The best wine releases of 2012

PHOTO: STEFANO TIRABOSCHI/FOTOLIA.COM

Wine is best celebrated with family and friends and the holidays present so many opportunities to share a glass. Pulling corks (or twisting caps) substantiates purchasing choices made in previous years. Last year I noted on, “a quick reflect back on a year of plasmic vials once voluminous, now in condign as a commitment to memory. ”

The current season’s pours have the palaver or promise and the eviglio of accumulation to thank for the opportunity. The VINTAGES releases of 2012 perpetuate this promulgated philosophy. The year’s buys have migrated to the cellar, to wait there in abstemious behaviour of maturation. They too will one day climb the steps to a welcoming table, set with family and friends.

Here are my favourite under and over $30 wines of 2012.

Under $30 VINTAGES released wines

Under $30 VINTAGES Releases

1. The grapes: Grenache, Mourvedre and Syrah

Where: Côtes du Rhône, France

Domaine Les Grands Bois Cuveé Maximilien Cairanne 2010 (286336, $21.95) is extraordinary for the appellation. Pitch purple, world-class milk and dark chocolate swirl, creamy silk. The stuff of recent phenomenon, where rocks, dreams and raspberries are crushed and scattered like cake bits over the loam. 91

2. The grapes: Garnacha, Carinena and Syrah

Where: Montsant, Spain

Celler Besllum Besllum 2008 (283515, $15.95) of Cubist Picassan, “cut up, Maria,” heavenly body struts its stuff as an enchantress with an alluring Spanish, violaceous visage. A black cherry, carboniferous quartzite Popsicle for Mr. Jones. “We all want something beautiful.” 90

3. The grape: Petite Sirah

Where: Alexander Valley, California

Trentadue La Storia Petite Sirah 2010 (291047, $23.95) is massively concentrated out of the Alexander Valley in Sonoma County, as if it were packed with five centuries of the Italian American experience. Manages 14.9% alcohol with George Bailey-esque, heady grace. Tasted blind I commented, “if this is under $30 it’s an outrageous deal.” “Well whaddya know about that!!!. “ 92

4. The grape: Riesling

Where: Clare Valley, Australia

Pewsey Vale Riesling 2011 (686600, $19.95) shimmers an iridescent emerald-green on gold patina. Cracks like a whip straight in your face with lemon, lime and slate than lowers a sledgehammer of petrified wood. Snake-like Sasak fruit tang and acidity “goes dancin’ in,” “builds that power” and lingers long after its skin has been shed. 91

5. The Grape: Sangiovese

Where: Tuscany, Italy

Dei Vino Nobile Di Montepulciano 2008 (285510, $28.95) is a wow wine. Viscous, sweet nectar, full on concentrated berries and polished rocks au jus. An opus dei call to vinous holiness and sanctity. Rapturous feeling of punch drunk love falls over me after sipping this noble Sangiovese (Prugnolo Gentile). 92

6. The grape: Chenin Blanc

Where: Loire Valley, France

Marc Brédif Vouvray 2010 (685362, $19.95) perches high atop a parched, molecular hilltop. Bread starter nip promises stuffed pastry filled with friable, early harvest apples. Wonderful, classic and dehumidified Vouvray. 91

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

Where: Okanagan Valley, British Columbia

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

8. The Grape: Cabernet Franc

Where: Niagara Peninsula, Ontario

Hinterbrook Rosé 2011 (275818, $16.00) is simply brilliant. Top Ontario Rosé to date. Goes well beyond descriptors like “playful” and “quaffable.” A four-day Cabernet Franc cold soak was the ticket to serious pink success, the choice of grape an engineering master stroke. Hinterbrook’s dark side of the moon. Moody, ambient, rich in tone, lyric and extended play. Rosé needs some mystery and here it is. ”There is no dark side of the moon really. Matter of fact it’s all dark.” 91

9. The Grape: Riesling

Where: Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Germany

Dr. Pauly-Bergweiler Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese 2009 (0197186, $21.95) races out of the nuss pit with peerless Bergweiler CVR** Spätlese speed. The late harvest drupe is so focused you would never know how sweet the middle ground really is. Never struggling against circumstance, it slides effortlessly into Spätlese orbit. Searching and finding the German Riesling dream. Sonnenuhr vineyard is here and “the time is right, for racing in the street.” 91

10. The Grape: Chardonnay

Where: Casablanca Valley, Chile

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

Over $30 VINTAGES released wines

Over $30 VINTAGES Releases

1. The grapes: Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre and Cinsault

Where: Southern Rhône, France

Le Vieux Donjon Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2010 (700922, $53.95, SAQ 10817461, $50.50) will dare you to claim any better value from the storied appellation. “Da price boss, da price!” Like I’ve landed on Fantasy Island where Châteauneuf is flowing and it’s always affordable! Kirsch galore, a Rhône cat, sensuous and gorgeous. Goldfinger garrigue, with herbs and acidity so alive and purring. Approachable now, the heavenly structure will see the Donjon through 2025. 94

2. The grape: Cabernet Sauvignon

Where: Napa Valley, California

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

3. The Grape: Syrah

Where: Northern Rhône, France

Delas Frères Francois De Tournon Saint-Joseph 2009 (17525, $33.00) is both militaristic and the stuff of gushing Renaissance literature. Serious Syrah and foxy, Faerie Queene. Cardinal colour, striking and dreamy. Augustinian diplomat meets allegorical fantasy. Crushed berries, truffles caked by earth, sol de la foret. Built of elegance and power, “such endlesse richesse, and so sumptuous shew.” 92

4. The Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot

Where: Napa Valley, California

Dominus 2008 (212381, $145.95) solicits riposte for parry, to buy or not to buy. The omnipotently voluptuous one resides in a tramontane locale, beyond reach and also the pale. A shocking parade of profound, hyper-purple personality. Even if it suffers “the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune“, a lucky man this Dominus, “all dressed in satin,” “nor woman neither.” Colour field shockingly crimson and amarinthine, textured with rich and layered brush stroke, as if Red on Maroon. A Lama, “the flowing robes, the grace, bald…striking.” To me this ’08 leans more Ornellaia than Pétrus. 97

5. The grapes: Zinfandel, Petite Sirah and Carignan

Ridge Lytton Springs 2009 (982413, $46.95) will live in infamy like the ’92 and ’99. Immediate waft of freshly shucked vanilla bean. Ambrosial, earthy, briary fruit. Precise distillation inclusive of 23% Petite Sirah results in an impossibly lambent cordial. Not to mention you gotta love that Draper perfume. Open the magazine in 10-15 years time for the best read. 93

6. The grape: Nebbiolo

Where: Piedmont, Italy

Gemma Giblin Riserva Barolo 2005 (185025, $36.95) has begun to brick at the edges. Mouth rosewatering acidity binged by sour cherry and shellac. Wisp of Monte Cristo and withered rose only Barolo can smell of. This Gemma is beautiful like a turning season, like something you know won’t last. For now and no more than two to three more years. 92

7. The grapes: Grenache, Mourvedre, Syrah and Counoise

Where: Southern Rhône, France

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

8. The grapes: Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon

Where: Bordeaux, France

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

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

Where: Tuscany, Italy

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

10. The Grapes: Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara e Altri Vitigni

Where: Veneto, Italy

Remo Farina Le Pezze Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico 2008 (171587, $33.95) underwhelms as a no kicker. Needs no Euro hype nor boozy heft to make itself understood. Modish mocha java speaks fluent huttish, communicating by lingua franca vernacular to the initiated. “Goopta mo bossa!“ 92

Good to go!

Top 10 under-$15 wines for 2012

Dec11

as seen on canada.com

The past 12 months have been good to wine consumers in Ontario. I would be hard pressed to remember a time in recent memory when so many good value wines were available on such a consistent basis.

The under $15 niche success can be attributed to many things. A sweeping renaissance in wine making has taken hold across the globe, from the vineyard to the stopped bottle. Manifested in the Old World, we are seeing an unprecedented ability to offer wines at this price. New World locales like Argentina, Chile, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand can match the quality, but as a general rule, the $15-20 range is their sweet spot.

What I am most pleased to note is the increased quality in Canadian wine, especially from Niagara, in the under $15 zone. Lead by the likes of Fielding Estate, Vineland Estates, 13th Street and Mike Weir Wines, finding quality releases that won’t break the bank gets easier with every passing vintage.

More than anything, the ability to taste 1000’s of wines by the generous efforts of Ontario agents, trade commissions and through local events has allowed us to uncover the gems. A year-end set of props has to go out to David Churchill and team for setting the table every week for to sample 1000’s more wines from the bi-weekly and on-line VINTAGES releases.

Here are my top 10, under-$15 VINTAGES released picks for 2012.

1. The grapes: Touriga Nacional, Alfrocheiro, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Pinheiro and Jaen

Where: Portugal, Dão

Encostas De Penalva 2009 (293423, $14.95) is downright Joycean in unusual intelligence, sensitivity and character for a blend from a Portuguese cooperative. Soft perhaps, but nary a bitter deterrent mars this cup of crushed raspberries. A young artist’s deep portrait of Dão colour, forged of surreal fleshy extraction, verbose and flamboyant. 90

2. The grape: Nero D’avola

Where: Sicily, Italy

Morgante Nero D’avola 2010 (40816, $14.95) burnishes purple to black in sheen, perfume and vim. Like incandescent charcoal. Welling hematoma of Aussie licorice, baking spices and lingonberry. Maxes out Nero D’avola’s ability to defend itself against all food comers. Even pancakes and pigs in a blanket. It should be noted that a second sample was corked. 90

3. The grape: Albariño

Where: Rias Baixas, Spain

Pazo Pondal Leira Albariño 2011 (115816, $15.95) may sport the hue of Cava and indicate bubbles spinning around like a frotteur but its “gotta have no illusions” about itself. A hint of seltzer in a sparkling, platinum hue swirls to honey and paraffin. Acts and looks sharp yet remains in balance. 90

4. The grape: Sauvignon Blanc

Where: Loire, France

Domaine De La Colline Sauvignon Touraine 2010 (169656, $12.95) is the workday done sun-downer few Sauvignon Blancs can match for IVR* assurance. Eglantine and apple tisane. Bony and blanched shallot driven by the Loire’s rocky truffeau, with a smokey persimmon fini glacé. 88

5. The grapes: Grenache, Syrah and Cinsault

Where: Rhône, France

Delas Frères Saint Esprit Côtes Du Rhône Rosé 2011 (224964, $12.95) offers up strawberry, rhubarb and cream with a savoury accent. Subtle pale, pink, see-through hue and warming humidity. Great value here. Rosie you’re all right. “Looks like it’s me and you again tonight.” 88

6. The grapes: Sangiovese, Merlot, Syrah and Petit Verdot

Where: Tuscany, Italy

Perta Zingari Toscana IGT 2008 (224228, $13.95) from the VINTAGES August 6, 2011 release deals value in quarto from varietals Sangiovese, Merlot, Syrah and Petit Verdot. An unusual blend from the Maremma coast for sure but throw me down in the snow if it isn’t unmistakably Tuscan. Iron, leather, pure snappy, fennel fruit and tannic tang are all there. Primary yes, but what more can you ask from $14? Held up 24 hours later for a second go round. 88

7. The grape: Sauvignon Blanc

Where: Niagara Peninsula, Ontario

Mike Weir Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (686972, $14.95) swings from the left side like its brethren on that side of the Gironde. A game built on concentrated gooseberry juice, tangy green fruit and a streak of chippy acidity. Sneaky long and straight down the fairway. 88

8. The grape: Pinot Blanc

Where: Alsace, France

André Blanck et Ses Fils Rosenburg Pinot Blanc 2011 (626606, $13.95) is your weekend summer refresher, your sundowner, your all-purpose white. Oily, mineral-driven, long, acidity at its PB best, full finish. For appetizers, salads and mains. Versatility be thy name. 88

9. The grape: Garnacha

Where: Catalayud, Spain

Filón Garnacha 2010 (280602, $14.95) is actually a bit of a misprision because of its black fruit character. Re-enacts Tuscan IGT and the most modern of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Tar, asphalt, bitter chocolate and sanguine Kirsch and very, very ripe fruit. Grand oak and tons of wine at $15. 88

10. The grape: Melon De Bourgogne

Where: Loire, France

Michel Delhommeau Cuvée Harmonie Muscadet De Sèvre-Et-Maine 2010 (164624, $12.95) scatters nether and beyond the stereotypical need for oysters pairing. Light as the sky, “a free man in Paris…unfettered and alive.” Like I said before, it offers up more complexity, flesh and sea bone than its brethren. Courts shrimp, sparks smoked chicken and even ventures into baby back rib territory. On the card at Barque. 88

Honourable Mention

The grapes: Alvarinho, Arinto and Loureiro

Where: Vinho Verde, Portugal

Casa Do Valle Grande Escolha 2011 (276220, $14.95) while unmistakably Portuguese Vinho Verde, this could be a ringer for Greco di Tufo or Viognier. The long visit to the haberdashery at once wears baking spice, Mezzogiorno mangia cake at Christmas and then white rose, honeysuckle Hermitage. Lofty comparisons for sure but this exceptional IVR* treacle is a chef mastered sweetbread of a double “V.” 89

Good to go!

Bold red wines for last-minute gifting

Dec7

PHOTO: SERGIO DI GIOVANNI, FOTOLIA.COM

as seen on canada.com

It’s not just about the big day two and a half weeks from now. Maybe this is the weekend you’ve been invited to the first big holiday get together of the season, or perhaps tomorrow night you’re heading out to a Hanukkah party. Or looking ahead, it’s one week from now and you need more than a decent bottle of vino for that special someone, a friend, cousin, boss, co-worker, or that guy who helped you make all that money this year.

The good wines are out there and ready for the taking. Blink and they’ll be gone. LCBO holiday sales in 2011 totaled $620 million, representing 14 per cent of last year’s total business. Last December, the average LCBO customer spent $47 compared to $38 at other times in the year. December 22 and 23 were the busiest selling days for the LCBO last year, with sales of $41 million and $53 million respectively. This year, the LCBO expects December 21 and 22 to be the busiest shopping days.

The detractors might say that tasting through this release was the “worst red wine day of my life,” but I beg to differ. My advice is simple. Do not procrastinate. Here are six terrific wines that are sure to put a smile on a wine lover’s face.

Bold red wines for last-minute gifting

The grapes: Syrah and Grenache

The history: Ace outfit from Languedoc in the Midi Region

The lowdown: Intrigue is in the air anytime a wine carries the name of the mountain commune Pic Saint Loup

The food match: Blood Orange Cornish Game Hens

Domaine Clavel Bonne Pioche Pic Saint Loup 2010 (297986, $19.95) is a most sunny and warmer modern expression, addictive and trend setting like bacon. Indicates mountain rocky outcrops and an untamed, southern French je ne sais quoi beastly feeling. Something is definitely right about this Clavel. How can you not be seduced? 90

The grapes: Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot

The history: A Château Léoville-Poyferré project with Michel Rolland as consultant

The lowdown: Delivers the hedonistic goods as well as any $50+ red blend from Argentina

The food match: Beef Rib Chop, chimichurri sauce

Cuvelier Los Andes Colección 2009 (144014, $21.95) broods dark and stormy as ever. This 60% Malbec-based, ode to St. Julien, ne0-Bordeaux blend is a fleshy, voluptuous, full choco-bodied beauty. The tannins do some chewing so give it some air. Trenchant dark chocolate as dessert. 90

The grapes: Cabernet and Malbec

The history: Fruit sourced from the Sheoaks and St. Clare vineyards

The lowdown: Classic Clare Valley combo, reminiscent of the legend that is Leasingham’s Bin 56

The food match: Irish Stew, waxy potatoes, heirloom carrots

Tim Adams Cabernet/Malbec 2006 (295535, $26.95) uses its age for rustic purpose. Goes raisin, prune and fig, full-on dried fruit attack. Has evolved with ease, efficiently and with pastoral grace. 89

The grape: Sangiovese

The history: Historic property south of Panzano in an amphitheater shaped valley known as “Conca d’Oro”

The lowdown: Were I to spend my money on one non-riserva Chianti Classico each year, this would be the one

The food match: Chianina Beef Ragu, porcini mushroom

Fontodi Chianti Classico 2009 (933317, $29.95) defines the scent of a Chianti. Rocks of calcar-clay, schist soil, red earth, salumi and porcini. Also fresh, balanced and bursting of ripe, cherry fruit. First class. 90

The grape: Pinot Noir

The history: From Niagara’s Vinemount Ridge, this is the wine’s first vintage

The lowdown: The Laidlaw may be winemaker Paul Pender’s most gorgeous but this Quarry Pinot is instantly cerebral

The food match: Stone Road Grille’s Confit Duck

Tawse Quarry Road Pinot Noir 2009 (307686, $34.95) is no folk-weighted wine. Paul Pender has an instant solid rock hit on his hands and Mary paint the town red if it isn’t a Burgundian hymn. Earth, mushroom, mineral and just a hint of new oak vanilla, raspberry and root beer. Won’t peter out either so ignore the refrain and do head down to the quarry. 90

The Splurge

The grape: Cabernet Sauvignon

The history: Emerging superstar out of the Alexander Valley

The lowdown: Who isn’t looking to gift an under $50, exceptional California Cab?

The food match: Wappo Cassoulet, classic french beans with duck confit, sausage & lamb ragout

Stonestreet Monument Ridge Cabernet Sauvigon 2007 (285098, $49.95) rounds out a trifecta of the winery’s superb Ontario releases in 2012, at three very disparate price points. Exiguous stewed note is trumped by graphite, sweet vanilla Quercus, black cherry, Cassis and tobacco. Volcanic eruption of rocky red, Toyon Bush Berry Place flavours. Bet the Wappo would have liked this one. 92

Good to go!

Wine gems for your gift list

Nov14

Photograph by PhotoSG, Fotolia.com

The season of giving and consumer spending is fast approaching. Wine sales more than double during the holidays, as does the dollar value spent per bottle. With so many over-valued and under-achieving wines on the market it can be difficult to choose the right gift.

While I have the good fortune to try expensive wines all year round, the number of high-end bottles is so much more prevalent at tastings in the weeks leading up to the year-end break. Here are five gems to look for when shopping for holiday gifts.

Wine gems for your gift list

The grape: Nebbiolo

The history: Regal king of Piedmont

The lowdown: The ’07’s continue to impress. Perhaps the best Ascheri Barolo I have tasted to date

The food match: Bourbon Java Steak Tips

Ascheri Pisapola Barolo 2007 (739920, $42.95) will not be punished for unremarkable rust and rusticity. Barolo as it should be, disciplined and indoctrinated in the ways of the Nebbioli. Black licorice meets unsweetened cherry and a whiff of cigar smoke. Double Z notes “if you say silky or velvety your palate is mistaken.” Proper, wicked, excellent. 91-92 (From the VINTAGES November 24th, 2012 Release)

The grape: Pinot Noir

The history: If Burgundy is your game, Oregon’s Willamette Valley is the closest second

The lowdown: From a blend of some of Oregon’s greatest vineyard sites & appellations

The food match: Yukon Gold Potato Poutine, turkey gravy, fior di latte

Bergström Cumberland Reserve Pinot Noir 2009 (255935, $49) shimmers red rubies in the glass and emanates as a study in Oregon geology. Colorful silicic material is expressed as strawberry cola, ripe and caramelizing. Even at 14.1% the Cumberland remains elegant and balanced by thunderegg, spherical characteristics and tempered acidity. 91–92 (From The VINTAGES May 2012 Classics Catalogue)

The grape: Shiraz

The history: Success measured by billions of dollars in the land of OZ

The lowdown: So often jamming beyond control, once in a while there comes along a Hermitage ringer

The food match: Spice-Rubbed Baby Back Pork Ribs, tomatillo vinegar, chipotle chile glaze

Elderton Neil Ashmead GTS Grand Tourer Shiraz 2009 (271486, $65) named after and produced in honour of Elderton’s co-founder, the GTS is a crushed berry beauty with raven highlights. Kirsch cordial in a cedar mansion dreaming of the Hermitage hills. This Barossa Road Warrior drives in at 14%, takes turns with speed, alternating between northern Rhone peppery, smoked meat and Barossa berries. Leaves the vineyard’s Command in its dust. 92-93 (From The VINTAGES May 2012 Classics Catalogue)

The grape: Sangiovese

The history: The Grosso of Montalcino is still so often undervalued

The lowdown: When Brunello under $50 is this good it should not be dismissed

The food match: Wild Mushroom Ravioli, wild boar ragu, truffle oil

San Polo Brunello Di Montalcino 2007 (650812, $49) has so much cure “there’s a meat hook in my heart.” Carbon driven molecular complexity of dense, red brick cherry liqueur. Butchery core, clove perfume and late snare attack. 92-93 (From The VINTAGES Shop On Line October 4th, 2012 Release)

The grapes: Grenache and Syrah

The history: Jerome Quiot’s domain is named for the “Lazarists” who in the 17th century had a hospice for old, poor and disabled

The lowdown: This is Châteauneuf at the height of lush with so much minerality you might think you have a mouth full of rocks

The food match: Simmered Coq-Au-Vin, roasted root vegetables, buttered salsify

Domaine du Vieux Lazaret Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Exceptionnelle 2007 (957274, $55) will pop at the open when it appears online November 15th. The pinkish-maroon hue actually deepens with time spent swirled. Lithospheric rheology and isostatic behaviour befitting the appellation puts graphite, earth and pine forest at the forefront. Tremendous length and potential. Exceptionnelle. 93-94 (From The VINTAGES Shop On Line November 15th, 2012 Release)

Good to go!

Tasting Italy 500 wines at a time

Nov7

Toronto’s Roy Thomson Hall (photograph by Peter J. Thompson, National Post)

as seen on canada.com

A tasting of wines from Italy is a huge event and though its girth had shed some earlier weight, by Canadian standards it prevails as an epic tasting. On Monday November 4th, 2012 the Italian Trade Commission, under the auspices of the consulate general of Italy Toronto, presented the 17th Annual Wine Tasting at Roy Thomson Hall. The ITC is the government agency that promotes the internationalization of Italian companies. The tasting event is a boon for the Italian wine industry which collectively holds an 18 per cent market share and $219 million in sales, making them the leader of imported wines in Ontario.

Trade Italy is a rock ‘n roll outfit that traverses Canada on an eight-day whirlwind tour. Stops in Vancouver, Calgary, and Montreal fill out the schedule. The Toronto show included tables of good eats; Italianate charcuterie and cheeses to compliment the nearly 500 wines poured by more than 70 producers from as far North as the Alps to the tip of the boot in Sicily. Honourable mention goes out to Authentic’s Frank Rey, he of magical spider arms and cat reflexes to keep up with bartender speed so the masses might get their taste of the ethereal Ornellaia 2009 (95).

While it would have made for an Omerian tale to have tasted everything on offer, the sheer mass of it all (wines, wine agents and tasters) made for more of a Joycean, Ulysses, stream of consciousness affair. A certain level of linear focus was required and so my Odyssey was bent on revisiting classics and the discovery of unusual nooks and crannies from deep within the Italian landscape. Here are my top three highlights from the epic event.

: Top three highlights from “A tasting of wines from Italy”

Castello Di Gabiano

Monferrato, Piemonte

Monferrato Rosso Gavius 2008 of 85% Barbera and 15% Pinot Nero and its organoleptic characteristics is subject to a variety of oak treatment, unlike the more entry-level La Braja. The Gavius goes gravelly and gangly and the Pinot adds a breadth of Brett in a very minor key. Greets you with gritty acidity. A great slice of Gabiano’s game. 88

Barbera D’Asti Superiore Adornes 2007 is Barbera and nothing but Barbera emerging from an 18-month slumber in wood. High altitude attitude, cool at its centre, warm, low and slow on the long trip down. Oh, baby Barbera. 91

Gabiano Riserva A Matilde Giustiniani 2006 adds a wee bit of indigenous Freisa into a Barbera already living the chill life. Fully resolved tannins here, less acidity and fully floral violet aromas. From the high slopes of a minuscule DOC, fully justified fruit is calm and collected in its golden years. 90

Monferrato Bianco Riserva Chardonnay 2010 blows my mind. Step aside Cervaro, this beauty walks an impossibly fine line between sharp citrus, orchard fruit, piercing minerality and a tropical, honey viscosity. At once fresh and searing, then again mellow and mellifluous. Terrific length. Italian Chardonnay gets no better than this. 92

Michele Satta

Toscana

Bolgheri Piastraia 2008 holds on tightly to its heartstrings and offers little at this time. A tale of beauty and beast; majestic colour but bearing dangerous teeth. A four by 25 mix of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah and Sangiovese, the Pia wants to sing like Toscano but her voice is suppressed by tannins fierce and biting. Revisit the songstress in five years when her voice and craft have refined beyond idol times. 90

Toscana Il Cavaliere 2006 “is a brand new funky president” possessed of Satta’s inimitable perfume, not unlike Pegau. Satta’s funk is more like a grunting cinghiale roaming the vineyard’s innards. The brown, earthy animale sure ain’t honey but it’s music to my ears, or perfume to my nose. Behind the musk is fantastic deep berry and plum fruit and a wall of invigoration. 93

Bolgheri I Castagni 2006 turns a corner of modernity, whispers cinghiale but is more of an elegant, black cherry driven coastal expression of Cabernet Sauvignon with hits of Syrah and Terdolego. Tobacco, tea and black pepper make for points of interest. 91

Tenuta Rocca

Monforte D’Alba, Piemonte

Barbera D’Alba Roca Neira Superiore 2006 is a 12,000 case, 100% Barbera knockout. Black cherry and Cassis liqueur cordial as if decadent Châteauneuf or Paulliac. Presented by the efficacious and hypnotizing Elene Ercole who explains that Rocca is a modern operation with one foot in tradition and the other stepping into the future of Piemontese wine. A tiny oxy note shows the Neira’s age and avant-garde nature. 91

Langhe Ornati 2006 blends 35% Nebbiolo and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon into Barbera for full Super-Piemontese effect. Though Elena scrunches her nose just a tweak at this moniker mention, the modern styling and remarkably approachable soft, silky smooth fruit speaks to an IGT mentality. Long Langhe, loveable and fluid. 90

Barolo 2007 of graceful elegance and velvety mouthfeel is a sight to behold. Diaphanous tendrils swirl in eddies in the glass. Tenuta Rocca suggest that to maximize enjoyment of their wine you need leave them in the “same horizontal position as when it arrives in its case until the moment of consumption.” I will do my best. 92

Barolo San Pietro 2007 from Monforte will move to Serralunga but for now the warm and balanced vintage gives the world an exemplary expression of modern Barolo. With no disrespect for the sumptuous and ancient rune that are the wines of Settimo, Rocca’s ability to reign in Nebbiolo fruit with such intensity has me hooked. The San Pietro’s complex character of gaseous plasma, spiralling helices of energy and outright ultra-violet radiance is exquisite. Cherry, leather, spice, vanilla and chocolate are all there. Spongy Barolo. 94

Good to go!

Top ten reasons to pour a glass of wine on Halloween

Oct31

Photograph by Sergey Goruppa, Fotolia.com

as seen on canada.com

“A bottle of wine begs to be shared; I have never met a miserly wine lover.”

There is no shortage of top ten lists or funny wine quotes clogging the web and promoting the positive effects of wine consumption. If Halloween is a health risk then the best way to avoid over indulging in mass-produced sugar products is to eat a proper meal and focus (in moderation, of course) on a good glass of wine. The sugar won’t stand a chance at tugging the heartstrings or clogging up the arteries with a good bottle of red staring down at you.

The great food and beverage writer M.F.K Fisher wrote, “I can no more think of my own life without thinking of wine and wines and where they grew for me and why I drank them when I did and why I picked the grapes and where I opened the oldest procurable bottles, and all that, than I can remember living before I breathed.”

Step aside Mr. Letterman, here are my top ten reasons to share a glass this Halloween.

1. You will sound much more intelligent when answering the question, “trick or treat?”

2. Nothing says “thank you neighbour” like a good coffee mug full of red wine

3. It’s the quickest way to erase the memory of #Sandy

4. The weather forecast is for cloudy with a chance of wine

5. A liver transplant sounds far less intimidating than a heart transplant (red wine is supposed to protect your heart, right?)

6. It will really help to make those homemade costumes look like Oscar winning wardrobes

7. Two words: wine gums

8. Why should this night be different from any other?

9. The doorbell rings every few seconds and beer takes much longer to pour

10. It rhymes with Frankenstein

Here is what I will be pouring tonight for Halloween (with tasting notes).

Cordella Rosso Di Montalcino 2009 (251462) puts forth a flavour profile making it a dead ringer for a young Brunello. The initial noisome squall gives way to iron scents and the taste of spicy plums. Very approachable, fresh and vibrant. Great food wine for the here and now. 90

Peique Tinto Mencía 2010 (219204) vanquishes hardship for violet pleasure. Sublunary stones rolling through subterranean tar beds of caramelizing sugars. Roses and red berry fruit rise from the burn. 88

Another option is to transform your wine bottle into a scary libation. Here’s a video to show you how:

Frankenstorm and Hallowine

Oct29

Photograph by IRC, Fotolia.com

as seen on canada.com

“Come in she said I’ll give you, shelter from the storm.”

Stormy weather is a great time for wine. Hurricane Sandy, a.k.a. Frankenstorm is poised to do some damage. Thousands are heading for the hills and my advice is simple. Gather much-needed provisions, pack up a case of fine wine and short of clearing out for a land down under, “you better run, you better take cover. ” Remember, don’t drink and fly.

It’s going to be a cold and wet Halloween night on Wednesday. Here are three hearty reds to help you weather and take shelter from the storm.

The grape: Vidadillo

The history: Virtually extinct and unknown varietal makes a rare VINTAGES appearance

The lowdown: Cariñena from Aragón in Spain produces bold, gritty wines not unlike Garnacha with tougher edges. Five years of age has helped to soften this example

The food match: Veal Scallopini, dinosaur kale, veal jus

Bodegas Pablo Menguante Vidadillo 2007 (293407, $17.95) will be one of the most unique wines you will discover this year. Umbrage of pencil lead, grilled meat and conifer send smoke signals with alluring animal magnetism. Possessive of a Spanish, almost Castanedan alternative consciousness, a wine of strange hallucination. Will warm the storm-ravaged cockles of the heart. 88

The grapes: Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Sousao, Tinta Barroca

The history: The Portuguese Douro equivalent to a Southern Rhône blend

The lowdown: Pulls no punches to put hair on your chest

The food match: Cozido Portuguese Stew

Meandro Do Vale Meão 2009 (244731, $22.95, SAQ 11816574, $22.90) with fist raised in defiance shouts “I’m purple and I’m proud.” Structured like Châteauneuf–Du Pape and floral like Montsant, the Meão is a prevailing fashion statement pronouncement in captivating Douro. The mix of grapes make for a Mr. G- like immense chain of linked events, where the most recent aroma or flavour links back to the very first one noted. The linked notes “bind the totality of the wine in a web of interdependence and connectedness.” 90

The Splurge

The grape: Sangiovese

The history: Known as Sangiovese Grosso in Montalcino, Tuscany

The lowdown: This producer continues to over deliver vintage in, vintage out

The food match: Cured Salame and Prosciutto, hard cheeses

Fattoi Brunello Di Montalcino 2007 (33498, $34.95) gives gregariously of cherries smoking in a cedar sweat lodge. Opens its doors at the first knock for a quick peek into its stylish interior then shuts the iron gate tight. The native’s pipe tobacco and roasted game aromas waft out but the wall of tannin is too high to climb. Open the doors hours ahead and the Fattoi will offer up its pleasures. 91

Good to go!

Ten best buys from the October 15th LCBO sale

Oct15

File photograph, National Post

as seen on canada.com

VINTAGES markdowns begin today on more than 240 wines in selected stores across Ontario. This type of warehouse clearance is nothing new for the fine wine and premium spirits division of the LCBO, but when such a vast quantity of product gets tagged with red stickers, even the biggest monopoly cynics are caught smiling and spied shopping.

The sale is a collective blowout of six to 12-month old release items. Much of what is available may be judged as “machine age wine,” to paraphrase William Thorsell, the Zen-like master of demeanor and one day to be “czar of public space in Toronto.” A vast majority of product sold by the Hudsucker Proxy is the vinous equivalent to “post Bauhaus, architecture of the box.” Still, for all the rotten tomatoes and urban sub-division, ascetic industrialist plonk there are diamonds to be mined in the proverbial wine rough.

It is important to note that sale item inventory is limited. It would be prudent to check online and better yet, call ahead before driving across town to grab a few sale bottles. Many of the wines have been marked down a second time, making them some of the better deals going. Then there are the trophy wines like the Krug ’95 D’Ambonnay which has dropped in price by $1000. Now only $3500 a bottle!

Keep in mind that my tasting notes and scores were cogitated in line with original VINTAGES prices.

Here are my top 10 picks from today’s sale

Cordella Rosso Di Montalcino 2009 (251462, was, $19.95, now $12.90) puts forth a flavour profile making it a dead ringer for a young Brunello. The initial noisome squall gives way to iron scents and the taste of spicy plums. Very approachable, fresh and vibrant. Great food wine for the here and now. 90 (October 2011)

Township 7 Syrah 2007 (263665, was $25.95, now $19.90) limns in glass as a cool, penetrating Pic Island or Canto XVII colour. Peppery spice and unfettered eucalyptus separate the 7′s actions from California’s rangers, remaining unique unto itself. BC tree fruit exuding from every sip save for a mutinous, shy, hollow and peripatetic middle moment. More time should smooth and flesh that fruit. 89 (April 2012)

Domaine Drouhin Arthur Chardonnay 2008 (959619, was $27.95, now $19.90) concedes eminence grise; reserved mineral nose, subtle oak, soft, balanced and smooth. Nothing exciting but well made and so easy to drink. Was hoping for a niche superstar but no foul. 87 (October 2011)

Maison Roche De Bellene Vieilles Vignes Meursault 2009 (241091, was $48.95, now $29.90) amalgamates citrus spice, baked brie and potpourri where subtlety is thy name. No mischief from Little Nicky here as Potel’s potential is glimpsed with this groovy white Burgundy. 89 (February 2012)

Domaine De La Bonserine Côte-Rôtie La Sarrasine 2008 (606442, was $49.95, now $29.90) enters my heart on immediate terms of endearment. Superb funk de vache without bretting out. Gunpowder, wet limestone, leather, char and chalk define the wine. 90 (October 2011)

Riglos Gran Corte 2007 (243501, was $37.95, now $29.90) radiates a phenomenal azure/purple colour. A body builder of fermented pleasure, sculpted, ripped, pulsating. Baked pastry, caramelized onion and reduced aged balsamic wax olfactory. What a tart! Delicious stuff to drink now. 91 (October 2011)

Freestone Chardonnay 2008 (249425, was $69.95, now $44.90) trickles melting ice cubes past the gullet, washing it down with searing salty, citrus and cobblestone coolant. A firm Chardonnay, cocksure and concise. I would not turn away a glass of this coolish-climate bonbon. 90 (October 2011)

Take a flyer on

Santa Duc Gigondas Les Garancières 2009 (234989, was $27.95, now $17.90)

Domaine Moillard Beaune Epenottes 1er Cru 2009 (241109, was $31.95, now $19.90)

Ravenswood Single Vineyard Belloni Zinfandel 2008 (672741,was $44.95, now $27.90)

Good to go!

The hunt for red October wine

Oct12

Photo courtesy Kiowaman

as seen on canada.com

With the ides of October nearly upon us and cold winds blowing stronger out of the great white north, wine thoughts turn simply red. I’ve no plans to re-create the ancient Roman practice of the October Horse but I do intend to sacrifice a few slumbering bottles from the cellar. After all, there’s no point holding back the years.

Caution horses be weary you don’t crack open too many, not quite ready, aging wines. In order to defend that cellar, now is the time to get on the horse and pursue current release, bold bottles to fortify against the chill of impending inclement weather. Here are five rich reds to look for this coming weekend.

The grape: Petit Verdot

The history: Used in smallish quantities to round out Bordeaux blends. Has for more than a decade appeared as a single varietal species in Australia and now more recently, here in Chile

The lowdown: Something other varietal by way of Lontué Valley, a wine-producing sub-region of the Curico Valley, in the center of Chile

The food match: Chicken Liver Paté, french baguette, maldon salt

Korta Barrel Selection Reserve Petit Verdot 2010 (296608, $14.95,) like Carmenère pours a glass of tar and toast but here sidesteps green bell pepper and herb stem. In fact, this PV is so polished the grape needs no blending as it is both the wine’s anchor and sail. Achieves a ripe fruit/briny olive dichotomy, where la figue meets les Lucques and la mûre connects with les Picholines. 88

The grapes: Carinena, Garnacha and Syrah

The history: Montsant lies in the province of Tarragona, forming a horseshoe around it’s more famous neighbour Priorat

The lowdown: Produced By The Can Blau Estate out of Catalunya, don’t expect a re-working of the wheel, but for the price at the gate, go to the show

The food match: Grilled Lamb Chops, mint, rosemary, garlic, olive oil

Bula 2009 (292094, $17.95, SAQ 11666852, $19.00) trots out of the stable of new wave Montsant blends at a lope. Poised, purposed and purple pretty. Ligneous influence to anodyne effect in coffee liqueur. Smooth and blended until everything has agreed to become red wine. Waves of flavour and makes evident that textural reconsideration can be your best friend. 89

Photo courtesy Kiowaman

The grape: Sangiovese

The history: Tuscany defined, Sangiovese is Chianti to the core

The lowdown: Make no mistake. Castello di Fonterutoli is going full throttle, international styling here and it’s just so damn irresistible

The food match: Braised Beef Short Rib Croquette, sangiovese jus

Mazzei Ser Lapo Chianti Classico Riserva 2007 (288530, $24.95) may cause intellectual and physical moiety due to a bold, morning mug of mocha driven, piazza juice but I wouldn’t kick her out of bed for eating biscotti. Say what you will but the Lapo displays a striking, Italianate, strada strut. A wine expansive and adorned as if she were the duchessa of an embellished palazzo. 90

The grape: Pinot Noir

The history: Burgundy’s heartbreak grape found true love in the Willamette Valley but Umpqua Valley is something other

The lowdown: Not fully tested southern climate for Pinot in Oregon increases the subtlety and intrigue factors

The food match: Smoked Duck Confit, bliny, fig jam

Brandborg Bench Lands Pinot Noir 2008 (295238, $28.95) is bred from a locale not known for its speed out of the gate but when she spooks, she can pass any horse in the ring. Base and natural like bare hands and feet grazing the pasture. Cinnamon heart candy red and spice meets herbal, licorice twizzler. Perfect libation for the bright lights, social hour. “A festival every week, if this is what you seek.” 90

The hunt for red October wine. Photo courtesy Kiowaman

The Splurge

The grape: Tempranillo

The history: The greatest expression of the grape has to be in Spain’s Ribera Del Duero, bar none

The lowdown: Alejandro Fernández may be the wine world’s greatest unsung hero. His “basic” Crianza wines can age beautifully for 10-15 years. The Reservas? Forget about it

The food match: Braised Beef Brisket, caramelized onion, tempranillo gravy

Tinto Pesquera Reserva 2008 (323345, $39.95) ramps up the garriga tierra quotient. Savoury and spicy, flanked by chalky, grainy tannin and a pulchritudinous, primordial tobacco aroma that tendrils around, as tobacco smell will. Sickle hocked, over at the knee, toes in. Inviolable Tempranillo. 92

Good to go!

The wine diaries: Italian masters

Oct9

Photograph by bartuchna, Fotolia.com

Importers Robert Tomé and Tony Macchione are serious about wine, especially of the Italian variety. Who wouldn’t be bound and determined to taste through a portfolio that includes Siro Pacenti, Valdicava, Collemattoni, Argiolas, Masciarelli and their most recent addition, Gaja.

as seen on canada.com

On Monday, October 1st I joined the throng of thrill seekers at the Shangri-La Hotel, Toronto, to engage in some grape stem cell therapy. Here are my notes on 20 wines from seven noble Italian producers at the Stem Wine Group 7th Annual Family of Wines Gala Tasting 2012.

Azienda Agricola Masciarelli, Abruzzo

Trebbiano D’Abruzzo 2011 ($14.99) resounds fruit forward and redolent as grape must, more treble than bass, a chiave di violino. The ‘G’ clef is music to my sense of smell, straightforward and honest to taste. A snapshot to winemaker Marina Cvetic on a Sunday afternoon, relaxed, on the terrace, with a view of the sea to the east. 87

Montepulciano D’Abruzzo 2011 ($14.99, $14.80 in Quebec) of aromatics pointing to volcanic ash, smoke, tar and lead feels like ancient wine yet goes vanilla cool and silky down the hatch. Made in the shadow of the Apennines, “even when mountains crumble to the sea,” there would still be Marina and me. Thank you Abruzzo. 88

Montepulciano D’Abruzzo ‘Marina Cvetic’ 2007 ($28.99, $27.35 in Quebec) shows more evolution since my previous tasting note, “long, harmonious expression of a much maligned grape. Jumping aromas as if an opened jar of raspberry jam on a winter’s morning. Great value from this winemaker mother of three’s (22, 13 and 3) namesake bottling.” Now in peak form, some splinters, nearing the plank. 90

Montepulciano D’Abruzzo ‘Villa Gemma’ 2005 ($74.99) of grace and flawless visage is, as I mentioned previously built of “major league fruit and ferocious grip but in danger of creeping over the edge. Time may be the factor but why wait. The MC is $40 cheaper and offers everything you could ask for in an MD’A. 91

Argiolas, Sardegna

Vermentino ‘Costamolino’ 2011 ($16.99, $21.99 in British Columbia) lives by the sea which makes Sardegna a bit like “a land called Honah Lee.” There is tangy, tropical fruit and a puff of mineral salts, unquestionably typical of the Argiolas style. Pure Mediterranean white magic. 88

Cannonau “Is Solinas” 2009 ($24.95) from vines on the beach is still so young so “those seagulls are still out of reach.” The crystal salinity of the sea clings to the grape leaves, says Export Manager Beppe Pinna, imparting a minerality to the grapes unlike anywhere else. Made from 95% tough Carignano, the hipster Solinas needs time before it’s ready to face the crowd. Should be a star. 89

Boroli, Alba, Piedmont

Barbera D’Alba 2008 ($15.99) is, as Mr. C. notes, so underrated, especially at this entry-level. A ripe bowl of cherries dusted with dry, ground cherry powder. Delivers the dry and dusty goods. 88

Barolo 2006 ($49.99) advances with rancorous grit and coarse determination. Tart red fruits prickle with feeling and analeptic assistance from their perch high up on a mountain of tannin. Expect nothing less than time from this gutsy effort. 88

Barolo ‘Cerequio’ 2004 ($87.99) from the prestigious Grand Cru single vineyard seems wise beyond its years. Dried cherries, flowers, orange peel and licorice salmagundi with a weedy dill overtone. The herbaceousness is not off-putting, as can be the case in some austere Nebbiolo or Brunello. Stately effort and not shy. 92

Collemattoni, Montalcino, Tuscany

Rosso Di Montalcino 2009 ($24.99) the teenage princess dai capelli scuri of shoulder length and silky red fruit is irresistible. Full on ripeness and glowing with genetically imprinted joy. 88

Brunello Di Montalcino 2006 ($52.99) is likewise approachable and sets forth to perfume the room with Pelargonium Zonale. But the ‘Mattoni is also bent on perpetuating a dogged determination befitting the dogmatic Sangiovese Grosso. A queen to the Rosso’s princess, confident of red fruit, built of solid brick befitting the house of its ancestry. 90

Siro Pacenti, Montalcino, Tuscany

Brunello Di Montalcino 2007 ($89.99, $87.25 in Quebec) is a closed wall of doom, aroma wise, save for a malinger of merda. Nothing a good swirl can’t aerate. A tactical deployment and early blending of north and south Montalcino grapes will help to harmonize this Brunello within a reasonable amount of time. While difficult to assess so young, speculation as to its future is not so obtuse a concept. Ripe cherries and plums are just a few years away from crawling out of the hoi polloi of leather and game. The wine will shine in 2015. 93

Valdicava, Montalcino, Tuscany

Rosso Di Montalcino 2009 ($33.99, $44.99 in British Columbia) extolls the winery’s virtue that cleanliness is next to godliness, echoing Tony’s story about WErproprietor Vincenzo Abbruzzese’s obsession with a clean cellar. Despite Valdicava’s omnipresent perfume of sheep off the vineyard floor, this Rosso is clean, pure and indicative of great Brunello. 90

Brunello Di Montalcino 2004 ($119.99) is the most benevolent and democratic of Valdicava’s Brunelli. Balanced design of smoky, red fruit, earth, spice, licorice and that unmistakable Valdicava perfume. Expertly crafted, impossible not to like. Like I wrote before, “softer, loaded with licorice, pureed sweet peppers and ruby minerality. Seductive, sensuous and really put together. “If she asks me, do i look alright? I say yes, you look wonderful tonight.” 93

Brunello Di Montalcino 2005 ($104.99) obliges the vineyard’s tenet with great intention and of a congenial nature. The red fruit, spice, panna and terra cotta notes are all in check but the vigor is buried in invisible circumstance. Basic for Valdicava but only because the other vintages are so extraordinary. 88

Brunello di Montalcino 2006 ($104.99, $137 in British Columbia), again, from an earlier note. “Initially softer in the mouth begins rolling furiously then is found going down hard stone lines. Finishes with gritty, chalky tannins. Crack one in ten years and it’s “gonna open up the throttle…bust another bottle.” 94

Brunello Di Montalcino 2007 ($139.99) is a romance of cheese and animale with its dueling scents of Pecorino di Pienza and pecora nera. Damp earth, wool and unwashed rind combine for the most unique set of Sangiovese smells. Sniff on past and note tobacco, licorice, black cherry and the mineral core beneath the hills. Complexity of complexities. 95

Brunello Di Montalcino Riserva Madonna Del Piano 2005 ($134.99) is intensely concentrated, a dreamy and creamy correlated affair between fruit and oak. The sheep’s redolence returns and combines with the meracious, subterranean earth. The ubiquitous Valdicava perfume can only be brined to this level from the historic single vineyard set in the valley north of Montalcino. Score is consistent with last year’s note. “Monstrous, hunts down the taste buds and renders them comfortably numb. Feeling down? This Madonna will, years from now, “ease your pain, get you on your feet again.” 95

Brunello Di Montalcino Riserva Madonna Del Piano 2006 ($169.99) is sacred Sangiovese, an inviolable reliquary of immaculacy deep beneath Montalcino’s altar. A vamp of essential Tuscan fruit. If you were to stand on a hill in Montalcino in winter time and listen carefully, you would hear a low sipping sound. That is the sound of the entire town drinking of the Madonna Del Piano. 97

Gaja, Barbaresco, Piedmont

Barbaresco 2008 ($218.95, $199 in British Columbia, $199 in Quebec) has not yet unfurled from earthly slumber. Subtle yet discernible greatness as previously noted. “Whiffs smoked beef tongue from the great merchant delicatessen in the sky. A maze of flavours complex like a Venetian neighborhood with interlocking canals and bridges set to and fro. Not your queen’s Barbaresco, nor Bardolino neither. More Shylock than Antonio. Currently a villain with its tongue lashing tannin. Fast forward 15 years to to act four when the integration of fruit causes the wine to become a victim of happy imbibers.” 94

Good to go!