Dave's Domaine

Vintages Moves in Mysterious Ways

2012-01-29T12:42:00.000-05:00

One of My Picks from the January 21 release was LIA'S VINEYARD LONGPLAY PINOT NOIR 2008 from Oregon (#267344). It was a no show on the release date but I checked Vintages' online inventory again today and there it is.

Well, kind of. It arrived in small quantities (just 12 cases...how gross). I hope there's more to come or why bother? And those 12 cases are spread across 17 different stores. And which stores? Well, a store in Mississauga gets 2 cases. A store in Bala gets a case. Bala? It's in Muskoka cottage country with a population of "several hundred" according to Wikipedia. Oregon Pinot Noir must be popular in the Muskokas because a store in Dorset (population 400) gets a case. 2 stores in Oshawa each get a case. Plus some to Cobourg and Peterborough. Must have been only one truck available.

Nothing allocated to the GTA. And the closest store to my home base in Ottawa is 90 minutes away in Cornwall.

Now I'm all for equity in allocating wine across Ontario's vast geography but this smacks of reverse discrimination. It smacks of something else too but it's Sunday, so I'll keep that unkind thought to myself.

Subscribing to this blog through RSS or email is easy! Just click on the subscribe link to the left ←

My Picks: Vintages Release ─ January 21 2012

2012-01-18T12:57:00.000-05:00

This week's major theme is "Australia's got style". Yes, it does. The good news is that Vintages goes beyond the obvious (Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon for the reds, Chardonnay for the whites) and features some interesting choices.

Vintages also has a minor theme: 6 lesser-known varietals that deserve your consideration.

I found my own themes in making My Picks this week. You'll find them below.

Nothing organic this week.

Off the Beaten Track

Whites

Theme #1: All of the white wines are good little wines that are a perfect match withlight fish or seafood (oysters!) with a wedge of lemon.

LA CHABLISIENNE SAUVIGNON BLANC2010, AC Saint-Bris (Burgundy, France); #641753; Price: $13.95; 12.5% ABV

100% Sauvignon Blanc. It’s the black sheep of Chablis: even the winemaker’s website is silent aboutthis wine. Why? Well, white Burgundy is Chardonnay, except for this verysmall area just southwest of Chablis, where they grow Sauvignon (Blanc andGris).

SANTA MAGDALENA PINOT GRIGIO 2010;DOC Alto Adige (Italy); #249466; Price: $15.95; 13.5% ABV

100% Pinot Grigio. Up in Alto Adige, near the Austrian border,they make a crisp, citrus, minerally Pinot Grigio. None of that insipid stuff. No oak, of course.

ICAMPI CAMPO VULCANO 2009; DOC Soave Classico (Veneto, Italy);#269969; Price: $19.95; 12.5% ABV

A blend of Garganega (85%)and Trebbiano (15%), grown in volcanic soil, which they say gives the wine itsminerality and flintiness. Nomaceration. Fermentation for 15 days,followed by partial Malolactic fermentation to take the edge off. Aged on its lees for 6 months in stainlesssteel.

Reds

Theme #2: I’m a big fan of the Languedoc/Southern RhoneSGM recipe: blends of Syrah, Grenache,and Mourvèdre…not necessarily in that order and sometimes with a few othervarieties thrown in. This week has quitea few examples. Here are 5, all of whichare ideal for winter comfort dishes such as braised meats and stews.

HEWITSON MISS HARRY 2009, Barossa Valley(Australia);#107870; Price: $23.95; 14.0% ABV

A Languedocian blend of Grenache(50%), Shiraz(40%), Mourvèdre (5%), Cinsault (2.5%), and Carignan (2.5%) from old, old vines(>100 years). Dry grown (noirrigation). Each variety fermentedseparately on their skins. Malolacticfermentation in old French barrels, then aged in these same barrels for 12months. Grill up some lamb chops. Miss Harry is Harriet Hewitson (Daddy’sgirl?). Check out the video.

TORBRECKCUVÉE JUVENILES 2009, Barossa Valley (Australia); #723940; Price:$29.95; 14.5% ABV

A blend of Grenache (60%),Shiraz (20%),and Mourvèdre (20%) from vines that are 40 to 150 years old. Fermented separately, then blended for theMalolactic fermentation. No oakaging. No filtration or fining. This wine is made for a wine bar in Paris, which (ascoincidence would have it) I was reading about just last night.

HECHT& BANNIER 2009, AC St-Chinian (Languedoc,France);#184184; Price: $23.95; 13.5% ABV

A blend of Syrah, Grenache, and Mourvèdre. Aged in acombination of concrete tanks (35%); 600-litre oak demi-muids, 1 and 2 years old (20%); and both 225-litre and 500-litresoak barrels, new and 1 year old (45%). From the winery website: “2009showed a contrasted pluviometry.” Putdown that thesaurus!

DOMAINE DE CABASSE GIGONDAS 2007;AC Gigondas (Southern Rhone, France); #142075; Price:$29.95; 14.5% ABV

A blend of Grenache(80%), Mourvèdre (10%), and Syrah (10%). Maceration and fermentation for 15 days, followed by 6 months inlarge, neutral oak barrels. Great with aProvençal lamb stew. The name “Gigondas”is believed to come from Jucunditas, Latin for“joie de vivre”. Taste the joy.

DOMAINE BEAU MISTRAL SAINTMARTIN RASTEAU 2009, AC Côtes du Rhône-Villages (Southern Rhone, France); #251629;Price: $22.95; 14.5% ABV

A blend of Grenache (45%), Syrah (45%), andMourvèdre (10%) from old vines. Handpicked. Fermentation over several weeks. Partly aged in tanks and partly in oakbarrels for 15 months before blending.

VIÑAHERMINIA RESERVA TINTO 2004, DOCa Rioja (Spain); #236927; Price:$24.95; 14.0% ABV

A blend of Tempranillo (85%), Garnacha (10%), and Graciano (5%). 24 days maceration and fermentation. Aged 18 months in 80% American and 20% Frenchoak barrels, then another 18 months in bottle before release. Traditional Rioja style, which I love. I'm thinking hanger steak.

LIA'S VINEYARD LONGPLAY PINOT NOIR2008, (Chehalem Mountains, Oregon); #267344; Price: $23.95; 13.5% ABV

100% Pinot Noir. 7 days cold maceration. Spontaneous fermentation in stainless steeltank for 9 days. Aged in small Frenchoak barrels (20% new) for 10 months. Lia’s Vineyard is a relatively small producer (even by Oregon standards) that sells most of itscrop to other wineries, keeping a bit aside for its own wine. They claim that “we aren’t big fans ofinterventionist wine making techniques” and that they make “analog wine for adigital world”. I get it. Great label, too. Lia is the owner’s daughter.

ALAMOSMALBEC 2010, Uco Valley(Mendoza, Argentina); #467951, Price:$13.95; 13.5% ABV

100% Malbec from thehigh-altitude Uco Valley. 2 days of cold maceration, fermented for 9days, followed by 2 more days of maceration to pull those tannins out of theskins. Aged for 6 months in French andAmerican oak. Good entry-level Malbec. Ideal with any stew.

LUCALABORDE DOUBLE SELECT SYRAH 2009, Uco Valley (Mendoza, Argentina); #167346; Price:$22.95; 14.5% ABV

100% Syrah from old vines. Hand harvested. Aged 15 months in new (50%) and second-use(50%) French oak barrels. Neitherfiltered nor fined, so decant.

Subscribing to this blog through RSS or email is easy! Just click on the subscribe link to the left ←

50 Days to Love Your Liver

2012-01-10T12:31:00.000-05:00

I’ve never gone in for NewYear’s resolutions. Why wait for NewYear’s Day to start something new? CarpeDiem!

But the media are oftenflooded with ideas for self-improvement this time of the year. And just because I don’t make resolutions atNew Years doesn’t mean that I should ignore a good idea.

This brings me to one ofthe great occupational hazards of being a sommelier. Oh, yes, there are occupational hazards. Some are transitory, like headaches from badwines. (I never get a headache from goodwine, no matter how much I drink. Quality doesn’t hurt.) We battlestained teeth or, even worse, acid eating away at our teeth. And many of us know some unfortunate soul forwhom becoming a sommelier was the gateway to alcoholism.

But the most serious occupationalhazard is liver damage. What to do aboutthat? A year ago, I wrote about MilkThistle and it does seem to work based on my own extensive (but unscientific)personal research.

But since liver damage isoften a slow, long-term process, who really knows whether Milk Thistle really works? What does?

Enter theBritish Liver Trust. They’ve started acampaign, “Love Your Liver”. Aside fromoffering free mobile clinics up and down the

to get your liver tested,they’re also advocating

TAKE 2-3 DAYS IN A ROW OFF ALCOHOL – This will keep your total intakedown and gives your liver time to recover. Providing your liver has no lastingdamage, it can repair itself very quickly [and] can take as little as 24 hrs togo back to normal. Why not try the Love Your Liver Challenge?

Why not, indeed? Yes, it's abstinence but it's not total abstinence. So take a day off. Sommelier or not, a little moderation and TLC for your liver is a goodidea, any day of the year.

Subscribing to this blog through RSS or email is easy! Just click on the subscribe link to the left ←

My Picks: Vintages Release ─ January 7 2012

2012-01-04T11:39:00.000-05:00

HappyNew Year!

Thisweekend, Vintages brings out its annual “cheap wines” release. And after 3 successive pre-Christmas releasesfeaturing expensive wines, it’s a welcomed change.

Becausenot only are the wines are less expensive, but that usually means that they’llfeature wines from lesser-known varieties and obscure regions. All in all, some good choices for My Picks,all but two under $20.

Evenbetter, we have 4 organic wines!

Organic

RUNNINGDUCK FAIRTRADE ORGANIC CHARDONNAY 2010, WO Western Cape (South Africa); #149856; Price: $12.95; 14.0% ABV

100%Chardonnay. Cold-fermented with cultivatedyeast. Aged on its lees in Americanoak. Filtered with bentonite. Certified organic by the Control Union Certifications in The Netherlands: no chemical pesticides,herbicides, fungicides, or fertilizers; only compost and organic materials areused, with indigenous vegetation for mulching. Fair-trade-certifiedby Fair for Life.

Here are 2 wines from the very good2009 vintage in Languedoc-Roussillon. Both are ideal with braised meats.

HECHT & BANNIERSYRAH/GRENACHE/CARIGNAN 2009, AC Languedoc (France); #251587; Price: $15.95; 13.5% ABV

A blend of Syrah, Grenache, and Carignan. Fermented and aged in concrete tanks. No oak. Made with organic grapes, certifiedby Ecocert.

MASDES HUPPES 2009, AC St-Chinian (Languedoc,France); #267930; Price: $16.95; 14.3% ABV

A blend of Grenache, Syrah, Carignan, and Mourvèdre. Fermented and then aged for two years instainless steel tanks. No oak. Certified organic by Ecocert. Fresh and ready to drink.

FATTORIA LA RIPA RISERVA 2007, DOCGChianti Classico (Tuscany, Italy); #984401; Price: $24.95; 13.5% ABV

A “classico” blend ofSangiovese (90%) and Canaiolo (10%), fermented with the out-of-fashion Tuscan governo technique: Once fermented, they add additional juicefrom dried grapes to induce a secondary fermentation and Malolacticfermentation, which should give the wine a softer, smoother mouthfeel. Aged in oak. Certified organic by Bioagricert. Trivia: Antonio Maria di NoldoGherardini, the father of Mona Lisa, owned this estate. Bistecca alla fiorentina!

Off the Beaten Track

Whites

DOMAINEDU CHARDONNAY 2009, AC Chablis (Burgundy,France); #183574;Price: $19.95; 12.5% ABV

100%Chardonnay. Fermentation with culturedyeasts, followed by Malolactic fermentation. Aged in stainless steel. That’show to produce “simple” Chablis: no oakaging. Crisp, fresh minerality, get someoysters!

CHATEAUKSARA BLANC DE L'OBSERVATOIRE 2010, BekaaValley (Lebanon); #641704; Price:$15.95; 12.5% ABV

Aninteresting blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Muscat,and Clairette…the latter 2 varieties found in Languedoc. No Malolactic fermentation, so look for a crisp mouthfeel. Aged for 3 months in French oak casks, thenblended and fined. Chicken shawarma,anyone?

Reds

VIÑAROBLES HUERHUERO RED 4 2008, Paso Robles (California); #261628; Price:$17.95; 14.8% ABV

A blend of Syrah (62%), Petite Sirah (34%), Grenache (2%), andMourvèdre (2%). Aged 16 months inFrench oak barrels, once or twice used. The winemaker recommends pairing it with “from meatloaf to grilledribeye”. Think meat.

MONTES LIMITED SELECTION PINOT NOIR2009, DO Casablanca Valley (Chile); #37937; Price: $14.95; 14.0% ABV

100% Pinot Noir from the Casablanca Valleynear the Pinot-friendly Pacific coast due west of Santiago. Cold maceration. Aged 5 months in new and used French oak.Minimal filtration.

CHAPELHILL BUSH VINE GRENACHE 2008; McLaren Vale (Australia); #262105; Price:$24.95; 15.0% ABV

100% Grenache from vinesplanted in 1926. Old vines = low yields= concentrated flavours. Handharvested. Fermented in open tanks for 10 days. Aged in 2- to 5-year-oldFrench oak barrels. No fining orfiltering, so decant just to be sure. 15%! It’s a meditation wine: I’d drink this one by the fire on its own.

PERRIN & FILS PEYRE BLANCHE2009, AC Cairanne Côtes du Rhône-Villages (France);#650960; Price: $17.95; 14.0% ABV

A blend of Grenache(70-80%) and Syrah (20-30%)...the percentages depend on which Perrin webpageyou go to! Fermented in concrete (forthe Grenache) and oak vats (Syrah). Anew property for one of the big names in the Southern Rhone Valley. Organic farming but not yet certified. Great value. Cairanne should be on its way to AC status. A lamb stew would be a good match.

DOMAINEDE MIGNABERRY 2008, AC Irouléguy (Southwest France);#251611; Price: $18.95; 13.0% ABV

A blend of Tannat (60%),Cabernet Franc (30%), and Cabernet Sauvignon (10%). Macerated for 3 weeks. Aged in oak barrels (20% new) for 12 months. Irouléguy isin Basque country, close to the Spanish border. It’s a wine region brought backfrom the dead.

Honourable Mentions:

A secondary theme of this release is unusual wines from obscure Europeanregions. They’re worth a try if you’rein the mood for something different and affordable (all are less than $20). And 2 of these wines made My Picks,above.

But I couldn’t find outmuch about others. Either the winerydoesn’t have a website (or Mr. Google couldn’t find it) or they just don’t havemuch to say about what goes on in the cellar. But these 3 white wines are worth a quick look if you’re trying to fillyour basket:

DOMAINE NIGRI RÉSERVE DE DOMAINESEC 2008, AC Jurançon (Southwest, France); #255026; Price: $19.95; 13.9% ABV

Some time ago, I wrote about some of the interesting traditional wines coming out of Southwest France. We don’t see them often at Vintages, so here’s a chance to try a white winewith (mainly) the Gros Manseng variety.

Thesenext 2 wines are both ideal regional matches with those winter classics of meltedcheese, fondue and raclette. These winesyou should consume when they're young, so if you want to choose between the 2, go withthe younger Swiss:

JEAN PERRIER & FILS CUVÉERÉSERVÉE 2009, AC Roussette de Savoie (France); #254375; Price: $14.95; 11.8% ABV

100% Altesse,aka Roussette, the perfect match with cheese fondue.

CAVE CIDIS MORGES 2010, AOC La Cote(Switzerland);#123414; Price: $18.95; 13.1% ABV

100%Fendant, aka Chasselas (in France)aka Gutedel (in

Germany

). The perfect match with raclette.

Subscribing to this blog through RSS or email is easy! Just click on the subscribe link to the left ←

My Picks: Vintages Release ─ December 10 2011

2011-12-07T12:12:00.000-05:00

This week’s release, entitled“holiday cheer”, is the third of the Christmas-themed releases going back toearly November. And it’s still 2 weeksuntil Christmas.

It’s generally a disappointingeffort, with way too much Chardonnay on what is a meagre list of whitewines…and more Cabernet Sauvignon than we should have to endure. And the third strike? It’s the prices.

And so, dear readers, just ninewines made the My Picks grade. Noorganics. No white wines!

But what is here is worth a tripdown to Vintages. 7 red wines, 5 ofwhich have Grenache in the blend. Grenache,which thrives in sunny, hot, dry climates (southern France, Spain, Australia) isthe perfect low-tannin wine for slow-cooked winter comfort foods such as stews,braised, and roasted meats (especially game). Ah Grenache, you are a friend indeed.

And 2 sparkling wines. One is a rarely found Brut Nature (no dosage,that sugar-wine syrup that they add to a sparkling wine to increase itssweetness). Makes for a wonderful aperitif.

Well, at least we have the“bargains” of the New Year to look forward to!

Off the Beaten Track

Reds

VIÑA COBOS FELINO MALBEC 2009,Mendoza (Argentina);#118067; Price: $19.95; 14.5%ABV

100% Malbec from 3different vineyards in the arid Mendozahighlands. Fermented with cultivated andnative yeasts in large closed-top stainless steel fermenters. Cold maceration for 3 days, followed byfermentation for 15 days. Malolacticfermentation in oak barrels over 4 months, followed by aging in American andFrench oak barrels (21% new) for 8 months. Big but not over-oaked.

DOMAINECOMELADE LE CASOT ROUGE 2010, AC Côtes du Roussillon-Villages (France); #255000; Price: $17.95; 14.2% ABV

A blend of Syrah, old-vineCarignan, and Grenache. The Syrah and Carignanundergo carbonicmaceration. Fermented in stainless steeland partially aged in oak barrels (new, 2, and 3years old).

LES HAUTS DE CASTELLAS VACQUEYRAS2009, AC Vacqueyras (France);#177634; Price: $19.95; 14.0%ABV

A GSM (Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre)blend. Handharvested. Aged in oak for 12 months.

PIERREAMADIEU DOMAINE GRAND ROMANE CUVÉE PRESTIGE GIGONDAS 2009, AC Gigondas (France);#968693;Price:$27.95; 12.0%ABV

Another GSM blend. Hand harvested. Open-top maceration for the Grenache and Syrah; long carbonic maceration for the Mourvèdre. Blended and then aged in a combination of oakbarrels and in 100 hl oak casks. Unfiltered,so decanting is a good idea.

KATOGI & STROFILIA XINOMAVRO2005, AO Naoussa (Greece);#249615; Price: $17.95; 13.0%ABV

100% Xinomavro, whichtranslates literally as “acid black”. Cold maceration for 7 days. Fermentation and then maceration for 20days. Transferred to oak barrels for Malolacticfermentation, where it’s left on its lees for 2 months, and then aged in the barrelsfor 10 months. Should easily handle afew years more aging.

ARGIOLASCOSTERA 2009, DOC Cannonau di Sardegna (Italy); #99028; Price: $17.95; 13.5% ABV

A blend of Cannonau (whatSardinians call Grenache), Carignano, and Bovale. Seems more Languedocthan

Italy

. Harvested by hand. Fermented for 10 days. Malolacticfermentation in cement glass-lined tanks. Aged in small oak casks for 8 months. Great with roast lamb or pork, as they do in Sardinia.

RAMON BILBAOGRAN RESERVA 2004, DOCa Rioja (Spain);#244715; Price: $29.95; 14.0%ABV

A blend of old vineTempranillo (90%), Graciano (5%), and Garnacha (5%) from Rioja Alta. Hand harvested. Aged for 30 months in American oak casks,then 36 months in the bottle in “complete quietness and darkness”. A classic. A perfect match with lamb.

Sparklings

CARLES ANDREU BRUT NATURE NV, DOCava (Spain);#246686; Price: $15.95; 11.9%ABV

A blend of Macabeo and Parellada from the region that makes Cava,which has become both the name of the wine and the region where they make thesparkling wine. Just like Champagne. Fermentation of the base wine for 10 days. Second fermentation in bottle and left on itslees for 18 months. No dosage, so it’sdry, dry, dry. Refreshing start to anyevening.

ROEDERER ESTATE BRUT SPARKLING NV, Anderson Valley(California);#294181; Price: $28.95; 12.0%ABV

Ablend of Chardonnay (60%) and Pinot Noir (40%). Fermentation in stainless steeltanks. No Malolactic fermentation. Otherwise, it’s the traditional method.

Subscribing to this blog through RSS or email is easy! Just click on the subscribe link to the left ←

Ignoble Rottenness in Bordeaux

2011-11-28T12:50:00.000-05:00

One of myfavourite bloggers, Alder Yarrow (who writes Vinography), wrote a perplexingpost about 10 days ago.

In hispost, The Downside of AOC, Alder tells the tale of a convenience store owner in the Bordeaux regionwho was convicted of selling sugar to “professionals” (i.e., wine producers)without recording the buyer’s names. Inturn, these buyers avoided paying a tax owed on sugar used in a business. (Adding sugar to wine, within specificlimits, is legal in Franceand many other cool climate regions. Sugar converts to alcohol during fermentation. Adding sugar = higher alcohol.)

From thiscase of tax evasion, Alder argues that France’s Appellation Contrôlée regulations “prevent winemakers from making the best wine theythink they can make, or even worse, prevent them from making wine that iscommercially viable in a tough year.”

Well, isn’t that the point of regulationsthat exist to protect the quality and integrity of a wine?

Wine isone of the few products that we consume that is not required to disclose what’sin the package. Reliance on theintegrity and stringency of “quality control” regulations that wine regionsaround the world impose is one of the few guarantees that we consumershave. Appellation Contrôlée is essentially a brand that assures consumersthat what we think we are buying is really what we are getting. And, like every other brand, these regulationsexist to so that the brand is protected. (Here in Ontario,we’re fortunate that the provincial government also tests a bottle of everywine brought into the province.)

If I buya sweet white Bordeaux(like Sauternes or Barsac…expensive, those), I want to know that I can rely onFrench regulations that lay down how that wine can be made. I wouldn’t like the idea that winemakers inSauternes can simply dump as much sugar as they like into the vat to “salvage apoor vintage”. It may be a better wine,sure, but it’s no longer Sauternes, which deservedly commands its premium pricebecauseit’s so difficult to make, and tastes so good. Go ahead andsell it as vin de table but not asSauternes.

So weeither keep the Appellation Contrôlée systemand the (limited) brand protection that it offers.

Or, as Alder seems to suggest, we open up wine-making to no regulation. (Worked well for the financial industry.) But thenlet’s insist on full disclosure of the how and what of wine-making on thelabel. Consumers deserve no less.

Subscribing to this blog through RSS or email is easy! Just click on the subscribe link to the left ←

My Picks: Vintages Release ─ November 26 2011

2011-11-23T11:17:00.000-05:00

Vintages continues its long march towards Christmas with the second of three holiday-themed high-end releases that cover nine weeks, from early November to the new year. Ka-ching.

As usual, a careful review shows that there are good choices that make the cut for My Picks. No surprise but, as usual, it’s Spain and Italy, each with 3 picks, that bring the value. And just to show that I’m not the Grinch, I’ve included a sparkling and a Port for your holidays, as well as an affordable Pinot Noir from Germany for your turkey dinner.

Nothing organic.

Off the Beaten Track

Whites

ULISSE UNICO PECORINO 2010, IGT Terre di Chieti (Italy); #249128; Price: $17.95; 13.0% ABV

There’s Pecorino the cheese...and Pecorino the grape, grown along the Adriatic coast in Abruzzo. Handpicked. Cold maceration for 24 hours, then fermentation in stainless steel tanks. Aged 3 months in stainless steel. No cork, no screwtop…this one has a glass closure. Made for seafood, the raw and the cooked. And why not try it with Pecorino cheese?

GROTTA DEL SOLE FALANGHINA 2009, DOC CAMPI FLEGREI (Campania, Italy); #247940; Price: $15.95; 12.5% ABV

100% Falanghina from the volcanic soil northwest of Napoli. Grown on Vinifera roots. Handpicked. 12-hour cold maceration, then cool fermentation. No oak. Bottled after 6 months in tanks. Great with seafood, as they do in Napoli.

Reds

13TH STREET GAMAY NOIR 2010, VQA Niagara Peninsula; #177824; Price: $19.95; 12.0% ABV

100% Gamay Noir from 3 vineyards, one of which is organic. Handpicked. Cold maceration and fermentation in stainless steel vats. Malolactic fermentation and aging for 8 months in French oak barrels (25% new), then blended. Gamay Noir is greatly underappreciated and one of my favourites, now that the Beaujolais region is back on track. Look for red fruit and earthy aromas. Try it with roast poultry.

ACACIA PINOT NOIR 2007, (Carneros, California); #235960; Price: $29.95; 14.4% ABV

100% Pinot Noir from Carneros, a wonderful cool climate for Pinot Noir in the Napa Valley. Hand-harvested. Cold maceration. 3 weeks fermentation. Aged in oak barrels for 7 months.

MAD FISH SIDEWAYS CABERNET SAUVIGNON/MERLOT 2009, Margaret River (Australia); #247163; Price: $23.95; 14.0% ABV

A Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (53%), Merlot (42%), and Petit Verdot (5%) from the west coast of Australia. Fermented in a mix of open-top and closed fermenters with some extended maceration. Aged in French oak barriques for 15 months. Try it with game.

DOMAINE SERGENT OAK AGED MADIRAN 2008, AC Madiran (France); #251561; Price: $19.95; 14.5% ABV

100% Tannat from southwest France. Big big tannins. Hand harvested. Cold maceration for 5 days. Fermentation for 21 days in stainless steel tanks, followed by Malolactic fermentation in cement tanks. Aged in oak barrels (1/3 new) for 12 months. Fined and filtered. Duck confit is the brilliant regional match.

REICHSRAT VON BUHL PINOT NOIR 2008, QbA Pfalz (Germany); #249649; Price: $19.95; 13.0% ABV

100% Pinot Noir from the Pfalz, the largest wine-producing area (by volume) in Germany. Yes, it’s true. Fermented on its skins for 10 days in sealed stainless steel vats. Malolactic fermentation in a combination of stainless steel and large oak casks. Aged in oak for 10 months. This is the ideal (and affordable) wine for a large turkey dinner at Christmas or, as the winemaker suggests, “simply for a cold winter’s evening in front of the fire”. What’s a Reichsrat, you ask? No, it’s not a Nazi war criminal. The Reichsrat was the upper house in the German legislature during the Weimar Republic. von Buhl was a member of the Reichsrat.

DUCA DI SALAPARUTA PASSO DELLE MULE NERO D'AVOLA 2008, IGT Sicilia (Italy); #250928; Price: $19.95; 13.2% ABV

100% Nero d’Avola. Hand harvested. Maceration for 8 days. Aged 10 months in oak barrels and, after bottling, 6 months in the cellar before release. Great match with stews and roasted game.

BODEGAS BERCEO GONZALO DE BERCEO RESERVA 2005, DOCa Rioja (Spain); #246744; Price: $20.95; 13.5% ABV

A blend of Tempranillo, Graciano, Mazuelo (aka Carignan), and Grenache. Hand picked from 14 vineyards. After maceration, fermentation, and Malolactic fermentation, aged in both French and American oak barrels (for at least a year, according to the Riojan rules) and then 2 years in bottle before release to round out the tannins. Another wine that’s great with winter dishes (stews, braised, or roasted meats, especially game).

MARQUÉS DE CÁCERES GRAN RESERVA 2001, DOCa Rioja (Spain); #976670; Price: $29.95; 13.6% ABV

A blend of Tempranillo (85%), balanced by Graciano and Garnacha. Aged in French oak for 26 months and then 4 years in bottle before release. Wonderful stuff.

Sparkling

SEGURA VIUDAS BRUT RESERVA HEREDAD CAVA, DO Penedes (Spain); #558825; Price: $29.95; 11.5% ABV

A blend of 2 indigenous grapes: Macabeo (67%) and Parellada (33%). They use the traditional method (same as in Champagne) in Penedes (outside Barcelona) for Cava. Dollar for dollar, Cava represents excellent value in sparkling.

Fortified

FONSECA LATE BOTTLED VINTAGE PORT 2005, DOC Douro (Portugal); #87551; Price: $22.95; 20.0% ABV

A wonderful treat at the end of Christmas dinner. Winemakers can use 90 different grape varieties to make a Port wine but usually they use only 6…and they don't disclose which of the 6, as is the case here. They make LBVs from grapes harvested in a single year when winemakers don't make a Vintage (top of the line) port, such as 2005. Aged in wood vats of 50 pipes (27,500 litres) capacity and then bottled after five years. Ready to drink now. Unfiltered, so needs decanting! (As it turns out, this is a no-show.)

Subscribing to this blog through RSS or email is easy! Just click on the subscribe link to the left ←

My Picks: Vintages Release ─ November 12 2011

2011-11-10T12:15:00.000-05:00

I am back, at least from time to time. But what a time to come back.

The theme of this week’s release is “Holiday Magic”. Really? Even Vintages has the gall to start the Christmas season too early. It’s still 6 weeks to go but there Vintages is in this week’s release catalogue, “The festive season is off and running…” Oh no, it’s not. I don’t want to hear “Christmas” or “holiday season” or “festive season” for another couple of weeks, thank you. Prostituting the Christmas season by stretching it out from the day after Halloween dilutes a wonderful experience, like putting water into your Chateau Lafite-Rothschild. Is there no one in the retailing world with any imagination? They can only think to make the Christmas season longer. A pox on all your retail houses!

And so, in their spirit of Christmas, the release is packed full of expensive (over-priced?) bottles. But if you step carefully, you can find some hidden goodies. Here are 8 (yes, I only found 8) bottles that made the cut for My Picks.

Nothing organic.

Off the Beaten Track

White

VINUM AFRICA CHENIN BLANC 2009, WO Western Cape (South Africa); #739995; Price: $14.95; 13.5% ABV
100% Chenin Blanc, South Africa's signature white. Handpicked. 80% fermented in stainless steel tanks, 20% in small oak barrels (a mix of new, one-year, 2-year, 3-year and 4-year barrels). Left on its lees for 12 months, then blended and bottled 2 months later. Look for citrus and floral aromas and good minerality. Great with seafood.

Reds

FLAT ROCK GRAVITY PINOT NOIR 2009, VQA Twenty Mile Bench (Niagara Peninsula); #1560; Price: $29.95; 12.9% ABV
100% Pinot Noir. Handpicked. Whole grapes were gravity fed into open top fermentation tanks and left to macerate for 3 days. Fermented with both wild yeasts and cultured yeasts. After fermentation, the wine was again gravity fed into 100% French oak barrels (30% new). Pinot Noir is a prima donna, so gentle, gravity-fed winemaking treats her as she demands. Unfined. Try it with veal tenderloin in a morel cream sauce.

We’re on the tipping point of the winter season, where red meats that are stewed, roasted, and braised take centre stage. Whether beef or lamb, any of the following wines will serve you well.

MONTES ALPHA SYRAH 2009, Colchagua Valley (Chile); #612; Price: $19.95; 14.5% ABV
A blend of Syrah (90%), Cabernet Sauvignon (7%), and Viognier (3%). Aged in French oak barrels for 12 months. Filtered.

CLAIRAULT CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2007, Margaret River (Australia) #246876; Price: $24.95; 14.5% ABV
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (88%), Merlot (6%), and Petit Verdot (6%). From 6 different sites in the “Mediterranean climate” of the Margaret River region on the west coast of Oz. Fermented in small open vats, macerated for 10 days. Aged in French oak (30% new) for 18 months. You can leave it the cellar for a few years.

E. GUIGAL 2007, AC Gigondas (France); #331900; Price: $29.95; 13.5% ABV
A blend of Grenache (65%), Mourvèdre (25%), and Syrah (5%) from the southern Rhone. Long maceration, aged in French oak barrels (50% new) for 2 years. From Guigal, the King of Rhone.

FERRATON PÈRE & FILS LA MATINIÈRE 2009, AC Crozes-Hermitage (France); #127712; Price: $20.95; 13.0% ABV
100% Syrah from the northern Rhone. Macerated for 20 days. Aged in a combination of oak barrels and vats for 12 months.

PEIQUE RAMON VALLE 2008, DO Bierzo (Spain); #236943; Price: $18.95; 14.5% ABV
100% Mencía from Bierzo in northwest Spain. A variety and region that have come out of nowhere. Handpicked. Cold maceration for 3 days, followed by 6 days of fermentation, then 7 more days of maceration and 5 days of Malolactic fermentation. Aged 7 months in French, Russian, and American oak barrels. Bottled and aged 5 months more before release. For me, this is the pick of the release. You have to try it.

SEÑORÍO DE P. PECIÑA RESERVA 2001, DOCa Rioja (Spain); #82156; Price: $29.95; 13.4% ABV
A blend of Tempranillo (95%), Graciano (3%), and Garnacha (2%). Aged 3 years in oak barrels, then another 2 years after bottling. A real treat, it’s ready to drink now.

Subscribing to this blog through RSS or email is easy! Just click on the subscribe link to the left ←

My Dad

2011-11-09T09:04:00.000-05:00

It's impossible to sum up my father in 500 words but, thanks to the Globe and Mail, I gave it a try here.

Subscribing to this blog through RSS or email is easy! Just click on the subscribe link to the left ←

Hiatus

2011-10-04T19:37:00.000-04:00

Regular readers may be wondering where I’ve gone.

We were on a couple of trips in the month of September. Firstly, off to Prince Edward County. This is the relatively new wine region along the shores of Lake Ontario, roughly halfway between Ottawa and Toronto.

Second, we were on a 2½ week hiking tour through the Greek Islands (the Cyclades group to be specific). Had a great time with super weather and inconsistent wine. Well, we got back from Greece on the evening of the 26th.

Unfortunately, the good feelings from that trip disappeared quickly as my father had another heart attack the next morning and died shortly afterwards. He had such a tough go of things in the last year and his quality of life had really gone downhill. He was a tough fighter, though, and I was amazed that he battled through so many setbacks.

Readers of my bio will know that it was my father who introduced me to the pleasure of wine.

I will devote the next few weeks to dealing with his estate. I already know through friends that settling even a simple estate in Ontario is cumbersome and incredibly bureaucratic.

I’ll be back here eventually.

My Picks: Vintages Release ─ September 3 2011

2011-08-31T12:16:00.002-04:00

As much as the last release was a feast, this one is more of a famine. Maybe because it’s Labour Day weekend and folks will be too busy partying to buy wine? Or perhaps it’s just me. The theme of the release is blends. I found them heavy in the Big Grape Varieties (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Shiraz), which are not my focus.

And sometimes when I did find something interesting, the price pushed them off My Picks list. Just 10 wines made the cut.

Oh well, there are a couple of worthy blended wines from South Africa. (Some readers will have been alarmed, as I was, by the recent report from Human Rights Watch [Ripe with Abuse – Human Rights Conditions in South Africa’s Fruit and Wine Industries]. However, I could find no references to the wineries listed below or to their specific locations. There may be problems with some wine companies in South Africa but that doesn’t mean there are problems with all wine companies in South Africa.)

On the other hand, there are 2 relatively rare (for Ontario) Varietal wines that make an appearance: Alsatian Sylvaner and Austrian Blaufränkisch. Hooray for the letter “A”!

Organic

SAN MICHELE A TORRI 2009, DOCG Chianti Colli Fiorentini (Italy); #900258; Price: $15.00; 12.5% ABV
A blend of Sangiovese (80%), Canaiolo (15%), and Colorino (5%). Hand harvested. Fermented in steel vats with maceration for 15 days. Aged 30% in oak, 70% in concrete. Chianti for $15? Yes! Certified organic by the Consortium for the Control of Organic Products of Italy. Pizza, anyone?

Off the Beaten Track

Whites

STAG'S LEAP WINE CELLARS SAUVIGNON BLANC 2008, Napa Valley (California); #243162; Price: $29.95; 13.5% ABV
A blend of 78% Sauvignon Blanc (78%), Sauvignon Musque – a variation of Sauvignon Blanc – (17%) and Semillon (5%). Aged for 5 months, partially in neutral (4th and 5th use) French oak barrels (63%) and stainless steel tanks (37%). No Malolactic fermentation. Drink now.

MOMO CHARDONNAY 2009, Marlborough (New Zealand); #247247; Price: $18.95; 14.0% ABV
100% Chardonnay from the southern island, a bit of a rarity. Cool climate, my favourite for Chardonnay. Hand harvested. Barrel fermented using wild yeast. Aged in the barrel on its lees for 11 months.

CAVE D'OBERNAI SYLVANER 2009, AC Alsace (France); #223883; Price: $13.95; 12.1% ABV
OK, I can’t tell you much about this particular wine. It’s here for my nostalgia for Alsace and the many years when I lived just across the river from Alsace in the Black Forest. One of my favourite summer sippers: it’s the perfect aperitif: light-bodied, crisp acidity.

Reds

LAMADRID SINGLE VINEYARD RESERVA MALBEC 2008, Mendoza (Argentina); #234492; Price: $15.00; 14.0% ABV
100% Malbec from a single vineyard. Hand harvested. Cold maceration for 7 days, then fermented with indigenous yeast in concrete vats for 22 days. Spontaneous Malolactic fermentation in oak barrels for 30 days. Aged for 12 months in French oak barrels (50% second use, 50% third use). No filtering, no fining, so be sure to decant. A great match for any grilled meat.

A TO Z WINEWORKS CHEMIN DE TERRE 2006, Oregon; #234724; Price: $14.95; 13.0% ABV
A kitchen-sink blend of Merlot (44%), Cabernet Sauvignon (17.5%), Syrah (17.5%), Cabernet Franc (9%), Sangiovese (6%), Grenache (4%), and Pinot Noir (2%). Aged 18 months in French oak and 15 months in bottle before release. I’d match it to roast game.

LAMMERSHOEK ROULETTE 2006, WO Swartland (South Africa); #58164; Price: $23.95; 14.0% ABV
A “Southern Rhone” blend of Syrah (48%), Carignan (25%), Grenache (20%), Mourvèdre (5%), and Viognier (2%). Hand harvested. Separately fermented in open-topped concrete tanks. Malolactic fermentation and aging in older barrels. Blended, then more aging in concrete tanks.

MULLINEUX SYRAH 2008, WO Swartland; #246553; Price: $28.95; 14.0% ABV
100% Syrah from 6 different vineyards. Hand harvested. After 4 days of maceration, fermented with indigenous yeasts for 7 days with further maceration for two weeks. Malolactic fermentation and aging in oak barrels (15% new) for 11 months. Unfiltered and unfined; it’s another candidate for decanting.

REBENFELD BLAUFRÄNKISCH 2007, AC Burgenland (Austria); #218420; Price: $15.95; 13.3% ABV
Blaufränkisch is a grape variety that’s indigenous to Burgenland, in eastern Austria, on the Hungarian border. Known for its high acidity and a spicy character. Couldn’t find much about this one (other than it’s fermented on the skins and undergoes Malolactic fermentation) but it gets a pass, simply because it’s so far off the beaten track. Try it with roast chicken.

TOCCHI 2004, DOCG Sagrantino di Montefalco (Italy); #174664; Price: $19.95; 14.4% ABV
A big wine made from Sagrantino grapes (indigenous to Umbria) that’s admittedly not to everyone’s taste…but I love it. Long maceration to make a dark wine with lots of healthy tannins. Malolactic fermentation. Aged 25 months in oak barrels, then 5 more months in bottle. This one will keep (and get better) for a few more years. A rib-eye steak is what you need with this wine!

Subscribing to this blog through RSS or email is easy! Just click on the subscribe link to the left ←

My Picks: Vintages On-Line Exclusives ─ August 25 2011

2011-08-25T15:07:00.000-04:00

Looks like Vintages On-Line Exclusives is back on a regular basis! It disappeared for 4 months starting last August and then showing up on an irregular basis for the first 6 months of 2011 with mostly expensive offerings. But since mid-June, it’s offered new selections every 2 weeks, alternating with the in-store release.

Never heard of Vintages On-Line Exclusives? You’re not alone. Even LCBO employees don’t know about it, or don’t know how to access it to help a customer. Here’s a little story.

About a month ago, a reader wrote to ask me if I knew where he could find some Tintilia for a very special occasion. (Tintilia is a grape variety that’s native to Molise, a tiny and poor region in southeast Italy. In Sardinia, they call it Bovale Grande.) As he explained to me, “The people at the LCBO couldn't help.” I had written about a Tintilia wine back in January 2010 that was available through Vintages On-Line Exclusives. I checked to see if there might be some still available and, voilà, there it was: the same wine with 88 bottles sitting in the warehouse. (And as I write this, there are still 69 bottles available. Hasn’t anyone heard of markdowns at the Vintages?! It’s been there for 17 months!)

So the lesson, dear reader, is when you’re looking for something a little bit different, not available at the store, check out Vintages On-Line Exclusives. You can order online or by calling Vintages at 1-800-266-4764. They will deliver to any LCBO outlet.

BTW, emails and comments are always welcomed!

Now, here are 2 selections from this week’s on-line release, with 3 more from earlier releases.

From this week:

R. LÓPEZ DE HEREDIA VIÑA CUBILLO CRIANZA 2005, DOC Rioja (Spain); #692780; 12% ABV; $25
A blend of Tempranillo (65%), Garnacha (25%), Mazuelo and Graciano (10%). Aged 3 years in American oak barrels, fined with egg whites but unfiltered. López de Heredia makes wine the time-honoured Riojan way, with long aging in American oak. Soft tannins with lots of secondary (from the oak) and tertiary (from aging) aromas, in addition to the fruit. Not to everyone’s taste but I love it.

MONTIRIUS LE CLOS 2006, AC Vacqueyras (France); #76547; 14% ABV; $28
An equal blend of Grenache and Syrah. No oak! Certified organic by ECOCERT and Biodynamic by Biodyvin.

From earlier releases:

MESH RIESLING 2008, Eden Valley (Australia); #627877; 12% ABV; $27.95
It’s Australian Riesling, OK? Great stuff. And a joint venture between 2 Riesling specialists: one from Yalumba and one from Clare Valley. They picked the grapes from alternate rows from 2 different vineyards, vinified them separately, then blended the finished products to get to a single wine. What a mesh! The winemakers say it’s suitable for vegans, which is reason enough to drink.

And now, the Schiopetto twins:

SCHIOPETTO PINOT GRIGIO 2008, DOC Collio (Italy); #234757; 14% ABV; $29.95
100% Pinot Grigio. Hand harvested. Fermented 10 days in stainless steel tanks. Aged on its lees there too for 8 months. Try it with seafood.

SCHIOPETTO FRIULANO 2008, DOC Collio (Italy); #93526; 14% ABV; $29.95
100% Friulano. Hand harvested. Fermented for 10 days in stainless steel tanks. Aged on its lees for 8 months. Don’t know Friulano? It’s indigenous to northeast Italy and worth trying! Known for its tree fruit, floral and almond aromas. Great as an aperitif.

Subscribing to this blog through RSS or email is easy! Just click on the subscribe link to the left ←

My Picks: Vintages Release ─ August 20 2011

2011-08-18T08:30:00.006-04:00

Number 250!

It’s Christmas in August! The main theme of the release features wines from one of my favourite regions: Languedoc-Roussillon. Half of My Picks come from there. If you don’t know the wines of Languedoc-Roussillon, it's a great chance to introduce them to your table. Known for aromas of black fruit, spices and, most distinctly, “Garrigue”, which is imparted by the wild herbs (think thyme and rosemary) that grow throughout the regional scrubland. Very food friendly and ideal with grilled meats, especially lamb. Lots of different blends available and there’s a single Varietal Carignan to check out.

Plus there’s a Chinon (Cabernet Franc from the Loire Valley) and a Pinot Noir from the Mornington Peninsula. Ozsome.

And 3 interesting organic wines.

Organic & Biodynamic

AMPELOS GAMMA SYRAH 2006, Santa Rita Hills (California); #239459; Price: $27.95; 14.3% ABV
100% Syrah from Santa Barbara (Sideways country). Cold-soaked for 3 days in open-top fermenters, then (surprisingly for a Biodynamic producer) inoculated with yeasts. After 12 days’ fermentation, transferred into oak barrels for Malolactic fermentation. Aged in 35% new oak (a combination of 100% French oak barrels and hybrid barrels that have American oak staves and French oak heads) and 70% in neutral oak (barrels used more than 3 times). Unfined and unfiltered, so decanting is a good idea. Certified Biodynamic by Demeter, certified organic by USDA, and certified “Sustainability in Practice” by the Central Coast Vineyard Team.

Here's one of the Languedoc wines:

HEGARTY CHAMANS NO. 1 SYRAH/CARIGNAN 2005, AC Minervois (France); #250605; Price: $24.95; 13.5% ABV
A blend of Syrah (60%) and Carignan (40%). Hand harvested. Fermented with indigenous yeasts. They fermented the Carignan and 25% of the Syrah at a cool temperature (which takes longer) and they fermented the remainder of the Syrah for 6 weeks in concrete tanks. Aged 16 months in new French oak and another 18 months on its lees in tanks. Unfined. The winemaker’s symbol is a black sheep. As they say, “We may not please everyone, but hopefully we can reward the adventurous.” Be adventurous! (They've had organic certification since 2007 and Biodynamic certification with the 2010 vintage. This wine predates that but they were following organic and Biodynamic principles back then as well.) As for a food match, I'm game for anything.

PARÉS BALTÀ MAS ELENA 2007, DOC Penedes (Spain); #687236; Price: $17.95; 13.5% ABV
There’s more to Penedes than Torres! A non-indigenous blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc made by the two women oenologists: Marta Casas and María Elena Jimenez. Separate maceration and fermentation of the three varieties. Malolactic fermentation with indigenous yeasts. Aged 8 months in French oak barrels, then blended. No herbicides, pesticides or any chemical fertilizer. The sheep do the fertilizing in the off-season. Certified organic by CCPAE (Consell Català de la Producció Agrària Ecológica). Why not try it with a grilled ribeye? The sheep have contributed enough to the effort.

Off the Beaten Track

White

JEANJEAN ORMARINE 2010, AOC Picpoul de Pinet (Languedoc); #525287; Price: $12.95; 12.5% ABV
100% Picpoul, the wonderfully fresh, acidic white wine from the shores of the Mediterranean. A great aperitif, but it’s amazing with raw oysters…or damn near anything else from the sea!

Red

STONIER PINOT NOIR 2009, Mornington Peninsula (Australia); #25338; Price: $24.95; 13.0% ABV
From the cool climate just south of Melbourne, where they do amazing stuff with Pinot Noir. Fermented in both small open fermenters and larger closed fermenters, with 5% carbonic maceration. Malolactic fermentation, then aging for 10 months, in French oak (10% new).

DOMAINE BERNARD BAUDRY CHINON 2009, AC Chinon (France); #940783; Price: $19.95; 12.0% ABV
100% Cabernet Franc from the Loire Valley. Very underappreciated, thanks to the big US critics, who don't much like Cabernet Franc. Hand harvested. Fermented in concrete vats. Aged in neutral oak vats for 12 months. A good price too! Great with roast chicken and veggies.

CHÂTEAU DE FLAUGERGUES CUVÉE SOMMELIÈRE 2007, AC Coteaux de Languedoc (France); #65896; Price: $17.95; 13.8% ABV
A classic blend of Grenache noir (50%), Syrah (30%), and Mourvèdre (20%) from vineyards right in Montpellier. Fermented for 4 weeks. Aged in tanks for 9 months. Lamb (grilled, roasted, or braised) is the classic match. The producer says it’s a “red for laying down”. Interpret that as you will.

CHATEAU DE L'ILLE CUVÉE ANGÉLIQUE 2008, AC Corbières (France); #237578; Price: $15.95; 13.7% ABV
A blend of Syrah (60%) and Grenache noir (40%). Maceration for 15 days. They aged some of the Grenache in oak for 8 months before blending. Try it with grilled merguez.

DOMAINE DE BILA-HAUT OCCULTUM LAPIDEM 2008, AC Cotes du Roussillon-Villages (France); #643239; Price: $21.95; 12.0% ABV
A blend of Syrah, Grenache, and Carignan, my favourite blend from the south of France. (Carignan brings tannin and minerality to complement the fruit and spice of Syrah and Grenache.) Hand-harvested. Maceration of 4 weeks. Half aged concrete vats, half in oak casks. You can’t go wrong with grilled lamb.

L'ARGENTIER VIEILLES VIGNES DE CARIGNAN 2007, Vin de Pays du Gard (France); #250712; Price: $19.95; 14.0% ABV
100% Carignan from vines planted in 1935. Carignan is a traditional grape variety in Languedoc, much of it ripped out in the previous decades in a misguided marketing approach. Hand harvested. Fermented in concrete vats, then aged in those vats for 18 months. No oak. If you like your tannins, this one’s for you. Try it with duck confit.

Rosé

MONCIGALE MINÉRAL ROSÉ 2010, AC Bandol (France); #226670; Price: $18.95; 13.5% ABV
Get a buzz with mon cigale. A blend of Mourvèdre, Grenache, and Cinsault. With that name, there’s got to be some minerality. Bouillabaisse!

ARGIOLAS SERRA LORI ROSÉ 2010, IGT Isola dei Nuraghi (Sardinia); #224931; Price: $13.95; 13.0% ABV
A blend of Cannonau (aka Grenache), Monica, Carignano, Bovale Sardo. Hand-harvested. Partial carbonic maceration and traditional maceration for just 3 hours for a touch of colour. Fermented for 4 weeks. It’s from an island, so match it with anything grilled from the sea. I have a craving for sardines.

Subscribing to this blog through RSS or email is easy! Just click on the subscribe link to the left ←

My Picks: Vintages Release ─ August 6 2011

2011-08-03T11:56:00.004-04:00

There’s a lot of choice in this weekend’s release from Vintages. The main theme is Chile, and I found 3 for My Picks.

There are also 5 wines from British Columbia and although none of them made my final list, I encourage you to take a close look. Anything we can do to encourage bringing BC wines into Ontario (and vice versa) helps convince our lawmakers that it’s time to break down those antiquated interprovincial trade barriers.

Don't miss the Beaujolais!

Organic

EMILIANA ADOBE RESERVA SYRAH 2009, Rapel Valley (Chile); #213553; Price: $12.95; 14.0% ABV
100% Syrah from the Rapel Valley, a Mediterranean climate (good for Syrah) that sits at the midpoint of Chile’s winegrowing regions. 20% aged in French oak for 6 months. Try it with some grilled lamb chops.

Off the Beaten Track

White

Try either one of these first 2 wines with grilled chicken:

CRIOS DE SUSANA BALBO TORRONTÉS 2010, Salta (Argentina); #1834; Price: $11.95; 13.5% ABV
If you like Viognier, try Torrontés. This one is from way up in Salta (northern Argentina). Loved the 2008. Another wine to drink young. Susana Balbo is the most known female enologist in Argentina.

Of course, if you really like Viognier…

ANAKENA LILÉN SINGLE VINEYARD VIOGNIER 2010, DO Requinoa (Chile); #45138; Price: $13.95; 13.7% ABV
100% Viognier from a district within the Rapel Valley. 45% barrel-fermented in French oak. 25% aged in French oak barrels for 4 months.

Now here’s something I find interesting. Two Chardonnays(!) from the same winemaker…one Old World from Chablis and one New World from Chile. Compare and contrast.

WILLIAM FÈVRE CHILE GRAN CUVÉE CHARDONNAY 2009, Maipo Valley (Chile); #45146; Price: $16.95; 13.9% ABV
100% Chardonnay from a single vineyard in the Maipo Valley; the vineyard is almost 1000 meters above sea level. Fèvre imported this chardonnay clone from their Chablis vineyard 20 years ago. 10% fermented in French oak barrels, the rest in 6,ooo-litre stainless steel tanks. Aged on its lees for 10 months, then filtered.

WILLIAM FÈVRE 2008, AC CHABLIS 1ER CRU (France); #169805; Price: $29.95; 12.0% ABV
100% Chardonnay, likely a blend from the 8 Premier Cru vineyards that Fèvre has. Hand harvested. Gravity-fed separation of juice from skins. 50% aged in French oak for 10 months, the rest in stainless steel. Try it with grilled fish or chicken.

CIÙ CIÙ LA MERLETTAIE PECORINO 2009, DOP Offida (Marche, Italy); #245670; Price: $16.95; 13.5% ABV
100% Pecorino. That’s right, just like the sheep that make the cheese. Hand harvested. Barrel-fermented. Aged 6 months in oak, then 3 months in bottle. Known for its minerality, it’s one of those indigenous Italian varieties brought back from near extinction. A rarity in these parts. La Merlettaie are “the lacemakers”. Drink it with…pecorino cheese!

TERUZZI & PUTHOD 2010, DOCG Vernaccia Di San Gimignano (Italy); #735373; Price: $15.95; 12.5% ABV
100% Vernaccia Di San Gimignano, the Manhattan of Tuscany. Fermented in stainless steel with cultured yeasts. Vernaccia Di San Gimignano was the first Italian white to win DOC status, and I can remember when Parker said it was the sole Italian white worth drinking. That’s changed, but it’s still worth checking what the fuss is about. Known for its minerality and its bitter almond finish. A great aperitif.

ABAD DOM BUENO GODELLO 2009, DO Bierzo (Spain); #154302; Price: $15.95; 13.0% ABV
Godello (aka Verdelho) is a grape variety indigenous to northwestern Spain. Maceration for 48 hours, followed by fermentation for seven days. Aged 8 months in stainless steel. No oak!

Red

CONCHA Y TORO TERRUNYO BLOCK 27 CARMENÈRE 2007, DO Peumo (Rapel Valley, Chile); #562892; Price: $29.95; 14.5% ABV
A blend of Carmenère (85%), Cabernet Sauvignon (12%), Petit Verdot (2%) and Cabernet Franc (1%). Hand harvested. Aged in French oak (80% new, 20% one-year-old) for 18 months. Bring on the ribs!

JEAN-PAUL BRUN TERRES DORÉES 2009, AC Côte de Brouilly (France); #235127; Price: $18.95; 12.0% ABV
100% Gamay. Jean-Paul Brun is a throwback who makes Beaujolais the old-fashioned way. He uses indigenous yeasts, not the cultured yeasts that turn Beaujolais into a candyfloss and banana horror. Lower alcohol, lower sulphur dioxide, minimal chaptalisation or filtration. Brun is famous among traditionalists. 2009 is a great year for Beaujolais. Find out why.

TERREDORA LACRYMA CHRISTI DEL VESUVIO ROSSO 2008, DOC Vesuvio (Italy); #93088; Price: $18.95; 13.0% ABV
100% Piedirosso, from the largest producer in Campania. 6 days maceration. Aged 8 months in French oak. It ain’t your father’s Lacryma Christi!

Rosé

CHÂTEAU LES BERTRANDS 2010, AC Bordeaux Clairet (France); #224972; Price: $12.95; 12.5% ABV
A blend of Merlot (70%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (30%). Made using the Saignée method (bleeding the juice after 24 hours of maceration; the rest of the juice goes on to make red wine). After bleeding, it's fermented in stainless steel, then aged on its lees for 3 months. Great with grilled shrimp.

Subscribing to this blog through RSS or email is easy! Just click on the subscribe link to the left ←

But Now I See

2011-07-26T12:49:00.001-04:00

Is there anything that impresses a wine drinker about a sommelier more than does the blind tasting, when a sommelier successfully guesses what the wine is without seeing the bottle? (Providing that the wine drinker knows what a sommelier is. A friend of my mother thought that I had become a citizen of Somalia.)

Blind tastings are one of the rites of passage for any sommelier. Our program at Algonquin had no less than 10 and as many as 15 blind tastings in every class. And six blind tastings on every exam, when it really counted. After a while, either you became adept at blind tastings or they relegated you to Cs or Ds.

But if you want to see just how challenging a blind tasting can be, head over to the Wine Align site to catch their new video series, “So, You Think You Know Wine?”. In each episode, four of Toronto’s most respected (or prolific) wine reviewers put their reputations on the line in 4-minute blind tastings. It’s schadenfrohen fun to see these top-notch reviewers struggle and rationalise their way towards – or away from – guessing what the wine is. It’s a great way to learn how a wine is analysed. Some episodes reinforce one of the basic tips that our profs gave us: your first instinct is usually right.

One suggestion for improvement: bring back Sara d’Amato, who brings a different, and welcomed, perspective than does having 3 middle-aged guys...like me.

Subscribing to this blog through RSS or email is easy! Just click on the subscribe link to the left ←

My Picks: Vintages Release ─ July 23 2011

2011-07-20T16:13:00.000-04:00

This week’s major theme at Vintages is the signature grape varieties of Italy. For a new wine fan, understanding Italy can be a challenge. Full of indigenous varieties, many of which aren’t grown anywhere else. But that’s the fun! So much new stuff to try. And every year there seem to be more new varieties that Italy is exporting. Maybe confusing...but rewarding. I found 3 of the 22 featured wines worth recommending, all of them whites. I remember an old wine book from the 1990s that stated that Italy made no good white wines. Ah, how that has changed!

The minor theme is cool climate Chardonnay. Regular readers know that I don’t recommend too many Chardonnays…unless they happens to come from a lesser-known region. And that’s the case with the one that I’ve picked from Tasmania. Devilishly good.

But (surprise) I found another cool climate Chardonnay worth your consideration. Strangely, Vintages’ blurb about cool climate Chardonnays does not include one of the wine world’s most famous (but lately overlooked) cool climate regions – Chablis – even though they have a very good Chablis in the release. I’m sure there’s an explanation…

Organic & Biodynamic

LA CAPPUCCINA 2010, DOC Soave (Italy); #81489; Price: $13.95; 13.0% ABV
100% Garganega. Macerated on the skins, then fermented, followed by aging on its lees (spent yeast) for six months in stainless steel tanks. Organic since 1985. Many of us still think of Soave as an insipid wine (the Pinot Grigio of an earlier generation), but a good Soave is ideal as a refreshing aperitif or with antipasti.

CHÂTEAU LA GROLET 2009, AC Cotes de Bourg (France); #126615; Price: $17.95; 12.7% ABV
A blend of Merlot (70%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (30%). Hand harvested. No chaptalisation. Fermented with natural yeasts. No fining. Certified both organic (ECOCERT) and Biodynamic (Demeter).

Off the Beaten Track

Whites

JOSEF CHROMY CHARDONNAY 2009, Tasmania; #162982; Price: $29.95; 13.0% ABV
100% Chardonnay from northern Tasmania. Hand harvested. Barrel fermented in French barriques (one third new, the rest 1 and 2 years old). Aged 12 months in oak, then 12 months in bottle.

LOIMER TROCKEN GRÜNER VELTLINER 2009, DAC Kamptal (Austria); #142240; Price: $18.95; 13.0% ABV
100% Grüner Veltliner, the signature white Varietal of Austria. Hand harvested. Short maceration. Fermented in steel tanks. Aged on its lees for 4 months. Fresh, great acidity...makes a wonderful aperitif and is perfect with grilled trout.

LA CHABLISIENNE FOURCHAUME 2008, AC Chablis 1er Cru (France); #656835; Price: $28.95; 13.0% ABV
100% Chardonnay…but what a Chardonnay! Fermentation, Malolactic fermentation, and aging on its lees for 15 months all takes place in a combination of tanks and small barrels. From one of the biggest and best wine co-ops in the world, with over 300 growers. The winemaker describes the wine as “feminine and floral”. Please, please, please let it age until at least 2014! It’s worth the wait as the citrus and buttery aromas mature yet the wonderful minerality will still be there.

TERREDORA LOGGIA DELLA SERRA 2009, DOCG Greco di Tufo (Italy); #983197; Price: $17.95; 13.0% ABV
100% Greco. Fermented using cultured yeasts, then aged on its lees in stainless steel. No oak. Another great summer sipper, and will match well with grilled fish or chicken.

MARCO FELLUGA MONGRIS PINOT GRIGIO 2009, DOC Collio (Italy); #230623; Price: $22.95; 13.2% ABV
$23 for Pinot Grigio?! Well yes, when it’s from Friuli in the northeast of Italy. An ideal climate to produce great minerally, pleasantly bitter white wine: tucked in between the Adriatic and the Alps with warm sunny days and cool nights. Cold maceration on the skins with fermentation in stainless steel tanks. Aged on its lees for several months. Try it with grilled tilapia.

Reds

TABALÍ RESERVA ESPECIAL SYRAH 2008, Limari Valley (Chile); #213538; Price: $19.95; 14.5% ABV
100% Syrah from the Limari Valley, way up north (hot) but only 29 km from the Pacific coast (cool). Sounds ideal for Syrah! Hand harvested. Cold maceration for 8 days. Fermentation in stainless steel tanks, with a further maceration afterwards. Aged 12 months in 100% French oak barrels (70% new, 30% second use).

HENRY FESSY 2009, AC Moulin-â-Vent (France); #233924; Price: $21.95; 13.5% ABV
100% Gamay. Hand harvested. Unlike much of ordinary Beaujolais, this cru Beaujolais (Moulin-â-Vent is one of 10 cru) does not use carbonic maceration, where they ferment whole bunches of grapes in closed vats. Instead, they use standard red winemaking techniques, including a short maceration. But no oak. You may want to save this for an autumn meal with roast game and mushrooms, or with Thanksgiving turkey. Or if you can’t wait, try it chilled with beer-can chicken. Don't miss this 2009 Beaujolais!

CHÀTEAU DE NAGES JT 2007, AC Costières de Nîmes (France); #736876; Price: $20.95; 14.5% ABV
A blend of Syrah (95%) and Mourvèdre (5%). Hand harvested. Pre-fermentation maceration for 3 days, then fermentation, followed by further maceration for 30 days. Blending, then aging in French oak barrels (1/3 new, 1/3 first use, 1/3 second use) for 12 months. Bottled without filtration. JT stands for José Torrès, founder of the vineyard, located in south-west Rhone, just on the border with Languedoc. Definitely a wine to put away for a winter stew. Great year!

Rosés

DOMAINE MABY LA FORCADIÈRE TAVEL ROSÉ 2010, AC Tavel (France); #701318; Price: $16.95; 13.5% ABV
A blend of Grenache Noir (70%), Cinsault (10%), Grenache Blanc (10%), with Bourboulenc, Carignan, Clairette, and Mourvèdre (a combined 10%). Short maceration of one day for a typically Coho pink colour. Fermented and aged briefly in stainless steel. A classic. I agree with Vintages: A great match for gourmet sausages, grilled pork chops or barbecued chicken legs.

BARON DE LEY ROSADO 2010, DOCa Rioja (Spain); #117283; Price: $13.95; 13.0% ABV
100% Tempranillo from Rioja Baja. Hand harvested. The juice fermented in contact with the skins for about 8 hours, using the Saignée method. No oak.

Subscribing to this blog through RSS or email is easy! Just click on the subscribe link to the left ←

My Picks: Vintages Release ─ July 9 2011

2011-07-06T16:16:00.000-04:00

This week’s release is interesting for a few things. Sure, there’s the theme: wines rated 90+, which features 28 wines that some reviewer somewhere rated 90 or above. It would be even more interesting to show what each reviewer thought of each wine. Bet there’d be some disagreements!

I encourage you to look beyond the scores for varietals or regions that you haven’t tried lately…or ever. To my surprise, I found 8 of My Picks among those top scoring wines. Goodies like Morgon (a cru Beaujolais), varietals that I've never heard of from Puglia and the Basque region, 2 Biodynamic wines, and a couple of New World Syrahs. The other 4 are equally worthy of your consideration.

The rosés are disappointing this week, including a Bandol that comes in at 14.7% ABV! Try drinking that one out on the sunny patio; you’ll be gibbering in no time.

Biodynamic

COOPER MOUNTAIN RESERVE PINOT NOIR 2008, Willamette Valley (Oregon); #510750; Price: $29.95; 13.5% ABV
100% Pinot Noir, blended from 2 different vineyards. Fermented in stainless steel, aged in French oak (5% new). Certified Biodynamic by Demeter. Classic match: grilled salmon on a cedar plank.

DOMAINE DUSEIGNEUR ANTARÈS 2007, AC Lirac (France); #213082; Price: $19.95; 14.0% ABV
This wine has a lot going for it. A blend of Grenache (at least 40%), Syrah and Mourvèdre, each vinified separately with natural yeasts after 3 to 4 weeks of maceration in concrete tanks. No oak aging. No fining or filtration. Certified Biodynamic. And it’s from 2007, a wonderful year in southern Rhone! I’m going to try it with grilled lamb chops.

Off the Beaten Track

Whites

R DE RIEUSSEC SEC 2007, AC Bordeaux (France); #100891; Price: $22.00; 13.0% ABV
A blend of Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc. Rieussec, owned by Lafite-Rothschild, is better known for its Sauternes but they make this wine from grapes that remain unaffected by botrytis. 20% barrel-fermented. Try it with some grilled lemon chicken.

FERRATON PÈRE & FILS LA MATINIÈRE 2009, AC Crozes-Hermitage Blanc (France); #127720; Price: $19.95; 12.8% ABV
100% Marsanne. Fermentation in stainless steel. Aged 10 months on its lees. Marsanne typically has floral and almond aromas, with peach flavours. You don’t know about white wines from Northern Rhone? Here’s a great (and affordable) chance to try one!

LEONE DE CASTRIS MESSAPIA VERDECA 2009, IGT Salento (Puglia); #221879; Price: $14.95; 13.0% ABV
100% Verdeca. Verdeca? It’s an indigenous grape traditionally used to make vermouth. But it’s another example of an under-respected grape that’s showing good potential. The winemaker touts its floral nose, with citrus and tropical flavours. Fermented and aged on the lees for 3 months in stainless steel. Drink this summer with grilled seafood.

GURRUTXAGA TXAKOLI 2009, DO Bizkaiko Txakolina (Spain); #240333; Price: $18.95; 10.5% ABV
A blend of Hondarribi Zuri (60%), Mune Mahatsa (20%), and Txori Mahatsa (20%) – No, I’ve never heard of them. All indigenous grapes grown in the Basque Bizcaya region (known as Biscay in France) near the Atlantic Ocean. I must try it! Fermented in stainless steel. Usually fizzy…think Vinho Verde. Known for its minerality. Drink now as an aperitif or with light seafood. Clams, anyone?

Reds

Compare and contrast: here are 2 New World Syrahs, one from a Mediterranean climate, the other from a Maritime climate. Which Syrah do you prefer?

CONCHA Y TORO MARQUÉS DE CASA CONCHA SYRAH 2008, Maipo Valley (Chile); #19042; Price: $19.95; 14.5% ABV
A blend of Syrah (96%) and Carmenère (4%). Hand picked. Aged 18 months in French oak. From the southern Maipo Valley, more famous for its Cabernet Sauvignon, but with an arid Mediterranean climate (just like the Rhone Valley), growing Syrah there makes a lot of sense.

LOMOND SYRAH 2008, WO Cape Agulhas (South Africa); #146464; Price: $19.95; 14.0% ABV
Grown just 8 km from the ocean in a cooler Maritime climate that yields a different expression of Syrah than does the one listed just above. Handpicked and hand-sorted. Fermented in stainless steel tanks for seven days, with 3 more days of maceration. Malolactic fermentation. Aged 12 months in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd use French oak barrels. Gelatine fining and filtration.

DOMINIQUE PIRON LES PIERRES MORGON 2009, AC Morgon (France); #231969; Price: $22.95; 13.0% ABV
100% Gamay Noir, a blend of 2 vineyards in the Morgon cru of Beaujolais. Manual harvest. 50% aged in a neutral (>3 years old) foudre for just a touch of oak. Morgon wines can age for considerable time (compared to other Beaujolais), even up to a decade in an excellent year such as 2009. Or just drink it now with some grilled merguez. For me, with the little cru Beaujolais that shows up at Vintages, this is the pick of the release.

JEAN-MAURICE RAFFAULT LES GALUCHES CHINON 2009, AC Chinon (France); #244798; Price: $16.95; 12.5% ABV
100% Cabernet Franc. No chemical fertilizers or herbicides. Maceration for 15 days. Aged in neutral oak casks (more than 10 years old) for 18 months. Fining with egg whites but no filtration. Another region whose reds need more representation at Vintages.

RAMOS PINTO DUAS QUINTAS RESERVA 2007, DOC Douro (Portugal); #951301; Price: $21.95; 12.0% ABV (?)
A blend of Touriga Nacional (70%), Touriga Franca (25%), and Tinta Barroca (5%). Hand harvested from 2 different vineyards. Fermented in granite troughs and small stainless steel vats (a true mix of the old and the new of Douro). Malolactic fermentation in new and one-year-old barrels and hogshead casks (6,200-litre capacity), both French oak. Aged for 20 months. Fined with egg albumin. I’d put this down for a few years (2016?) to let the oakyness integrate into the wine. The winery website says the ABV is 15% but the LCBO says 12%. That’s a huge discrepancy, so there must be a misprint somewhere!

PLÉYADES RESERVA 2005, DO Cariñena (Spain); #214163; Price: $12.95; 13.5% ABV
A blend of Mazuelo (75%, aka Carignan), Garnacha (15%), and Syrah (10%). Fermented for 1 week, then maceration for 10 more days. Aged 12 months in American oak. From a woman winemaker (Ana Becoechea) working in a cooperative in northwestern Spain. A good match with any grilled meats, such as lamb or beef.

Subscribing to this blog through RSS or email is easy! Just click on the subscribe link to the left ←

More More More

2011-06-29T12:26:00.001-04:00

Thanks to Decanter, I recently came across Vinopic, an online UK wine retailer and its Intrinsic Quotient for rating red wines.

What’s the Intrinsic Quotient? Developed by Roger Corder, it rewards wines with “healthy” grape tannins - as opposed to wines made from over-ripe grapes or an over-reliance on oak - and penalises wines with high levels of alcohol, sulphites, and sugars.

Tannins come from polyphenols, especially procyanidins (anti-oxidants that many credit with protecting against various illnesses, especially heart disease), so they’re a good thing. Vinopic also argues that, “polyphenol-rich wines generally taste better, complement food, and have much greater potential to evolve.”

What are some of the wines that have high Intrinsic Quotients? Think of (mostly) Old World wines with tannins and you’ll have it figured out:

Sagrantino di Montefalco
Chianti
Aglianico
Madiran
Cahors
Tempranillo

I’d bet that wines made from Mourvèdre and Pinotage could make the list as well.

Of course, scoring wines on “good” things like polyphenols, or “bad” things such as alcohol, sulphites, and sugar requires a sophisticated and reliable laboratory.

That immediately makes me think of the LCBO and its Quality Assurance department. Every single product that the LCBO sells is tested; the QA department conducts more than 400,000 laboratory tests and tastes more than 5,000 products each year. Learn more through this short video.

The LCBO collects this information on the “good” and the “bad” about the wines they sell. So why not share it with the consumer?

Yes, they do share some of it now through the online Product Search. Each wine has a “sugar content” rating. They disclose the alcohol content. I’ve even seen sulphite levels disclosed when they’re particularly low. Why not share all the information about all the wines? Other things like Total Acidity, Volatile Acidity, pH, Residual Sugar, Tartrates, Proteins, and Minerals. How about evidence of colouring agents like Mega Purple? Acidification? Chaptalisation? Or pesticide residues and other contaminants?

Maybe, in a few years, all of us aging baby boomers will buy wine based on their polyphenols. But we’d all like to know what we’re buying.

Wine is one of the few foods that producers don’t have to disclose what they’ve done to produce it. Whether you want polyphenols or not, it should be your choice. And if a wine has a lot of additives, we should know that too.

It’s another opportunity for the LCBO to show innovative leadership. Give consumers (who the LCBO exists to serve, I hope) the information and let them make the choice.

Subscribing to this blog through RSS or email is easy! Just click on the subscribe link to the left ←

Everything's Coming Up Rosés - 2011 Edition

2011-06-27T12:07:00.006-04:00

Summer arrived last week, which means that rosé wine season is in full swing. I’m a traditionalist: like the BBQ, drinking rosé wine is a summer-only thing. You won’t catch me drinking rosé with Thanksgiving turkey. But while summer is here, I drink rosé and lots of it.

Friends ask me what makes a good rosé. My guidelines are simple:

Drink Youngest Available. Winemakers don’t make rosés for aging. You want the fresh, clean, vibrant flavours that define a good rosé. In 2011, every label of every bottle that you buy should say 2010. LCBO/Vintages have done a much better job this summer of offering only the most recent vintage. But make sure of the vintage before you buy.
Drink Driest Available. This is my personal preference, but dry, crisp rosés are best on hot summer days or warm summer evenings. And they’re a better match with the type of food we eat during the summer: grill, baby, grill.

There’s a wide choice of rosé wines available from LCBO/Vintages. The good news? Although rosé wines may never make anyone’s list of great wines, it’s also difficult to find a bad bottle. And they're so inexpensive!

Here are my recommendations:

From LCBO

First up, my favourites from the LCBO. I do prefer Spanish rosés!

France:

LA VIEILLE FERME COTES DU VENTOUX ROSE 2010, #622134; Price: $10.95; 13.5% ABV

Spain:

CHIVITE GRAN FEUDO ROSE 2010; #165845; Price: $11.95; 13.0% ABV

MARQUES DE CACERES ROSADO 2010; #622142; Price: $12.95; 13.5% ABV

TORRES SANGRE DE TORO ROSE 2010; #233437; Price: $11.95; 13.5% ABV

From Vintages:

Many rosé wines that come through Vintages are gone within a week or two. Here are the better rosés (so far) that should still be available at the larger stores.

Spain:

FAUSTINO V TEMPRANILLO ROSADO 2010; #700534; Price: $12.95; 13.0% ABV

MUGA ROSÉ 2010; #603795; Price: $12.95; 13.0% ABV

France:

CHÂTEAU VAL JOANIS TRADITION SYRAH ROSÉ 2010, Rhone; #707281; Price: $14.95; 13.0% ABV

~~GASSIER SABLES D'AZUR ROSÉ 2010, Provence; #33621; Price: $13.95; 12.8% ABV~~ After re-tasting this one, I've deleted it from the list. No fruit, no acidity. A disappointment.

LA BASTIDE BLANCHE BANDOL ROSÉ 2010, Provence; #71084; Price: $21.95; 13.2% ABV

MAS DES BRESSADES CUVÉE TRADITION ROSÉ 2010, Rhone; #950576; Price: $13.95; 13.5% ABV

Ontario:

FLAT ROCK CELLARS PINOT NOIR ROSÉ 2010, VQA; #39974; Price: $16.95; 12.5% ABV

TRUMPOUR'S MILL ROSÉ 2010, VQA; #55046; Price: $14.95; 11.5% ABV

Chile:

EMILIANA ADOBE RESERVA ROSÉ SYRAH 2010; #229690; Price: $11.95; 14.0% ABV; (organic)

MONTES CHERUB ROSÉ SYRAH 2010; #37887; Price: $14.95; 13.5% ABV

New Zealand:

KIM CRAWFORD PANSY! ROSÉ 2010; #650325; Price: $16.95; 13.5% ABV

Australia:

PENLEY ESTATE OVER THE MOON ROSÉ 2010; #684316; Price: $17.95; 14.0% ABV

Subscribing to this blog through RSS or email is easy! Just click on the subscribe link to the left ←

François Chartier Talks to Robert Parker

2011-06-25T13:02:00.000-04:00

Robert Parker was in Montréal this week. Parker was in the city to participate in a charity function with tickets at $5,000.

François Chartier, author of Tastebuds and Molecules, snagged some time with Parker and you can find their conversation here.

Like him or not, hero or villain, Parker is the most influential wine critic of the past generation and his opinions are worth listening to, especially on what's changed in 30 years, underappreciated regions, and social media. (He compares Gary Vaynerchuk to fingernails on a blackboard. Ouch.) The audio quality is a bit shaky at times and there are frequent interruptions as other folks say hello to Parker and Chartier.

You get the impression that Parker doesn't know who Chartier is, but when you've spent so long as the Sun King of wine critics, perhaps that's to be expected.

Subscribing to this blog through RSS or email is easy! Just click on the subscribe link to the left ←

My Picks: Vintages Release - June 25 2011

2011-06-23T12:49:00.002-04:00

This week’s primary theme is Argentina (represented by 9 reds and 4 whites) with the suggestion that you put on a parrillada, an Argentinean grill. I’m a big fan of much of what Argentina has to offer, both wine and food. But only one Argentinean wine, a Malbec, made the cut.

The secondary theme is where you should pay attention. “Pure Elegance” is a selection of 15 white wines with all kinds of goodies. Maybe it’s a matter of timing, with summer arriving this week, but 4 of these zippy acidic wines made it on to my list. Plus 3 more white Varietals that I love...Picpoul, Vernaccia, Verdejo...appear elsewhere in the release.

Nothing organic or Biodynamic this week.

Learn more about how I choose wines at My Picks.

Off the Beaten Track

Whites

MULDERBOSCH SAUVIGNON BLANC 2010, WO Western Cape (South Africa); #933424; Price: $18.95; 13.0% ABV
A blend of Sauvignon Blanc (92%) and Semillon (8%) from 3 different vineyards. After harvesting, crushing and pressing, they cold-fermented with selected yeast. Left to age on its lees. No oak. Ideal with grilled veggies.

DOMAINE D'ORFEUILLES 2006, AC Vouvray (France); #223966; Price: $18.95; 12.1% ABV
100% Chenin Blanc. Barrel-fermented with indigenous yeasts. Filtered. If you haven’t tried dry Vouvray (the sweeter version is more famous), then you’re in for a great treat. Try it with grilled tilapia.

DOMAINE DU PIOCH D'OR PICPOUL DE PINET 2009, AC Coteaux de Languedoc (France); #219394; Price: $13.95; 14.0% ABV
100% Picpoul de Pinet, the not well-known but delicious white Varietal from Languedoc. Fermented in stainless steel. It’s the perfect summer wine. Surprisingly crisp acidity. It’s great with grilled seafood and perfect with fresh oysters.

TRAMIN PINOT GRIGIO 2009, DOC Südtirol-Alto Adige (Italy); #627059; Price: $16.95; 12.5% ABV
100% Pinto Grigio from the cool climate of northeast Italy, where they make a good Pinot Grigio. Fermented and aged in stainless steel. Clean, refreshing minerality with citrus aromas and flavour. Perfect for sipping on the patio.

TERREDORA 2009, DOCG Fiano di Avellino (Italy); #120048; Price: $18.95; 13.0% ABV
100% Fiano. Fermented in stainless steel tanks and left on its lees for 5 months. Half of it is aged in French oak barrels for six months and then blended with the other half. One of my favourite Italian whites: look for citrus and tree fruit with floral aromas. Made to match with seafood.

SANTA CHIARA 2009, DOCG Vernaccia di San Gimignano (Italy); #231852; Price: $16.95; 13.2% ABV
100% Vernaccia di San Gimignano, which is a cut above the many other Vernaccia grape varieties that can be found in Italy. Hand harvested. Cold maceration, followed by fermentation in stainless steel with cultured yeasts. No oak. Crisp acidity with a typically bitter finish, it’s another wonderful “food wine” to match with grilled white fish or veggies (like asparagus).

PEDRO ESCUDERO FUENTE ELVIRA VERDEJO 2009, DO Rueda (Spain); #218313; Price: $13.95; 12.5% ABV
100% Verdejo. Fermented and aged in stainless steel. Verdejo is not for everyone: known for its herbal and spice aromas up front, with tree fruit and minerality on the palate. Sounds great to me!

Reds

SALENTEIN RESERVE MALBEC 2009, Mendoza (Argentina); #640854; Price: $19.95; 14.5% ABV
100% Malbec. Hand harvested. Cold maceration of whole berries for 5 days in stainless steel tanks, followed by fermentation with cultured yeasts for 10 days. Maceration continued for another 15 days. Gravity fed into new, second and third-use French oak barrels, where Malolactic fermentation took place. Barrel aging for 12 months, followed by bottle aging for 6 months. No fining or filtration, so needs decanting. Perfect match for grilled red meats in any guise.

CHÂTEAU SAINT-ROCH DE LAURENS 2007, AC Faugères (France); #223685; Price: $18.95; 13.0% ABV
A blend of Syrah (60%), Grenache (20%), Mourvèdre (10%), and Carignan (10%). Carbonic maceration for 10 days. 70% is aged in new French oak for 12 months. 2007 was a very good year in Languedoc! Great with BBQ’d ribs.

ABBONA RINALDI 2008, DOC Barbera d'Alba (Italy); #216416; Price: $19.95; 14.2% ABV
100% Barbera. Fermented for 5 days in stainless steel tanks. Aged 4 months in stainless steel tanks, 8 months in 500L oak barrels, followed by 6 months in bottle. Ever tried pizza on the grill? This is the wine for it.

CARLOS SERRES GRAN RESERVA 2001, DOCa Rioja (Spain); #221945; Price: $27.95; 13.3% ABV
A blend of Tempranillo (85%), Graciano (10%), and Mazuelo (5%), all from Rioja Alta. Handpicked. Fermented in stainless steel for 15 days. Aged 36 months in French and American oak, then another 36 months in the bottle before release. Another of my favourites…but more of a winter wine, ideal with braised meats.

Rosé

LA BASTIDE BLANCHE ROSÉ 2010, AC Bandol (France); #71084; Price: $21.95; 13.2% ABV
A blend of Mourvèdre (at least 50%), Cinsault, and Grenache. The Cinsault and Grenache soak on their skins just 24 hours; the Mourvèdre is a dark, tannic grape, so they can press it immediately without maceration. Bandol rivals Tavel as the “best” producer of rosé wine (hence the price premium). But why not treat yourself and try it with grilled fish, or a niçoise salad, or even a bouillabaisse?

Bonus Pick: It's still the season for celebrations: weddings, anniversaries, graduations, Canada Day. If you're looking for a sparkling wine for one of those occasions, why not try this one? JACKSON TRIGGS ENTOURAGE SILVER SERIES BRUT MÉTHODE CLASSIQUE 2006, VQA Niagara Peninsula; #234161; Price: $22.95; 12.0% ABV

Subscribing to this blog through RSS or email is easy! Just click on the subscribe link to the left ←

What You Can Do

2011-06-15T12:11:00.001-04:00

Last week, I wrote about the LCBO’s new standard for lightweight bottles that they will implement in 2013.

But do you know there’s something that you can do now to encourage suppliers to use lightweight bottles? It’s easy…buy wines in lightweight bottles!

Now I know what you’re thinking…do I really expect you to stand in the aisle of the LCBO, weighing different bottles, trying to figure out which one weighs the least?

If only there was a list of available wines in lightweight bottles…

There is! Tucked away in the sustainability section on its website, the LCBO has a list of wines that are in lightweight bottles: click here to access the list. It's pretty much up to date, according to the LCBO.

Not sure why the LCBO doesn’t blow its own horn more on its sustainability efforts. It should feature this list more prominently…or highlight that a wine comes in a lightweight bottle on its website’s “Product Search” feature…but now you know.

Subscribing to this blog through RSS or email is easy! Just click on the subscribe link to the left ←

Mercurey Rising?

2011-06-13T12:31:00.001-04:00

There’s no doubt that alcohol levels in wine have been rising. But why? Some argue that global warming is to blame. Warmer temperatures mean fully ripe grapes. Fully ripe grapes mean more sugar in the grapes. More sugar in the grapes converts to higher alcohol in the wine during fermentation.

Thanks to Decanter, I recently came across a paper from the American Association of Wine Economists – I bet they have no trouble getting volunteers for field research – that blows a hole in that argument.

Entitled Splendide Mendax: False Label Claims about High and Rising Alcohol Content of Wine, the authors ─ all come from the University of California, Davis except for George Soleas, who is the VP of Quality Assurance and Specialty Services at the LCBO ─ analysed climate data from 1992-2009 and the alcohol levels in over 129,000 samples of wines from around the world.

According to Decanter,

The research indicates, the authors say, that the average alcohol content in wine has increased by 1.12% over 18 years, from a mean of 12.7%...This, they say, is considerably higher than would be expected when set against the heat index, which predicts an average rise of 0.05% in alcohol per year...The study also found discrepancies between alcohol content stated on labels and actual content in bottle. In 57% of the samples, the alcohol level was understated with the worst offending being New World red wine, which averaged 0.45 percentage points [above] the stated level.

Why would that be?

Winemakers may be chasing the perception that famous critics, and the consumers who follow them, prefer the sensation of higher-alcohol wine.
Even though consumers prefer the sensation of higher-alcohol wine, they are averse to buying wines with a high level stated on the bottle.
In some jurisdictions, they tax higher-alcohol wine at a higher rate than lower-alcohol wine. For example, the US federal wine excise tax is higher once a wine passes 14% ABV.

In their conclusion, the authors state,

[W]e have suggested that the substantial, pervasive, systematic errors in the stated alcohol percentage of wine are consistent with a model in which winemakers perceive that consumers demand wine with a [lower] stated alcohol content that is different from the actual alcohol content, and winemakers are willing to err in the direction of providing consumers with what they want. What remains to be resolved is why consumers choose to pay winemakers to lie to them.

Maybe they were drunk at the time?

Subscribing to this blog through RSS or email is easy! Just click on the subscribe link to the left ←

Giving Props to the LCBO

2011-06-09T11:59:00.004-04:00

Occasionally I give the LCBO, our provincial liquor monopoly, a kick in the pants. Any government-owned monopoly gets many advantages and we should expect it to show leadership across the “Board”.

Last year, I asked what the LCBO was doing to encourage its suppliers to use lighter-weight bottles. Such a move would lower our collective carbon footprint.

When you’re the largest buyer of wine and spirits in the world, you can push suppliers in the right direction. For several years now, Britain’s Tesco (the world’s third largest retailer) has been pushing its wine suppliers to use lighter-weight bottles. Suppliers listen to big retailers. Wal Mart is well-known for “persuading” suppliers to do its bidding, which can work wonders when used in socially responsible causes.

Fair is fair, though. When the LCBO does something right, they deserve a pat on the back.

The good news?

Earlier this month, the LCBO wrote to trade associations to inform them that the LCBO will implement a new lightweight glass bottle standard on January 1, 2013. After that date, all wine bottles priced at less than $15 must weigh no more than 420 grams. Sparkling wines are exempt. The LCBO has also given a partial exemption to “Hock” bottles, those tall bottles that the Germans and Alsatians use. These bottles are limited to 450 grams.

Suppliers of wines sold at more than $15 should expect the standard would affect them eventually. The LCBO says it will give preference to those “premium” suppliers who use lighter-weight bottles.

Although it’s easy to quibble that the implementation period is too long, or that the weight limit should be even lower, let’s give the LCBO a pat on the back for showing leadership in sustainability practices.

Bravo!

Subscribing to this blog through RSS or email is easy! Just click on the subscribe link to the left ←

My Picks: Vintages Release -- June 11 2011

2011-06-08T12:38:00.002-04:00

This week’s release from Vintages features wines from Veneto, yet another Italian region with it own distinctive grape varieties. Mostly it's Valpolicella in all its glory: Ripasso, Amarone, and Recioto. I can’t get excited about these heavyweights; perhaps it’s the 30-degree weather.

But a couple of lesser-known offerings caught my attention. Bardolino is a light-bodied red that uses the same grapes as Valpolicella, and it’s perfect for lots of summertime fare. There’s also a Soave Classico. Soave wines still suffer from a poor image but wines from the Classico area are generally of better quality. Both the Bardolino and the Soave Classico are less than $14.

No doubt about it. When summer comes, my mind, and palate, turns to wines that will find a place out on the patio: something light, refreshing, and crisp...or wines that match up with grilled meats. That's what, for the most part, you'll find here this week.

Find out more about My Picks.

Organic

EMILIANA NOVAS LIMITED SELECTION CABERNET SAUVIGNON/MERLOT 2008, Maipo Valley (Chile); #685792; Price: $14.95; 14.5% ABV
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (85%) and Merlot (15%). 70% was aged for 12 months in French oak. Certified organic by IMO Switzerland. Fire up the grill and throw on a couple of steaks.

Off the Beaten Track

Whites

DOMAINE CHIROULET TERRES BLANCHES 2009, IGP Cotes de Gascogne (France); #223222; Price: $13.95; 12.5% ABV
A blend of Gros-Manseng (50%) – one of the indigenous varieties of Southwest France and not often seen here – as well as Sauvignon Blanc (25%) and old vine Ugni Blanc (25%), which is most often used in making Cognac. The latter 2 grapes soak on the skins before fermentation, but not the Gros-Manseng. Partially barrel-fermented, partially fermented in stainless steel vats. Aged for 10 months on its lees. A good match with grilled fish and asparagus.

NICOSIA BIANCO 2009, DOC Etna (Sicily); #212928; Price: $13.95; 13.0% ABV
A blend of two indigenous Sicilian grape varieties: Carricante and Catarrato. Both of these varieties offer crisp acidity. Fermented and aged in stainless steel vats. Makes for an easy patio drinking on a lazy summer afternoon, or a match with grilled whitefish.

GIUSEPPE CAMPAGNOLA LE BINE MONTE FOSCARINO 2009, DOC Soave Classico (Italy); #134551; Price: $13.95; 12.5% ABV
This one’s a blend of Garganega (70%) and Trebbiano (30%). Hand harvested. No oak. We used to know Soave for its insipid wines (like so much Pinot Grigio) but quality has improved across the board. Great with grilled seafood.

MARQUÉS DE CÁCERES ANTEA 2009, DOCa Rioja (Spain); #518985; Price: $14.95; 13.5% ABV
A very Riojan blend of Viura and Malvasia. Aged in new oak for a modern twist. Can handle heavier fish (swordfish, tuna) or lobster.

Reds

COLONIA LAS LIEBRES BONARDA 2009, Mendoza (Argentina); #219303; Price: $11.95; 13.5% ABV
Argentina’s Bonarda is a mystery grape. It might be the same Bonarda grown in Italy. That’s what this winemaker says. Or it might be the same grape as Charbono, also found in California. Fermented in stainless steel tanks, followed by Malolactic fermentation. No oak aging. Look for tree and dried fruit flavours with tannins. Try it with grilled lamb…or rabbit.

FALERNIA RESERVA SYRAH 2007, DO Elqui Valley (Chile); #208371; Price: $15.95; 14.0% ABV
100% Syrah from way up north in the Elqui Valley. Thank goodness for that cool Humboldt currant. Hand picked. Cold maceration for 72 hours. Fermentation on the skins in stainless steel tanks. Malolactic fermentation. Half aged in a combination of French and American new oak barrels for 5 months. I feel some ribs coming on.

CHÂTEAU DE CHATELARD CUVÉE LES VIEUX GRANITS FLEURIE 2009, AC Fleurie (France); #207886; Price: $17.95; 13.0% ABV
Fleurie is one of the Beaujolais Cru and if all you know about Beaujolais is Nouveau, you’re in for a big and very pleasant surprise. Hand harvested. Carbonic maceration (fermented in whole bunches with immersion for 12 days in their own juice to extract tannins). Matured on the lees for 8 months. A real summertime treat: chill it and serve with grilled sausages. 2009 is a super year for Beaujolais, so enjoy!

PASQUALE PELISSERO BRICCO SAN GIULIANO 2007, DOCG Barbaresco (Piedmont); #214551; Price: $27.95; 14.0% ABV
100% Nebbiolo, a Varietal I can’t get enough of. Hand picked. Long maceration. Malolactic fermentation. Aged 24 months in oak barrels, smaller barriques and tonneaux, then aged another 6 months in the bottle. Suitable for long aging.

MONTE DEL FRA 2010 DOC Bardolino (Veneto); #134544; Price: $11.95; 12.0% ABV
A mostly-typical regional blend of Corvina (65%), Rondinella (30%), and – a Tuscan surprise – Sangiovese (5%). Cold maceration followed by fermentation on the skins in stainless steel tanks. A wonderful, light, chilled, summertime red! Red wine with fish off the grill? Yes!

BODEGAS HERMANOS LAREDO SENORIO DE LAREDO GRAN RESERVA 1998, DOCa Rioja (Spain); #218347; Price: $25.95; 13.5% ABV
A blend of Tempranillo (80%), Graciano (10%), and Mazuelo (10% -- it’s what the Riojans call Carignan). Long maceration. Aged for 24 months, alternating between French oak and American oak casks, then 3 years in the bottle. A classic treat. I’m putting in away for the winter.

Rosé

WINZERGENOSSENSCHAFT KÖNIGSCHAFFHAUSEN PINOT NOIR ROSÉ 2010; QbA Baden (Germany); #168237; Price: $11.95; 11.8% ABV
This one’s here for all those folks who lived and worked, and partied, in the Black Forest. Ah, the memories! Perfect with grilled chicken, a salad, and fries.

Bonus Pick
I'm a fan of Randall Grahm of Boony Doon. One of his wines is out this week. A bit over our usual price ceiling, but if you're in a mood to splurge, give it a look:

BONNY DOON VINEYARD LE CIGARE VOLANT 2006, California; #975847; Price: $39.95; 13.5% ABV

Subscribing to this blog through RSS or email is easy! Just click on the subscribe link to the left ←

Slapping Back the Cognac

2011-06-01T12:57:00.001-04:00

I’m always on the lookout for good writing, new or old, about wine or food. One of the recommended classics is In Search of a Perfect Meal, a collection of articles written by Roy Andries de Groot. Baron de Groot died in 1983 (a suicide) at the age of 73, so his writing belongs to another era. Many of the places and people about which he wrote have passed from the scene, even though at the time of his writing, some of these places and people were the forerunners of nouvelle cuisine. His appreciation for food and wine, perhaps heightened by his blindness, is evident in his writing as is his respect for (most of) the people he meets.

His article on How to Get a Great Meal in a Great Restaurant is unintentionally hilarious: Phone the restaurant and, pretending to be your own personal assistant (use a different voice), make a reservation, inventing an impressive title so that the restaurant will think you’re a VIP. It goes on from there, but you spend your entire meal being someone you’re not. Unless, of course, you actually are a VIP with a personal assistant.

His advice on tasting cognac (learned from cognac makers) is, however, very helpful and very different from wine tasting:

You pour not more than half an ounce into a four-ounce chimney glass [a standard INAO wine tasting glass], stick your nose into the glass, and breathe in slowly....You then take the tiniest sip – no more than a fairly large drop – which you slap with your tongue onto the roof of your mouth, then immediately spit out the excess liquid. Swallow, then open your mouth and breathe through it, slowly steadily, deeply.

I tried out this technique on the weekend with a glass of one of M. Remy Martin’s cognacs and, darn, it works! Well, except for spitting out the excess… Next time that you’re tasting cognac, or grappa, try it.

Subscribing to this blog through RSS or email is easy! Just click on the subscribe link to the left ←

My Picks: Vintages Release -- May 28 2011

2011-05-25T12:41:00.002-04:00

The trend continues this week of bucking the theme of the release. Californian wines? Nope, not a one. (5 Chardonnays…7 Cabernet Sauvignons…yawn)

Alsatian wines? One there, a Riesling. And I’ll say a good word for the rest of them too because you should get to know an under-appreciated region.

Ah, but I found 4 Biodynamic or Organic wines. Plus some interesting wines from the rest of the big, big world.

Read more about how I choose My Picks.

Biodynamic & Organic

A white, a red, and 2 rosés...

MEINKLANG GRÜNER VELTLINER 2009, Burgenland (Austria); #219014; Price: $15.95; 11.1% ABV
Grüner Veltliner is the signature white grape variety of Austria; it's known for its citrus and white pepper character. This is a certified Biodynamic wine from the homeland of Rudolf Steiner, the father of Biodynamics. The winery belongs to a mixed-production farm that produces a number of different crops. Feelin’ groovy? Try it with grilled whitefish.

EMILIANA WINEMAKER'S SELECTION SYRAH 2009, Casablanca Valley (Chile); #212407; Price: $18.95; 14.0% ABV
A blend of Syrah (88%), Merlot (8%) and Viognier (5%). Another, albeit unusual, example of a warm climate grape grown in a cool climate on the Pacific coast. Aged in French oak (80%) and American oak (20%) for 12 months. Production of this wine is certified “carbon neutral”. I’d match it with grilled game.

SOUTHBROOK CONNECT ORGANIC ROSÉ 2010, VQA Niagara Peninsula; #168492; Price: $18.95; 12.2% ABV
100% Cabernet Franc. Fermented in stainless steel with indigenous yeast, using the Saignée method. Sounds like a great match with salad or grilled chicken. Still don’t like the label, though.

EMILIANA ADOBE RESERVA ROSÉ SYRAH 2010, Rapel Valley (Chile); #229690; Price: $11.95; 14.0% ABV
100% Syrah. Fermented, then aged for 5 months, in stainless steel tanks. Certified organic. It has the heft to drink with grilled lamb chops.

Off the Beaten Track

Whites

ROBERT OATLEY SAUVIGNON BLANC 2010, Margaret River / Pemberton (Australia); #186106; Price: $17.95; 12.2% ABV
100% Sauvignon Blanc from Western Oz. I’m a big fan of Cabernet Sauvignon from this part of Australia with its Maritime climate, so why not Sauvignon Blanc? No oak. Makes a great aperitif.

GRAHAM BECK BOWED HEAD CHENIN BLANC 2009, WO Paarl (South Africa); #231357; Price: $17.95; 14.0% ABV
100% Chenin Blanc. I’m a huge fan of Chenin Blanc in its home base (Loire) and here’s chance to try it in its 2nd home: South Africa. Barrel fermented, then aged 8 months in a combination of new, second, and third-use French oak. Look for tropical and floral notes. It will match well with fish on the grill; don’t be afraid to add some spices!

TRIMBACH RÉSERVE RIESLING 2008, AC Alsace (France); #995316; Price: $25.95; 13.0% ABV
Bone-dry Riesling from one of the oldest (since 1626!) and most reliable family producers in Alsace. They’re proud of their style, which emphasises minerality. You could drink it now but it will reward your patience. Better yet, buy more than one! I will…unless you guys get there first.

Reds

DOMAINE LACROIX-VANEL CUVÉE MÉLANIE 2005, AC Coteaux de Languedoc (France); #221978; Price: $24.95; 14.0% ABV
A blend of Syrah (70%), Mourvèdre (20%), and Grenache (10%). Hand harvested. 3 weeks maceration. No oak! Grilled lamb, anyone?

DOMAINE MERCOURI RED 2006, Letrinon (Greece); #652974; Price: $18.95; 13.0% ABV
A blend of Refosco (a grape that’s indigenous to Friuli in northeast Italy!) and Mavrodaphne (“black laurel”) grapes. Aged 10 months in oak, then 6 months in bottle. Worth a try but save it for hardy winter dishes.

APOLLONIO TERRAGNOLO PRIMITIVO 2004, IGT Salento Rosso (Puglia); #211813; Price: $17.95; 14.5% ABV
100% Primitivo. Hand harvesting. Maceration for 30 days, followed by fermentation. Aged for 1 year in American oak barrels, then 1 year in bottle. I’m thinking BBQ ribs.

FAUSTINO CRIANZA 2007, DOCa Rioja (Spain); #214296; Price: $14.95; 13.5% ABV
100% Tempranillo. Aged 8 months in American oak, then 6 months in French oak. Solid, entry-level example of Riojan Tempranillo. Try it with grilled sausages.

Rosé

(Don't miss the 2 organic rosés further up.)

CHÂTEAU DE TRINQUEVEDEL ROSÉ 2010, AOP Tavel; #729947; Price: $17.95; 13.9% ABV
A blend of Grenache, Cinsault, Clairette, Syrah, Mourvèdre, and Bourboulenc. Hand harvested. Cold maceration for 12 to 48 hours, depending on the variety. Fermentation takes 20 days, followed by aging for 6 months in stainless steel vats. Worth repeating, rosé is all they do in Tavel; it's not an afterthought! Good value. Just don’t stand there, grill something.

Subscribing to this blog through RSS or email is easy! Just click on the subscribe link to the left ←

Eve

2011-05-19T12:31:00.002-04:00

Birthdays are a big deal in our home; it’s always a celebration marked by dinner out at a fancy-schmancy restaurant.

We’re in DC for my birthday celebration this year and Michèle has chosen Eve, located in Old Alexandria. The chef, Cathal Armstrong, is from Dublin and spent every summer from the age of 7 in France. He describes his style as “Modern American Cooking with Classical French Influences…highlighting the freshest of seasonal ingredients and local Virginia produce.” Right up our alley.

We spent the morning at the Newseum, which I highly recommend if you’re a newshound like me. There a great view of the Capitol and Pennsylvania Avenue from the 5th floor terrace. Wait, what’s that building with all the red and white flags next door? O Canada!

That evening, we’re in the Chef’s Tasting Room, where they offer five, seven, and nine-course prix-fixe tasting options, all on custom-printed menus. The courses are: Creation (palate teasers), Ocean (seafood), Earth & Sky (meats and game), Age (cheese) and Eden (desserts). Gulp. OK, we’re celebrating but we’re not crazy! 5 courses it is.

We start with glasses of Sauvignon Blanc, a classic wine for aperitif that also goes superbly with our First Course: Sashimi of Bigeye Tuna with Pickled Fennel, Ruby Red Grapefruit and Basil Emulsion for me; Tempura of Path Valley Shiitake with Ikura (salmon roe), Smoked Onions and Ponzu for Michèle.

Our Ocean course is Olive Oil Poached Pacific Halibut with Sunchokes (Jerusalem artichokes), Melted Spring Onions and Gremolata for Michèle. For me, it’s Roasted Tasmanian Sea Trout (so much for local!) with Baby White Asparagus Risotto, Kumquat, and Fava Bean Purée. Both are delicious and pair well with glasses of Chardonnay from Washington (not DC, the other one).

On to Earth and Sky. My choice is closer to local: Loin of Shenandoah Valley Lamb with Fresh Garbanzo Falafel, Homemade Yogurt and Baby Carrots. Michèle goes for one of her favourites, Pan Fried Veal Sweetbreads with Mushroom Butter Hollandaise, Poached Morels and Irish Peas.

I’ve scanned the winelist for something “off the beaten track” and the choice comes down to DuMOL Syrah 2007, Russian River Valley (California); 14.2% ABV. Russian River Valley is known for its cool climate varietals, but here’s Syrah, typically more at home in warmer climates. For that reason (a warm climate grape in a cool climate), I’m thinking it will go well with both the lamb and the sweetbreads (the latter usually needs a lighter wine). Aromas of blackberry and plum, gamy, and floral notes with a hint of dried herbs too. It’s black fruit and gamyness dominate on the palate. The tannins are well-integrated, holding their own with the lamb but not overwhelming the sweetbreads. Excellent finish. A good match for both.

We finish the Syrah with the cheese:

Monocacy Silver with Garden Rhubarb, Blood Orange and Toasted Walnut. A brie-style goat cheese from Montgomery County, on the other side of DC.
Pleasant Ridge Reserve with Sicilian Pistachios and Sour Cherry Filled Doughnut. A raw cows-milk cheese from Wisconsin, similar to Gruyere. Definitely our favourite.

On to Eden and, yes, we have room. Michèle selects the White Chocolate Chai Rice Pudding and my choice is the Milk Chocolate and Jameson Petit Gâteau with Caramel Sauce. The candle is a bonus!

Great food, good wine. What a terrific birthday treat! Merci, Michèle!

Subscribing to this blog through RSS or email is easy! Just click on the subscribe link to the left ←

Kinkead's

2011-05-17T12:56:00.001-04:00

It's one of those classic spring days, when the day dawns bright and sunny. You need a jacket in the morning, but you know that by mid-afternoon, the jacket will be off and you’ll be rolling up your sleeves.

It’s perfect weather for sightseeing and long walks, which in DC is the same thing.

Some sights (Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial) I’ve seen many times before. Some are new since I lived here: World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War. All are impressive in their own way and all capture the historical essence that we associate with those wars: generational triumph, stalemate, and the deep gash in the national psyche.

We’ll be having a quick dinner this evening (we're off to see Pink Martini at the JFK Center). So we make time for a long, leisurely lunch at Kinkead’s (pronounced as Kin-kaid), which styles itself as “an American Brasserie”. Seafood is the speciality.

For our mains, I choose grilled flounder, served on a bed of endives and tomatoes in a lemon sauce with capers and pickled cucumber on top. Michèle chooses the Organic Chicken, served with chanterelles, fava beans, porcini cream, and mashed potatoes. Both are superb.

The selected wine is the only Chenin Blanc on the menu: Couly-Dutheil Les Chanteaux 2009, AOC Chinon. Wonderfully fresh floral, citrus, and mineral aromas. It’s citrus and minerality on the palate with good length. Crisp, but with enough body to be a terrific match with both dishes. Great price too. Ah, Chenin Blanc from the Loire…so little respect…it’s one of the great values.

Great service that hit all the right notes. An example: they hadn't chilled the Chinon ahead of time, so the waiter gave us a couple of glasses of wine to enjoy while the Chinon chilled down to the right temperature in an ice bucket.

Watching crew teams on the Potomac
with the Watergate in the background

We walked off our terrific lunch through Georgetown, and then slowly made our way along the Potomac to the JFK Center, stopping to enjoy the sunshine along the way. Jacket off, sleeves rolled up.

Great show by Pink Martini caps off a magnificent day.

Subscribing to this blog through RSS or email is easy! Just click on the subscribe link to the left ←

My Picks: Vintages Release -- May 14 2011

2011-05-11T11:04:00.002-04:00

This release was a tough one. Never before have I encountered so much difficulty in finding out more about the wines in a release.

Just 2 weeks ago, I noted that some (too many) winemakers don’t devote enough time to their websites, which is their most important medium for connecting directly with consumers. Some don’t have a website at all, while others don’t keep their websites up to date, including some very big names. In this release, the famous Rhone winemaker Guigal is a surprisingly example of the latter case. (Mind you, I found 3 instances where the winemaker’s website featured the vintage after the one offered this week at Vintages. An example: Quails’ Gate features their 2009 Chardonnay on their website, but it’s the 2008 Chardonnay on the shelves this Saturday at Vintages. Where has the wine been?)

The upshot? Well, the theme of this week’s release is Southern Rhone 2009: a great year in a region that’s a personal favourite. But none of the winemakers met the criteria that I set in My Picks.

The secondary theme is rosé wines and 3 made the list. Whew.

Combing through the list, there are still some interesting choices.

Biodynamic

BONNY DOON BEESWAX VINEYARD LE CIGARE BLANC 2008, Arroyo Seco (California); #95331; Price: $29.95; 14.3% ABV

If a man loses pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured, or far away. (Thoreau)

Randall Grahm, winemaker at Bonny Doon, marches to a different beat. He’s been one of my favourites for a long time, especially his rosé wine Vin Gris de Cigare, which shows up at Vintages from time to time. He specializes (not exclusively) in grape varieties of the Rhone Valley. This one is a blend of Roussanne (57%) and Grenache Blanc (43%). Roussanne often has an aroma of beeswax, hence the name. Try it with some grilled portobello mushrooms.

Off the Beaten Track

Whites

KIM CRAWFORD UNOAKED CHARDONNAY 2009, Marlborough (New Zealand); #991950; Price: $17.95; 12.5% ABV
100% Chardonnay. That’s right, I’m recommending a Chardonnay. What makes this one different? It’s unoaked from a cool climate, the South Island of NZ. 80% Malolactic fermentation. Tasting is believing. Grill some fish.

DOMAINE GEROVASSILIOU WHITE 2009, Epanomi (Greece); #999714; Price: $19.95; 12.5% ABV
A blend of Assyrtiko and Malagousia, both native to the region (if you hadn’t guessed from the names). Assyrtiko brings minerality and citrus aromas and flavours; Malagousia brings more floral notes but lacks the acidity that Assyrtiko offers. They keep the juice on the skins for a few hours, then fermentation in stainless steel tanks. Perfect with grilled seafood. Drink soon.

Reds

D'ARENBERG THE LAUGHING MAGPIE SHIRAZ/VIOGNIER 2008, McLaren Vale (Australia); #936971; Price: $29.95; 14.5% ABV
A Cote-Rotie-styled blend of Shiraz (94%) and Viognier (6%). The two varieties are co-fermented in new and old French and old American oak barrels, followed by aging for 10 months on its lees in the same barrels. No fining or filtration, so decant this one. If you haven’t tried an Aussie Shiraz/Viognier blend yet, don’t pass this up. The Laughing Magpie refers to the local Kookaburra.

TOR DEL COLLE RISERVA 2006, DOC Montepulciano D’Abruzzo (Italy); #211847; Price: $ 12.95
100% Montepulciano. Fermentation for 10 days. Unusual: Aged 12 months in oak, 12 months in stainless steel. What a bargain! A perfect everyday wine for pasta and pizza with tomato-based sauce. Or maybe the next one is the perfect everyday Italian wine…

MAURO VEGLIO 2009, DOC Dolcetto D'Alba (Italy); #214486; Price: $16.95; 12.9% ABV
100% Dolcetto, the little sweet one. But it’s not sweet. Maceration for 4 days. Fermented off the skins in steel tanks, followed by Malolactic fermentation to soften the acidity. Left in the stainless steel tanks for 6 months, then put in oak barrels for 2 months to settle. Bottled without fining and filtration, so it might need decanting. Again, it’s great to have on hand with pizza or some sausages on the grill.

LAR DE PAULA RESERVA 2004, DOCa Rioja (Spain); #208207; Price: $21.95; 14.0% ABV
100% Tempranillo, aged 18 months in American and French oak, then 18 months in the bottle before release. It’s Tempranillo, it’s Rioja, it’s all you need to know. Worth cellaring.

ONDARRE RESERVA 2004, DOCa Rioja (Spain); #723452; Price: $19.95; 12.8% ABV
A blend of Tempranillo (75%), Garnacha (10%), and Mazuelo (15%). Fermented separately; maceration for 16 days. Aged 16 months in American and French oak barrels. Ready to drink now. I tried the 2002 Reserva last year with wild turkey and loved it.

Rosés

CHÂTEAU D'AQUÉRIA ROSÉ 2010, AC Tavel (France); #319368; Price: $18.95; 12.9% ABV
For many, it’s Tavel that’s the classic rosé! A blend of 4 red grape varieties and 3 white grape varieties: Grenache (52%), Syrah (12%), Mourvèdre (11%), Cinsault (9%), Clairette (9%), Bourboulenc (6%), and Picpoul (2%). Hand harvested, then maceration for 24 hours. All vinified separately with natural yeasts, blended two by two (which two, I don’t know), then they're all blended together. The Tavel designation is for rosé only. Aquéria is the largest estate of Tavel.

MAS DES BRESSADES CUVÉE TRADITION ROSÉ 2010, AC Costières de Nîmes (France); #950576; Price: $13.95; 13.5% ABV
A blend of Grenache (50%), Syrah (30%), and Cinsault (20%). Fermented in stainless steel tanks using the Saignée method, where they bleed the juice off the grapes after a day or so.

MUGA ROSÉ 2010, DOCa Rioja (Spain); #603795; Price: $12.95; 13.0% ABV
The 2009 was one of my favourite rosés from last year. The blend of Garnacha (60%), Viura (30%) and Tempranillo (10%) is unchanged from 2009. Viura is a white variety. 12 hours of maceration, followed by fermentation for 25 days in 1000-litre oak vats, then left to age in the same vats for 2 months before bottling.

Sparkling

MASOTTINA EXTRA DRY, DOCG Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore; #216317; Price: $19.95; 10.7% ABV
Spring is the season of celebrations: weddings, anniversaries, graduations, and more. And nothing says celebration like a sparkling wine. Not looking to break the bank? Here’s your choice. Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore is one of Italy’s newest DOCGs (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita). Whether expanding the list of DOCGs is good is a matter of opinion. What’s not debatable is that Prosecco offers great value in a sparkling wine. Made using the Charmat method (fermentation occurs in large stainless steel tanks) it’s crisp and clean, not too high in alcohol. Up until 2009, when the Italian government granted DOCG status to Conegliano Valdobbiadene, Prosecco was the name of the grape and the wine. Because other growers outside Conegliano Valdobbiadene also used the same grape, they changed the name of the grape to another traditional name, Glera. So now Prosecco is the wine, Glera is the grape.

Subscribing to this blog through RSS or email is easy! Just click on the subscribe link to the left ←

J&G Steakhouse

2011-05-10T12:43:00.003-04:00

Sightseeing is hard work, requiring stamina, determination, and at the end of the day, a culinary reward.

In Washington DC, there are many things to see: from the White House to Capitol Hill, everything in-between and beyond. To be sure, you can walk everywhere. But careful…it all looks close together on the map and even in person. But because the scale of everything is so grand (quite the opposite of the intimacy of Ottawa’s downtown), objects actually are farther away than they appear.

Luckily, DC has an excellent metro system. Back when I lived here, the public transit system was a local joke. It’s just one of the many things in DC that have changed for the better.

As for our reward at the end of the day, we needed steak. There’s no shortage of steakhouses in this red meat town. We bypassed the usual suspects and opted for J&G Steakhouse, just a stone’s throw from the White House. (Not that I tried throwing stones at the White House. Ill-advised, they tell me.)

J&G Steakhouse is a Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten restaurant. (Vongerichten is an Alsatian who is now one of those worldwide chefs.) After a salad as an appetizer, I chose the 14 oz Six Peppercorn Prime NY Steak with sides of Frites and sautéed kale while Michèle selected the 8 oz Filet Mignon. For me, steak needs to have good body and texture. Rib Eye, Hanger, New York, that’s a steak. I don’t care for steak disguised as melted butter, which is what Wagyu can often be. My steak had just the right amount of chewy texture that makes steak so enjoyable.

Our wine is the Cliff Lede Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 Stags Leap District, 14.9% ABV. It’s an almost-Meritage blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (75%), Merlot (12%), Malbec (7%), Cabernet Franc (4%), and Petit Verdot (2%). Aromas of cassis, sweet spices, and a touch of earthiness. The cassis and spice follow on the palate with soft, well-integrated tannins. Some dark chocolate on the finish. No unpleasant heat from the high alcohol level. Good length, but perhaps lacks the structure I like with a good steak.

Service at J&G is quite the opposite of our dinner at Hank’s Oyster House. Friendly, efficient, unobtrusive and, most importantly, unhurried. Oh, I’m sure they can rush an order if called upon. But, for us, we finished our wine leisurely after the main course. No sign of the dessert menu until the wine was gone. The way it should be. The restaurant was full but we felt we could have stayed there as long as we wanted.

Subscribing to this blog through RSS or email is easy! Just click on the subscribe link to the left ←

Hank's Oyster Bar

2011-05-04T12:03:00.001-04:00

It’s weird to be back in Northern Virginia, in the suburbs of Washington DC. It’s where I went to high school, oh so many years ago. And except for some quick business trips to DC from time to time, I haven’t come back until now. There’s a familiarity to the place, a feeling of déjà vu. Yet so much has changed that there’s a certain strangeness, or estrangement, to the place. Like a dream.

It’s spring here. Real spring, not calendar spring. Driving south from Ottawa, near Scranton, we can see the sharp demarcation between winter and spring, between dormancy and budburst.

Our first dinner is at Hank’s Oyster Bar in Alexandria. It’s a popular little joint; crowded on a Tuesday evening. We get the only open table and the line-up starts forming at the door just after we sit down. But it has that typically American approach to service…fast, get ‘em in…get ‘em out…that ensures that no one is waiting for long.

It’s an oyster bar so regular readers should be in no doubt about what I’m going to order. There are 9 different types of oysters on offer. I take a dozen, 3 each of 4 different ones.

Two from the west coast:

Dabob Bay, light and salty
Little Skookum from Puget Sound, smooth and rich

Two from the east coast:

Bluepoint from Long Island, nothing distinctive here
Delaware, big and meaty

Now, Hank’s does something that I’ve never seen at an oyster bar before but it’s blindingly obvious. Instead of plunking down the plate of oysters and rattling off the names (which I can never remember just 10 seconds later), the server puts the plate down with the order ticket next to it. The shucker arranged the oysters on the plate in the same order as on the ticket, clockwise, starting at 12 o’clock. Simple, effective, clever. No "what was this one again?"

We order Nessa Albarino 2009. Bit of a greenish tint. Typical citrus, floral, and mineral aromas. Crisp lime on the palate and just a bit of peach pit bitterness on the finish. Great match for the oysters.

I followed up with seared scallops while Michèle had the lobster roll. The food was delicious (bit too salty) but the Albarino was too light-bodied with these choices. Ah well, nobody's perfect.

Hank’s: good oysters, good (but too fast) service.

Subscribing to this blog through RSS or email is easy! Just click on the subscribe link to the left ←

My Picks: Vintages Release -- April 30 2011

2011-04-28T12:21:00.001-04:00

The primary theme of this week’s release is “Aussie Dynasties” with 21 wines from various family-run wineries. Good variety and some good Picks. 3 make it here.

Southern Italy is the supporting theme. It’s one of my favourite areas, full of indigenous grape varieties that we don’t see elsewhere. 3 more of My Picks come from this region.

At last, we’ve got some organic and Biodynamic wines to snap up from this release: 4 of them (one from Ontario) made the cut. The word “sauvignon” shows up in all 4.

Selections from Chile and Spain round out the list.

Learn more here about My Picks.

Organic & Biodynamic

PAUL DOLAN SAUVIGNON BLANC 2009, Mendocino County (California); #46334; Price: $19.95; 13.5% ABV
100% Sauvignon Blanc from Mendocino County, north of Sonoma along the Pacific coast. Fermented and aged in stainless steel. Certified organic by CCOF (California Certified Organic Farmers). Paul Dolan has a Biodynamic wine, but this isn’t it. Try it with sushi. Check out this Wine Spectator video with the winemaker.

CONO SUR SAUVIGNON BLANC 2010, San Antonio Valley (Chile); #213587; Price: $12.95; 13.5% ABV
100% Sauvignon Blanc from San Antonio, way up north in Aconcagua but just 20 km from the coast, so it’s influenced by the cold waters of the Humboldt current, ideal for Sauvignon Blanc. Handpicked. Fermented and aged, for 3 months, in stainless steel. Certified organic by BCS Oeko Garantie GMBH of Germany. They say the bicycle on the label represents the method of transportation used by the workers to get to the vineyards. Great value.

SOUTHBROOK TRIOMPHE CABERNET FRANC 2008, VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake; #237065; Price: $22.95; 13.3% ABV
A blend of Cabernet Franc (85%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (15%). Hand-harvested. Fermented in both stainless steel and oak vats with indigenous yeasts for four weeks. Aged in French and American oak. No fining. Certified Biodynamic. Anybody for some steak tartar?

NATIVA SINGLE VINEYARD GRAN RESERVA CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2007, Maipo Valley (Chile); #975359; Price: $19.95; 14.0% ABV
100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Cold macerated for 2 weeks, then fermented in stainless steel tanks. Aged in French oak barrels for 14 months. Certified organic by the IMO (Institute for Marketecology). No synthetic pesticides or fertilizers. Perfect with a grilled steak.

Off the Beaten Track

White

YALUMBA VIOGNIER 2009, Eden Valley (Australia); #954644; Price: $24.95; 13.5% ABV
100% Viognier. Fermented with indigenous yeasts: 60% barrel-fermented, 40% fermented in stainless steel. Aged on its lees for 10 months in older French oak barrels. The winemaker recommends “anything lamb” with this wine. Well, the Aussies know lamb and they know wine, so why not?

Reds

VIÑA PERALILLO ARENAL CARMENERE 2009, Colchagua Valley (Chile); #211409; Price: $14.95; 14.0% ABV
100% Carmenère. Hand-harvested. Just a touch of oak: 30% of the wine aged in first- and second-use barrels for 6 months. It’s a wine for (slow-cooked) ribs on the BBQ.

D'ARENBERG THE TWENTYEIGHT ROAD MOURVÈDRE 2007, McLaren Vale (Australia); #677617; Price: $29.95; 14.5% ABV
100% Mourvèdre, a warm climate grape that’s easy to find in southern Rhone, Languedoc-Roussillon, and Spain. Typically high in acidity and tannins, it’s a black-fruit, spicy mouthful. Fermented in old French oak vats and barrels. Aged for 10 months in French and American oak barrels on its lees. No fining or filtration, so decanting is a must. Needs aging. I’m thinking of some game…venison on the grill?

HOWARD PARK LESTON CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2008, Margaret River (Australia); #923565; Price: $29.95; 14.0% ABV
100% Cabernet Sauvignon from Western Australia, a region that is overlooked, or simply lumped in with Southern Australia (a little like confusing Okanagan with Niagara). Fermented in stainless steel tanks, then left on its skins for another 20 days. Aged in French oak barrels (35% new; 65% 1-year-old) for 18 months. Minimal fining and filtration. Decant. Leave it in the cellar for at least a year or two.

TERREDORA AGLIANICO 2008, IGT Campania (Italy); #602284; Price: $14.95; 13.0% ABV
100% Aglianico...find out what you’ve been missing, for only $15. Maceration for 7 days. Aged partially in oak and partially in stainless steel tanks. Why not try it with some pizza?

LEONE DE CASTRIS RISERVA 2006, DOC Salice Salentino (Puglia); #597534; Price: $16.95; 13.5% ABV
A blend of Negroamaro (90%) and Malvasia Nera (10%). Handpicked. Maceration for 8 days. Aged 12 months in oak barrels, 3 months in bottle before release. Another wine for a tomato-based sauce.

FIRRIATO ROSSO 2008, DOC Etna (Sicily); #219592; Price: $16.95; 14.0% ABV
A blend of Nerello Mascalese (80%) and Nerello Cappuccio (20%), both of which they usually blended with Nero d’Avola. Handpicked. Fermented for 14 days in stainless steel. Aged 6 months in oak barrels, followed by 2 months in the bottle before release. I’d try it with pasta with a meaty sauce or a lamb stew…so you may want to save it for next winter.

DON JACOBO GRAN RESERVA 1995, DOCa Rioja (Spain); #923748; Price: $27.95; 12.5% ABV
That’s right…1995. The tradition is that this is the way that winemakers release wines in Rioja: the winery holds on to the wine until it’s at its peak. A blend of Tempranillo (85%) and Garnacha (15%). Hold onto it until next winter and try it with a stew or braised meat.

Subscribing to this blog through RSS or email is easy! Just click on the subscribe link to the left ←

The Facts, Ma'am, Just the Facts

2011-04-27T12:40:00.002-04:00

I’ve been away for a couple of weeks, down south visiting another national capital and tuning up the golf game in anticipation of sunny, warmer days here in Ottawa.

I avoided checking email and Canadian news while I was away. Disconnecting for a while surely does have its charms, although coming home to hundreds and hundreds of emails is somewhat discouraging. And some kind of orange wave apparently is about to swamp Canadian politics.

One goody that I came across while catching up on things was this commentary by Decanter’s Andrew Jeffords, in which he bemoans the abysmal state of winery websites.

I couldn’t agree more.

If it isn’t already so, winery websites are rapidly becoming THE primary medium for how consumers learn more about an individual wine, particularly when portable web technology is at so many fingertips.

As Jeffords points out, people who take the time to visit a winery’s website want to know some fundamental things about the wines: the terroir, the grapes, vinification techniques, tasting notes, and food suggestions. Pretty pictures, music, and stories about winemaker’s dogs…these are all OK as add-ons but if you don’t have the fundamentals on each of your wines, you’re wasting our time. Canadian wineries are some of the worst offenders.

The second great sin of many winery websites is stale information. I cannot count the number of wineries that have made the “one-shot” effort to launch a website, only to down tools at that point, with their latest vintage reports anywhere from one to ten years out-of-date.

The formula for a good winery website is simple: tell us about the wine, all the wine, and nothing but the wine. Keep it up to date.

Subscribing to this blog through RSS or email is easy! Just click on the subscribe link to the left ←

Corked!

2011-04-20T12:49:00.001-04:00

Sometimes you need a bad experience with a wine to remind you of how much some things have improved.

Back in the 80s, when I really started getting interested in wine, it wasn’t that unusual to get a bottle of wine that was “corked”; i.e., spoiled by a cork that was infected with 2,4,6-trichloroanisole (TCA to its enemies…it has no friends). Conventional wisdom and common experience was that poor quality corks spoiled around 1 out of 8 to 12 bottles. That frequency has gone down, thanks to two factors: the rise of screwcaps and artificial corks as well as improvements in the quality control over corks. Certainly, my experience is that corked wines are fewer and farther between.

But memories of the bad old days came back to us a couple of weeks ago when we opened a bottle of Chateau Leoville Las Cases, AC Saint-Julien 1986 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of our first date. (Chateau Leoville Las Cases is a second growth Bordeaux from the famous 1855 classification.)

It’s a wine that I had bought about 20 years ago in anticipation of just this occasion. Storage conditions were faultless.

But I was somewhat suspicious about its condition as I noticed that the cork had pushed its way slightly above the lip of the bottle (maybe a couple of millimetres).

We took the wine to Beckta to celebrate. But after the folks at Beckta very carefully removed the cork, it was clear that the cork was in poor condition: mouldy and damp.

The wine was undrinkable (we did try), perhaps the worst case of cork taint (old, wet cardboard) that I can recall, even though its colour was still surprisingly youthful with no signs of aging even after 25 years. Much like us (ahem).

Fortunately, we had ready access to Beckta’s wine cellar and the evening remained celebratory in spite of our disappointment with the wine.

But it was a strong and smelly reminder of how disappointing wines from that era could be, and how poor quality control was, even at a top winery.

Subscribing to this blog through RSS or email is easy! Just click on the subscribe link to the left ←

My Picks - Vintages Release: April 16 2011

2011-04-13T12:28:00.001-04:00

I didn’t find the selection of theme wines (from New Zealand) that compelling and none of them made it onto My Picks.

But 3 organic wines did make it, after an absence for 2 months of pick-worthy organic wines.

Organic & Biodynamic

GRGICH HILLS FUMÉ BLANC 2009; Napa Valley (California); #346296; Price: $29.95; 13.0% ABV
100% Biodynamic Sauvignon Blanc. What turns Sauvignon Blanc into Fumé Blanc? Oak! Fermented in 900-US-gallon oak casks (80%) and neutral (used 3+ times) French Oak barrels (20%). Aged for 6 months on its lees in neutral barrels. Try it with a light, white fish or roast pork tenderloin.

FATTORIA LA RIPA 2008, DOCG Chianti Classico (Tuscany); #651596; Price: $18.95; 13.0% ABV
A blend of Sangiovese (90%) and Canaiolo (10%). Aging in oak casks, then in the bottle before release. Made from organic grapes. Try something “Classico” like pasta in tomato sauce.

FATTORIA LA RIPA 2006, DOCG Chianti Classico Riserva (Tuscany); #984401; Price: $26.95; 13.5% ABV
This Riserva is from the same producer as the “regular” Chianti Classico listed above. Also a blend of Sangiovese (90%) and Canaiolo (10%). Traditional fermentation and aging in oak casks for 2 years, then in the bottle for 6 months. Made from organic grapes. This wine deserves something more substantial, like steak Florentine.

Off the Beaten Track

Whites

DORNIER DONATUS WHITE 2009, WO Western Cape (South Africa); #597278; Price: $18.95; 13.5% ABV
An interesting blend of Chenin Blanc (77%) and Semillon (23%). Separately fermented in new and second-use French oak. Aged 8 months on their lees in the barrel. Match to a heavier fish, like swordfish…only sustainable.

LES PILIERS VIOGNIER 2009, (Languedoc); #669531; Price: $15.95; 13.0% ABV
100% Viognier. Hand harvested. Skin contact for 12 hours. Fermented in stainless steel, then aged on its lees. No oak. Fined and filtered. Drink now with seafood in a cream sauce.

MICHELE CHIARLO LE MARNE GAVI 2009, DOCG Gavi (Piedmont); #228528; Price: $14.95; 12.5% ABV
100% Cortese grown in a maritime climate. Fermented with indigenous yeasts, with part cold maceration. No oak. Light, fresh. Is summer here yet?

Reds

MAS DES DAMES LA DAME 2008, AC Coteaux du Languedoc (France); #223214; Price: $15.95; 13.5% ABV
A blend of Grenache (50%), Syrah (30%), and Carignan (20%). Hand harvested. Fermented in cement tanks, then left on its skins for 5 weeks. Aged in cement tanks. No oak. Try it with lamb chops.

CARPINETO 2004, DOCG Vino Nobile Di Montepulciano Riserva (Tuscany); #368910; Price: $28.95; 13.0% ABV
A blend of Prugnolo Gentile, aka Sangiovese, (70%) and 30% Canaiolo (although they are allowed to throw a few other varietals into the blend). Maceration on the grape skins for 10 days. Aged 2 years in 5,500 litre Slovenian oak barrels, with a small quantity aged in French oak barrels. Aged for 12+ months in bottle before release.

ENCOSTAS DE ESTREMOZ QUINTA DA ESPERANÇA 2005, Vinho Regional Alentejano (Portugal); #160465; Price: $13.95; 14.0% ABV
A blend of Touriga Nacional (70%), Trincadeira (20%) and Aragónes (10%), all indigenous Portuguese grapes. Fermented for 8 days, followed by 12 days of maceration. Aged for 7 months in new American and French barrels.

ONTAÑÓN RESERVA 2004, DOCa Rioja (Spain); #725895; Price: $24.95; 12.4% ABV
A blend of Tempranillo (95%) and Graciano (5%). Aged 24 months in French and American oak.

VIÑAS ELIAS MORA 2008, DO Toro (Spain); #209650; Price: $18.95; 14.5% ABV
100% Tinta de Toro (aka Tempranillo). Aged just 6 months in American oak. Drink it ASAP.

Sparkling

RAVENTÓS I BLANC L'HEREU RESERVA BRUT CAVA 2007, Spain; #221796; Price: $19.95; 12.2% ABV
A blend of Macabeo (60%), Xarel-lo (20%), and Parellada (20%). Hand harvested and fermented using the traditional method with 15 months of bottle aging. Great value.

Subscribing to this blog through RSS or email is easy! Just click on the subscribe link to the left ←

What's Wrong with Tasting Notes - Part 3

2011-04-07T12:17:00.003-04:00

I've ranted here and here about wine tasting notes.

OK, then, what should be in a tasting note?

Let’s start by getting rid of the pretence of objectivity in wine tasting. Too much of wine tasting, and the descriptions that flow from it, attempts to portray the subjective experience (or intensely private sensation) as an objective analysis. Wine tasting is mostly subjective; it varies not only from one person to the next, but varies from bottle to bottle, glass to glass, sip to sip. (Mind you, I had more than one Prof who insisted that there was only one right answer to “what do you taste in this wine?” Of course, that one right answer was the Prof’s answer.)

Are there objective aspects that we can bring to the description of a wine? I think there are. Describing terroir is objective. Describing climate is objective. Describing vinification is objective. These are factors that can explain why a wine tastes the way it does.

Tasting notes need a balance of the subjective and the objective. Terroir…climate…vinification. That’s objective. But yes, explain how a wines tastes. That’s subjective. Don’t over-specify. Don’t impress us with your tasting vocabulary. Perhaps it reminds you of an experience. (I’ve written before about how often tasters will refer back to aromas and tastes from childhood.) But explain why it tastes that way. Use the objective factors to help explain the subjective experience.

Be mercifully brief. Not as brief as Eric Asimov’s deliberately provocative suggestion of “sweet or savoury”.

Be uncomplicated.

I come back to what wine drinkers want to know: Will I enjoy the wine? Is it worth the price? What food, if any, would go well with it?

Will I enjoy the wine?
A wine drinker should be able to get a good sense of how the wine tasted. Condense the wine tasting analysis down to the essence.

Describe the dominant aromas and flavours. Remember, it’s not a shopping list. Don’t get me wrong; unlike a well-known wine reviewer here in Ottawa, I still want aromas and flavours in the description. Use evocative but familiar references. The more specific a descriptor is, the more useless it becomes. For example, “floral” is good; “rose” should be OK; “Wild Rose of Alberta” is too obscure … unless your audience grew up on the Canadian Prairies. (Coco Krumme at slate.com has a great example from Parker’s latest edition, which describes a Bordeaux wine as having “notes of graphite, black currant liqueur, incense, and camphor”. Evocative? Yes. Familiar? Not to me! Parker not only pioneered the 100-point system; he also pioneered over-the-top wine descriptions.)
Tell us about structure and texture, but only the foremost features.
Above all, please, please, please, we need to know about complexity and balance.

Is it worth the price?
I’m not a fan of numerical scoring; it’s subjective, inconsistent, and are we really supposed to believe that there’s a discernible difference between 89 and 90? But wine drinkers want an assessment of “value for money”. (“Why should I pay $60 for a 90-point wine if I can buy one for $20?”) But if value for money is subjective, then what’s wrong with a simple “Yes, worth the money” or “No, pass it by” as part of the conclusion?

What food, if any, would go well with it?
Tricky, this is. Creating great food and wine pairings requires imagination, experience, and knowledge of cuisine. It’s one reason that many sommeliers spend time in the kitchen. It’s a great way – maybe the only way – to learn. And yes, very subjective. But although great matches may be elusive, good matches are not. The key in a tasting note is simplicity and familiarity. If we don’t want you to impress us with your tasting vocabulary, we don’t want you to impress us with your culinary knowledge either.
Is this a “food wine” or not? Many wines from the New World show better without food. Other wines, mostly from the Old World, are better with food, particularly food from the same region. It’s no accident; regional cuisines and regional wines developed in tandem; they make their wines to go with their regional food.

Brevity, simplicity, familiarity, relevance…that’s what we need in tasting notes.

For more on what's wrong with tasting notes, check out one of my favourites bloggers...Alder Yarrow...who has 2 recent related posts, one on tasting notes and the other about Gerald Asher on Wine Writing.

Subscribing to this blog through RSS or email is easy! Just click on the subscribe link to the left ←

What's Wrong with Tasting Notes - Part 2

2011-04-05T12:08:00.004-04:00

In my previous post, I started my rant about wine tasting notes.

I’ve been mulling over this for a while now, and mulling inevitably leads to Googling, which brought me to a wonderful article in the Journal of Wine Economics from 2007, On Wine Bullshit: Some New Software?, written by Richard E. Quandt of Princeton University.

Professor Quandt argues that there are some topics that tend to induce bullshit and that there are some people who have a special propensity to bullshit.

In some instances, there is an unhappy marriage between a subject that especially lends itself to bullshit and bullshit artists who are impelled to comment on it. I fear that wine is one of those instances…

Oh dear…busted.

Wine tasters come in for particular attention from Professor Quandt, who assembled a list of wine descriptors that he culled from published wine tasting notes. His particular favourites are “bass” (the fish? the ale? the instrument?), olive-tinged black currant, scorched earth and spicy earth, liquorice (both root and melted), zesty mineral, velvet v. silky tannins, and the list goes on.

Like Professor Quandt, I think I know what a taster may have been trying to convey with each of those terms (OK, “bass” has me perplexed). But perhaps my perception is different from Professor Quandt’s, and different again from that of the author. Some tasting notes he found had 20 descriptors, including this one: “meaty, sweaty, and sweet Pinot fruit”! (To the credit of my sommelier Profs, I think that one would have received a failing grade.)

That’s what’s wrong with tasting notes: Too much deconstruction without reconstruction. Too much emphasis on the parts; not enough emphasis on the whole.

Now, I don’t underestimate the difficulty of trying to capture the whole experience of a wine. The Globe and Mail recently published a feature by Ian Brown, entitled, Foodies: Are food crazies getting their just desserts? Here’s an excerpt, but where the word “food” appears, I’ve substituted the word “wine”. It sums up the challenge.

The great [wine] writers have always known that writing or talking about [wine] per se, about the actual taste of something, is like writing about the sex act: it’s an intensely private sensation that doesn’t last long, and so should be attempted rarely, if at all.

Ah, but we have to try.

Next up...what should be in a wine tasting note.

Subscribing to this blog through RSS or email is easy! Just click on the subscribe link to the left ←

What's Wrong with Tasting Notes - Part 1

2011-04-04T12:44:00.002-04:00

What do wine drinkers want to know about a wine? What’s important in a tasting note? What’s crap? And why is there so much crap in so many tasting notes today?

First, wine drinkers don’t want to know how a wine tastes. They want to know how a wine drinks. What’s the difference?

Wine drinking is the “simple” enjoyment of a wine, either alone or with food. A wine drinker wants to know, will I enjoy the wine? Is it my kind of wine? Is it worth the price? What food, if any, would go well with it?

Wine tasting, on the other hand, is an (overly?) analytical process that deconstructs a wine into 5 elements:

appearance (colour hue & depth, clarity)
aroma (individual aromas, intensity, signs of age)
taste & structure (individual flavours, intensity, dryness or sweetness, acidity, tannins)
texture (body, mouthfeel)
finish (length, consistency, complexity, balance)

(Some experts distribute the individual steps into different categories, but all of the components are the same.)

Wine tasting is the basis for tasting notes, those blurbs that wine writers and critics compose about a particular wine. Tasting notes incorporate the taster's experience along those five elements.

But the language used can be quite esoteric, over the top in complexity and obscurity. Sommelier programs (like the one from which I graduated) spend LOTS of time teaching wine tasting as the deconstruction of a wine, but not enough time in teaching students how to put the parts back together in a way that wine drinkers will find useful.

For example, only if we’re lucky, at the end of a tasting note, will these tasters tack on an overall conclusion and perhaps suggest a food pairing. Ah, but that last little bit is the most important, the stuff that most wine drinkers want to know.

What do we get instead? Too often it’s rambling notes that try to impress us (but only frustrate us) with listings of obscure fruits, flowers, vegetables, herbs, spices, and other elements. These notes reduce a wine to its parts, when we want to know is what the wine adds up to.

(By the way, I include myself among wine tasters who are guilty of writing overly complex tasting notes. Mea culpa.)

Like so many specialties, we wine tasters have developed a special language that those of us on the inside can understand. But that same language and analytical process can get in the way of explaining to wine drinkers why they might enjoy a wine.

It’s a bit like asking someone what it’s like to drive a Ferrari, and receiving a description of the car’s components. Yes, that can be interesting to the gearhead, but what does it FEEL like to the driver?

Next post: More on what's wrong with tasting notes...

Subscribing to this blog through RSS or email is easy! Just click on the subscribe link to the left ←

You Can't Judge a Wine by Its Label...

2011-04-01T08:51:00.002-04:00

...but it can be fun!

My friend, and fellow sommelier, Mitch sent me this link about cool wine labels. Makes him a cool guy.

The Boarding Pass Shiraz might be my favourite. And a sparkling made from birch sap! Worth a trip to Sweden.

No foolin'

Subscribing to this blog through RSS or email is easy! Just click on the subscribe link to the left ←

My Picks: Vintages Release - April 2 2011

2011-03-29T12:12:00.008-04:00

The theme of this week’s release is Burgundy, with South Africa as a supporting player.

For this blog, the problem with Burgundy is threefold. First, Burgundy is not exactly “off the beaten track”, although there are parts of Burgundy that are: Côte Chalonnaise, Le Mâconnais, and the Haut-Côtes, some of which are in this release. Second, the price of many Burgundy wines lands north of $30, which I generally use as the cut-off for My Picks. And third, many producers this week are small and don’t devote any effort to a web presence. I like to learn a little something about the Terroir, the climate, and the vinification techniques of a wine before I recommend that you try it. With rare exceptions, no disclosure means no recommendation. Sometimes, if I can find the email address of the winery or importer, I’ll write to them. But this week, even those are impossible to find.

The result? Only one Burgundy wine, a white from Le Mâconnais, makes the list. And there are only 10 Picks in total, of which 3 are Italian. (Ah, Italy, you always come through.) And a Sparkling Shiraz and some Sherry.

And, once again this week, no organic wines!

Off the Beaten Track

White

CHÂTEAU-FUISSÉ TÊTE DE CRU 2008, AC Pouilly-Fuissé (France); #208546; Price: $29.95; 13.5% ABV
100% Chardonnay (of course), blended from grapes grown in 20+ vineyards, vinified separately, then blended. Aged 70% in oak barrels (25% new) and 30% in stainless steel. I’m thinking grilled scallops.

Reds

HENRY OF PELHAM GAMAY 2009, VQA Short Hills Bench, Niagara Peninsula; #291112; Price: $14.95; 12.7% ABV
100% Gamay, a Varietal that Niagara can do quite well. Conventional fermentation with the addition of 20% whole grape clusters added for a touch of carbonic maceration. Aged in stainless steel. Drink this year with roast chicken.

PIRRAMIMMA PETIT VERDOT 2006, McLaren Vale (Australia); #986752; Price: $24.95; 14.5% ABV
100% Petit Verdot, most known as a blending grape in Bordeaux, offering deep colour, tannins, and spicy flavours. We don't often see Petit Verdot as a single Varietal, although I do remember drinking a delicious Ontario PV a couple of years back. They fermented this one in concrete vats and then finished in French and American oak. Aged in oak (30% new, 70% older) for 24 months.

BELLINGHAM DRAGON'S LAIR 2006, WO Coastal Region (South Africa); #68692; Price: $19.95; 14.5% ABV
A Northern Rhone blend of Shiraz (84%) and Viognier (5%) with a Southern Rhone variety, Mourvèdre (11%), thrown in. Hand harvested. Co-fermented in stainless steel tanks. Malolactic fermentation in oak (50% first use, 50% second use), followed by 18 months aging in the oak barrels. A first BBQ wine of the season.

ORTAS TRADITION RASTEAU 2009; AC Côtes Du Rhône-Villages (France); #998716; Price: $15.00; 14.0% ABV
A typical Southern Rhone blend of Grenache (70%), Syrah (20%), and Mourvèdre (10%). 90% handpicked (90%?! Why not 100%?) Long maceration, aged in concrete vats. No oak. Great year, keep your eye out for more 2009s from the Rhone over the next year or two.

IPPOLITO 1845 LIBER PATER 2008, DOC Cirò Rosso Classico Superiore (Calabria, Italy); #121061; Price: $13.95; 13.5% ABV
100% Gaglioppo, the indigenous grape variety of Cirò (and Calabria at large), known for its tannins. Long maceration on the skins, then aged in French oak barrels for 6 months.

UMANI RONCHI SAN LORENZO 2007, DOC Rosso Conero (Marche, Italy); #981191; Price: $15.95; 13.2% ABV
100% Montepulciano, the workhorse grape of the Adriatic coast. Hand harvested. Maceration for 10 days in steel vats, followed by Malolactic fermentation. Half aged in 5000 litre oak casks, half in oak barrels (third and fourth use) for 12 months, followed by bottle aging for 6 months before release. It’s a classic wine for pizza or pasta with tomato sauce.

RIVERA CAPPELLACCIO RISERVA AGLIANICO 2005, DOC Castel del Monte (Puglia, Italy); #984120; Price: $18.95; 12.0% ABV
100% Aglianico. Maceration for 12 days in stainless steel. Aging for 12 months in French oak barrels of varying ages, then another year in the bottle before release. Do the math, a 2005, where’s it been? But for the price, it’s a good value. I’d try it with lamb, either a hearty ragout or, if spring ever comes, grilled chops.

Sparkling

HARDYS OOMOO SPARKLING SHIRAZ 2004, Clare Valley (Australia); #221853; Price: $19.95; 14.0% ABV
Well now, this is interesting, an Oz sparkling made of 100% Shiraz. Primary fermentation in stainless steel and oak, followed by Malolactic fermentation. Aged for a year in oak. Secondary fermentation in bottle, kept on its lees for 4 years.

Fortified

WILLIAMS & HUMBERT WALNUT BROWN RARE OLD BROWN OLOROSO, DO Jerez (Spain); #437467; Price: $11.95; 17.5% ABV
OK, get over the fact that your grandmother – and Fraser Crane – drank sherry. A blend of Palomino, Pedro Ximénez and Muscatel grapes. The wine itself is a blend of Oloroso (a dry fortified sherry that has more exposure to air while aging in the cask for 4 years, making it darker and concentrated) and Cream (a sweet dark sherry). Look for the classic flavours of nuts and dried raisins. Made for the UK market. Quite sweet; serve very cold, it’s dessert in a glass.

Subscribing to this blog through RSS or email is easy! Just click on the subscribe link to the left ←

My Picks: Vintages Release -- March 19 2011

2011-03-16T12:15:00.003-04:00

Regular readers know that I’m a HUGE fan of Spanish and Portuguese wines. Why? I love unusual, indigenous Varietals and blends. The Iberian Peninsula is chock full of them: Tempranillo (with its many aliases), Alvarinho & Albarino, Viura, Verdejo, Touriga Nacional and Touriga Franca...all are in the mix this week. It’s a dream come true!

This week also offers “California Superstars”, a group of 8 wines that, for the most part, are overpriced for what they offer. But if you’re in a mood to splurge, then go for Dominus or Pahlmeyer.

Again this week, nothing organic. Maybe they’re saving up for a theme release?

On the Iberian Trail

Whites

1 from Portugal, 3 from Spain...all featuring indigenous grape varieties...

VARANDA DO CONDE ALVARINHO/TRAJADURA 2009, DOC Vinho Verde (Portugal); #966663; Price: $13.95; 12.0% ABV
A blend of Alvarinho (70%) and Trajadura (30%). Alvarinho is the Portuguese name for what the Spanish call Albarino. Trajadura is also an indigenous grape that's used to add weight. Fermented for 10 days. Drink now with some molluscs!

AGRICOLA CASTELLANA CUATRO RAYAS VERDEJO 2009, DO Rueda (Spain); #194787; Price: $14.95; 12.1% ABV
100% Verdejo, the signature grape of Rueda in northern Spain, along the Duero River. Fermented for 21 days in stainless steel vats using native yeasts. Left on its lees for 3 months. No oak. Verdejo is typically herbaceous with minerality, nuttiness (are you out there, Kyle?) and bitterness on the finish. In short, a fabulous wine with seafood.

BERONIA VIURA 2009, DOCa Rioja (Spain); #190801, Price: $13.95; 12.5% ABV
100% Viura, what Riojans call Macabeo, the most common white grape variety in northern Spain. Barrel fermented in French oak, then left on its lees for 5 months. Drink ASAP.

LEIRA ALBARIÑO 2009, DO Rias Baixas (Spain); #115816; Price: $16.95; 12.1% ABV
100% Albariño, the wonderful Varietal from Galicia in northwest Spain, directly north of Portugal. A great spring/summer aperitif.

Reds

More indigenous grape varieties...3 from Portugal, 3 from Spain...

CISTUS RESERVA 2007, DOC Douro (Portugal); #145052; Price: $18.95; 14.0% ABV
A blend of Tinta Roriz - aka Tempranillo - (40%), Touriga Franca (40%), and Touriga Nacional (20%), the same grapes used to make Port. Fermented in stainless steel vats. Aged for 15 months in French, American and Hungarian oak barrels. Ideal with braised meats or blue cheese.

QUINTA NOVA POMARES 2008, DOC Douro (Portugal); #214007; Price: $16.95; 13.5% ABV
A blend of Tinta Roriz, Touriga Franca and Touriga Nacional. Fermentation in stainless steel tanks for 8 days. Partly aged French and American oak for 4 months. Unfiltered. Same grapes as the wine listed above, but much less time in oak. Should make for an interesting contrast.

ENCOSTAS DE ESTREMOZ TOURIGA FRANCA 2004, Vinho Regional Alentejano (Portugal); #190561; Price: $17.95; 14.5% ABV
100% Touriga Franca from Alentejo in southern Portugal. Fermented over 8 days, followed by maceration for 25 days. Aged in new American and French oak barrels for 7 months. Alentejo is a newer wine-producing region in Portugal, still finding its way. In this wine, the producer (SA da Lagarteira) is trying Touriga Franca, which is indigenous to northern Portugal. Worth a try!

EL COTO CRIANZA 2006, DOCa Rioja (Spain); #190504; Price: $14.95; 13.0% ABV
100% Tempranillo from vineyards across Rioja: Baja, Alta, Alavesa. Fermented in stainless steel vats. Aged 12 months in American oak barrels, then 6 months in the bottle before release. Try it with roast chicken.

LEALTANZA RESERVA SELECCIÓN 2004, DOCa Rioja (Spain); #208223; Price: $17.95; 13.5% ABV
100% Tempranillo. Fermented in stainless steel tanks for 15 days, with 20 additional days of maceration. Malolactic fermentation in French oak. Aged for 24 months in second-use French oak, then 6 months in Allier French oak vats, then 12 months in bottle. Think steak.

VIÑA MAYOR RESERVA 2004, DO Ribera del Duero (Spain); #209155; Price: $25.95; 14.0% ABV
100% Tempranillo. Fermentation on the grape skins; maceration for 21 days. Malolactic fermentation in barrel, then fined. Aged 18 months in French and American oak barrels, then 18 months in bottle. Lamb chops, anyone?

Off the Beaten Track

A bottle of red, a bottle of white...

BOLLINI PINOT GRIGIO 2009, DOC Trentino (Italy); #951319; Price: $16.95; 13.0% ABV
100% Pinot Grigio from Trentino in northeast Italy, where Pinot Grigio has a chance to shine. Fermented and aged in stainless steel, left on its lees and skins for 4 months.

HENRY OF PELHAM RESERVE BACO NOIR 2008, VQA Niagara Peninsula; #461699; Price: $24.95; 13.5% ABV
100% Baco Noir, a hybrid grape variety (crossing a Vitis Vinifera with a Vitis Riparia). Baco Noir is generally not highly regarded except for the efforts of one producer: Henry of Pelham, whose efforts are very impressive. Aged in new, one-, and two-year-old American oak for 15 months. Definitely a winter wine but no rush, it can age a few more years.

Bonus Pick!

PISCO SOLDEICA, DO Ica (Peru); #214106; Price: $29.95; 40.6% ABV
Pisco Puro, the famous brandy from Peru! Made from 100% Quebranta grape variety. Fermented, then immediately distilled. Aged for 3 years in stainless steel before bottling. Consume it neat (as any other brandy) or in a Pisco Sour. Careful…it packs a wallop! Trust me. Click here for my tour of a Peruvian Pisco plant.

Subscribing to this blog through RSS or email is easy! Just click on the subscribe link to the left ←

Recently Tasted: Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon Cabernet Sauvignon 2006

2011-03-14T12:43:00.001-04:00

As a Christmas gift, I received a bottle of Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon Cabernet Sauvignon 2006, Mendocino County (California), 13.5% ABV. It’s a novelty item, I suppose, a bit like other celebrity wines, although this celebrity is a thing.

Are these things worth it? Well, if you’re a fan of the celebrity, then you won’t mind paying a premium for the bottle. The winemaker makes a bit more money, the celebrity gets a cut, and we, the consumer, get a souvenir, so it’s a good deal for us and them.

The wine is the product of Wines That Rock – aka Mendocino Wine Co. – which also boasts of sustainable farming, 100% green power (solar & wind), eco-friendly packaging, and carbon neutrality.

Released in 1973, Dark Side of the Moon vies with The Wall as the best effort by Pink Floyd – David Gilmour, Nick Mason, Roger Waters, and Richard Wright, all of whom are still with us except for Richard Wright, who has gone to the great gig in the sky.

We tried this wine with dinner the other night. I had been on the run all day, so I didn’t have time to let it breathe before dinner. It does speak to me of a typical California Cab. Deep garnet, which is not just any colour. You like aromas of cassis and black cherry with flavours of cassis, vanilla, and a bit of chocolate? Then you’ll like this. It’s medium-bodied, smooth, and, at 13.5%, you don’t have to worry about any brain damage.

Of course, we had to listen to the album while drinking this wine. It’s been quite a while since I’ve listened to it. (It’s not our typical dinnertime music.) I’d forgotten how bloody brilliant it is. Maybe even better during a lunar eclipse?

Subscribing to this blog through RSS or email is easy! Just click on the subscribe link to the left ←

What Makes a Fine Wine?

2011-03-10T12:19:00.005-05:00

Insightful column from Andrew Jeffords this week at Decanter.

Ever wondered what the distinction is between a fine wine and a…well...not-so-fine wine? It's more than just the price.

Let’s hear from Mr Jeffords:

Fine wines attempt to make the best wine possible, but resist the temptation to hide nature’s imperfections. Letting all those variables come through is what makes a vintage interesting and intriguing.

The attraction of not-so-fine wines is their consistency. The same thing attracts people to McDonalds. No surprises.

Some drinkers, indeed, seek out ‘lesser years’ as a refuge from modish ripeness. The underlying assumption, though, must be that the wine will be a truthful account of the vintage.

Don’t strive to correct nature; select from it instead, so as to deliver the most limpid and resonant account of the year that you can. Otherwise … what’s the point?

Fine wines are usually a snapshot of place, too, as well as being an interpretation of a Varietal (or blended) ideal. They’re also a drinkable weather report: the summary of a season. But to what extent?

In great vintages, of course, you take what nature has given you, and say a private word of thanks when no one’s looking. What, though, do you do when nature has teased and tortured you? Do you allow the excesses and deficiencies of a season to be apparent in the wine, or do you attempt to remedy nature in some way?

Bravo! I couldn’t agree more.

Subscribing to this blog through RSS or email is easy! Just click on the subscribe link to the left ←

The Times They Are A-Changin’

2011-03-08T12:06:00.001-05:00

Last year, in my review of Au Revoir to All That, I wrote about how cuisine in France has been changing and the reasons why. Chief among those reasons is the economic malaise that has afflicted France since the 1980s, where the spending power of diners has been relentlessly impaired over almost 30 years. The result? Pressure on chefs to cut costs, to stick to the tried and true, to be risk-averse.

This year’s just released Michelin Red Guide for France, which lists their recommended restaurants and hotels, is yet another harbinger of the changing face of French cuisine. For the first time, the number of “Bib Gourmand” restaurants – offering good value for money for a three-course meal – exceeds the number of “starred” restaurants, 601 to 571 (470 one star, 76 two stars, and 25 three stars).

To qualify, a restaurant must offer three-course meals for less than €35 (CAD 48) in Paris and €29 (CAD 40) outside Paris. Of course, the food must meet Michelin’s exacting standards, which Michelin keeps to itself.

Michelin notes that this is “a sign of the times and an indicator of new culinary trends”, which is a bit of an understatement. But the increased focus on value is good news for les français et les françaises, and tourists as well.

And what does “Bib” in "Bib Gourmand" mean? Bib is short for Bibendum, the name of the Michelin Man.

Subscribing to this blog through RSS or email is easy! Just click on the subscribe link to the left ←

Goin' to the Banker and We're Goin' Get Merging

2011-03-07T12:23:00.001-05:00

Interesting news out of Santiago. Concha y Toro has bought Mendocino County’s Fetzer Winery. What makes it interesting is that both Concha y Toro and Fetzer have significant organic and (partially) Biodynamic vineyards: Concha y Toro has Emiliana and Fetzer has Bonterra. Bonterra has been organic since 1987 and with sales of 300,000 cases annually; it’s more than three times the size of its nearest organic competitor. For my posts about Emiliana, click here.

With its purchase of Fetzer, Concha y Toro brings together 2 strong players among organic wines. My bet is that Concha y Toro believes that, someday, all wines will be organic wines.

Fetzer itself is also a leader in sustainable practices and is recognized as an environmental leader, which I’ve written about before.

As a fan of organic and Biodynamic wines, I anticipate that Fetzer and Concha y Toro will learn much from each other. It's a big vote of confidence in organic wines and a boost to sustainability.

Subscribing to this blog through RSS or email is easy! Just click on the subscribe link to the left ←

My Picks: Vintages Release -- March 5 2011

2011-03-03T09:23:00.006-05:00

The headliners of this week’s release are Argentina and Chile, with a supporting role given to “the other Northern Italy”, which means anything but Piedmont.

The good thing about the wines from Argentina and Chile is that they’re not from the best-known areas. No Mendoza among the Argentineans. No Maipo, Rapel, or Maule among the Chileans. Kudos for the effort.

And I’m a big fan of northeastern Italy: Alto-Adige, Trentino, Friuli. But the choices...well...they should do better...and more of them, please.

Usually, there are other goodies tuck away here and there in any release. But I found it tough sledding this time around.

But here they are…Dave’s Dozen. (Nothing organic worth your consideration this week.)

Off the Beaten Track

Whites

Among the whites, there’s one from Chile and one from Northern Italy, plus 2 other Italians from further south and a Bordeaux.

AMARAL COOL CLIMATE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2010, Leyda Valley (Chile); #48025; Price: $14.95; 14.5% ABV
100% Sauvignon Blanc from the cool climate of Leyda Valley, just 12 km from the Pacific, almost directly west of Santiago. Surprisingly high alcohol. Drink young with seafood.

CHÂTEAU COUCHEROY BLANC 2008, AC Pessac-Léognan (Bordeaux); #199133; Price: $22.95; 12.5% ABV
100% Sauvignon Blanc, a bit unusual for a Bordeaux Blanc, which usually has a fair amount of Semillon in the blend. Partly barrel-fermented, partly fermented in stainless steel. Aged partly in oak, partly in stainless steel on its spent yeasts. No Malolactic fermentation. Crisp, fresh, ideal as an aperitif or with some simply-prepared seafood.

ALOIS LAGEDER PINOT GRIGIO 2009, DOC Alto Adige (Italy); #681429; Price: $18.95; 12.5% ABV
It’s fashionable to knock Pinot Grigio (still?) and often it’s justified. It’s a Varietal that can be insipid. But here in northeast Italy is where PG has a well-deserved good reputation. Fermented in stainless steel tanks, then aged on its lees for 4 months. No oak.

CASALFARNETO FONTEVECCHIA 2009, DOC Verdicchio Dei Castelli Di Jesi Classico Superiore (Marche, Italy); #208983; Price: $14.95; 13.2% ABV
I bet almost everybody knows the Verdicchio from Fazi-Battaglia (it’s the one in the odd-shaped bottle) so here’s a chance to try another producer from Marche (on the Adriatic coast, with Tuscany and Umbria to the west). Hand harvested. Aged in steel tanks for 5 months, then in bottle for 2 months. No oak. Filtered. Look for characteristic lemon and bitter almond flavours.

CARUSO & MININI TIMPUNE GRILLO 2009, IGT Sicilia; #203943; Price: $13.95; 13.5% ABV
100% Grillo, a grape that’s indigenous to Sicily. Fermented in large oak and acacia (!) barrels. Aged on its lees in stainless steel, followed by 3 months of bottle aging before release.

Reds

Among the reds, a couple of interesting Argentineans from outside Mendoza, plus a couple of always-reliable Rhone wines from 2 great vintages (2007, 2009) and two wines from Rioja. If you’re not drinking Rioja, you’re missing great values.

CASA MONTES ALZAMORA SYRAH 2006, San Juan (Argentina); #220673; Price: $19.95; 13.9% ABV
From San Juan, north of Mendoza. A little hotter is San Juan, which Mr Syrah seems to like. Harvested by hand. Fermented in stainless steel. Maceration on the skins both before and after fermentation for 12 days. Aged in a combination of new and used French oak for 12 months. The winemakers, originally from Spain, may be aiming for an Old World style, as they use the name “Syrah” and not “Shiraz”.

VALLE PERDIDO RESERVA MALBEC 2006, Patagonia (Argentina); #222760; Price: $19.95; 14.0% ABV
Yes, it’s 100% Malbec, the signature grape of Argentina. But it’s from the cool (and windy) climate of Patagonia, not Mendoza. Handpicked (at dawn!) and sorted, then gravity-fed into fermentation in stainless steel tanks for 10 days. Aged for 14 months in first-use 60% French and 40% American oak.

MAS DES BRESSADES CUVÉE TRADITION 2009, AC Costières de Nîmes (France); #143099; Price: $14.95; 14.1% ABV
A blend of Syrah (55%) and Grenache (45%). Machine harvested...what do you want for 15 bucks from France?...the winemaker fermented the two grape varieties separately, then aged in concrete tanks. No oak! Costières de Nîmes is officially part of the southern Rhone but is right next door to Languedoc. Good value.

PIERRE GAILLARD SAINT-JOSEPH 2007, AC Saint-Joseph (Rhone); #194928; Price: $27.95; 13.0% ABV
100% Syrah from the Northern Rhone. Cold maceration for 4 days, then fermentation for 4 days, followed by post-fermentation maceration for 2 weeks, then Malolactic fermentation in barrels. Aged 18 months in Allier and Nevers oak (20% new). I rank the smaller AC of Saint-Joseph in between Hermitage and Crozes-Hermitage for quality.

BODEGAS LAN CRIANZA 2006, DOCa Rioja (Spain); #166538; Price: $15.00; 13.0% ABV
100% Tempranillo. Aged in American and French oak barrels for 12 months, followed by several months in bottle. If you don’t know the wines of Rioja, this is the perfect starting point.

MARQUÉS DE MURRIETA FINCA YGAY RESERVA 2005, DOCa Rioja (Spain); #209148; Price: $24.95; 14.0% ABV
A classic Rioja Alta wine! A blend of Tempranillo (84%), Garnacha (13%), and Mazuelo (3%). A step up from Crianza, Riojan Reservas spend more time aging, both in the barrel and in the bottle. The grape selection should be better too. Fermentation on its skins for 8 days in stainless steel tanks. Aged 22 months in American oak (8 months in new oak), then kept in the bottle for 12 months before release.

Sparkling

JANSZ PREMIUM CUVÉE NV, Tasmania; #566828; Price: $24.95; 12.5% ABV
A classic blend of Chardonnay (58%), Pinot Noir (40%) and Pinot Meunier (2%) from cool climate Tasmania. Made in the traditional méthode Champenoise, or as they say at Jansz, the Méthode Tasmaniose: the wines go through secondary fermentation in bottles and aged on yeast lees for as long as possible (average two years). Good value on ya, mate!

Subscribing to this blog through RSS or email is easy! Just click on the subscribe link to the left ←

Not tonight, dear…I'm Having Chardonnay

2011-02-23T14:31:00.000-05:00

Just catching up to an article in the National Post last week about a strain of yeast, developed at UBC's Wine Research Centre, that can reduce headaches from wines.

According to the scientist that developed the yeast, about 30% of the world’s population are so sensitive to histamines and other biogenic amines that they develop headaches. These amines are often formed during Malolactic fermentation. (Malolactic fermentation is the conversion of harsh malic acid to smoother lactic acid.) This recently developed strain of yeast – ML01 – produces fewer amines by allowing Malolactic fermentation to occur simultaneously with alcoholic fermentation. (More often, Malolactic fermentation occurs after alcoholic fermentation.)

Governments in Canada, the US, and South Africa have approved the yeast in winemaking. The European Union is next on the approval list.

If you suffer from these headaches, how do you know if a winemaker used ML01? As the article points out, winemakers are loath to disclose that they are using the yeast since it is genetically modified. But the use of GM, or artificial, yeasts is quite common in winemaking. Me, I prefer wines made with indigenous, or natural, yeasts but I’m fortunate that I don’t suffer from wine headaches. I’m sure my attitude would be different if a headache was waiting for me whenever I drank a wine.

Of course, another way to avoid those headaches is to drink wines that avoid Malolactic fermentation. Which ones are those? At the risk of over-generalization, look for:

light red wines that are meant to be drunk young (Beaujolais, Dolcetto),
many warm climate wines (which may lack acidity to begin with)
most white wines (except Chardonnay), and
most inexpensive wines, as Malolactic fermentation adds to the cost of production.

Cheers to the scientists at UBC!

Subscribing to this blog through RSS or email is easy! Just click on the subscribe link to the left ←

My Picks: Vintages Release -- February 19 2011

2011-02-16T12:26:00.009-05:00

This week’s release is about Cabernet Sauvignon, one of the big boys in the wine world. Now, I focus on wines that are “off the beaten track”. But nothing says “beaten track” like Cabernet Sauvignon. Maybe there are some Cabernet Sauvignons from lesser-known regions? Let’s see. Bordeaux…California…Chile…Italy…Spain…Australia… uh no. There’s one from Washington, so if you really, really have to buy a Cabernet Sauvignon, that’s the one. Well, except for my bonus pick at the bottom of this post.

But sorting through everything else in this release, there are wines that are not as over-famous as Cabernet Sauvignon but certainly merit a try.

Organic

EMILIANA ADOBE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2010, Casablanca Valley (Chile); #211912; Price: $12.95; 13.5% ABV
100% Sauvignon Blanc from the maritime climate of Casablanca, just a bit west of Santiago. Yes, it’s that Humboldt Current again. Aged 3 months in stainless steel. Certified Organic by IMO (Switzerland). I’m thinking pasta with clams.

BONTERRA SYRAH 2007, Mendocino County (California); #573709; Price: $19.95; 14.4% ABV

Organic since 1987. A Southern Rhone-ish blend of Syrah (83%), Petit Sirah (11%), Grenache (4%), and Mourvèdre (2%), partially sourced from Biodynamic vineyards. After Malolactic fermentation, aged 24 months in French Oak, then aged several months in bottle before release.

CHÂTEAU PECH-LATT TRADITION 2009, AC Corbières (Languedoc); #76513; Price: $16.95; 13.0% ABV

A traditional Languedoc blend of Carignan (60%), Grenache (15%), Syrah (15%), and Mourvèdre (10%) – I love that the Carignan is the dominant Varietal. Handpicked. Fermented for 20 to 25 days, depending on the Varietal. Aged in cement vats for 8 months. No oak, drink now. Certified organic by ECOCERT.

Off the Beaten Track

Whites

DOMAINE JAEGER-DEFAIX RABOURCÉ 1ER CRU 2007, AC Rully (Burgundy); #200139; Price: $27.95; 13.5% ABV

100% Chardonnay. Rully is part of the Cote Chalonnaise, south of Beaune, the much, much less-known part of Burgundy. It’s affordable Burgundy premier cru, if such a thing exists. Barrel-fermented, followed by Malolactic fermentation, then aged on its lees for 12 months in oak barrels. Filtered.

BÜRGERSPITAL SILVANER KABINETT TROCKEN 2009, QmP Wuerzburger Innere Leiste (Franken, Germany); #197194; Price: $18.95; 13.0% ABV

Silvaner is a white Varietal, very popular in Franken. You can buy it just for the unique classic stubby boecksbeutel! But the wine is worth it as well. The 2007 surpassed my expectations. I'm looking for more of the same.

Reds

13TH STREET GAMAY NOIR 2008, VQA Niagara Peninsula; #177824; Price: $17.95; 12.0% ABV

13th Street Winery is one of the all-too-many Ontario wineries that, inexplicably, tell you almost nothing about their vinification techniques, something that drives me crazy. Makes me suspect they’re hiding something. But 13th Street tells me that they’re launching a new website next month that will have those “technical sheets”. I think that Niagara is made for Gamay (or vice versa) and I’m a fan of 13th Street’s other efforts, so they get a pass this time on the promise of more disclosure to come.

JACKSON-TRIGGS ESTATE PROPRIETORS' GRAND RESERVE SHIRAZ 2006, VQA Okanagan Valley; #33241; Price: $24.95; 14.3% ABV

There’s been a slow but steady trickle of BC wines flowing through Vintages for the last few months. I hope that you’re buying some, ‘cause that’s another way to keep breaking down those silly provincial trade barriers and keep them coming. This one is 100 % Shiraz. Handpicked. Malolactic fermentation, followed by aging for twelve months in 50% French and 50% American Oak.

ANNE BOECKLIN RÉSERVE PINOT NOIR 2008, AC Alsace (France); #196949; Price: $17.95; 12.5% ABV

The only red Varietal of cool climate Alsace, it doesn’t show up that often in Vintages but it’s certainly worth trying. Another trip down memory lane from my days in the Black Forest, just across the Rhine from Alsace. Typically fresh and not made for extended aging.

ABBONA PAPÀ CELSO 2008, DOCG Dogliani (Piedmont, Italy); #193730; Price: $19.95; 13.5% ABV

100% Dolcetto. Fermented for 5 days at the temperature of 28-30°C in stainless steel, then bottled. No oak. Drink this year.

CALLABRIGA 2008, DOC Dao (Portugal); #43638; Price: $18.95; 14.0% ABV

A blend of Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo), Touriga Nacional and Alfrocheiro Preto, the latter adding colour and acidity. Fermented separately. After Malolactic fermentation, aging for one year in 225 litre oak barrels. After aging in oak, the wines are blended and aged 6 months in bottle before release. Dao is in northern Portugal, just south of Douro.

PALACIO GLORIOSO RESERVA 2005, DOCa Rioja (Spain); #930164; Price: $19.95; 12.5% ABV

100% Tempranillo. Grapes from old vines in the Rioja Alavesa, which (not surprisingly) is between Rioja Alta and Rioja Baja. Fermentation and maceration for 25 days, followed by Malolactic fermentation, clarification and fining. Aged in 225L French oak barrels for 18 months, then aged in the bottle for another 18 months before release.

Sparkling

GLORIA FERRER BLANC DE BLANCS 2005, Carneros (California); #223792; Price: $24.95; 12.5% ABV

100% Chardonnay (that’s what Blanc de Blancs means for a sparkling wine). Made by the Methode Champenoise. They fermented 8 different base wines in stainless steel tanks. Aged three years on the spent yeasts. We drank the Brut NV from Gloria Ferrer on New Years Eve and if that’s any indication, this is a bargain.

Bonus Pick:

HAUTS DE PONTET-CANET 2007, AC Pauillac (Bordeaux); #100719; Price: $36.00; 13.0% ABV

A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (60%), Merlot (35%), Cabernet Franc (4%), and Petit-Verdot (1%). I wrote about Pontet-Canet last month, when Agence Bio granted organic status to this winery. 2007 is the vintage with the conditions – rain and cold in late spring and early summer, resulting in mildew – that pulled them off the Biodynamic track, which they are now pursuing again. Pontet-Canet is one of the best turnaround stories of a winery that you can find. It had fallen on hard times (and scandal) in the ‘70s, then new owners took it over. The Tesseron family have slowly brought it closer to the stature of its neighbours in Pauillac. The mark of an excellent producer is what it can do in a difficult year. Let’s see.

Subscribing to this blog through RSS or email is easy! Just click on the subscribe link to the left ←

Dave's Domaine

Vintages Moves in Mysterious Ways

Recommended Reading: To Cork or Not to Cork

My Picks: Vintages Release ─ January 21 2012

50 Days to Love Your Liver

My Picks: Vintages Release ─ January 7 2012

My Picks: Vintages Release ─ December 10 2011

Ignoble Rottenness in Bordeaux

My Picks: Vintages Release ─ November 26 2011

My Picks: Vintages Release ─ November 12 2011

My Dad

Hiatus

My Picks: Vintages Release ─ September 3 2011

My Picks: Vintages On-Line Exclusives ─ August 25 2011

My Picks: Vintages Release ─ August 20 2011

My Picks: Vintages Release ─ August 6 2011

But Now I See

My Picks: Vintages Release ─ July 23 2011

Recommended Reading: A Hedonist in the Cellar

My Picks: Vintages Release ─ July 9 2011

More More More

Everything's Coming Up Rosés - 2011 Edition

François Chartier Talks to Robert Parker

My Picks: Vintages Release - June 25 2011

What You Can Do

Mercurey Rising?

Giving Props to the LCBO

My Picks: Vintages Release -- June 11 2011

Slapping Back the Cognac

My Picks: Vintages Release -- May 28 2011

Eve

Kinkead's

My Picks: Vintages Release -- May 14 2011

J&G Steakhouse

Hank's Oyster Bar

My Picks: Vintages Release -- April 30 2011

The Facts, Ma'am, Just the Facts

Corked!

My Picks - Vintages Release: April 16 2011

What's Wrong with Tasting Notes - Part 3

What's Wrong with Tasting Notes - Part 2

What's Wrong with Tasting Notes - Part 1

You Can't Judge a Wine by Its Label...

My Picks: Vintages Release - April 2 2011

My Picks: Vintages Release -- March 19 2011

Recently Tasted: Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon Cabernet Sauvignon 2006

What Makes a Fine Wine?

The Times They Are A-Changin’

Goin' to the Banker and We're Goin' Get Merging

My Picks: Vintages Release -- March 5 2011

Not tonight, dear…I'm Having Chardonnay

My Picks: Vintages Release -- February 19 2011