My Picks: Vintages Release ─ May 26 2012

I wasn't too optimistic for My Picks when I saw the theme of this week's release at Vintages:  wines rated 90 points or higher.  First, I'm not a fan of scoring systems, which reduce a wine's qualities to a numerical score...and I'm an accountant.  (But perhaps I have a better sense than most of when numbers can be used intelligently.)  Wine is an analog product and isn't suited to a reductive digital evaluation.  That's a discussion for another day.  Second, high scores often mean over-priced wine.

But surprise! surprise! half of My Picks are from the main theme.  And 2 more are from the secondary theme:  Portugal's hotspots.

Organic

UMANI RONCHI MONTIPAGANO 2010, DOC Montepulciano d'Abruzzo (Italy); #134585; Price: $13.95; 13.0% ABV

100% Montepulciano.  Hand harvested.  Fermented in steel tanks for 10 days, followed by Malolactic conversion.  Aged in oak barrels.  Drink it this summer…chill slightly and serve with pizza off the grill.  Best value of the release too!

Off the Beaten Track

White

TRIMBACH RIESLING 2009, AC Alsace (France); #734517; Price: $18.95; 13.0% ABV

100% Riesling.  Extra-dry, the way it should be.  If you haven’t tried extra-dry Riesling from Alsace, here’s a great way to find out what you’ve been missing.  Look for aromas and flavours of white peach, quince, grapefruit and lemon, with lingering minerality.  Goes well with lots of different foods…pork, trout, sushi.

Reds

SEQUILLO CELLARS RED 2009, WO Swartland (South Africa); #277996; Price: $29.95; 14.5% ABV

A Languedoc-style blend of Syrah, Mourvèdre, Grenache, Carignan, and Cinsault.  Cold-soaked for 3 days in concrete and wood vats, followed by fermentation for 3 weeks and an additional maceration for 2 weeks…that’s going to be some dark wine!  Aged 24 months in larger (500- and 600-litre) barrels, 18 of those months on its lees.

MOMMESSIN LES GRIOTTES MORGON 2010, AC Beaujolais (France); #276402; Price: $17.95; 13.0% ABV

100% Gamay.  Hand harvested.  Semi-carbonic fermentation.  Aged in oak.  Excellent summer drinking with damn near anything off the grill.  Also capable of aging.

DI MAJO NORANTE RAMITELLO 2009, DOC Biferno Rosso (Molise, Italy); #973214; Price: $15.95; 13.5% ABV

A blend of Montepulciano (80%) and Aglianico (20%).  Fermented on its skins for 1 month, followed by Malolactic conversion.  Aged in a combination of oak barrels and steel vats, then 6 months in bottle before release.  A wine to tuck away for a few years.

The next four wines are from the Iberian Peninsula, which consistently provides the best values in wines today...along with Italy and Languedoc.  Any of these versatile wines will be delicious with grilled beef or lamb in the summer, or braised dishes in the depth of winter.

CABRIZ RESERVA 2008, DOC Dão (Portugal); #21410; Price: $15.95; 13.7% ABV

A blend of 3 indigenous grape varieties:  Touriga Nacional, Alfrocheiro, and Tinta Roriz (aka Tempranillo).  Aged 9 months in French oak barrels.  

PORCA DE MURÇA RESERVA TINTO 2008, DOC Douro (Portugal); #684753; Price: $16.95; 13.5% ABV

A blend of Touriga Nacional and Touriga Franca.  Fermentation and maceration in stainless steel tanks.  Aged in new French and American oak for 12 months.

COTO DE IMAZ GRAN RESERVA 2001, DOCa Rioja (Spain); #976811; Price: $29.95; 13.5% ABV

100% Tem­pra­ni­llo from Rio­ja Al­ta.  Fermented in stain­less steel vats for 21 days.  Aged in Ame­ri­can- and French-oak casks for 24 months, fo­llo­wed by 36 months in the bottle before release.

LEALTANZA RESERVA 2005, DOCa Rioja (Spain); #276097; Price: $19.95; 13.5% ABV

100% Tempranillo.  Fermented in stainless steel tanks for 15 days, with 10 extra days of maceration, followed by Malolactic conversion in French oak vats.  Aged 18 months in French oak casks (1 or 2 years old), then 3 more months in French oak vats, followed by 15 months in the bottle.

Rosé

DELAS FRÈRES SAINT-ESPRIT ROSÉ 2011, AC Côtes du Rhône (France); #224964; Price: $12.95; 12.5% ABV

A blend of Grenache (40%), Syrah (40%), and Cinsault (20%).  Maceration for 18 hours.  Blended and fermented for 8 days.  Aged in stainless steel.  Filtered.

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Lord Knows, I'm Doing My Bit

The LCBO has released the not yet audited results for its latest fiscal year, which ended March 31.  Sales = $4.71 Billion.  That sounds like a lot but it's "only" $450 for every Ontarian over the age of 18.  We're doing more than our share!  
It turned over profits of $1.63 Billion to the Ontario government, which doesn’t include the HST and excise taxes that the LCBO collects from us.  I shudder to think what our taxes would look like without the LCBO!  Or gambling!  The wages of sin, indeed.

This past year is the 17^th consecutive year that the LCBO has posted record sales.  And the 18^th consecutive year that it has set a new record for money it turns over to the government.  Through lean years and boom years, the LCBO keeps calm and carries on.

There’s some typical corporate self-flattery coming out of LCBO Headquarters, bragging about the strong sales growth shown by Ontario VQA wines and craft beers.  About time, folks.

More puffery here.

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My Picks: Vintages Release ─ May 12 2012

The theme of this week’s release at Vintages is California Legends.  It should come as no surprise that a blog that looks for wines that are Off the Beaten Track™ finds little of interest in a release that focuses on California Cabs and Chards.  The Zins, a variety that I love, are an uninspiring choice this week.

So it’s one of the secondary themes that again merits close attention:  Rosés.  For me, drinking rosé is a summertime thing.  But although we only drink rosé in the summer, we do drink lots of it.  My advice for buying rosés is easy:

1. Drink Youngest Available. Winemakers don’t make rosés for aging. You want the fresh, clean, vibrant flavours that define a good rosé. In 2012, every label of every bottle that you buy should say 2011. Make sure of the vintage before you buy.
2. Drink Driest Available. This is my personal preference, but dry, crisp rosés are best on hot summer days or warm summer evenings. Extra-dry rosés are such versatile wines for summertime food, especially cold dishes or grilled dishes.

On to My Picks...

Off the Beaten Track

  

Whites

CASA MARIN LAUREL VINEYARD SAUVIGNON BLANC 2009, San Antonio Valley (Chile); #274050; Price: $24.95; 13.5% ABV

100% Sauvignon Blanc from a small region just south of Casablanca Valley (see next Pick).  Handpicked.  1-day maceration.  Fermented for 3 weeks.  Look for classic grassy and citrus aromas with minerality on the finish.

ERRAZURIZ WILD FERMENT CHARDONNAY 2010, Casablanca Valley (Chile); #738393; Price: $17.95; 13.5% ABV

100% Chardonnay from due west of Santiago, right by the Pacific Ocean.  The Maritime climate yields a crisp version of Chardonnay.  Handpicked.  What makes this Chardonnay interesting is the use of wild yeasts found in the vineyard.  30% underwent Malolactic conversion.  Aged 12 months in French oak barrels (11% new.)

ROGER et DIDIER RAIMBAULT SANCERRE 2010, AC Sancerre (Loire); #82255; Price: $22.95; 12.5% ABV

100% Sauvignon Blanc.  Fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel vats. Aged on the lees until bottled.  Ideal with white fish.

CASAL DI SERRA 2010, DOC Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico Superiore (Marche, Italy); #268169; Price: $16.95; 13.0% ABV

100% Verdicchio, one of the wonderful indigenous Italian grape varieties.  Handpicked.  Fermented in steel tanks for 10 days, followed by Malolactic conversion.  Left to age on its lees for 10 months in concrete tanks. The winemaker says to look for aromas of straw, chamomile, ripe apricot, pineapple, mint, sage and hazelnut. How neat is that?  Ideal for grilled chicken or fish.  Best value in the release!

Reds

FRANO MILOS PLAVAC 2006, Peljesac Peninsula (Croatia); #261636; Price: $19.95; 13.7% ABV

100% Plavic Mali.  Say what?  Grown in sandy soil, Known for its big tannins and deep colour, the latter it gets from its genetic parent, Zinfandel.  Aged in large Slovenian oak barrels.  Try it with BBQ ribs.

BANFI 2009, DOC Rosso di Montalcino (Tuscany); #681262; Price: $22.95; 14.0% ABV

100% Sangiovese.  Rosso is the second wine of Montalcino, behind Brunello.    Maceration for 7 days.  Aged 10 months in a combination of barriques and larger oak barrels, then 6 months in the bottle before release.  It’s one of my favourites and a great value, although the price inches up every year.  Banfi is one of the best producers.

Rosés

CHÂTEAU LA TOUR DE L'ÉVÊQUE ROSÉ 2011, AC Cotes de Provence (France); #319392; Price: $18.95; 13.5% ABV

A blend of Grenache (34%), Cinsault (21%), Syrah (17%),

Mourvèdre (17%), Cabernet Sauvignon (5%), and “others”…probably white (6%).   Handpicked.  No chemical weed killers, just animal manure and copper and sulphur treatments to control pests and mildew.  Certified organic grapes.

CHÂTEAU D'AQUÉRIA TAVEL ROSÉ 2011, AC Tavel (Southern Rhone); #319368; Price: $18.95; 13.5% ABV

A blend of Grenache (52%), Syrah (12%), Mourvèdre (11%), Clairette (9%), Cinsault (8%), Bourboulenc (6%), and Picpoul (2%).  Handpicked.  Macerated for 24 hours, giving a deep pink hue, then the juice is bled off the skins.  They blend the juice from the varieties two by two, ferment, and then finally blend the different batches.

MUGA ROSÉ 2011, DOCa Rioja (Spain); #603795; Price: $12.95; 12.5% ABV

A blend of Garnacha (60%), Viura (30%) and Tempranillo (10%).  12 hours of maceration. Fermented for 25 days in 1000-litre oak vats, then aged in the same vats for 2 months before being bottling.  One of the best rosés that Vintages brings us.

Extra!  Extra!

GEORGES DUBOEUF DOMAINE MONT CHAVY MORGON 2010, AC Morgon (Beaujolais); #276477; Price: $17.95; 12.8% ABV

100% Gamay from a very good producer in a very good year.

NATURA ROSÉ 2011, Rapel Valley (Chile); #277962; Price: $13.95; 13.5% ABV

A Rosé from Chile’s preeminent organic winery.

MAS DES BRESSADES CUVÉE TRADITION ROSÉ 2011, AC Costières de Nimes (Southern Rhone); #950576; Price: $13.95; 13.5% ABV

It’s typical blend is Grenache (50%), Syrah (30%), and Cinsault (20%).  Made by the Saignée method, by which they bleed the juice off the skins after a short maceration. Fermented in stainless steel.

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The Spanish Way

A few weeks ago, Chateau Latour announced that it was dropping out of the Bordeaux futures (en primeur) system.  Although not unique to that region, the futures system is most closely identified with Bordeaux’s top-rated wines, of which Chateau Latour sits at the pinnacle.

How do Bordeaux futures work?  In the spring following the harvest (i.e., right now), wines are sampled from the barrel and sold to brokers and other intermediaries (like the LCBO and the SAQ).  Wineries don’t necessarily sell all their wine through futures but it’s a way to generate immediate cash flow and market buzz.  The consumer sometimes gets a better price paying early, although (like any commodity) there’s a chance that the price will have gone down when they bottle the wine in a couple of years.  In the last few years, speculators (along with the nouveau riche in East Europe and China) have used this market to drive the price of the very best Bordeaux wines into the stratosphere.

With this year’s vintage, Chateau Latour turned its back on the futures system.  Instead, Latour embraced what I think of as “the Spanish way”.  They will release their wines when Chateau Latour believes they are ready to drink.  So Chateau Latour 2012 might not arrive on the market until 2021-2023.  They’ll keep back their second wine, Les Forts de Latour, for 7 years.  As well as cutting out the speculators (and keeping more profits for the Chateau), one of Chateau Latour’s concerns is that impatient (or unknowing) consumers drink their wines too soon.

I’ve long been a fan of this approach: wineries holding on to their wines until they are ready to drink.  Spanish wineries did this for a long time and many still do.  Although more wines than ever are made to drink early, many finer wines require several years of cellaring before they can be appreciated fully.  Why not take the guesswork (and cellaring) out the consumers hands by holding back the wines until they are ready to drink?  

For the winery, they get a higher share of the margins by cutting out speculators.  For the consumer, they get a superior product that’s been properly stored and is ready to drink.  Win-Win.  It's an approach that works for any wine that needs some time to age, not just those super-expensive Bordeaux.

More wineries should go the Spanish way.

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