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 No. 72: April 23, 2012Winepointer introduces you to new wines as they become available in Ontario. (Most are available outside Ontario, too.) These newsletters are generally distributed just in advance of the bi-weekly releases of wines by Vintages, the fine wine arm of the LCBO, Ontario’s provincial liquor retailing system.Winepointer is written by Rod Phillips, an Ottawa-based wine journalist and author. In addition to Winepointer, I write a weekly wine column for the Ottawa Citizen, the capital’s main daily newspaper, and I am wine writer and contributing editor of NUVO, Canada’s leading lifestyle magazine. I also contribute periodically to Vines and Wine Access (Canada’s leading wine magazines), and The World of Fine Wine (published in the UK and arguably the world’s foremost wine publication). I write the annual best-seller, The 500 Best-Value Wines in the LCBO. The 2013 edition will be out in September, 2012. In addition, I am a feature critic for WineAlign , Wine Advisor to the Ottawa Wine & Food Festival, and co-Chair of the Ottawa Wine Challenge (the wine competition associated with that Festival). I have also contributed a section on wine lists (and identified the best in Ottawa) to Anne Desbrisay’s Capital Dining 2011, the definitive guide to restaurants in and around Ottawa. It’s now in bookstores. I also write a regular column for the web site of the Guild of Sommeliers in the U.S., and I’m on the wine panels of CBC Radio Ottawa and the weekly PostMedia WineChat (Thursdays at 2:00pm Eastern: join the discussion at www.ottawacitizen.com/winechat). You can also follow me on Twitter: @rodphillipswine. My recent articles include:
Visit rodphillipsonwine.com to read how I describe and rate wines. In this issue of Winepointer:
Selections from Vintages release, 28 April, 2012White wines  Willy Gisselbrecht ‘Tradition’ Riesling 2010 AOC Alsace $15.95 (169011) Just off-dry in style, this is a lovely riesling that shows quite intense and luscious fruit, paired to a seam of acidity that comes through as a juicy texture. The balance is very well executed. Vinea Garganega 2010 IGT Veronese, Italy $13.95 (230656) Look for lovely fruit in this well-balanced white. It’s sweet at the core and understated though concentrated. The texture is generous and round, with good acidity supporting the fruit. San Rafaele ‘Monte Tabor’ Soave DOC Soave, Italy $14.95 (277392) This is a very good example of Soave, a cut above many at this and lower prices. Look for well-focused and -defined fruit, with good supporting acidity.   Spy Valley Pinot Gris 2011 Marlborough, New Zealand $20.95 (277723) Pinot gris, whether from Marlborough or Gisborne, is an underrated variety from New Zealand. Try this beauty. It delivers rich, concentrated and almost pungent flavours, harnessed to refreshing acidity. The balance is right-on, and the texture is generous and structured. Duckhorn Sauvignon Blanc 2010 Napa Valley, California $28.95 (94375) This is a fairly rich sauvignon, with flavours that are concentrated, nicely defined and solid from start to finish. The fruit-acid balance is very good, with the acidity coming through for a juicy texture. Finca El Origen Reserva Torrontés 2011 Cafayate, Argentina $14.95 (262089) Unlike many torrontés, which show pungent aromas followed by a taut and dry palate, this one delivers pungency on the palate, too – a style that makes it a great choice for sushi and other Asian dishes. Everything’s in balance here, with acidity complementing the fruit very well. Rosé wine Perrin Réserve Rosé 2011 AOC Côtes du Rhône, France $15.95 (719062) Made from cinsault, syrah, grenache and mourvèdre, this is a dry rosé with substance. Look for complexity in the fruit, good structure, and excellent fruit-acid balance that lends the wine attractive juiciness. Red wines Monte del Frá ‘Tenuta Len dei Mezzo’ Valpolicella Classico Superiore DOC Valpolicella Classico Superiore, Italy $15.95 (272500) This is a great price for the wine. It shows lovely flavours that are rich, sleek and consistent right through the palate, with an underpinning of fresh acidity that translates as juiciness. Easy on the tannins, fresh and full in the mouth, it’s an easy choice from this release. Eberle Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 Paso Robles, California $43.95 (680835) Look for a lot of richness in the fruit: sweet and ripe at the core, with layers of complexity and good structure. The texture is juicy and fresh, and the tannins are present, accounted for, and quite manageable. It’s drinking well now and for another four or five years. Beringer Merlot 2009 Napa Valley, California $29.95 (919647) This is a weighty merlot, with fruit that’s broad, deep and quite dense. But it’s nicely balanced by the platform of acidity, and shows the structure you’d expect. The tannins are firm and approachable, making this suitable for drinking now or holding another five years. Ninquén ‘Antu’ Cabernet Sauvignon/Carmenère 2010 DO Colchagua Valley, Chile $16.95 (59329) This 70% cabernet and 30% carmenère blend delivers intense fruit flavours, decent complexity, and a broad seam of acidity that translates as juiciness in the texture. The tannins are easy-going and soft, making this a good candidate for drinking now and soon. Pascual Toso ‘Alta Reserve’ Malbec 2008 Mendoza, Argentina $31.95 (261958) Packed in one of those heavy bottles, it’s nonetheless an impressive wine. Look for the density of fruit you expect of malbec, together with structure, complexity and balance. The tannins are drying and slightly grippy, and you can drink it now and through to 2016. Susana Balbo ‘Signature’ Malbec 2009 Mendoza, Argentina $21.95 (79798) This very fine malbec shows the best of malbec character, and then some. The fruit is plush and dense, with finely layered complexity and good length. It’s supported and enhanced by a broad seam of clean acidity that lightens the weight of the fruit and lends the wine freshness. Meanwhile, the tannins are ripe and supple. It’s drinking very well now and will hold another four years or so. Two Hands ‘Gnarly Dudes’ Shiraz 2010 Barossa Valley, Australia $29.95 (660043) Made in a big style, as you’d expect, this also delivers structure and style. The fruit is dense and layered, with sweet ripeness as a major stratum, and it’s complemented by nicely calibrated fresh acidity. The whole is framed by supple tannins, for drinking now and another five years. St. Hallett ‘Gamekeeper’s’ Shiraz 2008 Barossa Valley, Australia $15.95 (166991) Vintage after vintage, the gamekeeper shares this lovely shiraz. In 2008, as before, it delivers lovely fruit that’s dense, plush and well accented, with effective fruit-acid balance and very good tannic structure. Momo Pinot Noir 2009 Marlborough, New Zealand $19.95 (163972) Marlborough is giving Central Otago a run for its money with pinot noir. Central has the cachet (and terrific pinots) but Marlborough keeps turning out these beauties at significantly lower prices. This one is in the style that’s Klassic Kiwi: focused and defined fruit that’s both sweet and complex, with a broad seam of fresh, lively acidity. The tannins are drying and easy, and it’s ready to go now or to hold another four or five years.  Château des Moines 2009 AOC Lalande de Pomerol, France $21.95 (206789) As everyone whines about the price of great Bordeaux names and appellations, remember that there are many great values off the beaten track. Lalande de Pomerol is a satellite appellation of Pomerol, whose wine prices are inflated by association with Pétrus, and this wine is a good example of value it can offer. It’s well-concentrated, with quite dense flavours that are defined and layered, and wrapped around a spine of fresh acidity. The tannins are ripe but forward right now, and I suggest holding it another year or two, then drinking through to 2018. Esprit de Pavie 2008 AOC Bordeaux, France $32.95 (244020) This, the second wine of Château Pavie, delivers quite rich flavours that are textured and structured, with plenty of complexity. The balance is right and the tannins are firm, though just manageable if you really have to drink it soon. Otherwise, put it away for a year, then drink it over the next six or seven. Vincent Girardin ‘Les Gravières’ Santenay 1er Cru 2009 AOC Santenay 1er Cru, France $38.95 (940825) This is a terrific wine from Santenay, one of Burgundy’s scores of communal appellations. Look for flavours that are nuanced and well focused, with layered complexity and great structure. There’s a spice of vibrant acidity that translates as juiciness, and the tannins are drying and quite manageable. Château des Aladères 2008 AOC Corbières, France $16.95 (276063) Made from carignon, grenache and the region’s great syrah, this shows big, plush fruit with depth and weight. There’s good structure and balance, and the whole package is framed in firm tannins. Drink it now or hold it a year or so for the tannins to soften. Then drink through to about 2016. Isole e Olena Chianti Classico 2008 DOCG Chianti Classico, Italy $26.95 (704346) All the components of this wine are in great shape, and they work together harmoniously. The fruit is concentrated, defined and layered; the acidity is fresh and juicy; the tannins are supple and drying. It adds up to a wine well worth looking at. I dithered about 4.5 stars, then went conservative, but..... Marziano Abbona ‘Terlo Ravera’ Barolo 2006 DOCG Barolo, Italy $42.95 (67918) Made from grapes on 30-40-year-old nebbiolo vines, this is a delicious Barolo that delivers what you expect of the animal, and a bit more. The dense and concentrated flavours show tension between primary and secondary dimensions, there’s plenty of acidity to complement the fruit, and the tannins show commendable grip. It’s up to you whether you drink it or cellar it, but it will take another year or two for the tannins to release the fruit fully. Don’t worry; it’s good for another six or more years after that. Selections from recent Vintages releasesThese wines are still available in good volumes: check lcbo.com for stores with inventory. Tin Barn Red 2007 Napa Valley, California $37.95 (201202) (Released March 17, 2012) This is a blend of cabernet sauvignon (66%), merlot (17%) and cabernet franc (17%). Dark, big and full of ripe, sweet fruit, this is one of those wines that impresses with its heft, but it doesn’t cross that line to jammy fruit-bomb. It has structure and balance, complexity and definition. It’s fairly tannic – what I’m inclined to call ti-tannic this year – and is drinking well now but will hold another five or six years. Teleki Cabernet Franc 2008 Villányi, Hungary $14.95 (74823) (Released April 4, 2012) This is a very richly flavoured and textured cabernet franc that delivers very good value. There’s a core of sweet fruit at mid-palate, layered complexity, and a generous and somewhat fleshy texture. The acidity shines through, the tannins are supple and ripe, and it’s drinking well now. It’s not for cellaring, but it will certainly hold a couple of years.  Huff Estates Merlot 2010 VQA Ontario $19.95 (134239) Made by a Prince Edward County winery, this dry, medium-weight merlot is fairly generic but delivers good fruit concentration and consistency through the palate. The acidity is good, and the tannins are forward and drying. Château Trimoulet 2008 AOC St-Emilion Grand Cru, France $24.95 (Released April 14, 2012) About 60% merlot, 35% cabernet franc and 5% cabernet sauvignon, this is a very good price for the quality. Look for fruit that’s rich, ripe, layered, and well concentrated. For all the intensity, it’s in an understated style that’s well balanced and is framed by ripe and fairly firm tannins. Drink it now and through to 2017. Château Preuillac 2006 AOC Médoc Cru Bourgeois $16.95 (Released March 31, 202) Half merlot and half cabernet sauvignon, this is a tautly textured and understated blend that shows well-defined and concentrated fruit with layered complexity. It has an attractive, juicy texture and firmly gripping tannins. Drink it now and through to 2016 Pointing AheadLook for these wines in forthcoming Vintages releases.Vintages release, May 12, 2012 Rodney Strong Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 Sonoma County, California $24.95 (226944) This is a lovely cabernet, mostly from the warm Alexander Valley. It breaks the mould of too many warm-climate cabs, and delivers finely balance fruit and acidity. The fruit is consistent and solid, well-defined and focused, and it’s integrated with fresh acidity. Frame all this with supple tannins, and you have a delicious and generous cabernet that’s drinking well now and will easily hold another three or four years. St-Nicolas Rosé Cider Québec $19.95 (275362) Flavoured with fresh strawberries and raspberries, this is a sweet rosé sparkling cider with good acidity and a generous mousse. It might be a little sweet on its own for many palates, but it’s a great choice for not-too-sweet (that is, less sweet than the cider) berry pies and other berry-based desserts. Urraca Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 Mendoza, Argentina $18.95 Argentine cabernet sauvignons often get lost in the shadow of malbec, but they often deliver excellent quality and value. This one, from the Agrelo district in Mendoza, is quite sleek and taut in style, with concentrated and defined flavours and good tension between fruit and acidity. The tannins are drying and firm. It’s drinking now and over the next two or three years. Vintages release, May 26, 2012 Urraca Malbec 2008 Mendoza, Argentina $18.95 From the Agrelo district of Mendoza, this is an impressively calibrated malbec that’s miles away from the simple-minded, fruity malbec at the entry-level. Look for focused and defined flavours here, with good concentration and complexity. It’s juicy, with supple tannins, and is drinking well now and over the next two or three years. Vintages release, June 9, 2012 Masserie Pisari Primitivo 2010 IGT Salento Rosso, Italy $14.95 (270306) This shows all the classic character of modern primitive from the Puglia region – intense fruit, good complexity and acidity – and then some. Look for surprising structure and complexity at this price. The tannins are supple and ripe, and this is ready to drink now and over the next three or four years. Vintages release, June 23, 2012 Domaine de la Toulaudière ‘sur lie’ Muscadet 2010 AOC Muscadet Sèvre et Maine, France $14.95 (171694) Muscadet, France’s favourite seafood wine, comes in many styles and levels of quality. This is one that stands out, a white that delivers concentrated and solid flavours right through the palate, with a texture that’s both bright and substantial. Look for complexity and structure here, in degrees absent from many muscadets. St-Nicolas Crackling Brut Cider Québec $16.25 (277442) This is a lovely sparkling cider, dry, full of understated apple flavours, crisp and refreshing, with plenty of bubbles and just the right mousse. It’s a great alternative to sparkling wine in summer, not least because of the low (8.5%) alcohol. Enjoy it on its own or with poultry and pork. Vintages release, July 7, 2012 Rosehall Run ‘Cuvée County’ Chardonnay 2009 VQA Prince Edward County, Ontario $21.95 Look for good, concentrated flavours here, fairly understated, with decent complexity and structure, and an attractive veneer of oak. The balance is right, with bright, clean acidity underpinning the fruit. Dry and fresh, it makes a versatile white at the table. Vintages release, July 21, 2012 Fielding Viognier 2010 VQA Niagara Peninsula $25.95 This is made in one of viognier’s classic and most attractive styles: with some fattiness and viscosity in the texture and a hint of bitterness cleaning up the finish. (Honestly, that bitterness is a real asset!) Look for complexity in the fruit, very well calibrated acidity, and overall harmony. Featherstone Gewürztraminer 2011 VQA Twenty Mile Bench $19.95 (64592) This is a well-pitched gewürztraminer, with good concentration and pungency through the palate and a finish of ripe fruit. The acidity is vibrant, and translates as freshness verging on juiciness, and the wine speaks to balance and harmony all the way through. Vintages release, August 4, 2012 Fielding Cabernet Franc 2020 VQA Niagara Peninsula $21.95 This is an attractive cabernet franc notable for a juicy texture that just cries out for food. The fruit is solid and consistent right through the palate, and it’s harnessed to a seam of bright acidity. The tannins are drying and easy-going. Vintages release, August 18, 2012 Calamus Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 VQA Lincoln Lakeshore, Ontario $19.95 (285809) The mid-palate texture of this cabernet is fairly generous – round, somewhat fleshy and smooth – and it finishes with taut, fresh acidity. As for the flavours, they are concentrated, layered out from a sweet core, and reasonably complex. The underlying acidity seems to invite similar food, such as tomato-based Italian dishes. Vintages release, September 15, 2012 Featherstone Cabernet Franc 2010 VQA Twenty Mile Bench $16.95 This is a gorgeous wine, absolutely irresistible at this price. The fruit is rich and intense, with very good complexity and structure. The underlying acidity comes through as a juicy texture, and the tannins are supple. A plush and smooth texture rounds out the picture. Drink it now and through to 2015 to appreciate it at its prime. Vintages release, September 29, 2012 Featherstone ‘Black Sheep’ Riesling 2011 VQA Niagara Peninsula $16.95 (80234) Those black sheep have done it again – put them on the payroll! Vintages after vintage, this is a lovely riesling, made just to the right of dry. The fruit is layered and ripe-sweet, and the vibrant acidity shines through with juiciness. The whole holds together beautifully. Vintages release, dates TBA Fielding Estate Bottled Pinot Gris 2011 VQA Niagara Peninsula $21.95 This is just a very nicely made pinot gris. The fruit is ripe-sweet, with good breadth depth, and there’s bright acidity as a complement. It’s an attractive wine overall, with balance, complexity and definition, a pleasure to drink. New from Ontario wineriesCalamus Estate Winery Calamus Estate ‘Barrel Kissed’ Chardonnay 2010 VQA Niagara Peninsula $17.20 “A kiss of oak” is a term used by some writers to describe an oaked wine (usually chardonnay) where the oak is a subtle addition to flavour and texture, rather than the dominant component. I’m sure I there’s a verb to describe what oak does to wine in these cases, but I won’t speculate on what it might be. Here you have a really lovely chardonnay with rich, almost luscious flavours – and yes, that hint of oak as the barrel brushed the lips of the wine. It’s nicely balanced, with a generous and smooth texture. Available from the winery: calamuswines.com. Featherstone Estate WinerySee my notes on other Featherstone wines in Pointing Ahead, above. The wines below are available mainly from the winery – some have already been released by Vintages, so check lcbo.com for stores with inventory. Visit or contact the winery: featherstonewinery.ca. Featherstone ‘Canadian Oak’ Chardonnay 2010 VQA Niagara Peninsula $21.95 (Also released in Vintages on April 14, 2012) Maybe it’s the desire to showcase the local oak, but I think the wood gets in the way of the wine, here. Everything is in place behind the oak – the fruit is focused and complex, the acid-fruit balance is right – but the oak plays too prominent a role in this for my liking. If your preference runs to oakiness, though, you’ll like it more. Featherstone Pinot Noir 2009 VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Ontario $29.95 This is a very attractive pinot noir. It shows consistent fruit right through the palate, with good layering and definition. The fruit-acid balance is right-on, giving some juiciness to the texture, and the tannins are supple, drying and easy-going. All the components are meshing well now, and you can drink this another five or more years. Featherstone ‘Red Tail’ Merlot 2010 VQA Twenty Mile Bench $19.95 (Released by Vintages on March 1, 2012) This is a solid cool-climate merlot that shows good fruit from start to finish and well-balanced acidity. It’s refreshing and solid, and framed by drying tannins. Drink it now and over the next three or four years. Fielding Estate WinerySee my notes on other Fielding wines in Pointing Ahead, above. The wines below are available only from the winery (except for the Meritage, which is also in the May 2012 Vintages ‘Classics’ Catalog). Visit or contact the winery: fieldingwines.com . Fielding Chardonnay Musqué 2011 VQA Lincoln Lakeshore $16.95 This is ready to drink now and in the next year or so – aka, buy lots and drink it during the summer. It’s a refreshing white with attractive, restrained pungency in the aromatics and flavours, and just the right degree of fruitiness to let you drink it on its own or with spicy food and the likes of roast chicken. It’s well balanced, solid and fresh. Fielding ‘Rock Pile’ Jack Rabbit Flat Vineyard Pinot Gris 2011 VQA Lincoln Lakeshore $25.95 This is quite a big pinot gris, quite luscious and with some viscosity, to boot. The flavours are sweet at the core, softening to pungent as they layer, and they’re supported by bright acidity that lends the wine a refreshing texture. Fielding Meritage 2007 VQA Niagara Peninsula $59.95 Made from merlot (62%), cabernet sauvignon (34%) and a dash of cabernet franc, this is a big, plus and densely flavoured blend from an excellent vintage. Now approaching five years old, it is holding well. The fruit shows primary flavours, the acidity sings, and the tannins are present and supple. There’s a veneer of oak that could be controversial, but I like this a lot. Southbrook Vineyards These wines organic and biodynamic wines are available only from the winery. Visit or contact: southbrook.com. Cheers! Rod. |
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| Last Updated ( Monday, 23 April 2012 ) |