as against Grey Goose without sacrificing anything serious in the way of quality.
Cheers for now.
John
I think that I owe all of you an apology - which is hereby tendered - for taking an unannounced sabbatical from this column, but it was starting to feel a little bit too much like work. I do intend to pick it up again, but, I think, on a more scaled back basis. In other words, instead to trying to cover every Vintages release, I intend to write more irregularly (is that a word?) as products that strike me as being really exceptional come to my attention.
Along those lines, I have a few suggestions:
Burgundy lovers should get some of the Albert Bichot Pinot Noir Bourgogne Vielles Vignes 2008, which is presently on sale for $13.25 a bottle. This is an unbelievable price for a decent burgundy, with notes of sour cherry and beetroot. Not the most complex wine, but it is great value, and will go really well with pork or poultry dishes. It's medium bodied, quite dry and with good structure and a medium to long finish. This is a general list product, and you may have to search around a bit for it, but you won't regret the effort. It even has a screw cap, which, from my point of view, is a great advangage and convenience for any drink now wine. I bought a case, and you should buy some too.
I also bought a good bit of another burgundy, the Dufouleur Pere et Fils Chambolle-Musigny 2007 at about $49.00 a bottle. This is a very elegant, complex wine which will benefit from another year or so in the bottle, or an hour or so of aeration, and is easily big enough to stand up to a rare cut of beef, as well as more traditional pinot noir accompaniments. I thought it was worth the $49, so imagine my chagrin when I found it in a clearance centre for $40.35. I bought more. If there's no clearance centre near you, your local vintages consultant should be able to get it for you. Highly reccommended.
If you're like me, you've been spoiled by Grey Goose Vodka, but you're more than a little put off by the price ($48.95 for a 750 ml bottle). If so, I have three suggestions for you, and, although they are not quite the same, I found all three very comparable (I generally drink my vodka pretty straight in martinis with only a drop of vermouth for flavour) and at much better prices. These are all general list products.
- My favourite of the 3 is Slava Ultra Premium Vodka ($32.95) from the Ukraine. Quite similar to Grey Goose, but perhaps not quite (but almost) as smooth. A very good substitute, though, at 2/3 the price.
- Russian Standard Vodka ($25.45). This is a wheat vodka from Russia, and, on a recent trip to St. Petersburg, is clearly quite popular in the birthplace of vodka.
- Zirkova Premium Vodka ($22.95). This is the younger brother (sister) of the Slava (above), and is also from the Ukraine. It is a step down from its more expensive sibling, but, if you like your vodka ice cold, or mixed, I'd bet you won't be able to tell the difference.
Any one of these three vodkas, depending on your taste, represents good value as against Grey Goose without sacrificing anything serious in the way of quality.
Cheers for now.
John
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Vintages Release - March 19, 2011
The major focus of tomorrow’s release is the wines of Spain and Portugal, and I have a recommendation for you from each country.
However, the buzz tomorrow will be over the California wines. And, for once, it’s not the Opus One, the Dominus, the Caymus Special Selection, or the Mondavi Reserve Cabernet (all of which, and more are included in the release). The wines that will have people lining up when the stores open tomorrow morning are from a new winery called Jonata, which is an off shoot of Screaming Eagle. Screaming Eagle, in case you’ve been doing a Rip Van Winkle thing, is the wildly expensive California cult winery that has people parked for years on a waiting list in the hopes that someone ahead of them will die or go bankrupt so that they can get to try a bottle.
The reviews on the Jonata el Corazon de Jonata 2005, and on the Jonata Todo 2006 are all really good and, at $59.95 each, are priced considerably less than most iconic California winery name labels. Both of these wines are interesting combinations of grapes - syrah, cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, merlot, petit verdot and sauvignon blanc for the 2005; and syrah, cabernet sauvignon, sangiovese, petit verdot, cabernet franc and vignonier for the 2006. Both of these are big wines, well made, and with rich layers of dark fruit and, as the first releases from this winery, I’d bet (don’t hold me to this given my investment track record) is that they will double in price within three years.
If you can get one of these, but not both, go for the 2006. I should add that I have not tasted either of these wines, but I haven’t seen this much excitement about the release of a wine in this province in years.
And, if you don’t feel like lining up outside a liquor store at 9:00 a.m. tomorrow, and if you didn’t have the foresight to do an advance order to a store outside of the major centres, there are two other ways you might be able to get Jonata wines. There are two more selections listed in the current Classics catalogue (although I tend to doubt that there’s any supply left). Better still, there will be another release of Jonata wines in May. Remember you heard it here first.
I might as well finish up on the Californians at this stage.
I think anyone would be happy with the Dominus 2007 ($119.95), the Caymus Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 ($119.55), or the Robert Mondavi Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 ($134.95). These are all wonderful wines that have earned a reputation for quality and excellence, and I don’t believe that any of you would not enjoy every last drop of any of them. The Opus One 2006 is also a wonderful wine, but at $339.95 (about three times the price of the others) I think it’s way over-priced.
However, if you’re planning to spend money on a name California cabernet, my two favourites, both in the $60 price range, are the normal Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon (not the reserve) and the Silver Oak - Alexander Valley. (There are two Silver Oak cabernet sauvignons. The Napa version is a much more expensive bordeaux blend, while the Sonoma (Alexander Valley) version is a straight cabernet sauvignon, and I like it just as well, if not better). Neither of these wines are featured in this release, but, if your local vintages store doesn’t have them, it can get them for you within about a week. Ask your wine consultant.
Spain and Portugal
I loved the Cistus Reserva 2007 ($18.95) from Portugal. It’s a medium bodied wine with cherry, coffee, leather and (as it opens) chocolate. It’s very well structured, with soft tannins, great mouth feel, and a long finish. It’s very dry, but the fruit is so rich that it reminds me, of those chocolate coated, cherries, with just a touch of liqueur. It will drink well on its own, but will complement pork or steak equally well. Highly recommended.
The Finca Sobreno Crianza 2007 ($17.95) from Spain is also very good. This wine comes from a well known, established winery, with a good reputation for consistency. The wine itself has lots of raspberry, plum, cedar and blackberry, and with a touch of chalk on the finish. It’s very tasty, and very ready.
Other reds
The Gabriel Meffre Laurus Gigondas 2007 ($26.95) from the Rhone, is one of the better priced gigondas I’ve seen in a while, and it’s a very good wine. Expect a slightly floral nose, with white flowers, tobacco, earth and layers of black fruit, chewy tannins and a long finish. Aerate for about an hour in advance of serving with a lean cut of beef.
From right next door to the gigondas region, La Crau de Ma Mere Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2007 ($46.95) is a really good wine. It sports a very complex palate of cassis, kirsch, leather, pencil box, cedar, and rich black fruit, and a spicy finish that goes on forever. This wine is almost a meal in itself, but will go nicely with roast beef or hard cheese.
The Terre Nere Brunello di Montalcino 2005 ($34.95) from Tuscany is a deal at this price. Brunello lovers know that a good brunello will generally be priced north of $40, but this one is as good as all but the very best. This is a smooth, rich offering, with spicy black plum, cocoa, vanilla, and sweet oak. It will drink well now, especially if it’s open for an hour or so ahead of time, and get better for at least two or three years. Will go perfectly with a veal chop and a pasta side.
I like zinfandels, but they need to come from old vines. The Gnarly Head Gnarlier Head Sommer Vineyard Old Vine Zin 2006 ($19.95) has lots of signature chocolate, with layers of blueberry, cherry, sweet oak, and cassis. The only possible flaw is that it has a slightly glycerol finish, as it tries to carry 15.5% alcohol. Vintages suggests serving with Portobello mushroom burgers and that would work, but I think zin goes best with spareribs with slightly a sweet sauce. I’d certainly agree with Vintages that it would also work well with a chocolate dessert.
The Grant Burge Barossa Vines Shiraz 2009 ($17.95) from Australia is back. I’ve always liked this producer, even as many other shiraz’s have become too plummy for my palate. It sports enough structure to avoid the perils of other, mono tasting offerings, with black cherry, cassis, smoke and chocolate notes. This a great everyday wine and will go with anything from a burger to most desserts.
WHITE WINES
The Auntsville Long Cow Sauvignon Blanc 2009 ($19.95) from New Zealand is a very nice sauvignon blanc with lots of zesty citrus, some asparagus and grassy notes. Before buying, however, I’d advise checking for the Spy Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2009 ($15.95) also from New Zealand (which I reviewed about a month ago). There’s lots of it around, and, with the $4 price difference, I think the Spy Valley is much the better buy.
I also liked the Caves de Tourangelle Grande Reserve Touraine 2009 ($14.95) from the Loire. This almost tastes like a classic New Zealand sauvignon with kiwi, white peach, grapefruit and tropical fruit flavours. It is very refreshing and, hopefully, the weather will improve in the next little while so we can enjoy it in the sun.
Pinot gris lovers will take to the Col Mello di Grotta Pinot Grigio 2009, especially at $14.95. The predominating flavours are melon and red apple, but there are interesting notes of mushroom, mineral and even Christmas cake. There great mouth feel, a long finish, and plenty of acid. It would go well with whitefish (even with a rich sauce) or shellfish, but would work well on its own or with soft cheese.
I was a tiny bit skeptical of the Sietfincas Chardonnay 2010 ($13.95) from Argentina, but I know many people will like it. In fact Lee, who is a chardonnay fan, approves. It is well priced and there are lots of robust fruit flavours (peach, pineapple, pear, and baked apple) with vanilla, butter and almond notes. There’s a bit, but only a bit, of sweet oak, but there’s also a note of popcorn that I found a bit off-putting – but then I don’t like popcorn. Lee loves popcorn. Serve with, well, popcorn.
However, the buzz tomorrow will be over the California wines. And, for once, it’s not the Opus One, the Dominus, the Caymus Special Selection, or the Mondavi Reserve Cabernet (all of which, and more are included in the release). The wines that will have people lining up when the stores open tomorrow morning are from a new winery called Jonata, which is an off shoot of Screaming Eagle. Screaming Eagle, in case you’ve been doing a Rip Van Winkle thing, is the wildly expensive California cult winery that has people parked for years on a waiting list in the hopes that someone ahead of them will die or go bankrupt so that they can get to try a bottle.
The reviews on the Jonata el Corazon de Jonata 2005, and on the Jonata Todo 2006 are all really good and, at $59.95 each, are priced considerably less than most iconic California winery name labels. Both of these wines are interesting combinations of grapes - syrah, cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, merlot, petit verdot and sauvignon blanc for the 2005; and syrah, cabernet sauvignon, sangiovese, petit verdot, cabernet franc and vignonier for the 2006. Both of these are big wines, well made, and with rich layers of dark fruit and, as the first releases from this winery, I’d bet (don’t hold me to this given my investment track record) is that they will double in price within three years.
If you can get one of these, but not both, go for the 2006. I should add that I have not tasted either of these wines, but I haven’t seen this much excitement about the release of a wine in this province in years.
And, if you don’t feel like lining up outside a liquor store at 9:00 a.m. tomorrow, and if you didn’t have the foresight to do an advance order to a store outside of the major centres, there are two other ways you might be able to get Jonata wines. There are two more selections listed in the current Classics catalogue (although I tend to doubt that there’s any supply left). Better still, there will be another release of Jonata wines in May. Remember you heard it here first.
I might as well finish up on the Californians at this stage.
I think anyone would be happy with the Dominus 2007 ($119.95), the Caymus Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 ($119.55), or the Robert Mondavi Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 ($134.95). These are all wonderful wines that have earned a reputation for quality and excellence, and I don’t believe that any of you would not enjoy every last drop of any of them. The Opus One 2006 is also a wonderful wine, but at $339.95 (about three times the price of the others) I think it’s way over-priced.
However, if you’re planning to spend money on a name California cabernet, my two favourites, both in the $60 price range, are the normal Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon (not the reserve) and the Silver Oak - Alexander Valley. (There are two Silver Oak cabernet sauvignons. The Napa version is a much more expensive bordeaux blend, while the Sonoma (Alexander Valley) version is a straight cabernet sauvignon, and I like it just as well, if not better). Neither of these wines are featured in this release, but, if your local vintages store doesn’t have them, it can get them for you within about a week. Ask your wine consultant.
Spain and Portugal
I loved the Cistus Reserva 2007 ($18.95) from Portugal. It’s a medium bodied wine with cherry, coffee, leather and (as it opens) chocolate. It’s very well structured, with soft tannins, great mouth feel, and a long finish. It’s very dry, but the fruit is so rich that it reminds me, of those chocolate coated, cherries, with just a touch of liqueur. It will drink well on its own, but will complement pork or steak equally well. Highly recommended.
The Finca Sobreno Crianza 2007 ($17.95) from Spain is also very good. This wine comes from a well known, established winery, with a good reputation for consistency. The wine itself has lots of raspberry, plum, cedar and blackberry, and with a touch of chalk on the finish. It’s very tasty, and very ready.
Other reds
The Gabriel Meffre Laurus Gigondas 2007 ($26.95) from the Rhone, is one of the better priced gigondas I’ve seen in a while, and it’s a very good wine. Expect a slightly floral nose, with white flowers, tobacco, earth and layers of black fruit, chewy tannins and a long finish. Aerate for about an hour in advance of serving with a lean cut of beef.
From right next door to the gigondas region, La Crau de Ma Mere Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2007 ($46.95) is a really good wine. It sports a very complex palate of cassis, kirsch, leather, pencil box, cedar, and rich black fruit, and a spicy finish that goes on forever. This wine is almost a meal in itself, but will go nicely with roast beef or hard cheese.
The Terre Nere Brunello di Montalcino 2005 ($34.95) from Tuscany is a deal at this price. Brunello lovers know that a good brunello will generally be priced north of $40, but this one is as good as all but the very best. This is a smooth, rich offering, with spicy black plum, cocoa, vanilla, and sweet oak. It will drink well now, especially if it’s open for an hour or so ahead of time, and get better for at least two or three years. Will go perfectly with a veal chop and a pasta side.
I like zinfandels, but they need to come from old vines. The Gnarly Head Gnarlier Head Sommer Vineyard Old Vine Zin 2006 ($19.95) has lots of signature chocolate, with layers of blueberry, cherry, sweet oak, and cassis. The only possible flaw is that it has a slightly glycerol finish, as it tries to carry 15.5% alcohol. Vintages suggests serving with Portobello mushroom burgers and that would work, but I think zin goes best with spareribs with slightly a sweet sauce. I’d certainly agree with Vintages that it would also work well with a chocolate dessert.
The Grant Burge Barossa Vines Shiraz 2009 ($17.95) from Australia is back. I’ve always liked this producer, even as many other shiraz’s have become too plummy for my palate. It sports enough structure to avoid the perils of other, mono tasting offerings, with black cherry, cassis, smoke and chocolate notes. This a great everyday wine and will go with anything from a burger to most desserts.
WHITE WINES
The Auntsville Long Cow Sauvignon Blanc 2009 ($19.95) from New Zealand is a very nice sauvignon blanc with lots of zesty citrus, some asparagus and grassy notes. Before buying, however, I’d advise checking for the Spy Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2009 ($15.95) also from New Zealand (which I reviewed about a month ago). There’s lots of it around, and, with the $4 price difference, I think the Spy Valley is much the better buy.
I also liked the Caves de Tourangelle Grande Reserve Touraine 2009 ($14.95) from the Loire. This almost tastes like a classic New Zealand sauvignon with kiwi, white peach, grapefruit and tropical fruit flavours. It is very refreshing and, hopefully, the weather will improve in the next little while so we can enjoy it in the sun.
Pinot gris lovers will take to the Col Mello di Grotta Pinot Grigio 2009, especially at $14.95. The predominating flavours are melon and red apple, but there are interesting notes of mushroom, mineral and even Christmas cake. There great mouth feel, a long finish, and plenty of acid. It would go well with whitefish (even with a rich sauce) or shellfish, but would work well on its own or with soft cheese.
I was a tiny bit skeptical of the Sietfincas Chardonnay 2010 ($13.95) from Argentina, but I know many people will like it. In fact Lee, who is a chardonnay fan, approves. It is well priced and there are lots of robust fruit flavours (peach, pineapple, pear, and baked apple) with vanilla, butter and almond notes. There’s a bit, but only a bit, of sweet oak, but there’s also a note of popcorn that I found a bit off-putting – but then I don’t like popcorn. Lee loves popcorn. Serve with, well, popcorn.
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Vintages Release - March 5, 2011
I’m not going to spend a lot of time on tomorrow’s release because I don’t think there’s anything really exciting here, although there is one really good buy. The release focuses on wines from Argentina, Chile and Northern Italy, but these are really lesser known producers and I wasn’t terribly impressed by the ones I tried.
WHITE WINES
The Villa Maria Private Bin Riesling 2010 ($15.95) from New Zealand is back. This producer always does a good job, and while I would normally go with an Ontario Riesling (Riesling is one of the things Ontario does well), this wine represents such good value that it’s impossible to ignore. This wine is a bit more herbaceous than an Ontario riesling, but with lemon zest, and lots of mineral, and just a touch of trademark diesel. Serve with spicy northern Chinese or Thai food.
Also from New Zealand, the Astrolabe Voyage Sauvignon Blanc 2009 ($21.99) is back. I think it’s a couple of dollars over-priced, but it’s a very refreshing, unique sauvignon with gooseberry, mineral, guava, and passion fruit, and some background citrus. It has great mouth feel and a long finish, and will work well on its own, or with virtually any seafood.
This was not a great release for chardonnays. I liked the Concha y Toro Maycas del Limari Reserva Especial Chardonnay 2007 ($19.95) from Chile, but it wasn’t a classic chardonnay and was only the best of a mediocre bunch. It’s quite lean, a little creamy, with some vanilla, mineral, oak and tropical fruit. It would do well with chicken or shellfish.
The Bernard Reverdy et Fils Sancerre 2009 ($22.95) from the Loire was good, but is a bit over-priced. Expect a rich sauvignon blanc with lots of citrus (lemon/lime and grapefruit), mineral notes and a racy finish. Good with soft cheese, or on its own.
RED WINES
The wine to buy in this release as far as I’m concerned is the Mas des Bressades Cuvée Tradition 2009 ($14.95) from the Rhone. Year after year, this producer delivers great value with well-made wine at a great price. Expect blueberry, candied plum, vanilla and black current on this chewy offering, that sports a long finish, and lots of gusto. A great burger wine, but will work well with meat sauce.
Burgundy lovers should cotton to the Maison Roche de Bellene Veilles Vignes Cotes de Nuit-Villages 2008 ($24.95). This is a relatively light, very well balanced wine with lots of beetroot, some cooked cherry and spice, and a surprisingly long finish. It’s priced well as compared to most burgundies. Serve, very slightly cooled, with a pork or chicken dish.
It’s easy to find a good Bordeaux, but hard to find a good one under $20. The Chateau Clement Saint-Jean 2006 just slips in under at $19.95, but it’s the first south of $20 bordeaux I’ve felt comfortable recommending in some time. It’s a slightly lighter style, with a complex palate of earth, cedar, leather, Christmas cake and black plum, and a hint of forest floor. Vintages describes it as austere, but I don’t agree. I think it’s very ready, but it is bone dry. Serve with lean beef or hard cheese.
Regular readers may have noticed that I haven’t recommended an Australian shiraz in some time. That’s because most of the ones I’ve seen lately have either been over-priced or too plummy. I’m a fan of shiraz done well, but I don’t like wines that come across as fruit bombs, with no structure. The Pillar Box Reserve Shiraz 2008 ($19.95) came as a very pleasant surprise. There’s big fruit, with a nose of lavender and black current, and cherry, spice and cassis, and a long finish, but most of all there’s structure so that you can distinguish the opening from the (slightly glycerol) finish. Would work really well with a sweet, sparerib sauce.
It’s not easy to find a good California cabernet under $20, but the Simi Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 ($19.95) fills the bill. This wine comes from the Alexander Valley (just slightly north-west of Napa) which produces some lovely wines. This is a soft, ready wine with spice and well-integrated black fruit, supple tannins and notes of vanilla. The finish goes on and on. Serve with a decent steak or cheese.
Saint Patrick's Day
I don't claim to have any great expertise on scotch or irish whiskies but, with St. Patrick's Day coming up, I thought I'd mention that my friend Marc introduced me to by far the best Irish whiskey I'd ever had. It's a Knappogue Castle 1995 and the LCBO, alas, doesn't carry it. But if you can find it (I think he got it at a duty-free in the U.S.) buy it. And get me a bottle too.
WHITE WINES
The Villa Maria Private Bin Riesling 2010 ($15.95) from New Zealand is back. This producer always does a good job, and while I would normally go with an Ontario Riesling (Riesling is one of the things Ontario does well), this wine represents such good value that it’s impossible to ignore. This wine is a bit more herbaceous than an Ontario riesling, but with lemon zest, and lots of mineral, and just a touch of trademark diesel. Serve with spicy northern Chinese or Thai food.
Also from New Zealand, the Astrolabe Voyage Sauvignon Blanc 2009 ($21.99) is back. I think it’s a couple of dollars over-priced, but it’s a very refreshing, unique sauvignon with gooseberry, mineral, guava, and passion fruit, and some background citrus. It has great mouth feel and a long finish, and will work well on its own, or with virtually any seafood.
This was not a great release for chardonnays. I liked the Concha y Toro Maycas del Limari Reserva Especial Chardonnay 2007 ($19.95) from Chile, but it wasn’t a classic chardonnay and was only the best of a mediocre bunch. It’s quite lean, a little creamy, with some vanilla, mineral, oak and tropical fruit. It would do well with chicken or shellfish.
The Bernard Reverdy et Fils Sancerre 2009 ($22.95) from the Loire was good, but is a bit over-priced. Expect a rich sauvignon blanc with lots of citrus (lemon/lime and grapefruit), mineral notes and a racy finish. Good with soft cheese, or on its own.
RED WINES
The wine to buy in this release as far as I’m concerned is the Mas des Bressades Cuvée Tradition 2009 ($14.95) from the Rhone. Year after year, this producer delivers great value with well-made wine at a great price. Expect blueberry, candied plum, vanilla and black current on this chewy offering, that sports a long finish, and lots of gusto. A great burger wine, but will work well with meat sauce.
Burgundy lovers should cotton to the Maison Roche de Bellene Veilles Vignes Cotes de Nuit-Villages 2008 ($24.95). This is a relatively light, very well balanced wine with lots of beetroot, some cooked cherry and spice, and a surprisingly long finish. It’s priced well as compared to most burgundies. Serve, very slightly cooled, with a pork or chicken dish.
It’s easy to find a good Bordeaux, but hard to find a good one under $20. The Chateau Clement Saint-Jean 2006 just slips in under at $19.95, but it’s the first south of $20 bordeaux I’ve felt comfortable recommending in some time. It’s a slightly lighter style, with a complex palate of earth, cedar, leather, Christmas cake and black plum, and a hint of forest floor. Vintages describes it as austere, but I don’t agree. I think it’s very ready, but it is bone dry. Serve with lean beef or hard cheese.
Regular readers may have noticed that I haven’t recommended an Australian shiraz in some time. That’s because most of the ones I’ve seen lately have either been over-priced or too plummy. I’m a fan of shiraz done well, but I don’t like wines that come across as fruit bombs, with no structure. The Pillar Box Reserve Shiraz 2008 ($19.95) came as a very pleasant surprise. There’s big fruit, with a nose of lavender and black current, and cherry, spice and cassis, and a long finish, but most of all there’s structure so that you can distinguish the opening from the (slightly glycerol) finish. Would work really well with a sweet, sparerib sauce.
It’s not easy to find a good California cabernet under $20, but the Simi Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 ($19.95) fills the bill. This wine comes from the Alexander Valley (just slightly north-west of Napa) which produces some lovely wines. This is a soft, ready wine with spice and well-integrated black fruit, supple tannins and notes of vanilla. The finish goes on and on. Serve with a decent steak or cheese.
Saint Patrick's Day
I don't claim to have any great expertise on scotch or irish whiskies but, with St. Patrick's Day coming up, I thought I'd mention that my friend Marc introduced me to by far the best Irish whiskey I'd ever had. It's a Knappogue Castle 1995 and the LCBO, alas, doesn't carry it. But if you can find it (I think he got it at a duty-free in the U.S.) buy it. And get me a bottle too.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Vintages Release - February 19, 2011
The theme of today’s release is cabernet sauvignon, probably the best known, and most popular, red wine grape in the world.
I regret that I don’t have as much time to spend on this release as it deserves, because there are some good cabernets in all price ranges; some very worthwhile Rhones; and a few other wines that represent a good mix of quality and value.
Let’s start with the Cabernets (arrayed in order of price, but I’d recommend any of these):
- Michel Torino Don David Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 ($12.95) from Argentina. Great value with cedar, plum, and black current, with soft tannins and a medium to long finish. You’d think this wine cost a lot more than it does.
- Tommasi Poggio al Tufo Rompicollo 2008 ($17.95) from Tuscany. This producer is better known as a manufacturer of amarone and valpolicella, and some of those antecedents show through. This isn’t your typical cabernet, and sports flavours of beetroot and prune, with rich dark fruit, leather and chalk. It may be different, but it’s very tasty, and would go very well with tomato based pasta dishes or hard cheese.
- Marchesi de Frescobaldi Tenuta di Castiglioni 2008 ($21.95) from Tuscany. A quality wine from a quality producer. Red fruit notes (raspberry and cherry) with a base of dark plum, and vanilla, cedar, spice and a touch of red licorice. This wine is always good. Red meat would be my preferred choice as an accompaniment, but has enough acid to stand up to tomato as well.
- Chateau Lamothe Cissac 2006 ($23.95) from Bordeaux. Violets on the nose, and earthy, forest floor notes, with black plum and a touch of oak, on the palate. Nicely integrated, and would work well with a steak or prime rib.
- St Francis Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 ($28.95) from Sonoma. California cabs carry a price tag, and it’s often a little higher than it should be (or a lot higher in some cases). This wine is relatively reasonably priced without giving up quality. It’s a big wine, but the tannins are smoothing out and it’s ready. Lots of lush black fruit, with a complex palate of black plum, vanilla, coffee, and tobacco. Works with cheese or red meat.
- Katnook Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 ($29.95) from Australia. Layers of spice, cedar, mocha and, black plum, black cherry and cassis. Big fruit and a long, satisfying finish. Drinks well on its own, or with most any red meat dish unless the cut is too lean.
- Concha y Toro Don Melchior Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 ($69.95) from Chile. One of best wines from a country that getting a good reputation for producing better and better cabernets. Layers of taste with cedar, black current, tobacco, leather, chocolate and more, all well integrated. Vintages suggests that it will keep until 2036. I plan to drink the bottles I bought well before that.
- Duckhorn Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 ($69.95) from Napa. One of California’s perennially good producers. A smooth, versatile wine that can be consumed on its own, or with red meat, cheese or chocolate. Approachable now, but better in a couple of years.
- Shafer One Point Five Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 ($79.95) also from Napa. Like the Duckhorn, one of California’s best known, and best, producers. A classy, well integrated wine, that is tasty and satisfying. Without any negative connotation to the Duckhorn, I slightly prefer this wine. In fact I bought it, and plan to drink it in a year or two.
- Chateau Haut-Bailly 2007 ($84.00) from Bordeaux. Always a good producer, and well worth the effort needed to store it for at least a couple of years. One of the best known, classified chateaus in the Graves region, and with a deserved reputation for quality wine.
SPARKLING WINES
The Baily Lapierre Reserve Brut Cremant de Bourgogne ($17.95) from Burgundy isn’t a champagne, but you don’t get champagnes at these prices. This is a very dry, refreshing, creamy bubbly with notes of green apple and mineral. Great mouth feel and a long finish.
I’m not a huge fan of rosé sparkling wines, but I know some of you like them. If you do, the Codorniu Pinot Noir Rosé Brut Cava ($16.95) from Spain is as good as you’re likely to find. It’s dry, although not extremely dry, with red cherry, spice, and raspberry and strawberry notes. A good aperitif, or choice for serving with mild white fish, or soft cheese.
WHITE WINES
The Spy Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2009 ($15.95) from New Zealand is back, and as good, or better, than ever, and still well priced. It’s slightly grassy, with mineral, green apple and citrus, with great mouth feel and a long finish. Very refreshing and a good buy.
The Backsberg Chardonnay KPM 2010 ($16.95) from South Africa is a rich, unoaked mélange of citrus, white peach and melon, with notes of hazelnut, with a touch of creamy vanilla. A sauvignon blanc drinker’s chardonnay. Well integrated, with a long finish.
RHONES
There are some good Rhones in this release - enough to deserve separate comment. These are lovely house wines because they are so versatile in terms of the food that they go with. These wines are presented in price order:
- Louis Bernard Reserve de Bonpas Cotes du Rhone 2009 ($13.95) is fairly light, but drinks well on its own. Expect black cherry and raspberry, with a touch of caramel on the finish. Would go well with chicken or pork.
- the Chateau Goudray Cuvee Excellence Rasteau 2009 ($15.95) really does represent good value. This medium bodied offering with plum, black licorice, spice and cocoa flavours, and a long finish. This is not the most complex wine imaginable, but would be great when matched with pizza or burgers. A very good buy.
- Les Grandes Serres La Combe des Marchands Gigondas 2009 ($26.95) is a very good wine. The district of Gigondas is right next door to Chateauneuf-du-Pape, although the wines are usually a little lighter and less dense, although not less tasty. Expect dark fruit (plum, and black current) with spice and hints of Christmas cake and leather. A smooth, complex wine that will repay an hour or so of aeration, and will work well with lean red meat.
- If you’re looking for the real deal, the Chateau Fortia Cuvee du Baron Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2007 ($34.95) is it. This is a chewy wine, with lots of spice, cooked cherry, plum, raspberry, pepper, leather and cedar flavours, at a good price, and with a long, satisfying finish. It’s drinking well now, but I’ll be keeping mine for a year or so before opening it.
OTHER REDS
If I’m going to have a pinot noir, I usually prefer a burgundy, but the Cloudline Pinot Noir 2008 ($21.95) from Oregon impressed me. It’s a lighter style wine, but I liked the tart cherry, pepper and caramel flavours. It was good on its own, but I can see it going very well with grilled pork chops or barbecued salmon.
The Luigi Bosca Reserva Malbec 2008 ($17.95) from Argentina is always good. This is a big, fruit forward wine with plum, raspberry, smoke and chocolate notes, and a major finish. It you like fruit forward wines, this one is about as good as malbecs gets under $30.
The nice thing about most Spanish wines is that they aren’t released until they’re ready. The Palacio Glorioso Reserva 2005 ($19.95) is a delicious, nicely layered mélange of tangy red berry fruit, with a touch of leather and sweet oak. A mature wine that drinks well by itself or with cheese, as long as the cheese isn’t too sharp.
I regret that I don’t have as much time to spend on this release as it deserves, because there are some good cabernets in all price ranges; some very worthwhile Rhones; and a few other wines that represent a good mix of quality and value.
Let’s start with the Cabernets (arrayed in order of price, but I’d recommend any of these):
- Michel Torino Don David Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 ($12.95) from Argentina. Great value with cedar, plum, and black current, with soft tannins and a medium to long finish. You’d think this wine cost a lot more than it does.
- Tommasi Poggio al Tufo Rompicollo 2008 ($17.95) from Tuscany. This producer is better known as a manufacturer of amarone and valpolicella, and some of those antecedents show through. This isn’t your typical cabernet, and sports flavours of beetroot and prune, with rich dark fruit, leather and chalk. It may be different, but it’s very tasty, and would go very well with tomato based pasta dishes or hard cheese.
- Marchesi de Frescobaldi Tenuta di Castiglioni 2008 ($21.95) from Tuscany. A quality wine from a quality producer. Red fruit notes (raspberry and cherry) with a base of dark plum, and vanilla, cedar, spice and a touch of red licorice. This wine is always good. Red meat would be my preferred choice as an accompaniment, but has enough acid to stand up to tomato as well.
- Chateau Lamothe Cissac 2006 ($23.95) from Bordeaux. Violets on the nose, and earthy, forest floor notes, with black plum and a touch of oak, on the palate. Nicely integrated, and would work well with a steak or prime rib.
- St Francis Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 ($28.95) from Sonoma. California cabs carry a price tag, and it’s often a little higher than it should be (or a lot higher in some cases). This wine is relatively reasonably priced without giving up quality. It’s a big wine, but the tannins are smoothing out and it’s ready. Lots of lush black fruit, with a complex palate of black plum, vanilla, coffee, and tobacco. Works with cheese or red meat.
- Katnook Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 ($29.95) from Australia. Layers of spice, cedar, mocha and, black plum, black cherry and cassis. Big fruit and a long, satisfying finish. Drinks well on its own, or with most any red meat dish unless the cut is too lean.
- Concha y Toro Don Melchior Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 ($69.95) from Chile. One of best wines from a country that getting a good reputation for producing better and better cabernets. Layers of taste with cedar, black current, tobacco, leather, chocolate and more, all well integrated. Vintages suggests that it will keep until 2036. I plan to drink the bottles I bought well before that.
- Duckhorn Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 ($69.95) from Napa. One of California’s perennially good producers. A smooth, versatile wine that can be consumed on its own, or with red meat, cheese or chocolate. Approachable now, but better in a couple of years.
- Shafer One Point Five Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 ($79.95) also from Napa. Like the Duckhorn, one of California’s best known, and best, producers. A classy, well integrated wine, that is tasty and satisfying. Without any negative connotation to the Duckhorn, I slightly prefer this wine. In fact I bought it, and plan to drink it in a year or two.
- Chateau Haut-Bailly 2007 ($84.00) from Bordeaux. Always a good producer, and well worth the effort needed to store it for at least a couple of years. One of the best known, classified chateaus in the Graves region, and with a deserved reputation for quality wine.
SPARKLING WINES
The Baily Lapierre Reserve Brut Cremant de Bourgogne ($17.95) from Burgundy isn’t a champagne, but you don’t get champagnes at these prices. This is a very dry, refreshing, creamy bubbly with notes of green apple and mineral. Great mouth feel and a long finish.
I’m not a huge fan of rosé sparkling wines, but I know some of you like them. If you do, the Codorniu Pinot Noir Rosé Brut Cava ($16.95) from Spain is as good as you’re likely to find. It’s dry, although not extremely dry, with red cherry, spice, and raspberry and strawberry notes. A good aperitif, or choice for serving with mild white fish, or soft cheese.
WHITE WINES
The Spy Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2009 ($15.95) from New Zealand is back, and as good, or better, than ever, and still well priced. It’s slightly grassy, with mineral, green apple and citrus, with great mouth feel and a long finish. Very refreshing and a good buy.
The Backsberg Chardonnay KPM 2010 ($16.95) from South Africa is a rich, unoaked mélange of citrus, white peach and melon, with notes of hazelnut, with a touch of creamy vanilla. A sauvignon blanc drinker’s chardonnay. Well integrated, with a long finish.
RHONES
There are some good Rhones in this release - enough to deserve separate comment. These are lovely house wines because they are so versatile in terms of the food that they go with. These wines are presented in price order:
- Louis Bernard Reserve de Bonpas Cotes du Rhone 2009 ($13.95) is fairly light, but drinks well on its own. Expect black cherry and raspberry, with a touch of caramel on the finish. Would go well with chicken or pork.
- the Chateau Goudray Cuvee Excellence Rasteau 2009 ($15.95) really does represent good value. This medium bodied offering with plum, black licorice, spice and cocoa flavours, and a long finish. This is not the most complex wine imaginable, but would be great when matched with pizza or burgers. A very good buy.
- Les Grandes Serres La Combe des Marchands Gigondas 2009 ($26.95) is a very good wine. The district of Gigondas is right next door to Chateauneuf-du-Pape, although the wines are usually a little lighter and less dense, although not less tasty. Expect dark fruit (plum, and black current) with spice and hints of Christmas cake and leather. A smooth, complex wine that will repay an hour or so of aeration, and will work well with lean red meat.
- If you’re looking for the real deal, the Chateau Fortia Cuvee du Baron Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2007 ($34.95) is it. This is a chewy wine, with lots of spice, cooked cherry, plum, raspberry, pepper, leather and cedar flavours, at a good price, and with a long, satisfying finish. It’s drinking well now, but I’ll be keeping mine for a year or so before opening it.
OTHER REDS
If I’m going to have a pinot noir, I usually prefer a burgundy, but the Cloudline Pinot Noir 2008 ($21.95) from Oregon impressed me. It’s a lighter style wine, but I liked the tart cherry, pepper and caramel flavours. It was good on its own, but I can see it going very well with grilled pork chops or barbecued salmon.
The Luigi Bosca Reserva Malbec 2008 ($17.95) from Argentina is always good. This is a big, fruit forward wine with plum, raspberry, smoke and chocolate notes, and a major finish. It you like fruit forward wines, this one is about as good as malbecs gets under $30.
The nice thing about most Spanish wines is that they aren’t released until they’re ready. The Palacio Glorioso Reserva 2005 ($19.95) is a delicious, nicely layered mélange of tangy red berry fruit, with a touch of leather and sweet oak. A mature wine that drinks well by itself or with cheese, as long as the cheese isn’t too sharp.
Friday, February 4, 2011
Vintages Release - February 5, 2011
The theme of tomorrow’s Vintages release is “Tuscany – the class of 2007” with nods to Valentine’s Day and wines from the state of Washington.
By all accounts, 2007 was a good year in Tuscany although not as good as 2004 or 1997. Unfortunately, the selection of wines offered in this release doesn’t enthuse me a great deal (generally, not just from Tuscany) so I wouldn’t be in any great rush to make it to your local LCBO store this weekend.
Let’s start with Valentine’s Day.
If there’s any day when it’s nice to do something special with your partner, it’s in mid-February, when six weeks of depressing winter weather have taken their toll on your spirits. It’s a good time to have a special wine and a little celebration, just to remind yourselves that everything isn’t quite as bleak as they seem the last time you shoveled the driveway or ruined yet another pair of shoes in the slush.
The obvious celebration drink is champagne, and I still recommend the Delamotte Brut Champagne ($47.95). It came out last December, and there’s still some of it around. Look for it. It’s very crisp, but with good brioche flavours, and reasonably priced (for the real thing).
If you can’t find the Delamotte, I have two other suggestions, both from this release, and both very different from the standpoint of both price and taste:
- I haven’t tried this wine, but the Brochet-Hervieux HBH Cuvee Speciale 1er Cru Brut Champagne 1997 ($51.95) comes well recommended as a mature, vintage champagne with a complex palate of green apple, brioche, vanilla and toast flavours. Vintages suggests pairing it with raw oysters, but I think it would work as well or better with lobster. Of course, drinking it on its own as an aperitif is a pretty good option too.
- I’m not a huge fan of sparkling rosés, but I do like Niagara’s 13th Street winery, and the 13th Street Cuvee 13 Rosé 2007 ($24.95) is nice and dry with a plethora of sweet red berry flavours. Pair with a soft cheese, and enjoy.
My other recommendation for Valentine’s Day is for a big, luxurious red that just overwhelms your taste buds, especially when paired with a serving of osso bucco, lamb or a steak. There are a lot of good choices that fit this bill, but a bottle of amarone would be my choice. Even the name is suggestive of love, although I believe that it really derives for the word for “bitter”. The Zenato Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico 2006 ($47.95) is a Vintages essential, and a very good choice.. This is a big, raisiny, flavorful wine, with high alcohol and low acid, and notes of chocolate, black plum, licorice, black cherry and vanilla. If you like big, rich, sumptuous wines, this is a good choice. Decant for at least an hour before serving.
The Tuscans
As I said, I wasn’t very impressed with the Tuscan selection in this release, but I do have a few suggestions:
- I have always liked the Isole E Olena Chianti Classico ($26.95) and the 2007 version is no exception. Chianti’s are great all purpose wines at any event, and go particularly well with tomato and beef based dishes. This wine has lots of rich, red fruit but still manages to be crisp, with a touch of licorice and minerality, and a medium long finish.
- I also like the Brancaia Tre 2007 (24.95). This is an IGT with a combination of sangiovese, merlot and cabernet sauvignon. This is a rich, well rounded wine dominated by dark fruit, but with herbal notes, earth and vanilla, and a long finish.
Keep in mind, however, the there are some non-release Tuscans that represent really good value as well.
- If you’re looking for a good chianti at a more than decent price, go for the Rocca Delle Macìe Chianti Classico Riserva 2006, a great choice at only $15.00; or
- the Ornellaia Le Volte 2008 ($28.95) is the third wine of the famed Ornellaia estate, on the west coast of Tuscany, and is as consistent a wine as you can find. If your pocket book stretches to it, Ornellaia’s second wine, Le Serre Nuove Dell'ornellaia 2008 ($59.95) was one of the best wines I tasted last year, while the estate’s first wine, the Ornellaia 2007 set me back $179.95, but I’m expecting it to be really great when I open it in 5 years or more.
THE REST OF THE RELEASE
Whites
I don’t think there’s anything in this release anywhere near as good as the Domaine Eugenie Carrion Chablis 2009 which came out in January for $19.95. There’s still plenty of it around, and it’s great value as well as being a very good wine.
If you want something new, however, try:
- New Zealand’s Shingle Peak Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (($19.95). This is a classic sauvignon blanc, with some herbaceous flavours, gooseberry, mineral and tropical fruit. It has great mouth feel and a long finish.
- Also from New Zealand, the Sileni Cellar Selection Pinot Gris 2008 ($15.95) is dominated by stone and citrus fruit, with some spice and mineral notes and well integrated acid. A good wine for soft cheese or shellfish.
Reds
California’s Rodney Strong winery is a perennially reliable producer for well, priced quality reds, and the Rodney Strong Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 ($22.95) is the kind of wine this producer built its reputation on. Expect masses of black fruit with notes of oak, vanilla and vanilla on a big, tannic wine, with a finish that won’t quit, but needs some time or aeration. It will complement a steak or roast beef, or a hard cheese, very nicely.
Bonarda is a grape variety which is experiencing a revival in Argentina, and I think it makes a very nice, albeit simple and rustic, wine. The Trapiche Broquel Bonarda 2007 is $15.95, and well worth the price as a hearty, concentrated offering that will go well with pasta dishes, pepperoni pizza or burgers. Expect dark fruit, spice, and smoky oak.
The Abbona La Pieve Barolo 2005, from Piedmont, is incredibly well priced at $26.95. This is a sophisticated, elegant, medium bodied wine with plum and mushroom on the nose and palate, and with notes of cocoa, raspberry and cedar. This wine comes from a great vintage and will last for at least five years, but is approachable now. Match with veal or lean beef.
By all accounts, 2007 was a good year in Tuscany although not as good as 2004 or 1997. Unfortunately, the selection of wines offered in this release doesn’t enthuse me a great deal (generally, not just from Tuscany) so I wouldn’t be in any great rush to make it to your local LCBO store this weekend.
Let’s start with Valentine’s Day.
If there’s any day when it’s nice to do something special with your partner, it’s in mid-February, when six weeks of depressing winter weather have taken their toll on your spirits. It’s a good time to have a special wine and a little celebration, just to remind yourselves that everything isn’t quite as bleak as they seem the last time you shoveled the driveway or ruined yet another pair of shoes in the slush.
The obvious celebration drink is champagne, and I still recommend the Delamotte Brut Champagne ($47.95). It came out last December, and there’s still some of it around. Look for it. It’s very crisp, but with good brioche flavours, and reasonably priced (for the real thing).
If you can’t find the Delamotte, I have two other suggestions, both from this release, and both very different from the standpoint of both price and taste:
- I haven’t tried this wine, but the Brochet-Hervieux HBH Cuvee Speciale 1er Cru Brut Champagne 1997 ($51.95) comes well recommended as a mature, vintage champagne with a complex palate of green apple, brioche, vanilla and toast flavours. Vintages suggests pairing it with raw oysters, but I think it would work as well or better with lobster. Of course, drinking it on its own as an aperitif is a pretty good option too.
- I’m not a huge fan of sparkling rosés, but I do like Niagara’s 13th Street winery, and the 13th Street Cuvee 13 Rosé 2007 ($24.95) is nice and dry with a plethora of sweet red berry flavours. Pair with a soft cheese, and enjoy.
My other recommendation for Valentine’s Day is for a big, luxurious red that just overwhelms your taste buds, especially when paired with a serving of osso bucco, lamb or a steak. There are a lot of good choices that fit this bill, but a bottle of amarone would be my choice. Even the name is suggestive of love, although I believe that it really derives for the word for “bitter”. The Zenato Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico 2006 ($47.95) is a Vintages essential, and a very good choice.. This is a big, raisiny, flavorful wine, with high alcohol and low acid, and notes of chocolate, black plum, licorice, black cherry and vanilla. If you like big, rich, sumptuous wines, this is a good choice. Decant for at least an hour before serving.
The Tuscans
As I said, I wasn’t very impressed with the Tuscan selection in this release, but I do have a few suggestions:
- I have always liked the Isole E Olena Chianti Classico ($26.95) and the 2007 version is no exception. Chianti’s are great all purpose wines at any event, and go particularly well with tomato and beef based dishes. This wine has lots of rich, red fruit but still manages to be crisp, with a touch of licorice and minerality, and a medium long finish.
- I also like the Brancaia Tre 2007 (24.95). This is an IGT with a combination of sangiovese, merlot and cabernet sauvignon. This is a rich, well rounded wine dominated by dark fruit, but with herbal notes, earth and vanilla, and a long finish.
Keep in mind, however, the there are some non-release Tuscans that represent really good value as well.
- If you’re looking for a good chianti at a more than decent price, go for the Rocca Delle Macìe Chianti Classico Riserva 2006, a great choice at only $15.00; or
- the Ornellaia Le Volte 2008 ($28.95) is the third wine of the famed Ornellaia estate, on the west coast of Tuscany, and is as consistent a wine as you can find. If your pocket book stretches to it, Ornellaia’s second wine, Le Serre Nuove Dell'ornellaia 2008 ($59.95) was one of the best wines I tasted last year, while the estate’s first wine, the Ornellaia 2007 set me back $179.95, but I’m expecting it to be really great when I open it in 5 years or more.
THE REST OF THE RELEASE
Whites
I don’t think there’s anything in this release anywhere near as good as the Domaine Eugenie Carrion Chablis 2009 which came out in January for $19.95. There’s still plenty of it around, and it’s great value as well as being a very good wine.
If you want something new, however, try:
- New Zealand’s Shingle Peak Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (($19.95). This is a classic sauvignon blanc, with some herbaceous flavours, gooseberry, mineral and tropical fruit. It has great mouth feel and a long finish.
- Also from New Zealand, the Sileni Cellar Selection Pinot Gris 2008 ($15.95) is dominated by stone and citrus fruit, with some spice and mineral notes and well integrated acid. A good wine for soft cheese or shellfish.
Reds
California’s Rodney Strong winery is a perennially reliable producer for well, priced quality reds, and the Rodney Strong Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 ($22.95) is the kind of wine this producer built its reputation on. Expect masses of black fruit with notes of oak, vanilla and vanilla on a big, tannic wine, with a finish that won’t quit, but needs some time or aeration. It will complement a steak or roast beef, or a hard cheese, very nicely.
Bonarda is a grape variety which is experiencing a revival in Argentina, and I think it makes a very nice, albeit simple and rustic, wine. The Trapiche Broquel Bonarda 2007 is $15.95, and well worth the price as a hearty, concentrated offering that will go well with pasta dishes, pepperoni pizza or burgers. Expect dark fruit, spice, and smoky oak.
The Abbona La Pieve Barolo 2005, from Piedmont, is incredibly well priced at $26.95. This is a sophisticated, elegant, medium bodied wine with plum and mushroom on the nose and palate, and with notes of cocoa, raspberry and cedar. This wine comes from a great vintage and will last for at least five years, but is approachable now. Match with veal or lean beef.
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