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.
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Vintages Release - January 22, 2011
The major theme of today’s Vintages release is the wines of Chile.
Lee and I were in Chile at approximately this time last year, and visited a number of the featured wineries.
There can be little doubt that the country has made tremendous strides in wine making in the last decade or so. It was not so very long ago (at least in the context of my advancing age) when I couldn’t find a Chilean wine that I liked. I found them overly tannic and lacking in sophistication – perhaps ok to accompany a burger, but not much else.
The same is emphatically not true now. Chilean wines, particularly the reds, are now being justly recognized as being among the best value wines in the world. Chile is blessed with a long growing season, and a very warm, consistent climate, with a series of valleys which funnel warm air from the Pacific Ocean up into the mountains – just the thing for many grape varieties, but especially cabernet sauvignon and carmenere. As a result of that climate, and of huge investments in capital, Chilean wineries are able to turn out large quantities of good wine at very reasonable prices.
We, in Ontario, rarely see Chile’s best wines in favour of its lower priced, value offerings. This release is typical of that trend. That is not to say that there are not some very worthwhile wines in this release, but it would be nice to have an opportunity sometimes to try some of the country’s higher end wines (which represent very good quality, albeit at somewhat higher prices) as well.
Nonetheless, if you like Chilean wines, or would be interested in trying them, I was very happy with:
- The Errazuriz Single Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 ($19.95). This wine comes from one of the country’s best known, local wineries, and is about as good a wine as you’ll find for less than $20. Expect a big concentrated, well structured cabernet, with masses of concentrated ripe dark berry fruit; some notes of vanilla, raspberry and sweet oak; and a medium long finish. It does not need any great amount of aeration, and will drink well on its own, or complement beef, cheese or even chocolate.
- For $14.95, the J. Bouchon Las Mercedes Reserva Especial Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 is almost as good as the Errazuriz. This is a smooth, slightly chewy offering, which is a little less full bodied but does not lack for flavour, in this case more in the way of red berries (raspberry, strawberry and perhaps a little cranberry), with some garrique and a touch of caramel. Very good on its own, but also a good match for pork chops or a milder cheese.
- The Montes Alpha Carmenere 2008 ($19.95). Carmeneres are generally not quite as lean and structured as cabernets, and often sport richer, fruit. This one is no exception, but if you’re looking for a smooth, easy drinking red, with black cherry and coffee on both the nose and palate, and notes of olive, herb de provence and white pepper, this wine delivers. Try it with a not too lean cut of beef, spareribs or, a stew.
- By way of whites, the Casas del Bosque Reserva Sauvignon Blanc 2009 represents great value at $13.95. It’s clean and refreshing with pear, gooseberry, and some muted citrus and mineral notes, and a long finish. There’s acid there, and a bit of grassiness, but they’re so well integrated, and the wine is so dry, that you have to think about it to notice them. A perfect complement for shellfish in broth.
* * *
I must confess that I was disappointed with much of the remainder of the release. I did not expect any great wines, but there were quite a few items that I thought looked interesting and would represent good value. Alas, in most cases, the wines did not live up to my expectations.
There were, however, a few that did:
WHITE WINES
I am well aware that Ontario’s mid-January is not the most popular time to be talking about white wines, but warm weather will (eventually) come again, and it’s best to be prepared. Besides, you can’t drink reds all the time. Well, you can, but it’s nice to have an option when you want something cool and refreshing, and Kool-Aid just won’t do.
The Domaine Eugenie Carrion Chablis 2009 ($19.95) was my favourite wine of the release. I’m a big fan of chablis anyway, and this one comes in about $10 cheaper than any other good Chablis that I’ve had for a long time. It’s clean and very refreshing with great mouth feel, some really nice minerality, and some soft citrus and green apple aromas and flavours. This is a very elegant wine that is (dare I say it) underpriced. Serve with soft cheese, virtually any seafood, chicken, or a salad.
For the true, New Zealand sauvignon experience, go for the Blind River Sauvignon Blanc 2009 ($19.95). This slightly grassy offering is a rich, lovely melange of gooseberry, kiwi and tropical fruit, and an underlying citrus base that carries the acid well and delivers a long finish. If you like sauvignon blancs, you’ll like this wine.
The world seems divided between chardonnay lovers and chardonnay detractors. If you fall into the former group (the lovers, for those who weren’t paying attention) go for the Menage a Trois Chardonnay 2008 ($18.95) from California. This is bit of a cool weather chardonnay from the coast, meaning that it isn’t hugely rich or very butterscotchy. However, it is a very graceful, creamy (rather than buttery) wine, with layers of apple, vanilla and pineapple, accented by a little (but only a little) toasted oak. Good mouth feel and a surprisingly long finish round out this elegant wine, which reminds me of a burgundian pouilly fuisse at a fraction of the price. Drink on its own, with a warm brie, a salad or a poultry dish.
RED WINES
This was where I suffered my severest disappointments. Given the number of offerings from southwest France, Bordeaux, Burgundy and Australia, I felt confident that I would find a number of things that I liked. Unfortunately, most of the ones I tried (which was not all of them) measured up to my hopes. Here’s what was left:
The Chateau St. Jean Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 ($19.95) from California is always good, and is decently priced. Expect a nose of black current and smoke, with those aromas, together with earth, raspberry and black plum, replicated on the palate. This is a hearty, medium bodied cabernet, with a long finish that will go well with most red meat dishes.
The Perrin & Fils La Gille Gigondas 2007 ($29.95) from the Rhone, is a rich, medium bodied offering with masses of dark berry flavours and aromas, some vanilla notes, and a medium to long finish. This is a nice wine which will go well with a lean cut of beef but, before you buy it, check to see if your store has any Coudelet de Beaucastel left. The last time I looked, the Coudelet was the same price and, I think, delivers more for the money.
The Tommasi Vigneto Le Prunee Merlot 2008 ($16.95) from Veneto. This producer specializes in amarones and valpolicellas, so when they produce a merlot their experience tends to influence the end result. Expect ripe cherries, raisins and cocoa flavours, with a touch of licorice, on this hearty, concentrated wine, that is just made to go with a meat and tomato based pasta sauce.
Lee and I were in Chile at approximately this time last year, and visited a number of the featured wineries.
There can be little doubt that the country has made tremendous strides in wine making in the last decade or so. It was not so very long ago (at least in the context of my advancing age) when I couldn’t find a Chilean wine that I liked. I found them overly tannic and lacking in sophistication – perhaps ok to accompany a burger, but not much else.
The same is emphatically not true now. Chilean wines, particularly the reds, are now being justly recognized as being among the best value wines in the world. Chile is blessed with a long growing season, and a very warm, consistent climate, with a series of valleys which funnel warm air from the Pacific Ocean up into the mountains – just the thing for many grape varieties, but especially cabernet sauvignon and carmenere. As a result of that climate, and of huge investments in capital, Chilean wineries are able to turn out large quantities of good wine at very reasonable prices.
We, in Ontario, rarely see Chile’s best wines in favour of its lower priced, value offerings. This release is typical of that trend. That is not to say that there are not some very worthwhile wines in this release, but it would be nice to have an opportunity sometimes to try some of the country’s higher end wines (which represent very good quality, albeit at somewhat higher prices) as well.
Nonetheless, if you like Chilean wines, or would be interested in trying them, I was very happy with:
- The Errazuriz Single Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 ($19.95). This wine comes from one of the country’s best known, local wineries, and is about as good a wine as you’ll find for less than $20. Expect a big concentrated, well structured cabernet, with masses of concentrated ripe dark berry fruit; some notes of vanilla, raspberry and sweet oak; and a medium long finish. It does not need any great amount of aeration, and will drink well on its own, or complement beef, cheese or even chocolate.
- For $14.95, the J. Bouchon Las Mercedes Reserva Especial Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 is almost as good as the Errazuriz. This is a smooth, slightly chewy offering, which is a little less full bodied but does not lack for flavour, in this case more in the way of red berries (raspberry, strawberry and perhaps a little cranberry), with some garrique and a touch of caramel. Very good on its own, but also a good match for pork chops or a milder cheese.
- The Montes Alpha Carmenere 2008 ($19.95). Carmeneres are generally not quite as lean and structured as cabernets, and often sport richer, fruit. This one is no exception, but if you’re looking for a smooth, easy drinking red, with black cherry and coffee on both the nose and palate, and notes of olive, herb de provence and white pepper, this wine delivers. Try it with a not too lean cut of beef, spareribs or, a stew.
- By way of whites, the Casas del Bosque Reserva Sauvignon Blanc 2009 represents great value at $13.95. It’s clean and refreshing with pear, gooseberry, and some muted citrus and mineral notes, and a long finish. There’s acid there, and a bit of grassiness, but they’re so well integrated, and the wine is so dry, that you have to think about it to notice them. A perfect complement for shellfish in broth.
* * *
I must confess that I was disappointed with much of the remainder of the release. I did not expect any great wines, but there were quite a few items that I thought looked interesting and would represent good value. Alas, in most cases, the wines did not live up to my expectations.
There were, however, a few that did:
WHITE WINES
I am well aware that Ontario’s mid-January is not the most popular time to be talking about white wines, but warm weather will (eventually) come again, and it’s best to be prepared. Besides, you can’t drink reds all the time. Well, you can, but it’s nice to have an option when you want something cool and refreshing, and Kool-Aid just won’t do.
The Domaine Eugenie Carrion Chablis 2009 ($19.95) was my favourite wine of the release. I’m a big fan of chablis anyway, and this one comes in about $10 cheaper than any other good Chablis that I’ve had for a long time. It’s clean and very refreshing with great mouth feel, some really nice minerality, and some soft citrus and green apple aromas and flavours. This is a very elegant wine that is (dare I say it) underpriced. Serve with soft cheese, virtually any seafood, chicken, or a salad.
For the true, New Zealand sauvignon experience, go for the Blind River Sauvignon Blanc 2009 ($19.95). This slightly grassy offering is a rich, lovely melange of gooseberry, kiwi and tropical fruit, and an underlying citrus base that carries the acid well and delivers a long finish. If you like sauvignon blancs, you’ll like this wine.
The world seems divided between chardonnay lovers and chardonnay detractors. If you fall into the former group (the lovers, for those who weren’t paying attention) go for the Menage a Trois Chardonnay 2008 ($18.95) from California. This is bit of a cool weather chardonnay from the coast, meaning that it isn’t hugely rich or very butterscotchy. However, it is a very graceful, creamy (rather than buttery) wine, with layers of apple, vanilla and pineapple, accented by a little (but only a little) toasted oak. Good mouth feel and a surprisingly long finish round out this elegant wine, which reminds me of a burgundian pouilly fuisse at a fraction of the price. Drink on its own, with a warm brie, a salad or a poultry dish.
RED WINES
This was where I suffered my severest disappointments. Given the number of offerings from southwest France, Bordeaux, Burgundy and Australia, I felt confident that I would find a number of things that I liked. Unfortunately, most of the ones I tried (which was not all of them) measured up to my hopes. Here’s what was left:
The Chateau St. Jean Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 ($19.95) from California is always good, and is decently priced. Expect a nose of black current and smoke, with those aromas, together with earth, raspberry and black plum, replicated on the palate. This is a hearty, medium bodied cabernet, with a long finish that will go well with most red meat dishes.
The Perrin & Fils La Gille Gigondas 2007 ($29.95) from the Rhone, is a rich, medium bodied offering with masses of dark berry flavours and aromas, some vanilla notes, and a medium to long finish. This is a nice wine which will go well with a lean cut of beef but, before you buy it, check to see if your store has any Coudelet de Beaucastel left. The last time I looked, the Coudelet was the same price and, I think, delivers more for the money.
The Tommasi Vigneto Le Prunee Merlot 2008 ($16.95) from Veneto. This producer specializes in amarones and valpolicellas, so when they produce a merlot their experience tends to influence the end result. Expect ripe cherries, raisins and cocoa flavours, with a touch of licorice, on this hearty, concentrated wine, that is just made to go with a meat and tomato based pasta sauce.
Saturday, December 11, 2010
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.
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.
Friday, November 12, 2010
Vintages Release - November 13, 2010
You can tell it’s getting close to Christmas in Ontario when:
a) it gets dark early;
b) it starts to get cold; and
c) you suddenly see a lot more expensive wines in the LCBO releases;
That’s only partially a complaint. Although my bank manager regularly squeals at the size of my wine budget, he, like most of us, appreciates a good bottle, and there are a lot of good bottles in this release. The theme of the release is “top-rated wines”, together with “Tuscan treasures”. Since a good few of the world’s top rated wines come from Tuscany, you could drop a lot of money on this release if you were so minded.
I’m going to try to point out my idea of good value amongst the expensive wines (hopefully without breaking the bank), and still find some reasonably priced, every day quaffers as well.
SPARKLING WINE
Two choices here.
The Charles Baur Cremant d’Alsace 2009 ($18.95) is made just like a champagne, but of course they can’t call it that because it doesn’t come from the right part of France. (It also uses some grape varieties that are outside the norm for champagne.) The end result won’t fool you into thinking you have a real champagne, but it’s a very good substitute for a fraction of the price. Expect a slightly leesy palate, with green apple, toast, lemon-lime, pear and honey on this very slightly off-dry wine. It may not pass as a quality champagne, but serve it with appetizers, or even your Christmas turkey, and you’ll have a very passable imitation.
If you want the real thing, go for the Cattier Premier Cru Brut Champagne 2002 ($47.95). This is the real deal and you could pay a whole lot more without getting a whole lot more. This creamy wine is at the peak of its taste right now. Expect complex notes of brioche, baked apple, lemon, with good length and mouth feel. This wine will carry you through the festive season.
WHITE WINE
Four choices here, all reasonable priced:
The Chereau-Carre La Griffe Bernard Chereau Muscadet Sevre et Maine 2009 from the Loire is a good deal at $13.95. This isn’t a typical lean muscadet it’s far too rich for that - but at the same time it’s citric and zippy. There are elements of pear and honey, and some flinty mineral on the finish, that make it mouth watering on its own, and a good choice to go with dishes as diverse as shellfish or chicken.
If I liked the muscadet, I loved the Chateau de Mirande Macon-Villages 2009 ($17.95) from Burgundy. This is a soft, easy drinking, rich chardonnay with sweet grapefruit, apple, honey, tropical fruit, and a touch of vanilla on the finish. A very refreshing wine that drinks so nicely on its own that you might not think of pairing it with whitefish or soft cheese.
Dog Point Vineyard Sauvigon Blanc 2009 ($19.95) is made (and owned) by two former winemakers at New Zealand’s famed Cloudy Bay winery which, during their tenure there, arguably set the world wide standard for sauvignon blanc. There is a rich mélange of flavours on this concentrated wine with lemon grass, citrus, honey and stone fruit notes predominating. This wine is one of my perennial favourites.
I’m not generally a huge fan of California chardonnays, since I usually prefer a leaner version of the grape (eg. a Chablis), but I was very impressed by the Sterling Vineyards Chardonnay 2007 ($21.95). This is a big, very rich, white wine, with lots of vanilla and toast, well balanced acid, caramel, peach, pear, apple and tropical fruit. If you like rich chardonnays, this wine is for you, and comes at a very decent price.
SPECIAL RED WINES
There are just too many good red wines in this release, so I plan to list a bunch (any one of which I’d be happy to recommend), but I will be listing one or two special favourites/value choices.
I’d buy any of the:
- Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 ($51.95) – a lighter style, but very well made California cabernet
- Montes Alpha Purple Angel 2007 ($49.95) – one of the best wines from this quality Chilean winery
- Barossa Valley Estate Ebeneezer Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 ($39.95) – this is the second wine of one of the highest quality, most reliable, Australian estates. One of my personal favourites.
- Bouchard Pere et Fils Gevrey-Chambertin 2007 ($44.95) – this company has been making quality burgundies for centuries, but this wine probably needs to be aged for 5 years
- Chateau de Beaucastel Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2008 ($89.95) – the most storied winery in a storied region. Age for at least seven years.
- Antinori Guado al Tasso 2007 ($89.95) – The Antinori name is synonymous with Italian wine, and this has been one of their leading offerings. It’s a Bordeaux blend of grapes (cabernet sauvignon, merlot and cabernet franc) Also needs substantial aging.
- Antinori Solaia 2007 ($249.95) – This is THE leading Antinori wine, and one of the great iconic wines of the world. It’s basically a cabernet sauvignon/sangiovese blend and one of the grand daddies of the IGT classification. Don’t even think about opening it for about 10 years, by which time it may well have doubled in value.
- Poggio Antico Brunello di Montalcino 2005 ($64.95) – One of the best wineries in the Brunello region. Absolutely reliable as to quality and taste.
- Miguel Torres Mas la Plana Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 ($44.95) – This Spanish winery is rapidly gaining a reputation for top flight quality.
When I say that I would recommend any of those wines, I should also say that I have bought (and in some cases still have cellared) each of those wines, although not necessarily the vintages described above,
However, if I were to be buying a pricey wine to drink within the next little while, I would be buying either of:
- the Ornellaia La Serre Nuove Dell’Ornellaia 2008 ($59.95) from Tuscany. This wine was released on October 30, and I recommended it then, but there is still quite a bit in the stores. I think it’s just delicious, and (despite what Vintages says) is drinking beautifully now (with aeration). I bought more.
- the Bodegas Callia Winemakers Reserve Grand Callia 2006 ($34.95) from Argentina. This is a release wine and would benefit from a year or so in the bottle, but you can substitute aeration for a couple of hours. Expect chocolate, mint, plum, blueberry, licorice, cherry, white pepper, orange peel and pencil box notes on this very complex, highly enjoyable wine. As with any Argentinian wine, it is made to go with grilled red meat. Great value, and great wine. I will buy more.
MORE MODESTLY PRICED REDS
Things don’t always have to cost an upper and lower limb.
The Vinum Vita est Nebbiolo D’Alba 2007 ($15.95) from Piedmont is a very nice wine, especially for the price. This winery (co-op) recently put out the Dogliani 2007, a very tasty blend for $13.95. The Vinum Vita is a step up, but still represents very good value. Expect black cherry, smoke and earthy notes on this very nice wine, that will work especially well with tomato and red meat based dishes.
The Castello di Farnetella Lucilla 2007 ($18.95) is an IGT from Tuscany, and one of the wines of the month. It has a nose, and a palate, dominated by ripe black plum, with licorice, smoke, blueberry, spice, and white pepper. A very tasty wine, which, being Italian, will complement tomato based pasta or pizza, but wouldn’t be out of place with a burger, stew or a hard cheese. One of the better recent wines of the month.
The Ornellaia Le Volte 2008 ($28.95) is the little brother (sister) of the Serre Nuove as recommended above. It isn’t in the same league but represents good value for the price I buy some of this every year for those occasions when you want a wine that’s a notch above the ordinary but doesn’t go all the way to expensive. Expect leather, big black fruit, blueberry and fig, with soft tannins and a long finish.
Finally (for I fear I have gone on too long) there’s the Chateau Signac Cuvee Combe D’Enfer Cotes du Rhone-Villages Chusclan 2007 ($18.95). Expect a medium bodied wine with lots of lavender on the nose, and black cherry, earth, lavender, black current and a bit of smoked meat on the palate. This is a mini chateauneuf-du-pape, and, again, represents good value. Serve (aerated for at least 30 minutes) with red meat or hard cheese.
a) it gets dark early;
b) it starts to get cold; and
c) you suddenly see a lot more expensive wines in the LCBO releases;
That’s only partially a complaint. Although my bank manager regularly squeals at the size of my wine budget, he, like most of us, appreciates a good bottle, and there are a lot of good bottles in this release. The theme of the release is “top-rated wines”, together with “Tuscan treasures”. Since a good few of the world’s top rated wines come from Tuscany, you could drop a lot of money on this release if you were so minded.
I’m going to try to point out my idea of good value amongst the expensive wines (hopefully without breaking the bank), and still find some reasonably priced, every day quaffers as well.
SPARKLING WINE
Two choices here.
The Charles Baur Cremant d’Alsace 2009 ($18.95) is made just like a champagne, but of course they can’t call it that because it doesn’t come from the right part of France. (It also uses some grape varieties that are outside the norm for champagne.) The end result won’t fool you into thinking you have a real champagne, but it’s a very good substitute for a fraction of the price. Expect a slightly leesy palate, with green apple, toast, lemon-lime, pear and honey on this very slightly off-dry wine. It may not pass as a quality champagne, but serve it with appetizers, or even your Christmas turkey, and you’ll have a very passable imitation.
If you want the real thing, go for the Cattier Premier Cru Brut Champagne 2002 ($47.95). This is the real deal and you could pay a whole lot more without getting a whole lot more. This creamy wine is at the peak of its taste right now. Expect complex notes of brioche, baked apple, lemon, with good length and mouth feel. This wine will carry you through the festive season.
WHITE WINE
Four choices here, all reasonable priced:
The Chereau-Carre La Griffe Bernard Chereau Muscadet Sevre et Maine 2009 from the Loire is a good deal at $13.95. This isn’t a typical lean muscadet it’s far too rich for that - but at the same time it’s citric and zippy. There are elements of pear and honey, and some flinty mineral on the finish, that make it mouth watering on its own, and a good choice to go with dishes as diverse as shellfish or chicken.
If I liked the muscadet, I loved the Chateau de Mirande Macon-Villages 2009 ($17.95) from Burgundy. This is a soft, easy drinking, rich chardonnay with sweet grapefruit, apple, honey, tropical fruit, and a touch of vanilla on the finish. A very refreshing wine that drinks so nicely on its own that you might not think of pairing it with whitefish or soft cheese.
Dog Point Vineyard Sauvigon Blanc 2009 ($19.95) is made (and owned) by two former winemakers at New Zealand’s famed Cloudy Bay winery which, during their tenure there, arguably set the world wide standard for sauvignon blanc. There is a rich mélange of flavours on this concentrated wine with lemon grass, citrus, honey and stone fruit notes predominating. This wine is one of my perennial favourites.
I’m not generally a huge fan of California chardonnays, since I usually prefer a leaner version of the grape (eg. a Chablis), but I was very impressed by the Sterling Vineyards Chardonnay 2007 ($21.95). This is a big, very rich, white wine, with lots of vanilla and toast, well balanced acid, caramel, peach, pear, apple and tropical fruit. If you like rich chardonnays, this wine is for you, and comes at a very decent price.
SPECIAL RED WINES
There are just too many good red wines in this release, so I plan to list a bunch (any one of which I’d be happy to recommend), but I will be listing one or two special favourites/value choices.
I’d buy any of the:
- Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 ($51.95) – a lighter style, but very well made California cabernet
- Montes Alpha Purple Angel 2007 ($49.95) – one of the best wines from this quality Chilean winery
- Barossa Valley Estate Ebeneezer Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 ($39.95) – this is the second wine of one of the highest quality, most reliable, Australian estates. One of my personal favourites.
- Bouchard Pere et Fils Gevrey-Chambertin 2007 ($44.95) – this company has been making quality burgundies for centuries, but this wine probably needs to be aged for 5 years
- Chateau de Beaucastel Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2008 ($89.95) – the most storied winery in a storied region. Age for at least seven years.
- Antinori Guado al Tasso 2007 ($89.95) – The Antinori name is synonymous with Italian wine, and this has been one of their leading offerings. It’s a Bordeaux blend of grapes (cabernet sauvignon, merlot and cabernet franc) Also needs substantial aging.
- Antinori Solaia 2007 ($249.95) – This is THE leading Antinori wine, and one of the great iconic wines of the world. It’s basically a cabernet sauvignon/sangiovese blend and one of the grand daddies of the IGT classification. Don’t even think about opening it for about 10 years, by which time it may well have doubled in value.
- Poggio Antico Brunello di Montalcino 2005 ($64.95) – One of the best wineries in the Brunello region. Absolutely reliable as to quality and taste.
- Miguel Torres Mas la Plana Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 ($44.95) – This Spanish winery is rapidly gaining a reputation for top flight quality.
When I say that I would recommend any of those wines, I should also say that I have bought (and in some cases still have cellared) each of those wines, although not necessarily the vintages described above,
However, if I were to be buying a pricey wine to drink within the next little while, I would be buying either of:
- the Ornellaia La Serre Nuove Dell’Ornellaia 2008 ($59.95) from Tuscany. This wine was released on October 30, and I recommended it then, but there is still quite a bit in the stores. I think it’s just delicious, and (despite what Vintages says) is drinking beautifully now (with aeration). I bought more.
- the Bodegas Callia Winemakers Reserve Grand Callia 2006 ($34.95) from Argentina. This is a release wine and would benefit from a year or so in the bottle, but you can substitute aeration for a couple of hours. Expect chocolate, mint, plum, blueberry, licorice, cherry, white pepper, orange peel and pencil box notes on this very complex, highly enjoyable wine. As with any Argentinian wine, it is made to go with grilled red meat. Great value, and great wine. I will buy more.
MORE MODESTLY PRICED REDS
Things don’t always have to cost an upper and lower limb.
The Vinum Vita est Nebbiolo D’Alba 2007 ($15.95) from Piedmont is a very nice wine, especially for the price. This winery (co-op) recently put out the Dogliani 2007, a very tasty blend for $13.95. The Vinum Vita is a step up, but still represents very good value. Expect black cherry, smoke and earthy notes on this very nice wine, that will work especially well with tomato and red meat based dishes.
The Castello di Farnetella Lucilla 2007 ($18.95) is an IGT from Tuscany, and one of the wines of the month. It has a nose, and a palate, dominated by ripe black plum, with licorice, smoke, blueberry, spice, and white pepper. A very tasty wine, which, being Italian, will complement tomato based pasta or pizza, but wouldn’t be out of place with a burger, stew or a hard cheese. One of the better recent wines of the month.
The Ornellaia Le Volte 2008 ($28.95) is the little brother (sister) of the Serre Nuove as recommended above. It isn’t in the same league but represents good value for the price I buy some of this every year for those occasions when you want a wine that’s a notch above the ordinary but doesn’t go all the way to expensive. Expect leather, big black fruit, blueberry and fig, with soft tannins and a long finish.
Finally (for I fear I have gone on too long) there’s the Chateau Signac Cuvee Combe D’Enfer Cotes du Rhone-Villages Chusclan 2007 ($18.95). Expect a medium bodied wine with lots of lavender on the nose, and black cherry, earth, lavender, black current and a bit of smoked meat on the palate. This is a mini chateauneuf-du-pape, and, again, represents good value. Serve (aerated for at least 30 minutes) with red meat or hard cheese.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Vintages Release - October 30, 2010
Sorry that this column is a bit late, but I just got back from California. The timing is a more than a bit serendipitous in that yesterday’s release features the wines from that state.
If you’ll forgive me, I’m going to show off by going over a little history, before getting on to the wines. If you don’t care about the history, just skip the next couple of paragraphs. If you are interested, here goes –
California was developing a rather nice little wine industry in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries when prohibition hit. The entire thing collapsed like a house of cards and virtually every winery (except one or two that got contracts to supply altar wine to the Catholic church) went out of business and were either abandoned or turned to growing fruit and vegetables. When prohibition ended in 1933, you might have thought that there would be a comeback, but it was very slow to emerge, and most of the wine that was produced, for quite a long time, was of the cheap and nasty variety.
It was only in the 1960’s and 1970’s that a quality industry started to develop again, but it was still not well regarded, especially as compared to the traditional wine growing regions of France and Italy. As chronicled in the movie Bottle Shock – which hopelessly romanticized the whole story - a competitive tasting was arranged in Paris in 1976 (as part of the American bicentennial celebrations) between several Napa valley wines and some of their French counterparts. Much to the surprise (shock) of some, two American wines won the competition – Chateau Montelena for the whites, and Stag’s Leap for the reds. The victory gave the entire California wine industry a huge shot in the arm, and today the Napa and Sonoma valleys (just north and east of San Francisco) are chock a block full of wineries. Quite expensive ones too, for the most part.
Napa and Sonoma are well suited, both in respect of terroir and climate, to produce good wines, and they do, from almost every grape variety imaginable although (amongst reds) cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc, zinfandel and malbec tend to dominate in the warmer Napa valley, while those same varieties, plus pinot noir, are grown in Sonoma. Chardonnay tends to dominate amongst the whites, and California is justly famous for its creamy, rich versions of that varietal, although you can certainly find sparkling wines and sauvignon blanc in abundance. If you want, which in my mind you shouldn’t, you can also find white zinfandel.
The California climate is also well suited to viticulture, and the weather tends to be pretty consistent from year to year, although 1994 and 1997 were known as exceptional years for reds, while 1998 and 2000 were a bit sub-standard. Amongst whites, 1995 and 1997 were praised, while 1994 and 2001 were not quite up to par. All of the other years, for both kinds of wine, were rated as 8’s or 9’s (out of 10) by those in the know.
It appears, however, that this year will be fairly challenging for California winemakers. They had one of the coldest summers on record, and, come September, the berries were far less ripe, with lower sugar levels, than normal. In order to help compensate, many wineries cut away much of the foliage on the vines so that the grapes could get maximum benefit from the remaining sun. Unfortunately, no sooner had they done so, but the temperature shot up to 110F for three straight days. Without the protection of the foliage, many of the grapes “sunburned” and a number of the wineries that we visited estimated that they would lose up to half of their crop.
California wines are usually ready to drink upon release, and are not made to require food in the same way that many European wines do. Don’t get the impression, however, that they won’t last. I recently opened a bottle of 1997 Silver Oak (Napa) and it was delicious. Several years ago, I participated in a tasting of eight lesser ranked bordeauxs, and one mystery wine, all from the same, 25 year old, vintage. The bordeauxs were all clearly past their best, with fading fruit and a “tea” like taste. The mystery wine, which turned out to be a Californian, was still lively and fresh – much better than the others.
I don’t mean to suggest that California wines are better than European wines. I still think that the best of European wines, properly aged, are more interesting than many Californians, and I deplore California prices, which are, I think, about twice what they should be, but I cannot deny that the state does produce some wonderful wines.
I cannot, in this one issue, do justice to the many wineries we visited, so some will have to wait for another issue, but I can start to give you an idea of our experiences.
We visited both Chateau Montelena and Stag’s Leap (in deference to the movie) and were treated very well at both – especially at Chateau Montelena. Chateau Montelena specializes in whites, and its chardonnays, in particular, are simply spectacular – rich and buttery, with notes of tropical fruit, vanilla and sweet oak. I was also very impressed with its red zinfandel, which was lighter than usual, with an abundance of red fruit flavours. Unfortunately, there is no Chateau Montelena product in this release, although many of the stores do stock it, and it shows up from time to time in Vintage releases.
There is a Stag’s Leap product in this release, the Stag’s Leap Winery Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 ($49.95). This wine is very ready to drink, with a lovely nose of leather and blackberry, and a complex, well integrated palate of plum, leather, dark chocolate and cassis. It will drink well on its own, or complement any red meat.
We also visited, and thoroughly enjoyed, wines from Duckhorn Estates and Ravenwood, both of which are featured in this release:
- The Duckhorn Decoy Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 ($29.95) is a Bordeaux blend of grapes, and is decently priced for a California cab. This is a rich, subtle blend of dark fruit, with some mineral and olive notes, and a long, succulent finish. Vintages suggests keeping it for 2 or 3 years, and I don’t disagree, but if you aerate for a couple of hours and serve with big, red meat, you will not be disappointed.
- Ravenswood is a specialist in red zinfandels, and they do them very well. We got there about 30 minutes before they closed, but they obliged by giving us samples of a least ten of their top wines, all of which were just great. I must admit, however, that tasting that many wines in that short a time, made note taking a difficult task. The Ravenswood Old Vine Zinfandel 2007 ($23.95) in this release is one of their more basic (and less expensive wines) but it is well worth trying. I find zinfandels a little more fruit forward, and a bit less complex, that cabernets, but this is a rich, concentrated wine with notes of sweet plum, blackberry, cherry and chocolate. It is the ideal complement for spareribs because the rich fruit matches the sweetness of the rib sauce so well. Don’t be afraid to try it on its own, or with a sharp cheese though.
Since I want to cover some of the other release wines, I am going to leave most of our California experience for another day. I do, however, want to mention several wineries where we had terrific tasting and were much impressed with their products. If you see wines from any of these wineries, do not hesitate to buy in:
Far Niente (lovely cabernets)
Silver Oak (Napa, which is a bordeax blend, or Sonoma, which is a straight cabernet sauvignon and a bit cheaper)
Caymus (I recommended this wine in my last column, and think, despite the price, that it’s some of the best value in the state)
Merry Edwards (a pinot noir producer from the Sonoma coast)
Chateau St. Jean (good chardonnays, and some great, higher priced cabernets)
Robert Mondavi (very good reds, and some excellent chardonnays, the latter at quite reasonable prices)
We were also very favourably impressed by Kendall Jackson, which I have (obviously wrongly) regarded as a producer of mass produced, rather than quality wines. We had a food and wine pairing there (cost $25/person) which was simply spectacular, and included some of their higher end wines.
We also had a very generous tasting at Gloria Ferrer, and a good tasting at Mumms, two solid sparkling wine producers. I must confess that, in both cases, their blanc de blancs (pure chardonnay) offerings impressed me more than some of their other products, but if you like a slightly off dry sparkling (white or rosé), they are both tasty and reasonably affordable.
OTHER RELEASE WINES
The Roederer Estate Brut Sparkling Wine ($28.95) from California is a crisp wine with green apple, brioche and a slight (but not at all unpleasant) yeast character. There’s a hint of cinnamon, on this very refreshing wine, with great mouth feel and a long finish.
If you prefer rosé sparkling, I have two suggestions:
- The Mezzodondo Sparkling Rosé from Italy is only $11.95. This is not a sophisticated champagne, but it is great value and a good thirst quencher. Expect strawberry, with a hint of roses, on this very pleasant, dry wine, that sports a good finish. If you like rosés of any description (still or sparkling) you can’t afford not to try it. This is not a release wine.
- For a rosé with a good deal more complexity, try the Taltarni Brut Tache 2008 ($24.95) from Australia. This is the full rosé experience, with brioche, raspberry, rose petal, apricot, and a touch of lime and green apple to keep it very dry. Serve as an aperitif, or with appetizers, or just drink it on its own to keep cool on a hot day.
White Wines
The Napa Creek Chardonnay 2008 ($19.95) is a good example of a California chardonnay (rich and creamy with tropical fruit, and citrus for balance). It’s lightly oaked, but the oak is so well integrated that it doesn’t dominate. Serve, and enjoy, with chicken or whitefish, or with a cream cheese.
I’m a big fan of Chablis, and there are two good examples in this release:
- The Domaine du Chardonnay Chablis 2008 is only $18.95 (a great price for a Chablis). It’s a lighter style wine, with lemon, green apple and honey, and a touch of mineral on the finish. It’s very refreshing, and has enough acid to go well with seafood in a cream sauce.
- The Alain Geoffroy Beauroy Chablis 1er Cru 2007 ($24.95) is a richer, more complex version of a chablis, with lemon drop, pink grapefruit, chalk and flinty finish. This wine will complement shellfish, whitefish, chicken, or goat cheese, or it can be enjoyed on its own.
Red Wines
My favourite red from this release is the Ornellaia Le Serre Nuove Dell’Ornellaia 2008 ($59.95) from Tuscany. This is the younger sibling of one of the world’s great wines, and I buy it every year, and have never regretted it. This wine delivers an entire gamut of flavours, everything from chocolate to cherries, plum and blackberry to leather and cloves. It is one of those wines where each mouthful tastes subtly different, but equally good. Decant for at least an hour and serve with virtually anything – pasta, red meat or hard cheese.
Rhone fans will like one (or more) of the following:
- The Alain Jaume Les Valats Rasteau 2007 ($18.95). This is a lighter style, with soft tannins and lots of sweet red fruit – raspberry, strawberry and cherry liqueur, and a touch of cocoa and eucalyptus. It’s a bit light for my taste, but many people will like the fact that it’s a smooth, easy drink, and doesn’t overpower the palate. Would go very well with pork chops.
- The Cave de Tain Crozes Hermitage 2007 ($17.95) is one of my staples. It’s dominated by black fruit (black cherry, cassis and plum) with notes of leather, earth, cedar and smoke. An ideal house wine, which will go with pizza, burgers or steak.
- The 2007 version of the Chateau de Beaucastel Coudelet de Beaucastel 2008 ($29.95) was released last July, and sold out in no time. This is another old favourite – a mini chateauneuf-du-pape from one of the best known houses in Chateauneuf-du-pape. You can’t not like this wine with its nose of sweet oak, herbs and smoked meat, and its chewy flavours of cassis, earth, leather, cherry, licorice and plum. If you missed it last time, don’t miss it again.
The surprise of the release for me, and the best value wine, was the Montgo Monastrell/Shiraz 2007 from Spain. At $13.95, this was a terrific buy, with Christmas cake, cedar, cocoa, blackberry, spice, marzipan and sweet oak flavours. It was really tasty on its own, but Vintages suggests (and I agree) that it would go very well with stew. Of course cheese is always an option too. Buy this wine.
If you’ll forgive me, I’m going to show off by going over a little history, before getting on to the wines. If you don’t care about the history, just skip the next couple of paragraphs. If you are interested, here goes –
California was developing a rather nice little wine industry in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries when prohibition hit. The entire thing collapsed like a house of cards and virtually every winery (except one or two that got contracts to supply altar wine to the Catholic church) went out of business and were either abandoned or turned to growing fruit and vegetables. When prohibition ended in 1933, you might have thought that there would be a comeback, but it was very slow to emerge, and most of the wine that was produced, for quite a long time, was of the cheap and nasty variety.
It was only in the 1960’s and 1970’s that a quality industry started to develop again, but it was still not well regarded, especially as compared to the traditional wine growing regions of France and Italy. As chronicled in the movie Bottle Shock – which hopelessly romanticized the whole story - a competitive tasting was arranged in Paris in 1976 (as part of the American bicentennial celebrations) between several Napa valley wines and some of their French counterparts. Much to the surprise (shock) of some, two American wines won the competition – Chateau Montelena for the whites, and Stag’s Leap for the reds. The victory gave the entire California wine industry a huge shot in the arm, and today the Napa and Sonoma valleys (just north and east of San Francisco) are chock a block full of wineries. Quite expensive ones too, for the most part.
Napa and Sonoma are well suited, both in respect of terroir and climate, to produce good wines, and they do, from almost every grape variety imaginable although (amongst reds) cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc, zinfandel and malbec tend to dominate in the warmer Napa valley, while those same varieties, plus pinot noir, are grown in Sonoma. Chardonnay tends to dominate amongst the whites, and California is justly famous for its creamy, rich versions of that varietal, although you can certainly find sparkling wines and sauvignon blanc in abundance. If you want, which in my mind you shouldn’t, you can also find white zinfandel.
The California climate is also well suited to viticulture, and the weather tends to be pretty consistent from year to year, although 1994 and 1997 were known as exceptional years for reds, while 1998 and 2000 were a bit sub-standard. Amongst whites, 1995 and 1997 were praised, while 1994 and 2001 were not quite up to par. All of the other years, for both kinds of wine, were rated as 8’s or 9’s (out of 10) by those in the know.
It appears, however, that this year will be fairly challenging for California winemakers. They had one of the coldest summers on record, and, come September, the berries were far less ripe, with lower sugar levels, than normal. In order to help compensate, many wineries cut away much of the foliage on the vines so that the grapes could get maximum benefit from the remaining sun. Unfortunately, no sooner had they done so, but the temperature shot up to 110F for three straight days. Without the protection of the foliage, many of the grapes “sunburned” and a number of the wineries that we visited estimated that they would lose up to half of their crop.
California wines are usually ready to drink upon release, and are not made to require food in the same way that many European wines do. Don’t get the impression, however, that they won’t last. I recently opened a bottle of 1997 Silver Oak (Napa) and it was delicious. Several years ago, I participated in a tasting of eight lesser ranked bordeauxs, and one mystery wine, all from the same, 25 year old, vintage. The bordeauxs were all clearly past their best, with fading fruit and a “tea” like taste. The mystery wine, which turned out to be a Californian, was still lively and fresh – much better than the others.
I don’t mean to suggest that California wines are better than European wines. I still think that the best of European wines, properly aged, are more interesting than many Californians, and I deplore California prices, which are, I think, about twice what they should be, but I cannot deny that the state does produce some wonderful wines.
I cannot, in this one issue, do justice to the many wineries we visited, so some will have to wait for another issue, but I can start to give you an idea of our experiences.
We visited both Chateau Montelena and Stag’s Leap (in deference to the movie) and were treated very well at both – especially at Chateau Montelena. Chateau Montelena specializes in whites, and its chardonnays, in particular, are simply spectacular – rich and buttery, with notes of tropical fruit, vanilla and sweet oak. I was also very impressed with its red zinfandel, which was lighter than usual, with an abundance of red fruit flavours. Unfortunately, there is no Chateau Montelena product in this release, although many of the stores do stock it, and it shows up from time to time in Vintage releases.
There is a Stag’s Leap product in this release, the Stag’s Leap Winery Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 ($49.95). This wine is very ready to drink, with a lovely nose of leather and blackberry, and a complex, well integrated palate of plum, leather, dark chocolate and cassis. It will drink well on its own, or complement any red meat.
We also visited, and thoroughly enjoyed, wines from Duckhorn Estates and Ravenwood, both of which are featured in this release:
- The Duckhorn Decoy Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 ($29.95) is a Bordeaux blend of grapes, and is decently priced for a California cab. This is a rich, subtle blend of dark fruit, with some mineral and olive notes, and a long, succulent finish. Vintages suggests keeping it for 2 or 3 years, and I don’t disagree, but if you aerate for a couple of hours and serve with big, red meat, you will not be disappointed.
- Ravenswood is a specialist in red zinfandels, and they do them very well. We got there about 30 minutes before they closed, but they obliged by giving us samples of a least ten of their top wines, all of which were just great. I must admit, however, that tasting that many wines in that short a time, made note taking a difficult task. The Ravenswood Old Vine Zinfandel 2007 ($23.95) in this release is one of their more basic (and less expensive wines) but it is well worth trying. I find zinfandels a little more fruit forward, and a bit less complex, that cabernets, but this is a rich, concentrated wine with notes of sweet plum, blackberry, cherry and chocolate. It is the ideal complement for spareribs because the rich fruit matches the sweetness of the rib sauce so well. Don’t be afraid to try it on its own, or with a sharp cheese though.
Since I want to cover some of the other release wines, I am going to leave most of our California experience for another day. I do, however, want to mention several wineries where we had terrific tasting and were much impressed with their products. If you see wines from any of these wineries, do not hesitate to buy in:
Far Niente (lovely cabernets)
Silver Oak (Napa, which is a bordeax blend, or Sonoma, which is a straight cabernet sauvignon and a bit cheaper)
Caymus (I recommended this wine in my last column, and think, despite the price, that it’s some of the best value in the state)
Merry Edwards (a pinot noir producer from the Sonoma coast)
Chateau St. Jean (good chardonnays, and some great, higher priced cabernets)
Robert Mondavi (very good reds, and some excellent chardonnays, the latter at quite reasonable prices)
We were also very favourably impressed by Kendall Jackson, which I have (obviously wrongly) regarded as a producer of mass produced, rather than quality wines. We had a food and wine pairing there (cost $25/person) which was simply spectacular, and included some of their higher end wines.
We also had a very generous tasting at Gloria Ferrer, and a good tasting at Mumms, two solid sparkling wine producers. I must confess that, in both cases, their blanc de blancs (pure chardonnay) offerings impressed me more than some of their other products, but if you like a slightly off dry sparkling (white or rosé), they are both tasty and reasonably affordable.
OTHER RELEASE WINES
The Roederer Estate Brut Sparkling Wine ($28.95) from California is a crisp wine with green apple, brioche and a slight (but not at all unpleasant) yeast character. There’s a hint of cinnamon, on this very refreshing wine, with great mouth feel and a long finish.
If you prefer rosé sparkling, I have two suggestions:
- The Mezzodondo Sparkling Rosé from Italy is only $11.95. This is not a sophisticated champagne, but it is great value and a good thirst quencher. Expect strawberry, with a hint of roses, on this very pleasant, dry wine, that sports a good finish. If you like rosés of any description (still or sparkling) you can’t afford not to try it. This is not a release wine.
- For a rosé with a good deal more complexity, try the Taltarni Brut Tache 2008 ($24.95) from Australia. This is the full rosé experience, with brioche, raspberry, rose petal, apricot, and a touch of lime and green apple to keep it very dry. Serve as an aperitif, or with appetizers, or just drink it on its own to keep cool on a hot day.
White Wines
The Napa Creek Chardonnay 2008 ($19.95) is a good example of a California chardonnay (rich and creamy with tropical fruit, and citrus for balance). It’s lightly oaked, but the oak is so well integrated that it doesn’t dominate. Serve, and enjoy, with chicken or whitefish, or with a cream cheese.
I’m a big fan of Chablis, and there are two good examples in this release:
- The Domaine du Chardonnay Chablis 2008 is only $18.95 (a great price for a Chablis). It’s a lighter style wine, with lemon, green apple and honey, and a touch of mineral on the finish. It’s very refreshing, and has enough acid to go well with seafood in a cream sauce.
- The Alain Geoffroy Beauroy Chablis 1er Cru 2007 ($24.95) is a richer, more complex version of a chablis, with lemon drop, pink grapefruit, chalk and flinty finish. This wine will complement shellfish, whitefish, chicken, or goat cheese, or it can be enjoyed on its own.
Red Wines
My favourite red from this release is the Ornellaia Le Serre Nuove Dell’Ornellaia 2008 ($59.95) from Tuscany. This is the younger sibling of one of the world’s great wines, and I buy it every year, and have never regretted it. This wine delivers an entire gamut of flavours, everything from chocolate to cherries, plum and blackberry to leather and cloves. It is one of those wines where each mouthful tastes subtly different, but equally good. Decant for at least an hour and serve with virtually anything – pasta, red meat or hard cheese.
Rhone fans will like one (or more) of the following:
- The Alain Jaume Les Valats Rasteau 2007 ($18.95). This is a lighter style, with soft tannins and lots of sweet red fruit – raspberry, strawberry and cherry liqueur, and a touch of cocoa and eucalyptus. It’s a bit light for my taste, but many people will like the fact that it’s a smooth, easy drink, and doesn’t overpower the palate. Would go very well with pork chops.
- The Cave de Tain Crozes Hermitage 2007 ($17.95) is one of my staples. It’s dominated by black fruit (black cherry, cassis and plum) with notes of leather, earth, cedar and smoke. An ideal house wine, which will go with pizza, burgers or steak.
- The 2007 version of the Chateau de Beaucastel Coudelet de Beaucastel 2008 ($29.95) was released last July, and sold out in no time. This is another old favourite – a mini chateauneuf-du-pape from one of the best known houses in Chateauneuf-du-pape. You can’t not like this wine with its nose of sweet oak, herbs and smoked meat, and its chewy flavours of cassis, earth, leather, cherry, licorice and plum. If you missed it last time, don’t miss it again.
The surprise of the release for me, and the best value wine, was the Montgo Monastrell/Shiraz 2007 from Spain. At $13.95, this was a terrific buy, with Christmas cake, cedar, cocoa, blackberry, spice, marzipan and sweet oak flavours. It was really tasty on its own, but Vintages suggests (and I agree) that it would go very well with stew. Of course cheese is always an option too. Buy this wine.
Friday, October 1, 2010
Vintages Release - October 2, 2010
I didn’t intend to stick to the format of covering every release, but there some wines in tomorrow’s release that are too good to miss. The major theme is Australian wines – and Australia does produce some really good value wines – with a small feature on special Italian wines.
I think Australia does really well, especially with reds, and more especially with cabernet sauvignons. They make some great shiraz’s as well, although I’m finding that some of them have too little structure in favor of too much sweet fruit. Australia is also developing a good pinot noir niche (particularly in Tasmania, which has a cooler climate).
The country has always produced some very good whites, but they tend to be higher alcohol chardonnays due to the hot climate.
Italy, of course, produces some of the great wines of the world, and a least one of them in this release is, in my estimation, one of the best wines you’ll find anywhere.
WHITE WINES
The Trimbach Pinot Gris Reserve 2006 ($18.95) from Alsace is back, and this always consistent producer has done it again. This is a lovely, rich pinot gris, that will work well with your Thanksgiving turkey. Expect pear, sweet grapefruit, with a touch of honey. There’s easily enough body on this wine to complement your Thanksgiving turkey.
The Francis Coppola Diamond Collection Gold Label Chardonnay 2008 ($19.95) from California isn’t a typical California Chardonnay, since the oak is very muted. There’s lots of lime, pineapple, and a touch of vanilla. Don’t expect a really rich chardonnay, but it it’s a good one. This wine will also work with turkey.
The Roux Pere & Fils Macon Villages Blanc 2009 ($13.95) is a find. This is a lovely, easy drinking, refreshing wine at a great price, although I could easily have mistaken it for a sauvignon blanc instead of a chardonnay, despite the slightly honeyed finish. There’s lots of citrus (lemon) and green apple, and a considerable amount of acid which would work really well, as Vintages suggests, with lobster in drawn butter. If you like a lean chardonnay, buy this wine.
RED WINES
I’m going to start at the wrong end, and do a kind of wedding feast at Canaan thing, but there are three really good wines in this release if you don’t mind spending the money:
- The Ornellaia 2007 ($179.95) from Tuscany is consistently one of the world’s great wines, and one of my personal favourites. I hate spending this much money on a bottle of wine, but I did (and have done a number of times before), and I’ve never regretted it. This is just a great wine, and a treat. It’s so very complex, with notes of cocoa, spice, leather, herbs, mineral and chewy black fruit that it’s almost a shame to have anything else on your palate at the same time. If you want to treat yourself, this is your wine. And it doesn’t need aging. Aerate for an hour and enjoy.
- I’ve always thought that California makes some great wines, but they were usually too expensive, and lacked the individuality of some of the top European wines. California wines are generally meant to be consumed without a lot of aging, and are more heterogeneous than their French or Italian rivals. That being said, the next two wines are just delicious wines:
a) the Shafer Vineyards Merlot 2007 ($59.95) from Napa is a merlot, which may not be all that popular a varietal in California right now, but that doesn’t mean that this isn’t a lovely wine. I bought it too, despite the price. This is a big, ready wine with butterscotch and black plum. It sports soft tannins and a long finish. A really nice, delicious wine, that works really well with red meat.
b) the Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 ($79.95), also from Napa, (which I also bought) is (believe it or not) good value. California cabs can cost a lot more than this, but there are new that are better than this. This wine could use a year or two more in the bottle but it is a smooth, complex, tasty offering. This winery hasn’t boosted its prices the way other California wineries have, but the quality is surely there.
Other reds
I’m not normally a huge new world pinot fan, and, when we visited Yering Station, I wasn’t impressed. But I do like that the Little Yering Pinot Noir 2008 ($14.95) from Australia. It is no burgundian offering, but it is a light, fruity wine dominated by sour cherry and apple. This is a pleasant wine at a good price, and if you’re having turkey for Thanksgiving, this would be my choice. This wine is a crowd pleaser.
The Grant Burge Barossa Shiraz 2008 ($16.95) also from Australia is another crowd pleaser. I’ve been a fan of this producer for a long time, and it produces a really good value shiraz. This isn’t a fruit bomb. It has good structure with sweet black fruit that will nicely complement spare ribs, beef (as long as it isn’t too lean) or hard cheese. Well worth trying.
It took a while for me to warm to the Xanadu Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 ($19.95), but, once it opened, I was quite impressed.. It is a bigger, richer, more intense wine than the Burge, with masses of black fruit, marzipan, vanilla and a long finish. Aerate for an hour (at least) and serve with red meat.
I also very much liked the Balma Venitia Cuvee Ferdinand de Laye Visan 2007 ($13.95) from the Rhone. Finding a good Rhone at this price is like finding treasure, and this wine qualifies. There’s black fruit, white pepper and marzipan on this interesting and tasty wine, which has good acid and a long finish. Serve with stew, steak or hamburger, and buy this wine.
I’m a long time fan of amarone, and of Zenato as a producer. The only thing I don’t like about the Zenato Amarone Valpolicella Classico 2006 ($47.95) is the upward price creep, but the wine is still delicious. This is an old style raisiny intense amarone, that you can’t help but like, now or for the next five years. Serve with lamb or hard cheese, and just enjoy. Aerate for an hour or two before serving.
I think Australia does really well, especially with reds, and more especially with cabernet sauvignons. They make some great shiraz’s as well, although I’m finding that some of them have too little structure in favor of too much sweet fruit. Australia is also developing a good pinot noir niche (particularly in Tasmania, which has a cooler climate).
The country has always produced some very good whites, but they tend to be higher alcohol chardonnays due to the hot climate.
Italy, of course, produces some of the great wines of the world, and a least one of them in this release is, in my estimation, one of the best wines you’ll find anywhere.
WHITE WINES
The Trimbach Pinot Gris Reserve 2006 ($18.95) from Alsace is back, and this always consistent producer has done it again. This is a lovely, rich pinot gris, that will work well with your Thanksgiving turkey. Expect pear, sweet grapefruit, with a touch of honey. There’s easily enough body on this wine to complement your Thanksgiving turkey.
The Francis Coppola Diamond Collection Gold Label Chardonnay 2008 ($19.95) from California isn’t a typical California Chardonnay, since the oak is very muted. There’s lots of lime, pineapple, and a touch of vanilla. Don’t expect a really rich chardonnay, but it it’s a good one. This wine will also work with turkey.
The Roux Pere & Fils Macon Villages Blanc 2009 ($13.95) is a find. This is a lovely, easy drinking, refreshing wine at a great price, although I could easily have mistaken it for a sauvignon blanc instead of a chardonnay, despite the slightly honeyed finish. There’s lots of citrus (lemon) and green apple, and a considerable amount of acid which would work really well, as Vintages suggests, with lobster in drawn butter. If you like a lean chardonnay, buy this wine.
RED WINES
I’m going to start at the wrong end, and do a kind of wedding feast at Canaan thing, but there are three really good wines in this release if you don’t mind spending the money:
- The Ornellaia 2007 ($179.95) from Tuscany is consistently one of the world’s great wines, and one of my personal favourites. I hate spending this much money on a bottle of wine, but I did (and have done a number of times before), and I’ve never regretted it. This is just a great wine, and a treat. It’s so very complex, with notes of cocoa, spice, leather, herbs, mineral and chewy black fruit that it’s almost a shame to have anything else on your palate at the same time. If you want to treat yourself, this is your wine. And it doesn’t need aging. Aerate for an hour and enjoy.
- I’ve always thought that California makes some great wines, but they were usually too expensive, and lacked the individuality of some of the top European wines. California wines are generally meant to be consumed without a lot of aging, and are more heterogeneous than their French or Italian rivals. That being said, the next two wines are just delicious wines:
a) the Shafer Vineyards Merlot 2007 ($59.95) from Napa is a merlot, which may not be all that popular a varietal in California right now, but that doesn’t mean that this isn’t a lovely wine. I bought it too, despite the price. This is a big, ready wine with butterscotch and black plum. It sports soft tannins and a long finish. A really nice, delicious wine, that works really well with red meat.
b) the Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 ($79.95), also from Napa, (which I also bought) is (believe it or not) good value. California cabs can cost a lot more than this, but there are new that are better than this. This wine could use a year or two more in the bottle but it is a smooth, complex, tasty offering. This winery hasn’t boosted its prices the way other California wineries have, but the quality is surely there.
Other reds
I’m not normally a huge new world pinot fan, and, when we visited Yering Station, I wasn’t impressed. But I do like that the Little Yering Pinot Noir 2008 ($14.95) from Australia. It is no burgundian offering, but it is a light, fruity wine dominated by sour cherry and apple. This is a pleasant wine at a good price, and if you’re having turkey for Thanksgiving, this would be my choice. This wine is a crowd pleaser.
The Grant Burge Barossa Shiraz 2008 ($16.95) also from Australia is another crowd pleaser. I’ve been a fan of this producer for a long time, and it produces a really good value shiraz. This isn’t a fruit bomb. It has good structure with sweet black fruit that will nicely complement spare ribs, beef (as long as it isn’t too lean) or hard cheese. Well worth trying.
It took a while for me to warm to the Xanadu Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 ($19.95), but, once it opened, I was quite impressed.. It is a bigger, richer, more intense wine than the Burge, with masses of black fruit, marzipan, vanilla and a long finish. Aerate for an hour (at least) and serve with red meat.
I also very much liked the Balma Venitia Cuvee Ferdinand de Laye Visan 2007 ($13.95) from the Rhone. Finding a good Rhone at this price is like finding treasure, and this wine qualifies. There’s black fruit, white pepper and marzipan on this interesting and tasty wine, which has good acid and a long finish. Serve with stew, steak or hamburger, and buy this wine.
I’m a long time fan of amarone, and of Zenato as a producer. The only thing I don’t like about the Zenato Amarone Valpolicella Classico 2006 ($47.95) is the upward price creep, but the wine is still delicious. This is an old style raisiny intense amarone, that you can’t help but like, now or for the next five years. Serve with lamb or hard cheese, and just enjoy. Aerate for an hour or two before serving.
Friday, September 3, 2010
Vintages Release - September 4, 2010
Hello All
Labour Day weekend already. This summer seems to have just flown by. Ah well, we should still have some pleasant weather ahead of us before winter sets in and turns us all into ice hermits.
The major theme of tomorrow’s release is the wines of the southern Rhone, one of my all time favourite wine producing regions. It includes the justly famed Chateauneuf-du-pape appellation, as well as some lesser known, but still important, AOC’s (wine control regions) like Gigondas and Vacqueyras, as well as Cote du Rhone Village, and Cote du Rhone. The classification system is a bit complicated, but there is a hierarchy as follows:
1. Cru’s (named appellation which do not use the name “Cotes du Rhone”) such as Chateauneuf-du-pape, Gigondas, Vacqueyras and a number of others (most of which are in the Northern Rhone);
2. Cotes du Rhone Village (with the name of the village (such Cairanne) included – there are eighteen of these;
3. Cotes du Rhone Village (without a village name) – there are 95 communes that fall under this sobriquet; and, finally,
4. Cotes du Rhone – the generic name for almost anything which is produced in the region, but does not qualify for any of the above categories.
Don’t let the hierarchy dominate your thinking though. Although simple Cotes du Rhone are at the bottom end of the scale, and are usually priced lower, there are some very good wines in this classification. After all, they have been making wine in the Rhone valley for more than two thousand years, and have learned a thing or two in that time.
The major red grapes are Grenache Noir, Syrah, Cinsault, Carignane, Counoise and Mourvèdre, which produce rich, chewy, complex wines, which do not generally require much aging. The region also produces some very good rosés, and a goodly number of lesser known whites.
The wines featured in this release come from the 2007 vintage which, together with 2005, earned a perfect 10 from most experts.
In this column, as a further move toward the new format, I will be spending most of my time, with respect to red wines, comparing some the release offerings to the Guigal Cotes du Rhone (in this case the ’06) which is a Vintages essential, and one of my benchmarks. I will have a comment on a few other wines but wanted to concentrate on the Southern Rhone for comparison purposes. Thus:
RHONE REDS
The E. Guigal Cotes du Rhone ($16.95) is a Vintages essential and can be found in general list. I tend to use it as a benchmark because it is available all the time, and because I think it delivers good value for the money. This is a very nice wine, with stewed plum and violets showing on the nose. Those same flavours, together with some spice, black current and vanilla replicate on the palate. There is a long, slightly finish, with a touch of glycerin. This is a very reliable wine and will go well with virtually any red meat dish (particularly a spicy stew or ragout), or with a hard cheese.
It makes sense, therefore, only to recommend other Rhone wines from this release which surpass the Guigal in quality or value (hopefully both). To that end, I tried the Perrin & Fils Blanche Cotes du Rhone Villages Cairanne 2007 ($17.95); the Chateau Saint Maurice Les Gres Cotes du Rhone Villages Laudun 2007; and the Vigerons de Gigondas La Font Des Grieres Gigondas 2007. I have also tried the Delas Domaines des Grands Chemin Croze-Hermitage 2007, from the northern Rhone, and the Domaine de Vieux Lazaret Chateauneuf-du-Pape.
Here are my thoughts:
- the Chateau Saint Maurice Les Gres Cotes du Rhone Villages Laudun 2007 ($14.95) represents good value as compared to the Guigal. It’s a couple of bucks cheaper, but quite supple with rich blackberry, black cherry, anise, pepper and cedar flavours. The finish goes on and on. Serve with red meat, preferably spicy red meat.
- the Vigerons de Gigondas La Font Des Grieres Gigondas 2007, at $21.95, will set you back $5 more than the Guigal, but it is a better wine. Expect rich layers of well integrated, candied black fruit, leather, vanilla and smoke on the palate, with raspberry, plum and smoke on the nose. Once again, any red meat dish would work.
- It isn’t fair to compare the Delas Domaines des Grands Chemin Croze-Hermitage 2007 ($27.95) to the Guigal. It’s not that they come from different parts of the region (even though they do) but because the Delas simply represents too big a step up. This is a mouth filling, elegant wine with cassis, sweet oak, soft tannins, smoke and a hint of gorse. The difference comes down to the fact that you get what you pay for.
- The same is true of the Domaine du Vieux Lazaret Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2007 ($32.95). This is an extremely good price for a chateauneuf, but, if it’s twice the cost of the Guigal, it’s twice the wine. Expect a chewy, full-bodied offering, with leather, vanilla, earth, black cherry, raspberry, pencil box and spice, and a long finish. The wine is well integrated now, but will improve over the next few years.
OTHER REDS
I simply never expected to see a good amarone (one of my favourite wines) for $32.95 ever again, but the Antiche Terre Venete Amarone Della Valpolicella 2007 pulls off both the price and the taste. This producer is new to me, but it delivers a classic, long-on-taste amarone with raisin, violets, blackberry and a hint of cocoa. This is a big wine, and needs strong tasting food to measure up. I’d pair it with lamb or hard cheese, but a spicy beef stew would work too. Buy this wine. Drink now (with at least an hour in the decanter) or put it down for up to five years, maybe longer.
The Zenato Cormi 2006 ($17.95) comes from one of my favourite Italian producers. This is a brooding, concentrated wine – a mixture of corvine and merlot – and the two grapes complement each other well. The corvina imparts deep concentration of brooding black fruit and raisin, with earthy notes, while the merlot softens the wine and adds a bit of needed sweetness to balance the wine. I really enjoy this offering. Try it with grilled sausages.
WHITE WINES
By way of sauvignon blancs, there are two good choices, depending on your preferred style:
- The Sileni Cellar Selection Sauvignon Blanc 2009 ($15.95) from New Zealand is a classic, dry New Zealand sauve. There not so much of the gooseberry as there is tangy lemon lime flavours, with pear, and ripe grapefruit notes. A very refreshing, mouth pleasing wine, that will complement a salad or grilled calamari.
- The William Fevre Sauvignon Blanc Saint-Bris is back in the 2008 version ($16.95). This wine is unusual in that Burgundy is chardonnay country but this is a very lean sauve, with notes of red apple, citrus and mineral, with a mouth drying finish. If you like your whites very dry, this is for you.
There are also some good choices for chardonnay drinkers:
- From B.C., the Sumac Ridge Black Sage Vineyard Chardonnay 2007 ($14.95) was a very pleasant surprise both as to price and taste. I’m not normally a big chardonnay fan (except as it comes to Chablis) but I liked this wine a lot. I think it’s just at its peak, with well integrated, buttery tropical fruit, vanilla, lots of butterscotch, and a hint of honey and cinnamon. Very tasty, and not oaky. Highly recommended.
- From California, the Rodney Strong Chardonnay 2008 ($18.95) is also very good. This is a bigger, richer wine than the Sumac, with more sweet creamy oak, as well as pineapple, lime. hazelnut and caramel. A good wine to drink on its own, or a great complement to chicken or pork.
Labour Day weekend already. This summer seems to have just flown by. Ah well, we should still have some pleasant weather ahead of us before winter sets in and turns us all into ice hermits.
The major theme of tomorrow’s release is the wines of the southern Rhone, one of my all time favourite wine producing regions. It includes the justly famed Chateauneuf-du-pape appellation, as well as some lesser known, but still important, AOC’s (wine control regions) like Gigondas and Vacqueyras, as well as Cote du Rhone Village, and Cote du Rhone. The classification system is a bit complicated, but there is a hierarchy as follows:
1. Cru’s (named appellation which do not use the name “Cotes du Rhone”) such as Chateauneuf-du-pape, Gigondas, Vacqueyras and a number of others (most of which are in the Northern Rhone);
2. Cotes du Rhone Village (with the name of the village (such Cairanne) included – there are eighteen of these;
3. Cotes du Rhone Village (without a village name) – there are 95 communes that fall under this sobriquet; and, finally,
4. Cotes du Rhone – the generic name for almost anything which is produced in the region, but does not qualify for any of the above categories.
Don’t let the hierarchy dominate your thinking though. Although simple Cotes du Rhone are at the bottom end of the scale, and are usually priced lower, there are some very good wines in this classification. After all, they have been making wine in the Rhone valley for more than two thousand years, and have learned a thing or two in that time.
The major red grapes are Grenache Noir, Syrah, Cinsault, Carignane, Counoise and Mourvèdre, which produce rich, chewy, complex wines, which do not generally require much aging. The region also produces some very good rosés, and a goodly number of lesser known whites.
The wines featured in this release come from the 2007 vintage which, together with 2005, earned a perfect 10 from most experts.
In this column, as a further move toward the new format, I will be spending most of my time, with respect to red wines, comparing some the release offerings to the Guigal Cotes du Rhone (in this case the ’06) which is a Vintages essential, and one of my benchmarks. I will have a comment on a few other wines but wanted to concentrate on the Southern Rhone for comparison purposes. Thus:
RHONE REDS
The E. Guigal Cotes du Rhone ($16.95) is a Vintages essential and can be found in general list. I tend to use it as a benchmark because it is available all the time, and because I think it delivers good value for the money. This is a very nice wine, with stewed plum and violets showing on the nose. Those same flavours, together with some spice, black current and vanilla replicate on the palate. There is a long, slightly finish, with a touch of glycerin. This is a very reliable wine and will go well with virtually any red meat dish (particularly a spicy stew or ragout), or with a hard cheese.
It makes sense, therefore, only to recommend other Rhone wines from this release which surpass the Guigal in quality or value (hopefully both). To that end, I tried the Perrin & Fils Blanche Cotes du Rhone Villages Cairanne 2007 ($17.95); the Chateau Saint Maurice Les Gres Cotes du Rhone Villages Laudun 2007; and the Vigerons de Gigondas La Font Des Grieres Gigondas 2007. I have also tried the Delas Domaines des Grands Chemin Croze-Hermitage 2007, from the northern Rhone, and the Domaine de Vieux Lazaret Chateauneuf-du-Pape.
Here are my thoughts:
- the Chateau Saint Maurice Les Gres Cotes du Rhone Villages Laudun 2007 ($14.95) represents good value as compared to the Guigal. It’s a couple of bucks cheaper, but quite supple with rich blackberry, black cherry, anise, pepper and cedar flavours. The finish goes on and on. Serve with red meat, preferably spicy red meat.
- the Vigerons de Gigondas La Font Des Grieres Gigondas 2007, at $21.95, will set you back $5 more than the Guigal, but it is a better wine. Expect rich layers of well integrated, candied black fruit, leather, vanilla and smoke on the palate, with raspberry, plum and smoke on the nose. Once again, any red meat dish would work.
- It isn’t fair to compare the Delas Domaines des Grands Chemin Croze-Hermitage 2007 ($27.95) to the Guigal. It’s not that they come from different parts of the region (even though they do) but because the Delas simply represents too big a step up. This is a mouth filling, elegant wine with cassis, sweet oak, soft tannins, smoke and a hint of gorse. The difference comes down to the fact that you get what you pay for.
- The same is true of the Domaine du Vieux Lazaret Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2007 ($32.95). This is an extremely good price for a chateauneuf, but, if it’s twice the cost of the Guigal, it’s twice the wine. Expect a chewy, full-bodied offering, with leather, vanilla, earth, black cherry, raspberry, pencil box and spice, and a long finish. The wine is well integrated now, but will improve over the next few years.
OTHER REDS
I simply never expected to see a good amarone (one of my favourite wines) for $32.95 ever again, but the Antiche Terre Venete Amarone Della Valpolicella 2007 pulls off both the price and the taste. This producer is new to me, but it delivers a classic, long-on-taste amarone with raisin, violets, blackberry and a hint of cocoa. This is a big wine, and needs strong tasting food to measure up. I’d pair it with lamb or hard cheese, but a spicy beef stew would work too. Buy this wine. Drink now (with at least an hour in the decanter) or put it down for up to five years, maybe longer.
The Zenato Cormi 2006 ($17.95) comes from one of my favourite Italian producers. This is a brooding, concentrated wine – a mixture of corvine and merlot – and the two grapes complement each other well. The corvina imparts deep concentration of brooding black fruit and raisin, with earthy notes, while the merlot softens the wine and adds a bit of needed sweetness to balance the wine. I really enjoy this offering. Try it with grilled sausages.
WHITE WINES
By way of sauvignon blancs, there are two good choices, depending on your preferred style:
- The Sileni Cellar Selection Sauvignon Blanc 2009 ($15.95) from New Zealand is a classic, dry New Zealand sauve. There not so much of the gooseberry as there is tangy lemon lime flavours, with pear, and ripe grapefruit notes. A very refreshing, mouth pleasing wine, that will complement a salad or grilled calamari.
- The William Fevre Sauvignon Blanc Saint-Bris is back in the 2008 version ($16.95). This wine is unusual in that Burgundy is chardonnay country but this is a very lean sauve, with notes of red apple, citrus and mineral, with a mouth drying finish. If you like your whites very dry, this is for you.
There are also some good choices for chardonnay drinkers:
- From B.C., the Sumac Ridge Black Sage Vineyard Chardonnay 2007 ($14.95) was a very pleasant surprise both as to price and taste. I’m not normally a big chardonnay fan (except as it comes to Chablis) but I liked this wine a lot. I think it’s just at its peak, with well integrated, buttery tropical fruit, vanilla, lots of butterscotch, and a hint of honey and cinnamon. Very tasty, and not oaky. Highly recommended.
- From California, the Rodney Strong Chardonnay 2008 ($18.95) is also very good. This is a bigger, richer wine than the Sumac, with more sweet creamy oak, as well as pineapple, lime. hazelnut and caramel. A good wine to drink on its own, or a great complement to chicken or pork.
Friday, August 20, 2010
Vintages Release - August 21, 2010
Tomorrow’s Vintages release features “New World Wonders” and German wines.
I’m frankly not going to spend a lot of time on either topic because:
a) There are lots of good New World wines aside from the 10 mentioned;
b) I’m not a fan of German wines, and won’t be paying much attention to them (nor should you) until they adopt a reliable classification system that gives you some indication of quality; and
c) I’ve been spending more time trying to develop the new direction for this column; and
ROSÉS
The Carte Noire Rosé 2009 ($13.95) from Provence is one of my favourite rosés, and is well priced to boot. This is a great hot weather sipper, but will go very nicely with a salad, cold chicken or grilled or fried white fish. Expect a dry wine, with a medium long finish and a very refreshing taste of red fruit and herbal notes.
WHITE WINE
I said, in the last column, that the Villa Maria Private Bin Sauvignon Blanc ($16.05) from New Zealand would be one of my benchmarks, as offering really good quality and good value. I hold to that view, but even more so since it’s reduced to $15.05 until September 12. This is a general list wine, but a benchmark for me.
If you want a sauvignon with a little more obvious acid and slightly richer fruit, the Mount Riley Sauvignon Blanc 2009 ($14.95) offers a small saving and some lusty taste. This is a classic NZ sauvignon. It starts with some citrus and acid, with gooseberry and honey on the mid-palate, and some grassy, peapod notes on the finish. A very nice wine to accompany most seafood or salads.
The Domaine des Charmilles Sancerre 2008 ($21.95) from the Loire is an interesting contrast to its New World cousins. This is a leaner wine, with lemon drop and white flower notes, and a nose which, with time, became not so freshly cut hay . The fruit is more reserved, which means that it will go very, very well with whitefish or shellfish.
Chardonnay lovers should consider either of:
- Hess Estate Chardonnay 2008 ($19.95) from Napa. This is a classic California chardonnay with vanilla, pineapple, green apple, peach, toast and a hint of smoke. A rich, well priced wine that will drink very well on its own, and will complement chicken or even pork.
- Robert Mondavi Chardonnay 2007 ($28.95), also from Napa, is a special occasion chardonnay, sporting butterscotch, peach, pear, vanilla and hazelnut notes, with a long, rich finish, and lovely mouth feel. Drink on its own, or with some brie and a fresh baguette, or with a poultry or pork dish, and life won’t get much better.
My other suggestions (benchmarks) for white wines (mostly from the Vintages Essentials list):
- Henri Bourgeois Les Baronnes Sancerre from the Loire ($24.95). Too pricey but good.
- Willm Reserve Riesling from Alsace ($15.95). Classic, always reliable wine.
- Cave Spring Estate Riesling from Niagara ($17.95). A reliable wine, but if you can get out to the Bench, you might want to get the Henry of Pelham Riesling Reserve ($14.95) which I think is just as good or better than the Cave Spring. Alas, the Pelham Riesling Reserve is not available at the LCBO (although you can buy it at the winery or order it for delivery).
SPARKLING WINES
Go for the Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve Champagne ($54.95). This is a really good bubbly for the price. Expect a tasty mélange of buttery toast, pear, honey, and white flowers, with a long, racy finish of green apple, lemon, and mineral. Drink on its own (of course) or with virtually any food – perhaps excepting red meat. Bacon and eggs would be good, but so would seafood of any description, or chocolate soufflé.
If the Heidsieck is too hard on your pocketbook, go for the Bernard-Massard Cuvee de L’Ecusson Brut Sparkling Wine ($16.95) from (of all places) Luxembourg. Aside from the novelty of having a wine from Luxembourg, this is a very refreshing wine with notes of green apple and brioche. If you want a tasty, straightforward bubbly, this is it. At this price, you can mix it with your breakfast orange juice, but you won’t need to disguise the taste.
RED WINES
When it comes to Australian shiraz I think that you have to go a long way to beat two essentials for price and quality. They are the Kilikanoon Killerman’s Run Shiraz ($19.95) and the Mitolo Jester Shiraz ($21.95). Both of these wines are consistently well made, and have enough structure to avoid being the kind of jammy fruit bombs, that deliver a mouthful of rich black fruit and taste it’s on steroids. I recommend either of them.
It’s always nice, however, to find a wine that can compete with those two, and the Small Gully The Formula Robert’s Shiraz 2005 ($17.95) from South Australia does just that. This is a rich, well structured wine, with rich, but not overly sweet, black fruit (cherry and plum), with bacon and blueberry notes. This is just the thing to go with a barbecued steak.
Before leaving Australia, consider the Peter Lehman Barossa Cabernet Sauvignon 2006. Apparently the LCBO over-bought this wine, and it’s now on sale for $12.95 (down from $19.95). At this price, it’s a bargain. Although it may be a little rich for some tastes (and I certainly wouldn’t keep it for any length of time) it is well worth getting. Expect mocha, spice, coffee, vanilla, black cherry and a hint of beetroot. Will also go well with grilled red meat, or with hard cheese. Aerate for at least 30 minutes.
If you’re fond of Rhone wines, there are two good choices:
- The Chateau de Beaucastel Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2007 ($89.95) is pricey, but this iconic wine is the class of this classic region. Expect a virtual smorgasbord of tastes – everything from black cherry, mushroom, leather, licorice, smoked meat, vanilla, cassis, spice, oak and cedar smoke. This wine doesn’t so much go with a meal as it becomes the meal. Decant for at least two hours (or wait 2 to 5 years) and serve with red meat.
- The La Ferme du Mont le Ponnant Cotes du Rhone-Villages 2007 ($17.95) doesn’t compare with the Beaucastel unless you take price into account. On that basis, this is a very good wine, with good structure, and notes of plum, spice, Christmas cake, pepper, licorice and cassis. This is a rich wine, and some aeration (at least a half hour) would be useful before serving. Once again, red meat would be the complement of choice.
Some other recommendations (benchmarks) mostly from the Essentials:
- E Guigal Cotes du Rhone, from the Rhone ($16.95). Always consistently good.
- Fontanafredda Briccotondo Barbera from Piedmont ($15.95). A good choice for tomato and meat based pasta dishes.
- Rocca Delle Macie Chianti Riserva 2006, from Tuscany ($15.00). This isn’t an essential, but it’s been around for quite a while, and it’s a very versatile, and tasty, wine.
- Zenato Ripassa Valpolicella Superiore from Veneto ($24.95). There are many cheaper Valpolicellas around, and some of them are quite good, but this one tastes like a mini amarone. It comes from one of my favourite producers.
- Rodney Strong Estate Pinot Noir from California ($24.95). New World pinots are not generally my favourites, but there are some times, as with barbecued salmon, when they go so very well. This producer delivers a consistently tasty wine.
I’m frankly not going to spend a lot of time on either topic because:
a) There are lots of good New World wines aside from the 10 mentioned;
b) I’m not a fan of German wines, and won’t be paying much attention to them (nor should you) until they adopt a reliable classification system that gives you some indication of quality; and
c) I’ve been spending more time trying to develop the new direction for this column; and
ROSÉS
The Carte Noire Rosé 2009 ($13.95) from Provence is one of my favourite rosés, and is well priced to boot. This is a great hot weather sipper, but will go very nicely with a salad, cold chicken or grilled or fried white fish. Expect a dry wine, with a medium long finish and a very refreshing taste of red fruit and herbal notes.
WHITE WINE
I said, in the last column, that the Villa Maria Private Bin Sauvignon Blanc ($16.05) from New Zealand would be one of my benchmarks, as offering really good quality and good value. I hold to that view, but even more so since it’s reduced to $15.05 until September 12. This is a general list wine, but a benchmark for me.
If you want a sauvignon with a little more obvious acid and slightly richer fruit, the Mount Riley Sauvignon Blanc 2009 ($14.95) offers a small saving and some lusty taste. This is a classic NZ sauvignon. It starts with some citrus and acid, with gooseberry and honey on the mid-palate, and some grassy, peapod notes on the finish. A very nice wine to accompany most seafood or salads.
The Domaine des Charmilles Sancerre 2008 ($21.95) from the Loire is an interesting contrast to its New World cousins. This is a leaner wine, with lemon drop and white flower notes, and a nose which, with time, became not so freshly cut hay . The fruit is more reserved, which means that it will go very, very well with whitefish or shellfish.
Chardonnay lovers should consider either of:
- Hess Estate Chardonnay 2008 ($19.95) from Napa. This is a classic California chardonnay with vanilla, pineapple, green apple, peach, toast and a hint of smoke. A rich, well priced wine that will drink very well on its own, and will complement chicken or even pork.
- Robert Mondavi Chardonnay 2007 ($28.95), also from Napa, is a special occasion chardonnay, sporting butterscotch, peach, pear, vanilla and hazelnut notes, with a long, rich finish, and lovely mouth feel. Drink on its own, or with some brie and a fresh baguette, or with a poultry or pork dish, and life won’t get much better.
My other suggestions (benchmarks) for white wines (mostly from the Vintages Essentials list):
- Henri Bourgeois Les Baronnes Sancerre from the Loire ($24.95). Too pricey but good.
- Willm Reserve Riesling from Alsace ($15.95). Classic, always reliable wine.
- Cave Spring Estate Riesling from Niagara ($17.95). A reliable wine, but if you can get out to the Bench, you might want to get the Henry of Pelham Riesling Reserve ($14.95) which I think is just as good or better than the Cave Spring. Alas, the Pelham Riesling Reserve is not available at the LCBO (although you can buy it at the winery or order it for delivery).
SPARKLING WINES
Go for the Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve Champagne ($54.95). This is a really good bubbly for the price. Expect a tasty mélange of buttery toast, pear, honey, and white flowers, with a long, racy finish of green apple, lemon, and mineral. Drink on its own (of course) or with virtually any food – perhaps excepting red meat. Bacon and eggs would be good, but so would seafood of any description, or chocolate soufflé.
If the Heidsieck is too hard on your pocketbook, go for the Bernard-Massard Cuvee de L’Ecusson Brut Sparkling Wine ($16.95) from (of all places) Luxembourg. Aside from the novelty of having a wine from Luxembourg, this is a very refreshing wine with notes of green apple and brioche. If you want a tasty, straightforward bubbly, this is it. At this price, you can mix it with your breakfast orange juice, but you won’t need to disguise the taste.
RED WINES
When it comes to Australian shiraz I think that you have to go a long way to beat two essentials for price and quality. They are the Kilikanoon Killerman’s Run Shiraz ($19.95) and the Mitolo Jester Shiraz ($21.95). Both of these wines are consistently well made, and have enough structure to avoid being the kind of jammy fruit bombs, that deliver a mouthful of rich black fruit and taste it’s on steroids. I recommend either of them.
It’s always nice, however, to find a wine that can compete with those two, and the Small Gully The Formula Robert’s Shiraz 2005 ($17.95) from South Australia does just that. This is a rich, well structured wine, with rich, but not overly sweet, black fruit (cherry and plum), with bacon and blueberry notes. This is just the thing to go with a barbecued steak.
Before leaving Australia, consider the Peter Lehman Barossa Cabernet Sauvignon 2006. Apparently the LCBO over-bought this wine, and it’s now on sale for $12.95 (down from $19.95). At this price, it’s a bargain. Although it may be a little rich for some tastes (and I certainly wouldn’t keep it for any length of time) it is well worth getting. Expect mocha, spice, coffee, vanilla, black cherry and a hint of beetroot. Will also go well with grilled red meat, or with hard cheese. Aerate for at least 30 minutes.
If you’re fond of Rhone wines, there are two good choices:
- The Chateau de Beaucastel Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2007 ($89.95) is pricey, but this iconic wine is the class of this classic region. Expect a virtual smorgasbord of tastes – everything from black cherry, mushroom, leather, licorice, smoked meat, vanilla, cassis, spice, oak and cedar smoke. This wine doesn’t so much go with a meal as it becomes the meal. Decant for at least two hours (or wait 2 to 5 years) and serve with red meat.
- The La Ferme du Mont le Ponnant Cotes du Rhone-Villages 2007 ($17.95) doesn’t compare with the Beaucastel unless you take price into account. On that basis, this is a very good wine, with good structure, and notes of plum, spice, Christmas cake, pepper, licorice and cassis. This is a rich wine, and some aeration (at least a half hour) would be useful before serving. Once again, red meat would be the complement of choice.
Some other recommendations (benchmarks) mostly from the Essentials:
- E Guigal Cotes du Rhone, from the Rhone ($16.95). Always consistently good.
- Fontanafredda Briccotondo Barbera from Piedmont ($15.95). A good choice for tomato and meat based pasta dishes.
- Rocca Delle Macie Chianti Riserva 2006, from Tuscany ($15.00). This isn’t an essential, but it’s been around for quite a while, and it’s a very versatile, and tasty, wine.
- Zenato Ripassa Valpolicella Superiore from Veneto ($24.95). There are many cheaper Valpolicellas around, and some of them are quite good, but this one tastes like a mini amarone. It comes from one of my favourite producers.
- Rodney Strong Estate Pinot Noir from California ($24.95). New World pinots are not generally my favourites, but there are some times, as with barbecued salmon, when they go so very well. This producer delivers a consistently tasty wine.
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