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 No. 5: April 22, 2008In this issue:
Peninsula Ridge 'INOX' Chardonnay 2007 ($12.95, New from Ontario wineries) Rutherford Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 ($19.95, Vintages release, California reds) Clos du Val Zinfandel 2005 ($21.95, Vintages release, California reds) Botalcura Reserve 'El Delirio' Syrah/Malbec 2005 ($12.95, Vintages release, red wines) Cave de Rasteau Rasteau 'Ortas' Prestige 2005 ($19.95, Vintages release, red wines) For an explanation of the five-star rating system, click here. Vintages release, 26 April 2008This release features wines from California, and it kicks off a month (April 27-May 25) when California wines will be featured throughout the LCBO. You can see by the ratings here that I was impressed by a lot of these. I'd probably have trouble if I presented this sort of grade distribution for a class of students, but these wines performed really well in their exams!California whitesThey're all Chardonnays from the 2006 vintage.  Frog's Leap Chardonnay 2006 Napa Valley $32.95 (713552) You pull the cork and it reads, "RIBBIT." It's one of the best reasons I can think of for sealing the wine with cork, instead of a screw cap. This is a lovely Chardonnay, with vibrant, luscious and pure flavours and a full but crisp and refreshing texture. I leave it to you to decide if it reflects the Taoist philosophy of winemaking. Pair it with chicken, pork or white fish.  Chateau Montelena Chardonnay 2006 Napa Valley $44.95 (701748) This is a fine Chardonnay that delivers concentrated and quite complex flavours and a texture that's crisp and fresh. It's medium bodied and dry, and goes well with chicken, with fish and grilled salmon. Jax Vinyards 'Y3' Chardonnay 2006 Napa Valley $33.95 (67246) Why 'Y3'? The Jacksons, who own Jax Vineyards, have adopted this name for one of their brands to honour their grandparents, who used to have a farm where the cattle were branded 'Y3'. This Chardonnay has a plush and rich texture and concentrated and complex flavours. It's great stuff, and it's an excellent choice for scallops or lobster.  Sterling Chardonnay 2006 Napa Valley $22.95 (330233) This is a very well-made Chardonnay in a very popular style. The flavours are intense and luscious, with some evidence of the barrel-aging, and the texture is smooth, round and generous. Serve it with chicken or turkey. La Crema Chardonnay 2006 Russian River Valley $36.95 (67231) This Chardonnay, from a consistently high-quality winery, delivers an irresistible combination of power and elegance. The flavours are pure, concentrated and complex, with layers of nuance, while the texture is full and refreshing. It's an excellent choice for rich poultry and seafood dishes. Cuvaison Chardonnay 2006 Carneros, Napa Valley $25.95 (988261) Another stylish Chardonnay, which makes you wonder about people who claim to be tired of the variety. This is plush and creamy in texture, but the acidity delivers enough lightness to make this a food-friendly wine. The flavours are intense, focused and pure. Drink it with chicken or salmon in a cream-based sauce. California redsThere's a good representation of the key California red varieties here: Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Merlot and Zinfandel.Cabernet Sauvignon Chimney Rock Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 Stags Leap District, Napa Valley $51.95 (731810) This is a beautiful Cabernet that's distinguished for its sheer elegance. That comes from the fine balance the winemaker has achieved in bringing the concentrated and layered flavours into seamless harmony with the plush and generous texture and the medium weight. The tannins are pretty assertive right now, but you can tame them with red meats grilled rare to medium-rare. Alternatively (my preference), cellar it for two-three years.  Caymus Vineyards Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 Napa Valley $155.95 (711663) This is a pretty special price, too. Is it worth it? You either have to be a collector to appreciate this vintage by vintage or have just got a bonus and want to take a bit of a flyer on an expensive bottle of wine. You won't be disappointed at all in the wine itself. It's a Cab that speaks to authority and elegance, from the saturated and textured flavours to the rich and expansive texture, from the dense palate to the poised balance. Right now, the tannins are in control, but give them a little time (what's five years in the life of a bottle of this?) and they'll come to terms with everything else. Frog's Leap Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 Napa Valley $52.95 (932400) This is a very intensely-flavoured Cab with plenty of complexity. It's medium weight, quite astringently dry with gripping tannins and has a full and juicy texture. I'd say you can drink it now if you really want to—and then with rare/medium-rare red meat—or hold it a couple of years to get the full benefit of the fruit. Rutherford Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 Napa Valley $19.95 (73817) This is simply a lovely Cabernet Sauvignon, made in a style that not only speaks to the quality of fruit and winemaking but also that has broad appeal. And the price makes it widely affordable. What more can you ask for? It has good complexity and structure (it's a blend of 84% Cab with 9% Merlot, 4% Syrah and 3% Cabernet Franc) and has a juicy, fresh texture that sets it up for food. Drink it with a rich stew (coq au vin?) or grilled or roasted red meats. Francis Ford Coppola 'Director's Cut' Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 Alexander Valley $34.95 (61002) It must pain Coppola, director par excellence, to be called a wine producer. The star of this wine is Cabernet Sauvignon, which gives a richly-nuanced and mature performance. The texture has been nicely edited; it's round, satisfying and balanced. The Best Grip is all tannins. All in all, it's very well made and deserves two thumbs up. Drink it with popcorn. (Not really.) Merlot Shafer Merlot 2005 Napa Valley $54.95 (346262) This is a fairly big, intense Merlot, but the flavours are held in restraint and show good complexity and structure. In your mouth it has a generous feel and there's good weight, but it's also so refreshing that it makes a good accompaniment to food. Drink it now and for the next five years with red meats. Sebastiani Merlot 2004 Sonoma County $20.95 (219162) It's not just Merlot. The blend includes Cabernet Sauvignon (11%), Petite Sirah (7.5%), Cabernet Franc (1.5%) and Petit Verdot (0.5%). That makes it 79.5% Merlot, well above the 75% needed for it to be declared a Merlot. It's a really lovely blend, opulent and raffish in flavour and generous and refreshing in texture. The tannins are drying and manageable, and it goes well with grilled red meats. Pinot Noir Beringer Pinot Noir 2006 Napa Valley $27.95 (718668) This is demonstrably Napa Pinot, with quite full and concentrated flavours that show a sweet core and layers of nuances. The texture is quite striking: soft and silky but with a good seam of acidity that lifts the flavours nicely. The tannins are quite drying, but it's drinking well now. Serve it with roast or grilled lamb or smoked duck breast. Dutch Bill Creek Pinot Noir 2006 Sonoma Coast $34.95 (67207) This kicks off with quite elegant aromas and moves into flavours that are fruity, forward and quite concentrated. The texture is refreshing and clean, and the tannins are there but unobtrusive. Medium weight and dry, this is drinking well now and for the next two years. Serve it with duck breast or a grilled veal chop.  Buena Vista Pinot Noir 2005 Carneros $29.95 (67421) This is a well-made, though not overly complex Pinot Noir. It delivers solid flavours that perform well from front to back and a quite attractive texture. The acidity is nicely balanced, making this a good choice when you're serving lamb or duck. Zinfandel Clos du Val Zinfandel 2005 Napa Valley $21.95 (590216) Now, Zinfandel has never been one of my favourite varieties, but I've tasted a number in the last year that are altering my views. They're more balanced and structured that an older style that emphasized power over everything else. This one from Clos du Val, one of Calfornia's stand-out wineries, delivers both boldness and style, with lovely layered flavours and great harmony between texture and weight. It's a gorgeous Zinfandel that goes very well with well-seasoned barbecued red meats. Seghesio 'Home Ranch' Zinfandel 2006 Alexander Valley $45.95 (70391) From vines that are more than a century old, this Zinfandel is full of concentrated, ripe fruit flavours. Yet it's far from being one of those deadly fruit-bombs that kill your mouth with sweet flavour. The texture is plush, to be sure, but it's structured and balanced by a good seam of acidity. This is full-bodied and needs well-flavoured food. Try it with ribs or other red meats with intensely-flavoured condiments. A blend Rosenblum 'Holbrook Mitchell Trio' Red Wine 2004 Napa Valley $35.95 (59279) Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Is it a jazz band? No, it's a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (41%), Merlot (37%) and Cabernet Franc (22%) that's a whisker from 5-star status. The flavours and textures are concentrated, rich and opulent, with the flavours coming on in layers. The tannins have a good grip, so you might want to put it aside for three or four years, then enjoy it (with a rack of lamb) over the following ten. Main release: white winesChardonnay Flat Rock Cellars 'Unplugged' Chardonnay 2006 VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Ontario $15.95 (68015) This is Flatrock's first vintage of this un-oaked Chardonnay, and it represents a good start. It delivers what you want in this style of Chardonnay: pure fruit flavours, a clean and crisp texture, and food-friendly balance. It goes well with grilled or sautéed trout or grilled shrimps. Henry of Pelham Barrel-Fermented Chardonnay 2006 VQA Niagara Escarpment, Ontario $19.95 (268342) This is quite a rich Chardonnay, with lots of complexity (including evidence of the barrel fermentation) in the flavours. The texture is quite plush, although with a refreshing seam of acidity, and overall the wine is quite stylish. Pair it with fairly rich food, such as sautéed scallops in a cream sauce. Domaine Servin 'Montée de Tonnerre' Chablis 2006 AOC Chablis 1er Cru, France $28.95 (69146) This is a lovely Chablis that shows all the characteristics of the region. The flavours are focused, nuanced, and fresh, while the texture is substantial but refreshing—here with a seam of brisk acidity that pushes the wine toward food. Drink it with grilled white fish. Other white varieties Morgadio da Torre Alvarinho Vinho Verde 2006 DOC Vinho Verde, sub-region Monção $17.95 (960955) Perhaps influenced by the suggestion in the Vintages catalog (and it was getting near lunchtime), I couldn't help thinking of sushi when I tasted this wine. It's a fruity with decent complexity and a crisp texture—perfect foils for the ginger and wasabi. Main release: rosé wines Daniel Lenko White Cabernet Rosé 2006 VQA Niagara Peninsula $20.15 (75648) This is a rosé that's only just off-dry, but just enough to soften the texture and make it an excellent wine to sip during the summer. The flavours are delicate yet concentrated and they're persistent right through the palate. This is a serious rosé, then, not a frivolous one without length or finish, and that justifies the price. Drink it alone or with spicy dishes or baked ham. Main release: red winesIn terms of varieties, the reds are all over the place. They're listed here in no particular order. Kaiken Malbec 2006 Lujan de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina $14.95 (58339) Here's another value-priced Malbec from Argentina. This one is chock full of fruit flavour, with some complexity, and has a rich texture that's well balanced. It's well made but doesn't stand out noticeably from the crowd—not that that's necessarily a bad thing, when the Argentinean Malbec crowd is such good quality and good value. This is a natural for the barbecue. Botalcura Reserve 'El Delirio' Syrah/Malbec 2005 Central Valley, Chile $12.95 (18630) This is a very well-made and well-priced blend that you can open when you fire up the barbecue or call for a richly-flavoured, meaty pizza or lamb kebabs from a Greek take-out. The flavours are concentrated and quite complex and the texture is rich and tangy. It's all there, and all quite delicious. Buy an armful. Anvers 'Brabo' Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz 2006 Adelaide Hills, South Australia $15.95 (686857) This is a lovely blend that delivers rich, concentrated and quite complex flavours and a vibrant and juicy texture. It's very nicely balanced and an excellent choice for barbecued red meats. Ringbolt Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 Margaret River, Western Australia $19.95 (606624) Another excellent wine from Western Australia, where they rarely put a foot wrong. This Cabernet Sauvignon is replete with layered and ripe flavours, balanced by a fairly dense yet refreshing texture. It's medium-full bodied and dry, and just ready for drinking now, but you can hold it another year or so to let the tannins integrate a little. A food suggestion? Red meats, as you'd expect. Château Langoa Barton 2004 AOC St. Julien, Bordeaux $59.95 (664128) This is a fine vintage of Langoa Barton, one that delivers both authority and elegance. The flavours are well defined and nuanced, with good intensity, and it delivers a medium- weight mouth-feel that's both plush and fresh. Everything is in fine harmony here, but the tannins. They're so loud that they drown out the rest of the instruments, so give them time to tire (three-four years), then play it with a superlative cut of red meat. Château Le Doyenné 2005 AOC Premières Côtes de Bordeaux $25.95 (61739) According to the Vintages catalog, Robert Parker declares this a "super-sleeper" of the vintage. I suppose that's to distinguish it from the many "sleepers" he identifies—read Parker, and you'd swear that half the wineries were unconscious. Catatonic or alert, this is a lovely wine that offers rich and concentrated ripe flavours and beautiful texture that's balanced, complex and finely structured. The tannins are firm, but negotiable with rare to medium-rare red meat. Cave de Rasteau Rasteau 'Ortas' Prestige 2005 AOC Côtes du Rhône-Villages, France $19.95 (985929) This is a bold and assertive red that's just the thing when you're grilling a hunk of well-marinated beef on the grill. This has big flavours that are long on complexity and a rich, tangy texture that's an invitation to eat. The tannins are gripping quite firmly right now, but the meat will take care of them. Antinori Solaia 2004 IGT Toscana, Italy $154.95 (987586) This is anticipated annually, and the 2004 vintage won't disappoint anyone. It's characterized by saturated flavours that are complex and layered and by a full-bodied, big and challenging texture. The tannins need at least another four-five years to come into line and, once they do, this will be an excellent wine to serve with a weighty red meat dish. Quinta da Cortezia Touriga Nacional 2005 Vinhos Regional Estremadura $18.95 (70292) This is 100% Touriga Nacional, one of the prime grape varieties used in Port. In this table wine it delivers exceptionally concentrated flavours (with evidence of barrel-aging) and a dense texture. But it's all well balanced with the acidity, and more complex and nuanced the more you taste it. It's ready for drinking now (with steak) or you can cellar it five years. Pointing ahead: Wines in future Vintages releasesVintages release, June 7, 2008 La Playa 'Block Selection' Reserve Chardonnay 2007 Limarí Valley (Chile) $13.95 (59352) The Limarí Valley lies in the north of Chile and is one of the country's cooler wine regions. This Chardonnay delivers beautiful complex flavours that are ripe, sweet, fresh and pure, and they're lifted by a broad spine of racy acidity. The balance is just excellent, and this is a real pleasure to drink. Pair it with roast chicken, turkey or pork or with rich dishes like scallops and lobster. New California wines in the LCBO General Purchase listFrom April 28 to May 25, the LCBO is featuring California wines. Here are a few recent additions to the General Purchase list.Whites Smoking Loon Chardonnay 2005 California $17.95 (55509) This is not a wine for anti-tobacco activists. The plastic cork is printed with "Whooh Whooh Whooh Cough Whooh Whooh Cough" Whooh knows whooh came up with the name, or what it signifies. Does it matter? This is a nicely-made California Chardonnay that delivers good solid flavours and a nice tangy texture. Barrel-aging contributes to the aromas and flavours. It's a good choice for chicken or pork. Reds Fox Brook Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 California $8.80 (620781) One of the complaints often made about wines made from native American grapes is that they tasted "foxy." No one knows why the characteristic flavour is called that, but the good thing is that there's none of it in this Cabernet. What you get is a straightforward, medium-bodied, dry red that has good, up-front fruit flavours, and a smooth and plump texture. It's ideal for a crowd (or a pair) dining on hamburgers. Gnarly Head 'Cab' Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 Calfornia $16.95 (68924) This California cab delivers really rich and concentrated flavours and big, mouth-filling and tangy texture. It's medium-full bodied, dry, and has medium tannins. It needs substantial food, so pair it with red meat. Smoking Loon Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 California $17.95 (55517) Why is this loon smoking? Because this is a smokin' Cabernet? It's chock full of rich fruit flavours and it has a attractive texture that's quite mouth-filling but still refreshing and good for food. Drink this with grilled red meats at the cottage, while you're listening for the loons to call. Can't hear them? It's because they've taken up smoking and can't call with cigars in their beaks. Sonoma Vineyards Chardonnay 2005 Sonoma County $19.95 (60624) This is a quite luscious chardonnay from Sonoma County. It delivers rich, concentrated flavours with a full but refreshing texture. It has lovely balance and makes a great wine for grilled chicken or pork. New from Ontario wineries These wines are available from wineries directly, either by purchase in their retail stores or on-line for delivery in Ontario. For more information or to order them, use the links provided in each review. Cheers, Rod. |
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| Last Updated ( Sunday, 20 April 2008 ) |