The Successful Collector, by Julian Hitner: Wine education for us all – Talking about Temperature

With apologies to Goldilocks:

Julian Hitner

As absurd as this query might seem, would Goldilocks have chosen the baby bear’s wine if a glass had been placed next to its porridge? Would the first glass have been considered too warm and the second too cold? Leaving aside the fact that most of us would simply take advantage of the free booze and imbibe all three, I’m willing to bet that Goldilocks would not have been very picky. Like the rest of us, Goldilocks probably drank her wine too warm and too cold most of the time.

This issue is widespread, an epidemic that goes well beyond old Nursery Tales and poor cellaring conditions. In most private households and an egregious number of restaurants, the old axiom that whites should be drunk at refrigerator temperatures and reds at non-refrigerator temperatures remains the all-pervasive approach. The consequence is that a vast majority of wines are seldom enjoyed properly.

For reds, warmer temperatures mean three things: a suppression of aromas and the accentuation (or perception) of alcohol, as well as a considerable reduction in structural dimension, elegance, and complexity on the palate. For whites, excessively cold temperatures, while not as acute, also lead to a diminution of aromas and, more significantly in my experience, a loss of flavour components and an unnecessarily heightened perception of natural acidity. For both reds and whites, low-quality glassware doesn’t help either.

Wine thermometer from
Carl-Mertens.com

But getting the right temperature isn’t that difficult, so long as you stay within an optimal range—exact numbers are meaningless. For top clarets, anything over 18 degrees is too much, but most fine Bordeaux does extremely well between 16-18°C, great red Burgundy at 14-16°C (also Chianti Classico), and leading Rhône wines around 15-17°C. Finer red wines are usually best enjoyed at this range, from top Brunello/Barolo and Rioja/Ribera del Duero/Priorat (not to mention Douro) to leading Napa/Sonoma Cabernets and South Australian Shiraz/Cabernet.

White wines are a little more tricky to get right, especially when it comes to premium bottlings, which ought to be taken out of the refrigerator (or ice bucket) at least fifteen minutes beforehand. In the higher range, fine white Burgundy and premium white Graves is best enjoyed around 12-14°C. Other Chardonnays and Old World Rieslings should be consumed between 10-12°C, along with white Rhônes and Sémillon-based bottlings (the latter may even be enjoyed a bit warmer). Other wines are usually at their optimum at lower temperatures, from Alsatian Gewurztraminer and Pinot Gris to the overabundant offerings of Italian/Spanish/Portuguese extraction. As for Sauvignon Blanc (not to be left out), both Loire and NZ versions are at their best around 6-9°C.

Outside of still wines, sparkling wine temperatures are most often determined by their level of quality. Top champagnes enjoy the highest range, usually around 8-10°C, with non-vintage bottlings at the lower end of the spectrum. Other types of sparkling wine, such as Cava and Prosecco, may be consumed between 4-6°C—in other words, just take out of the fridge and enjoy. Sweet wine temperatures are all over the place. Of ‘warmer’ versions, the best German offerings are at their prime around 12-14°C (the best of Tokaji falls slightly lower), while Sauternes performs at its finest between 8-10°C. Icewine (both Canadian and German) is imbibed even colder, at roughly 5-7°C. As for fortifieds, vintage Port does best at 16-18°C (other types typically lower), Madeira at 14-16°C, and most types of Sherry at 10-12°C.

In the end, fine wine appreciation as it relates to temperature isn’t an exact science. For every wine mentioned here, there are dozens of versions that do not conform to even the most basic of parameters. Tawny Port and Valpolicella, for instance, are both best enjoyed within the same temperature range as Grand Cru Chablis (10-12°C), going entirely against the grain of all other types of red wine. But is that not the beauty of wine appreciation, in that there is always the unexpected? Were such not the case, the entire enterprise would all be just as unfussy as my ‘fictional’ representation of Goldilocks.

Julian Hitner

A few of Julian’s selections from recent VINTAGES Releases:

Anne Boecklin 2010 Gewurztraminer, Alsace AOC, France: Representing top value for money, the 2010 Anne Boecklin Gewurztraminer is both poignant and admirable. Light lime in colour, it displays intense scents of lychee-driven white peaches (slightly perfumed), nectarines, jasmine, rose water, lemon citrus, and spice. Complex, with fine fruit, balanced acidity, and a potent hint of lychees and white peach blossom on the finish. Beautifully balanced, well-rounded, and highly enjoyable. Now-2018.

Gann 2007 Chardonnay, Russian River Valley (Sonoma County), California: Light greenish-lime in colour, the 2007 Gann Chardonnay reveals beautiful buttery scents of apricots, pears, caramel, quince, vanilla, and a hint of lime cordial and nuts. Complex, retaining very fine, well-rounded fruit, slightly milder acidity, and a lingering hint of butterscotch and pears on the finish. Full-bodied, flavourful, and very impressive; even at 14% alcohol, the wine seems seamlessly integrated. Now-2016+.

Spy Valley 2011 Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand: Pale lime in colour, the 2011 Sauvignon Blanc displays neat scents of gooseberries, lemon, dried herbs, minerals, and a hint of cat’s pee and nectarines. On the palate: good zesty fruit and acidity showing, ending with a lovely hint of gooseberries and lemon citrus (plus a few beach pebbles) on the finish. Fresh, nervy, and balanced. Screwcap closure. Now-2013.

Caprili 2007, Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany, Italy: Begun in the 1965 by Alfo Bartolommei, the Caprili estate is currently planted to 15.5ha of vines southwest of Montalcino. Dark garnet in colour, the terrific ’07 Brunello displays enticingly delicate, traditional aromas of finely interwoven dried wild cherries and red curranted plums; switching to cedarwood, fragrant tealeaves, forest floor, sandalwood, and spice. Very complex, carrying excellent, elegant fruit, very firm tannins, balanced acidity, and a marvellously refined hint of wild red fruits and cedarwood on the finish. Superlative style, balance, and overall execution. Now-2026++.

Mission Hill 2008 Quatrain, VQA Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada: A mixture of the standard Bordeaux grapes along with an appreciable percentage of Syrah, the 2008 Quatrain puts on a terrific performance. Opaque ruby in colour, the wine is finely toasted, delivering indulgent, modern aromas of ‘dusty’ mocha, currants, plums, black cherries, licorice, blackberry nuances, mild tobacco, vanilla, and spice. Complex, with sumptuous, finely structured fruit, very firm tannins, balanced acidity, and a lingering hint of chocolate, currants, and mineral deposits on the finish. Marvellous texture, balance, and focus. 34% Merlot, 29% Syrah, 22% Cabernet Franc, and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon. Now-2022++.

Domaine Tournon 2010 Shay’s Flat Vineyard Shiraz, Pyrenees, Victoria, Australia: Outstanding value by most estimations, Michel Chapoutier’s 2010 Shay’s Flat Shiraz is a potentially fabulous acquisition. Opaque ruby in colour, the wine offers inviting, almost contemplative aromas of ‘rugged’ black fruits, dark raspberry treacle, grilled meats, leather, hickory-like nuances, forest floor, vanilla, and spice. Complex, carrying deliciously full-bodied, surprisingly fresh fruit, firm yet reasonably supple tannins, milder acidity, and a lasting hint of black fruits and ‘rugged’ leathery overtones on the finish. Outstanding character, structure, and grace; this reminds me somewhat of a high-quality Côte-Rôtie. Now-2030.

For more reviews visit our Critics profile page: Julian Hitner

Filed under: Featured Articles, Wine, Julian Hitner, Vintages, Wine Education, Wine Temperature

Lawrason’s Take on Vintages May 25 Release

Pinot Globalization, Mighty Fine Mosel, Wines of Interest, a Private Loire Tour

David Lawrason

The two features of VINTAGES May 25 release provide a demonstration how commerciality affects wine quality, price and value. Pinot Noir has become globalized and commercialized and I was generally disappointed by the price-sensitive selection assembled. German riesling is not commercial at all these days and every single wine in the line-up is huge value. Elsewhere in the release I have scoured for surprising Wines of Interest; and I also veer off into the hidden world of Private Orders to present a slate of excellent Loire Valley whites to grace your summer table.

Pinot Noir Globalization

The heartbreak grape is now a global commodity, and along with that comes the demand to produce it in larger volumes at lower prices. It also means that it is being produced in places where the grape doesn’t work as well; that it’s being made in a wider variety of styles, and being made by people who are less experienced with it and sensitive to it. The result on the shelf, and on this release, is disappointing quality and value. VINTAGES mini global tour includes pinots from Ontario, Oregon, California, New Zealand, Chile and Burgundy, and the only wines I highly recommend are actually from Burgundy.

Some might say that makes me a pinot noir snob; that I am intolerant of and biased against New World style pinots. This is not true at all. I do like pinot noirs with nerve and elegance, which do tend to come from cooler climates, but I also like softer, riper styles from California (which I have followed since 1984), Oregon and Australia – and when they are well made, like Merry Edwards 2010 Pinot Noir from Sonoma, I have no problem scoring them well into the 90s. What I don’t like is excessive sweetness and alcohol in wines like Belle Glos Meiomi Pinot Noir that is commercially driven to appeal to a wider audience, and in the process disrespects pinot’s delicate fruit (the thing that makes it special in the first). And then there are high volume pinots like A To Z Wineworks 2011 Pinot Noir from Oregon that are just made with less care.

As to the Burgundies on the release, I am recommending two out of three, and they are of different styles. Domaine Chofflet-Valdenaire 2009 Givry 1er Cru ($26.95) is very much a traditional, edgy and meaty style that is packed with flavour. This is from an eleven hectare property in the hands of the Chofflet family for over 100 years – hardly a commercially-driven pinot.

And I very highly recommend Michel Picard 2010 Volnay ($41.95), especially as a pinot noir for the cellar. 2010 is a terrific, sturdy and tight vintage and this wine packs all kinds of fruit that will one day explode across the palate. With over 130 hectares spread across five appellations, this third generation family company is obviously of a more commercially viable size. This has helped keep the price relatively low (Volnay is among the prized Burgundy appellations).

Might Fine Mosel Riesling

Germany’s rieslings are of course not very commercial. The style is particular, the audience narrow. Germany has long lamented and analysed why its rieslings do not command a wider berth in the market, and converts keep forecasting a renaissance, that is not happening. And I have come to the conclusion that is just fine. Riesling is not a mass market grape anywhere it is grown (Niagara comes closest), and German riesling is even more idiosyncratic. But it is made by people who generally care a lot about their favourite grape, and that translates into high quality.

There are six new German rieslings on the May 25 release (including one In Store Discovery or ISD). They provide a golden opportunity for riesling fans to indulge, and for newcomers to explore at a very high level. Five of them are mighty fine Mosels that provide a clinic on wine purity and balance. All but two score 90 points or better, (the others score 89) so take your pick. How about a mixed six-pack, that will only set you back $116.75. You can spend the next six sultry evenings in June exploring hamlets like Urzig, Wolf, Krov and Wehlen.

You could experience the brilliant, clarion freshness of Vollenweider 2011 Wolfer Riesling ($19.95), or – by the same rising star producer – the richer, more mature but still pristine Vollenweider 2007 Kröver Steffensberg Riesling Spätlese ($24.95). You could lose yourself in the silken, almost creamy texture and honeyed nuances of the maturing Dr. Hermann 2005 Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Auslese ($21.95). And you could take a wild ride with Markus Molitor 2011 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett ($29.95 ISD), a wine that is both shrill, gutsy and profound.

And if you somehow miss trying these fine Mosels, make time to attend the German Wine Fair May 28 in Toronto for dozens if not hundreds of examples. Read our recent posting for a promo code that gives WineAlign subscribers receive $10.00 off the regular ticket price.

Other Wines of Interest

As always, in the thick of “The Main Release” there were several wines that caught my eye as Wines of Interest – wines that surprise, wines that instruct and wines that offer value. The selection is not just about the highest scores.

Vineland Estates 2011 Pinot Grigio from the Niagara Escarpment ($16.95) gets a tip of the hat for offering classic Niagara white wine freshness. The racy higher-acid 2011 whites from Ontario are just settling in to prime, and Vineland’s clean winemaking provides a fine showcase for the style and for the quite generous peachy pinot gris fruit.

Saint Clair 2010 Pioneer Block 10 Chardonnay from Marlborough, New Zealand is modern, cool climate beauty and well worth $25.95. On recent travels to NZ the quality of Marlborough chardonnay was one of my pleasant surprises, but producers are generally too busy with sauvignon blanc or tinkering with pinot gris. Still others think that chardonnay is passé (which it is not). But this single block offering from the Omaka Valley sub-region amply demonstrates that Marlborough has the wherewithal to be a great chardonnay region (too).

Miopasso 2011 Fiano from Sicily, is the oddball white of the release – with a totally unexpected richness and sense of exotica. The low yielding fiano grape is more well-known over on the mainland in southern Italy – especially in Campania. I have always expected a certain honeyed ripeness and sometimes nuttiness from fiano, but this goes well beyond into a state akin to lightly fortified aperitif wine (without excess alcohol). At $14.95 you can’t afford not to explore. And by the way, Fiano fans should also note the Australian version being released as an ISD. Saltram 2011 Winemaker’s Selection Fiano is rather pricey at $32.95 for what’s delivered.

Quinta De Cabriz 2012 Rosé from Dão, Portugal is the most interesting of the pink wines on this release and a snap up at $12.95. Regular readers will know that the reds of this higher altitude, granite soiled and forested region in the centre of Portugal have been catching my eye for their complexity, tension and value.  This rosé from a prominent producer has exactly the same attributes, minus the colour and weight. I really like the subtle evergreen nuance herein.

Lornano 2009 Chianti Classico offers fine Tuscan authenticity and a certain rugged appeal and depth that is remarkable for $16.95.   It is an estate-grown wine from the 180 hectare Lornano estate of Castellina in Chianti near Siena. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel but all the ageing is underground in older wood, which I think is providing the slightly rustic but very complex flavours.

After generally ragging on the appassimento process in a report last month, wouldn’t you know that one comes along to make me eat my words. Tedeschi 2011 Capitel San Rocco Valpolicella Ripasso ($18.95) has impressive power and tension as well, and excellent length – a marked improvement for this label after disappointments in the 2008 and 2009 vintages. Anyway, this embraces an authentic, richly textured, leathery style of Italian red that I really enjoy.

Château Lyonnat 2006 from the right bank, merlot dominated Bordeaux appellation of Lussac Saint-Émilion offers surprising depth and complexity for $19.95.  And it is now entering prime time, offering a dandy mature claret experience. I was able to taste several wines from this producer during the Hobbs & Co portfolio tasting in April in Toronto, and I was impressed by the winemaking throughout.

John’s Blend No. 14 2008 Margarete’s Shiraz is from the Langhorne Creek region of South Australia. The area is very maritime and salty, on the shores of Lake Alexandrina formed at the mouth of the Murray River and only separated from the ocean by a sand spit.  I swear I can taste some saltiness in this wine, but it actually works well within the larger, much larger framework of complex flavours. It’s a big, rollicking and rich cabernet from John Glaetzer, the former winemaker at Wolf Blass. And at $39.95 if offers good value in the big cab universe.

Loire Private Order Finds

As Ontarians faced what was made to sound like a certain LCBO strike, I also doubted I would get to taste much of the May 25 release due to the cancellation of a VINTAGES Product Consultants tasting just before the strike deadline. So I went off to seek alternate sources of writing material at a small, very civilized showcase of Loire Valley whites available on private order through Nuray Ali of Ex-Cellars Wine Services.

I entered a condo function room at a swish address in North York and met with Christophe Garnier,  himself a wine producer, but also the head of a small export group of organic  minded Loire estates. The eight wines shown were almost all of excellent quality, with great Loire energy and depth – muscadets, sauvignon blancs and chenin blancs that would make for very stylish summer drinking.

The hitch with Private Order wines however is that you must order by the case (six bottle cases in this instance) and you might have to wait weeks for their arrival. There is still time for their arrival this season, and the quality is such that the wines will drink well next summer as well. Only one is currently in stock through the Consignment Warehouse – Pierre-Luc Bouchaud Pont Caffino 2011 Muscadet de Sevre & Main Sur Lie. As it was among my favourites, and very well priced at $17, I purchased a case.

To view other offerings from this agent, visit their profile page on WineAlign: Ex-Cellars Wine Services. You can narrow your search by choosing “Loire”, but remember to check “All Sources” and “zero inventory” as these wine are not in the retail stores.  Or use these links to go directly to my reviews: Domaine Valery Renaudat (Reuilly), Domaine de la Rossignole (Sancerre), Yvon & Pascal Tabordet (Pouilly Fume); Domaine du Viking (Vouvray) and Pascal Pibaleau (Vouvray).

International Chardonnay Day May 23

If you open this newsletter in time on May 23 you could take part in the Global Virtual Chardonnay tastings being held in Ontario and around the world in advance of the International Cool Climate Chardonnay Celebration coming up July 19-21. All the participating I4C wineries – 62 in all from eleven countries and sixteen regions are being encouraged to join in by posting tasting notes, photos and chardonnay recipes to social media sites.  The Twitter account is @coolchardonnay; with hashtags #chardday and #i4c2013 for International Chardonnay Day. The Facebook site is https://www.facebook.com/#!/CoolChardonnayCelebration. The Pininterest site is http://pinterest.com/i4c/cool-chardonnay/. So pour yourself a glass of Chardonnay and get Social!

Macleans “Wine in Canada” Special Issue

The country’s most outspoken news magazine has launched a special 147 page perspective on Canadian wine. Its top news writers and editors have brought Maclean’s professional, pot-stirring perspective to the subject, aided by a troupe of younger wine writers/sommelier insiders – three of whom are aligned with WineAlign: John Szabo of Toronto, Rhys Pender of the Similkameen and Treve Ring of Victoria.

I like the way Macleans has parsed the Canadian wine story, ferreting out key topics and bringing their outsiders journalistic sensibility to bear. Thank goodness it is not another gushing, bland wine country travel guide. The Canadian Wine Annual, which I co-founded, and which died last year with Wine Access magazine, was a far deeper tome of useful information than Maclean’s offering, but it did not tell the story as well.

What I don’t like is a tone that suggests Macleans is the first publication to think about and report the Canadian wine story. It may be shiny and new to them, but it is not news to an entire previous generation of Canadian wine journalists and publishers who have slogged deeper, tasted more and toiled through the much harder, formative years. And I am sure there will be a whole battery of rightfully disgruntled B.C. winemakers and readers incensed at the editing muddle that buries Vancouver Island in the Similkameen Valley.

Omissions and small gaffes aside, the publication feels right – tempered to the times. It takes on the loony, legalistic morass of inter-provincial wine shipping. It hits all the buttons regarding the future, what we should be doing and where we go from here. The piece on Quebec exquisitely lays out the tensions brought on by its razor thin wine making climate. And the photography is superb. I am assuming from the masthead that photographer John Cullen is the man; and if so congratulations John for transcribing the character and inspiration that is required to make wine in this country.

And thanks to Macleans in general for turning the Canadian wine story up a notch. Canada’s winemakers should be very pleased indeed. When mainstream publishing thinks it can profit from a subject, you know you have arrived.

And that’s it for this edition. I’ll be back for the June 8 release. Meanwhile don’t miss the latest Episode 3-6 of “So, You Think You Know Wine?”, wherein Jennifer, Zoltan and I tangle with a Napa Cabernet that doesn’t really behave like a Napa cabernet.

Cheers,

David Lawrason
VP of Wine

We invite our Premium Subscription members to use these links to find all of David Lawrason’s reviews. Paid membership to WineAlign has its privileges – this is one of them. Enjoy!

From the May 25, 2013 Vintages release:

David’s Featured Wines
All Reviews

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Filed under: News, Wine, David Lawrason, LCBO, pinot noir, Riesling, Vintages Preview, Wine in Canada

Canadian Wines Rediscovered in London

The wines did Canada proud

On May 16, over one hundred wines from several dozen Canadian wineries were on display in London at a trade and media tasting at Canada House, Canada’s High Commission on Trafalgar Square. The wines did Canada proud. The world, or at least some of the top palates of London, got to know more about what Canada is doing and most were enthusiastic and excited by the developments, progress and most importantly the quality of the wines we are making.

The guest list for the Rediscover Canadian Wine event included sommeliers from high profile London restaurants such as River Café, China Tang, The Cinnamon Club, Hakkasan and Manoir aux Quatre Saisons, buyers from The Wine Society, Marks and Spencer, Berry Brothers and Rudd, Harrods and Harvey Nichols, wine trade writers from business publications such as Drinks Business and Just Drinks, along with well-known wine writers such as Jancis Robinson, Steven Spurrier and Oz Clarke.

Canada House – photo by Janet Dorozynski

The last time Canadian wines were featured in London was in 2010, when a group of Ontario wineries came to show off their “Cool Chardonnay” to rave reviews. This time around the varietal focus was expanded to include Chardonnay and Riesling, reds such as Pinot Noir, Bordeaux varieties or blends, Syrah and Gamay Noir, as well as traditional method sparkling wine from across Canada. And yes there was a smattering of Icewine.

In other words, the main tasting which featured 18 wines from nine British Columbia wineries along with 71 wines from 28 Ontario wineries, sought to showcase the grape varieties and wine styles that many in the Canadian trade and media often put forward as what we do best in Canada. Apart from Icewine, Canada is little known abroad for any of our still or sparkling wines.

To put our best foot forward, wineries from across Canada were invited to participate and submit their wines for a blind screening by a panel of wine judges, who taste both Canadian and foreign wine extensively. The screening took place at, and was supported by, the Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute (CCOVI) at Brock University.

The Canadian judges were asked to assess the wines and only put forward wines to which they would award a high silver or gold medal in a competition and which were suitable to pour for international trade and media. They were asked “is this wine representative of the best of what we do in Canada and will it make us proud?

The Event & Reaction

The day began with an export seminar for Canadian wineries by Gerard Basset MW MS and Jo Ahearne MW, about how to sell and price wine for the UK market, what our competitive advantage or unique selling proposition might be, as well as how to get inside the mind of the sommelier, who are often among the key influencers and gatekeepers in the competitive London wine market.

The calm before the storm – by Janet Dorozynski

Gerard Basset commented that after his recent visit to Ontario and British Columbia this winter, he is certain that Canadian wines have “the quality and are different”. While Jo Ahearne told the group that because Canada is already known for Icewine and has a positive country image in the UK, many trade and media are curious to learn more about the other wines they hear we are producing.

Then came a sparkling wine master class for members of the wine trade that featured ten traditional method sparkling wines from across Canada and included well-known Canadian bubbly from Benjamin Bridge and L’Acadie Vineyards from Nova Scotia, Cave Spring Cellars, Henry of Pelham, 13th Street and  Hinterland from Ontario along with Blue Mountain, Tantalus, Sperling and Summerhill from British Columbia. The main tasting event included a sparkling wine table which included the above along with 10 other sparkling wines from across Canada.

As the main walk around tasting unfolded we began to hear reaction from the guests that continued after on Twitter.

Writer Oz Clarke was very enthusiastic. He felt that Canadian wines had shown a massive improvement from the last tasting three years ago and the fizz was a “revelation” with real stylistic differences between the regions. I overheard him say several times that the sparkling wines, in particular those from Nova Scotia, were very classy and nothing at like what he tasted when he was last in Canada years ago.

Clarke was also impressed with the Chardonnays and Rieslings from Ontario’s Prince Edward County and sang the praises of Ontario and British Columbia Syrah (in particular Church & State and Moon Curser from the Okanagan and Lailey and Stratus from Niagara), saying that “Canada could be the next truly cool climate Syrah sensation – if it believes in perfume and beauty, not over-oaking, over-extraction & over-alcohol”.

Master of Wine Patricia Stefanowicz remarked that the Cabernet Francs, from both BC and Ontario were surprising and very well done, and that not many countries in the world can make very good Cabernet Franc. She said it could be Canada’s competitive advantage for reds.

Head buyer for the Wine Society, Pierre Mansour, also stated that he had his “expectations exceeded” and that he “will definitely be doing something as long as price and allocations work out”.

Janet Dorozynski and UK wine writer
Jancis Robinson

When asked for her impressions, writer Jancis Robinson said she was “impressed by both the turnout (especially of trade buyers) and by the overall quality of the wines, especially the Syrahs and some Chardonnays.

Steven Spurrier, who will be a keynote speaker at this summer’s International Cool Climate Chardonnay Celebration (I4C) in Niagara in July, spent the good part of the day tasting what was on offer, and was also impressed.

I also repeatedly heard comments that Canada excels with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir and that the best can and should be compared to some of the upper end cru burgundies and have nothing to do with the rest of the New World in general.

Finally, one of the participants commented that perhaps the name Rediscover Canadian Wine was a misnomer, since many in the UK wine trade and media have yet to even discover Canadian wines, let alone know much about any of the wines we make with the exception of Icewine.

Where it Goes From Here

The Rediscover Canadian Wine tasting was the culmination of many months of organization and collaboration by the Wine Council of Ontario, the Canadian High Commission in London, Westbury Communications –a London PR firm, and Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada in Ottawa.

I, and many others there, was pleased with the way it all unfolded. The Canadian wine industry has shown that it is able to come together to fly the flag, and it let London know that our wine industry is maturing and our wines just keep getting better and better each year.

Most of the wineries who came to London to pour their wines also seemed satisfied with the turnout and caliber of the trade and media in attendance, with several having leads to follow up from interested buyers and importers.

Canadian Sparkling Masterclass – photo Magdalena Kaiser-Smit

Harald Thiel, owner of Hidden Bench Winery, Allison Slute, Export Director for Pillitteri Family Estate and Bill Milliken, International Director at Closson Chase Winery, all agreed that tastings of this type and magnitude are essential for the branding and promotion of Canadian wine and need to be carried out regularly in key markets like London, New York and Hong Kong.

Similarly, Jak Meyer, of Meyer Family Vineyards and the sole producer from British Columbia in attendance, echoed that it is important to be able to spend time to pour and sample his wines with key media, sommeliers and buyers, so as to be able to tell them the stories about his wines and winery, and so that the wine world knows what we are doing, as not everyone will be able to come to us.

However, events like this cannot be one-offs or happen in isolation from a long term game plan to promote and raise awareness about Canadian wines to trade, media and educators. Although the capacity of the Canadian wine industry is small in comparison to many other New World (and Old World producers), now more than ever, there appears to be a growing desire among producers and Canadians wine drinkers themselves to tell the wine world more about our wines and to enable them to try and buy them, even if they are not able to visit Canada. Rediscovering Canadian wine in London was just one small part of this longer term effort, with hopefully more to come.

For a complete list of the wines from British Columbia, Ontario and Nova Scotia that were featured at the Rediscover Canadian Wines tasting, as well as further background on the London tasting and events, link to Wine Country Ontario’s backgrounder piece here.

Cheers,

Janet Dorozynski

We invite our Premium Subscription members to use this link to find all of Janet Dorozynski’s wine reviews. Paid membership to WineAlign has its privileges – this is one of them. Enjoy!

Janet’s Wine Reviews

Filed under: Featured Articles, Wine, Canadian Wine, Janet Dorozynski, london, Wine

“So, You Think You Know Wine?” Episode 3.6

WineAlign is pleased to present Episode 3.6 of “So, You Think You Know Wine?”

Season 3 showcases some of Canada’s most widely recognized, award-winning sommeliers and wine critics. WineAlign’s own David Lawrason, Sara d’Amato, Steve Thurlow and Master Sommelier John Szabo are joined and challenged by Master Sommelier Jennifer Huether, Master Sommelier Bruce Wallner, Zoltan Szabo (Sommelier at Trump Tower), William Predhomme (Sommelier at Canoe) and Bill Zacharkiw (Montreal Gazette).

Our critics have to rely on skill and talent as they use their nose, eyes and palette to identify the flavours, aromas and general characteristics of a wine to correctly determine five elements about the wine. For a wine critic, a blind taste test is the ultimate challenge.

Division “C”, Round 2

In this episode, Jennifer, Zoltan and David do a great job right off the nose to take this wine to California. But then it comes down to vintage and price to see who will negotiate their way to the highest score.

It’s posted and ready to go, so pour yourself a glass of wine and tune in here: Episode 3.6

Recap and Scorecard

In the last episode, Division ‘B’ contestants Bruce, Bill and Sara all zeroed in on Italy as soon as they nosed the 2007 Terre del Barolo. Both Bruce and Bill correctly identified the grape variety as Nebbiolo and the region as Piedmont, but it was Bruce who found the “soul of the wine” and scored the most points.

After five episodes, our score is as follows:

There’s more to come

Additional episodes of “So, You Think You Know Wine?” will be posted on WineAlign over the coming weeks. We hope you enjoy them as much as we did making them and encourage you to share them with your friends.

Past Episodes are always available under Videos within the Discuss tab on the WineAlign Home page.

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Filed under: News, Video, Wine, David Lawrason, Jennifer Huether, So You Think You Know Wine, Wine Education, Wine Tasting, Zoltan Szabo

John Szabo’s Vintages Preview for May 25, 2013

Germany; Consignment Corner: Italy; Top Ten Smart Buys

John Szabo, MS

This week’s preview features the top VINTAGES releases for May 25, 2013 with a focus on Germany, as well as a few highlights available through the consignment program. These latter wines are available for purchase directly from the importing agent by case lot (6 or 12, depending on how the wine was shipped), and can be delivered straight to your home or office. It remains little known in Ontario that there are hundreds of wines available at any time outside the LCBO through this fashion. This is where smart sommeliers do their shopping to add unique, often limited production wines to their wine programs, and you can do the same for your cellar or cupboard. This week I revisited the latest releases from a couple of top Italian estates that I think are worth sharing with you.

Pinot noir from around the world is the other VINTAGES theme, but the selection is disappointing and expensive, the antithesis to the German releases, so I’ve nothing to report on. And finally, of course, there are the usual top smart buys.

Top Smart Buys

This week’s tour of smart bottles takes you to the southern Rhône, Alsace and the Loire Valley in France, and from there southeast to Austria and northern Italy and then west to Rioja. You’ll traverse the equator to reach the Yarra Valley in Victoria, Australia, and then cross the Pacific to the shores of Chile and head up the Aconcagua Valley to vineyards sitting under the southern hemisphere’s highest peak. Start your journey here.

Smart Germany

Looking for smart buys to sip this summer? Deutschland calls. Four of the six rieslings proposed by VINTAGES come highly recommended. Indeed, had I not chosen to list the German wines separately, these recommendations would have all made the top smart buys list. It’s hard to imagine a better summertime wine than the crisp, light, low alcohol and fragrant rieslings of Germany, and of the impossibly steep slate-covered slopes of the Mosel in particular. And while popularity and price lag behind quality, these are still some of the smartest buys in the world of wine. You need only reflect back to the late 19th century when the top rieslings of Germany fetched higher prices at auction and on restaurant wine lists than cru classé Bordeaux and vintage Port to get a sense of the changing whims of consumer preference. Smart drinkers, like smart investors, stay away from the over-fashionable.

In the off-dry category, the 2005 Dr. Hermann Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Auslese ($21.95) is a well-balanced Auslese from the magnificent Würzgarten vineyard. It’s just starting to show some mature, smoky, caramelized fruit character and is drinking beautifully now.

A pair of slightly drier, kabinett-level rieslings from two of the most reliable producers in the Mosel are worthy of attention: 2011 Markus Molitor Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett ($29.95) and 2011 Studert-Prüm Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett ($19.95). Markus Molitor is well known for his maniacal devotion to his vineyards and minimalist philosophy in the winery, with the sole aim of expressing the uniqueness of each site. It’s a refrain you’ll hear time and time again in the wine world, but not all walk the walk. Molitor does. His ’11 from the Sonnenuhr vineyard has more like spätlese level ripeness than kabinett, and the palate is a little softer than what I’ve come to expect from this estate, but the site expression and the length/complexity are compelling. Were there a Burgundian style classification of Mosel vineyards, the Sonnenuhr would be grand cru, and this is unquestionably top stuff, it’s a wine to enjoy relatively young, that is to say, now or over the next eight-ten years.

Stüdert-Prüm, not to be confused with the (excellent) estates of J.J. Prüm and S.A. Prüm, has a prized parcel of vines in the nearby Himmelreich vineyard (loosely translated as paradise, from himmel meaning heaven, and reich, meaning empire), which officially belongs to the town of Graach next to Wehlen. This ’11 is an absolutely textbook Mosel riesling, with lovely, fragrant perfume, and off-dry palate balanced by tight acids. Infinitely drinkable, nicely priced.

And the driest of the quartet is the 2011 Vollenweider Wolfer Riesling ($19.95) from the village of Wolf in the Mosel. Wines are made by the Swiss Daniel Vollenweider, who blames Egon Müller for his move to the Mosel. It was specifically a 1990 Müller Scharzhofberg Riesling Auslese that compelled Vollenweider to drop everything and move to the Mosel to purchase several sites classified as “steep” or “extremely steep”, planted to an unusually high percentage of ancient, ungrafted vines. Having tasted the Scharzhofberg, I can’t say I blame Vollenweider. But his wines are making their own waves amongst German riesling cognoscenti, and this village blend is a clean, intense, smoky and minerally example with what I’d describe as an authentic, natural, pure profile – there’s nothing contrived about this. The palate is lean and tight, essentially dry, and rivetingly acidic in the best sense, with excellent complexity. This is fine stuff.

Consignment Corner: Wine Beyond the LCBO

Read David Lawrason’s latest report laying out the ever-more compelling reasons for private wine shops in Ontario. Maybe in our lifetime we’ll be able to find wines like the ones I’ve highlighted below, and thousands more, in a privately run shop near you. Wouldn’t that be nice. Until then, get to know some of the best agents in the province.

Valdicava Brunellos

Last week Vincenzo Abbruzzese, proprietor of Valdicava in Montalcino, Tuscany, was in town to show off current releases and provide a retrospective on some old vintages of the estate’s top single vineyard Brunello, Madonna del Piano Riserva. Abbruzzese’s grandfather purchased Valdicava in 1953, and was instrumental, along with Franco Biondi-Santi, in establishing the appellation regulations for Brunello di Montalcino. At the time there were perhaps a dozen wine-producing estates in the zone; today there are over two hundred. Fortune has smiled on the once impoverished town of Montalcino. Yet Abbruzzese recalls the days when pici al ragù meant pasta with a sauce of moistened stale bread to the citizens of the town. Today, the ragù is rich and meaty, much like the wines of the DOCG.

The Valdicava property lies on a 300m high plateau north of the town Montalcino in the valley of the same name. It’s curious to call a plateau at 300m a “valley” (“val”), that is, until you look down on it from the town of Montalcino at over 400m. Perspective is everything. It’s a notably cooler zone of the Brunello DOCG, much more prone to fog and mist than the southern portion, and largely sheltered from the warming influence of the Mediterranean. The temperature on the north side of Montalcino is often several degrees lower than the south. Valdicava has twenty-seven hectares planted exclusively to sangiovese grosso (aka brunello), all farmed organically, on some of the most prized land in the valley, surrounded by several other top Brunello names like Caparzo and Romitorio.

These are certainly not inexpensive wines, but they’re among the top stuff in an appellation where the mean quality is extremely high. As Abbruzzese points out, the stakes are simply too rich today, and only those with sufficient ante to get into the game can even contemplate making wine in Montalcino. The net result is a large collection of small, extremely well funded estates aiming for the top end of the market. Consumers likewise have to ante-up if they wish to drink Brunello, but if you are inexorably attracted to the deepest and most powerful expression of sangiovese, there is nowhere quite like Montalcino to get your fix.

When Abbruzzese asked whether I would categorize his Brunellos as “traditional” or “modern”, a common distinction in the region, I sat back and thought for a moment. I couldn’t rightly place them in either category, absent the obvious toasty wood and sumptuous black fruit of the modern camp, yet neither the pale garnet colour, pot-pourri and dried cherry scented expression of the best traditional styles. Valdicava hits a nice balance between the two, with plenty of rich, ripe fruit and supple tannins, without sacrificing the savory, dried porcini-like character and firm structure that made Brunello famous in the first place.  A good entry point to experience the quality level of Valdicava is the 2010 Rosso di Montalcino ($36.99). This is no easy drinking Rosso as most are, but rather one with substance, richness and considerable depth. It’s ripe yet rustic and earthy, with a real meaty-savoury note and complexity well above the average for the designation.

2005 was a cooler, generally lighter vintage in Montalcino, but in the case of the 2005 Valdicava Brunello di Montalcino ($99), that simply means more finesse and earlier enjoyment, and indeed this is a really fine and fragrant bottle of Brunello. It’s sultry, with wet clay and ripe, savoury black cherry flavours, and a whiff of wild herbs and dried roses. And while not the most powerful of vintages, it delivers immense pleasure with its authentically dry and dusty texture, suitable for mid-term ageing.

2006, on the other hand, is the vintage for those seeking more muscle. The 2006 Valdicava Brunello di Montalcino ($125) is a powerful and concentrated wine, full of savoury fruit notes, and loads of umami flavour like pure dried porcini mushrooms. The palate is still firm and compact, packed with ripe and solid tannins and supporting acid structure, making this a highly age worthy bottle. This should be best after 2016, and drink nicely for another decade after that if not longer. (This wine is currently available in the LCBO Classics Catalogue).

Azienda Agricola Accadia

Considering the amazing diversity and complexity of the top red wines of Italy, Italian whites are usually relegated to the second division. I attribute this view largely to the overwhelming acreage devoted to neutral grapes like trebbiano Toscano and catarratto. But a handful of native grapes stand above the sea of mediocrity: fiano, greco and falanghina from Campania, garganega from Soave, arneis from Piedmont, vermentino from Sardegna and the Tuscan-Ligurian coast come to mind. Then there’s Verdicchio, Le Marche’s contribution to the characterful white wines of Italy. It’s ironically related to trebbiano (of Lugana), but with far more character and class, excelling in styles ranging from bone dry to sweet, late harvest, even some sparkling versions. It has a wonderfully subtle floral side, often with a whiff of honey and almond, bright acids and the capacity to age.

Angelo Accadia manages a small, high quality operation in the Castelli di Jesi appellation that sits in an east-west valley that gives onto the Adriatic Sea. I recall visiting Accadia in 2006, and was impressed by the quality and the range of expressions of verdicchio on offer. Accadia is first an artist, a painter and sculpture to be precise, who happens to make wine. His works of art are on display throughout the estate, and he holds regular artistic symposia, inviting artists from across Italy to participate and further the culture of art in an open forum of exchange and sharing. His sense of artistry, balance, proportion, and authenticity seep into his winemaking philosophy.

Years later after my visit and the positive impression remains intact: the wines are still well priced and deliver great pleasure. For me they caused an almost instant retrieval of sunny Adriatic afternoons, vivid paintings and sensual sculptures from the recesses of my mind. The 2011 Azienda Agricola Accadia Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico “Consono” ($15.95) is Accadia’s very good entry level verdicchio cropped at higher levels and harvested slightly earlier than his two other cuvées, and I find it the most authentic and food-friendly of the range. It’s bright, lively, crisp and bone dry, yet with a certain weight and palate richness that gives this better depth than the average. Aromas and flavours mix in the citrus, blanched almond and sweet green herbal spectrum, with a fine dose of wet stones.

2011 Azienda Agricola Accadia Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico Superiore “Cantorí” ($22.95), on the other hand, is Accadia’s top end of the verdicchio range, from the highest elevation and lowest yielding vines (2.5 tons/hectare). There’s a distinctive late harvest-like richness here; the nose is powerful and ripe, full of custard pear, vanilla-poached pear, succulent ripe white peach and plenty of honeyed nuances, while the palate is viscous and dense, with a vague impression of sweetness firmed up by a streak of acids and a certain stony-mineral note. This is a verdicchio of real stature and class; try with luxury shellfish.

Valdicava is represented in Ontario by the Stem Wine Group and Accadia by Le Sommilier Inc. You can contact the agents directly regarding availability. For your convenience, wines on our site are linked to the agent’s profile page where you can find their contact info as well as Critic reviews of the wines they represent. Select  ‘All Sources’ and ‘Zero Inventory’ as some of these wines are not in retail stores.

That’s all for this week. See you over the next bottle.

John Szabo, Master Sommelier

We invite our Premium Subscription members to use these links to find all of John Szabo’s reviews. Paid membership to WineAlign has its privileges – this is one of them. Enjoy!

From the May 25, 2013 Vintages release:

Top Ten Smart Buys
Smart Germany
All Reviews

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Filed under: News, Wine, Germany, John Szabo, Vintages Preview, Wine Agents

The Successful Collector, by Julian Hitner: Wine education for us all – Blind Wine Tasting

A good skill – but not the only skill:

Julian Hitner

For professional wine tasters, the art of tasting wine ‘blind’ is an invaluable skill. By tasting different wines without knowing what they are, the playing field is leveled, so that two wines, even if one of them is priced twice as much as the other, are judged without any preconceived biases. In the best wine publications and judging contests around the world, most wines are evaluated in this manner.

Just as significant, no skill among professional sommeliers is more admired than the ability to identify wine simply by examining the contents in the glass. It is a skill only the greatest professional wine tasters are able to master with any degree of repetitive success (a skill largely maintained by tasting wine this way on a regular basis), while the rest of us cannot help to look upon such an ability with acute approbation.

This said, the ability to taste wine blind is hardly the be-all and end-all of fine wine appreciation. Though many of my colleagues have been in the business many years longer than me, I am hopeful that the majority of them would agree with the notion that there is only a very minor correlation in the ability to taste any given wine blind compared to any increased enjoyment derived from the process of actually drinking it in like manner.

To elaborate on this requires the invention of a new phrase: ‘blind drinking.’ Say I head down into my cellar to fetch a bottle of claret. I retrieve a bottle of the immaculate ‘83 Château Margaux and serve it to my guests. Over the course of the evening, the wine earns endless plaudits and only seems to get better as we wile away the hours in comradely and merriment.

Now let me ask this question: would not this experience have been at least somewhat diminished had we decided to ‘blind drink’ this wine? Would not the evening have been less of a special occasion had a third party retrieved a bottle from my cellar at random, decanted it and placed it on the table, so that none of us would know what the wine is?

The point I’m trying to make is that tasting, or serving, wine blind has its limits. Oftentimes, the most joyous attribute of fine wine appreciation isn’t derived from deciphering what a wine is, but knowing precisely what it is beforehand. Granted, my guests and I would have probably had great fun spending an evening trying to guess what fabulous wine we were drinking. But I submit it was of far greater joviality in knowing that we were sitting down to one of the finest clarets of the early-eighties at the start of the evening than learning about it at the end. Though some may claim otherwise, great wine consumed under the veil of uncertainly just isn’t the same as knowing what it is from the start. Even the anticipation, or planning stage, involved in serving a fine wine plays a potentially profound level of importance in its eventual enjoyment.

Such is the Achilles heel of tasting wine blind, in that there is no guarantee of any enhancement if consumed in like fashion. Of course, this is not meant to diminish the immense skillfulness of professional tasters and their unique ability to taste wine blind. Indeed, it is a great skill – it’s just not the only skill.

Julian Hitner

A few of Julian’s gems for collectors from recent VINTAGES Releases:

Château La Louvière Blanc 2009, Pessac-Léognan AOC, Bordeaux, France: Owned by André Lurton and widely recognized as one of the best non-Premier Cru estates in Pessac-Léognan, the wines of Château La Louvière have taken on greater seriousness and heft in recent years. Pale-light lime in colour with the slightest touch of straw, the ’09 Blanc reveals extremely delicate, elegant scents of citrus-infused green fruits, heather, minerals, mild chalky elements, and a hint of orange peel and spice. Complex, boasting exquisitely textured, immensely refined fruit, balanced acidity, and a superb hint of lemon, green fruits, and ‘mellow’ lanolin overtones on the finish. Outstanding finesse, style, and breed. The vineyard is planted to 85% Sauvignon Blanc and 15% Sémillon. Now-2023.

Henri Bourgeois 2010 La Chapelle des Augustins, Sancerre AOC, Loire, France: In all likelihood the greatest Sancerre I have yet to taste from Henri Bourgeois, the 2010 La Chapelle des Augustins represents a sensational effort. Very pale lime in colour, the wine exhibits irresistibly intense scents of green fruits, lemon citrus, delicate tropical elements, minerals, and an almost Marlborough-styled hint of gooseberries and grapefruit. Complex, delivering impeccable bracing fruit, balanced acidity, and a pitch-perfect hint of intense green fruits, lemon, and minerals on the finish. Outstanding harmony, clarity, and textural disposition. Now-2018+.

Château Bouscaut Blanc 2009, Pessac-Léognan AOC, Bordeaux, France: Acquired by Lucien Lurton in 1979 and now run by his daughter Sophie, I have only recently become familiar with the charms of this slowly improving estate. Pale-light straw in colour with a touch of gold, the 2009 Bouscaut Blanc reveals exceptional scents of lemony apricots, starfruit, pears, delicate lanolin, and a hint of white chocolate, candlewax, and spice. Complex, with beautiful, elegant dry fruit, balanced acidity, and a refined, upright hint of lemony apricots, lanolin, and candlewax on the finish. Great focus, stylization, and balance. The vineyard is planted to 50% Sauvignon Blanc and 50% Sémillon. Now-2018+.

L’Aventure 2010 Côte  Côte, Paso Robles, California: Unashamedly Parkerized, the 2010 Côte  Côte is actually one incredible wine—best enjoyed in fortified-like quantities. Extremely dense black-ruby in colour, this massive offering delivers supersaturated aromas of blackberry compote, plums (slightly floral), blueberries, licorice, smoked meats, pipe tobacco, leather, incense, vanilla, and spice. Complex, possessing incredibly sumptuous, decadent fruit, firm tannins, milder acidity, and a long-lasting, unbelievably powerful hint of blackberry compote and blue fruits on the finish. Supremely rich, fully flavoured, and surprisingly harmonious as a whole; this will appeal to very specific types of collectors. 42% Grenache, 34% Syrah, and 24% Mourvèdre. Now-2025+.

L’Aventure 2010 Estate Cuvée, Paso Robles, California: Even at 16.1% alcohol, the 2010 Estate Cuvée is surprisingly even-keeled—understandable when considered that virtually all of its other characteristics have been strengthened accordingly. Extremely dense black-ruby in colour with purple highlights, it exhibits hedonistic, ultra-powerful aromas of white- and dark chocolate-driven blackberry treacle, crème de cassis, freshly brewed coffee (the expensive kind), tobacco, forest floor, dessert nougat, licorice, vanilla, and spice. Very complex, with massively concentrated fruit, firm tannins, milder acidity, and an extremely lengthy, well-structured hint of chocolate and blackberry treacle on the finish. Unbelievably Parkerized, delicious, and alluring. 42% Syrah, 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 16% Petit Verdot. Now-2028.

Château Gloria 2009, St-Julien AOC, Bordeaux, France: Compared to the ’10 (tasted very recently), the 2009 Château Gloria is definitely the more boisterous of the two, and is unquestionably the greatest wine ever produced at this estate. Opaque black-ruby in colour, it presents stellar multilayered aromas of currants, espresso, licorice, forest floor, graphite, grilled meats, asphalt, subtle floral elements, vanilla, and spice. Very complex, boasting brilliantly textured fruit, very firm tannins, balanced acidity, and a graceful, pitch-perfect hint of currants, graphite, and dried blueberry nuances on the finish. Exceptional depth, finesse, focus, and harmony. 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, and 6% Petit Verdot. Now-2036+.

More more reviews visit our Critics profile page: Julian Hitner

Filed under: Featured Articles, Wine, Blind Tasting, Julian Hitner, Wne education

Eight wines join Steve’s Top 50 at LCBO for May 2013

Steve Thurlow

Frequent readers of my reports on the Top 50 wines by value know already that wines from the south of Italy, Chile, South Africa and Argentina make up the bulk of the list. However it is rare for an inexpensive wine of quality from Greece to appear, but the 2012 vintage of Boutari Moschofilero deserves to be there.

The Top 50 list changes all the time. Prices go up and down, new vintages of current listings arrive, over 200 new products are launched each year and as a consequence around the same number of wines are discontinued. All these cause changes to the list.

This month there are eight wines that are new to the list. So let’s look at the arrivals in detail, but please also check out all the rest of the wines on my Top 50 Value Wines list, since all offer great value. So read beyond the new entrants to find more values, and to discover how the Top 50 is systematically selected.

New to the Top 50

Eight wines arrived on the Top 50 this month.

Less than $17

Errazuriz Max Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2010
Aconcagua Valley, Chile $16.45 (on sale until May 26 was $18.95)

A classic Chilean cabernet with a degree of elegance not often seen for less than $20. The complex lifted nose shows cassis fruit with cocoa, menthol, pine and mineral notes plus some black cherry jam hints. The palate is juicy with the dense fruit elegantly balanced by fine tannin and lemony acidity. Very good to excellent length. Try with a rare steak or lamb cutlets. Best 2013 to 2017.

Errazuriz Max Reserva Sauvignon Blanc 2012
Aconcagua Valley, Chile $15.95

This is the best vintage yet for this excellent sauvignon from cool coastal part of the Aconcagua Valley in Chile. The nose shows complex aromas of pea pod, gooseberry and lime with floral and mineral tones and fresh cut grass. The palate is very smooth with just enough fruit sweetness to cover over the lime acidity. It is very fresh and juicy with very good length. Try with pasta or risotto with a pesto base or herbed lemon chicken.

Less than $12

Boutari Moschofilero 2012
Mantinia, Greece $11.95

Moschofilero is an aromatic white grape from Greece used here to make a great value wine with apricot, peach and pear fruit aromas plus baked lemon, ginger and orange blossom. The palate is midweight and very fruity and it is well balanced with vibrant lemony acidity plus a nice touch of bitterness on the finish. Very good length. Try with mildly spicy Asian cuisine or intense hard cheese like Gruyere.

Less than $10

Fuzion Alta Malbec Reserva 2010
Mendoza, Argentina $9.95

The 2010 vintage of this 100% malbec delivers a lot of structure and depth off flavour for a wine under $10. Expect lifted currant fruit with tea and herbal notes, mild oak spice and a hint of prune. It is elegant and quite rich, medium-full bodied with good to very good length.

Obikwa Cabernet Sauvignon 2011
South Africa $8.45 (on sale until May 26 was $9.45)

A youthful bright cherry red with delicate berry aromas and lots of flavour. Expect mild aromas of earthy black cherry with jam and leathery tones. The palate is juicy with soft red fruit and fine tannin and there is good length. It finishes dry and needs a juicy hamburger or maybe some sausages. Best 2013 to 2014.

Fuzion Chenin Chardonnay 2012
Mendoza, Argentina $7.95

A very tasty white with baked fruit aromatics of orange and peach with some honeysuckle notes. The palate is rich with a good depth of flavour and very good length. Great for drinking on its own or as an aperitif with pastry nibbles.

Citra Sangiovese Terre Di Chieti 2011
Abruzzo, Italy $7.25

Excellent value red with a savoury herbal nose. It’s midweight with juicy fruit balanced by firm tannin and soft acidity. The finish is firm and dry and very long. Its delicate and savoury so try with mildly flavoured red meat dishes or mild cheddar. Best 2013 to 2015.

Citra Montepulciano d’Abruzzo 2011
Abruzzo, Italy $7.25

Great value for a well balanced food red that will work with a wide variety of dishes. Expect aromas of red cherry and pomegranate fruit with dried herbs, mushroom and tobacco tones. It is midweight and well balanced with just enough acidity and soft tannin to give it the structure for food. Try with meaty pasta sauces or mildly spicy sausages. Very good length. Best 2013 to 2015.

Top 50 Value Wines at LCBO

There are about 1,500 wines listed at the LCBO that are always available, plus another 100 or so VINTAGES Essentials. At WineAlign I maintain a list of the Top 50 LCBO and VINTAGES Essentials wines selected by price and value – in other words, the best least expensive wines. The selection process is explained in more detail below, but I review the list every month to include newly listed wines and monitor the value of those put on sale for a limited time.

How I Choose the Top 50

I constantly taste the wines at the LCBO to keep the Top 50 list up to date. You can easily find all of my all Top 50 Value Wines from the WineAlign main menu. Click on Wine =>Top 50 Value Wines to be taken directly to the list.

To be included in the Top 50 for value a wine must be inexpensive while also having a high score, indicating high quality. I use a mathematical model to make the Top 50 selections from the wines in our database. Every wine is linked to WineAlign where you can read more, discover pricing discounts, check out inventory and compile lists for shopping at your favourite store. Never again should you be faced with a store full of wine with little idea of what to pick for best value.

Once you have tried a wine, you can use the ‘thumbs up/thumbs down’ to agree or disagree with our reviews. Or better yet, you can add your own review and join our growing community of user reviewers. If you find that there is a new wine on the shelf, or a new vintage that we have not reviewed, let us know. It is very easy to do this. Click on Suggestions & Feedback or send an email to feedback@winealign.com. We look forward to hearing from you.

The Top 50 changes all the time, so remember to check before shopping. I will be back next month with more news on value arrivals to Essentials and the LCBO.

Cheers!

Steve Thurlow

We invite our Premium Subscription members to use this link to find all of Steve Thurlow’s reviews of the Top 50 Value Wines. Paid membership to WineAlign has its privileges – this is one of them. Enjoy!

Top 50 LCBO and Vintages Essentials Wines

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Filed under: News, Wine, LCBO, Steve Thurlow, Top 50 Value Wines

Maclean’s launches “Wine in Canada”; Special Offer for WineAlign Members

Wine in Canada – a tour of our country’s finest wine regions

To celebrate the passion, ingenuity and achievement of Canadian winemaking, Maclean’s has spent the past 12 months to develop “Wine in Canada”, the first annual national publication that takes Canadians on a tour of our country’s finest wine regions, their latest releases, innovative pioneers, hottest trends and hidden gems.

Contributed by some of Canada’s leading sommeliers, including John Szabo MS, Rhys Pender MW, Kurtis Kolt, Treve Ring, and Erin and Courtney Henderson, “Wine in Canada” brings together the land, the people, the culture, the wine and the food through colourful photography and vivid articulations.

“WineAlign readers know that I take Canadian wine seriously. I’ve watched the industry boom over the past couple of decades, evolving from local curiosity to world-recognized wine producer. Maclean’s, one of the nation’s leading news media, has also identified Canadian wine as worthy of a critical and investigative eye – an important addition to our business and cultural landscape, and a sign of its coming of age. With two WineAlign team members consulting on the project, BC’s Treve Ring and myself, you can be sure that, from coast to coast, no stones were left unturned.” John Szabo MS

Raising Awareness

Together with industry partners, Wine Country Ontario and Wines of British Columbia, Maclean’s is committed to raising awareness of Canada’s wine and wine tourism industry. It has never been a better time to share the inspiration and potential of our Vineland.

“This was a great project to work on, the first to cover the Canadian wine scene from so many perspectives. From travel, tourism and local gastronomy, to the history and future of Canadian wine, its hard business realities, who the current movers and shakers are, and of course the most representative, currently available bottles from every wine producing region, this is a brilliant and timely resource for anyone with even a passing interest in locally grown wines, up to the die-hard supporters.” John Szabo MS

Special Online Offer

WineAlign members are invited to join this journey of discovery and savour the joy in each glass with Maclean’s.

Simply click here to order and receive a 25% discount off your purchase of “Wine in Canada” online today.

Special offer ends May 20.

 

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Filed under: Featured Articles, Wine, John Szabo, MacLean's, Wine Country Ontario, Wines of British Columbia

David’s Take on Private Wine Retailing in Ontario: Getting Beyond the Vested Interests

It could have turned into a bun fight.

David Lawrason

On Thursday, May 9 the vested interests in Ontario’s beverage alcohol industry gathered at an Economic Club of Canada luncheon at Toronto’s Delta Chelsea Hotel to hear why the province should move to a mixed public/private retail model of selling wine, beer and spirits.

Speaker Ian Baillie, executive director of ABLE, an association and lobbyist for private beverage alcohol retailers in British Columbia, delivered a vision based on the B.C. model, where about two-thirds of the 1,400 beverage alcohol retail outlets are now in private hands.

He was sponsored by the Wine Council of Ontario, an association of smaller Ontario wineries that is lobbying for private wine stores through a website called www.mywineshop.ca. The wineries are needing new retail outlets for their growing number of products, which the one-stop LCBO is not able to handle effectively, despite recently announced initiatives that are too little, too late.

There were many Ontario winemakers in the audience, but virtually all other vested interests were in the room as well – importers, beer and spirits reps, hoteliers and restaurateurs, MPPs and the LCBO itself. No party leaders.

I will get to some of Ian Baillie’s key points in a moment, but first an observation based on audience reaction during a question and answer session. If the Q&A had not been shut down by the Economic Club’s moderator it could have turned into something nasty.

There is a cauldron of pent-up passion around this issue – so many different viewpoints, truths, and ways to interpret facts and figures. It is very complex. And the feelings have been entrenched for years, decades – virtually since the LCBO was established at the end of Prohibition. I just don’t see how these parties will ever come to a consensus. If it is left to the vested interests it won’t get done.

Ontario one day? Supermarket wine section,
Wellington, New Zealand

The solution needs to come from the will of consumers. The Wine Council says 70% of Ontario favour some level of privatization. That needs to be expressed through an election of a party that presents a clear and balanced, consumer-based vision and has the courage to act. The Conservatives seem closest now, but at one point under Premier David Peterson it was the Liberals.

The benefits of privatization were made plainly evident to the current Liberal government in a 2005 beverage alcohol review they themselves commissioned, then shelved. They turtled in the face of protest by the vested interests – the union, the LCBO bureaucracy, and the largest financial stakeholders who prosper handsomely under the LCBO monopoly.

There are clarion benefits to privatization – primarily vastly increased selection and improved service guided by the forces of open competition. There would be growth in production, distribution, retailing revenue, job and government revenues. It is also clear that the government can increase revenues without running the stores, and they can regulate the industry as they please to serve social responsibility concerns.

Baillie’s Key Points

Public/Private Retailing? Mr. Baillie was promoting B.C.’s politically expedient, mixed public/private retailing model – not the Alberta model wherein all retail is in private hands, with government’s role moved to wholesaling, distribution and regulation. The B.C. compromise is most likely what will happen in Ontario.

I prefer Alberta’s model. I don’t believe government should be in competition with the private sector, or that government can do it as well as private enterprise.

Either way, I strongly believe that it is government’s responsibility to properly regulate and license beverage alcohol; to test product safety and to educate the public about its hazards, especially if government is paying the medical costs of alcohol abuse. But let’s not confuse this responsibility with the need for government to be a retailer.

Government Revenue – Ian Baillie made the startling assertion – oft Tweeted in recent days – that if Ontario, with roughly three times the population of B.C., were to adopt the B.C. model, it would deliver 1.1 billion dollars more per year to provincial coffers than it is doing now – 2.7 billion as opposed to 1.6 billion.

The formula and figures were vehemently debated on the floor, but two things were clear. First, the province will not lose revenue by introducing privatization (B.C. has not, in fact its revenues are growing annually under the public/private model). Second government still has the ability to raise taxes as it sees fits to ensure that revenues would not be lost. I for one would not be totally against this as the price of privatization.

Social Responsibility - Mr. Baillie went to great lengths to promote the idea that social responsibility is also a business responsibility of private retailers. He emphasised that all the provincial rules apply in terms of not serving those under 19, and that retailers are trained to enforce them.

He also described a B.C. regulation that new private stores must be built a minimum of 1km from the nearest store, to prevent certain neighbourhoods having too many stores or “liquor stores on every corner”.

Corner Stores – It is very interesting that Ontario’s historical alternative vision to the LCBO is “corner store wine and beer sales”, perhaps a model assumed due to the nearness of Quebec’s ‘dépanneurs’.  Baillie dismissed allowing alcohol sales by convenience stores as socially irresponsible because it would be almost impossible and very costly to monitor 10,000 stores in the province.

Corner stores as the only alternative for Ontario would, in my opinion, be the worst possible option for a different reason. I want to see wine sold in responsibly run convenience stores, in grocery stores and supermarkets, and in fine wine shops – and I want to see the entire range of price and quality that would ensue, with retailers free to serve their constituents as they see fit, and consumers free to shop how and where and for what they want.

How Many Stores? -  Baillie mentioned that B.C. has recently capped the opening of new stores beyond the 1,400 store level. The government has deemed that level adequate for B.C.’s population of 4.4 million people, or one store for every 3,100 people. By contrast, Ontario currently has roughly 1,200 LCBO, Beer Stores and winery stores serving 13.3 million people, one store for 11,000 people. So it is a no brainer that the LCBO is under-serving us, and that privatization in Ontario would see a boom in store creation and employment.

So how do we get government to brave this debate and make the right choice – a choice that people the world over have already made, or never even felt it necessary to make in the first place? Closer to home, if this idea is right works in Vancouver, Victoria, Vernon, Edmonton, Calgary, Lethbridge, Peace River, Winnipeg, Brandon and Halifax – why on earth will it not work in Toronto, Ottawa, Windsor and Thunder Bay? Even Pennsylvania, a bastion of Dutch protestant conservatism in the U.S. made the move most recently.

Successful precedent alone should be all the political fodder our legislators require.

But to nudge them along consumers need to organize and get vocal, as do media editorialists who claim to represent “the people”. Major papers have actually begun writing about this more frequently. And it could be fanned by an LCBO employees strike that could come on May 17. But beyond that consumers need to organize themselves and petition their MPPs.

And if possible Ontario’s cooler-headed vested interests could try to form an organization, like B.C.’s ABLE, to carry a unified voice to Queens Park. ABLE represents private wine store owners, hotels, restaurants and pubs – any business in the business of selling beverage alcohol. Based on what I heard in reaction to Baillie’s speech I am not sure this is possible in Ontario, but there must be some reasonable, willing and articulate people willing to step forward under common cause from all these camps.

Good luck to us all.

David Lawrason
VP of Wine

A downloadable copy of his Mr. Baillie’s speech is available here.

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Filed under: Featured Articles, Wine, David Lawrason, LCBO, My Wine Shop, Ontario Wine

Lawrason’s Take on Vintages May 11 Release

Lake Erie’s Dilemma, 90Pt $25 Syrahs, Pretty Pinks & Six Other Wines of Interest.

David Lawrason

The Australian feature in VINTAGES May 11 release is not all that thematically strong yet there are a couple of 90 point shiraz based reds. Likewise, the quirky selection of rosés delivers a fine pair of $13 pinkies. And I have dug deeper into the release to find several other Wines of Interest. But first a comment on the mini-feature on Ontario’s Lake Erie North Shore, a region that some marketing whiz has re-branded as Essex Pelee Island Coast, or EPIC for short. EPIC is not a new appellation (yet), nor are the wines epic yet – despite the breathless prose in VINTAGES catalogue.

Lake Erie’s Forgotten Wineries

Calling the wines of LENS (Lake Erie North Shore) forgotten is bound to raise the hackles of the folks from Harrow, Kingsville, Pelee and other points in southwest Ontario. They will suggest it reflects a GTA-Niagara indifference to the wines down Windsor way. And they are right.  But there are two sides to every story. For one thing the wines are too seldom put on the radar in the huge market around Lake Ontario, which is why Vintages is pushing hard in this week’s catalogue. The real reason however is that they are not competing well enough in the bottle. Too few of the wines are driven by terroir/quality aspirations. There are few premium priced wines, or single vineyard wines – in other words too few buzz-worthy wines. The two economic drivers of the region – Colio and Pelee Island – rank among the top five volume-wise wineries in Ontario. They have attempted premium wines, and their prices do not over-reach. But neither does their quality.

I am particularly disappointed of late by Pelee Island, a winery possessing the largest and perhaps most unique estate vineyard in the province. In recent times they ceased using their Pelee Island VQA designation on their labels. And so the Pelee Island designation was quietly dropped altogether by VQA Ontario and folded into Lake Erie North Shore. This is the only instance I can recall of an appellation disappearing from the books – surely a backward step (and a good reason never to allow one producer to own an entire appellation). It has undoubtedly led to the creation of the new EPIC branding that some will be angling to officially replace Lake Erie North Shore (which admittedly is not a great name either).

I visited LENS in 2010 and I am due to return. I can see the potential for the reds due to the moderate climate that favours later ripening “Bordeaux” red varieties like cabernet franc and merlot. The whites I find a bit flabby and hot, with some exceptions. The soils are weighted to sand and clay, but as with all areas in the Great Lakes basin there is limestone subsoil from an era when the Great Lakes comprised one great inland sea. In some places the limestone is not far from the surface.

And there are signs of winemaking progress. The Muscedere family (pronounced Moo-shed-ray) is producing some fine reds from their small plot – including syrah and pinot. Muscedere 2011 Cabernet Franc ($18.20) is a bit lighter than some of their other offerings but pleasantly vibrant, energetic and almost racy.  Viewpointe and Sprucewood Shores have produced some good individual efforts, and I tasted some potentially good wines from Smith and Wilson farther east toward Port Stanley.  Newer Cooper’s Hawk and Colchester Ridge CREW are promising too, but the 2008 reds in this release are maturing and a bit awkward.

90 Point $25 Syrahs

The $25 price point is important for fans of syrah and shiraz. For some reason this grape – with rare exceptions in the Rhône and Australia – has always been held to a lower pricing standard than cabernet sauvignon and pinot noir. I think it is a lingering historical prejudice, whereby the commercial and auction house establishment of Paris and London once considered the syrah and grenache based wines of the south of France inferior by nature. And perhaps they were. But that no longer holds up in today’s global wine universe. The winemaking quality standard has risen dramatically, which means that the value quotient has risen too – a notion that struck me as I tasted through this release and found at least three solid 90 pointers at $25.

Domaine Terlato & Chapoutier Shiraz/Viognier 2011 is a great buy at $24.95. It is an organically grown wine that bridges the Old and New Worlds, the result of a project by Michel Chapoutier of the Rhône and American Anthony Terlato who runs a large, international fine wine distribution company as well as Terlato Family Vineyards in California. It has classic Rhône syrah character with some Aussie heft. As Vintages Wine of the Month it should be around in sufficient quantities to be easily available. Grab a handful for the cellar.

Château Puech-Haut 2010 Prestige Saint-Drézéry from the Languedoc region in the south of France is another excellent buy at $26.95. This is actually weighted to grenache in the blend but it is a modern classic of the genre, with poise and power. It’s from a large 100 ha property not far from Montpelier that has gone to expense of hiring top consultant Michel Rolland; who if nothing else does tend to fashion wines with some elegance.

Spice Route 2009 Shiraz from the Swartland region of South Africa is another bomb at $24.95. It’s not just big; it’s complex, layered, profound and packed with personality. The Swartland region toward the western Atlantic coast has emerged as a new star for shiraz and Rhône-styled reds grown on dry farmed, red granitic soils. This is an In Store Discovery, so only available in larger Vintages store.

Pretty $13 Pinks

Rosé season is now fully upon us, and each release Vintages puts out another dozen or so. They have become quite international in their reach, which is interesting in one sense but it nets some odd ducks too. Not every region or producer really cares about rosé, nor is it a style that expresses regionality all that easily, especially at $15 price point Vintages seems to demand. I would rather see Vintages focused on great quality examples in the $20 range.

Still, there are some finds. Mulderbosch 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Rosé ($12.95) is unusual for its piquant aromas of red currant and green herbs, directly attributable to the cabernet. It is brisk and almost zesty – not the soft and cuddly type – and for that reason I suspect it will perform very well with cold al fresco meals on the deck or dock.

Zenato 2012 Bardolino Chiaretto Rosé ($12.95) is the meek, mild and very pure sunset sipper.  It is so gentle in fact, and pale, that you might find yourself feeling a bit let down at first. After a couple of glasses you will have a new friend.

Other Wines of Interest

Blue Mountain 2011 Chardonnay ($23.95) from British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley is a terrific buy in serious, cool climate chardonnay. When Ian and Jane Mavety first planted their stunning, much photographed vineyard overlooking Vaseux Lake in 1971, they were years ahead of the curve. They didn’t open a winery until 1991, and when they did the restaurant-focused wines remained largely inaccessible to the general public. With Matt and Christie Mavety of the next generation now taking a more active role, the wines are finding a broader audience, and recent quality and value quotients are very high – a result of sustainable, careful grape growing that began over 40 years ago.

Balbas 2001 Reserva from Spain’s Ribera del Duero is amazingly silky and refined, but it raises a questioning eyebrow. How is it that the colour is still so youthful and the fruit so fresh when this wine is 12 years old? There is some mature leathery character amid all the fruit, and it sure is texturally smooth, so there is some age here. But it still shows youthful aplomb and it will drink well for at least another five years – all rather remarkable for a wine costing $20.95.

Still in Spain, Vinos Sin Ley 2009 Puerta Bonita Garnacha is from a region northwest of Madrid. It purports to come from 120 year old vines, which is really quite remarkable. The resulting low yields have imparted excellent flavour focus and concentration, and there is a sense of refinement and poise that had me mentally comparing this to top Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Vinos Sin Ley (Wines without Law) is a collective of young winemakers who work through Spain, assembling twice a year to take on adventurous, value focused projects, often outside the realm of established DOs.  They succeed admirably here, at $18.95.

Guenoc 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon ($19.95) is at first glance nothing remarkable, the kind of wine easily overlooked on the tasting bench or the crowded wine aisle. Another California cabernet, and because it’s not from Napa it’s not an attention grabber. I think I was drawn to it precisely because it is not refined and sculpted; because it’s loaded with fruit and energy, and doesn’t rely on the confection of so many California cabs at this modest price. The Guenoc Valley is a massive spread of vineyards tucked in the hills of Lake County north of Napa.

Manzone 2007 Le Gramolere Barolo ($51.95) is a splendidly refined and modern example of carefully and naturally rendered, almost tender nebbiolo from a steep, low-yielding single vineyard in Monforte d’Alba. Manzone, founded in 1925, is now a father and son enterprise focused only on premium quality. With only 4000 cases per year spread across a range of four Barolos plus barbera and dolcetto, individual bottlings are rather scarce. I consider this a very fair price for the impeccable quality it displays.

Badia A Coltibuono 2009 Chianti Classico ($23.95) has very much the same tender yet energetic and natural feel, perhaps because this too is organically grown. This is a very old but very modern property owned and managed by the Stucchi Prinetti family. It makes a range of wines and olive oils and runs a restaurant, small inn and cooking classes. What I admire is the honest Chianti-ness of the wines – it’s exactly what I hope for from Chianti, and I would be willing to pay even more to get it.

That’s it for this edition. Don’t forget to check out our latest episode of “So, You Think You Know Wine?” and watch next week for an article by Anthony Gismondi, as well as Steve Thurlow’s monthly report on the LCBO Top 50 Values.

But before signing off, I want to welcome Sarah Goddard who joins Bryan and Carol Ann as our third full time staff member at WineAlign. With a deep resume as a sommelier (and a former star student at CAPS) she will be managing our new office in Etobicoke that will become tasting central for the WineAlign’s professional critics and the WineAlign Cru of bloggers. The address is at 4195 Dundas Street West, Suite 222, Toronto, Ontario. M8X 1Y4.

Cheers,

David Lawrason
VP of Wine

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From the May 11, 2013 Vintages release:

David’s Featured Wines
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Filed under: News, Wine, David Lawrason, Lake Erie North Shore, Ontario Wine, Vintages Preview