It’s Black Friday but wine gifts come at a price

Photograph by volff, Fotolia.com

It’s an American thing. Black Friday shopping deals will attract major crowds south of the border but in Canada, not so much. Studies show that only one in 10 Canadians will get off the couch and leave their basements for this day of discount shopping. The reverse will apply to Boxing Day.

Ontarians are just as likely to hit their local LCBO in search of wine gems for the coming holiday season. The current VINTAGES release is front loaded with lavish, iconic, red and “black” wines. The spotlight is on the big boys, especially Cabernet Sauvignon nearing and often breaching the centurial dollar mark. Behold eight more wine gems for your gift list.

The grapes: Corvina e Corvinone, Rondinella and Barbera

The history: From north-east of Verona, on the hill that separates Montorio from Valle d’Illasi

The lowdown: More substantial, almost unwieldy than most other Valpolicella in the price range

The food match: Coffee Brined Chicken

Musella Vigne Nuove Valpolicella Superiore 2009 (205757, $15.95) races forward pell-mell, spewing tar, ash and black tea exhaust. The fruit component is dark, black plum seeping in its own reductive juices. Chewy, persistent and gathering speed. Top quality normale Valpo. 89

The grape: Cabernet Sauvignon

The history: Amounts to 88% Cab primarily sourced from vineyards located in the Alexander, Dry Creek, and Sonoma Valleys

The lowdown: Pseudo-supermarket brand gets it right in ’09. $20 Cab south of the 49th

The food match: Smoked Chorizo Sausage, brisket quinoa fritters

Kenwood Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 (990440, $22.95) is a solid deal, nothing overly serious, just the sum of all it should be from California and parts thereof. Currants, berries, mint, Cassis, roast beef and oak-driven milk chocolate fill this bottle. Packs enough stuffing for smoking. 88

The grape: Shiraz

The history: Oz outfit from the Great Dividing Range in the Grampians region of Victoria

The lowdown: Winemaker Dan Buckle fashions “cool climate” Shiraz from eastern granite slopes of Mount Langi Ghiran

The food match: Roast Duck, potato, orange, fennel, watercress salad

Mount Langi Cliff Edge Shiraz 2006 (287235, $28.95) rips off a ringing riff that teeters but never quite goes over the edge. Perhaps it still has not found what it’s looking for but it’s got Victoria’s ’06 funk. Spicy wood gets right into your nose then coffee, sodium, charcoal game and black currant all add notes. A very good price for a complex wine. 91

The grape: Cabernet Sauvignon

The history: A legendary bottling returns to top form after a decade long falling out

The lowdown: Hyperbole like “epic,” “classic” and “best ever” surround this Napa Valley Cab

The food match: English Cut Braised Short Ribs, red wine reduction, red pearl onions

Dunn Vineyards Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 (193763, $99.95) is a flat out brilliant composition by the voice of one who once “traded love for glory.” This Cab reverts back to its singer-songwriter, Napa Valley pioneering form. The ’08 is a crooning balladeer intent to hold out its best in a graceful lucubration of layered, dark fruit, restrained restlessness and a vision of long life. Put the Dunn away and look to be rewarded 15+ years on with as good a California Cabernet as you will ever taste. 96

The grapes: Grenache, Mourvedre, Syrah and Counoise

The history: The house that Jacques Perrin built is the most famous in Châteauneuf-du-Pape

The lowdown: Can’t say I’ve ever been this blown away by such a young Beaucastel

The food match: Braised Veal Brisket, smashed parisienne potato, brussels sprouts, truffle oil

Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2010 (711317, $89.95) enters no confected, over-extracted or OTT danger zones. The most floral Beaucastel, a doffing of Stoechas Avignon and the omnipresent Rhône garrigue. Persimmon and lavender share time imparting the wine with fumes from les galets roulés of the argilo-calcaireous vineyard beds. Basic hedonism here from such an extraordinary, complex and balanced blend. 95

The grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc

The history: Arguably the most iconic Cab-based Super Tuscan from “the place of many stones”

The lowdown: Down $7 in price from vintages going back to ’05, this ’09 has scored as high as 98 (James Suckling)

The food match: Grilled Bisteca Fiorentine (Tuscan-style Porterhouse Steak)

Sassicaia 2009 (480533, $179.95) the raven brunette is anything but sappy or syrupy yet is impossibly viscous. Hints at ripe berries growing in the crags of maritime gravel and the most expected hits of sanguine, animal musk. A huge wine in the making, the adolescent hunter Sassicaia off-roads up a steep incline to go tell it on the mountain of tannin. Disappears into parts unknown and will only reappear as a mature adult. Look to 2025 and it may say “the perspective to say the very least, changes only with the journey.” 96

The grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot

The history: Tenuta dell’Ornellaia was founded in Bolgheri (1981) and only Massetto, “wink-wink, say no more,” is a more famous Super Tuscan

The food match: Grilled Bisteca Panzanese (Bolgheria-style Porterhouse Steak)

Ornellaia 2009 (722470, $189.95) is more approachable than the unparalleled 1998. A silky smooth and velvety texture puts super-ripe fruit at the forefront. While that ’98 rocked my world, this vintage offers immediate gratification, less dominating hard lines and edges. The balance is impeccable but the acidity is tempered, like the finest chocolate. The window is open now, though it may soon close, to drink beautifully for the next five years. 94

The grape: Cabernet Sauvignon

The history: In a class of two (along with Shafer’s Hillside Select) of Napa Cabernet neither garagiste nor Barnett, Harlan Estate or Screaming Eagle

The lowdown: Certainly not an act in search of a circus, the ’08 Insignia demands a star’s salary

The food match: Bison Rib-Eye, king mushroom, juniper and thyme demi-glace

Joseph Phelps Insignia 2008 (710400, $224.95) teases with immediate gratification then turns inward upon itself to hide from a volcano bursting of hot lava. The stoic resistance keeps the Insignia safe from the fiendish, dark mark mountain of UFO tannin. “A real rock and roll molest.” Checking out the wine’s black hue in the raised glass is a sight to behold. The pitch conceals a deep well of pure raspberry distillation, roasted meat, yew and rosemary. The wine’s lines are like architectural strokes of genius, currently too hot to handle. 94

Good to go!

Two dinners, 16 diners, 18 wines

Sep17

The Gilead Café and Bistro’s Jamie Kennedy and Ken Steele (photograph courtesy of Jo Dickins)

as seen on canada.com

This memory goes back a bit in time. Here are two wine and food out-of-body experiences. Vine and dine encounters of the fortunate kind. The Gilead Café and Bistro’s Jamie Kennedy and Ken Steele worked an enticing concomitant seven-course tasting menu alongside 11 superstars, including a First Growth and two legends of Napa vinolore. Less than a week earlier Chef C and Sous E prepared the simplest, most extraordinary dishes to reign in seven stellar and all together unique bottles.

The Gilead Café and Bistro (photograph courtesy of Jo Dickins)

Le Mesnil Blancs de Blancs Brut Champagne (88) Sweet citrus nose, delicate and fine mousse, tart apples on a finessed palate. A NV to sip with food, though we downed the splash pour before any arrived.

WHITEFISH ROE & ORGANIC EGG TORTE, chervil, crisp toast

Flight One

Creekside Estates Viognier Reserve Queenston Road 2009 (89) Citrus slides straight from the bubbly into this limited production (80 cases) St. David’s Bench beauty. Pale yellow as if Clare Valley Riesling. The scent of Sevilla orange blossom. Organza of downy acidity. A unique local savoir-faire. Thin and tin, as in contrary viscosity and subtle minerality. Like petals falling from the flower almost before the touch of the hand.

Norman Hardie Pinot Noir Cuvee ‘L’ 2007 (86) The candied Sonoma nose and beguiling scents of spice islands made lift for heights great. A Prince Edward County celebrity so imagine the long faces when the fruit was absent at the first sip. Time is a recently opened wine’s friend so waited we did but never the twain did meet. More cogitation, then a vacuum of acidity in a flat finish. If closed down, reprieve on a round globe awaits. If lost, a flat Pinot pre-Columbus earth.

GRILLED ASPARAGUS, yam, white mushroom sauce

Flight Two

The general origins of these three wines were blindly determined but each not in the speculated glass. How is it that eight wine geeks can have their seasoning shattered by a single flight? “All the things I thought I’d figured out, I have to learn again.” The heart of the matter.

Oyosoos Larose Le Grand Vin 2003 (91) One of three in a variable flight to confound. Black cherry in clusters, a power forward fruit first step then backed by biting tannins and striking acidity. Could have sworn it was the Napa. Held its own against two serious contenders. Eye opening as to the power of BC.

Von Strasser Cabernet Sauvignon Diamond Mountain 2000 (90) The cigar box and mineral tone threw me in front of the train with the surety I was nosing a Cos ringer. Smoky, distinct graphite and fruit half hidden suggested a 2000 Left Bank not nearly in its prime. Wrong!

Château Pontet Canet, 5th Growth, Paulliac 2000 (93) Was the best wine of the three, even when I thought it was the Larose! Poise, balance, length, insert fourth cliché here. Still youthful, a beautiful teenager before the awkward years. Will be seamless at 20.

LAMB, new potatoes, herb paste

J.K. BEEF SHORT RIB, marrow sauce

Flight Three

Château Haut-Brion, 1st Growth, Péssac-Leognan 1990 (98) Are there words to describe a wine so sublime? The essence of fresh picked berries from the edge of a forest so silent. The embodiment of still life beauty, as a bowl of plums and cherries just picked from the tree. The vehemence of the Haut-Brion in prime will remain entrenched as memorabilia for as long as I can produce cognitive thought. Why do I wax sentimental? “How can love survive in such a graceless age?” I thank CL for the opportunity and no man who partook should forget.

Dominus 1990 (93) Incredulous thought. Could it be? Is that dank and dour odour the beast within? Patience, patience. Now five minutes in and the wet duff smell vanishes. The wafting emergence of a cracking covey of nose candy. Heavy sigh of relief. Without warning the fruit eddies out and it’s gone. What the Sam Hill is going on here? Then 15 minutes later it oscillates again, scrambles from the depths and treads water effortlessly for the duration. Exhausting. Thanks M for providing the skiff.

CHEESE, pied de vent, sieur de duplessis, goat taurine, cow’s creamery cheddar

One More Red

Opus One 1989 (95) Unbelievable. A lesson in Napa iconoclasm. What every great 22-year old New World wine should strive to become. In harmony with every part of itself; fruit, tannin, acidity. Beauty within and without. Dark, sultry, full of all things berry and oak. The full gamut of red and black fruit, vanilla, mocha and chocolate. Like walking into your childhood and being handed the keys to Charlie’s factory. Another M gem.

APRICOT BEIGNETS, dulce de leche ice cream

Inniskilin Riesling Icewine 1998

Hugel Riesling SGN 2000

CROSTINI, goat cheese, honeycomb, fleur de sel, olive oil

Charles Baker (Stratus) Picone Vineyard Riesling 2008 (89) “Whoo-ahhh” Mojito, green apple skin scent of a Riesling. Seductive to sip, a bodacious body of influence, then back-end bite. A wolf pack in sheep’s clothing.

FRESH TAGLIATELLE, morels

Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Folatières 2008 (92) Restrained but tropical nose. So far from show time. In rehearsal the acidity is followed by fruit. By late decade opening night will display impeccable balance.

Closson Chase Iconoclast Chardonnay 2005 (90) Antithesis of the Leflaive; fruit first, acidity last. Bananas and I’m curious as George to behold PEC fruit yielding such a determined, complex specimen? Fortuitous choice to open now as I fear oxidization is around the bend. Still in a state of aggrandizement. Plaudits for Paskus.

Foxen Sea Smoke Vineyard Pinot Noir 2005 (93) Classic Santa Rita Hills candied red apple, sugaring pomegranate and fresh ground spices. A Michelin three-star complex dish with layers of fruit, spice and finished with a rosy-red rhubarb sauce. Full of life. Finishes long and true. Terrific example.

BRISKET AND FLAT IRON SLIDERS, american cheese, wonder buns, side of grilled raddicchio and belgian endive

Château Cos d’Estournel, 2nd Growth, St Estèphe 2003 (92-94) You could set your alarm clock, for tomorrow morning or after a cryogenic freeze, by the Cos ’03. A reasonable practicum suggests opening it, have a night’s rest, to wake six hours later and be told its story. Smokey, gripped by graphite and tannin, impossibly structured out of the 2003 heat. Showing no signs of age and despite warnings to drink up, the ’03 Cos will deliver for years to come.

Ca’ Bianca Barolo 1997 (91) Not the rose petals and violets of your zio‘s Barolo but bigger than your head cheese. Funky resin, more than raisins yes, raisins with a college education. A Pudd’Nhead Wilson moniker getting figgy with it. Barbaric and fantastic.

CHEESES, monforte dairy

Gaja Sito Moresco 2008 (89) A tale of two Cabs (Sauv and Franc) was my first thought but cut the Dickens out of my finger if that impression was way off the mark. The Langhe blend is Nebbiolo/Cab Sauv/Merlot and only Gaja would have first dared to trod such territory. Smooth, easy to consume and could have suffered as an admonished follower to the line-up previous. Stands tall, welcoming the tang of the formaggi.

MACERATED ONTARIO STRAWBERRIES, vanilla ice cream

Good to go!

Great wines are sometimes found online

Jul27

Laurent Fievet, AFP/Getty Images

Reporting from Eastern Long Island, a strikingly beautiful stretch of land divided by its two forks. Over the next few days I will be tasting North Fork Merlot and Riesling, South Fork Chardonnay and Cabernet Franc. This fledgling wine industry is not unlike our own back in Niagara and Prince Edward County, full of promise and local affordability. Together we share a passion for wine that is free to those who can afford it, in opposition to what is very expensive to those who can’t.

I rarely get excited by the online shopping experience but sometimes you just have to call a gem a gem. The frivolity of spending bravely on wine repays in the memories the future holds. Besides, “we just ran out of wine. What are we gonna do about it?”

VINTAGES Shop Online

The grapes: Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon

The history: The synergy of these white varietals in Bordeaux is the cat’s pee and meow. The west finesse of Pessac Léognan is best.

The lowdown: Others intimate a zeitgeist of dry, white hedonism but few succeed. Haut-Brion, Smith Haut-Lafite and Chevalier are three of the best.

The food match: The best Porchetta sandwich money can buy

Château Carbonnieux Blanc 2008 (581033, $59.00) is possessive of febrile gooseberry imagination. Blows sweet peach and apricot in and out of the glass in alberge de tours waves. “Hungry like the wolf” and his lycopersicon esculentum. A white PL for the ages. 92

The grape: Merlot

The history: Few Napa Valley vineyards take Right Bank Bordeaux to the Greek like this iconic outfit

The lowdown: First appearance in Ontario by one of California’s legends

The food match: Grilled Beef Ribs with a Tomato and Agave Glaze

Plumpjack Merlot 2009 (296491, $72.95) is an eponymous ace of base and is all that Napa Merlot should be. “Beware of that is flashing in her eyes. She’s going to get you.” Takes me to the pilot, beauteous of chocolate “like a coin in your mint,” gob-stopping red fruit and an acumen of alchemic spicing. Steely and replays the deep, oaky fruit on the palate. ” You go back, Jack, do it again. ” 93

The grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc

The histoty: Perhaps the most affordable classified Bordeaux on the market today

The lowdown: This Chateau over delivers and never gouges its customers. Kudos to the LCBO for this perrenial bone toss our way. Treat yourself

The food match: Fresh Brisket and Flat Iron Hamburgers with Thick-Cut Bacon

Château Ferrière 2008 (229567, $44.00) may be a wine whose lot is to be grouped in serried ranks but I find a unique presence in its mineral expressive, espressoness. The Margaux perfume is there, along with a hint of blueberry blossom and pine straw. Can’t help but reach a modest degree of approximation to the full complexity of it’s Gallic, articulated language. 90

Good to go!

Chill red wines for another hot weekend

Jul19

Freefly, fotolia.com

As seen on canada.com

Extolling the virtues of whites and rosés is easy in times like these. Tipping my hat to reds when the thermometric accumulation pops over the 30 mark may lead to more than one virtual hairy eyeball. Try this one on for size. Take that bottle of red with your name on it and lay it down in the icebox for twenty minutes. Pop and pour. The result? A cool, refreshing summer drink. Go ahead, try it.

The late, great Steve Irwin said “I think my path would have always gone back to or delivered me to wildlife. I think wildlife is just like a magnet, and it’s something that I can’t help.” For me, it’s food and wine. There is never a feeling of time wasted, no pangs of guilt or regret.

Zinfandel and other big wines pushing the 15% envelope do not take well to a cold treatment. Nor do the finest big B’s; Bordeaux, Burgundy, Barolo, Barbaresco and Brunello. Their subtleties can be masked by low temperature. Right now “it’s hotter than the outback after the apocalypse.” That’s a quote. Uttered in conversation yesterday. Australian reds are the apex predators of wine, Crocodiles, full of lash and whack. Quotidian examples from paradoxically branded “cool-climate” Victoria take the reptilian itch down a notch, perfect for a short chill in the throes of this sweltering, Ontario summer. Give these four red wines the air-conditioning treatment. You won’t regret it.

The grape: Shiraz

The history: Signature varietal of Australia, producing more than 400,000 tonnes annually

The lowdown: Victoria’s climate is suitable for a low and slow growing season

The food match: Grilled Half Chickens with an Apricot, Ancho-Chile BBQ glaze

Camelback Shiraz 2008 (665125, $27.95) out of the Sunbury sub-section of Victoria trades sun stroke for an even tan. Expatriate Lorenzo Galli brought Tuscany to Victoria and here the fennel, almond biscotti and ripe fig dominate this medium-bodied, princely Shiraz. Too many OZ reds load up on straw that break the camel’s back. The Camelback far I enters the eye of a needle. A berry good Galli walking gracefully across the sand. Chill and grill. 90

The grapes: Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot

The history: Derivative if not exactly typical Right Bank, Bordeaux blend

The lowdown: The Okanagan Valley in British Columbia is an excellent Meritage site. Osoyoos Larose is a world-renowned, red blend

The food match: Grilled Lamb Chops marinated with Rosemary, Garlic and Olive Oil

Lulu Island Meritage (277566, $23.95) just sounds like an Aussie moniker when in fact it hails from the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia. Maybe the most lustrous B.C. red I have ever laid eyes on. Hard not to forbear a crush on its purple profile, hued like a $100, Single-Vineyard Argentinean Malbec. A bit reductive due to its infantile youth but this is appurtenant to the samphire, currants and peppery Merlot scents. Less weight buoys the palate. Bites back in the end. Follows varietal rules of proportion vis-a-vis the dry martini. Massive CVR** complexity from this massif assemblage. 91

The grapes: Carignan/Mourvèdre/Syrah

The history: Traditional CMS combination from the Midi

The lowdown: Carignan-lead reds are often a fortress of austerity. This is a welcome exception

The food match: Crispy Duck Legs, finished on the grill with a Tamarind glaze

Le Cirque Carignan/Mourvèdre/Syrah 2010 (277079, $14.95) is a big, chic IVR* wine for $15. Foxy, Wisterian colour and salinity of a quayside negotiation. Dancing circus act craze of TGV vitesse yet structured and organized of a Poussinian order. “Like the days of stopping at the Savoy.” 88

The Splurge

The grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon

The history: Memories of Bordeaux long gone, now essential Napa Valley

The lowdown: From a small husband and wife run winery in Calistoga

The food match: Grilled Za’atar-rubbed Boneless Rib-Eye Steak

Summers Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 (279380, $29.95) inculcates the success of Napa Valley Cabernet at a fraction of what most others cost. Silky texture, rapt tint and deep-seated, earthbound aromas. Fresh picked blackberries and crushed pine cones underfoot in an evergreen forest. A warm weather song, “taste the summer on your peppery skin.” No bruised fruit bomb so be not afraid to add a few minutes of December gelidity. 89

IVR* – Vintage Direct Intrigue-to-value ratio

CVR** – Vintage Direct Curiosity-to-value ratio

Good to go!

The Wine Diaries: new world reds

Jun27

Photo: REX

http://blogs.canada.com/2012/06/27/the-wine-diaries-new-world-reds/

The term “new world wine” refers to wine produced in countries that have transplanted European vinifera to establish an industry where one did not originally exist. The United States, led by California comes to mind as the leader in this category. Australia sits alone within a second tier while New Zealand, South Africa, Washington and Oregon are the major players close behind. Ever-improving Canada is on the move.

Many wines that are currently unavailable in Canada will one day knock at the door. Voices of discontent are out there and I hear them. Change is inevitable, and optimistically speaking, will come sooner rather than later. In the meantime, like the dutiful children and newcomers we are, we submit to and embrace what is on offer. An imperturbable level of varietal diversity and quality will unearth something out there for everyone.

U.S.A. – California

J. Lohr South Ridge Syrah 2010 (948240, $19.95) from Paso Robles along California’s Central Coast is shiny, happy Syrah. Attenuated body accented by citrus and trace pepper. “Gold and silver shine.” 87

Laird Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 (50096, $57.95) out of Napa Valley pours like syrup of supersized black and boysenberry concentrate. Massive fruit here, making for a big wine in search of red flesh on closing night. 89

Mahle Wind Gap Syrah 2007 (242776, $59.00) defines the grape for Russian River Valley. The tar, roses and smoked meat from this coulée in Sonoma County tutor California in Northern Rhône speak. Darker than a power outage with a gamey and sanguine finish. 90

Outpost Howell Mountain Zinfandel 2009 (253377, $69.00) is top-tier Napa Valley Zinfandel. The dark flesh of fowl comes to mind, especially Duck with a chocolate mint Nahuatl mōlli. A foxy, violet voice is to be expected out of the likes of Barolo or Barbaresco, but here Zinfandel tramples me flat. 92

Redemption Zin Zinfandel 2007 (224147, $22.95) might seem magnetic but a plum, raisin, sweet and sour profile is not what Dry Creek Valley normally produces. Fruit too long on the vines? 85

Rutherford Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 (73817, $19.95) offers grateful Napa Valley pleasures so power to its large scale fruit gathering and consumer friendly production. “Walking in the tall trees, going where the wind goes, blooming like a red rose.” Grandiflora not dead. A sunshine daydream. 87

Simi Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 (25221, $24.95) does Alexander Valley like it should. A spiced, caramel coffee cake with a soft, oozing core. Nothing offensive here, just solid Sonoma juice. 87

Sonoma-Cutrer Grower-Vintner Pinot Noir 2008 (140723, $29.95) crawls Russian River Valley Pinot to a varietal P but smoke masks the fruit “like a forest fighting for sunlight.” Can’t blame it on the carpet fires of 2007. 86

Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars Artemis Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 (708982, $46.95) has Napa Valley pedigree but high steps the oak steeplechase brimming with nearly burnt coffee and 76% orange, dark chocolate. Over the top and unrelenting but history will offer some assistance for future enjoyment. 88

U.S.A. – Oregon

Maysara Estate Cuvée Pinot Noir 2008 (65680, $39.95) from McMinnville (who, what, where?) claims biodynamic status and “s’got such a supple wrist.” A quiet wizard, void of scents and smell, save for a pinball of earth bouncing off leather. May speak up in time. 87

Argentina

Alta Vista Premium Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 (129957, $14.95) ordinarily regards Mendoza by a male-dominated genome. Sausage fest as South American Cabernet, hidebound and specific to grilled meat. 85

Santa Julia Magna 2009 (93799, $14.95) is more ambitious Mendoza in its blend of half Cab and Malbec with a smattering of Syrah. A bit wild and uncorked, like a dog driving a car. 86

Chile

Concha Y Toro Marques De Casa Concha Carmenère 2010 (169862, $17.00) drinks chalky like green tea ice cream, not so unusual for Carmenère out of the Rapel Valley. A bit confused, murky as Lake Rapel, “light like a feather, heavy as lead.” Fruit of the marl. 87

Montes Alpha Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 (322586, $19.95) does Bordeaux and the world’s most popular red grape proud on a consistent basis. This one is the funky by-product of a chocolate chunk cookie baked by the sun. The argilaceous Colchagua Valley earth scorches the grapes and the wine is forever warm. 87

Santa Ema Reserve Merlot 2009 (642538, $16.95) is a bold effort out of Maipo. A Plug tobacco block effected by the humidity of a smoke shack, spicy clove heat and abrasive atmospheric pressure. Massive Merlot but out of whack. 85

Australia

Chapel Hill Shiraz 2009 (743989, $25.95) takes South Australia’s McLaren Vale to an extreme wedding. Irrigous, cave aromas where melting minerals co-mingle with very ripe berries in your Dixie Cup. A tannic beast too. Walking through that cave while the eerie sound of “going to the chapel and we’re gonna get married” plays somewhere in the distance. 86

Hope The Ripper Shiraz 2008 (686865, $21.95) springs eternal with dreamboat berry and flower scents despite the ambiguous ‘Western Australia’ designation. Perhaps not the “best thing that I’ve ever found” but hope floats so I foresee the sweet smell of success for the Ripper. 87

Kaesler Stonehorse Shiraz/Grenache/Mourvèdre 2008 (6551, $20.95) out of Barossa comes down in price by $2 from the ’07. This SGM is always a Rhône on ‘roids but the minty kick and analgesic mouth clout win points. 88

Penfolds Bin 389 Cabernet/Shiraz 2008 (309625, $39.95) bears the omnipresent Penfolds perfume. Soupy syrup from South Australia, Refined but so concentrated. You will have to wait 10+ years for this to settle and be nice. 89

Tattiarra Culled Barrel Shiraz 2009 (271379, $39.95) shows off Heathcote within Victoria’s scant cooler take on the unchained, grievous grape down under. An otherwise repeat performance. “Change, ain’t nothin’ stays the same.” 87

Zonte’s Footsteps Baron Von Nemesis 2008 (212936, $17.95) is the Barossa vineyard’s inaugural vintage. Its nemesis is an instant bitter note from these vines, olive heavy footed, steps heard coming from a mile away. Will walk along with fatty meats. 86

New Zealand

Greystone Pinot Noir 2009 (271312, $37.95) owns the title of the South Island’s strongest smelling Pinot. Huge Waipara nose followed by a residual, Sherry sweetness, acidity and tannin to boot. “Oi, oi, oi!” 90

Trinity Hill The Gimblett 2009 (280263, $35.95) exudes the North Island’s youthful exuberance. Bordeaux blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec. Snug and chunky with a juniper stringency melded into lime, sugar syrup. A red wine Gimlet out of Hawkes Bay. 87

South Africa

Ernie Els Big Easy 2010 (220038, $19.95) from the generic tagged Western Cape is round, charming and swings with an effortless grace. The kitchen sink of grapes seem to cancel each other out and the wine finishes flat, hooking one into the drink. I love Ernie but really? 85

More notes from the VINTAGES June 23, 2012 release:

Five red wines to buy now for the coming long weekend

The Wine Diaries: Around the world in 20 whites

The Wine Diaries: Chardonnay close to the edge

Euro wine Rihanna need remember by name

The Wine Diaries: MMVA’s sparkling wine showers

IVR* – Vintage Direct Intrigue-to-Value Ratio

CVR** – Vintage Direct Curiosity-to-Value Ratio

Good to go!

Essential wine for Father’s Day

Jun14

Father’s Day Wine. Photo Credit: ehow.com

What to get dad this year for Father’s Day. Perhaps not the gifting conundrum that is Mother’s Day but no walk in the park either. The obvious gadgets present themselves; Iphone, Ipad, Kindle, Nook or Golf Course GPS, because no real man wants one for the car.

Forget the camera, video recorder and BBQ. Those things just tell dad he has to work harder. Give him something he can use. Better yet, choose something you can share with him.

VINTAGES Essentials are the Fine Wine and Spirits Division’s collection of always available products. Imagine it’s Sunday afternoon. You are a mere hours away from Father’s Day dinner. You have been tasked with bringing the wine. You need to pick promising bottles to match hors d’oeuvres, appetizer, main course, dessert and one special bottle for Dad to take home to his cellar. In between Soccer finals and gymnastics pick-up there is only time to stop in at the nearest LCBO. The VINTAGES kiosk at the store’s rear only carries certain release products and is sold out of everything you came looking for. That is where Essentials answers the bell. These products can be counted on to be found in most (decent-sized) Ontario stores.

I tasted through 90 VINTAGES Essentials two weeks ago. Here are six to bring to dad; five to share with him and one as a special parting gift for his singular day.

Thirty Bench Riseling 2010 (24133, $18.95) with it’s Huet of the Loire, Chenin Blanc-like citrus, pear and honey blast begs for some BBQ starters. Like good wurst and spicy mustard. Like Chinese BBQ glazed ribs. Incredibly youthful, living in a wild west end of the Beamsville Bench. “Greasy hair easy smile..this is the seventh heaven street to me.” A benchmark Riesling to put Niagara on the popular map. 90

Louis Jadot Chardonnay Bourgogne 2010 (933077, $18.95, LTO until June 24, 2012 at $16.95) keeps on caramelizing but less so in ’10. The oak barrel toast level quotient is down close to 200 for those of you counting at home. This allows a searing acidity to zap the mellow white cherry, rose and raspberry fruit into life. Best Jadot White Burgundy normale in quite a spell. Would serve well alongside soft taco or slider appetizers. Of fish, pork or chicken. Some cracklings would be nice. 88

Esporao Reserva Red 2009 (606590, $25.95) made from parochial Aragonés, the Tempranillo of Portugal. This particular vintage brings Spanish Montsant to mind, especially the wines of Celler Capçanes. A thread of ripe cherries, cocoa dust, milk chocolate and spice link it to a style also not unlike Napa. Stillwater runs deep for this deeply-hued, Portuguese raven and methinks it almost famous. Rubbed ribs and chicken await. 88

Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 (255513, $34.95, LTO until June 24, 2012 at $29.95) signals reform and a serious return to form. Dictionary Napa entry, a reigned and refined milkshake of California berries and dark chocolate. Solid mineral bones full of might, fight and planar, ferric-iron leucos-phosphite. This is the tetrameric rub that notches new found response and respect for the can be found everywhere, once Philistine Mondavi. Top cut, seared on high heat and rare of course. 89

Cave Spring Indian Summer Select Late Harvest Riesling 2010 (415901, $24.95) wins the race to accompany dessert for its Spätlese sensibility melded to a Niagara Crèvecoeur smoke and mildness mentality. The Peninsula’s typical lime, slate and chalk it shares with Germany’s Mosel are front and centre, cojoined by Icewine’s candied, orange marmalade. At half the tag, the Late Harvest is the leading Essentials sticky deal. 88

Tignanello 2008 (986786, $99.95) gets the nod for dad’s big gift because the singing Tig is flat out esculent. A smoked, Blueberry Margarita, Porcini Risotto with Tartufo di San Giovanni d’Asso and long espresso all rolled into one Super Tuscan. The Cabernet components don’t just get lucky, but are hugely supportive of the vernacular Sangiovese. The Tig might march you up a Florentine hill and get you singing “if you got a truffle dog, you can go truffling.” 90

Good to go!

VINTAGES May 12, 2012 – Wines for Mother’s Day

May9

May 9, 2012

http://blogs.canada.com/2012/05/09/vintages-may-12-2012-wines-for-mothers-day/

Chardonnay. So often velocitized by toasted oak that a rise against it became known as the ABC movement. Trust me, Chardonnay is back and like City TV (thank you JB), it’s everywhere. The C-magnet. The new Sauvignon Blanc. My top two recommendations to drink with mom this Sunday adhere to the new credo. The new C.

The Vintages May 12th release springs west to champion the obvious, a collection of celebrity aces in the hole. California. “I don’t know this sea of neon.” Look close and there suns some legends of the fall. The Sunshine State had been, until recent times, on a serious, red-hot roll. Today’s refrain “California rest in peace, simultaneous release” may word petty tom foolery but balance be thy name where are you? Sweet Cabs and Zins, you’re jammin’ me, can’t you see? “Take back your ups and downs of your life in raisin-land.” That said, I did taste some exceptional reds at April’s California Wine Fair (Signorello Padrone, Duckhorn Merlot, Flowers Pinot Noir, Heitz Trailside Cabernet Sauvignon, Justin Isoceles, Lauren Glen Cabernet Sauvignon). My favourite Californian here is white, graces the catalogue’s cover and fittingly bears a legendary name from a vineyard paying homage to one of the earliest examples of American fiction.

Talbott Logan Estate Sleepy Hollow Vineyard Chardonnay 2009 (716290, $26.95) alights on the lighter side of Chardonnay’s street. A morning’s faint buttered toast and a banana cream shake. An understatement of CVR** importance. Near decapitation by an abrupt craning of the fruit remains the only deterrant. Still, Washington Irving would dudely abide. 90

Talbott Sleepy Hollow Chardonnay 2009

Errazuriz Wild Ferment Chardonnay 2010 (738393, $17.95) will be your best IVR* bet for Chardonnay day on May 26. Wild yeasts make cause for a weird resemblance, reminiscent of February’s Furmint. Delicate, expressive and unusual, the mint flint, brioche and smoked pineapple effect leads to thoughts of Blancs de Blancs. A little malo just might turn this into good bubbly! 89

Errazuriz Wild Ferment Chardonnay 2010

Other wines tasted:

Yalumba Museum Reserve Muscat (963488, 375 mL, $24.95) the fortified Aussie sticky is liquid toffee in a glass. Apricots dominate the caramelized and poached stone fruit ideology. “It’s a floor polish. It’s a dessert topping.” A shimmering, Saturday night should end well at this lively museum. 89

Domaine Chenevières Chablis 2010 (277913, $19.95) winds Fourme d‘Ambert and the odd combo tang of apple pizza. Ripe mastica in need of root vegetables, or salsify pasta. 86

Domaine Jean-Pierre Sève Terrior Pouilly-Fuissé 2009 (681056, $23.95) the freshmaker emphasizes land-driven Chardonnay fruit over oak and local Solutré minerality, all wrapped up in Pouilly’s fatness. Lemon yellow, mint julep with a touch of relegated green vegetal calme. 87

Geil Bechtheimer Rosengarten Riesling Kabinett 2011 (994764, $14.95) offers a sneak peak at the hyped ’11 German vintage. Sweeter rank than expected with red apple skin rubbed by citrus acidity. For garden sipping amidst the roses. 86

Hidden Bench Terrior Caché Meritage 2008 (505610, $35.20) displays that distinct Silurian charcoal and calciferous bedded limestone of the Beamsville terrior. Right bank Merlot driven brawn and unusual yet effective Szechuan black bean and hoisin. Give this Niagara red a JJ from Good Times, kid do-lo-mite! 88

Francis Coppola Diamond Collection Red Label Zinfandel 2009 (708289, $19.95) gobs sticky, blanched blackberry and petrol-scented Italianate metal. Foot stuck squarely on the pedal. 84

Gallo Family Frei Ranch Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 (555607, $38.95) sports Coonawarra-like menthol and eucalyptus, along with vanilla bean and a sweet mulberry chalkiness. Pointed, poised, surprisingly resourceful and long. 89

Shafer One Point Five Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 (45476, $84.95) should borrow a page from the book of Nash, move on from the point and take on a GM position. Lush fruit on the wane, grip on the ball loosening. Can still pass with the best but no longer a scorer. 88-90

Majella The Musician Cabernet/Shiraz 2010 (142018, $19.95) the good egg is fine tuned and a classic example of the Coonawarra locale. “I can’t pretend there’s any meaning here or in the things I’m saying” but I can say this CS will cris-cross the tongue like a Nicky Hopkins finger roll. 88

Les Ormes De Pez 2008 (133819, $43.00) is tough as nails. Attacks the mouth and vacuums out all moisture. St-Estephe in a seersucker suit. Formidable tannins but perhaps not as ripe as will be needed when integration happens. 87-88

Bellaria Assunto Brunello di Montalcino 2006 (206854, $36.95) the cheep and cheerful Sangiovese Grosso is light and lithe for the appellation. Opaque purple but don’t be fooled by body or colour. Underlying firm and unforgiving backbone lurks in its shadows. Big potential. 88-90

Chapillon Cuvée Rémy 2007 (271114, $18.95) gets the nod for red IVR* wine of the release. A rare feat at this price out of Spain’s Priorat. Hue of bunsen burner blue. Sanguine Kirsch aroma mitigated by citrus. Teeth teeter on a tethered, tannic rope. Mullioned window to a fabled, Iberian land of vinous greatness. 89

Château La Tour De L’évêque Rosé 2010 (319392, $18.95) initiates a Strawberry response, of course. Subtle, faint pink tinge yet viscous, I could drink this by the bucketful. At once cloudy and then see through. “You thought that I would need a crystal ball to see right through the haze.” Could spot this one from a mile away. 88

Mas Des Bressades Cuvée Tradition Rosé 2011 (950576, $13.95) remains the best deal in southern French pink juice. Lacks the feminine complexity of the La Tour but succeeds as a rosé cocktail all on its own. Melons and berries on the sweet finish. 86

IVR* – Vintage Direct Intrigue-To-Value Ratio

CVR** – Vintage Direct Intrigue-To-Value Ratio

Good to go!

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Desert island wines?

May2

Vertical Restaurant

http://blogs.canada.com/2012/05/02/napa-valley-cabernet-sauvignon-desert-island-wines/

Comparative 2008 Napa Cabernet Tasting

By Featured Writer Jascha Baraness

Vertical Restaurant, 100 King Street West, (416) 214-2252

The comparative/competitive tasting event was hosted by Merryvale winery of Napa Valley, California. An assembly of 30 Sommeliers sat down to a blind tasting split into two flights. We were to rank our favoured wines from most to least.

The first blind flight consisted of five Napa Cabernet Sauvignons from the 2008 vintage, all from houses of great repute.

Before I continue, I’d like to mention that I started out by taking detailed tasting notes (sight, nose, taste, finish and overall impressions) but that after the 4^th wine, I realized that the differences in the notes were so minute. It became abundantly clear that notes were going to be futile in helping me pick my favourites.

All the wines were very young, taught, with firm tannins and could certainly use another ten years in bottle. I’d like to also let you know that my red wine preference tends to lean towards the old world. I look for high acidity, austerity and fruit as secondary, so, although I could appreciate the quality of the winemaking, I wouldn’t take any of them to a desert island. This was an afternoon that tested even the most discerning of palates.

Duckhorn
Napa Valley
Cabernet Sauvignon 2008

The wines of the first flight were: (listed in my order of most to least favourite – retail prices attached)

Duckhorn ($80)
Merryvale ($90)
Caymus ($80)
Cakebread ($99)
Joseph Phelps ($75)

The second flight consisted of six prestige cuvées, all from great Napa houses. Once the wines were revealed, I was pleased to find out that my palate had not let me down, and that the Napa prestige cuvées that I’ve always felt an affinity for, were the ones that came out on top of my list.

Merryvale Profile 2008 - Business Wire

Profile, Merryvale ($180)
Dominus ($150)
Insignia ($199)
Quintessa ($120)
Opus One ($365?!)
Caymus Special Selection ($120)

It was an enlightening tasting that showed similarities, yet subtle differences in wine making techniques. Like all great Napa wines, there were no issues with grape ripeness, however the challenge remains balancing fruit and acidity and the better examples were able to negotiate that tightrope seemingly with ease.

It was a purple-toothed farewell as I thanked the organizers and made my way home.

Thanks Jascha, good to go!

VINTAGES Classics, May 2012 – Six “values” under $69

Apr30

April 30, 2012

VINTAGES

http://blogs.canada.com/2012/04/30/vintages-classics-may-2012-six-values-under-69/?postpost=v2#content

The bi-annual fine wine catalogue is “free to those that can afford it, very expensive to those that can ‘t.” Have been burning the midnight must, wondering from which discretion inspiration will come, trying to forge a splurge decision on a $100+ icon. A Bouchard or Dublere Corton Charlemagne Grand Cru? Champy Mazis-Chambertin GC? Beaucastel Hommage or CDP Blanc? Messorio, Clos Mogador, Quintarelli Alzero? What about the Vérité Le’s and La’s? Head shake as if oscillating, eye-level hung boxing punch bag. Have now come to my senses. Presenting a shortlist of six under $69.

Rex Hill Reserve Pinot Noir 2009 (275735, $39) quiet, honest and of a certified sustainable winery represents the best fruit from prized vineyard sources situated around Oregon’s Willamette Valley. It has been said and may be true that early on some vintages at Rex Hill were more promise than delivery. Notes on the 2009 swing the pendulum in this outfit’s favour, “…just a lot of depth and flavor for the money,” “…loquacious and slightly acidic, yet well behaved” and “…focused, satiny and elegant.” Released at $48 US, prices hovered around the $30 mark last summer and if you were to find it now, the average price nets over$40 US.

Rex Hill Reserve Pinot Noir 2009

Paul Hobbs Pinot Noir Russian River Valley 2009 (119081, $45) gumshoes while the iconic Littorai and Sea Smoke divert attention. Comfortably comparative, unrestrictive $10-15 tag versus our neighbours to the south. Make no mistake, this is deeply hued, 14.4% ABV Sonoma Pinot. Resides in that not yet greedy, none too precious wheelhouse once inhabited by Kosta Browne. Matthew Jukes says the Hobbs RRV owns an “…innate understanding of the celestial Pinot form.” The Scores are RP (92) , WS (91), JR-ST (90) and CT’s (91).

Paul Hobbs Pinot Noir Russian River Valley 2009

Poderi Colla Roncaglie Barbaresco 2007 (715763, $49) totes Cru vineyard status and reminds me that Barbareschi offer some of the greatest $50 value. A tangerine site the Roncaglie, “she is my queen,” producing a shimmering wine with Nebbiolo country flourish. Galloni (94+) is joined by Kyle Phillips (**), Michael Franz (93) and Monica Larner (91) on the butter pat.

Colla Roncaglie Barb 2007

Von Strasser Cabernet Sauvignon Post Vineyard 2006 (261982, $65) will fill the “going to California with an aching in my heart” hole in my current wine voyage life. A hovering Zeppelin of 100% Cabernet Sauvignon replete with Left bank lead blown by Pacific winds over Diamond Mountain. Mr. Laube at WS (82) is the sole detracting critical voice so skim his dis off the bottom, along with the (96) hyperbole from W & S, from off the top. The middle ground notes black fruit, high, coarse tannins and a wooden depth of flavour. Priced and continuing to sell near the $75 US mark so a steal by VINTAGES, California standards. Here some more critical thought from WE (93), WN (92), RJ (91), Vinography (9-9.5) and the CT’s (91).

Von Strasser Cabernet Sauvignon Post Vineyard 2006

La Serena Brunello Di Montalcino 2006 (149583, $69) the highly clicked Sangiovese will clog the Classics queues. The (97) from Spectator guarantees a lottery effect. A child might ask, “what’s so special about this wine, what’s its magic?” If Brunello is your thing, you have to put in a ballot. Oh Serena, “when I come to lie in your arms, you should not treat me like a stranger.”

La Serena Brunello Di Montalcino 2006

Delas Frères Domaine Des Tourettes Hermitage 2009(91652, $69) will be the singularly most requested wine of mortal value from this catalogue. Robert Parker rated it (98). Drop me a line if your ticket comes in.

Delas Frères Domaine Des Tourettes Hermitage 2009

Other Wines of Note:

LOUIS JADOT CHEVALIER-MONTRACHET LES DEMOISELLES GRAND CRU 2008 (261032, $399)

JOSEPH DROUHIN MONTRACHET MARQUIS DE LAGUICHE GRAND CRU 2007 (670323, $675)

DELAS FRÈRES LA LANDONNE CÔTE-RÔTIE 2009 (92197, $149)

DELAS FRÈRES LES BESSARDS HERMITAGE 2009 (92205, $149)

PAUL JABOULET AÎNÉ HERMITAGE LA CHAPELLE 2009 (973735, $255)

CHÂTEAU DE BEAUCASTEL HOMMAGE À JACQUES PERRIN CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE 2009 (985622, $325)

DOMAINE DE LA JANASSE CHAUPIN CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE 2009 (940379, $85)

CHÂTEAU DE BEAUCASTEL VIEILLES VIGNES CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE BLANC 2009 (596098, $159)

PENFOLDS GRANGE 2006 (279695, $499)

Good to go!

Eight Under $28 From The April 28th VINTAGES Release

Apr24

April 24, 2012

VINTAGES

http://blogs.canada.com/2012/04/24/eight-under-28-from-the-april-28th-vintages-release/

Vinea Garganega 2010 (230656, $13.95) sugars great Veronese IVR* promise out of the Veneto. Hyperglycemic green-eyed lady bass line and Hammond organ finger roll plum and honey-dew in a state of barm loaf. Glycerin of Amaretto and snappy Salak. Sour apple martini with candy swizzle stick, “soothing every wave that comes.” 88

Canonica a Cerreto Chianti Classico Reserva 2007 (275867, $17.00) was surely not decanted from a straw flask into this sleek and marketable bottle. A precocious and gregarious ruffle of polish and cask modernity speak of the Cerreto’s new worldliness. Splashes of Cabernet and Merlot lean IGT and yet just enough Chianti brightness remains to keep it honest. Scales (“never heard of him“) on the label are indicative of this balanced effort. Easy money. 88

Hogue Genesis Syrah 2009 (687822, $19.95) is a steadfast and decent wine so my exegesis begins at its central core. Black colour of a world still unformed. Heady like a stand of old growth forest; black oak, ash and walnut. B’reishit Washington Syrah where the bifurcation of quality and cost collide. Big wall of Syrah sound, perfect for headphones playing “no need to hide. Keep it dark.” 88

Vincent Girardin Vieilles Vignes Mâcon–Fuissé 2009 (264515, $19.95) the vibrant fresh maker, with crisp, apple taut fragrance and void of oak annoyance. Just a touch of baby fat and some mineral too. Well-balanced for under $20. Girardin’s (940825, $39) Santenay on this release is not to be missed. 88

Arnoux & Fils Vacqueyras 2009 (264663, $19.95) is as modern as it gets for the appellation, right down to “The Vac” label. Sweet Kirsch, lifted raspberry jam, soft, fleshy and forward. Has just enough funk to keep it real. Will have broad appeal and represents excellent Dogg value, if you like the plush style. Betcha Snoop drinks it. 89

Leasingham Winemakers Selection Bin 61 Shiraz 2008 (448241, $24.95) the Kitty of Clare Valley is back in town. A loyal and trusted friend, reminiscent of the ’99. Burns no rubber and “goes runnin’ nightly, lightly through the jungle.” Less power, more strength. Less jam, more brakes. This Highway 61 should not be accused of having put its “bleachers out in the sun.” 90

Saltram of Mamre Brook Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 (48579, $24.95) may inexplicably enjoy cult status but for the money no other Barossa Cabernet can demand such respect. I would pay $25 for this over almost any $50+ peer within the appellation. Opulent, ruddy, bursting, pickled berries. 88

Isole E Olena Chainti Classico 2008 (704346, $26.95) the beguiler welcomes with cinnamon, cherry spice and award winning roses. Poised, confident, simply phenomenal CC issue. Delicious now and will be perfect in five. Better than when tasted in November 2011. 91

TN from Nov. 29, 2011,“…a mouthful of black fruit, bourbon cask aromas, dark and stormy. The barque of a ship’s ocean misted, wooden planks and of a smoked beef rib. Hard lines but hard to resist. Bloody good CC but certainly not traditional. 89

Other Wines Tasted

Two Rivers of Marlborough Convergence Sauvignon Blanc 2011 (277707, $29.95) carries heavy alcohol bandwidth, tomato leaf pesto and band-aid across a frame of sweet lime concentrate. Hot for SB, over processed and heavy with silicone and collagen. Their will be superficial fans. 86

Chavet & Fils La Dame De Jacques Coeur Menetou-Salon Blanc 2010 (525048, $19.95) offers a rare VINTAGES sighting and would excite were it more Loire and less Marlborough. Salmagundi of pâté, gooseberry and kiwi, swathed by an alkaline grapefruit finish. 85

Torres Viña Esmerelda 2010 (113696, $13.95) zests halitious of ReaLemon and petroleum wax. Can’t help but hear the “smell of wine and cheap perfume” lyric played by a wedding band while the cast of Jersey Shore watch their drapery clad mothers put back the Esmeralda. Like Torrontoes with bad make-up. Won’t be tagging along on this Moscatel journey. 80

Colchester Ridge Crew Meritage 2007 (280990, $19.95) noses Ontario from the get go with burning campfire then wafts exotic towards Masala spice, brown derby dressing and horseradish root. Flavour of earth demi-glace, composted apple and black licorice. 84

Frei Brothers Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 (38075, $23.95) the “melody softly soaring through my atmosphere” is cute, sweet, lyrical and precocious. Gallo incarnate in the AlexanderValley. A death Cab for some but what’s not to like? 87

Stag’s Leap Winery Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 (996405, $49.95) the model of consistency vintage to vintage and head to foot. Runs black cherry in its veins with nary a cut, scrape or bruise. Napa varietal profiling in its poised, beating heart. 89

Andrew Rich Cuvée B Pinot Noir 2008 (127043, $29.95) carries currant, candied pomegranate and the rocky crush of clove studded juniper berry. Well made, on the elegant side of Pinot life, even Burgundian if that can even be articulated. 88

Mendel Malbec 2009 (108225, $24.95) typifies Mendoza replete with old vines fruit adding canorous body. Infundibular midriff slows the smouldering, swelling berry pleasure. Crucial minerals carry red grape fluid away from the viscera and out of the body. 87

Susana Balbo Signature Malbec 2009 (79798, $21.95) at the outset teases TCA, then VA. Paulliac nez of tabac et peau d‘animaux. That and a whack of new French Oak where vanilla, chocolate and coffee lambaste and pummel the senses. NR

Majella Shiraz 2008 (269308, $29.95) is a vitrified, mined vine of depth and power but short on finesse. Heavy extract with a touch of soap and mired in the details of oak. “The wheels are spinning but the car, neutral.” 86

Esprit de Pavie 2008 (244020, $32.95) shows good spirit as it amalgamates 2^nd wine fruit from iconic Pavie, Monbousquet, Clos L’eglise and St. Columbe. Spiced coffee cake and soft yet pretty purple fruit. Obdurate push back indicates three years of cellaring will help. Would have been a CVR** steal at $20-25. 89

Brancaia Tre 2009 (164715, $22.95) the SGM speaks of identity theft and lack of spirit. Once upon a Tuscan, now a global commodity playing on MOR radio stations. This bottling recently rushed to great success but there is now “a question of your honesty, yeah your honesty.” Sure it’s delicious but what’s with “all this machinery making modern music?” Pair not with pasta asciuta normale. 87

StefanoAccordini Acinatico Ripasso Valpolicella Classico Superiore 2009 (85159, $19.95) is pitchy for a valpo with splendiferous up front fruit. Cimmerian red plum joined by buff vanillan cocoa and velveteen in the mouth. So far so good but ultimately flaccid and void of oomph. 86

Allende 2006 (954560, $24.95) in extant cantillates oak, oak, oak. What happened to my Rioja? Tempered Tempranillo so no fear that it may seize. Pendulous and potent, well-mannered, ready to please. Go Condado de Haza over this for sure. 87

Perrin Réserve Rosé 2011 (719062, $15.95) is warm and balanced, all strawberry, all the time. Nutty for its ilk. 86

IVR* – Vintage Direct Intrigue-to-Value Ratio

CVR* – Vintage Direct Curiosity-to-Value Ratio

Good to go!