The theme of tomorrow’s Vintages release is “wines under $20”. Since I always try to ensure that a good proportion of my picks are under $20, nothing more need be said on that score.
WHITE WINES
The Blind River Sauvignon Blanc 2008 ($19.95) from New Zealand is an extremely good example of the variety. Expect to find lots of lichee, grapefruit, red apple and gooseberry with good mouth feel, and some minerality on the finish. This is not a grassy sauvignon. Very refreshing, with plenty of well integrated acid. Pair with pan fried whitefish or soft cheese.
Fans of leaner style chardonnay will probably like the Arboleda Chardonnay 2007 ($15.95) from Chile. This is a soft, well integrated wine with a nose of white flowers and pear, and lots of vanilla, with some hazelnut, almond and sweet lemon, on the palate. Good on its own, especially at this price, or with a salad or chicken.
If you are looking for a richer chardonnay, go for either of:
- The St. Francis Chardonnay 2007 ($19.95) from Sonoma. This is a typical big, rich, creamy, California chardonnay with loads of oak, vanilla, melon, apple, grapefruit and brioche. Perfect to accompany shellfish in a white wine sauce, poultry or pork.
- The Landmark Overlook Chardonnay 2007 ($32.95) from California. This wine isn’t cheap, but it is about $8.00 off its last year price. It comes close to setting the standard for chardonnays, with a concentrated melange of butterscotch, vanilla, oak, hazelnut, green apple and peach. A big wine with a long, satisfying finish, that manages to be both rich and refreshing.
The Trimbach Riesling 2007 ($19.95) from Alsace is back. This perennial favourite is a medium bodied wine with flavours and aromas of white flowers, mineral, lemon and mineral, with lovely mouth feel and a long finish. Pair with spicy Chinese or Thai food.
SPARKLING WINES
The Bollinger Special Cuveé Brut Champagne isn’t exactly cheap at ($79.95) but it’s good value considering what you could pay for a champagne of this quality. Expect a complex, tasty wine with brioche, honey, green apple, peach, orange, and hazelnut notes, and a long, mouth filling finish. A great wine for a celebration.
RED WINES
When the Rocca Delle Macie Chianti Riserva 2005 ($15.00) from Tuscany was released last February, I strongly recommended it, and bought two cases. The wine is being re-released and at the same price. I said, at the time, “Expect layers of black fruit (cherry and plum), leather, spice, coffee and licorice. Will go well with red meats, pizza or pasta dishes, and has the acid to stand up to tomato based foods. Buy this wine.” I stand by that note. If you missed it last time, don’t miss it again.
Another perennial favourite, the Ascheri Fontanelle Barbera D’Alba 2007 ($17.95) from Piedmont is back. This wine is well worth a try with well integrated flavours of black cherry, plum, blackberry, spice, oak and mineral, with a long finish. It will go better with food, preferably pasta or veal.
The Chateau de Fontenelles Cuveé Notre Dame 2007 ($16.95) from the Midi is also a good buy. This is a rich, spicy offering with ripe plum, raspberry, cedar and soft tannins. Enjoy with a burger or with spareribs with sweet sauce.
The Vina Maipo Reserva Merlot 2008 ($13.95) from Chile is also a great buy. This is a big, rich wine which punches well above its price. Expect well integrated earthy notes, with plum, spice, red currant and oak. Decant for an hour before serving with steak, spicy sausage, or pasta with meat sauce.
The Montes Alpha Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 ($19.95) from Chile has crept up a little in price since last year, but it’s still well worth the money. This is a quality cabernet, with rich plum, cassis, tobacco, cedar and coffee. Serve with grilled red meat, but decant for an hour or more first.
The Graham Beck Gamekeeper’s Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 ($19.95) from South Africa is always good. Expect a complex integration blueberry, blackberry, cedar, leather, spice and toasted oak, with a long, full bodied finish. A good wine for rich, spicy dishes like beef stew.
Finally, if there’s too much cash hanging around in your mattress, you might want to try the Sassicaia 2006 ($184.95) from Tuscany. This iconic wine is on everyone’s top twenty list every year, and with good reason. It is a beautifully made, ideal integration of black fruit, smoke, earth, violets, leather and far more, that turns to pure ambrosia in the glass and finishes like silk, but silk you’ll remember for hours. A wonderful wine, but don’t open it for at least two years. In the meantime, you can enjoy the anticipation.
Friday, November 6, 2009
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Vintages Release - October 24, 2009
Regretfully, due to the pressures of other events, I will not be able to do a full column, with tasting notes, this week. I hope that the following, abbreviated version will be of some use.
The theme of Saturday’s release will be Australian wines, with ports (the vinous kind, not harbours) as a sub-theme.
Australia, with its hot, dry climate, has earned an enviable reputation as a wine producing country, and Australians producers grow just about every kind of grape imaginable. The country is reputed to be the fourth largest exporter of wine in the world. The major red varietals, however, are cabernet sauvignon and shiraz, although pinot noir is starting to taking hold, especially in the cooler climate of Tasmania. By way of whites, Australia produces mostly chardonnays and sauvignon blancs, although rieslings are also becoming more common.
In many ways, Australia pioneered the new world popularity of shiraz, and produces vast quantities of it. Australian shiraz is often mixed with a little petit verdot. The latter varietal adds a little structure and acidity to shiraz, which, left to itself in an extremely hot climate, has a tendency to slightly over-ripen and become plummy. Shiraz is also often mixed with grenache and mourvedre (all three of which are in common use in the Rhone and southern France) to produce GSM’s (grenache, shiraz and mourvedre). Grenache, which has high sugar levels and low tannins, contributes alcohol and lighter flavoured, berry fruit. The shiraz imparts full bodied darker fruit – eg. blackberry and black current - tannin and (often) green and/or black pepper, while the mourvedre adds structure and acidity, with flavours of leather, tobacco, and plum.
Well made Australian shiraz can be delicious, although I have noticed some tendency (with some producers) toward the use of riper fruit lately, which produces a less well structured, more fruit forward wine. Many people like this “sweeter” version of shiraz, but my own tastes run more toward a more structured wine, without overly jammy fruit.
Australia also does cabernet sauvignon very well indeed, and Australians cabs are some of my favourite house wines. They are approachable early as a result of a long, hot growing season, and are usually big, bold wines, bursting with fruit flavours, but with good complexity and mouth feel. Despite the fact that they are (mostly) ready to drink upon purchase, I find that a year or so of cellaring will improve even less expensive versions quite dramatically. You don’t need to do anything special to cellar them – just keeping them in a cool, dark area of the basement will do.
Amongst whites, Australia’s chardonnays tend to stand out because the long, hot growing season imparts a level of richness that few other countries can match. I’ve had chardonnays from the Yarra Valley that were able to carry alcohol levels as high as 17% (12.5% is about the norm) because the fruit was so rich.
Best recent years in Southern Australia: 1998, 2001, 2002, 2004 and 2005.
Best recent years in Western Australia: 1998, 1999, 2002 and 2005
Port wines are fortified wines from the Douro river valley in (you guessed it) Portugal. There are basically five main port grapes, including Touriga Francesca (the most common), Touriga Nacional and Tempranillo, although many more varietals are permissible. Almost all ports are blends of grape varieties and vintages, although vintage ports (which use grapes grown only in a single year) are produced in extremely good years.
Ports are usually served as dessert wines, and match extremely well with strong flavoured cheeses. They are made by adding distilled grape spirits to the wine to increase alcohol content to approximately 20%. Many ports need to be decanted and filtered before consumption, but almost all will keep in an unopened bottle for many years.
There are many different kinds and styles of port (including pink and white ports) as well as the traditional red. Ruby port is generally the cheapest, and does not improve in the bottle, while Late Bottled Vintage (LBV) is generally the sweetest. My favourite ports tend to be Tawny’s, which are aged in wooden barrels for at least 7 years, and are generally only medium sweet with nutty flavours.
It will come as no great surprise to know that you can spend virtually as much as you want on a bottle of port, but you can often snare a quite decent tawny in the $18-$25 range.
Best recent years for Ports: 1997, 2000, 2003 and 2004
* * *
DESSERT WINES
Look for the Offley Barao de Forrester 10 Years old Tawny Port ($24.95)
SPARKLING WINES
Try the Louis Bouillot Perle D’Ivoire Blanc de Blancs Brut ($18.95) from Burgundy
WHITE WINES
Try any of:
- Shaw & Smith Sauvignon Blanc 2008 ($24.95) from South Australia
- Xanadu Chardonnay 2008 ($19.95) from Western Australia
- Simi Chardonnay 2008 ($19.95) from California
- Casa Lapostolle Sauvignon Blanc 2009 ($13.95) from Chile
- Cathederal Cellar Chardonnay 2007 ($13.95) from South Africa
- Nicholas Maillet Macon Verzé 2007 ($22.95) from Burgundy
RED WINES
I had two favourite red wines in this release, but from very different parts of the world, and very different styles:
- My value pick is the Kililanoon Killerman’s Run Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 ($20.95) from South Australia. I bought a case. This is a very reliable, tasty wine that I can drink now, but it will be better in six months to a year. It will go with red meat of almost any description, as long as the cut isn’t too lean
- Le Serre Nuove Dell’ Ornellaia 2007 ($59.95) from Tuscany. I buy this wine every year as well, and especially wanted it this year. It’s the younger brother of the Ornellaia which I recommended a couple of releases ago (and which was about triple the price). This is a special wine for a special occasion – an occasion that could be as much as ten years from now. When you open it, your only regret will be that you didn’t buy more.
I can also recommend:
- Thorn-Clarke Shotfire Shiraz 2008 ($23.95) from the Barossa Valley, Australia
- Torbreck Old Vines Grenache/Shiraz/Mourvedre 2006 ($20.95) also from the Barossa Valley
- Osoyoos Larose Le Grand Vin 2006 ($39.95) from B.C.
- 7 Deadly Zins 2007 ($24.95) from California (a good zinfandel)
- Chakana Reserve Malbec 2008 ($16.95) from Argentina
- Terra Noble Gran Reserve Carmenere 2007 ($16.95) from Chile
- Cathederal Cellar Triptych 2006 ($16.95) from South Africa
- Coudelet de Beaucastel 2007 ($29.95) from the Rhone
- Le Vieux Donjon Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2007 ($59.95) from the Rhone (This may be in short supply)
- Monte Antico Sangiovese/Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 ($14.95) from Tuscany (very good value)
- Zenato Amarone Della Valpolicella 2005 ($49.95) from Veneto (My favourite, moderately priced amarone)
- Descendientes de J. Palacios Petalos 2007 ($23.95) from Spain
The theme of Saturday’s release will be Australian wines, with ports (the vinous kind, not harbours) as a sub-theme.
Australia, with its hot, dry climate, has earned an enviable reputation as a wine producing country, and Australians producers grow just about every kind of grape imaginable. The country is reputed to be the fourth largest exporter of wine in the world. The major red varietals, however, are cabernet sauvignon and shiraz, although pinot noir is starting to taking hold, especially in the cooler climate of Tasmania. By way of whites, Australia produces mostly chardonnays and sauvignon blancs, although rieslings are also becoming more common.
In many ways, Australia pioneered the new world popularity of shiraz, and produces vast quantities of it. Australian shiraz is often mixed with a little petit verdot. The latter varietal adds a little structure and acidity to shiraz, which, left to itself in an extremely hot climate, has a tendency to slightly over-ripen and become plummy. Shiraz is also often mixed with grenache and mourvedre (all three of which are in common use in the Rhone and southern France) to produce GSM’s (grenache, shiraz and mourvedre). Grenache, which has high sugar levels and low tannins, contributes alcohol and lighter flavoured, berry fruit. The shiraz imparts full bodied darker fruit – eg. blackberry and black current - tannin and (often) green and/or black pepper, while the mourvedre adds structure and acidity, with flavours of leather, tobacco, and plum.
Well made Australian shiraz can be delicious, although I have noticed some tendency (with some producers) toward the use of riper fruit lately, which produces a less well structured, more fruit forward wine. Many people like this “sweeter” version of shiraz, but my own tastes run more toward a more structured wine, without overly jammy fruit.
Australia also does cabernet sauvignon very well indeed, and Australians cabs are some of my favourite house wines. They are approachable early as a result of a long, hot growing season, and are usually big, bold wines, bursting with fruit flavours, but with good complexity and mouth feel. Despite the fact that they are (mostly) ready to drink upon purchase, I find that a year or so of cellaring will improve even less expensive versions quite dramatically. You don’t need to do anything special to cellar them – just keeping them in a cool, dark area of the basement will do.
Amongst whites, Australia’s chardonnays tend to stand out because the long, hot growing season imparts a level of richness that few other countries can match. I’ve had chardonnays from the Yarra Valley that were able to carry alcohol levels as high as 17% (12.5% is about the norm) because the fruit was so rich.
Best recent years in Southern Australia: 1998, 2001, 2002, 2004 and 2005.
Best recent years in Western Australia: 1998, 1999, 2002 and 2005
Port wines are fortified wines from the Douro river valley in (you guessed it) Portugal. There are basically five main port grapes, including Touriga Francesca (the most common), Touriga Nacional and Tempranillo, although many more varietals are permissible. Almost all ports are blends of grape varieties and vintages, although vintage ports (which use grapes grown only in a single year) are produced in extremely good years.
Ports are usually served as dessert wines, and match extremely well with strong flavoured cheeses. They are made by adding distilled grape spirits to the wine to increase alcohol content to approximately 20%. Many ports need to be decanted and filtered before consumption, but almost all will keep in an unopened bottle for many years.
There are many different kinds and styles of port (including pink and white ports) as well as the traditional red. Ruby port is generally the cheapest, and does not improve in the bottle, while Late Bottled Vintage (LBV) is generally the sweetest. My favourite ports tend to be Tawny’s, which are aged in wooden barrels for at least 7 years, and are generally only medium sweet with nutty flavours.
It will come as no great surprise to know that you can spend virtually as much as you want on a bottle of port, but you can often snare a quite decent tawny in the $18-$25 range.
Best recent years for Ports: 1997, 2000, 2003 and 2004
* * *
DESSERT WINES
Look for the Offley Barao de Forrester 10 Years old Tawny Port ($24.95)
SPARKLING WINES
Try the Louis Bouillot Perle D’Ivoire Blanc de Blancs Brut ($18.95) from Burgundy
WHITE WINES
Try any of:
- Shaw & Smith Sauvignon Blanc 2008 ($24.95) from South Australia
- Xanadu Chardonnay 2008 ($19.95) from Western Australia
- Simi Chardonnay 2008 ($19.95) from California
- Casa Lapostolle Sauvignon Blanc 2009 ($13.95) from Chile
- Cathederal Cellar Chardonnay 2007 ($13.95) from South Africa
- Nicholas Maillet Macon Verzé 2007 ($22.95) from Burgundy
RED WINES
I had two favourite red wines in this release, but from very different parts of the world, and very different styles:
- My value pick is the Kililanoon Killerman’s Run Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 ($20.95) from South Australia. I bought a case. This is a very reliable, tasty wine that I can drink now, but it will be better in six months to a year. It will go with red meat of almost any description, as long as the cut isn’t too lean
- Le Serre Nuove Dell’ Ornellaia 2007 ($59.95) from Tuscany. I buy this wine every year as well, and especially wanted it this year. It’s the younger brother of the Ornellaia which I recommended a couple of releases ago (and which was about triple the price). This is a special wine for a special occasion – an occasion that could be as much as ten years from now. When you open it, your only regret will be that you didn’t buy more.
I can also recommend:
- Thorn-Clarke Shotfire Shiraz 2008 ($23.95) from the Barossa Valley, Australia
- Torbreck Old Vines Grenache/Shiraz/Mourvedre 2006 ($20.95) also from the Barossa Valley
- Osoyoos Larose Le Grand Vin 2006 ($39.95) from B.C.
- 7 Deadly Zins 2007 ($24.95) from California (a good zinfandel)
- Chakana Reserve Malbec 2008 ($16.95) from Argentina
- Terra Noble Gran Reserve Carmenere 2007 ($16.95) from Chile
- Cathederal Cellar Triptych 2006 ($16.95) from South Africa
- Coudelet de Beaucastel 2007 ($29.95) from the Rhone
- Le Vieux Donjon Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2007 ($59.95) from the Rhone (This may be in short supply)
- Monte Antico Sangiovese/Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 ($14.95) from Tuscany (very good value)
- Zenato Amarone Della Valpolicella 2005 ($49.95) from Veneto (My favourite, moderately priced amarone)
- Descendientes de J. Palacios Petalos 2007 ($23.95) from Spain
Friday, October 9, 2009
Vintages Release - October 10, 2009
Happy Thanksgiving Everybody
Tomorrow’s Vintages release features the wines of Italy’s three greatest wine regions, Piedmont, Tuscany and Veneto. Together, those three regions produce almost all of the country’s best known wines, and thousands of different labels.
In all three cases, red wines predominate although all of the regions produce whites as well. However, the styles of wine and the grapes used are very different in the three regions.
Piedmont wines, coming from estates centered around the town of Alba, in Italy’s hilly and mountainous northeast, are generally made from the nebbiolo grape, which produces a lighter coloured, but generally tannic, wine, with traditional flavours of tar, roses, truffle, herbs, cherry, raspberry and tobacco. The best known wines from the region are barolos (called, by some, the king of wines) and barbarescos – both of which are made from 100% nebbiolo and often need substantial aging – as well as barbera and dolcetto, both of which are made from grapes of the same name, and approachable earlier than nebbiolos.
Best recent vintages in Piedmont: 2000, 2001, 2004 and 2006
Veneto not only differs from Piedmont with respect to the grape varietals used – most often corvina, molinaro and rondinella - but also with respect to production techniques. In fact, Veneto production techniques are fairly unique throughout the world in that producers air dry many of the grapes before pressing to produce rich, concentrated, raisiny wines like amarone. They also enrich valpolicellas, made from the same grapes, to produce ripassos by aging the wines on the skins of the dried grapes previously pressed to make amarone. Veneto also produces a rich, sweet dessert wine – recioto – and a nebbiolo like wine – bardolino.
Best recent vintages in Veneto: 1998, 2003 and 2004
Tuscany is probably Italy’s most famous wine region; chianti its most famous wine and sangiovese its best known grape. The region encompasses some 36 different control districts (DOC’s and DOCG’s), each with it’s own, slightly different rules and standards. It is also home to a series of well known “super-tuscans” such as Tiganello, Sassicaia, Ornellaia and Solaia. Although sangiovese is, by far, the dominant grape, cabernet sauvignon, merlot, pinot noir, cabernet franc, syrah and many other varieties are used. The best known types of wine from the region are chianti (particularly Chianti Classico), Brunello di Montalcino and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, all of which use slightly different local variations of sangiovese.
Best recent vintages in Tuscany: 1997-2001, 2004 and 2006.
A word about Thanksgiving: Most of us have some kind of festive occasion at Thanksgiving, usually involving a big family dinner with turkey or ham or both. If you’re trying to match turkey, especially if cranberry sauce is involved, try a rich white wine, like a chardonnay, or a light, fruit forward red. By way of reds, some people like a gamay or even a rosé, but I personally prefer something with a bit more body, and perhaps some pepper, like a new world pinot noir.
If you’re trying to match ham, I’d suggest a dry Riesling as a white, or a burgundian pinot noir (which should be a little less fruit forward than its new world cousin).
A chianti would work with either turkey or ham, but, if gravy is involved, a heavier red like a bordeaux or a barbaresco would probably be appropriate.
WHITE WINES
The Spy Valley Chardonnay 2007 ($19.95) from New Zealand is a very good wine with vanilla, red and green apple, citrus and peach. It’s very refreshing, with good mouth feel and a long finish. It drinks very well on its own, and would be a good complement for white fish or a tuna salad, but I don’t think it’s quite rich enough for turkey.
For three suggestions (in ascending order of richness) that would go with turkey, try any of:
- the Paul & Mallory Talmard Macon-Uchizy 2007 ($16.96) from Burgundy. This is a beautifully balanced, buttery chardonnay, with oak, pear, peach, vanilla and notes of orange peel. And it isn’t often that you find a white burgundy at this kind of price. Highly recommended.
- the Inniskillin Winemaker’s Series Montague Vineyard Chardonnay 2007 ($18.95) from Niagara is ever richer that the Talmard. This wine is creamy, with cedar, pineapple, vanilla, butter and a edge of citrus.
- The Chateau St. Jean Chardonnay 2007 ($19.95) is a big, oaky wine, oozing with vanilla and concentrated flavour, including cedar, vanilla, melon, pear, butterscotch and tropical fruit. This is a typical example of a good California chardonnay, the home of rich chardonnays.
The Yalumba Y Series Riesling 2008 ($15.95) would be a good match for baked ham. There’s a bit of green apple, with lemon and lots of rich, concentrated tropical fruit and very little of the traditional diesel flavour. There’s enough acid to cut the fat in ham, and enough flavour not to be overpowered.
RED WINES
There are some very good values in red wines in this release.
The Sileni the Plateau Pinot Noir 2008 ($19.95) from New Zealand would go well with turkey. It’s relatively light and fruit forward with lots of sour cherry on both the nose and palate. Although this is not a rich wine, there are blackberry, kirsch and herbal notes which end in a longer than expected finish.
The Volpaia Citto 2007 from Tuscany ($13.95) would also work very well with turkey. It’s also quite light and fruit forward with cherry on the opening, and coffee and dark plum, with a bit of chalk, on the mid-palate and finish. The nose promises dark fruit, and that promise gets kept. Good value and a good wine.
The Alianca Particular 2006 ($13.95) from Portugal would work with turkey as well. This is a relatively light, soft wine with blueberry and raspberry on the nose, and those flavours plus blackberry, tobacco and vanilla on the palate. Great value, well balanced, and will drink well on its own, but with enough concentration to handle turkey with gravy or ham.
Of course, if you’re having gravy with your turkey, you might want something a little less fruit forward. In that case, try the Chateau Thebot 2005 ($16.95) from Bordeaux. We’re seeing a lot of good, unrated Bordeaux’s from 2003 and 2005, at really good, prices, lately – both of them were very good years although 2003 wasn’t a keeper’s year – but this is one of the best values I’ve seen to date. It is rich as a good Bordeaux should be, with aromas and flavours of earth and black plum, and notes of sweet herbs de provence and soft tannins on the palate with a medium long finish. The only reason I’m not buying a case is that I think this wine is at its peak now.
The Trapiche Broquel Bonarda 2007 ($15.95) from Argentina isn’t exactly Thanksgiving fare, but it’s a good wine and good value. It has a nose of coconut and blueberry, and flavours of coconut, black cherry, blueberry, smoke and oak. The tannins are firm enough to keep it for a year or two, but soft enough that it is approachable now. Vintages suggests pairing with meat casseroles or pasta with meat sauce, and I agree.
I wouldn’t have the Cantina Terre del Barolo Dogliani 2007 ($14.95) from Piedmont with either turkey or ham, but it’s a great buy and really good value. Expect a medium weight, chewy wine, with cassis, black plum, coffee, leather, black cherry, and a bit of pencil box. Pair with lean beef or a veal chop, and you have a real winner. The only flaw – a short finish which leaves you wanting more, but it’s still worth while.
The upper end of the red spectrum
A little pricier, but worth it:
Manuel Torres Mas La Plana Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 ($44.95) from Spain. This producer just turns out terrific wines, and if it were French or Italian it would be charging twice as much as it does and getting it. This is a big, rich cabernet sauvignon, with raspberry and cassis on the nose and palate, hugely concentrated with licorice, cherry, herbs and coffee, topped off with a finish that won’t quit. You can keep this wine for 5 years, or serve it tomorrow, with an hour’s decanting. Not cheap, but a bargain.
I wouldn’t normally pay $29.95 for an Australian shiraz (simply because there are so many good ones for less) but the St. Hallett Blackwell Shiraz 2006 is pretty special. This is a really good wine from a really good producer. Expect huge concentration on this wine, with aromas and flavours of cassis, licorice, pepper and raspberries. Pair with spareribs and a sweet sauce, and it doesn’t get much better.
I love lots of kinds of wine, but amarone is close to my heart and I’m picky about it. A good amarone needs to be raisiny and tremendously concentrated, with brooding black fruit, mouth drying tannins, a long finish, and the promise of chocolate or cocoa. The Zironda Amarone Della Valpolicella 2006 ($36.95) fills that bill, although I think it has at least 5 years of development to go. This may not be the greatest amarone ever made, but it’s worth the money considering what most amarones cost, and, if you can afford to wait five years, I think you’ll be really pleased. If you can’t wait, decant for at least three hours.
The La Spinona Bricco Faset Barbaresco 2004 ($38.95) is approachable now (with a couple of hours decanting) but will be better in 5 years. Expect tar, black cherries, earth, coffee and roses on a refined, sophisticated wine, with a long finish and soft tannins, that will work very well with rare red beef.
Tomorrow’s Vintages release features the wines of Italy’s three greatest wine regions, Piedmont, Tuscany and Veneto. Together, those three regions produce almost all of the country’s best known wines, and thousands of different labels.
In all three cases, red wines predominate although all of the regions produce whites as well. However, the styles of wine and the grapes used are very different in the three regions.
Piedmont wines, coming from estates centered around the town of Alba, in Italy’s hilly and mountainous northeast, are generally made from the nebbiolo grape, which produces a lighter coloured, but generally tannic, wine, with traditional flavours of tar, roses, truffle, herbs, cherry, raspberry and tobacco. The best known wines from the region are barolos (called, by some, the king of wines) and barbarescos – both of which are made from 100% nebbiolo and often need substantial aging – as well as barbera and dolcetto, both of which are made from grapes of the same name, and approachable earlier than nebbiolos.
Best recent vintages in Piedmont: 2000, 2001, 2004 and 2006
Veneto not only differs from Piedmont with respect to the grape varietals used – most often corvina, molinaro and rondinella - but also with respect to production techniques. In fact, Veneto production techniques are fairly unique throughout the world in that producers air dry many of the grapes before pressing to produce rich, concentrated, raisiny wines like amarone. They also enrich valpolicellas, made from the same grapes, to produce ripassos by aging the wines on the skins of the dried grapes previously pressed to make amarone. Veneto also produces a rich, sweet dessert wine – recioto – and a nebbiolo like wine – bardolino.
Best recent vintages in Veneto: 1998, 2003 and 2004
Tuscany is probably Italy’s most famous wine region; chianti its most famous wine and sangiovese its best known grape. The region encompasses some 36 different control districts (DOC’s and DOCG’s), each with it’s own, slightly different rules and standards. It is also home to a series of well known “super-tuscans” such as Tiganello, Sassicaia, Ornellaia and Solaia. Although sangiovese is, by far, the dominant grape, cabernet sauvignon, merlot, pinot noir, cabernet franc, syrah and many other varieties are used. The best known types of wine from the region are chianti (particularly Chianti Classico), Brunello di Montalcino and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, all of which use slightly different local variations of sangiovese.
Best recent vintages in Tuscany: 1997-2001, 2004 and 2006.
A word about Thanksgiving: Most of us have some kind of festive occasion at Thanksgiving, usually involving a big family dinner with turkey or ham or both. If you’re trying to match turkey, especially if cranberry sauce is involved, try a rich white wine, like a chardonnay, or a light, fruit forward red. By way of reds, some people like a gamay or even a rosé, but I personally prefer something with a bit more body, and perhaps some pepper, like a new world pinot noir.
If you’re trying to match ham, I’d suggest a dry Riesling as a white, or a burgundian pinot noir (which should be a little less fruit forward than its new world cousin).
A chianti would work with either turkey or ham, but, if gravy is involved, a heavier red like a bordeaux or a barbaresco would probably be appropriate.
WHITE WINES
The Spy Valley Chardonnay 2007 ($19.95) from New Zealand is a very good wine with vanilla, red and green apple, citrus and peach. It’s very refreshing, with good mouth feel and a long finish. It drinks very well on its own, and would be a good complement for white fish or a tuna salad, but I don’t think it’s quite rich enough for turkey.
For three suggestions (in ascending order of richness) that would go with turkey, try any of:
- the Paul & Mallory Talmard Macon-Uchizy 2007 ($16.96) from Burgundy. This is a beautifully balanced, buttery chardonnay, with oak, pear, peach, vanilla and notes of orange peel. And it isn’t often that you find a white burgundy at this kind of price. Highly recommended.
- the Inniskillin Winemaker’s Series Montague Vineyard Chardonnay 2007 ($18.95) from Niagara is ever richer that the Talmard. This wine is creamy, with cedar, pineapple, vanilla, butter and a edge of citrus.
- The Chateau St. Jean Chardonnay 2007 ($19.95) is a big, oaky wine, oozing with vanilla and concentrated flavour, including cedar, vanilla, melon, pear, butterscotch and tropical fruit. This is a typical example of a good California chardonnay, the home of rich chardonnays.
The Yalumba Y Series Riesling 2008 ($15.95) would be a good match for baked ham. There’s a bit of green apple, with lemon and lots of rich, concentrated tropical fruit and very little of the traditional diesel flavour. There’s enough acid to cut the fat in ham, and enough flavour not to be overpowered.
RED WINES
There are some very good values in red wines in this release.
The Sileni the Plateau Pinot Noir 2008 ($19.95) from New Zealand would go well with turkey. It’s relatively light and fruit forward with lots of sour cherry on both the nose and palate. Although this is not a rich wine, there are blackberry, kirsch and herbal notes which end in a longer than expected finish.
The Volpaia Citto 2007 from Tuscany ($13.95) would also work very well with turkey. It’s also quite light and fruit forward with cherry on the opening, and coffee and dark plum, with a bit of chalk, on the mid-palate and finish. The nose promises dark fruit, and that promise gets kept. Good value and a good wine.
The Alianca Particular 2006 ($13.95) from Portugal would work with turkey as well. This is a relatively light, soft wine with blueberry and raspberry on the nose, and those flavours plus blackberry, tobacco and vanilla on the palate. Great value, well balanced, and will drink well on its own, but with enough concentration to handle turkey with gravy or ham.
Of course, if you’re having gravy with your turkey, you might want something a little less fruit forward. In that case, try the Chateau Thebot 2005 ($16.95) from Bordeaux. We’re seeing a lot of good, unrated Bordeaux’s from 2003 and 2005, at really good, prices, lately – both of them were very good years although 2003 wasn’t a keeper’s year – but this is one of the best values I’ve seen to date. It is rich as a good Bordeaux should be, with aromas and flavours of earth and black plum, and notes of sweet herbs de provence and soft tannins on the palate with a medium long finish. The only reason I’m not buying a case is that I think this wine is at its peak now.
The Trapiche Broquel Bonarda 2007 ($15.95) from Argentina isn’t exactly Thanksgiving fare, but it’s a good wine and good value. It has a nose of coconut and blueberry, and flavours of coconut, black cherry, blueberry, smoke and oak. The tannins are firm enough to keep it for a year or two, but soft enough that it is approachable now. Vintages suggests pairing with meat casseroles or pasta with meat sauce, and I agree.
I wouldn’t have the Cantina Terre del Barolo Dogliani 2007 ($14.95) from Piedmont with either turkey or ham, but it’s a great buy and really good value. Expect a medium weight, chewy wine, with cassis, black plum, coffee, leather, black cherry, and a bit of pencil box. Pair with lean beef or a veal chop, and you have a real winner. The only flaw – a short finish which leaves you wanting more, but it’s still worth while.
The upper end of the red spectrum
A little pricier, but worth it:
Manuel Torres Mas La Plana Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 ($44.95) from Spain. This producer just turns out terrific wines, and if it were French or Italian it would be charging twice as much as it does and getting it. This is a big, rich cabernet sauvignon, with raspberry and cassis on the nose and palate, hugely concentrated with licorice, cherry, herbs and coffee, topped off with a finish that won’t quit. You can keep this wine for 5 years, or serve it tomorrow, with an hour’s decanting. Not cheap, but a bargain.
I wouldn’t normally pay $29.95 for an Australian shiraz (simply because there are so many good ones for less) but the St. Hallett Blackwell Shiraz 2006 is pretty special. This is a really good wine from a really good producer. Expect huge concentration on this wine, with aromas and flavours of cassis, licorice, pepper and raspberries. Pair with spareribs and a sweet sauce, and it doesn’t get much better.
I love lots of kinds of wine, but amarone is close to my heart and I’m picky about it. A good amarone needs to be raisiny and tremendously concentrated, with brooding black fruit, mouth drying tannins, a long finish, and the promise of chocolate or cocoa. The Zironda Amarone Della Valpolicella 2006 ($36.95) fills that bill, although I think it has at least 5 years of development to go. This may not be the greatest amarone ever made, but it’s worth the money considering what most amarones cost, and, if you can afford to wait five years, I think you’ll be really pleased. If you can’t wait, decant for at least three hours.
The La Spinona Bricco Faset Barbaresco 2004 ($38.95) is approachable now (with a couple of hours decanting) but will be better in 5 years. Expect tar, black cherries, earth, coffee and roses on a refined, sophisticated wine, with a long finish and soft tannins, that will work very well with rare red beef.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Vintages release - September 26, 2009
The theme of this release is the wines of California’s Napa Valley, a subject that needs little introduction from me. The Napa Valley produces superb wines of virtually every variety, although cabernet sauvignon, zinfandel and merlot predominate amongst the reds, and chardonnay (what else) tends to be the most common white. My biggest problem with them is that they often tend to be expensive.
Napa wines have a distinct style in that they tend to be approachable early, with lots of lush, up front fruit. They can be long lasting though. A couple of years ago, I went to a tasting of (at the time) 25 year old Bordeaux’s. The wines (admittedly not first rank Bordeaux’s from a less than stellar year) were all past their best, and on the downside, with fading, tired fruit, and lacking structure and balance... There was a mystery wine, which turned out to be a Napa cabernet, also 25 years old. The mystery wine was still fresh and young tasting, with lots of live fruit and good balance.
Best recent years in Napa: 1997, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2005 and 2007 (reds) and 1997, 1999 and 2002-2004 (whites).
WHITE WINES
The Domaine Allimant-Laugner Pinot Blanc 2008 ($15.95) from Alsace is a rich, slightly off-dry, offering with sweet grapefruit, peach, and a touch of tropical fruit. There are some white flowers on the nose, and a zesty mouth feel. Refreshing and very pleasant, but it will not appeal to anyone who likes their wines very dry and crisp. Would go well as a substitute for gewürztraminer, with spicy Asian food.
The Riff Terra Alpina Pinot Grigio 2008 ($13.95) from Italy is almost the opposite of the Allimant. It’s very crisp and dry with lots of lemon and grapefruit, and a slightly acidic, long finish. Good value for the money, and best with fried foods, since the acid will easily cut through the fat, or with soft, rich cheeses like brie.
The Sileni Cellar Selection Pinot Gris 2009 ($16.95) from New Zealand is a rounder, richer version of the Riff. It’s just as dry, but a little more fruit forward, with some peach and melon, as well as citrus, and a long, soft, finish with a touch of white flowers. Good on its own, or with chicken or a garden salad.
I really believe that the Dog Point Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2008 ($19.95) is one of the best sauvignon blancs on the planet. This is a very rich wine for a sauvignon blanc. It somehow manages to be lean and refreshing, while delivering rich flavours of tropical fruit, apple and green pepper. This is a delicious wine. Drink on its own, or with white fish, mild cheese, poultry or a salad. Highly Recommended.
You don’t have to go far to find a good chardonnay, since Tawse Sketches of Niagara Chardonnay 2007 ($19.95) is on tap. This is a rich, buttery chardonnay, redolent with vanilla and hazelnuts, and with butterscotch, yellow apple, pear and pineapple on the palate. Great on its own, or with chicken or tuna salad. There are some other good chardonnays in this release, especially some from California, but you won’t get better value than this wine.
RED WINES
There is a wealth of good, lower priced reds in this release – too many in fact for me to cover all of them, although I have tried to cover some of the highlights. This is one of those releases with a plethora of good wines, at decent prices, to choose from.
If you’re looking for a lower priced house wine, consider the Terres D’Avignon Cardinalices Cotes du Rhone 2007 ($13.95) from the Rhone. This a lighter wine, quite fruit forward, with blackberrry and forest floor on the nose, and those notes, plus sage, on the palate. There are some noticeable tannins, especially on the finish, but they will smooth out with a little decanting, and/or with food. Try burgers or pasta with meat sauce.
The Banfi Col di Sasso Cabernet Sauvignon/Sangiovese 2007 ($14.95) comes from one of Montalcino’s best known brunello producers It starts slowly, but becomes richer on the mid-palate and finish. There are cooked cherries, cocoa, currents, red plum, mineral and earthy notes. It’s a tiny bit jammy, but will appeal to most tastes, either on its own or with burgers, pizza or pasta.
The Torredora Aglianico 2007 ($15.95) for Campania is a big, big wine, reminiscent of a baco noir. There is a pronounced aroma of bacon on the nose, with leather, black plum, smoke, pencil box and bacon on the palate, with good mouth feel and a long, earthy finish and some fairly aggressive tannins. This is no wimpy wine. Drink soon, preferably with strong tasting, barbecued, red meat, or grilled portobello mushrooms.
The Avalon Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 ($22.95) is a very pleasant, easy drinking, soft California cabernet. There are very soft tannins, with dark plum and mineral flavours, and some vanilla/cedar notes. Not an exceptional wine, but it will appeal to most tastes, either on its own, or with red meat or cheese.
I reviewed the Terra Andina Carmenere 2008, from Chile, last August, and liked it but pointed out that you had to like cedar to cotton to that wine. This release contains the Terra Andina Reserva Carmenere 2007 for $1 more ($12.95) and from the same producer. If you liked the earlier version, you will definitely like this one. It’s very rich with black fruit, mocha, coffee, blueberry and vanilla, but without the overwhelming cedar flavours. A very nice wine for the price. Although you can drink it on its own, it will be better with food – red meat or hard cheese. Highly recommended.
The Richard Hamilton Hut Block Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 ($18.95) is also a very tasty wine, with ripe black fruit, pepper, spice, mocha and vanilla. It has lots of structure and a long finish. A very good wine that will only get better over the next year or so. Serve with red meat, preferably something with a hint of sweetness like spare ribs.
The Luigi Bosca Reserva Malbec 2006 ($16.95) is out, together with its sister wine, the Luigi Bosca Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 (also $16.95). I loved, and bought, cases of the 2005 version of the malbec, and the 2006 version is just as good. Expect the cabernet to deliver cassis, plum, leather and chocolate on a long finish; and the malbec to be a nicely balanced melange of cassis, mocha, tobacco rich black plum and smoke. Both highly recommended.
It’s rare to find a decent Bordeaux under $20 (considering that you can easily pay more than $1000/bottle for some of the higher priced versions). I bought the 2000 version of the Chateau Ducla 2006 ($14.95) and, while it’s falling off now, the 2000 was good up until last year. The current version isn’t as good, but for the price, it’s a great deal, with lots of rich black fruit, spice, vanilla, oak and earth, and a faintly green pepper nose. There are soft but very noticeable tannins which will smooth out with a bit of decanting, and/or food – mushroom risotto or hard cheese. Do not store this wine, since I doubt that the fruit will last very long, but it’s good now.
I love valpolicella ripassos, which, done right, taste like mini-amarones. But sometimes I want something leaner, but something that still has the raisin, black cherry, plum and mocha flavours of a valpolicella, but without being as filling as a ripasso. The Zenato Valpolicella Superiore 2007 ($16.95) fills that bill admirably, and adds hint of roasted almonds. A really good wine, and a perfect complement to tomato based dishes.
Higher priced reds –
There a good few higher priced reds in this release that are well worth buying. These two are my favourites:
The Chateau Beauregard 2005 ($68.00) from Bordeaux is a rich amalgam of flavours – cassis, black cherry, smoke and earth – with a long, luxurious finish. This is a great wine which, in five or so years, will be a delight – especially when served with lean, rare beef.
The Ornellaia 2006 ($174.95) is one of the great, iconic wines of Italy (and the world). Expect a wonderfully balanced, extremely complex wine with black fruit, minerals, cassis, tar, herbs, vanilla and smoke. This is a collector’s wine, but it doesn’t get much better than this.
Napa wines have a distinct style in that they tend to be approachable early, with lots of lush, up front fruit. They can be long lasting though. A couple of years ago, I went to a tasting of (at the time) 25 year old Bordeaux’s. The wines (admittedly not first rank Bordeaux’s from a less than stellar year) were all past their best, and on the downside, with fading, tired fruit, and lacking structure and balance... There was a mystery wine, which turned out to be a Napa cabernet, also 25 years old. The mystery wine was still fresh and young tasting, with lots of live fruit and good balance.
Best recent years in Napa: 1997, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2005 and 2007 (reds) and 1997, 1999 and 2002-2004 (whites).
WHITE WINES
The Domaine Allimant-Laugner Pinot Blanc 2008 ($15.95) from Alsace is a rich, slightly off-dry, offering with sweet grapefruit, peach, and a touch of tropical fruit. There are some white flowers on the nose, and a zesty mouth feel. Refreshing and very pleasant, but it will not appeal to anyone who likes their wines very dry and crisp. Would go well as a substitute for gewürztraminer, with spicy Asian food.
The Riff Terra Alpina Pinot Grigio 2008 ($13.95) from Italy is almost the opposite of the Allimant. It’s very crisp and dry with lots of lemon and grapefruit, and a slightly acidic, long finish. Good value for the money, and best with fried foods, since the acid will easily cut through the fat, or with soft, rich cheeses like brie.
The Sileni Cellar Selection Pinot Gris 2009 ($16.95) from New Zealand is a rounder, richer version of the Riff. It’s just as dry, but a little more fruit forward, with some peach and melon, as well as citrus, and a long, soft, finish with a touch of white flowers. Good on its own, or with chicken or a garden salad.
I really believe that the Dog Point Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2008 ($19.95) is one of the best sauvignon blancs on the planet. This is a very rich wine for a sauvignon blanc. It somehow manages to be lean and refreshing, while delivering rich flavours of tropical fruit, apple and green pepper. This is a delicious wine. Drink on its own, or with white fish, mild cheese, poultry or a salad. Highly Recommended.
You don’t have to go far to find a good chardonnay, since Tawse Sketches of Niagara Chardonnay 2007 ($19.95) is on tap. This is a rich, buttery chardonnay, redolent with vanilla and hazelnuts, and with butterscotch, yellow apple, pear and pineapple on the palate. Great on its own, or with chicken or tuna salad. There are some other good chardonnays in this release, especially some from California, but you won’t get better value than this wine.
RED WINES
There is a wealth of good, lower priced reds in this release – too many in fact for me to cover all of them, although I have tried to cover some of the highlights. This is one of those releases with a plethora of good wines, at decent prices, to choose from.
If you’re looking for a lower priced house wine, consider the Terres D’Avignon Cardinalices Cotes du Rhone 2007 ($13.95) from the Rhone. This a lighter wine, quite fruit forward, with blackberrry and forest floor on the nose, and those notes, plus sage, on the palate. There are some noticeable tannins, especially on the finish, but they will smooth out with a little decanting, and/or with food. Try burgers or pasta with meat sauce.
The Banfi Col di Sasso Cabernet Sauvignon/Sangiovese 2007 ($14.95) comes from one of Montalcino’s best known brunello producers It starts slowly, but becomes richer on the mid-palate and finish. There are cooked cherries, cocoa, currents, red plum, mineral and earthy notes. It’s a tiny bit jammy, but will appeal to most tastes, either on its own or with burgers, pizza or pasta.
The Torredora Aglianico 2007 ($15.95) for Campania is a big, big wine, reminiscent of a baco noir. There is a pronounced aroma of bacon on the nose, with leather, black plum, smoke, pencil box and bacon on the palate, with good mouth feel and a long, earthy finish and some fairly aggressive tannins. This is no wimpy wine. Drink soon, preferably with strong tasting, barbecued, red meat, or grilled portobello mushrooms.
The Avalon Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 ($22.95) is a very pleasant, easy drinking, soft California cabernet. There are very soft tannins, with dark plum and mineral flavours, and some vanilla/cedar notes. Not an exceptional wine, but it will appeal to most tastes, either on its own, or with red meat or cheese.
I reviewed the Terra Andina Carmenere 2008, from Chile, last August, and liked it but pointed out that you had to like cedar to cotton to that wine. This release contains the Terra Andina Reserva Carmenere 2007 for $1 more ($12.95) and from the same producer. If you liked the earlier version, you will definitely like this one. It’s very rich with black fruit, mocha, coffee, blueberry and vanilla, but without the overwhelming cedar flavours. A very nice wine for the price. Although you can drink it on its own, it will be better with food – red meat or hard cheese. Highly recommended.
The Richard Hamilton Hut Block Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 ($18.95) is also a very tasty wine, with ripe black fruit, pepper, spice, mocha and vanilla. It has lots of structure and a long finish. A very good wine that will only get better over the next year or so. Serve with red meat, preferably something with a hint of sweetness like spare ribs.
The Luigi Bosca Reserva Malbec 2006 ($16.95) is out, together with its sister wine, the Luigi Bosca Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 (also $16.95). I loved, and bought, cases of the 2005 version of the malbec, and the 2006 version is just as good. Expect the cabernet to deliver cassis, plum, leather and chocolate on a long finish; and the malbec to be a nicely balanced melange of cassis, mocha, tobacco rich black plum and smoke. Both highly recommended.
It’s rare to find a decent Bordeaux under $20 (considering that you can easily pay more than $1000/bottle for some of the higher priced versions). I bought the 2000 version of the Chateau Ducla 2006 ($14.95) and, while it’s falling off now, the 2000 was good up until last year. The current version isn’t as good, but for the price, it’s a great deal, with lots of rich black fruit, spice, vanilla, oak and earth, and a faintly green pepper nose. There are soft but very noticeable tannins which will smooth out with a bit of decanting, and/or food – mushroom risotto or hard cheese. Do not store this wine, since I doubt that the fruit will last very long, but it’s good now.
I love valpolicella ripassos, which, done right, taste like mini-amarones. But sometimes I want something leaner, but something that still has the raisin, black cherry, plum and mocha flavours of a valpolicella, but without being as filling as a ripasso. The Zenato Valpolicella Superiore 2007 ($16.95) fills that bill admirably, and adds hint of roasted almonds. A really good wine, and a perfect complement to tomato based dishes.
Higher priced reds –
There a good few higher priced reds in this release that are well worth buying. These two are my favourites:
The Chateau Beauregard 2005 ($68.00) from Bordeaux is a rich amalgam of flavours – cassis, black cherry, smoke and earth – with a long, luxurious finish. This is a great wine which, in five or so years, will be a delight – especially when served with lean, rare beef.
The Ornellaia 2006 ($174.95) is one of the great, iconic wines of Italy (and the world). Expect a wonderfully balanced, extremely complex wine with black fruit, minerals, cassis, tar, herbs, vanilla and smoke. This is a collector’s wine, but it doesn’t get much better than this.
Friday, September 11, 2009
Vintages Release - September 12, 2009
The theme of tomorrow’s release is Ontario’s “Shining Moment – our sensational 2007 Vintage”. There is also a sub-theme composed of Portuguese red wines.
We’ve had such a rotten summer that it’s hard to remember back two years to when we had a good one. But 2007 was a good year for Ontario wines, and, if you have a particular favourite Ontario winery, its products should just about be coming into their own about now. I recognize that it may be an unfair generalization, but I am not a great believer in the longevity of Ontario wines, no matter what they tell you at the winery. There are exceptions, of course, and I very much believe that Ontario wine is improving in quality, but all too often the results are uneven – at least in part due to our relatively short growing season.
I am a believer, therefore, in drinking most Ontario wines within two or three years. That may be even more true for hot years like 2007, when sugar levels will be relatively higher, and acid (to balance the tannins) somewhat lacking.
Aside from 2007, 2005 was also a very good year in Ontario.
Thus endeth the sermon.
I must confess that I don’t know as much about Portuguese wines as I’d like to. I do know that they have been steadily earning a reputation for improving quality and that they are usually big, rich robust wines (many of the grapes are the same ones used in port) often with a slight raisiny quality, as well as demonstrating rich black fruit, coffee, leather, mocha and blueberry flavours. Given the abundance of sun in Portugal, grapes have plenty of time to ripen, although the rocky soil in many regions, together with the hot, dry climate, stresses the berries to produce concentrated, if not extraordinarily long lasting, wines.
Portuguese reds are made to go with food, usually strong tasting, even spicy, red meats. Best recent vintages for red wines from Portugal: 2000 and 2003-05.
WHITE WINES
If you like pinot grigio’s, the Maculan Pinot Grigio 2008 from Veneto is for you. Priced at $15.95, it’s easily worth the money. This offering is a little richer than the norm from this varietal, which can sometimes be quite lean, although very refreshing. This is a beautifully balanced, complex wine, with honey, tropical fruit and citrus. It goes down like candy on its own, but would be a great match for most seafoods, salmon or chicken salad, or for pasta in a light sauce.
For a slightly leaner version of the same thing, and at the same price, try the Zenato Pinot Grigio 2008. I’ve long been a fan of this winery, which consistently delivers good, reliable wines at a decent price. This offering is a crisper version of the Maculan, with grapefruit, pear and mineral notes, and great mouth feel. There are some white flowers, as well as citrus, on the nose, and there’s plenty of acid to cut through dishes with cream sauce, or to complement whitefish.
By way of sauvignon blancs, I very much liked the Lone Kauri Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2008 ($14.95) from New Zealand. Despite the inviting price, this wine may not be for everyone, in that it’s a bit grassy, with definite peapod notes, and quite acidic – which is my taste in whites, but isn’t everyone’s. If you do like very lean, crisp whites though, this is a good choice, with lots of gooseberry, citrus, and tropical fruit. I like it on its own, but you can tone down the acid (without giving up on the mouth feel) by serving it with seafood or soft cheese.
You’ll pay somewhat more if you want some of the better chardonnay’s in this release, but you’ll be getting good wines for your money, and there’s a good selection. The only surprise is that the burgundian offering is at the southern end of the price spectrum as far as these wines are concerned (it’s usually the other way round), but you won’t go wrong (at least in the non-economic sense) by buying any of them. (I’m presenting them in order of price, not necessarily in order of preference):
- the Domaine Raphael Sallet Macon Uchizy 2007 from Burgundy embodies what I think is some of the best in chardonnays, but it is definitely not as rich as we have come to expect from California tastes. This wine is lightly oaked, so it yields some vanilla, but it is still quite lean, with chalk and mineral flavours, rather than fruit, dominating on the palate. That’s not to say that the fruit is missing. It isn’t, but the fruit flavours, like pear, are more delicate and less forward than many chardonnays. I think it’s a great deal for the price ($17.95) but it won’t deliver the rich buttery taste that many chardonnay lovers want.
- the Clos du Bois Sonoma Reserve Chardonnay 2007 ($22.95) is the real deal for anyone who likes California chardonnays. This is a rich, buttery wine, with lots of vanilla, mocha, melon, pineapple, grapefruit, spice, apple and oak. From the opening, and through a rich, and varied mid-palate, to a long finish, this wine has a taste and texture that is almost the quintessence of California chardonnay. Drink it on its own, or serve with, as Vintages suggests, chicken or seafood pasta.
- If you want to out-California, California, try the Hidden Bench Chardonnay 2007 from Niagara ($35.20). This a rich, rich chardonnay personified, with mature Bosc pear, and concentrated melon, plum and hazel nut notes on a vanilla base, and with a coconut cream finish. Try on its own, or with poultry.
RED WINE
For some (happy) reason, this release features a number of good pinot noirs in a variety of different price brackets. Since pinot noir, as a grape, is notoriously finicky to grow, and varies markedly in quality (and price) I had a great time tasting the following (also presented in order of price, but all recommended):
- There was a time when Ontario’s Stoney Ridge winery incurred my ire (is that still a word?) because, in my view, it was gouging its customers every time it managed to produce a good wine, while still trying to get them to buy the inferior stuff at prices which most other Ontario wineries charged for their better labels. Well, Stoney Ridge has seen the error or its ways (no doubt impelled by a near brush with bankruptcy) and has brought back one of its original founders, Jim Warren, to set it back on course. The winery has done the near impossible, and put out a decent pinot noir at the astonishingly low price of $14.95 – the Stoney Ridge Founders Signature Collection Pinot Noir 2007. This is a good wine – not a great wine – but, for the price, a very good pinot noir. It’s a relatively light wine, with sour cherry, some pomegranate and underbrush. It starts well, without being overly fruity, maintains its grip on the mid palate, and takes its time finishing. This is a very creditable offering, especially considering the price, and will work well with poultry or pork dishes, or, with a bit or aeration, on its own.
- I’ve usually preferred Burgundian pinots to their New World cousins, but usually cringed at the price. At $18.95, the Domaine Du Prieure Bourgogne Hautes Cotes de Beaune 2007 doesn’t make me cringe (pricewise) and has a lot going for it otherwise. Expect a classic village type burgundy, with beetroot and sour cherry flavours, very lean and mouth pleasing, with a long, elegant finish. I really like this wine. It’s not overly complex, but it’s a very good basic pinot.
- Moving upscale, the Lailey Pinot Noir 2007 ($24.95) from Niagara impressed me. In fact this winery has impressed me in the last little while under the direction of winemaker Derek Barnett, because it has been very consistent in producing quality products. This pinot is a case in point. Expect some real complexity on a medium bodied offering, with beetroot, cocoa, rhubarb and dark cherry notes, and a long, impressive finish. This wine is big enough to stand up to rare beef, let alone the “white” meats.
- When I said that I generally preferred Burgundian pinots to New World ones, I hadn’t really thought that there was anywhere in Europe, except Burgundy, that produced the grape. Apparently there is. The Miguel Torres Mas Borras Pinot Noir 2007 ($29.95), from Spain, of all places, is just terrific. This is just a lovely wine, with a gentle, slightly floral nose, and with rich mocha, raspberry and black cherry notes, and with exquisite balance, soft tannins and a long finish. As I said, I really liked the Domaine Du Prieure, but this wine is in a completely different snack bracket. It’s perfectly approachable now, but will last for at least 5 years or more. Serve with beef, or game dishes like rabbit, wild fowl or tortiere.
- We have come to expect Niagara’s Clos Jordanne winery to produce superior pinot noir (at a superior price), and it hasn’t disappointed this time. The Le Clos Jordanne Talon Ridge Vineyard Pinot Noir 2007 ($37.00) is a special wine. It is fruit forward enough not to be mistaken for a Old World pinot, but still elegant and understated. There’s great potential here – plum, raspberry, sour cherry, beetroot and earthy notes, but lots of tannin as well. I think this wine would benefit from at least a couple more years in the bottle, but when you bring it out, make sure it’s for a special occasion because it’ll be worth it. It will easily stand up to any red meat you serve with it. As for the price, and in Clos Jordanne's defence, I've certainly seen inferior pinots at much higher prices than this.
As for the rest:
- If you’re feeling flush (not flushed) this week, you should get the Chateau Clos de Sarpe 2005 from Bordeaux. It’ll set you back $155.00, and you shouldn’t open it for at least 7 years, but it’ll be lovely when you do. If, on the other hand, you have taxes to pay, children to school, a mortgage, car loans, grocery bills – and/or all of those other expensive habits we tend to acquire or life thrusts upon us – you might want to try the Chateau Rauzan Despagne Reserve 2006. It’s not as good as the Clos de Sarpe, but you can drink it now – with at least an hour’s decanting – and it’ll set you back $18.95. This is a big wine, with concentrated flavours of cocoa, juicy black plum, cherry, vanilla and cassis. There are some underbrush notes, semi-soft tannins, and a long, rich finish that will complement rare beef or strong cheese.
If you like chocolate, go for the Quinto de Ventozelo Touriga Nacional 2005 ($19.95) from Portugal. This is a big, big, wine, with notes of blueberry, raspberry, vanilla and coffee, but what I got most was masses of dark chocolate. The tannins, and there are plenty of them, are very soft, and the fruit is both mature and concentrated so that there is almost a port-like texture. This is a very enjoyable wine.
From Australia, the Wits End The Procrastinator 2006 ($16.95) is a spicy shiraz, cabernet sauvignon and grenache blend. Inasmuch as a wine can be called “racy” this is it. It’s a combination of blackberry, raspberry and olive flavours that would make a great barbecue wine – but a barbecue wine with some spice and character. Whether you serve it with hamburgers or steak, the almost sweet and sour notes will be a good, if somewhat unusual, complement.
Despite its cumbersome name, the Finca Flichman Expresiones Reserve Malbec/Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 ($15.95) from Argentina is a very tasty wine. This is a rich, very concentrated combination of black fruit, mocha and vanilla, with a smoky/spicy finish. If you like your wine perfectly dry, this may not be for you, but if a bit of yummy, jammy fruit appeals, so should this wine.
Finally, if you have some spare cash, you might want to consider spending it on the Quintarelli Valpolicella Classico Superiore 2000 ($89.95) from Veneto. I won’t tell you that the wine isn’t over-priced. Valpolicella is the little brother of amarone, and you can get some very good amarones for half the asking price of this wine. On the other hand, Quintarelli himself is one of the premier winemakers in Italy (if not the premier winemaker), and he has been turning out exceptional valpolicellas and amarones for about half a century. The man knows his craft, and he produces incredible wines. I opened a bottle of the 1993 version of this wine last month, and – 16 years later - it was better than most amarones I’ve had. I’m not into wine as an investment, but if I were, I suspect I could make a little bit of change on this wine. More important, open it any time in the next ten years, and you’ll have a totally memorable wine, with rich dried red fruit, raisin, and Christmas cake spice that you can’t help but love.
We’ve had such a rotten summer that it’s hard to remember back two years to when we had a good one. But 2007 was a good year for Ontario wines, and, if you have a particular favourite Ontario winery, its products should just about be coming into their own about now. I recognize that it may be an unfair generalization, but I am not a great believer in the longevity of Ontario wines, no matter what they tell you at the winery. There are exceptions, of course, and I very much believe that Ontario wine is improving in quality, but all too often the results are uneven – at least in part due to our relatively short growing season.
I am a believer, therefore, in drinking most Ontario wines within two or three years. That may be even more true for hot years like 2007, when sugar levels will be relatively higher, and acid (to balance the tannins) somewhat lacking.
Aside from 2007, 2005 was also a very good year in Ontario.
Thus endeth the sermon.
I must confess that I don’t know as much about Portuguese wines as I’d like to. I do know that they have been steadily earning a reputation for improving quality and that they are usually big, rich robust wines (many of the grapes are the same ones used in port) often with a slight raisiny quality, as well as demonstrating rich black fruit, coffee, leather, mocha and blueberry flavours. Given the abundance of sun in Portugal, grapes have plenty of time to ripen, although the rocky soil in many regions, together with the hot, dry climate, stresses the berries to produce concentrated, if not extraordinarily long lasting, wines.
Portuguese reds are made to go with food, usually strong tasting, even spicy, red meats. Best recent vintages for red wines from Portugal: 2000 and 2003-05.
WHITE WINES
If you like pinot grigio’s, the Maculan Pinot Grigio 2008 from Veneto is for you. Priced at $15.95, it’s easily worth the money. This offering is a little richer than the norm from this varietal, which can sometimes be quite lean, although very refreshing. This is a beautifully balanced, complex wine, with honey, tropical fruit and citrus. It goes down like candy on its own, but would be a great match for most seafoods, salmon or chicken salad, or for pasta in a light sauce.
For a slightly leaner version of the same thing, and at the same price, try the Zenato Pinot Grigio 2008. I’ve long been a fan of this winery, which consistently delivers good, reliable wines at a decent price. This offering is a crisper version of the Maculan, with grapefruit, pear and mineral notes, and great mouth feel. There are some white flowers, as well as citrus, on the nose, and there’s plenty of acid to cut through dishes with cream sauce, or to complement whitefish.
By way of sauvignon blancs, I very much liked the Lone Kauri Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2008 ($14.95) from New Zealand. Despite the inviting price, this wine may not be for everyone, in that it’s a bit grassy, with definite peapod notes, and quite acidic – which is my taste in whites, but isn’t everyone’s. If you do like very lean, crisp whites though, this is a good choice, with lots of gooseberry, citrus, and tropical fruit. I like it on its own, but you can tone down the acid (without giving up on the mouth feel) by serving it with seafood or soft cheese.
You’ll pay somewhat more if you want some of the better chardonnay’s in this release, but you’ll be getting good wines for your money, and there’s a good selection. The only surprise is that the burgundian offering is at the southern end of the price spectrum as far as these wines are concerned (it’s usually the other way round), but you won’t go wrong (at least in the non-economic sense) by buying any of them. (I’m presenting them in order of price, not necessarily in order of preference):
- the Domaine Raphael Sallet Macon Uchizy 2007 from Burgundy embodies what I think is some of the best in chardonnays, but it is definitely not as rich as we have come to expect from California tastes. This wine is lightly oaked, so it yields some vanilla, but it is still quite lean, with chalk and mineral flavours, rather than fruit, dominating on the palate. That’s not to say that the fruit is missing. It isn’t, but the fruit flavours, like pear, are more delicate and less forward than many chardonnays. I think it’s a great deal for the price ($17.95) but it won’t deliver the rich buttery taste that many chardonnay lovers want.
- the Clos du Bois Sonoma Reserve Chardonnay 2007 ($22.95) is the real deal for anyone who likes California chardonnays. This is a rich, buttery wine, with lots of vanilla, mocha, melon, pineapple, grapefruit, spice, apple and oak. From the opening, and through a rich, and varied mid-palate, to a long finish, this wine has a taste and texture that is almost the quintessence of California chardonnay. Drink it on its own, or serve with, as Vintages suggests, chicken or seafood pasta.
- If you want to out-California, California, try the Hidden Bench Chardonnay 2007 from Niagara ($35.20). This a rich, rich chardonnay personified, with mature Bosc pear, and concentrated melon, plum and hazel nut notes on a vanilla base, and with a coconut cream finish. Try on its own, or with poultry.
RED WINE
For some (happy) reason, this release features a number of good pinot noirs in a variety of different price brackets. Since pinot noir, as a grape, is notoriously finicky to grow, and varies markedly in quality (and price) I had a great time tasting the following (also presented in order of price, but all recommended):
- There was a time when Ontario’s Stoney Ridge winery incurred my ire (is that still a word?) because, in my view, it was gouging its customers every time it managed to produce a good wine, while still trying to get them to buy the inferior stuff at prices which most other Ontario wineries charged for their better labels. Well, Stoney Ridge has seen the error or its ways (no doubt impelled by a near brush with bankruptcy) and has brought back one of its original founders, Jim Warren, to set it back on course. The winery has done the near impossible, and put out a decent pinot noir at the astonishingly low price of $14.95 – the Stoney Ridge Founders Signature Collection Pinot Noir 2007. This is a good wine – not a great wine – but, for the price, a very good pinot noir. It’s a relatively light wine, with sour cherry, some pomegranate and underbrush. It starts well, without being overly fruity, maintains its grip on the mid palate, and takes its time finishing. This is a very creditable offering, especially considering the price, and will work well with poultry or pork dishes, or, with a bit or aeration, on its own.
- I’ve usually preferred Burgundian pinots to their New World cousins, but usually cringed at the price. At $18.95, the Domaine Du Prieure Bourgogne Hautes Cotes de Beaune 2007 doesn’t make me cringe (pricewise) and has a lot going for it otherwise. Expect a classic village type burgundy, with beetroot and sour cherry flavours, very lean and mouth pleasing, with a long, elegant finish. I really like this wine. It’s not overly complex, but it’s a very good basic pinot.
- Moving upscale, the Lailey Pinot Noir 2007 ($24.95) from Niagara impressed me. In fact this winery has impressed me in the last little while under the direction of winemaker Derek Barnett, because it has been very consistent in producing quality products. This pinot is a case in point. Expect some real complexity on a medium bodied offering, with beetroot, cocoa, rhubarb and dark cherry notes, and a long, impressive finish. This wine is big enough to stand up to rare beef, let alone the “white” meats.
- When I said that I generally preferred Burgundian pinots to New World ones, I hadn’t really thought that there was anywhere in Europe, except Burgundy, that produced the grape. Apparently there is. The Miguel Torres Mas Borras Pinot Noir 2007 ($29.95), from Spain, of all places, is just terrific. This is just a lovely wine, with a gentle, slightly floral nose, and with rich mocha, raspberry and black cherry notes, and with exquisite balance, soft tannins and a long finish. As I said, I really liked the Domaine Du Prieure, but this wine is in a completely different snack bracket. It’s perfectly approachable now, but will last for at least 5 years or more. Serve with beef, or game dishes like rabbit, wild fowl or tortiere.
- We have come to expect Niagara’s Clos Jordanne winery to produce superior pinot noir (at a superior price), and it hasn’t disappointed this time. The Le Clos Jordanne Talon Ridge Vineyard Pinot Noir 2007 ($37.00) is a special wine. It is fruit forward enough not to be mistaken for a Old World pinot, but still elegant and understated. There’s great potential here – plum, raspberry, sour cherry, beetroot and earthy notes, but lots of tannin as well. I think this wine would benefit from at least a couple more years in the bottle, but when you bring it out, make sure it’s for a special occasion because it’ll be worth it. It will easily stand up to any red meat you serve with it. As for the price, and in Clos Jordanne's defence, I've certainly seen inferior pinots at much higher prices than this.
As for the rest:
- If you’re feeling flush (not flushed) this week, you should get the Chateau Clos de Sarpe 2005 from Bordeaux. It’ll set you back $155.00, and you shouldn’t open it for at least 7 years, but it’ll be lovely when you do. If, on the other hand, you have taxes to pay, children to school, a mortgage, car loans, grocery bills – and/or all of those other expensive habits we tend to acquire or life thrusts upon us – you might want to try the Chateau Rauzan Despagne Reserve 2006. It’s not as good as the Clos de Sarpe, but you can drink it now – with at least an hour’s decanting – and it’ll set you back $18.95. This is a big wine, with concentrated flavours of cocoa, juicy black plum, cherry, vanilla and cassis. There are some underbrush notes, semi-soft tannins, and a long, rich finish that will complement rare beef or strong cheese.
If you like chocolate, go for the Quinto de Ventozelo Touriga Nacional 2005 ($19.95) from Portugal. This is a big, big, wine, with notes of blueberry, raspberry, vanilla and coffee, but what I got most was masses of dark chocolate. The tannins, and there are plenty of them, are very soft, and the fruit is both mature and concentrated so that there is almost a port-like texture. This is a very enjoyable wine.
From Australia, the Wits End The Procrastinator 2006 ($16.95) is a spicy shiraz, cabernet sauvignon and grenache blend. Inasmuch as a wine can be called “racy” this is it. It’s a combination of blackberry, raspberry and olive flavours that would make a great barbecue wine – but a barbecue wine with some spice and character. Whether you serve it with hamburgers or steak, the almost sweet and sour notes will be a good, if somewhat unusual, complement.
Despite its cumbersome name, the Finca Flichman Expresiones Reserve Malbec/Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 ($15.95) from Argentina is a very tasty wine. This is a rich, very concentrated combination of black fruit, mocha and vanilla, with a smoky/spicy finish. If you like your wine perfectly dry, this may not be for you, but if a bit of yummy, jammy fruit appeals, so should this wine.
Finally, if you have some spare cash, you might want to consider spending it on the Quintarelli Valpolicella Classico Superiore 2000 ($89.95) from Veneto. I won’t tell you that the wine isn’t over-priced. Valpolicella is the little brother of amarone, and you can get some very good amarones for half the asking price of this wine. On the other hand, Quintarelli himself is one of the premier winemakers in Italy (if not the premier winemaker), and he has been turning out exceptional valpolicellas and amarones for about half a century. The man knows his craft, and he produces incredible wines. I opened a bottle of the 1993 version of this wine last month, and – 16 years later - it was better than most amarones I’ve had. I’m not into wine as an investment, but if I were, I suspect I could make a little bit of change on this wine. More important, open it any time in the next ten years, and you’ll have a totally memorable wine, with rich dried red fruit, raisin, and Christmas cake spice that you can’t help but love.
Friday, August 28, 2009
Vintages Release - August 29, 2009
Tomorrow’s Vintage’s release features the wines of the Rhone, with a sub-feature on California red Zinfandels.
The Rhone region is generally comprised of the Rhone river valley and surrounding areas, and is usually divided into two different parts – the Northern Rhone and (surprise, surprise) the Southern Rhone. Both regions produce red and white wines, but, in both, the reds tend to predominate.
In the north, the only red wine grape permitted is syrah (shiraz), although some of the red wines are blends of syrah and a few white wine grapes. The climate tends to cold winters and hot summers, and vineyards are usually located on steep, often rocky, terraced hills. The region generally produces wines which are less rich, and somewhat more tannic and austere (and usually more expensive), than the southern part of the region. Northern Rhone wines age well, and are known for aromas of green olive and smoky bacon. Hermitage, Cornas and St. Joseph are three of the best known appellations of the Northern Rhone. Best recent years: 1995, 1998-2001, 2003, 2005 and 2006.
The Southern Rhone is characterized by a more Mediterranean climate (hot summers and milder winters) and vineyards are more likely to be on loamy or clay soil in the river valley. In some regions, however, vineyards are full of galets (largish stones) which absorb the sun’s rays during the day, and give off heat after sunset, thus keeping the vines warmer at night. Producers use a considerable variety of grapes, both white and red, and the red wines are almost always blends, with grenache noir being the most common red grape, although syrah, carignan and mourvedre (to name only a few) are also commonly used.
Southern Rhone wines are generally approachable early (although some can be quite long-lasting) and can vary quite widely – depending on the micro-climate, the terroir, and the grape varieties employed. Higher quantities of grenache tend to produce a fruit forward, jucier wine, often with spicy notes or licorice, that is relatively high in alcohol (due to the sugar levels), but low in tannin. Mourvedre and carignan often impart higher levels of tannin and structure, often with tar, leather and/or herbal notes. The most famous appellation of the Southern Rhone is Chateauneuf-du-Pape, but Gigondas, Rasteau, and Vacqueyras are also quite well known. Most of the wine from this region is classified as Cotes du Rhone (the lowest) or Cotes du Rhone-Villages, although higher levels of the classification system permit the name of the specific village of origin to appear on the label. Best recent years: 1995, 1998-2001, 2003-2007.
Zinfandel seems to have adopted southern California as its spiritual home. The varietal was once thought to be closely related to the Italian grape, primitivo, but there now seems to be some considerable doubt as to the relationship between the two. There are suggestions that it is more closely related to a Croatian grape, crljenak. At any event, California now produces most of the better known red zinfandel based wines, which are usually characterized by high alcohol levels and ripe, even jammy, red or black berry flavours, and with a wide variety of different possible notes, such as spice, chocolate, anise, briar and pepper, to name but a few. Red zinfandels are usually big, assertive, rich, fruit forward wines, bursting with flavor and almost always approachable early. (I should note that California also produces white zinfandels. The less said about that, however, the better, especially since Vintages has spared us that particular sugary horror).
ROSÉS
Perhaps I protest too much, but rosès are not normally my thing. But the La Cadierenne Cuvee Grande Tradition Bandol Rosè 2008 ($18.95) is a pretty special wine, which it should be at this price. It’s very dry, of course, with strawberry and dried green pepper on the nose, and herbal strawberry flavours on the palate, with a long finish and great mouth feel. A lovely, hot weather sipper, that would go well with a salad, chicken or whitefish. Very tasty.
WHITE WINES
For something a little different, try the Urban Uco Torrontes 2008 ($11.95) from Argentina. It’s sort of an Argentinean version of a Rhone white, mostly vigonier grapes, so you get a bouquet of white flowers, and a little honey. This is not a complex wine (at this price, you shouldn’t expect too much) but it’s very refreshing with lots of citrus, good balance, and a white pepper finish. It’s good on its own, but would work very well with whitefish or shellfish.
Except for the next wine, the Henry of Pelham Barrel Fermented Chardonnay 2007 ($19.95) from Niagara is about as good a chardonnay as you will find in this release. It’s from a reliable producer in a good year, and you should expect a buttery, vanilla laden wine with smoke and lots of ripe fruit (peaches, apple and pear). Good on its own, and rich enough to complement almost anything short of red meat. A good example of a tasty, new world chardonnay.
Moving somewhat upscale, the Simonnet-Febvre Chablis 2007 is $22.95, but, if you like Chablis (as I very much do) it’s worth it. It has a minimal nose of citrus, with perhaps a touch of white flowers. This is also chardonnay, but unoaked, On the palate, there’s a clean, pure taste, very dry, but full-bodied despite the light colour, with a long finish and great balance. This is a lovely wine at a very good price, since you rarely see a good Chablis for much less than $30. Highly recommended. It can be consumed on its own but would work well with virtually any kind of seafood.
If you aren’t a chardonnay fan, you can’t go far wrong with the Seifried Sauvignon Blanc 2008 ($17.95) from New Zealand. This is a complex wine, a little grassy, with citrus and apple predominating, and with notes of peach, nectarine, and some cooked onion and herb on the finish. A well balanced wine with enough acid that you may want to take this wine with food, perhaps a soft cheese, instead of on its own.
RED WINES
The Paolo Manzone Magna Dolcetto D’Alba 2007 ($16.95) is a true dolcetto – a very pleasant and soft wine, with raspberry on the nose and the palate, and lemon/lime notes. It is exceedingly ready to drink, and just a pleasure to drink, either on its own or with food. It would go well with chicken or grilled pork, or with a raspberry vinaigrette salad. This is not a hugely complex wine, but it is just a pleasure to drink. Highly recommended.
I had high hopes of the Tommasi Vigneto Le Prunee Merlot 2007 ($16.95) from Veneto, since I liked the comparable offering from Zenato (the Cormi) so much. This is a dry, prune and raisin flavoured offering, quite intense, with a long finish, and notes of cocoa, raspberry and cappuccino, that is made to go with food. Vintages suggests pasta, and I don’t disagree, but I would match it with a hard cheese like parmesan. This is a good wine and I have no trouble recommending it, but if you can still find the Cormi 2006 (there is still some left in the system) I think I’d pay the extra $3.
If you’re looking for a keeper, get the Chateau St. Georges 2005 ($34.95) from Bordeaux. This is a great producer in a great year, and you will really enjoy this wine in two or three years. Expect rich cherry, plum and earthy notes, with leather and smooth tannins, on a well structured wine that will go really well with grilled red meat or strong, hard cheeses.
As for the featured varieties/regions:
Zinfandels –
There really is only one choice from this release if you want a zin, and that’s the Seghesio Sonoma Zinfandel 2007 ($28.95). This is an outstanding wine, approachable now, with pure cassis, pepper and herbs, beautifully structured, with a long, mouth filling, satisfying finish. This is a great wine, especially with ribs, where the sweet sauce acts as a perfect complement, but match with a grilled steak, especially a rare one, and you won’t be disappointed.
If you don’t, for some reason, want or can’t get, the Seghesio, the Gnarly Head Old Vine Zin 2007 ($17.95) is a pretty good substitute. This is a big, chewy, wine with masses of ripe black fruit, tobacco, smoked meat, spice, pepper and earthy notes, with lots of tannins and a long finish. Once again, a great complement for ribs with a sweetish sauce.
The Rhones
If you only get one Rhone from this release, it ought to be the Delas Haute Pierre Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2007 ($35.95). This is a very well priced wine from a very good producer, with aromas of violets and black cherry, and complex flavours of black plum, dark cherry, herbs, lavender and licorice. This wine is so well structured that the transition from open to finish is totally seamless. Just delicious. Let it open for an hour or two before serving, and drink with grilled red meat or roast beef.
The Domaine Saint-Pierre Vacqueyras 2005 ($24.95) is also very good. It’s a little leaner than the Delas, with ripe black cherry, herbs and glycerin, but very well structured, and with a lip-smacking finish. Once again, aerate for an hour or two before serving and use to complement red meat or strong cheese.
The Rhone region is generally comprised of the Rhone river valley and surrounding areas, and is usually divided into two different parts – the Northern Rhone and (surprise, surprise) the Southern Rhone. Both regions produce red and white wines, but, in both, the reds tend to predominate.
In the north, the only red wine grape permitted is syrah (shiraz), although some of the red wines are blends of syrah and a few white wine grapes. The climate tends to cold winters and hot summers, and vineyards are usually located on steep, often rocky, terraced hills. The region generally produces wines which are less rich, and somewhat more tannic and austere (and usually more expensive), than the southern part of the region. Northern Rhone wines age well, and are known for aromas of green olive and smoky bacon. Hermitage, Cornas and St. Joseph are three of the best known appellations of the Northern Rhone. Best recent years: 1995, 1998-2001, 2003, 2005 and 2006.
The Southern Rhone is characterized by a more Mediterranean climate (hot summers and milder winters) and vineyards are more likely to be on loamy or clay soil in the river valley. In some regions, however, vineyards are full of galets (largish stones) which absorb the sun’s rays during the day, and give off heat after sunset, thus keeping the vines warmer at night. Producers use a considerable variety of grapes, both white and red, and the red wines are almost always blends, with grenache noir being the most common red grape, although syrah, carignan and mourvedre (to name only a few) are also commonly used.
Southern Rhone wines are generally approachable early (although some can be quite long-lasting) and can vary quite widely – depending on the micro-climate, the terroir, and the grape varieties employed. Higher quantities of grenache tend to produce a fruit forward, jucier wine, often with spicy notes or licorice, that is relatively high in alcohol (due to the sugar levels), but low in tannin. Mourvedre and carignan often impart higher levels of tannin and structure, often with tar, leather and/or herbal notes. The most famous appellation of the Southern Rhone is Chateauneuf-du-Pape, but Gigondas, Rasteau, and Vacqueyras are also quite well known. Most of the wine from this region is classified as Cotes du Rhone (the lowest) or Cotes du Rhone-Villages, although higher levels of the classification system permit the name of the specific village of origin to appear on the label. Best recent years: 1995, 1998-2001, 2003-2007.
Zinfandel seems to have adopted southern California as its spiritual home. The varietal was once thought to be closely related to the Italian grape, primitivo, but there now seems to be some considerable doubt as to the relationship between the two. There are suggestions that it is more closely related to a Croatian grape, crljenak. At any event, California now produces most of the better known red zinfandel based wines, which are usually characterized by high alcohol levels and ripe, even jammy, red or black berry flavours, and with a wide variety of different possible notes, such as spice, chocolate, anise, briar and pepper, to name but a few. Red zinfandels are usually big, assertive, rich, fruit forward wines, bursting with flavor and almost always approachable early. (I should note that California also produces white zinfandels. The less said about that, however, the better, especially since Vintages has spared us that particular sugary horror).
There are some very good wines in this release, although the prices are somewhat higher than we’ve become used to recently.
* * *
ROSÉS
Perhaps I protest too much, but rosès are not normally my thing. But the La Cadierenne Cuvee Grande Tradition Bandol Rosè 2008 ($18.95) is a pretty special wine, which it should be at this price. It’s very dry, of course, with strawberry and dried green pepper on the nose, and herbal strawberry flavours on the palate, with a long finish and great mouth feel. A lovely, hot weather sipper, that would go well with a salad, chicken or whitefish. Very tasty.
WHITE WINES
For something a little different, try the Urban Uco Torrontes 2008 ($11.95) from Argentina. It’s sort of an Argentinean version of a Rhone white, mostly vigonier grapes, so you get a bouquet of white flowers, and a little honey. This is not a complex wine (at this price, you shouldn’t expect too much) but it’s very refreshing with lots of citrus, good balance, and a white pepper finish. It’s good on its own, but would work very well with whitefish or shellfish.
Except for the next wine, the Henry of Pelham Barrel Fermented Chardonnay 2007 ($19.95) from Niagara is about as good a chardonnay as you will find in this release. It’s from a reliable producer in a good year, and you should expect a buttery, vanilla laden wine with smoke and lots of ripe fruit (peaches, apple and pear). Good on its own, and rich enough to complement almost anything short of red meat. A good example of a tasty, new world chardonnay.
Moving somewhat upscale, the Simonnet-Febvre Chablis 2007 is $22.95, but, if you like Chablis (as I very much do) it’s worth it. It has a minimal nose of citrus, with perhaps a touch of white flowers. This is also chardonnay, but unoaked, On the palate, there’s a clean, pure taste, very dry, but full-bodied despite the light colour, with a long finish and great balance. This is a lovely wine at a very good price, since you rarely see a good Chablis for much less than $30. Highly recommended. It can be consumed on its own but would work well with virtually any kind of seafood.
If you aren’t a chardonnay fan, you can’t go far wrong with the Seifried Sauvignon Blanc 2008 ($17.95) from New Zealand. This is a complex wine, a little grassy, with citrus and apple predominating, and with notes of peach, nectarine, and some cooked onion and herb on the finish. A well balanced wine with enough acid that you may want to take this wine with food, perhaps a soft cheese, instead of on its own.
RED WINES
The Paolo Manzone Magna Dolcetto D’Alba 2007 ($16.95) is a true dolcetto – a very pleasant and soft wine, with raspberry on the nose and the palate, and lemon/lime notes. It is exceedingly ready to drink, and just a pleasure to drink, either on its own or with food. It would go well with chicken or grilled pork, or with a raspberry vinaigrette salad. This is not a hugely complex wine, but it is just a pleasure to drink. Highly recommended.
I had high hopes of the Tommasi Vigneto Le Prunee Merlot 2007 ($16.95) from Veneto, since I liked the comparable offering from Zenato (the Cormi) so much. This is a dry, prune and raisin flavoured offering, quite intense, with a long finish, and notes of cocoa, raspberry and cappuccino, that is made to go with food. Vintages suggests pasta, and I don’t disagree, but I would match it with a hard cheese like parmesan. This is a good wine and I have no trouble recommending it, but if you can still find the Cormi 2006 (there is still some left in the system) I think I’d pay the extra $3.
If you’re looking for a keeper, get the Chateau St. Georges 2005 ($34.95) from Bordeaux. This is a great producer in a great year, and you will really enjoy this wine in two or three years. Expect rich cherry, plum and earthy notes, with leather and smooth tannins, on a well structured wine that will go really well with grilled red meat or strong, hard cheeses.
As for the featured varieties/regions:
Zinfandels –
There really is only one choice from this release if you want a zin, and that’s the Seghesio Sonoma Zinfandel 2007 ($28.95). This is an outstanding wine, approachable now, with pure cassis, pepper and herbs, beautifully structured, with a long, mouth filling, satisfying finish. This is a great wine, especially with ribs, where the sweet sauce acts as a perfect complement, but match with a grilled steak, especially a rare one, and you won’t be disappointed.
If you don’t, for some reason, want or can’t get, the Seghesio, the Gnarly Head Old Vine Zin 2007 ($17.95) is a pretty good substitute. This is a big, chewy, wine with masses of ripe black fruit, tobacco, smoked meat, spice, pepper and earthy notes, with lots of tannins and a long finish. Once again, a great complement for ribs with a sweetish sauce.
The Rhones
If you only get one Rhone from this release, it ought to be the Delas Haute Pierre Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2007 ($35.95). This is a very well priced wine from a very good producer, with aromas of violets and black cherry, and complex flavours of black plum, dark cherry, herbs, lavender and licorice. This wine is so well structured that the transition from open to finish is totally seamless. Just delicious. Let it open for an hour or two before serving, and drink with grilled red meat or roast beef.
The Domaine Saint-Pierre Vacqueyras 2005 ($24.95) is also very good. It’s a little leaner than the Delas, with ripe black cherry, herbs and glycerin, but very well structured, and with a lip-smacking finish. Once again, aerate for an hour or two before serving and use to complement red meat or strong cheese.
Friday, August 14, 2009
Vintages Release - August 15, 2009
Tomorrow’s Vintages release features the wines of Chile, together with some of the whites from southern Burgundy.
There was a time, not that many years ago, when I was frankly dismissive of Chilean wines. At the time, I found the reds, in particular, overly earthy and tannic, without any of the sophistication or nuances exhibited by wines from many other parts of the world. No more. Chilean winemaking has come a long way in the past while, and the country now produces some extremely good wines which can compete virtually anywhere in terms of quality, while often still yielding very good value.
Chilean geography in the wine regions, in many ways, resembles California, in that the grapes are grown is a relatively narrow strip between the ocean and the mountains. The differences in terroir (aside from soil issues) are primarily that Chile is somewhat hotter, with a longer growing season, than California, and that the Chilean vineyards are often at higher altitudes than their California counterparts. Accordingly, the grapes are often treated to very high temperatures, with lots of sunshine, during the day, and with comparatively cooler nights.
Although the country produces most major grape varietals, chardonnay, cabernet sauvignon and carmenere are the most prominent. The first two, of course, are well known. Chilean chardonnays tend to be rich, replete with tropical fruit, and with less vanilla and oak, and somewhat less buttery, than many other new world chardonnays. Cabernet Sauvignons from Chile (and bordeaux blends) are usually rich and concentrated, and (like Californian cabs) approachable earlier, with softer tannins, than old world cabernets. They often have flavours of mint, black current, olives and smoke.
Although carmenere has become the signature grape of Chile, it originated in Bordeaux. It produces rich, but not long lived, wines, characterized by a deep red colour, spice and red fruit, with notes of smoke, earth, chocolate, tobacco and leather.
Chilean wines are often best consumed with food rather than on their own. Best recent years in Chile: 2001 and 2003, although the climate and most vintages are remarkably similar and consistent (at a high level).
The white wines of southern Burgundy are almost exclusively chardonnays. The wines are richer, with softer fruit, than the more minerally offerings from Burgundy’s other famous white wine region (Chablis), and (unlike most wines from Chablis) are often stored in oak for various periods of time. They are finesse wines, with a variety of flavours (everything from tropical fruit, stone fruit, apple, citrus, mineral, nuts, herbs, and wood). The area produces some of (if not the most) expensive white wines in the world.
Best recent years for white burgundies: 1995-7, 1999, 2002, 2005 and 2006.
* * *
As with the last release, there are some very good values available tomorrow, together with a few, not overly expensive, exceptional offerings.
ROSÉS
Hot weather (finally) is rosé weather, and the Bieler Pere et Fils Sabine Rosé 2008 ($12.95) is well priced and comes from the home of rosés (Provence). It’s very dry (a must for me) with a deceptively light colour, but assertive strawberry, cherry, and raspberry fruit, and a longish, slightly herbal finish. It drinks well on its own, but would be a great complement for chicken or for a green salad (especially one with a raspberry vinaigrette dressing). If you like rosés, this wine will be for you. Closed with a screw cap. Just note that, at 13.5% alcohol, this wine may sneak up on you a bit, because it goes down so very easily.
WHITE WINES
I noted in my introduction that southern Burgundy produces some of the most expensive white wines in the world, so I’m not going to make apologies for recommending the Nicolas Potel Montagny 1er Cru 2007 from Burgundy even at $24.95. This is despite the fact that I rarely find it either necessary or desirable to review white wines over $20 because there are so many good ones (even in this release) south of that figure. But this price is still pretty reasonable for a white burgundy, and there is so much going on with this wine, that you shouldn’t miss it. There’s ripe pear and honey on the nose, and pear, apple, honey, buttered toast, oak, vanilla, pineapple, hazelnut and spice on the palate, with a long, lemony finish. A really good wine by itself, or with any seafood dish, chicken or pork.
Break the rule once, might as well break it twice. The Montes Alpha Chardonnay 2007 from Chile is also over $20 at $22.95, but it’s also worth the small difference. This is also a rich, buttery wine, with grapefruit, peach, pear and spice with a long, yummy finish and great mouth feel. It’s concentrated enough to stand up to almost any food short of red meat. I like the idea of it with pasta or shellfish in a cream sauce.
Sticking with chardonnay, but dropping to the other end of the price spectrum, the Leyda Reserva Chardonnay 2008, from Chile is extremely good value at $13.95. It’s a concentrated mélange of flavours including honey, apple, pear, tangerine, peach and grapefruit, with vanilla and oak. A lovely hot weather sipper alone, or try it with pork chops and apple sauce.
One more chardonnay – I can’t help it, there’s a lot of good chardonnay in this release. This one is the Domaine Francis Fichet et Fils Macon-Villages 2007 ($16.95) from Burgundy. This is a bit of an unconventional wine for a chardonnaty, with aromas of baked apple, and with green apple, citrus, and young pear on the palate. It’s not as rich as the previous three wines, but has a fresh and refreshing clean taste, with some sour grapefruit and apple on the finish. Good on its own, or with either white fish or a soft cheese (eg. brie or camembert, for preference).
The Mas des Bressades Cuveé Tradition Blanc 2008 ($13.95) from the Rhone isn’t a chardonnay, but it is as rich as most chards. It has a bouquet of white flowers and pineapple, and a rich tropical fruit and peach flavour. Another pleasant, hot weather sipper that will complement poultry or a Caesar salad.
I’ve been writing this column for almost four years now, and, despite a visit to Austria, I have only once before recommended a gruner veltliner, and that was only a month ago. No one, therefore, is more surprised than I when I come up with another one out of this release. But the Salomon Undhof Sal’mon Groovey Gruner Veltiner 2008 ($12.95) is not only well priced, but tastes very good as well. There is a bit of the characteristic white pepper, which is not overwhelming, together with medium ripe pear, and an exquisite balance ending in a soft, mouth pleasing finish. This is a dry wine which would go really well with white fish or spicy oriental food.
RED WINE
If you’re looking for a Chilean cabernet sauvignon, go for the Tabali Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 ($14.95). This is not the most complex wine you’ll ever taste, but it’s good value for the money, with smoky oak, blackberry and ripe black cherry. A burger wine, but a good burger wine. It would also be good with ribs or a not overly lean piece of grilled beef. Don’t decant for more than about 30 minutes before serving.
You also get good value from the Terra Andina Carmenere 2008 ($11.95), from Chile, provided that you like cedar flavours. There’s a lot more to the wine than that – with ripe blackberry, dark plum, mint and cloves – but the cedar is pretty prominent. A really good, fruit driven, deal to go with a casual barbecue. Screwcap.
The Montgras Reserva Carmenere 2008 is also from Chile and not much more expensive at $12.95. This is a less “in your face” wine than the Terra Andina. The fruit is very much in evidence, but there is more sophistication, with the ripe black cherry and raspberry opening giving some way to vanilla, mocha and oak on the mid palate and finish. A very good wine for the money.
Switching both continents and wine styles, the Chateau de L’Engarran Gres de Montpellier 2006 ($18.95) from the Languedoc will appeal to lovers of Rhone and Rhone-like wines. Expect a fruit forward blend of raspberry, herb de provence, mocha, gorse and spicy notes, with a long finish, that will go well with virtually any red meat coming off your barbecue. A nice compromise between a traditional Rhone style wine, with the complexities you would expect, and new world style abundant fruit.
I just finished drinking my 2000 Chateau Haut-Canteloup, so the Chateau Haut-Canteloup 2003 vintage, from Bordeaux, has arrived just in time. At $17.95, this wine is well priced, although, because the weather in 2003 was so hot, we can’t expect this version to last all that long. Expect an eminently approachable wine, with lots of ripe black fruit, smoke and some earthy notes. This is a good price for a consistently good, albeit unrated, left-bank wine. It will work well with red meat (of virtually any description)
Finally, at least for the value end of the spectrum, the Elderton E Series Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon 2006, from Australia, will appeal to anyone who likes a rich, fruit forward wine, especially at the $14.95 price point. Expect a peppery, rich (maybe jammy) wine with blackberry, cherry and pencil-box notes, and a medium-long finish. Serve with hard cheese or red meat.
The upper end of the red spectrum
The release contains at least four wines that are very much worth buying if you can bear to wait a bit before opening them. If you don’t want to wait the two or three years that all of these wines need, I’d suggest decanting for a least four hours before consumption.
- The Chateau La Serre 2005 ($58.00) from Bordeaux is an offering from a good producer in a great year. Expect a classic, powerful, left bank bordeaux, with vanilla, chocolate and cassis, and some earthy notes preceding a long finish. This is a big wine and will need roast or grilled red meat, or strong cheese, as an accompaniment, but, when you open it, you’ll be glad you bought it.
- The Casa Vinicola Cortese Barolo 2004 from Piedmont is only $31.95, and well worth the money, and the wait. This is a very good example of why some people call barolo the King of Wines, with loads of plum, rose petals, cassis, mushroom, cherry, leather and earthy notes. This is a medium bodied wine, with great potential but, for the moment, lots of tannins. It will go beautifully with a rare piece of lean beef.
- I have long been a fan of Barossa Valley Estates, an Australian winery that produces some of the country’s best cabernet sauvignon and shiraz. This release contains two of their offerings, the BVE Ebenezer Shriraz 2004 and the BVE Ebenezer Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 (both $39.95). The Ebenezer is the second wine from this producer, but it is extremely well made. Expect the cabernet to have a nose of dark fruit, with rich cassis and mocha/chocolate on the palate. The shiraz has coffee, raspberry and sandalwood on the nose, and complex, long lasting black cherry, tobacco, spice, coffee and smoke on the palate.
There was a time, not that many years ago, when I was frankly dismissive of Chilean wines. At the time, I found the reds, in particular, overly earthy and tannic, without any of the sophistication or nuances exhibited by wines from many other parts of the world. No more. Chilean winemaking has come a long way in the past while, and the country now produces some extremely good wines which can compete virtually anywhere in terms of quality, while often still yielding very good value.
Chilean geography in the wine regions, in many ways, resembles California, in that the grapes are grown is a relatively narrow strip between the ocean and the mountains. The differences in terroir (aside from soil issues) are primarily that Chile is somewhat hotter, with a longer growing season, than California, and that the Chilean vineyards are often at higher altitudes than their California counterparts. Accordingly, the grapes are often treated to very high temperatures, with lots of sunshine, during the day, and with comparatively cooler nights.
Although the country produces most major grape varietals, chardonnay, cabernet sauvignon and carmenere are the most prominent. The first two, of course, are well known. Chilean chardonnays tend to be rich, replete with tropical fruit, and with less vanilla and oak, and somewhat less buttery, than many other new world chardonnays. Cabernet Sauvignons from Chile (and bordeaux blends) are usually rich and concentrated, and (like Californian cabs) approachable earlier, with softer tannins, than old world cabernets. They often have flavours of mint, black current, olives and smoke.
Although carmenere has become the signature grape of Chile, it originated in Bordeaux. It produces rich, but not long lived, wines, characterized by a deep red colour, spice and red fruit, with notes of smoke, earth, chocolate, tobacco and leather.
Chilean wines are often best consumed with food rather than on their own. Best recent years in Chile: 2001 and 2003, although the climate and most vintages are remarkably similar and consistent (at a high level).
The white wines of southern Burgundy are almost exclusively chardonnays. The wines are richer, with softer fruit, than the more minerally offerings from Burgundy’s other famous white wine region (Chablis), and (unlike most wines from Chablis) are often stored in oak for various periods of time. They are finesse wines, with a variety of flavours (everything from tropical fruit, stone fruit, apple, citrus, mineral, nuts, herbs, and wood). The area produces some of (if not the most) expensive white wines in the world.
Best recent years for white burgundies: 1995-7, 1999, 2002, 2005 and 2006.
* * *
As with the last release, there are some very good values available tomorrow, together with a few, not overly expensive, exceptional offerings.
ROSÉS
Hot weather (finally) is rosé weather, and the Bieler Pere et Fils Sabine Rosé 2008 ($12.95) is well priced and comes from the home of rosés (Provence). It’s very dry (a must for me) with a deceptively light colour, but assertive strawberry, cherry, and raspberry fruit, and a longish, slightly herbal finish. It drinks well on its own, but would be a great complement for chicken or for a green salad (especially one with a raspberry vinaigrette dressing). If you like rosés, this wine will be for you. Closed with a screw cap. Just note that, at 13.5% alcohol, this wine may sneak up on you a bit, because it goes down so very easily.
WHITE WINES
I noted in my introduction that southern Burgundy produces some of the most expensive white wines in the world, so I’m not going to make apologies for recommending the Nicolas Potel Montagny 1er Cru 2007 from Burgundy even at $24.95. This is despite the fact that I rarely find it either necessary or desirable to review white wines over $20 because there are so many good ones (even in this release) south of that figure. But this price is still pretty reasonable for a white burgundy, and there is so much going on with this wine, that you shouldn’t miss it. There’s ripe pear and honey on the nose, and pear, apple, honey, buttered toast, oak, vanilla, pineapple, hazelnut and spice on the palate, with a long, lemony finish. A really good wine by itself, or with any seafood dish, chicken or pork.
Break the rule once, might as well break it twice. The Montes Alpha Chardonnay 2007 from Chile is also over $20 at $22.95, but it’s also worth the small difference. This is also a rich, buttery wine, with grapefruit, peach, pear and spice with a long, yummy finish and great mouth feel. It’s concentrated enough to stand up to almost any food short of red meat. I like the idea of it with pasta or shellfish in a cream sauce.
Sticking with chardonnay, but dropping to the other end of the price spectrum, the Leyda Reserva Chardonnay 2008, from Chile is extremely good value at $13.95. It’s a concentrated mélange of flavours including honey, apple, pear, tangerine, peach and grapefruit, with vanilla and oak. A lovely hot weather sipper alone, or try it with pork chops and apple sauce.
One more chardonnay – I can’t help it, there’s a lot of good chardonnay in this release. This one is the Domaine Francis Fichet et Fils Macon-Villages 2007 ($16.95) from Burgundy. This is a bit of an unconventional wine for a chardonnaty, with aromas of baked apple, and with green apple, citrus, and young pear on the palate. It’s not as rich as the previous three wines, but has a fresh and refreshing clean taste, with some sour grapefruit and apple on the finish. Good on its own, or with either white fish or a soft cheese (eg. brie or camembert, for preference).
The Mas des Bressades Cuveé Tradition Blanc 2008 ($13.95) from the Rhone isn’t a chardonnay, but it is as rich as most chards. It has a bouquet of white flowers and pineapple, and a rich tropical fruit and peach flavour. Another pleasant, hot weather sipper that will complement poultry or a Caesar salad.
I’ve been writing this column for almost four years now, and, despite a visit to Austria, I have only once before recommended a gruner veltliner, and that was only a month ago. No one, therefore, is more surprised than I when I come up with another one out of this release. But the Salomon Undhof Sal’mon Groovey Gruner Veltiner 2008 ($12.95) is not only well priced, but tastes very good as well. There is a bit of the characteristic white pepper, which is not overwhelming, together with medium ripe pear, and an exquisite balance ending in a soft, mouth pleasing finish. This is a dry wine which would go really well with white fish or spicy oriental food.
RED WINE
If you’re looking for a Chilean cabernet sauvignon, go for the Tabali Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 ($14.95). This is not the most complex wine you’ll ever taste, but it’s good value for the money, with smoky oak, blackberry and ripe black cherry. A burger wine, but a good burger wine. It would also be good with ribs or a not overly lean piece of grilled beef. Don’t decant for more than about 30 minutes before serving.
You also get good value from the Terra Andina Carmenere 2008 ($11.95), from Chile, provided that you like cedar flavours. There’s a lot more to the wine than that – with ripe blackberry, dark plum, mint and cloves – but the cedar is pretty prominent. A really good, fruit driven, deal to go with a casual barbecue. Screwcap.
The Montgras Reserva Carmenere 2008 is also from Chile and not much more expensive at $12.95. This is a less “in your face” wine than the Terra Andina. The fruit is very much in evidence, but there is more sophistication, with the ripe black cherry and raspberry opening giving some way to vanilla, mocha and oak on the mid palate and finish. A very good wine for the money.
Switching both continents and wine styles, the Chateau de L’Engarran Gres de Montpellier 2006 ($18.95) from the Languedoc will appeal to lovers of Rhone and Rhone-like wines. Expect a fruit forward blend of raspberry, herb de provence, mocha, gorse and spicy notes, with a long finish, that will go well with virtually any red meat coming off your barbecue. A nice compromise between a traditional Rhone style wine, with the complexities you would expect, and new world style abundant fruit.
I just finished drinking my 2000 Chateau Haut-Canteloup, so the Chateau Haut-Canteloup 2003 vintage, from Bordeaux, has arrived just in time. At $17.95, this wine is well priced, although, because the weather in 2003 was so hot, we can’t expect this version to last all that long. Expect an eminently approachable wine, with lots of ripe black fruit, smoke and some earthy notes. This is a good price for a consistently good, albeit unrated, left-bank wine. It will work well with red meat (of virtually any description)
Finally, at least for the value end of the spectrum, the Elderton E Series Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon 2006, from Australia, will appeal to anyone who likes a rich, fruit forward wine, especially at the $14.95 price point. Expect a peppery, rich (maybe jammy) wine with blackberry, cherry and pencil-box notes, and a medium-long finish. Serve with hard cheese or red meat.
The upper end of the red spectrum
The release contains at least four wines that are very much worth buying if you can bear to wait a bit before opening them. If you don’t want to wait the two or three years that all of these wines need, I’d suggest decanting for a least four hours before consumption.
- The Chateau La Serre 2005 ($58.00) from Bordeaux is an offering from a good producer in a great year. Expect a classic, powerful, left bank bordeaux, with vanilla, chocolate and cassis, and some earthy notes preceding a long finish. This is a big wine and will need roast or grilled red meat, or strong cheese, as an accompaniment, but, when you open it, you’ll be glad you bought it.
- The Casa Vinicola Cortese Barolo 2004 from Piedmont is only $31.95, and well worth the money, and the wait. This is a very good example of why some people call barolo the King of Wines, with loads of plum, rose petals, cassis, mushroom, cherry, leather and earthy notes. This is a medium bodied wine, with great potential but, for the moment, lots of tannins. It will go beautifully with a rare piece of lean beef.
- I have long been a fan of Barossa Valley Estates, an Australian winery that produces some of the country’s best cabernet sauvignon and shiraz. This release contains two of their offerings, the BVE Ebenezer Shriraz 2004 and the BVE Ebenezer Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 (both $39.95). The Ebenezer is the second wine from this producer, but it is extremely well made. Expect the cabernet to have a nose of dark fruit, with rich cassis and mocha/chocolate on the palate. The shiraz has coffee, raspberry and sandalwood on the nose, and complex, long lasting black cherry, tobacco, spice, coffee and smoke on the palate.
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