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No. 18: October 21, 2008 The 2009 edition of my 500 Best-Value Wines in the LCBO is now on sale. This new edition lists about 180 new wines, and is completely updated. It’s available from all good book stores, including Chapters/Indigo and Amazon.ca. In this issue:
Vintages release, October 25, 2008This release features a selection of Amarones and Ripassos and a good selection of wines of all styles from around the world.Amarone and Ripasso featureAmarone is distinguished by the process of drying the grapes before pressing, thus concentrating the flavours in the finished wine. There’s often a characteristic (but pleasant) bitter note to these wines, and the name embodies the word amaro, which means ‘bitter’. To make Ripasso wines, unpressed Amarone skins are added and, again, the result is more concentrated and complex flavours.  Bertani ‘Valpantena’ Amarone della Valpolicella 2004 DOC Amarone della Valpolicella $56.95 (123417) Big, sleek and beautiful, this combines power and finesse, just as an Amarone should. The flavours cover a wide spectrum, the texture is intense and high-toned, and the tannins are smooth. It’s a perfect partner for well-seasoned and substantial Italian food. Gamba Gnirega ‘Le Quare’ Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 2004 DOC Amarone della Valpolicella Classico $50.95 (85340) This is a bold and authoritative red, and its complexity of character comes through quickly. The flavours are extracted, complex and layered, and the texture mouth-filling and quite dense. Drink it with heavier winter dishes that feature red meat or game. Roncolato Amarone della Valpolicella 2005 DOC Amarone della Valpolicella $43.95 (81778) A higher-toned number than many Amarones, this benefits from a broad seam of acidity. It complements the concentrated and complex fruit perfectly, as does the fine tannic structure. It’s an excellent choice for a richly seasoned, braised lamb shank.  Tezza Corte Majoli Amarone della Valpolicella 2003 DOC Amarone della Valpolicella $38.95 (81943) Great balance and a soft texture are the prominent characteristics of this Amarone. The flavours are rich and concentrated (this was the torrid 2003 vintage, after all) and they’re nicely framed by the acidity and smooth tannins. Drink it with a plate of osso buco. Zenato Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 2004 DOC Amarone della Valpolicella Classico $52.95 (413179) The characteristic bitter note that gives Amarone its name is there on the back palate, a nice punctuation mark on the rich and complex flavours and the intense and juicy texture. This is a fairly big wine, with smooth, ripe tannins, and it’s an excellent partner for rich, pasta dishes that feature beef or lamb.   Nino Negri ‘Sfursat’ Valtellina 2004 DOCG Valtellina $34.95 (84848) This is made from Nebbiolo grapes that are left to dry for three months before being pressed and vinified. There’s exceptional balance of rich and varied flavours and intense and refreshing texture. Style meets authority here, to produce palpable elegance. It’s a real pleasure to taste, and it goes marvelously with osso buco. The rest of the releaseFortified wines Gonzalez Byass ‘Apostoles’ Very Old Palo Cortado Sherry DO Jerez, Spain $33.95/375mL (969527) Aged for 30 years, this dark amber Sherry is rich and pungently sweet—sweet, that is, but with the complexity that cuts through the sweetness. You can sip it alone or, better still, drink it with liver paté. Gonzalez Byass ‘Del Duque’ Amontillado Viejo Sherry DO Jerez, Spain $33.95 (694331) Look for amazing complexity in the flavours here. They cover a wide spectrum of notes and accents that nuance the inherent sweetness of the Sherry, as does the broad seam of acidity that runs right through it. Aged for 30 years, it makes a delicious sipping Sherry or one that goes with seared foie gras. Dow’s Colheita Tawny Port 1986 DOC Douro, Portugal $58.95 (572776) This is a beautifully expressive Port, with concentrated and complex flavours that span a broad spectrum. With a rich, slightly viscous texture lightened by good acidity, it’s an excellent Vintage Port to put aside for an evening of blue cheese and good company. Sparkling wines Wolf Blass ‘Gold Label’ Pinot Chardonnay Sparkling Wine 2004 Australia $20.95 (606285) Unusual in that it’s vintage-dated, this is a rich and focused sparkling wine. Look for ripe fruit flavours, a quite rich and full texture, and a creamy mousse. It’s an excellent choice for mixed appetizers or for spicy seafood dishes. Louis Bouillot ‘Perle d’Ivoire’ Blanc de Blancs Crémant de Bourgogne Brut (Non Vintage) AOC Crémant de Bourgogne, France $19.95 (48801) Another fairly heavy-weight sparkling wine, another made from Chardonnay. It delivers generous, mouth-filling flavours that are varied and attractive, and a soft, quite stylish mousse. It has a refreshing texture, and you can drink this alone as an aperitif, or serve it with oily appetizers, such as smoked salmon. White wines Murphy-Goode Chardonnay 2006 Sonoma County, California $21.95 (00745) This Chardonnay achieves a nice balance in terms of texture. It has the richness often associated with California Chardonnay, and the clean structure of Chardonnay made in stainless steel. The flavours are rich and plush, which only highlights the refreshing quality of the texture, and it’s a wine pitched toward food. Serve it with roast turkey breast or pork tenderloin. Château de Meursault Meursault 2005 AOC Meursault, France $56.95 (520213) From the stunning 2005 Burgundy vintage, this is a beautiful accompaniment to rich dishes featuring pork, scallops or lobster. It’s all richly textured, mouth-filling flavours that are complex and layered. For all that, it’s light on its feet, thanks to the excellent fruit-acid balance. Isabell et Denis Pommier ‘Côte de Léchet’ Chablis 1er Cru 2006 AOC Chablis 1er Cru, France $37.95 (23747) If you expect Chablis to be lean and crisp, try this fuller-textured variant. It delivers lots of complex and ripe fruit flavours, with a smooth and stylish texture. It’s a lovely wine to serve with turkey breast or pork tenderloin. Red wines  Jackson-Triggs ‘Proprietors’ Grand Reserve’ Meritage 2005 VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario $24.95 (594002) The tannins still have the fruit in their grasp, so you might want to put this away for two or three years to give the flavours a chance to escape. They’re very attractive and show lineage that’s classic Bordeaux. For the rest, this is dry, medium bodied and, given time to balance, it will be an excellent choice for roast beef, cooked medium-rare. Thirty Bench Red 2006 VQA Beamsville Bench, Ontario $22.20 (53389) A blend of Merlot (40%), Cabernet Sauvignon (32%) and Cabernet Franc (28%), this is bone dry and delivers a broad range of attractive flavours. It’s quite stylish and well balanced, and the 12 months’ barrel-aging shows in the well-integrated components. It’s perfect for drinking now and over the next couple of years, perhaps with medium-rare roast beef. (See the other Thirty Bench wines in the “New from Ontario Wineries” section of this Winepointer.) Bonterra Zinfandel 2005 Mendocino County, California $19.95 (530139) Organic Bonterra's winemaker, Bob Blue, has come up with something new here: an Old World Zinfandel. No, it’s not a Primitivo, but an authentic Zinfandel made in an Old World style that emphasizes balance and structure over brute strength and full-on flavour. The addition of 10% Petite Syrah contributes to the complexity of this densely-flavoured, very dry, and quite elegant Zinfandel. Pair it with well-seasoned, grilled red meats. (This review appeared in an earlier Winepointer.) Red Truck 2006 California $16.95 (693903) You just can’t go wrong with this blend of Syrah, Petite Sirah, Cabernet Franc and Mourvèdre. It has flavour, complexity, structure, balance, and it’s all presented in an easy-going way. Drink it standing in the kitchen at a party, with a pizza while watching tv, with a hamburger in bed… It’s that versatile. Finca el Origen Gran Reserva Malbec 2006 Valle de Uco, Mendoza, Argentina $24.95 (65425) This is a heavyweight in more ways than one. It clocks in at almost 15% alcohol and the bottle seems to weigh as much as a magnum. As for the wine, it’s no lightweight, either. The flavours and texture are dense and full, with rich and extracted fruit that fill your mouth. But the intensity is kept in check by a great seam of acidity, and this makes a great partner for grilled game and red meats. Lurton Reserva Malbec 2006 Mendoza, Argentina $13.95 (903153) Great fruit, great structure, great price. This is an excellent example of the value in Argentinean Malbecs. There’s nothing here not to like, and it’s one of those versatile reds for red meats, burgers, and party food. Michel Torino Ciclos Malbec/Merlot 2006 Cafayete Valley, Mendoza, Argentina $18.95 (37895) There’s a little rusticity in this, an attractive quality that gives the texture an edginess that I’ve always liked. With dense and fairly complex flavours, a pretty big body, and nicely built tannins, it’s a natural for a well-seasoned steak. Casa Silva Reserva Carmenère 2006 Colchagua Valley, Chile $14.95 (24679) This delivers what you expect of a Carmenère: plush, rich flavours, smooth texture, easy-going and approachable character. It’s not too complex, doesn’t carry too much structure, but it’s excellent as a wine for mid-week, casual meals. Haras ‘Character’ Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 Maipo Valley, Chile $19.95 (54502) There’s a rush of dense, ripe fruit here, in the style that’s commonly associated with the new world. But it’s more than a fruit-bomb, and has good structure and an effective balance. Dry, still fairly tannic (you could hold it a year or so) and medium-plus in weight, it cries out for big food. Answer with well-seasoned, grilled red meat. Santa Carolina ‘Barrica Selection’ Gran Reserva Carmenère 2006 Rapel Valley, Chile $14.95 (640888) This is amazing value for a wine that delivers so much flavour and quality. It’s dense and packed with fruit flavours that are complex and layered, and the blending of 12% Cabernet Sauvignon contributes structure and enhanced tannins. Carmenère struggles for recognition, but great values like this will push it along. Santa Ema ‘Amplus’ Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 Cachapoal Valley, Chile $22.95 (76307) Medium-bodied, with solid, reasonably complex and fleshy fruit, a juicy texture and very good fruit-acid balance, this make an excellent choice for all grilled or roasted red meats. Wakefield Shiraz 2006 Clare Valley, Australia $18.95 (943787) The tannins here are sleek and polished, and really add to the pleasure of the layered flavours of ripe fruit. Look for a broad seam of acidity that contributes a refreshing dimension, and enjoy the whole package with grilled lamb chops. Wynns Coonawarra Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 Coonawarra, Australia $24.95 (84996) This is a well-structured Coonawarra Cab that’s characterized by very attractive fruit (it’s complex, well-extracted and plush) and a poised relationship between fruit and acidity. The overall effect is assertive and stylish, and it’s an excellent partner for well-seasoned grilled red meat. Try it with a garlic-rubbed sirloin steak. Wynns Coonawarra Estate Shiraz 2006 Coonawarra, Australia $20.95 (433060) Sweet, ripe fruit lie at the core of the flavour profile, and it’s nicely balanced with the acidity to produce a dry, generous and tangy texture. The tannins are easily manageable now, but you can safely hold this another three or four years. Drink it with grilled red meats. Kim Crawford Merlot 2007 Hawkes Bay, New Zealand $19.95 (680967) If you think of New Zealand as a producer of whites, give this Merlot a go. The fruit has impressive depth and complexity, and it’s very well balanced, with a dry and attractive texture. Drink it with a rack of N.Z. lamb. Kim Crawford Pinot Noir 2006 Marlborough, New Zealand $19.95 (626390) Medium-bodied and bone-dry, this Pinot Noir delivers solid, diverse fruit flavours and an attractive high-toned texture. It has very good length and makes an excellent wine for duck breast and mushroom risotto. Cathedral Cellar Triptych 2006 WO Coastal Region, South Africa $16.95 (53124) This is very good value for a blend that has plush, concentrated and complex fruit and has good structure and a very attractive tangy texture. Made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Shiraz, it’s dry, medium bodied, and it goes well with any rich and well-seasoned red meat dish, like steak or stew. Château Preuillac 2005 AOC Médoc, France $29.95 (713925) This is a quite powerful wine that has a lot of complexity and character. The flavours are well extracted and complex, with a core of sweet fruit and a nice spectrum of layered flavours. They’re complemented and lifted by a refreshing seam of acidity, while the tannins are ripe and smooth. Overall, it’s attractive and well priced, and it’s an excellent choice for red meats. Château La Nerthe Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2005 AOC Châteauneuf-du-Pape, France $59.95 (735407) Half Grenache, a third Syrah and the rest Mourvèdre and Cinsault, this has all the qualities you look for in a Châteauneuf-du-Pape: richness, boldness, complexity, and elegance. There’s a centre of sweet fruit and layered flavours, supple tannins and a soft texture. You can drink it now (with well-seasoned red meats) or put it away for at least 10 years. Château Pineraie Cahors 2005 AOC Cahors, France, $17.95 (78725) Cahors produces richly textured and flavoured reds, and this is a nice example. Look for well extracted fruit with good complexity, a dense texture, a firm tannic grip, and a little rusticity for good measure. It’s very attractive and ideal for grilled red meat. Travaligni Gattinara 2003 DOCG Gattinara, Italy $29.95 (713354) Made from Nebbiolo, this is lovely, with rich, concentrated fruit, a dense but refreshing texture, and supple tannins. It’s dry and medium-plus in weight, and it’s perfect for richly seasoned red meat-based stews or with a braised lamb shank. Santa Barbara Salice Salentino Rosso 2005 DOC Salice Salentino, Italy $14.95 (992941) This is a well-made red that delivers great value across the board. Look for fairly rich fruit flavours with good complexity, a big and tangy texture, and moderate tannins. It’s dry, medium bodied, and a natural for burgers and red meat dishes. Fontodi Chianti Classico 2005 DOCG Chianti Classico, Italy $27.95 (933317) This is just right for drinking now. The tannins have just cleared the bar, the fruit is showing nicely, and you’ll be happy drinking this with osso buco or a braised lamb shank. The flavours are structured and nicely nuanced and the balance is right. Le Serre Nuove dell’Ornellaia 2006 DOC Bolgheri, Italy $59.95 (606194) Simply beautiful, with amazingly complex flavours, great structure, and wonderful balance. It’s a Bordeaux blend that combines intensity of flavour and texture with elegant authority. Drink it now or cellar it another three or four year to let it knit a little more. Then enjoy it with well-flavoured red meat-based dishes. Luce della Vite Luce 2005 IGT Toscana, Italy $99.95 (685263) This is a blend of Sangiovese and Merlot, where fine winemaking has ensured that the whole is definitely greater than the parts. It’s quite stunning, with a gorgeous flavour profile that fills a broad spectrum, exquisitely balanced by a broad spine of acidity. It’s generous, serious and refreshing, and it’s going to be a terrific wine for richly flavoured red meat dishes. Buy it now, but hold it another four or five years.  Grand’Arte Alicante Bousche 2005 VR Estremadura, Portugal $14.95 (80614) This is a well-priced red that goes well with red meats and rich vegetarian dishes. It’s fruity, densely flavoured, with good complexity and decent structure. The texture is generous and slightly tangy, and the drying tannins are easy-going and drinking well now. Pointing aheadLook for these wines in forthcoming Vintages releasesVintages release, December 6, 2008 Dornier ‘Donatus’ Red 2004 WO Stellenbosch, South Africa $24.95 (606020) A blend of 70% Cabernet Franc and 30% Merlot, this is a spectacular, well-structured red that’s dense and rich in flavours and texture. Everything is tight-grained here, from the layered nuances in the flavour profile, through the taut texture, to the fine, ripe tannins. It’s a wine that’s authoritative, and it calls for dense, well-flavoured food, like grilled sirloin steak or red game meat. It’s just ready for drinking now, but you could well hold it a couple of years to give it a chance to open up. New in the LCBOLook for these new wines (or new vintages of continuing wines) in the General Purchase list of the LCBO. In addition, the four Angels Gate wines reviewed below in the New from Ontario Wineries section are (or will soon be) available in the LCBO. Durbanville Hills Shiraz 2005 WO Durbanville, South Africa $11.95 (22269) For a change from the overripe Shirazes you so often get at this price, try this medium-weight from South Africa. It has all the rich flavour, but it’s well structured and has a refreshing line of acidity that tilts it toward food. Winemaker Martin Moore suggests venison, but if beef is closer to hand, it will go just fine. Peter Lehmann Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 Barossa Valley, Australia $19.95 (91686) This addition to the LCBO list is classic Lehmann: well structured flavours and texture, and excellently balanced. Look for concentrated flavours and a complex profile, with a generous and quite dense texture here. Enjoy it with grilled or roasted red meat. New wines from Ontario wineriesThirty Bench Wine MakersI recently tasted the new releases from Niagara Peninsula’s Thirty Bench winery. This winery has long been known for its Rieslings, but in the last couple of years I’ve been just as impressed by the other whites and the reds. (The red reviewed here is in this issue’s Vintages release.) Thirty Bench’s ‘Small Lot’ range of wines (most are made in 200-300 case lots) is especially impressive, and winemaker Natalie Reynolds has set the bar high at this modest winery. She demonstrates that you don’t need to make an architectural statement to produce exceptional wine. You can order these wines by calling 905 563 1698 or visiting www.thirtybench.com. Thirty Bench Riesling 2007 VQA Beamsville Bench $18.00 With a broad seam of acidity flowing right through the palate, and complementing the attractive and delicate flavours, this is a refreshing and versatile Riesling. It’s great for sipping on the deck (as I discovered) and it goes well with steamed mussels, roast chicken and grilled shrimps. Thirty Bench ‘Small Lot’ Wood Post Vineyard Riesling 2007 VQA Beamsville Bench $30.00 There’s a lovely interplay of fruit and acidity right through the palate here. The fruit is ripe-sweet and complex and the acidity broad, soft and delicious. It’s a flavourful and refreshing Riesling that’s a great choice for spicy seafood dishes. Thirty Bench ‘Small Lot’ Steel Post Vineyard Riesling 2007 VQA Beamsville Bench $30.00 The balance is what marks these Thirty Bench Rieslings, and here’s another example, with cool, taut flavours complemented with a broad seam of acidity that lifts and opens them. The overall impression is fairly dry, and this goes well with smoked salmon. Thirty Bench ‘Small Lot’ Pinot Gris 2007 VQA Beamsville Bench $30.00 Dry, with impressive ripe fruit that brings to the fore the merest hint of residual sugar, this is a concentrated and luscious Pinot Gris. The fruit is nicely off-set by a broad seam of soft acidity, and it finishes with a clean shot of acidity. Overall, it’s stylish and delicious. And goes well with spicy seafood, pork and chicken. Thirty Bench ‘Small Lot’ Gewürztraminer 2007 VQA Beamsville Bench $30.00 This is a fairly fat Gewürztraminer, with classic viscosity in the texture. The flavours are classic, too, complex and pungent, with luscious tanginess. This is my kind of Gewürztraminer, stylish and delicious with an almost opulent texture. It’s a natural for spicy Asian dishes. Thirty Bench ‘Small Lot’ Chardonnay 2006 VQA Beamsville Bench $30.00 For a ‘Small Lot’, there’s a lot going on in this delicious Chardonnay. The flavours are full and plush, rich and round, and they’re nicely balanced by the soft acidity that flows in, lifts them, and contributes a refreshing quality without diminishing the plush mouth-feel. This is a very good choice for roast chicken or pork tenderloin. Thirty Bench ‘Small Lot’ Pinot Meunier Rosé 2007 VQA Beamsville Bench $22.00 First off, it’s delicious! Now read on…. We don’t see a lot of Pinot Meunier, one of the Champagne varieties. Occasionally I taste a varietal, and now here we are with a really lovely PM rosé. Rosé? It’s more red than pink, having had 48 hours’ skin contact before being bled off. And, unlike most rosés, which are made in stainless steel, this one is fermented and aged six months in older French barrels. They’re almost inert, as there’s no oak in the flavours, but you can pick up a touch in the full texture and soft tannic structure of the wine. This is really delicious, with a lot of complexity in the flavour spectrum and the texture, and a beautiful refreshing balance. This was a big hit with the Thanksgiving turkey and cranberry accompaniments, so make sure you have some on hand for the Christmas bird. Thirty Bench Red 2006 VQA Beamsville Bench $22.00 This is a blend of 40% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon and 28% Cabernet Franc that delivers solid flavours and very good balance. 2006 was a difficult year for reds in Niagara, but this one offers good complexity and ripeness, with a very pleasant and well-structured texture. Drink it with red meats or aged Cheddar cheese. Angels Gate WineryAll these Angels Gate wines are in the LCBO, or will be by mid-November. Angels Gate too often falls off the radar of wine consumers who can’t easily visit Niagara, and it’s good to see these wines becoming more widely available. Philip Dowell, formerly chief winemaker at Inniskillin, joined Angels Gate last year, and we’ll soon see the first reds he has made for them. Watch this space. Angels Gate Gewürztraminer 2007 VQA Niagara Peninsula $15.75 (58594) This is Gewürztraminer in a somewhat lighter style. It has all the classic aromas and flavours of the variety, but it doesn’t have the plush texture and fatness often associated with the Alsatian expressions. That’s not a criticism, as I think it’s important for regions to find their own voice. This one speaks in lighter tones, with a very good balance of fruit and acid that makes it an excellent partner for spicy Asian food and smoked salmon. Angels Gate Gamay Noir 2006 VQA Niagara Peninsula $12.75 (107714) The first impression is a fairly soft texture carrying plush fruit, but the higher acidity characteristic of Gamay soon comes through and dominates the fruit in the finish. It’s solid, well made and refreshing, and it’s a very good choice for tomato-based dishes: pasta, lasagna, gourmet pizza, and meat in a tomato sauce. Angels Gate Cabernet Franc 2006 VQA Niagara Peninsula $16.75 (64832) This is just a lovely Cabernet Franc, very well made and an excellent wine to drink with roast chicken or with turkey and cranberry sauce. It delivers nicely complex flavours, layered out from an attractively sweet centre, well balanced by a broad seam of soft acidity. It’s pretty, nuanced, and well priced. Angels Gate Merlot 2006 VQA Niagara Peninsula $15.75 (107722) The flavours here are ripe and well structured, with a hint of under-ripeness that’s not at all unpleasant. With a good spine of acidity that makes the wine refreshing, and tannins that are forward and firm, it’s a good result from a challenging vintage. It goes well with red meats and gourmet pizza. New wines from British ColumbiaWhy am I reviewing British Columbia wines in a newsletter aimed primarily at Ontario readers? Well, Ontarians do travel to BC from time to time, and this is a heads-up for when you go there next. Second, although you can’t order wine from BC and have it shipped east without paying duties and mark-ups, it’s amazing how much finds its way here without interference. With its inter-provincial trade barriers and taxes, Canada often reminds me of pre-Revolutionary France, when goods traveling overland were continually taxed as they crossed from one province to another, or paid municipal excise taxes when they were brought to city markets. The 1789 Revolution swept them away, along with a number of other irritants.Tinhorn Creek VineyardsTinhorn Creek is located in the south Okanagan. With Sandra Oldfield heading the winemaking team, it quickly established a reputation for making quality wines. It’s always been one of my favourite Okanagan wineries to visit, not only for the wine, but also for the hospitality. If you’re heading to the Okanagan Valley, put Tinhorn on your itinerary. I know this sounds like an advertising plug, but I mean every word. Tinhorn Creek Cabernet Franc 2006 VQA Okanagan Valley $17.99 On the nose there’s evidence of American oak, but in the mouth it’s all clean, well-extracted, bright fruit and a lovely broad seam of soft acidity. There’s good complexity here and no evidence of the nearly 15% alcohol. With the intense fruit and refreshing acidity, it’s excellent with rich meat and a condiment that delivers some acidity. Try it with braised lamb shank in a sun-dried tomato-based sauce. Tinhorn Creek Cabernet/Merlot 2006 VQA Okanagan Valley $17.99 This lovely blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot delivers quite rich and complex flavours on a smooth, clean and refreshing texture. The components were aged separately in 100% American oak before being blended and aged several more months before bottling. The tannins are palpable but soft, and this is ready for drinking now and over the next three or four years. Dry and medium-bodied, you can serve it with red meats, grilled or roasted. Tinhorn Creek ‘Oldfield’s Collection’ Merlot 2005 VQA Okanagan Valley $28.00 This 90% Merlot blend (it has 8% Cabernet Franc and 2% Syrah) is concentrated, well-focused and quite opulent. The flavours are dense and structured, and they’re lifted by a broad spine of soft acidity that makes the wine refreshing and an excellent choice for grilled and roasted red meats and game. With fine-grained and supple tannins, it’s drinking well now and easily will hold another five years.
Cheers! Rod. |
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| Last Updated ( Monday, 20 October 2008 ) |
