Tomorrow’s Vintages release features something for just about everybody, especially if you’ve been keeping your assets in your mattress instead of in the stock market. There are some very good champagnes, some extraordinary red wines, a few good whites, and (for those whose faith in Wall Street is a little strained these days) several decently priced offerings.
Before you spend all your available dollars on Saturday, you should know that, starting Monday, Vintages will be holding a sale. It is way over-stocked, especially with higher end wines, and plans three more releases in January. There’s no list of sale wines, or prices, but there should be some pretty good deals. For example, the Dog Point Sauvignon Blanc, from New Zealand (one of the best sauvignon blancs I know, at $21.95) will be part of the sale, and hopefully less than $20. Check your local Vintages store on Monday.
SPARKLING WINES
Since it’s December, it’s a great time for champagne. We North Americans tend to think of it as a celebratory drink, and, with Christmas and New Year on the near horizon, it’s a timely purchase either as a gift or for quaffing. The French, however, would argue that champagne is an everyday drink, that matches all kinds of foods, from your breakfast eggs, to your dinner ham, poultry or steak.
Champagne, as everyone knows, must come from the champagne region of France in order to be called champagne, although many regions of the world produce sparkling wines. Real champagne can be made from only three grapes (chardonnay, pinot noir, and pinot meunier), although many champagnes use only chardonnay (known as blanc de blancs), while very few use all three.
Champagne makers generally hold on to a wine until it is ready to drink, unlike most vintners, who expect consumers to cellar the wines until ready. Vintage champagnes are only made in good years, but most winemakers in Champagne take more pride in their non-vintage cuvées than in their vintage wines. In their view, the weather is responsible for good years, but the real skill for winemakers is blending product from several different years, in order to produce consistent, and tasty, wines.
Sparkling wines (including champagnes) should be consumed cool, but not cold, or you’ll lose the subtle flavours. Letting the wine sit at room temperature for 10 or 15 minutes after taking it out of the refrigerator would be about right. Serve in flutes, which don’t allow the bubbles (ok, they’re CO2) to escape too rapidly.
This release features the Krug Grande Cuvée Champagne Brut which is available all the time as a Vintages Essential at $269.95. I cringe at the price, but this the best champagne that I’ve ever had – except for some of the vintage Krug’s (like the 1990, which was only released about 3 years ago). This wine is simply delicious, with lots of cream, toast, smoke, lime and brioche flavours, and a long finish. This is no wimpy champagne. It has some real density and weight, that will stand up to most foods (except perhaps strong, spicy red meat), but will drink delightfully on its own.
If the Krug price tag isn’t included in your price range, there are other (good) choices. They are presented in descending price order, which is not an indication of my preference:
- If you like rosé champagnes, consider the Louis Roederer Champagne Brut Rosé 2003 ($88.95). I must confess that rosé’s are not my favourite champagnes, but this is a very good example on the genre from a very good vintage. Expect strawberry and black cherry flavours, with floral and toast notes. This is a big wine that will be at its best with food, but there are lots of nuances that will come out on its own.
- Moving further down the price ladder, there’s the Charles Heidsieck Reserve Champagne Brut ($59.95). This has the quality of many $100 offerings, with toast, vanilla, citrus and a creamy chalkiness. Great mouth feel and a long finish. Good on its own, or with poultry, seafood, or cream based dishes. If it helps your decision, this is the champagne I bought.
- If $60 isn’t your price range, try Ontario’s own Henry of Pelham Cuvée Catharine Sparkling Brut ($29.95). It may not have the prestige of some of the more expensive labels, but there’s nothing to be ashamed of in the taste. It has lots of citrus notes (lemon and lime) but there’s pear and green apple, with some mineral as well. There’s plenty of acid, but it’s well integrated, so you get a crisp, clean mouth feel, and a long finish. I bought some of this too.
WHITE WINES
Winter isn’t white wine season, but there’s a place for a good white with your turkey dinner, as well as an aperitif. The Salterio Albarino 2007 ($17.95) from Spain isn’t going to blow your socks off, but it will complement your Christmas fowl quite well. It resembles a sauvignon blanc, with grapefruit and some sour gooseberry. There’s plenty of acid to counter the fat in the turkey, and to produce a clean, refreshing taste. It’s better with food than on its own.
The Malivoire Gewurztraminer 2006 ($26.00) from Niagara, is an intense, medium bodied wine with a variety of fruit flavours – pineapple, pear, lychee, grapefruit, orange - and spice flavours. It is a very balanced offering, with pear and white flowers on the nose. It will go well on its own, or with turkey, soft cheese, nuts or savoury pastries.
Getting a little pricier, and especially for chardonnay lovers, there’s the Domaine Bouchard Pere & Fils Beaune du Chateau 2006 ($44.95), from Burgundy. This is a rich, concentrated wine with pineapple, vanilla, oak, brioche, green apple, and some herb de Provence. Certainly concentrated enough to accompany a turkey dinner, but elegant enough to go well with virtually anything else, including soft cheeses, ham, or seafood. Delicious on its own.
RED WINES
You can spend a lot on the red wines in this release, but you don’t have to. At $16.95, there’s the Zolo Reserve Malbec 2005 from Argentina This is a very concentrated wine, with sour cherry, cocoa, vanilla, spice and blackberry. It’s a little fruit forward, with a spicy finish, that would also suit a turkey dinner.
The Campomaggio Chianti Classico 2004 ($21.95) from Tuscany isn’t from this release, or a typical chianti. It tastes like a new world style wine, in that it’s much more concentrated and full bodied than most chiantis, with lots of well integrated sour cherry, leather, oak and spice, and finishing with liquorice and a bit of graphite. It came out in the last release and I missed it, but there’s still plenty of it around. It did need decanting, and is better with food – pasta with meat and tomato sauce would be ideal, but turkey would work too.
The Gigondas La Cave La Reference Gigondas 2006 (also $21.95) from the Rhone is dominated by ripe, lush fruit – blackberry, plum, strawberry – with coffee, cedar and spice. It too needs some decanting, but will go nicely with beef or lamb, or even dark chocolate.
The Kilikanoon Killerman’s Run Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 ($20.95) from Australia is back. This wine is an old favourite. I buy it every year, and never seem to get enough no matter how much I buy. It’s drinking well now, but it seems to just get better and better for at least a couple of years. Expect a classic, new world cab, dominated by cassis, ripe blackberry, oak and cedar, with soft tannins and a long finish. Good on its own, or with any red meat dish.
A little higher up the price spectrum, there’s the Ridge Three Valleys 2006 ($29.95) from California. This is a big, opulent zinfandel, with rich black cherry, ripe plum, leather and smoked meat. As with all zins, it will go well with the sweetness of sparerib sauce, but it has enough structure to go with any red meat dish, or with chocolate dessert after dinner.
At the north end of the price continuum, there are some wonderful wines in this release, although many of them need time in the bottle. These are wines to impress both your palate and your friends:
Far Niente Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 ($140.95) from the Napa Valley is one of California’s best known wines. Expect a well integrated blend of plum, blueberry, oak, cherry liqueur, cedar and smoke, with soft tannins and a finish that goes on and on. It will go well with red meat or strong cheese, or pretty well anything else.
The Concha Y Toro Don Melchor Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 ($61.95) from Chile is ready to drink now, and, despite the price, is pretty good value. It was very highly rated in a number of quarters. It has masses of well integrated black fruit (plum and blackberry) cedar, pencil shavings, and mocha, with very soft tannins. Good on its own or with red meat.
The Chateau de Beaucastel Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2006 ($90.95) from the Rhone, comes from the best known winery in its region. This is not a wine to drink anytime soon (like the next five years) but, if you have the patience, it will be worth the wait. This is a huge wine, with layers of black fruit, mushroom, spice, smoked meat, tar, green pepper, earth and smoke. Decant well (even five years from now) and serve with red meat, or with strong cheese, nut and figs.
Ornellaia 2005 ($158.95) is one of Italy’s best known, and consistently highest rated wines, and deservedly so. This is another wine that should not be uncorked for at least three years, but will repay the wait. Dominated by black current and dark plum, this is a wine where you should savour every sip, preferably with a really good cut of beef, or some hard cheeses.
There are three Masi amarones in this release, and you won’t go wrong by getting any (or all) of them. But, if you have to choose, go for the Masi Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico Campolongo di Torbe 2003 ($93.95). I love amarones, and this is one of my favourites, and it’s from a great year. Expect a classic offering, very concentrated, with cherry liqueur, raisin, cassis, vanilla, pencil shavings and earthy flavours. This is a huge, almost port like, wine that needs strong meat (like lamb or venison) to complement it. Alternatively, serve it (but not for a couple of years) in place of port, with strong cheese, dried fruit and nuts.
Friday, December 5, 2008
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Vintages Release - November 22, 2008
The theme of tomorrow’s Vintages release is Star Quality – Premium Wines for Every Occasion, and the release certainly lives up to its name. Instead of concentrating, as usual, on one or two geographic regions or, more rarely, grape varietals, it’s full of well regarded, premium wines, almost all of which are sporting premium prices.
Now, I know that the LCBO plans its Vintages releases months in advance, so it can hardly be blamed for the timing of this release. The fact is, however, that the TSE composite index has dropped about 1750 points in the last two weeks and I’m not much in the mood to be dropping big dollars on wine right now. At the very least, a bottle that costs more than $20 is going to have to be a whole lot better than the alternative if it wants to attract my in-recession cash.
Consequently, I’m going to depart somewhat from my usual format and touch on some general list wines that are more in line with the current economic climate. These are good value wines to drink as you watch your portfolio drop during this “repression.” They are readily available in most LCBOs stores right now.
GENERAL LIST REDS
The Mezzomondo Negroamaro Salento IGT (what a mouthful!) comes from the Puglia, in the heel of Italy. Usually $8.40, it’s now on sale for $7.40 and is considered the best value red at the LCBO by many wine consultants. Best with hearty red meat dishes like stew or pasta sauce, it has surprisingly good flavour and assertive, medium body. Expect firm tannins, ripe plum and a long finish. It also goes with tomato based dishes.
FuZion, the Argentinian shiraz malbec mentioned in a previous column, is in stock in most stores again. At $7.45, it challenges the Mezzomondo for best valued red.
The Konzelmann Merlot VQA ($12.95) from Niagara is an excellent value red in the Bordeaux style. Close your eyes and you’ll think you’re drinking a Pomerol. A very soft, medium weight, offering, with generous, concentrated plum, and a long finish. It’s ready to drink now, but will benefit from an hour or so in a decanter. Otherwise, you’ll likely get a bit of green pepper on the finish.
GENERAL LIST WHITES
The Henry of Pelham Chardonnay ($13.25) and Reserve Chardonnay ($14.95), from Niagara, are both very good whites. The reserve offers that buttery full-bodied tropical fruit you’d usually expect from Aussie wines, while the basic chardonnay is lighter and crisper.
* * *
Not everything included in this release is in the premium category. There are a few wines that still represent good value for less that $20.00.
WHITES
The Flat Rock Cellars Nadja’s Vinyard Riesling 2007 ($19.95) from Niagara is a refreshing, reasonably weighty wine, with only a hint of the diesel aromas that are typical of the varietal. Grapefruit tends to dominate on the palate, but with some lichee notes. Would go well with your Christmas turkey, especially if you prefer white meat.
If the Flat Rock is a somewhat atypical for a riesling, the René Muré Gewurztraminer 2006 ($16.95), from Alsace, isn’t exactly a normal gewurzt either. It’s a bit off dry, without the white flower nose that you’d expect, but with a golden yellow colour which almost suggests that the wine is oxidizing. It isn’t, and there’s plenty of flavour, especially honey, pear, apricot and banana.
If you insist on spending more on a white, try the Bouchard Pere and Fils Meursault Les Clous 2006 ($52.95) from Burgundy. This is a lovely chardonnay and while I wouldn’t pay the price (at least in my present fiscal mood) you can’t not like this wine. Expect lime and green apple, with a touch of honey, and good acid balance. It would also go well with turkey, but would also complement almost any kind of seafood, including seafood with cream sauce.
REDS
The Juan Gill Monastrell 2006 ($16.95) from Spain is a rich, multi-layered wine, with elements of smoke, plum, violets, chocolate and raspberry, and a long finish. Very approachable now, either on its own or with red meats, up to and including spareribs.
The Chateau Le Clos du Merle 2005 ($19.95) from the Côte de Bourg in Bordeaux is also very good. It comes from an excellent vintage, and will keep for at least two or three years. There’s a lot of sour cherry and cassis, with firm tannins, and a long, mouth pleasing finish. If you’re going to drink now, decant for two hours and serve with red meat. It also goes well with chocolate.
If you want to spend more than $20 for a red, there are a lot of good choices, although none, in my view, will blow you away. Some possible alternatives:
- The Isole E Olena Collezione de Marchi Cabernet Sauvignon 2001, from Tuscany, will set you back $72.95, but this wine is perennially rated amongst the best in the world. Expect concentrated layers of leather, dried cherries, vanilla, oak, bacon and blackberry. This wine should really be kept for another year or two but will open nicely if decanted for two hours. Serve with a spicy red meat dish.
- The Isole’s sister wine is the Isole E Olena Cepparello 2004 ($78.95), also from Tuscany. This is also one of the world’s great iconic wines, made entirely from sangiovese, and, although this was not one of its best years, it is still a superior wine. Expect rich black cherry and violets. Best if kept for at least another two years.
- The Alion 2004 ($80.95) from Spain is a full bodied, rich combination of diverse flavours and aromas, including some cedar, black plum, smoke coffee, licorice and mocha. A concentrated, lovely wine, approachable now, but best after some decanting with red meat or strong cheese.
- The Catena Alta Malbec 2005 ($60.95) from Argentina is a concentrated, ready to drink offering packed with plum, smoke and blackberry. Decanting, as always, is a good idea, as is serving with a good steak.
- Finally, look at the Colonial Estate Etranger Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 ($34.95) from the Barossa Valley. This is the only wine from this category I bought, mostly because the producer has its roots in Bordeaux, and understands how to make a long lasting, layered cabernet. I also though that the sister shiraz, released a few months ago, was delicious. I don’t expect to open it for a year or two, but when I do, I expect rich layers of blackberry, vanilla and oak, with firm tannins and a long finish.
Now, I know that the LCBO plans its Vintages releases months in advance, so it can hardly be blamed for the timing of this release. The fact is, however, that the TSE composite index has dropped about 1750 points in the last two weeks and I’m not much in the mood to be dropping big dollars on wine right now. At the very least, a bottle that costs more than $20 is going to have to be a whole lot better than the alternative if it wants to attract my in-recession cash.
Consequently, I’m going to depart somewhat from my usual format and touch on some general list wines that are more in line with the current economic climate. These are good value wines to drink as you watch your portfolio drop during this “repression.” They are readily available in most LCBOs stores right now.
GENERAL LIST REDS
The Mezzomondo Negroamaro Salento IGT (what a mouthful!) comes from the Puglia, in the heel of Italy. Usually $8.40, it’s now on sale for $7.40 and is considered the best value red at the LCBO by many wine consultants. Best with hearty red meat dishes like stew or pasta sauce, it has surprisingly good flavour and assertive, medium body. Expect firm tannins, ripe plum and a long finish. It also goes with tomato based dishes.
FuZion, the Argentinian shiraz malbec mentioned in a previous column, is in stock in most stores again. At $7.45, it challenges the Mezzomondo for best valued red.
The Konzelmann Merlot VQA ($12.95) from Niagara is an excellent value red in the Bordeaux style. Close your eyes and you’ll think you’re drinking a Pomerol. A very soft, medium weight, offering, with generous, concentrated plum, and a long finish. It’s ready to drink now, but will benefit from an hour or so in a decanter. Otherwise, you’ll likely get a bit of green pepper on the finish.
GENERAL LIST WHITES
The Henry of Pelham Chardonnay ($13.25) and Reserve Chardonnay ($14.95), from Niagara, are both very good whites. The reserve offers that buttery full-bodied tropical fruit you’d usually expect from Aussie wines, while the basic chardonnay is lighter and crisper.
* * *
Not everything included in this release is in the premium category. There are a few wines that still represent good value for less that $20.00.
WHITES
The Flat Rock Cellars Nadja’s Vinyard Riesling 2007 ($19.95) from Niagara is a refreshing, reasonably weighty wine, with only a hint of the diesel aromas that are typical of the varietal. Grapefruit tends to dominate on the palate, but with some lichee notes. Would go well with your Christmas turkey, especially if you prefer white meat.
If the Flat Rock is a somewhat atypical for a riesling, the René Muré Gewurztraminer 2006 ($16.95), from Alsace, isn’t exactly a normal gewurzt either. It’s a bit off dry, without the white flower nose that you’d expect, but with a golden yellow colour which almost suggests that the wine is oxidizing. It isn’t, and there’s plenty of flavour, especially honey, pear, apricot and banana.
If you insist on spending more on a white, try the Bouchard Pere and Fils Meursault Les Clous 2006 ($52.95) from Burgundy. This is a lovely chardonnay and while I wouldn’t pay the price (at least in my present fiscal mood) you can’t not like this wine. Expect lime and green apple, with a touch of honey, and good acid balance. It would also go well with turkey, but would also complement almost any kind of seafood, including seafood with cream sauce.
REDS
The Juan Gill Monastrell 2006 ($16.95) from Spain is a rich, multi-layered wine, with elements of smoke, plum, violets, chocolate and raspberry, and a long finish. Very approachable now, either on its own or with red meats, up to and including spareribs.
The Chateau Le Clos du Merle 2005 ($19.95) from the Côte de Bourg in Bordeaux is also very good. It comes from an excellent vintage, and will keep for at least two or three years. There’s a lot of sour cherry and cassis, with firm tannins, and a long, mouth pleasing finish. If you’re going to drink now, decant for two hours and serve with red meat. It also goes well with chocolate.
If you want to spend more than $20 for a red, there are a lot of good choices, although none, in my view, will blow you away. Some possible alternatives:
- The Isole E Olena Collezione de Marchi Cabernet Sauvignon 2001, from Tuscany, will set you back $72.95, but this wine is perennially rated amongst the best in the world. Expect concentrated layers of leather, dried cherries, vanilla, oak, bacon and blackberry. This wine should really be kept for another year or two but will open nicely if decanted for two hours. Serve with a spicy red meat dish.
- The Isole’s sister wine is the Isole E Olena Cepparello 2004 ($78.95), also from Tuscany. This is also one of the world’s great iconic wines, made entirely from sangiovese, and, although this was not one of its best years, it is still a superior wine. Expect rich black cherry and violets. Best if kept for at least another two years.
- The Alion 2004 ($80.95) from Spain is a full bodied, rich combination of diverse flavours and aromas, including some cedar, black plum, smoke coffee, licorice and mocha. A concentrated, lovely wine, approachable now, but best after some decanting with red meat or strong cheese.
- The Catena Alta Malbec 2005 ($60.95) from Argentina is a concentrated, ready to drink offering packed with plum, smoke and blackberry. Decanting, as always, is a good idea, as is serving with a good steak.
- Finally, look at the Colonial Estate Etranger Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 ($34.95) from the Barossa Valley. This is the only wine from this category I bought, mostly because the producer has its roots in Bordeaux, and understands how to make a long lasting, layered cabernet. I also though that the sister shiraz, released a few months ago, was delicious. I don’t expect to open it for a year or two, but when I do, I expect rich layers of blackberry, vanilla and oak, with firm tannins and a long finish.
Friday, November 7, 2008
Vintages Release - November 8, 2008
The theme of the release for this coming Saturday is Bordeaux, perhaps the best known, and overall most expensive wine region in the world. It is bisected by the Gironde and Garonne Rivers, with the major regions of the Medoc, Haut Medoc, Graves, and Pessac-Leognan on the southwest (left) bank; and Pomerol and St. Emilion on the northeast (right) bank. This description is a gross-oversimplification, however, since there are many more regions and sub-regions than just those six.
Although Bordeaux is best known for its red wines, it also produces whites (including the famed dessert wines of Sauterne). Major white wine grapes are sauvignon blanc and semillon.
The major red wine varietals are cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc, malbec and petit verdot. Of those, cabernet sauvignon and merlot are the most common. Conventional wisdom says that merlot is more common on the right bank while cabernet sauvignon predominates on the left bank. This too is an oversimplification, since, in many years, merlot – which ripens earlier, and provides the “fleshiness” which softens and complements the higher tannin and structure of cabernet sauvignon – is almost as common as cabernet sauvignon, even on the left bank.
All red Bordeaux wines are blends, and all are intended as food wines. The classification systems can be confusing, because they differ markedly from region to region. The top estates of the Medoc and Graves (which are divided into five levels classified growths) were listed in 1855 and have remained unchanged since then (with only two or three exceptions, the last of which occurred in 1973) while other regions have a more fluid and/or more modern classification process.
Most Bordeaux reds, even the unlisted wines known as Cru Bourgeois (and the Bordeaux Superiore classification – which is subject to legal challenge) are big, concentrated wines with aromas and tastes that can be as varied as earth, barnyard, plum, leather, smoke, violets, cassis, pencil shavings, cherry, spice, pepper, (white, black and green), blueberry, smoked meat, raspberry, mineral, vanilla, chocolate (or cocoa/mocha), licorice, nuts, and many others. They generally go with spiced or strong flavoured red meat dishes, and strong cheeses.
Bordeaux winemakers are fond of referring to the terrior as having a major influence of their wines. Terroir is a combination of soil (everything from clay to sand to pebbles); to climate - foggy moist mornings (influenced by the Atlantic currents) and hot dry summer afternoons, and warm nights; and topography - placement on different sides of slopes, or on alluvial plains.
Best recent years for Bordeaux reds: 1998 (right bank), 2000, 2001, 2003 (although some wines lacked acid and had shorter life expectancies because it was extremely hot year) and 2005.
WHITE WINES
New Zealand is known for its sauvignon blancs, and the Astrolabe Sauvignon Blanc 2007 ($20.95) is part of the reason why. This is a classic sauvignon blanc, slightly grassy and featuring passionfruit, gooseberry, and citrus fruit, grapefruit, lime, and apple, with a long, mineral/acid finish.
For a light, crisp white, the Conde de Valdemar White 2006 ($18.95) from Spain, is dominated by white flowers and melon on the nose, and melon, vanilla and spice on the palate. A refreshing wine with a long finish.
For an exceptional white with a price to match, try the Antonin Rodet Puligny-Montrachet 2006 ($53.95) from Burgundy. This is a full-bodied chardonnay, with honey, pear, lemon, spice and marzipan and a long, lip smacking finish. A special wine, which will go well with a fish or chicken in a cream sauce.
RED WINES
The Bordeauxs
This is not the best collection of bordeauxs ever assembled, but there are a few good choices in here.
The Chateau Lilian Ladouys 2003 ($35.95) from the heart of the left bank is an elegant, almost ready, wine from the heart of the left bank. Expect cassis, black pepper and plum, with a touch of lemon, and a long satisfying finish. Decant for at least an hour, or leave in the cellar for a year or two.
Pomerol (situated on a clay plain on the northern part of the right bank) has some of the most elegant wines from the Bordeaux region. The Chateau Franc-Maillet 2000 ($51.95) should be no exception. In some respects it resembles like a burgundy in that the fruit is less boisterous than is common for the region. This wine is ready now (decant anyway) with chocolate, plum, spice and fine tannins. Serve with a cut of lean beef.
From St. Emilion, the Chateau la Couronne 2005 ($29.95) is well priced (for a Bordeaux from a great year) with blackberry, chocolate, and chalk, with vanilla, and a long finish. You should buy a case of this wine, and keep it for at least 2 or 3 years.
The Others
Fans of zinfandel will almost certainly like the 7 Deadly Zins 2006 ($24.95) from California. This is a very intense, wine with big, lush strawberry and cherry flavours, with some spice and smoked meat. Great with smoked ribs and sauce.
The Penfolds Bin 2 Shiraz/Mourvedre 2006 ($19.95) from South Australia is a big, full-bodied shiraz. Expect intense black fruit, bitter chocolate, coffee and cedar flavours. Ready to drink now, either on its own, or with beef or lamb.
There are four good choices from the Rhone:
- The Cave de Tain Croze Hermitage Fine Fleur De Crozes 2005 ($22.95) is a big, intense wine, with cassis, spice, mineral, bacon, toast, cherry, and vanilla. This is a typical, northern rhone syrah, brimming with flavour, and a great complement to steak.
- The Coudelet de Beaucastel 2006 ($30.95) is the second wine of one of the best known (if not the best known) houses in Chateauneuf du Pape. It is always a good wine (although the price is creeping up). Expect a structured mouthful of leather, black fruit, spice, pepper, herbs, and candied fruit. Will also go well with beef. Decant for at least an hour.
- In previous years, the Chateau de Beaucastel Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2006 (this is the mainstay wine of this producer) has been priced northwards of $80. This vintage is priced at $47.95, and is good value for the money. This is always a complex wine that takes years to evolve, and this vintage is nowhere near ready. But watch out when it does (in, maybe, 5 years). It will be a bruiser of a wine with big fruit, cherry cordial, smoke, leather and cassis.
- The Domaine Chante Cigale Chateaueneuf-du-Pape 2005 ($41.95) is another good example from the region, at a good price. It is ready to drink now, although some decanting will not hurt. Expect green pepper, black pepper, candied fruit, cherry, soft tannins, vanilla and a long finish.
From Tuscany, the Tenementi Angelini Val di Suga Brunello di Montalcino 2003 ($51.95) is also priced pretty well for what you get. Brunellos are some of the smoothest, most sophisticated wines around, and this one sports raspberry, and blackberry, with some violets and very soft tannins. Ready now, but it will keep.
Finally, the Remo Farina Valpolicella Classico Superiore Ripasso 2005 ($16.95) is a rich, mini-amarone, with sour cherry, white pepper, licorice and ginger. A good value wine that will go well with beef or lamb.
SPARKLING WINES
The Deutz Champagne Classic Brut ($57.95) is a really good value in an upper class champagne at a medium price. This is a well balanced, very refreshing offering with apples and toasted brioche with a citrus finish. If you like champagne, and are looking for something special without paying huge bucks, this is it.
Although Bordeaux is best known for its red wines, it also produces whites (including the famed dessert wines of Sauterne). Major white wine grapes are sauvignon blanc and semillon.
The major red wine varietals are cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc, malbec and petit verdot. Of those, cabernet sauvignon and merlot are the most common. Conventional wisdom says that merlot is more common on the right bank while cabernet sauvignon predominates on the left bank. This too is an oversimplification, since, in many years, merlot – which ripens earlier, and provides the “fleshiness” which softens and complements the higher tannin and structure of cabernet sauvignon – is almost as common as cabernet sauvignon, even on the left bank.
All red Bordeaux wines are blends, and all are intended as food wines. The classification systems can be confusing, because they differ markedly from region to region. The top estates of the Medoc and Graves (which are divided into five levels classified growths) were listed in 1855 and have remained unchanged since then (with only two or three exceptions, the last of which occurred in 1973) while other regions have a more fluid and/or more modern classification process.
Most Bordeaux reds, even the unlisted wines known as Cru Bourgeois (and the Bordeaux Superiore classification – which is subject to legal challenge) are big, concentrated wines with aromas and tastes that can be as varied as earth, barnyard, plum, leather, smoke, violets, cassis, pencil shavings, cherry, spice, pepper, (white, black and green), blueberry, smoked meat, raspberry, mineral, vanilla, chocolate (or cocoa/mocha), licorice, nuts, and many others. They generally go with spiced or strong flavoured red meat dishes, and strong cheeses.
Bordeaux winemakers are fond of referring to the terrior as having a major influence of their wines. Terroir is a combination of soil (everything from clay to sand to pebbles); to climate - foggy moist mornings (influenced by the Atlantic currents) and hot dry summer afternoons, and warm nights; and topography - placement on different sides of slopes, or on alluvial plains.
Best recent years for Bordeaux reds: 1998 (right bank), 2000, 2001, 2003 (although some wines lacked acid and had shorter life expectancies because it was extremely hot year) and 2005.
WHITE WINES
New Zealand is known for its sauvignon blancs, and the Astrolabe Sauvignon Blanc 2007 ($20.95) is part of the reason why. This is a classic sauvignon blanc, slightly grassy and featuring passionfruit, gooseberry, and citrus fruit, grapefruit, lime, and apple, with a long, mineral/acid finish.
For a light, crisp white, the Conde de Valdemar White 2006 ($18.95) from Spain, is dominated by white flowers and melon on the nose, and melon, vanilla and spice on the palate. A refreshing wine with a long finish.
For an exceptional white with a price to match, try the Antonin Rodet Puligny-Montrachet 2006 ($53.95) from Burgundy. This is a full-bodied chardonnay, with honey, pear, lemon, spice and marzipan and a long, lip smacking finish. A special wine, which will go well with a fish or chicken in a cream sauce.
RED WINES
The Bordeauxs
This is not the best collection of bordeauxs ever assembled, but there are a few good choices in here.
The Chateau Lilian Ladouys 2003 ($35.95) from the heart of the left bank is an elegant, almost ready, wine from the heart of the left bank. Expect cassis, black pepper and plum, with a touch of lemon, and a long satisfying finish. Decant for at least an hour, or leave in the cellar for a year or two.
Pomerol (situated on a clay plain on the northern part of the right bank) has some of the most elegant wines from the Bordeaux region. The Chateau Franc-Maillet 2000 ($51.95) should be no exception. In some respects it resembles like a burgundy in that the fruit is less boisterous than is common for the region. This wine is ready now (decant anyway) with chocolate, plum, spice and fine tannins. Serve with a cut of lean beef.
From St. Emilion, the Chateau la Couronne 2005 ($29.95) is well priced (for a Bordeaux from a great year) with blackberry, chocolate, and chalk, with vanilla, and a long finish. You should buy a case of this wine, and keep it for at least 2 or 3 years.
The Others
Fans of zinfandel will almost certainly like the 7 Deadly Zins 2006 ($24.95) from California. This is a very intense, wine with big, lush strawberry and cherry flavours, with some spice and smoked meat. Great with smoked ribs and sauce.
The Penfolds Bin 2 Shiraz/Mourvedre 2006 ($19.95) from South Australia is a big, full-bodied shiraz. Expect intense black fruit, bitter chocolate, coffee and cedar flavours. Ready to drink now, either on its own, or with beef or lamb.
There are four good choices from the Rhone:
- The Cave de Tain Croze Hermitage Fine Fleur De Crozes 2005 ($22.95) is a big, intense wine, with cassis, spice, mineral, bacon, toast, cherry, and vanilla. This is a typical, northern rhone syrah, brimming with flavour, and a great complement to steak.
- The Coudelet de Beaucastel 2006 ($30.95) is the second wine of one of the best known (if not the best known) houses in Chateauneuf du Pape. It is always a good wine (although the price is creeping up). Expect a structured mouthful of leather, black fruit, spice, pepper, herbs, and candied fruit. Will also go well with beef. Decant for at least an hour.
- In previous years, the Chateau de Beaucastel Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2006 (this is the mainstay wine of this producer) has been priced northwards of $80. This vintage is priced at $47.95, and is good value for the money. This is always a complex wine that takes years to evolve, and this vintage is nowhere near ready. But watch out when it does (in, maybe, 5 years). It will be a bruiser of a wine with big fruit, cherry cordial, smoke, leather and cassis.
- The Domaine Chante Cigale Chateaueneuf-du-Pape 2005 ($41.95) is another good example from the region, at a good price. It is ready to drink now, although some decanting will not hurt. Expect green pepper, black pepper, candied fruit, cherry, soft tannins, vanilla and a long finish.
From Tuscany, the Tenementi Angelini Val di Suga Brunello di Montalcino 2003 ($51.95) is also priced pretty well for what you get. Brunellos are some of the smoothest, most sophisticated wines around, and this one sports raspberry, and blackberry, with some violets and very soft tannins. Ready now, but it will keep.
Finally, the Remo Farina Valpolicella Classico Superiore Ripasso 2005 ($16.95) is a rich, mini-amarone, with sour cherry, white pepper, licorice and ginger. A good value wine that will go well with beef or lamb.
SPARKLING WINES
The Deutz Champagne Classic Brut ($57.95) is a really good value in an upper class champagne at a medium price. This is a well balanced, very refreshing offering with apples and toasted brioche with a citrus finish. If you like champagne, and are looking for something special without paying huge bucks, this is it.
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