The Quaffer

Reif Wines Ripe for the Picking

2010-02-25T07:19:00.002-05:00

On a recent trip to Niagara-on-the-Lake, the epicenter of Ontario’s Niagara wine region, I tried a couple of standouts from the nearby Reif Estate Winery (pronounced "rife"). Owner Klaus Reif moved to Canada from Germany in 1987 and bought the Reif estate from his uncle. Seeing the area’s great potential, he began crafting high-quality wines at a time when the region was barely a blip in the wine atlas. That year, the winery produced Niagara's first-ever late harvest wine, icewine’s younger and less-sweet cousin.

The winery continues to innovate and improve. I tasted the Reif Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve VQA 2006 (about $25 Cdn) and was impressed by its depth and structure. Strong aromas of cocoa powder and tobacco leaves wafted up from the glass and flavors of dried cranberry, blackberry and raisins dominated the palette. The oak was prevalent, but not overpowering. There was a good kick of acidity and tannin that would mellow nicely over the next few years in the cellar.

Quaffability Rating: 91

The winery scores another winner with the Reif Estate Icewine Reisling 2008 ($25 Cdn for 200 ml bottle). An absolutely delectable icewine, brimming with honey, stone fruit and vanilla flavors. And much more affordable than many other icewines.

Quaffability Rating: 93

Pinot Noir Scam Turns Wine World Sideways

2010-02-19T07:35:00.002-05:00

I’m sure you know the wine: Red Bicyclette Pinot Noir, made by American wine giant Gallo, with a cutesy label depicting, of course, a red bicycle. The orginal label had a French guy sporting a beret and carrying a panier full of baguettes on his red as a dog runs behind holding one of the baguettes in its mouth. Well, it turns out some of that Pinot Noir was probably not, in fact, Pinot Noir. In a French court, 12 people were found guilty of selling falsely labeled wine to Gallo, which was then used to make Red Bicylette.

The defendants received suspended sentences of one month to six months and minimal fines – very light punishment for a fraud that earned each of them up to $750,000. The interesting thing about the story is that there were no complaints from either Gallo or the many, many drinkers of the mass-market Red Bicyclette. The blended wine sold as Pinot Noir was obviously a pretty good fake. In addition, the wine doesn’t claim to be 100% Pinot Noir, although to be considered a Pinot, EU regulations state that it does have to be at least 85%.

This article in the London Telegraph finds some irony in the whole situation since Red Bicyclette was released at the time of the movie Sideways, which had sparked a massive demand for Pinot Noir in the American market. The problem was that there apparently was just not enough cheap Pinot Noir available in the south of the France, where the Bicyclette’s other varietal wines originated.

All in all, quite an impressive feat of blending, I’d say. The scam involved some 13.5 million liters, or 3.6 million gallons, of fraudulent wine, also sold to wine giant Constellation Brands. The “Sideways” effect goes on. Maybe it’s time we cut down on our Pinot Noir and started drinking more f-ing Merlot?

What Is It About Malbec?

2010-02-18T06:51:00.002-05:00

Wine Review: Luigi Bosca Malbec 2006 (about $21 US, $25 Cdn)

Argentina has recently surged ahead of Germany, Spain and Chile to become the fourth-biggest exporter of wine to the U.S., trailing only Italy, Australia and France – and all thanks to its bold and beautiful signature grape varietal: Malbec. In France, Malbec is a Bordeaux blending grape and planted mainly in Cahors. It's inky dark and produces intense wines with strong tannins. Argentina has taken the grape as its own and planted it with gusto. It was first brought to South America in the mid-1800s, but only gained worldwide fame in the late 20th century.

What’s driving the popularity of Argentine Malbec? Simple: they’re high on assertive flavor and generally low on price.

Today’s featured wine, the Luigi Bosca Malbec 2006 (about $21 US, $25 Cdn) is a little on the high side of the average price point for Argentine Malbecs, as many good ones come in at $12-15, so I was expecting something really delicious. Did it deliver? Sort of. I took an immediate liking to the perfumy bouquet of fresh-ground spices and oak. Flavors of concentrated blackberry, coffee and herbs played off each other to create a pleasing overall richness. It left me slightly underwhelmed at this price, but it’s nevertheless a delicious expression of the region.

Quaffabilty Rating: 90

Wine Review: A Wynns-Wins Situation

2010-02-12T07:36:00.003-05:00

Wynns Coonawarra Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 (about $20 US, $25 Cdn)

Wynns Estate is a pioneer in the now-famous Coonawarra region in southern Australia’s Limestone Coast. John Riddoch established the first winery there in 1896. For today’s wine review, the Wynns Coonawarra Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 (about $20 US, $25 Cdn) shows just how much winemaking has evolved in this area. This cab is a great value for the cellar. It’s a bit heavy on the oak, but the incredible tannins and acidity come together to balance the wine out nicely. Blackcurrent flavors dominate, but with many other interesting notes chiming in on the sides. At this price, grab a case and put it down for a good five to 15 years – I don’t think there could be any regret as this label is well known for being age-worthy, and the 2006 vintage is looking like one of the best.

Quaffability Rating: 91

Vouvray

2010-02-11T10:17:00.000-05:00

If you’re looking for something a bit different in a white and don’t mind off-dry wines, try some of the Chenin Blanc-based Vouvray wines from the Loire Valley in France. There are many different styles of Vouvrays that range from dry to sweet to sparkling, but the off-dry version is probably the most exported and best known.

These wines are bursting with unique fruit flavors derived from the clay and flinty limestone and chalk terroir on the right bank of the Loire in the mid-western section of France. The town of Vouvray lies just east of the city of Tours, at the eastern edge of the Loire River. The region has a long history of winemaking,. Monks fashioned wines hundreds of years ago, and the appellation of Vouvray was created back in 1936.

The dry Vouvrays can be cellared for many years, but the semi-sweets should be consumed within a couple of years. I tried the Bougrier Vouvray 2008 (about $12 US, $15 Cdn), a semi-sweet but still light and fruity wine, with some mineral notes. It’s an unassuming wine that would pair well with seafood or soft cheese. The Chenin Blanc grape is worth exploring to wake up your palette to some new fruit flavors over the usual Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc

Quaffability Rating: 85

Wine Trends for 2010

2010-02-05T07:18:00.002-05:00

I have a cold this week and haven’t had a chance to taste much wine – still drinking it, just not tasting it. So instead, I’m taking the opportunity to look at some of the biggest trends in the wine industry this year.

A recent survey by market research firm Mintel reveals that 58% of Americans drink wine with dinner on a regular basis. The survey also says the wine market has grown by 20% between 2004 and 2009, even through the recession. There was a slight decline in 2008 at the peak of the economic turmoil, but Mintel forecasts the industry will grow slightly in 2009, and I’ll take a wild guess and say it will surge ahead even more in 2010.

Americans and Canadians still love their wine drinking, but the recession - and a new breed of younger-generation wine drinkers - may have ushered in some new trends:

Younger Generation Leading Growth
Baby Boomers are no longer driving the wine market – the next generation of young wine drinkers account for 45% of the growth. http://millennialmarketing.com/2009/05/millennial-wave-hits-wine/

Wine Clubs
Younger wine drinkers – those in the 25-34 age group – are twice as likely as Baby Boomers to belong to the wine club. This could partly explain the rapid growth of wine clubs across North America.

Sophisticated Palettes
That same group that’s driving the wine market now are pickier than the average adult when it comes to wine. A Merrill research study found that 40% of younger wine drinkers say expensive wine tastes better, and that same percentage will also spend $40 on a bottle of wine for a special occasion, compared to $24 for all adults.

Whimsical Labelling
If you cringe at the sight of animals on wine labels and groan at ironic names like Cats Pee on a Gooseberry Bush, Hair of Dingo, Ceci n’est pas un Carignan and Utter Bastard, get ready for more of the same. This type of marketing is working and will likely become even more rampant.

In the Box
It hasn’t yet pulled out of the “cheap” status, but more people are buying boxed wine to drink at home, even if they’re too embarrassed to serve it to their guests. Clever marketing could help bring boxed wine out of the closet.

Outside the Box
Wine bars (in my hometown of Toronto, anyway) are now in heavy competition and are serving audacious selections to set themselves apart. The smaller wine bars that only have 10 or 15 options are choosing interesting varietals from lesser-known regions. This can misfire if the oddball wines don’t taste good (as I have discovered), but a good selection of off-the-beaten-path bottles does make a place stand out.

A Little More Sparkle
As more producers outside of Champagne produce sparking wine, people are discovering that you don’t have to spend a small fortune to enjoy the bubbly. I’ve been touting the joys of Prosecco, Cava, Cremant, American and Canadian sparkling wine and others on this blog for years.

Wine, in Moderation

2010-02-04T07:26:00.004-05:00

By no means in this list comprehensive, but here's some reseach that supports the moderate consumption of wine:

Red Wine: the Fountain of Youth?

A chemical found in wine can halt the aging process, according to researchers at the University of Gothenberg in Sweden. Before you starting cheering the attention-grabbing headline, the scientists who performed the study say you would need to drink somewhere between 15 and 100 bottles of wine a day for it to have an effect. I’m serious about the steady consumption of red wine, but that’s a little out of my league.

The study is nevertheless interesting. Researchers focused on the chemical resveratrol, which is found in the skins of red grapes, and discovered that some of the cells discarded harmful proteins, effectively halting the effects of aging.

That doesn’t mean that moderate amounts of wine will do nothing. University of Connecticut resveratrol expert Dipak Das says small doses of resveratrol can promote good health. Although it’s not fully understood, Das says there seems to be something about the way wine delivers resveratrol to the body that helps people achieve benefits that can’t yet be proven in controlled experiments.

Wine Could Delay Dementia

Another study in 2008 concluded that drinking small amounts of wine on a regular basis might improve cognitive function among older women. University of Glasgow doctors looked at brain function in more than 5,000 subjects between the ages of 70 and 82, and discovered that those who consumed a moderate amount of alcohol – especially the women – scored higher on a series of memory and language tests.

"This is not an endorsement to drink to excess - large amounts of alcohol will damage your brain - but the occasional tipple may do you some good," said David Stott, professor of geriatric medicine at the University of Glasgow.

Wine and the Heart

According the Mayo Clinic, various studies have shown that moderate amounts of alcohol can boost your heart health by raising HDL (good) cholesterol, reducing blog-clot formation, and preventing LDL (bad) cholesterol from damaging the arteries.

Wine Review: The Power of the Press

2010-01-28T23:33:00.003-05:00

The San Francisco Wine Press Syrah 2006 ($12 US, $16 Cdn)

This organically grown Syrah won a Silver Medal at the 2009 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition. “We can highly recommend the 2006 Syrah, which had a gamey flavor and a depth that belied its price,” said Blair Campbell of www.eastbayexpress.com. Let’s see if I agree.

I smell this wine from two feet away as I pour it into my glass. A very powerful woodsy aroma and deep crimson color almost make me afraid to taste this wine. Upon closer sniffing, it has very strong petrol and chemical refinery aromas with some dirty laundry smells mixed in. Another sniff reveals more pleasing aromas of gingerbread cookie dough.

The tasting: Wow, it’s hard to tame this beast. It’s chewy and chalky with flavors of wild boar (OK, I’ve only eaten wild boar once and don’t really remember what it smelled like, but I’m still calling wild boar on this one), sawdust, prune nectar and gasoline. I’m making this wine sound terrible, and it is quite an assault on the senses, but I like the fact that it’s not a fruit bomb – more like chemical warfare on the back of the throat. Who knew organically grown grapes could be so bad-ass?

Quaffability Rating: 84 + 2 bonus points for searing off my taste buds = 86

A Workingman’s Guide to Bordeaux 2007 – A Whiter Shade of Pale

2010-01-28T05:00:00.002-05:00

By guest blogger David Chaundy-Smart

Grand cru Bordeaux is suffering a dicey 2007 vintage. At a recent tasting of about 50 such wines put on by the Union de Grands Crus de Bordeaux in Toronto, I was impressed by the gameness of the chateaux who have to produce a declared vintage regardless of the quality. To be sure, there were some highlights, especially from the left bank, with Haut-Bages-Liberal, St-Julien and Pomerol coming off with a little more structure. This is because cool summer temperatures leading to unprecedented hang-times did not affect these Cabernet Sauvignon-based wines as much as Merlot-based wines of the Right Bank, since that grape provides its best in summers hot enough to bring it to ripeness in early autumn.

Although some left bank wines, such as Clos d’l’Oratoire were lovely, fresh wines with fruit on the nose mingling with the oak, they mainly lacked the complex tannins and structure that would give them the future that would justify the investment of an amount of money an increasing number of consumers find restrictive. A grand cru Bordeaux ordinarily must have at least 10 years of bottle aging to reach its prime and to have the subtle mixture of faded tannins and fruit come forward to deliver the flavors and aromas of the world’s best red wine experience. All of this just emphasizes the degree to which consumers should take advantage of whatever wine from the excellent 2005 vintage is still available on the shelves, using the rule that less prestigious wines from a good year in an important region are good investments.

There is another bright side to the story of 2007, however, and that is that it was a terrific year for Bordeaux’s white wine, which is unfamiliar, despite its relative affordability, racy flavors and aristocratic pedigree. The Graves region produces the most white Bordeaux and Pessac-Leognan produces the finest and priciest ones.

Chateaux Carbonnieux (65% Sauvignon Blanc, 34% Semillon, 1% Muscadelle) had a nose of grapefruit and pineapple, leading to flavors of deep peach and a finish with a complex acid structure.

Malarctic Lagraviere (80% Sauvignon Blanc, 20% Semillon) was pale gold tinted with green. Grapefruit and jasmine flower led to a minerally finish – described by one taster as redolent of crushed stone – and an astonishingly long finish of subtle acidity.

These wines will age for 10 years or more and are well worth their $50-100 price tags, but the good news is that some very good Graves is available for quite reasonable prices both from the outstanding 2005 vintage and from the perhaps even more outstanding 2007 white vintage.
It’s worth noting that although now all of the expensive, classified whites hail from Pessac-Leognan, that appellation was only separated from Graves in 1987. Although these wines are wonderful on their own, they are traditionally paired with seafood, pork, rabbit and mild young cow’s milk cheese, but I like them with lamb with white beans and tomato-based fish stew. One final advantage is that most white Bordeaux clocks in at 12-12.5% alcohol, whereas comparably rich Ontario and Aussie Chardonnay usually boasts 13.5% alcohol.

Chateau Grand Bordrieu Sensation Blanc 2005 (about $12 US, $16 Cdn)

This five-year-old 60% Sauvignon Blanc, 40% Semillon is a deal. It has flavors of citrus and lime, and trades the grassiness that is a fixture of New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs for a richness imparted by six months on the lees. A subtle hint of vanilla comes from a portion oaked in new American barrels.

Chateau Le Pavillon Boyrein Blanc 2007 (about $12 US, $16 Cdn)

A delightful nose of gingersnap apples and melon lingers for a long time. Refreshing acidity moderates the oak to deliver a finish with none of the smoked vanilla ice cream flavors of the ruder Sauvignon Blancs of the southwest United States.

Unusual Food and Wine Pairings

2010-01-22T07:37:00.004-05:00

A recent column in the Toronto Sun than mentioned the strange pairing of Ontario icewine with a pulled pork sandwich. Flat Rock Cellars, the Ontario winery that hosted the tasting event, said the unusual pairing worked because the pork had been glazed with an icewine sauce. The glaze, they said, served as a bridge for the palette to jump from wine to food.

This kind of pairing might make you cringe, but some experimenting is a good thing. If anything, a new combination of food and wine will force you to think about what you’re eating and drinking. As you concentrate on the flavors, there’s a better chance you’ll gain something new from both the food and the wine. Of course there’s always the danger of a pairing gone horribly wrong, and you might find yourself thinking, “Maybe this California Zinfandel doesn't go with this filet of sole.”

Nevertheless, it’s worth looking back at some of the food and wine pairing trends to see how drastically the norm can shift over the years. In his book Making Sense of Wine, Matt Kramer opens his chapter on food with this gem: “Wine exists for food. Without the context of food, wine is a eunuch, a sterile experience which soon acquires distorted features.” Kramer goes on to describe how people’s tastes in wine and food pairings have reversed. Menus from the late 1800s show that Sauternes , the rich, sweet Bordeaux dessert wine, was served with raw oysters. Champagne was typically served with the beef course, and during a meal, red wines were often sipped before the whites – a big no-no in most restaurants today.

Kramer comes up with some interesting recommendations for food and wine pairings, the first rule being that rich foods pair well with rich wines. For example, he recommends matching an avocado and egg dish with a rich, buttery Chardonnay.

Other interesting pairings that Kramer advocates:

-Pinot Gris with salty and oily smoked salmon
-Gewurztraminer with fois gras and any dish dominated by onions
-Chenin Blanc from the Loire paired with butternut squash soup
-Well-aged Semillions with chicken breast with gorgonzola and chives

Try some new food and wine pairings, think about how the flavors interact, and don’t be too much of a stickler for modern conventions.

Wine Review: Matua Makes the Grade

2010-01-21T05:00:00.001-05:00

Matua Estate Paretai Sauvignon Blanc 2008 (about $20US, $25 Cdn)

Made with fruit from the Awatere Valley in the Marlborough region of New Zealand, the Paretai has floral and mild honeycomb aromas and a deceptively light straw color. The first sip brings a powerful hit of tropical fruit and hints of honey flowers, with zippy white grapefruit and delicate pear and apricot closing out the whirlwind of tastes. This wine has excellent balance and much more intrigue than the usual grassy citrus-dominated Sauvignon Blanc. When people rave about great New Zealand wines, hopefully this is the kind of bottle they’re talking about. It’s aromatic and flavorful without being either cloying or acidic – a showstopper from the first sniff to the last remnants of the long-lingering finish.

Quaffability Rating: 91

Bertrand’s Montpeyroux – a Taste Sensation

2010-01-15T09:50:00.004-05:00

Wine Review

Gérard Bertrand Coteaux du Languedoc Montpeyroux Grand Terroir 2007 ($15 US, $18 Cdn)

From the Languedoc region in southern France comes this sumptuous blend of Mourvèdre, Syrah, Carignan and Grenache. The wine is thin on the nose, but full-flavored on the palate with a good balance of sour cherry, chewy caramel, black currant and white pepper. It’s a very lively, juicy wine, rounded out with a bittersweet chocolate and raspberry finishing kick. There’s a mix of taste sensations ranging from sour to sweet to bitter to salty, and even umami – tongue-tingling goodness. I'd be curious to find out how this bottle develops in the cellar over the next few years, but it’s drinking well right now. I could see it pairing with a nice steak. Languedoc is producing some of the best-value reds around, and this one is absolutely delicious.

Quaffability rating: 90

Likin' the Lindemans

2010-01-13T23:23:00.001-05:00

Pinot Grigio is not my thing. As you may have gathered from most of the wines I review for The Quaffer, I prefer towering reds with beefy flavors like leather, unsweetened chocolate, smoking road tar and bacon fat. So it was a surprise to find that I enjoyed the Lindemans Bin 85 Pinot Grigio 2009 (about $8US, $11 Cdn). This unoaked Australian wine has a very light pale straw color, delicate aromas of citrus and lemongrass and crisp flavors of lime, unripe pear and passionfruit.

Quaffability Rating: 87

From the same easy-drinking style, the Lindemans Bin 95 Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (about $9US, $12 Cdn) is another good work-week workhorse. I used some of this one in a risotto and tasted it as the wine was sizzling away in the pot of carnaroli, butter and onion. (Tasting a wine at the stove is, in my opinion, one of the most underrated wine-drinking experiences – as the flavours of the wine meld into your food and the vapors waft through the air, you inhale the fresh aromas out of your glass and take a swig.) Still fresh and crisp like the Pinot Grigio, the Sauv Blanc has a deeper bouquet of lemon and a touch of honey. Classic grassy and tropical fruit flavors lead to a pucker-free finish. Not bad, not bad at all.

Quaffability Rating: 88

Like a Rolling Stone

2010-01-08T06:58:00.002-05:00

Storied California winery, Beringer, has released its latest line of Stone Cellars vintages. These easy-drinking, flavorful wines fall in the everyday drinking category – the kind of wine you might buy by the case and drink during the week. Yesterday, I wrote about cellaring, but forget about that for these – drink ‘em now.

The Beringer Stone Cellars Chardonnay 2008 (about $11 US, $13 Cdn) gives off apple, pear and floral aromas and exhibits crisp flavors of tart apple and lime zest. I would almost have trouble guessing that this was a Chardonnay but for the vanilla undertones. The winery actually calls this one “quaffabile” in its own description. I have to agree.

Quaffability Rating: 88

In the same vein as the Chardonnay, the Beringer Stone Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 (about $12 US, $14 Cdn) has all the characteristics that would appeal to the casual wine drinker, and perhaps more importantly, there's nothing off-putting about it that would turn off the casual wine drinker. It could be faulted for being a little generic, but hey, the whole point of this line is to produce approachable wines, and in that regard Beringer gets it spot on. This Cabernet is light-to medium-bodied with a dark cherry juice-like color and aromas of sweet berries and plum. On the palette, it’s slightly sweet and tart, but smooth as silk. The perfect bottle to fill in the gaps between more complex tastings.

Quaffability Rating: 87

Buy Now, Drink Later

2010-01-07T06:43:00.002-05:00

Personal wine cellars have become increasingly rare over the last 20 years as the industry moved toward ready-to-drink fruit-forward wines. But keeping even a modest cellar in the home can reward the wine enthusiast with the pleasure of turning a $30 wine into a magnificent – and pricey – gem. This article by the Toronto Star’s Gord Stimmell provides some good advice on which wines are worth cellaring in this age of New World-dominated youthful wine.

Some tips from Stimmell:

-When he finds a red that he likes, Stimmell says he’ll buy six bottles and drink one every six months.
-Drink everyday reds within a year.
-Be careful not to over-cellar Burgundy
-Top Rhône reds can age for 20 years.
-For most other reds, keep the cellar ceiling at 10 years.
-Drink $10 white wines as soon as possible.
-Premium whites worthy of cellaring for up to 10 years include German, Alsatian and Austrian Rieslings.
-Canadian icewines can be cellared for up to 12 years.
-French Sauternes can last for decades.
-Chardonnays are prone to oxidization after four years of cellaring.
-Premium New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc has the capacity to evolve tremendously.

Of course most of us can’t afford to build a giant walk-in wine cellar with a tasting counter, but that shouldn’t stop you from finding a suitable corner of your abode for laying down a small collection. The Wine Doctor has a guide to creating a home wine cellar here.

Next time you find a decent wine that you like, buy a few more bottles (or a case) and lay them down. What could impress dinner guests more than a bottle from your personal cellar – even if said cellar is actually just a nook in a temperature-controlled corner of your condo.

Brut, Without the Brutal Price Tag

2009-12-31T08:26:00.002-05:00

Alright, all of you last-minute purchasers of New Year’s bubbly, here are my picks for affordable sparking wines:

1) Segura Viudas Brut Reserva, about $12 US, $14 Cdn. This Spanish Cava was on my list last year and it’s back again as the best choice to stand in for a true Champagne. I’ve been buying it ever since Wine Spectator scored it a 90 back in the ‘90s, and the price has barely edged up since that first rave review. The wine has fine bubbles and a creamy texture, with notes of yeast, herbs and lemon zest. Quaffability Rating: 89

2) Château de Montguéret 'Crémant de la Loire' Brut Non-Vintage, about $15 US, $19 Cdn. As the name indicates, this wine is from France’s Loire region and is made from a blend of Chenin Blanc, Cabernet and Chardonnay grapes. It’s a winner for under $20, with tart flavours of lime rounded out by smooth stone fruit notes. Quaffability Rating: 90

3) Nino Franco Prosecco di Valdobbiadene Brut NV, about $15 US, $19 Cdn . Surging sales of Prosecco, the Italian version of Champagne as taking a big bite (or gulp?) out of the Champagne market and if you taste this Nino Franco, you’ll know why. For under $20, you get palette-pleasing small bubbles, racing acidity, green apple and unripe pear flavours and a long finish. Quaffability Rating 90

I’ll be drinking a traditional Champagne this year, since I received one as a gift: the Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Brut. We’ll see how it stacks up against my value list. Happy New Year.

Holiday Wine Guide 2009

2009-12-18T07:51:00.003-05:00

Here are some of the standouts from the year of quaffing. Buy them as gifts, enjoy them yourself while you cook or with family and friends.

At $15, the Château Pesquie Les Terrasses 2006 is a major steal. For starters, this wine has an appealing color, a rich, royal purple. Quaffability Rating: 90

The 3 Rings Shiraz 2006 ($25) really surprised me. At 15% alcohol, you’d expect a bit of fire on the tongue, but no, after taking in aromas of fresh-picked wild blueberry, blackberry, cut grass and cedar, I took a sip and found the wine’s tannins rolled over my palette like silk. It’s unexpectedly soft and supple, while maintaining an enticing complexity. Quaffability Rating: 92

The Mark West Pinot Noir 2006 ($24) blew me away for a couple of reasons. Most importantly, the wine is delicious, a true-tasting California Pinot Noir with aromas of juicy plum, dark cherry and damp soil. On the palate, the earthiness continues, along with brighter cherry flavors and oak. Quaffability Rating: 91

The Felino Vina Cobos Malbec 2007 ($20) from Mendoza, Argentina, has a really nice, crimson color, with aromas of cherries and blackberries and a hint of liquorice. It’s a meaty wine on the palette, bursting with intermingling flavors, each dancing alone briefly before merging with the whole. Quaffability Rating: 90.

If you can find it, splurge on the Joseph Phelps Le Mistral 2005 ($66), a stunningly complex Napa Valley Syrah. Quaffability Rating: 93.

The Morandé Gran Reserva Chardonnay ($22), has an intense golden hue. It almost looks like a dessert wine, which begins to make sense when you consider that about a quarter of the grapes used to make the wine were cryogenically frozen – simulating the icewine-making process. On the nose, aromas of tropical fruit mingle with honey and vanilla, and despite its rich, golden color, there is only a touch of sweetness on the palette, easily balanced out by a flinty acidity and citrus notes. Quaffability Rating: 89

The Hedonist Shiraz 2005 McLaren Vale ($20) With a name like The Hedonist, you’d expect this Aussie Shiraz to blow your socks off with tannic power, but instead the wine comes off as sophisticated and well balanced. This is not say there’s nothing hedonistic about it --- its aromas are intoxicating and every sip (or gulp) is pure pleasure. Quaffability Rating: 91

The Pasiteo Fassati Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2005 ($25) has an exotic nose of violets, cocoa, leather and concentrated cherries. The palette is equally enticing and complex, showing rosemary, plum, campfire smoke and tart cherries. The flavors linger forever. Quaffability Rating: 90

Chateau Côte Montpezat Côtes de Castillon 2003 ($20) The nose of plum, dates and rosemary leads to palette-pleasing array of interesting flavors, including smoky oak and more plums, and vanilla. Quaffability Rating: 88.

And for sparking wine:

For a mere $15 or so, the Crémant de Bourgogne Brut Blanc Moingeon tastes like a much more expensive Champagne. It’s made in the same style as its pricier cousin, using the “Méthode Traditionnelle,” but sells for considerably less than a decent bottle of official Champagne. Quaffability Rating: 90.

Cheers and happy holiday quaffing!

Wine Review: Goatfather 2008

2009-12-16T22:49:00.004-05:00

Goatfather 2008 ($15 Cdn, $12 US)

From the Goats Do Roam Wine Company of South Africa comes a rough-and-tumble Tuscan-style red produced a continent away from its homeland. The Sangiovese, Barbera and Cabernet Sauvignon blend has a good kick that’ll pair well pasta and meat sauce. The label bearing a grinning Don Corleone-esque goat, is almost worth the price of the bottle, but the wine is not very good compared to the winery’s signature label, Goats Do Roam and the even more impressive Goats Do Roam in Villages. It’s nevertheless a playful effort that will entertain party guests or Kris Kringle recipients. Sweet raisiny tastes and burnt tobacco flavors predominate.

Quaffability Rating: 85
Holiday Gift Rating: 89

Wine and Cheese Pairing: Pre-Holiday Cheer

2009-12-10T22:09:00.002-05:00

The Wine: Zolo Malbec Reserve 2006 (about $16 Cdn, $14 US)
The Cheese: Majorero goat’s milk cheese from Canary Islands

OK, I admit, there’s nothing holiday-related about this wine and cheese combination – it’s just good. The Zolo Malbec Reserve 2006 (about $16 Cdn, $14 US) has flavors of smoke, vanilla and oak. Black currant and dark chocolate and coffee beans lead to a very long, silky finish. You can almost breathe fire after drinking this wine, but it’s a well-balanced flame. A beautiful expression of the robust Malbec from Argentina.

Quaffability Rating: 90 (my third 90 in a row – what’s going on here?)

The Majorero goat’s milk cheese from Spanish island of Fuerteventura in the Canary Islands is firm, but a but will crumble upon demand. It has a nutty aroma and rich but acidic flavor. This one from Alex Farm Products in Toronto came with a paprika coating that gave it an extra zing to match the concentrated Malbec wine. The light colored and textured cheese looked like it would be crushed by such a big wine, but it’s not the case. The Zolo and Majorero match up just fine. In fact, I could drink and eat both all night.

Next week, a holiday wine-buying guide.

Finding the Right Wine

2009-12-10T07:13:00.003-05:00

Wine Marketing

Have you ever wandered through a wine shop, looked at row upon row of bottles and wondered what’s what? Unless you’re part of an elite group of wine connoisseurs, I’m sure this is all too common. Well, this story on the Adelaide Now site explains that the Australian wine industry has a new tool to try to tap into the U.S. market – and one of the major recommendations is better labeling with tags that describe the basic flavors. I’m sure this would go a long way to helping people pick the wines they want, without asking them to become sommeliers.

Wine Review

Speaking of flavors, today’s featured wine is packed with them. The Domaine Grand Veneur La Champauvins Côtes du Rhône-Villages 2007 ($20 Cdn, $16 US) is one of those French wines with a name that takes about as long to say as it does to drink, but it’s worth memorizing, or writing down, and seeking out. Kir, dark plums, tomatoes, black pepper and sweet and sour notes act in harmony to produce a meaty, spicy Rhône from the excellent 2007 vintage.

Quaffability Rating: 90

Coming Up...

Stay tuned for some holiday wine gift recommendations.

Name-the-Wine Contest by [yellow tail]

2009-12-08T09:44:00.001-05:00

Ever wonder who comes up with those crazy names you see on wine labels these days? Well, now it could be you. The playful Australian wine brand, [yellow tail], is hosting a contest asking fans to name their upcoming unoaked Chardonnay, which will be available in stores in the summer of 2010. Visit http://www.discoveryellowtail.com/ or the [yellow tail] Facebook page and submit your name idea for the wine, and the best suggestion will become the official name of the new wine. The winner will receive worldwide name acclaim, plus a free case of the wine ahead of its release. The contest closes tomorrow (December 9, 2009).

Wine and Cheese Pairing: Crasto and Piave

2009-12-04T08:04:00.002-05:00

The Wine: Quinta do Crasto, Crasto Douro 2007 (about $14 US, $16 Cdn)
The Cheese: Piave

I’ve reviewed a few other reds from Portugal’s port-producing region of Douro, but the Quinta do Crasto, Crasto Douro 2007 tops the lot. A rich, majestic wine, the Crasto is made from a blend of Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca, Touriga Frano and Touriga Nacional grapes. Chewy tannins and well-balanced acidity round out deep, dark fruit flavours and woodsy, spicy undertones. Wine expert Jancis Robinson pegged this one as a great value as well, so you don’t have to just take my word for it.

Quaffability Rating: 90

The Crasto paired decently with a Piave artisanal cow’s milk cheese from Italy that has plenty of citrus fruitiness while maintaining – like the wine – a rich texture. The wine was a bit much for this cheese, but it wasn’t overwhelming. The Piave’s sweetness meshes with the Douro\s Port-like fruit flavours. The cheese comes from the northern region of the province of Veneto and is named after the Piave River in that area. It does demand a rich wine, be it red or white, because the aging process produces a firmness similar to that of Parmigiano. While not necessarily the perfect combo, both the wine and the cheese were delicious enough to make it work.

Wine May Clean Teeth

2009-12-03T08:39:00.002-05:00

Here’s a study with some teeth: Researchers at Pavia University in Italy say drinking red wine in moderate amounts helps cleanse teeth of cavity-causing bacteria during and after meals. The study, which was done using non-alcoholic red wine from Veneto (too bad for the subjects), showed the wine effectively rinsed off the Streptococcus mutans bacteria from the subjects’ teeth. That common bacteria strain feeds on sugars in food and hastens enamel demineralization. Another Canadian study out of Lavel University in Quebec suggests that polyphenols found in red wine may prevent inflammatory gum disease.

Read more

In other “wine may be good for you” news, a controversial study done in Spain showed that small amounts of alcohol – the equivalent of a quarter of the glass of wine a day – can help prevent heart disease, but – and here’s the controversial part --- high levels of alcohol, up to a bottle of wine a day, had the same protective effect. Before you go out and start chugging a bottle of wine every night, the study doesn’t actually say there is no harm in this, as the only factor measured was the heart-protecting effect, which was shown not to diminish with high alcohol consumption. It’s nevertheless encouraging news for moderate wine drinking.

Read more

Wine and Cheese Pairing: Shiraz and Le Maréchal

2009-11-26T07:18:00.002-05:00

The Wine: De Bartoli Vat 8 Shiraz 2007 (about $13 US, $16 Cdn)
The Cheese: Le Maréchal, Switzerland

It’s amazing how good wine and cheese can taste when you’re hungry and thirsty. I ran home from work and then immediately got to work with this week’s wine and cheese pairing . De Bartoli’s Vat 8 Shiraz 2007 (about $13 US, $16 Cdn) matched up well with Le Maréchal cheese from Switzerland. On the nose, the Shiraz showed anise, cardamom, black pepper and cherry, and a peppery palette, with salty black liquorice (the Dutch kind). It’s a medium-bodied, easy-to-drink wine that cuts off a bit short on the finish, but exhibits nicely rounded initial flavors.

Le Maréchal, a Swiss cheese made from raw cow's milk, has a distinctive barnyard and herb aroma. It smells like barn hay that cows have been sitting in. A little funky, but somehow still an addictively pleasant smell. The cheese has some fruitiness that complements the peppery aspect of the Shiraz and the cheese’s manure and fruit flavours play off the cherry and liquorice of the wine. Neither have very long finishes, which makes you want more of both as soon as you've finished tasting them. Dangerous! A very good combo – especially after a run.

Wine Quaffability Rating: 88

Run for cover –Beaujolais Nouveau is here!

2009-11-20T07:33:00.001-05:00

It’s the third Thursday in November, so you know what that means? Beaujolais Nouveau is here! All over the world, lovers of the light, fruity French wine will celebrate the release of the season’s first wine at parties, festivals and various other events. While sales of the early-bottled, Gamay-based wine have plunged in France, emerging supporters of Beaujolais Nouveau are keeping worldwide business brisk.

What will I be doing to ring in the BN season? I’ll be drinking a wine from southern Italy – a Nero D’Avola, with rich, concentrated flavors. My review of Beaujolais Nouveau is simple – yuck. I can’t stand them. Yes, I have tried many BNs over the years and they are all more-or-less equally insipid to me. There’s nothing wrong with an easy-drinking, unpretentious wine, but the taste of these ones provides only a hint of wine – the equivalent of drinking a mass-produced light beer. Beaujolais Nouveau is the Coors Light of wine. It’s also a brilliant marketing ploy by the French government, which has created this artificial release date at the strike of midnight on the third Thursday in November. Quick, everybody consume!

If you need an excuse to party, a BN event is as good as any. But tonight, I’ll be raising my glass to the Sicilians.

Wine Review: Super-Sipping Shiraz

2009-11-19T07:30:00.002-05:00

Hewitson Ned and Henry's Shiraz 2007 ($20-25) succeeds in a department where many other Shiraz-based wines fall short: “sippability.” Yes, I just made up that word, but it’s not often you find a flavorful Shiraz that’s also easy to sip on its own. Australian winemaker Dean Hewitson named this one after his two sons, so you know he’s not going to mess around. The Ned & Henry's has a dark ruby hue and aromas of cassis, cloves, cinnamon, oak, ink and fresh road tar (that addictive smell when you walk past a construction crew pouring hot tar). Classic Barossa Valley Shiraz notes of brambly blackberries and other wild fruit pop off the palette, along with oak, spice, pencil lead and bitter chocolate. Oddly, the fine tannins and lively flavors remind me of cream soda - maybe because it’s so drinkable. My wife’s two-word rating: “Nice wine!” And I concur.

Quaffability Rating: 90

Australian Reds: A Blind Tasting

2009-11-13T08:21:00.000-05:00

A blind tasting of three Australian reds at different price points

The wines:
Peter Lehmann Mentor 2002 - $35 Cdn
Magpie Estate The Sack Shiraz 2006 - $20 Cdn
Hardys Bankside Shiraz 2007 - $15 Cdn

My friends Matt and Chris came over last night for a blind tasting of three Australian reds. Our mission was twofold: to enjoy some wine and to determine whether we could tell the different between three different price points ranging from $15-35. My wife Dianne joined us as well.

I wrapped the bottles in brown paper bags, marked them 1, 2 and 3 and off we went. After we tasted all three, we could all try to the guess how much each of them cost, knowing that one was $15, one was $20 and one was $35.

Bottle #1:
We all had trouble pulling aromas out of this one and the flavour profile wasn’t any more obvious. Chris said it smelled like low-VOC paint, I thought it tasted like watered-down blueberry juice, Matt said it was buttery but lacked flavour and Dianne tasted a hint of mince pie.

Bottle #2:
A couple of us noted sweet plum and pepper aromas and similar flavour on the palette. Dianne tasted figs and Chris called it “syrupy.” The flavours were much more apparent on this one, and the aromas jumped out of the glass compared to Bottle #1.

Bottle #3:
To me, this wine was a blockbuster in the aroma department. My immediate reaction was “Wow.” I noted walnuts, baseball glove, raisins, smoke and a fascinating mix of pineapples and exotic fruit. Chris immediately picked up smoke aromas and dark fruits and citrus on the palette. Dianne tasted Christmas cake, dark fruit and spice. Everyone liked this one a lot.

Now the fun part: guessing the prices. Matt and I both guessed the same bottles. We chose Bottle #1 at $35, figuring the pricey one would be smooth and subtle. We guessed Bottle #2 was the mid-level wine and Bottle #3 – our favourite – was the inexpensive one, as it had a rustic character. Dianne picked the price points based on what she liked, choosing Bottle #3 as the $35 wine, Bottle #2 as $20 and Bottle #1 as $15. Chris picked Bottle #2 as $35, Bottle #1 as $20 and Bottle #3 as $15.

The verdict:
Bottle #1: Hardys Bankside Shiraz 2007 - $15
Bottle #2: Magpie Estate The Sack Shiraz 2006 - $20
Bottle #3: Peter Lehmann Mentor 2002 - $35

The winner: Dianne

Matt and I were hoping we had found a great value in Bottle #3, but in this case, our preferences followed the price point.

Australian Wine Crisis

2009-11-12T08:04:00.003-05:00

Too Much of a Good Thing

Australia has too much wine. According to this article in Wine Economist (yes, there is such a magazine), the wine glut Down Under has risen to 100 million cases, and that number is projected to double in the next two years if demand doesn’t increase. According to a joint report released by two days ago by four Australian wine industry groups:

Structural surpluses of grapes and wine are now so large that they are
causing long-term damage to our industry by devaluing the Australian brand,
entrenching discounting, undermining profitability, and hampering our ability to
pursue the vision and activities set out in the Directions to 2025 industry
strategy.

Coupled with inefficient and/or inappropriate vineyard and wine
operations, oversupply is amplifying and exacerbating fundamental problems in
the industry, notably our decreasing cost competitiveness. As such it is
compromising our ability to adopt new pricing structures and market solutions
and adapt to changing market conditions.

Comprehensive analysis and consultation suggests at least 20% of
bearing vines in Australia are surplus to requirements, with few long-term
prospects. On cost of production alone, at least 17% of vineyard capacity is
uneconomic.

These structural problems in Australia echo those experienced in France a few years ago. You may remember reading about the massive amounts of fine Spanish and French wine being turned into industrial fuel. As a wine lover, this kind of news make my heart sink. You spend your hard-earned money on a well-crafted bottle, savoring every drop, only to read about 100 million cases of the stuff that could very well end up being destroyed. The E.U. implemented some changes to their system. Hopefully, the Australians can pull things together to stem their oversupply tide before their wine industry collapses.

In the meantime, I’m going to do my part in whittling down the oversupply by doing a blind tasting of Australian Shiraz tonight. Results will be posted here tomorrow.

Australian Pinot Noir

2009-11-06T07:23:00.002-05:00

My boss Dave (at my other job as a magazine editor) challenged me the other day to try and discern the difference between an $8 Australian Shiraz and a $15 or $20 bottle. He seems convinced that the Aussies have mastered the art of the inexpensive, generic-tasting Shiraz, and that it’s not worth it to move up from the sub-$10 level to spend twice as much for the same type of indistinguishable flavor. I’m not at all convinced that this is the case, so next week I’m going to do a blind tasting to try and figure this out.

In the meantime, I recently tasted a Rosemount non-Shiraz from Australia, based on a grape you don’t often see grown in the country: Pinot Noir. The Rosemount Diamond Label Pinot Noir 2008 (about $9) is a medium-bodied, fruit-forward Pinot designed for easy drinking and it is. If you’re expecting a complex, earthy wine, you’ll have to look elsewhere, but for those who enjoy fruity Pinot Noirs like those from New Zealand, the Rosemount is right on the mark. Luscious strawberry and cherry juice flavors dominate the palette, and a medium-length, smoky finish tapers off with soft tannins. The wine gets an extra point for having a cool bottle.

Quaffability Rating: 88

Wine Clubs

2009-11-05T10:52:00.003-05:00

Join the Club

Last week I had a chance to try a couple of the wines from the USA Today Wine Club. Both were very enjoyable. First up, the Père et Fils Syrah-Grenache 2007 from the Pays D’Or in southern France had a rich pomegranate aroma and spicy background notes. Supple flavors of raspberry and jammy plum are spiced up with some leather and white pepper. A nicely rounded, easy-to-quaff red. The Marlegan Cabernet Sauvignon 2008, falls into the same easy-drinking category. It’s medium-bodied, but the flavors are full, with New World toasty oak and blackberry all the way. Old World snobs may turn their noses up at this bottle, but everyone in our office tasting last week loved it.

If you’re not able to find these wines, you can either join the USA Today Wine Club, or consider signing up with a wine club that delivers to your area (if you live in Canada, for example). Since I wrote about wine clubs about a year ago, many more have launched. Here are a few options:

U.S.A.
The Wall Street Journal Wine Club
USA Today Wine Club
New York Times Wine Club
Cellars Wine Club
Vinesse

Canada
Winery to Home (http://www.winerytohome.com/)
Bring My Wine
Discover Wines
B.C. Wine Club

Wine Review: Sailing Off to Sardinia

2009-10-29T10:14:00.001-04:00

In this October tour of Italian wine, I’ve covered off a few interesting bottles from Puglia and Sicily. Now, it’s off to the island of Sardinia for the Crabilis Vermentino 1998 (about $11 US, $14 Cdn). Layers of ripe stone fruit, juicy pear and sweet apple mingle with lively unoaked acidity, creating a versatile white that can be appreciated on its own, but could pair up with chicken or whitefish. The Vermentino grape – an ancient variety planted throughout the western Mediterranean – is a welcome change from the norm.

Quaffability Rating: 89

Wine Review: The Original Bellini Sparkler

2009-10-23T10:19:00.002-04:00

Celebrate the end of the week with this classic Prosecco, a dry sparkling wine from northern Italy’s Veneto region. The Nino Franco Prosecco di Valdobbiadene Brut NV (about $15 US, $18 Cdn) is an attractive pale straw color, with floral, grassy and citrus aromas. A nice balance of fine bubbles and crisp acidity create a smooth mouthfeel (I hate that word, but I can’t think of a better substitute). The palette is dominated by green apple and straw. I called this wine a classic because it’s the same region listed in the original recipe for the Bellini cocktail that was served at Harry’s Bar in Venice in the early 1930s.

To make a Harry’s Bellini, mix ¼ cup (50 mL) chilled peach purée with 2/3 cup (150 mL) well-chilled Prosecco di Valdobbiadene. Put the purée in a chilled glass, top up with Prosecco, stir and serve immediately (Source: Vintages.ca).

Quaffability Rating: 89

Hoorah for Syrah from Puglia

2009-10-22T12:45:00.001-04:00

Italy produces so many interesting wines outside the famous areas of Tuscany and Piedmont. I highly recommend exploring other provinces of the country to discover a wealth new wine-tasting experiences. There are many local grape varieties beyond Tuscany’s Sangiovese and Piedmont’s Nebbiolo, but you can also find new spins on classic varietals, as I did with the Vignamaggio Suhaili Syrah 2006 (about $15) from Puglia. The province of Puglia comprises the “heel” of Italy’s boot shape at the southeastern tip of the country, and its dry, hot climate is perfect for big red grapes. The Suhaili Syrah has a subtle nose, but the flavors pour off the tongue in waves. I detected ripe plums, chocolate, freshly baked soft pretzels, basil, mint and pink peppercorn. Hearty tannins will match well with spicy meat. Pair it with grilled spicy sausages or meatballs in chili tomato sauce.

Quaffability Rating: 87

Red Wine Review: Second Fermentation First-Rate

2009-10-16T11:56:00.003-04:00

Ripasso, made from the second fermentation – or “re-passing” – of the Amarone grape skins, is a consistent value performer. The northern Italian powerhouse Amarone wines cost a pretty penny, so it’s nice to have the option of buying a wine made using a similar technique. The Remo Farina Ripasso Valpolicella Classico Superiore 2005 (about $15 US, $18 Cdn) exudes rich aromas of currants and cherries, and deep, rich flavors of earthiness, chocolate, plum and more cherry. A very smooth a flavorful wine, and a fine example of the Ripasso style.

Quaffability Rating: 90

Wine and Cheese Pairing: From Sicily to Belgium

2009-10-15T07:37:00.003-04:00

Wine: Fondo Antico Nero d'Avola 2007 (about $17)
Cheese: Maigre du Nord sheep’s cheese from Belgium

I have a weak spot for the Nero d'Avola grape. It’s named after the small town of Avola in the southeast tip of Sicily, but is now grown all over the island, mostly to produce big Syrah-like reds. In the late 1990s, I traveled across Sicily with my future wife and we have many good memories of drinking copious amounts of red wine made from the “Black of Avola” grape. The wines are usually loaded with peppery tannins reminiscent of Syrah, but with a distinctive stamp of southern Italian flavor. Sicilian wines have become more and more sophisticated in the decade that has passed since I was there, but they remain a great value. The Fondo Antico Nero d'Avola 2007 has a nose of pencil shavings, dark cherry, raspberry, black pepper and black leather. It has a tart and slightly bitter taste of liquorice, classroom eraser, black magic marker and minerals. Despite sharing good memories of Sicily, my wife Dianne wasn't a fan of this bottle, but I enjoyed it.

We paired the Fondo Antico, from the deep south of Europe, with a cheese from the other end of the continent – the Maigre du Nord from Belgium (15% MF). This low-fat, high flavor goat cheese softens the black pepper flavors of the wine, but has enough body and texture to punch through the mighty tannins of the Nero d’Avola.

Wine Review: A Taste of Tuscany

2009-10-09T11:30:00.003-04:00

Wine Review: Ornellaia Le Volte 2007 – about $23 ($28 Cdn)

A rich purple hue, the Ornellaia Le Volte 2007 is an austere Tuscan blend of Sangiovese, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, with perfumed aromas of matchstick, horse saddle, rose petal, raspberry and blackberry. Le Volte has an interesting mix of dark and bright flavors of juicy raspberries, cherry, leather and blackberry, and an underlying acidity that leads to a prolonged and pleasing finish.

Quaffability Rating: 88

Banfi Light

2009-10-08T10:36:00.001-04:00

Wine Review: Castello Banfi Col di Sasso 2007 (about $12 US, $15 Cdn)

Castello Banfi produces some outstanding – and often very pricey – Brunellos and other sumptuous Italian reds from the storied Brunello region of Tuscany. With a price tag in the $10-12 range ($15 Cdn), Banfi’s Col di Sasso 2007 is an easy-sipping, no-nonsense red that features a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese. It has attractive aromas of sour cherries, earth, marjoram, oak and eucalyptus. While it’s a little light on flavor, the wine has a good finish. Serve it with simple pasta dishes or appetizers. I drank it with a platter of Swiss cheese cubes, apple slices, grapes and chunks of bread.

Quaffability Rating: 88

Wine Review: A Rustic Rhône

2009-10-02T10:16:00.001-04:00

Terres d’Avignon Cardinalices Cotes du Rhône 2007 ($10)

Dipping down into serious bargain territory, the Terres d’Avignon Cardinalices 2007 ($10) doesn’t come close to the complexity and interest of yesterday’s featured Rhône wine, the Mas des Bressades Cuvée Excellence, but it’s still a good option if you’re on a budget. The nose has some cinnamon bread and dark fruit aromas, while the tasting unearthed a tannic punch of cassis, freshly ploughed farm soil (a little crazy, I know, but that’s what I smelled) and spice. It’s not perfectly balanced and it’s quite a rustic Rhône at 14% alcohol, so I’d pair this up with some hearty meat dishes. Overall, not a bad value for $10.

Quaffability Rating: 87

Wine Review: Excellent Excellence

2009-10-01T10:33:00.002-04:00

Mas des Bressades Cuvée Excellence Cotieres de Nimes 2007 ($15)

This well-respected winery is known for producing top-value Viognier-based white wines. While I haven’t tried their whites, I’m surprised more people aren’t talking about this red, the Cuvée Excellence. It really is excellent. The Syrah-based Mas des Bressades Cuvée Excellence ($15), from the western side of the Rhône Valley in France, is the color of dark cherries. On the nose, there’s star anise, cloves, chocolate sauce and blackberries. The first sip of the wine surprised me in its complexity. I was expecting fruit with hints of other flavors, but instead, I was treated to a fascinating mix of black olives, bitter chocolate, spices and some dark fruit mixed in there to round out the rest of the rich flavours. The tasting experience is capped off with a very long and satisfying finish.

Quaffability Rating: 90

Wine of the Week: It's a Biggie

2009-09-25T09:22:00.001-04:00

Kilikanoon Killerman’s Run Shiraz 2006 ($15), South Australia

The Kilikanoon Killerman's Run Shiraz 2006 is not afraid to show its outgoing personality. This intense red from South Australia has a deep, inky purple hue and concentrated aromas of bitter chocolate and blackberries. The interplay of dark fruit, leather, intense vanilla bean and black pepper will surely make you stand up and take notice of what you’re drinking. It’s not the kind of wine you sip at a party. This effort, by top Australian winemaker Kevin Mitchell, is like the kid who sits in the front row of class in school and knows the answers to all the teacher’s questions. If you’re into big Shirazes, the Kili will likely impress.

Quaffability Rating: 89

Wine and Cheese Pairing

2009-09-17T11:51:00.001-04:00

The Wine: Flat Rock Cellars Twisted 2008 ($15)
The Cheese: Testadura Italian goat cheese

The Flat Rock Twisted is a unique blend of 59% Riesling, 21% unoaked Chardonnay and 20% Gewurztraminer. Drinking it, I wasn’t sure whether it was sweet, sour, fruity or mineral-y. The truth is, it’s all of the above, which goes to explain why they called the wine Twisted. The surprising things is that it works – the wine is well-balanced and lip-smackingly delicious.

Paired with the Testadura goat cheese, the Twisted gets even more wonky, with the cheese bringing out more and more flinty and nutty flavors. The Testadura goat cheese is tasty enough to eat on its own or with crackers. Much like the last week’s “Drunken” sheep’s milk cheese, the Italian Testadura manages to be both crumbly and silky, with some good acidy to complement the Riesling components in the wine.

Château St. Jean Chard Shines

2009-09-11T09:43:00.002-04:00

An attractive pale gold color, the Château St. Jean Chardonnay 2007 ($15) has a dry nose of vanilla, butter, yellow plum and pear. The palette exhibits a great balance of honey, peaches and cream, with a hint of bitter citrus peel. Robert Parker’s review talks about mango and pineapple flavours, but I’m not getting those. I like the mix of tart acidity and silky richness. It has a very long finish with a rounded mid-palette, which makes it easy to sip. Serve with pork tenderloin or baked brie. A classic Sonoma at an affordable price.

For those of you in Ontario, look for this one in the Oct. 10 Vintages release.

Quaffability Rating: 90

Wine and Cheese Pairing

2009-09-10T12:54:00.001-04:00

The Wine: Château St. Jean Sonoma 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon ($30)
The Cheese: Cabra al Vino, “Drunken” Spanish Goat Cheese

The Château St. Jean Sonoma 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon ($30) is a classy California Cab, with intense aromas of blackberry, dark cherry and petunia, and a pleasing dose of wine-cellar oak. Maybe it’s because I’m watching the U.S. Open on TV right now, but I’m also smelling new tennis ball, like when you first pop open a fresh can of Dunlops. While I’m normally put off by intense oak, this wine has the backbone and structural integrity to stand up to the oak aging – 15 months in French and American oak barrels. Just as it does on the nose, the flavors hold together well, with a slightly sweet cassis core mingling with oak and black leather jacket. The blend of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot rounds out the complexity and tannins.

The Château St. Jean really elevated this week’s cheese, a Vino Cabra – or “Drunken” Sheep’s Cheese – from the Murcia region of Spain. The cheese has a beautiful, edible purple rind from being soaked for two to three days in red wine and then aged for 75 days. Because of the rind color, the Cabra has the appearance of a pungent cheese, but its flavor rather delicate. Like most sheep’s cheeses, it has a bit of a bite on the first taste, but the sharpness quickly gives way to a smooth and long finish. Along with a mouthful of the St. Jean, the Cabra’s flavors linger on and on, as the wine’s tannins take the cheese to new heights, filling in any gaps in the cheese’s flavor.

USA Today Launches Wine Club

2009-09-09T09:59:00.001-04:00

USA Today announced yesterday that My Wines Direct has launched the USA Today Wine Club as a destination for the newspaper’s readers and wine consumers to learn about and buy wines from around the world. The club will feature six bottles of wine each quarter for $69.99 plus $11.99 shipping. The wine club will also feature tasting panels by USA Today readers throughout the country, choosing wines for the club. The quarterly pack features wines sourced by experts and chosen by readers. Each wine is accompanied by tasting notes, interesting facts about the region and varietal plus a unique recipe to create a meal pairing.
For more info, visit: USATODAYWineClub.com or call 1-877-WINE-414.

Apologies to my Canadian readers - this one is only available in the U.S.

This Zin has Zing

2009-09-04T12:55:00.001-04:00

Clos du Val Zinfandel 2006 ($16)

The Clos du Val Zinfandel 2006 ($16) is an excellent steak wine for the tail end of the barbecue season. This is a Zin with a lot of character and refinement, which mostly manages to dodge the fruit-bomb effect that sullies some of the other California Zinfandels. Aromas of strawberry and raspberry intermingle with white pepper and anise, while a good swig reveals more strawberry, but this time with some cherries thrown in, along with tarragon, fennel and black pepper.

Quaffability Rating: 89

Wine and Cheese Pairing

2009-09-03T10:15:00.002-04:00

The Wine: Saint Véran Tastevine Mainson Chardonnier 2005 ($12)
The Cheese: Big Ed's from Homestead Creamery, Cleveland, Wisconsin

The Saint Véran 2005 white Burgundy will appeal to those who shun the excessive oak and butter that often dominates New World Chadonnays. It has flint and grapefruit on the nose and appealing mineral and floral notes on the palette. I paired it up with a great cheese from Wisconsin called Big Ed’s. The Saxon Homestead Creamery in Cleveland, Wisconsin, makes Big Ed’s in small batches and it’s obvious that they take great care in their craft. This cheese packs in a huge amount of flavor that is rounded out by a velvety texture. The hazelnut flavors of the cheese integrated wonderfully with the acid in the Saint Véran. Both the wine and cheese are medium-bodied (if there is such a thing as a medium-bodied cheese?), which made them fine partners. My kids loved the Big Ed’s – always a sign of a good cheese.

Wine Tourism

2009-08-27T17:27:00.002-04:00

For those of you who want to go a step further than drinking wine at home (or at the office), wine region travel is a fast-growing segment in the tourism industry. One trip I heard about recently is called Cycling through the Wine Roads of the Andes, a 10-day excursion with a small group to the wine regions of Argentina and Chile. Starting in Buenos Aires, the bicycle tour begins with visits to barrios, fine restaurants and wine bars, then heads off to Mendoza to sample the region’s Malbecs. From there, the group travels through the Andes over the border into Chile for more dining and wine-tasting. Trip costs start at $4,599.. The package can also be arranged as a private tour for a group or a family. For more information, click here.

There’s another interesting wine travel option in Oregon that starts with a contest. Travel Oregon has launched a “Cuisinternship” (pronounced: quiz-een-turn-ship) contest, which will award seven people with the opportunity to shadow a notable Oregon culinary personality in a week-long cuisine-internship. For wine aficionados, the winner of the Vintner category will learn winemaking techniques from renowned winemaker Lynn Penner-Ash. Entries will be accepted through September 18 at www.TravelOregon.com/Bounty. Applicants need to submit a short video, along with a statement of 140 characters or less saying why they are the best candidate for their dream job.

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Last night I tasted an amazing artisan cheese from Wisconsin, but I’m going to hold off on my review of it until I try it with the wine for next Thursdays Wine and Cheese Pairing.

An Office Wine Tasting

2009-08-26T17:05:00.003-04:00

While I was on holiday for part of August, I had my co-workers at the Toronto office do my wine-tasting job for me. A group of Captivate employees sat down and sampled two bottles of wine from Beringer’s California Collection, which I had left for them in the fridge. When I returned from my vacation, I found a little stack of tasting notes in my mailbox. Everyone said they had a lot of fun doing the tasting, and I think the wines I chose were perfect options for hanging around and socializing. Beringer says these California Collection wines “offer consistent quality for casual drinkers.” I visited the Beringer winery about 10 years ago while traveling through California with my wife. It’s a beautiful spot, and the wines I tasted there were spectacular, but pricey. This sampling is on the extreme value end, at about $7 a bottle each. So here we go with the results of the first-ever Captivate Toronto wine tasting (which, it should be noted, was not held during work hours). The following is a compilation of all the tasting notes from the six people who tried the two wines:

Beringer California Collection White Zinfandel ($7 US)

Color: Soft, misty, pink, rosé, velvety, clear

Aroma: Earthy, alcohol, chilled fruit, peach, strawberry, wine cooler, deceptively sweet aroma, white chocolate, candy, soft, light

Taste: Sweet candy, fruit, soft finish, tangy in the mouth but smooth going down, with a syrupy finish, smooth slow spice, citrus on a palette with a syrupy finish, tastes like icewine, too sweet, refreshing, charming

Beringer California Collection Pinot Grigio 2007 ($7 US)

Color: brilliant, sparkling, clear, sharp, bright, lemony, pale, like sunshine, glowing, shiny

Aroma: light, crisp, tart, tangy, refreshing, sweet, fruity, sharp

Taste: smooth, light, refreshing, fruity, tart, sharp, apple, citrus, smooth finish, earthy, bitter finish, flinty, pungent, long finish, clean

There you have it. Next time I’ll have to ask the group for some more explicit opinions about the wine, but when I asked everyone after the fact, they all said they enjoyed both bottles.

Brothers can you spare some wine?

2009-08-21T10:02:00.002-04:00

My all-American wine tasting extravaganza moves south from Oregon down the coast to northern Sonoma’s Russian River Valley for the Frei Brothers Pinot Noir 2007 ($16). I don’t usually favor heavier-style Pinots, but the Frei has a soft-enough texture that helps to balance out the slightly aggressive color and body. It has an exceptional balance of tannins and integration of flavor at this price point.

For the tasting, the dark color threw me off immediately, so I was expecting something harsh, but the delicate bouquet of cherries, mint, lavender and spice hinted at great things to come. I was pleasantly surprised at the first taste, which brought dark cherries, earth and oak. There were tons in interesting flavors, all of which were wrapped up in a neat package – nothing crazy, but very enjoyable to drink.

Quaffability Rating: 90

Next week, I’ll be writing up a review of two wines from Beringer. The catch? I didn’t taste them – instead, I had my co-workers try them when I was on holiday and write down their impressions. I haven’t read all of the tasting notes yet, but I’m interested to see if they all jibed.

Wine and Cheese: An Oregon Pinot and an Italian Sheep’s Cheese

2009-08-20T07:19:00.002-04:00

The wine:

The Quaffer’s tour of American wine begins in Oregon’s Willamette Valley with the Andrew Rich Pinot Noir Cuvee B 2006 ($25), and what a way to start with a bang. This wine shows all the seemingly contradictory things that I love about good Pinot Noir: the nose is floral and fruit-filled and smoky, while the color is a transluscent vivid red. You would never guess it had an alcohol content of 14.1%. The tasting mirrored the complexity of the bouquet, with strawberries, raspberries and cherries playing off some strangely appealing earthy flavors. It somehow manages to be both light and powerful at the same time.

The cheese:

I paired up the Andrew Rich with a similarly interesting cheese. Like the wine, the Savello di Roma sheep’s milk cheese was light and fruity but had a backbone of intense flavor. The texture started out very smooth, but maintained its integrity to the finish with a solid nutty flavor. The Pinot Noir shifts several times through phases of flavor, and when paired with a cheese that does the same, it’s pure genius.

Mercurey Rising: Tour de Vin Bonus Round

2009-07-31T10:38:00.002-04:00

My little Tour de Vin was a grand success. Drinking nothing but French wine for a month once again reminded me that I don’t drink enough French wine. There are so many different wines to try, I felt like I was just barely scratching the surface, so of course I’ll continue to incorporate French selections into my regular wine-tasting column.

For a study in contrasts, and as a foreshadowing of what may be Lance Armstrong’s Tour de France victory next year on the new RadioShack team, I’m going to go all-American in August – tasting wines and cheeses from the good ol’ U.S. of A. But before I embark on the new voyage, I’m making one last stop in Burgundy – after all, we are still in July.

The Château du Cray Mercurey 2006 ($19) is much lighter in color than the Pommard that I tried earlier in the month, with very fragrant floral and shitake mushroom aromas, along with some pencil shavings and a dash of cinnamon. The flavors are classic Burgundy: some good strawberry and cherry fruit, but also intriguing minerals and a wisp of hickory smoke. I found the finish a bit abrupt, but that doesn’t take away much from what is an excellent value Burgundy.

Quaffability Rating: 89

Wine and Cheese Pairing: Tour de Vin, Final Stage

2009-07-30T09:48:00.001-04:00

Spanish rider Alberto Contador cycled into Paris still wearing the yellow jersey to take his second Tour in France. So in homage to Contador’s victory, I’m ending my Tour de Vin tasting adventure with a Spanish wine and pairing it with a delicious Spanish sheep's cheese.

The wine: Fuentes Priorat Les Mines 2005 ($15) is a bold wine at 14.5% alcohol. The Grenache blend exhibits aromas of dark chocolate, dark fruit and spices. The name Les Mines refers to the terrain of the winery, which is built on an old mining territory with a slate and quartz mix, producing wines with intense mineral flavours and deep fruitiness. I liked the wine’s plum and bitter chocolate flavours, and its satisfying richness.

The cheese: I paired the Mines with a Don Heliodoro Romarin sheep’s milk cheese with rosemary rind. This fragrant cheese is a bit like a Manchego, but less crumbly. The texture is soft enough that you can slice it easily, but dry enough to create a nice, slight crumble in your mouth. It has a little kick to it, but it’s overly powerful. The rosemary rind infuses the whole cheese with a herbaceous flavor that melds well with other fruity and floral notes. The Romarin tastes good on its own, but its dryness begs it to be washed down with some good Spanish wine, which is exactly what I did with the Mines. The spicy, rich red takes the rosemary flavors of the cheese to new heights and the floral flavors of the cheese round out the boldness of the wine.

Cheers to you, Alberto.

Tour de Vin, Stage 6

2009-07-24T10:31:00.004-04:00

It's about time I hit Bordeaux. After a few weeks of zigzagging around French wine regions, I have finally arrived at the iconic area of Bordeaux. The Quaffer focuses on value wines, so I won't be tasting any Premiers Grands Crus Classés. Instead, I picked up a bottle of Chateau Côte Montpezat Côtes de Castillon 2003 ($20) and paired it up with an intense, earthy raw-milk French cheese.

Côtes de Castillon is a fairly recent appellation that is home to some good-value Merlot-based wines. The 2003 vintage was big success and the Montpezat shows it. The nose of plum, dates and rosemary leads to palette-pleasing array of interesting flavors, including smoky oak and more plums, and vanilla.

This would go well with beef tenderloin wrapped in bacon, but I matched it up with an incredible cheese, the Comté Arnaud, a raw-milk cheese made in the Jura mountains in the French Alps along the Swiss border. Arnaud's Comté takes 15 months to mature in its nesting place inside a natural cave system high up in the mountains. The site is actually a former Napoleonic fort and now houses some 40,000 giant wheels of Comté. And I saw giant because its the largest cheese in French, each wheel tipping the scale at 88 pounds. The cheese's deep, smoky flavors come to life when paired with the Montpezat. Hitherto unnoticed flavors of mushroom and spice come to the forefront. The wine has enough tannins to withstands the deep complexity of the cheese.

Quaffability Rating: 88

Wine and Cheese Pairing: Tour de Vin, Stage 5

2009-07-22T17:45:00.001-04:00

Crémant de Bourgogne Brut Blanc Moingeon and Saint Nectaire cheese

We’re back in Burgundy with a toast to the Tour de France riders who have survived the grueling bike race thus far. Only four stages remain: an individual time trial, a flat stage, a high-mountain stage and the finale in the Paris. To mix things up on the wine front, I tried a bottle of sparking wine from Burgundy that was recommended by Captivate’s resident French wine expert, Montreal editor Min Roman, who lived in Paris for 10 years. For a mere $15 US, the Crémant de Bourgogne Brut Blanc Moingeon tastes like a much more expensive Champagne. It’s made in the same style as its pricier cousin, using the “Méthode Traditionnelle,” but sells for considerably less than a decent bottle of official Champagne.

I paired the Crémant up with a Saint-Nectaire semi-soft cow’s milk cheese from Auvergne in central France. This is a subtly flavored, nutty cheese with some earthy notes. The fine bubbles in the sparking wine bring out some of the acidity in the cheese and accentuate the nuttiness. The cheese is mellow enough that it doesn’t overwhelm the fine floral aromas and pear flavors of the wine. Both the wine and the cheese have hazelnut flavors that complement each other. Overall, a very nice combo.

Tour de Vin, Stage 4

2009-07-16T19:09:00.001-04:00

So far, I’m enjoying this Tour de Vin, tasting nothing but French wine for the full month of July during the Tour de France. I normally favor Californian and Italian wines, so it’s a good excuse to push me into trying new things. And drinking wine is so much easier than cycling 2,200 miles.

For today’s wine, I splurged a bit and spent $30 on a red Burgundy: the Duvergey-Taboureau Pommard 2006 ($30 US). The Pommard region produces Pinot Noirs that are on the heavier side. You can tell this one’s going to be a more robust wine as soon as you pour it into the glass. It’s not quite as dark as a New Zealand Pinot, but it definitely has dark cherry hues. I sniffed out tart cherry and cedar on the nose. My first swig revealed more cherry, raspberry and pepper, and other taste brought out damp forest leaves and some hickory smoke. The wine’s racy acidity could use some smoothing out with a few more years in the bottle, but it does have some backbone of complexity that makes Pinot Noir such a special grape. It’s a palate-pleaser, but I expected more magic for this price. Try it with roast pork.

Quaffability Rating: 88

Wine and Cheese Pairing: Tour de Vin, Stage 3

2009-07-15T23:12:00.002-04:00

I’m running a bit behind the Tour de France race with my wine tasting tour. The cyclists are on Stage 12 and I’m still puttering along on my third French wine review, but I’m not far behind in location. Today’s wine and cheese combo features an affordable red from Côtes du Roussillon, at the southwest edge of France near the Spanish border. The riders climbed the Pyrenees here a few days ago en route to Barcelona. The appellation’s dry, hot summers can produce some equally dry and spicy wines, but the Château de Jau 2006 ($15 Cdn) is an uncharacteristically lightweight red with a bit a thin taste. It does have the advantage of being it approachable, but this bland blend of Syrah, Mourdevre and Grenache Noir didn’t do much for me.

I paired the Jau up with a Chaumes cheese, which is also from the southwest of France. My four-year-old daughter went crazy for this cheese, saying “Mmm, it’s like goo.” Chaumes is a very soft – and yes, gooey – cow’s milk cheese with a distinctive orange rind. The delicious fattiness of the Chaumes combined well with the dry Roussillon. The wine and cheese were both somewhat blah on their own, but together they brought out the good aspects of each. The cheese improved the finish of the wine and the wine injected some flavor to the cheese's creamy texture.

Le Tour de Vin

2009-07-10T10:28:00.001-04:00

Wine Review: Domaine Galevan ‘Paroles de femme’ Côtes du Rhône 2007 ($15)

As the Tour de France heads west into Spain, I’m going to start my own Tour de France of wine – which goinig to dub “Tour de Vin” – in the Rhône region in the southeastern region of France. The famous bike race passed near this area in the first and second stages – and the dramatic second-last stage of the race runs up the brutal Mont Ventoux, along the northern edge of the Rhône region. The area is very exciting for those who appreciate wine, with many different styles of wines packed into a small viticultural area.

The Domaine Galevan ‘Paroles de femme’ 2007 is from the major Côtes to Rhône region that produces.mainly rich reds from Grenache, Mourdevre, Cinseault and Carignan. For some reason it's called “Paroles de femme,” which translates roughly as "woman’s words." I don’t know the story behind that one, but the wine itself is just plain good. Violet aromas grow out of the glass and a swig quickly shows deep cherry, woodsy and herbaceous flavors. It’s not a stunning bottle, but for $15, it’s great to sip on its own on a warm summer day, or as a barbecue wine.

Quaffability Rating: 87

Wine and Cheese Pairing

2009-07-08T17:16:00.001-04:00

Louis Jadot Bourgogne Chardonnay and Mild Gouda

Light gold hues make the Louis Jadot Bourgogne Chardonnay 2007 ($18) shine out of the glass. Aromas of grapefruit, pear and vanilla float into the air with a good swirl. The flavors are supple, with a backbone of orange peel and lemon zest. This is an inexpensive way to enjoy the fruits of the Burgundy region from a fine producer that's celebrating 150 years in the winemaking business.

Try serving this bottle at a party along with some cubes of mild Gouda cheese, but make sure not to overchill the wine as it will mute the aromas. Even the mild version of Gouda has a bit of an acidic bite to it, which plays well off the mineral and fruit-zest flavors of the Jadot.

Wine Review: A Malbec to Remember

2009-06-26T10:34:00.003-04:00

Everyone has their favorite grape varietals. For my wife, it's Shiraz and Chardonnay. I'm partial to Pinot Noir and Sangiovese. When I see a bottle of Malbec on the shelf at the wine store, it's not the first thing I reach for. It's not that I don't like it - I've just never been that impressed with the grape. But last night, I tried a Malbec that really struck a chord: the Catena 2006 Malbec from Mendoza, Argentina.

Plenty of pleasing aromas of licorice root and sweet plum float easily out of the glass. It's a very smooth, medium-bodied wine, full of brambly berries and oak. The wine trails off into a silky long finish that will have you reaching back for another sip right away.Wine Spectator and Wine Advocate both give this one a 91. I like it, but I’m going to go one lower at 90. Still, the Catena has given me a new appreciation for Malbec. Now, I'll be much more likely to grab a bottle the next time I'm at the wine shop.

Quaffability Rating: 90

A Wine for Father's Day

2009-06-18T22:04:00.002-04:00

Kaiken Ultra Malbec 2006 ($20)

This is a beefy, dark-purple, manly wine, perfect for a Father’s Day barbecue. A powerful nose of blueberry jam, violets and cloves begs for immediate imbibing. Intense flavors of blackberries, tobacco and spice are rounded out by teasing floral notes that dance on the taste buds into a long finish. I can’t think of a much better way to celebrate Father’s Day than downing a bottle of Kaiken – with the help of a grilled, medium-rare rib eye, heavily seasoned with coarse salt and cracked black pepper.

Quaffability Rating: 89

Veuve Clicquot and Chèvre

2009-06-17T17:14:00.002-04:00

It’s easy to match up a sparking wine with cheese. Just about anything goes, with the possible exception of very stinky cheeses. Since sparking wines are usually served before the main course, a platter of cheese is a simple way to bring out some of the flavors of the brut.

I’ve heard that the Cowgirl Creamery’s Red Hawk triple cream cheese from Berkeley, California is a heavenly accompaniment to sparkling wine, though I haven’t been lucky enough to try it. But I can say that a nice bottle of Veuve Clicquot will go down very well with a rich chèvre. The contrast of the acidity in the wine and the creaminess of the cheese makes both taste better, and the Champagne’s micro-fine bubbles meld with the fat in the chèvre.

Making Sense of Wine and Cheese

2009-06-04T10:26:00.001-04:00

I recently read the classic wine book, Making Sense of Wine, by Matt Kramer. I’ll publish a full review of the book soon, but one of the highlights of it is a section at the end in which Kramer outlines food and wine matches. A short section of this final chapter is dedicated to wine and cheese, and Kramer offers some insights to the oft-misunderstood practice of pairing cheese and wine. There’s tradtion of serving the finest red wine with a meal’s cheese course, but Kramer argues that white wines will often pair better, as many big reds will overwhelm the nuances of delicate cheeses. If you’re like me and prefer red wines, the fact that many whites go well with cheeses will give you a chance to enhance the white wine experience by letting the cheese pairing add an extra element of interest.

Here are a couple of suggestions from Matt Kramer:

Ripe Brie with a flinty Sancerre
Munster with a bold Gewürztraminer

A no-brainer for wine and cheese is to keep the pairing within the same region. If the animals are grazing near where the vines are growing, the theory goes that you’ll get some of the same characteristics. The region’s climate and personality will both shine through in local wines and cheeses, so there’s a much greater chance of finding a better match.

Just like winetasting itself, wine and cheese pairing requires a sense of adventure and risk-taking. You don’t need to stick to the norms. Try something out and see what it does for you. That’s what I’ll be doing for my column next week.

Wine Review: Pasiteo Fassati Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2005 ($25)

2009-05-28T19:10:00.002-04:00

Vino Nobile – this is a Tuscan wine that never gets its due. Less well known than Barolo and Barbaresco, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano deserves to be recognized among the best wines in Italy. Primarily made from the Chianti grape – Sangiovese – and blended with some other local varieties, Vino Nobile is not to be confused with Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, which is a different kind of a wine and a different grape.

I reviewed a Vino Nobile last year that was decent but nothing special. This time around, I’ve found a much better example of this treasure of a wine, and at a good price. The Pasiteo Fassati Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2005 ($25) has an exotic nose of violets, cocoa, leather and concentrated cherries. The palette is equally enticing and complex, showing rosemary, plum, campfire smoke and tart cherries. The flavors linger forever. This is a powerful wine that could use a few more years of aging to soften the tannins, but still drinks well now. Vino Nobile won't appeal to everyone – it’s not an easy-drinking wine – but the Pasiteo Fassati is a delicious slice of central Italy.

Quaffability Rating: 90

Wine and Cheese Pairing

2009-05-27T16:49:00.001-04:00

Renato Ratti Torriglione Barbera d’Alba 2007 ($20) and Parmigiano Reggiano

Welcome to the first in a series of wine and cheese pairings on this blog. I decided to launch into this project in style by matching up a sour-cherry-flavored Barbera from northern Italy with some aged Parmigiano Reggiano slices. The Renato Ratti Torriglione Barbera d’Alba 2007 has a tart acidity that stands up to the sharpness of the Reggiano, and the bold fruit and licorice flavors complement the spiciness of the cheese. It’s sometimes assumed that you need an expensive wine to pair with pricey cheese, but this combo disproves this myth – at $20 a bottle, the Barbera is both affordable and easy-to-drink. A good chunk of Reggiano with cost about the same amount, but trust me, it will be one of the best $40 you’ve ever spent.

"Wine-tails" for Mother's Day

2009-05-01T15:20:00.003-04:00

The immensely gluggable Yellow Tail wine line is now producing two sparkling wines – a white and a rosé – that are sure to fly off the shelves of wine stores. I tried the sparkling white a few months ago at the wine expo in Toronto, and while it was the dead of winter, the simple, bright flavors immediately made me think of sun, beaches and patios. The people at Yellow Tail have taken the summer fun idea one step further and commissioned mixologist Trudy Thomas to come up with a series of “wine-tails” – cocktails based on wine – to serve for Mother’s Day brunch or spring and summer parties. I haven’t tried these out yet. If you do, let me know how they turn out.

SPRING & SUMMER WINE[TAILS]

ORCHARD TEMPATION
2 oz Yellow Tail Sparkling Wine
1 oz Absolut Pears
1 oz Apple Juice
1 oz Monin Vanilla

In a Cocktail Shaker with ice add all ingredients except Yellow
Tail Sparkling Wine
Strain into a Chilled Champagne Flute or Martini Glass
Slowly Fill with the Yellow Tail Sparkling Wine
Garnish with a Pear Slice or Mint Spring

EXOTIC TEMPTATION
2 oz Yellow Tail Sparkling Wine
1 oz Absolut Apeach
1 oz Cranberry Juice
1 oz Lychee Syrup or Puree

In a Cocktail Shaker with ice add all ingredients except Yellow
Tail Sparkling Wine
Strain into a Chilled Champagne Flute or Martini Glass
Slowly Fill with the Yellow Tail Sparkling Wine
Garnish with a Strawberry

FLORAL TEMPTATION
2 oz Yellow Tail Sparkling Wine
1 oz Skyy Vanilla Vodka
½ a Lime Pressed
1 oz Cranberry
1 oz Rose Sence Nectar

In a Cocktail Shaker with ice add all ingredients except Yellow
Tail Sparkling Wine
Strain into a Chilled Martini Glass or Champagne Flute
Slowly Fill with the Yellow Tail Sparkling Wine
Garnish with a Vanilla Sugar Rim and Edible Flower (Optional)
or Strawberry

SPICY LOTUS
2 oz Yellowtail Chardonnay
1 oz Zen Green Tea Liqueur
1 oz Monin Spicy Mango or Mango Puree
1 oz Lemonade

Shake and Strain into a Martini Glass
Garnish with a Strawberry
Note:For less Spicy Version Substitute Monin Mango Syrup or
Finest Call Mango Puree

LEMON MYRTLE
2 oz Yellowtail Chardonnay
1 oz Caravella Lemoncello
1/2 oz Monin Mojito Mint Syrup
1/2 Cointreau
1 oz Sour Mix

Shake and Strain into a Martini Glass
Rimmed In Sugar Garnish with a Lemon Wheel
Note: Could also be served on the rocks in a Wine Glass
rimmed in Sugar

BLUEBERRY WATERMELON
1 oz Yellowtail Sparkling Wine
1 ½ oz Stoli Blueberry Vodka
1 oz Monin Watermelon
2 oz Fresh Lemonade

Shake all ingredients in a Martini Shaker with Ice
Strain into the Glass (Chilled Martini Glass or Collins Glass with
Ice) Top with Yellowtail Sparkling Wine
Garnish with Fresh Blueberries

TRIPLE CITRUS
1 oz Yellowtail Sparkling Wine
1 oz Absolut Ruby Red
Spl Simple Syrup
½ oz Cointreau
2 oz Fresh Lemonade

Shake all ingredients in a Martini Shaker with Ice
Strain into the Glass (Chilled Martini Glass or Collins Glass with
Ice)
Top with Yellowtail Sparkling Wine
Garnish with an Orange Twist

Wine Review: Morandé Gran Reserva Chardonnay 2005 ($22)

2009-04-24T15:54:00.001-04:00

Morandé Gran Reserva Chardonnay 2005 ($22)

Here’s Lookin’ at You, Kid

This Chardonnay from Chile’s Casablanca Valley is intoxicating at first sight

Along the remote northern edge of the Chilean coast, the Casablanca Valley boasts ideal growing conditions for white wines, especially Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. With its cool climate and wide temperature variation between day and night, the region is often compared to California’s Sonoma Valley.

Leading the charge among a host of new producers in the area, the Morandé winery was established in 1996 by Pablo Morandé, who had actually planted the first wines in the region back in 1982. Since then, Morandé’s daughter Macarena has danced her way into the chief winemaking position, and is responsible for crafting the winery’s reserve wines. Not afraid the take chances, Macarena Morandé has been experimenting with blending batches of cryogenically frozen grapes into the mix, presumably in an effort to enhance the complexity and depth of flavor.

This week’s featured wine, the Morandé Gran Reserva Chardonnay ($22 – less in some U.S. states), has an intense golden hue. It almost looks like a dessert wine, which begins to make sense when you consider that about a quarter of the grapes used to make the wine were cryogenically frozen – simulating the icewine-making process. On the nose, aromas of tropical fruit mingle with honey and vanilla, and despite its rich, golden color, there is only a touch of sweetness on the palette, which is easily balanced out by a flinty acidity and citrus notes. The Morandé is a very interesting wine – definitely not your average Sonoma Chard – and worth a try to experience a taste of one of Chile’s most sought-after wine-growing regions. A stylish bottle rounds out the effort.

Quaffability Rating: 89

A Hedonistic, Biodynamic Wine

2009-04-17T10:09:00.001-04:00

The Hedonist Shiraz 2005 McLaren Vale ($20)

With a name like The Hedonist, you’d expect this Aussie Shiraz to blow your socks off with tannic power, but instead the wine comes off as sophisticated and well balanced. This is not say there’s nothing hedonistic about it --- its aromas are intoxicating and every sip (or gulp) is pure pleasure.

The Hedonist is also a biodynamic wine. Biodynamic agriculture is a form of organic farming that incorporates a spiritual aspect of the interrelationship of plants, soil and animals. This system dates back to Silesia, Germany in 1924, when farmers began noticing degradation of the soil and crops as a result of chemical fertilizers. The concept arrived in Australia only a few years later.

According to Fork & Bottle, there are currently at least 475 biodynamic wine producers in the world. Proponents say the method of winemaking, which often involves using natural manure, stuffing it into cow horns and burying it in the ground, generates better-tasting wines with clearer flavors and aromas, as well as healthier vineyards. Skeptics deride the mysticism that’s wrapped up in this type of farming, arguing that regular organic practices would have the same effect on the vines and wines.

Whether it’s the result of biodynamic spiritualism or just plain old attention to detail, The Hedonist is certainly worth its $20 price tag – no skepticism is required to enjoy this bottle.

Quaffability Rating: 91

Vaynerchuk Signs Book Deal

2009-04-02T16:36:00.003-04:00

As reported in the Wall Street Journal, Wine Library TV's Gary Vaynerchuk has signed a seven-figure deal with HarperStudio to write 10 books, the first of which will be published in September under the title, Crush It! Turn Your Passion into Profits in a Digital World. This is great news for "Vayniacs" but I hope at least one of those 10 books is focused on the wine tasting itself rather than the Twitter enthusiast's business success tips.

Wine Review: Pinot for the People

2009-03-24T17:27:00.003-04:00

Mark West Pinot Noir 2006 - $24

People’s Pinot

The Mark West Pinot Noir 2006 blew me away for a couple of reasons. Most importantly, the wine is delicious, a true-tasting California Pinot Noir with aromas of juicy plum, dark cherry and damp soil. On the palate, the earthiness continues, along with brighter cherry flavors and oak. The balance is exceptional, allowing the full range to flavors to shine through. You can get all of this for $24 (less in some U.S. states). While the label is fairly subdued, the producer has an interesting back-story – and quite a funny website. Using the catchphrase “Pinot for the People,” the winery had been making bargain Pinot Noirs since 2004 by blending premium grapes from different parts of California. Winemaker Alex Cose, who has previously worked with Montevina and Joseph Phelps, clearly has a good hand (and nose) for harmonizing this difficult-to-control grape. This is a great wine to drink on its own.

Quaffability Rating: 91

A Wine Review and a Tasting Game

2009-03-13T12:17:00.001-04:00

The Felino Vina Cobos Malbec 2007 ($20) from Mendoza, Argentina has a really nice, crimson color, with aromas of cherries and blackberries and a hint of liquorice. It’s a meaty wine on the palette, bursting with intermingling flavors, each dancing alone briefly before merging with the whole. I taste cherries, white pepper and wild mushroom. There’s a woodsy finish, but it’s not overpowering. This Malbec is intense and complex, but the flavors fit together like a puzzle. It has a nice bitterness that's balanced out by the fruit.

Here's a fun game to play: I like to taste a wine, jot down some notes about the color, aromas, flavors and structure, then google it to find other reviews online and compare. I'm often shocked at how close my assessments agree with others. Sometimes I feel like I'm making stuff up off the top of my head, having no clue if others drinking the same wine will agree with what I'm writing. Give the taste test a shot. Swirl the wine around in the glass, stick your nose right in there and in hale. Think hard about what you just smelled, then write the aromas. Next, take a good swig and roll it over your tongue, open up a little air hole in your mouth and pull a bit of air in, without swallowing the wine. Swish it around in your mouth with the air and write down the flavors you taste. Think about fruits, wood, vegetables, mineral and herbs. And there's no reason to stop there -- sometimes even off-putting flavors can be found it great wines, such as barnyard, petrol and leather. Happy tasting.

Here's one I found after writing my review above: http://www.klwines.com/detail.asp?sku=1041126.

No Cellar? No Problem

2009-03-06T16:29:00.002-05:00

Although I missed this year’s Wine Bloggers’ Conference in Somona, I did make it to a great local event here in Toronto, a tasting hosted by the Lifford Wine Agency for Canadian bloggers.

The tasting was held at the Fine Wine Reserve, a high-tech wine storage facility in the heart of downtown Toronto. After tasting a couple of dozen wines from around the world, including the stellar Joseph Phelps Le Mistral ($66.50 per bottle) Shiraz/Syrah blend from Napa, we took of tour of the storage area. The unmarked underground facility has three-foot-thick walls, double-door passcard entry and temperature- and humidity-controlled storage. It has a distinctly James Bond-like feel to it. Inside, thousands of bottles of wine are stacked in personal lockers that open up automatically when the client’s passcard is swiped upon entry. The Lifford Wine Agency also stores its wine there before shipping it off to clients. It was quite sight to look at millions of dollars of wine sitting in one place – some of it from the best years and the best producers in Bordeaux.

Fine Wine Reserve serves a wide range of customers. Some are condo dwellers who don’t have any cellar space at home, others simply have too much wine to fit into their cellars and need somewhere to store the overflow (wouldn’t I like to have this problem), and there are also small storage lockers for people who have some nice bottles they want to keep safe and sound. This is the only facility of this type in Toronto, and there’s similar one in Montreal. If you’re looking for somewhere dependable to age your wine, check to see if your city has one of these urban cellars. You pay a small fee per case every month.

Valentine Wine

2009-02-12T07:02:00.001-05:00

Is there such a thing as a romantic wine? I think so. Certain wines just have an allure that makes you want to share them with your significant other. Champagne is good, but there’s no reason to limit yourself to one style. For my first of a few Valentine wine picks, I’m going with a decadent Shiraz.

3 Rings Shiraz 2006 - $25

This wine really surprised me. At 15% alcohol, you’d expect a bit of fire on the tongue, but no, after taking in aromas of fresh-picked wild blueberry, blackberry, cut grass and cedar, I took a sip and found the wine’s tannins rolled over my palette like silk. It’s unexpectedly soft and supple, while maintaining an enticing complexity.

Last night, I went to a tasting put on for wine bloggers by the Lifford Wine Agency here in Toronto. I’ll talk about that soon, but wanted to mention that Steven Campbell, the president of Lifford, spoke about enjoying wines without having to rate them with arbitrary scores. I agree that you shouldn’t pick a wine solely based on whether Robert Parker gave it a high mark, but I also think it’s fun to think about how much I like a wine. My Quaffability Rating simply represents the degree to which I enjoyed the selection at the time I tasted it. As Campbell pointed out, it’s been shown that the same tasters will give identical wines wildly different scores on different days. So, without further ado:

Quaffability Rating: 92

Wine Review: Château Pesquie Les Terrasses 2006

2009-01-15T18:18:00.006-05:00

At $15, the Château Pesquie Les Terrasses 2006 is a major steal. For starters, this wine has an appealing color, a rich, royal purple. The nose is somewhat restrained, but I caught notes of herbs and spice. What it lacks in aroma, the Terrasses makes up in flavor. Blackberry, cherry, bouquet garnis, coffee, liquorice and roasted nuts all come together in an elegant package. This Rhône blend of 70 percent Grenache and 30 percent Syrah comes from the Côtes du Ventoux region, which has been pumping out consistent value wines for some time.

I used this bottle to test out the new Vinturi wine aerator. I wrote about this nifty little device in my stocking-stuffer column before Christmas, and found several credible reviews that raved about its ability to bring out the aromas and flavors in wine. So I drank a glass of the Terrasses with no Vinturi, wrote the review above, then poured another glass through the wine aerator to compare results. First of all, the Vinturi is just as cool-looking in real life as it is in the product shots. Secondly, when you hold the aerator over your glass and pour the wine through it, it makes this crazy sucking sound that is guaranteed to make you laugh. The result? For this wine, it worked, especially on the aromas, which as I mentioned were subtle on the regular pour, but really jumped out in the Vinturi glass. The palette was also far more pronounced and rounded.

Quaffability Rating: 90

Wine Review: Humberto Canale Malbec Gran Reserva 2006

2009-01-09T10:16:00.004-05:00

Malbec, originally a blending grape from Bordeaux, is enjoying its spot in the limelight in Argentina, where it thrives sunder the hot sun of the day and cool nights. Most Malbec-based wines are full-bodied, dominated by dark fruit, oak and spice, and, fittingly for meat-loving Argentinians, pair well with grilled beef. This week's featured wine is the Humberto Canale Malbec Gran Reserva 2006 ($20). As someone who enjoys big, meaty reds, this reserva really caught hold of my taste buds and didn't let go. The blackberry and plum flavors are almost overcome by the wine's charred wood taste. Despite the bold aromas and flavors, this Malbec has a satisfying balance and zip to it.

Quaffability Rating: 89

Post-holiday Drinking

2009-01-02T10:23:00.002-05:00

Now that the craziness of the holidays is over, you can finally kick back and enjoy some wine without the distraction of noisy relatives and hard-partying friends. I’m going to suggest something radical here – how about a post-New Year’s glass of bubbly? Chances are that when the clock struck midnight on January 1, you were too busy celebrating to detect the nose of pear and apricot on your glass of sparkling wine. So now’s your chance to make up for it by popping open that extra bottle of brut you have left over, or even buying a new one.

There are some great deals out there on sparkling wines if you stray outside the official Frnech Champagne region and head west to Spain, south it Italy, or across the oceans to Australia, America or Canada. One of my longtime favorites for value bubbly is the Spanish Cava, Segura Viudas Brut Reserva ($12). The Cavas from Spain are made using the same method as Champagne, but often sell for a mere $10-15. I bought my first bottle of Segura Viudas Brut about 12 years ago after it scored 90 points in Wine Spectator. The quality and price have stayed consistent ever since. The fine bubbles create a creamy taste. It’s a dry, refreshing wine, but is graced with complex floral and mineral notes that tease the senses. Give it a try, or crack open whatever else you have sitting on your counter, and enjoy the true flavors of the post-holiday sipping experience.

Top Wine Trends for 2009

2008-12-19T08:20:00.004-05:00

You would think winemaking, which has been around for thousands of years, would remain fixed in tradition, resistant to the shifting winds of other industries such as fashion, music and art. But no, wine is now fully immersed in the marketing business, and its appeal among a younger crowd is really shaking things up. And that's probably a good thing.

Here are some of the top wine trends for 2009, according to beverage marketing guru Kimberly Charles, founder of the San Francisco-based PR agency, Charles Communications:

Going Green "Organic, biodynamic, fair trade and sustainable offerings are continuing their upswing. It’s becoming more of a standard than a specialty but it still has a ways to go."

Alternative Packaging "Tasty, affordable wines are showing up in trendy, modern-designed boxes, tetra paks, aluminum bottles and lightweight glass."

Small is Beautiful "Sample sizes are not just for beauty products anymore. Many wines are being offered more often in half-bottles now for those watching their intake or who are being savvy shoppers."

It's a Small World After All "As the Internet has brought us closer, and as people who enjoy beverages travel and seek value, we are seeing more exotic wines showing up on wine lists from places such as Croatia, Uruguay, Turkey, India and China."

Raise the Wine Bar "It has been said that 'Wine Bars are the Coffee Bars of the 2000s.' Wine Bar concepts are exploding around the country..."

Here Come the Millennials "This of the most influential groups to affect the world of beverages... Many are price resistant, well-traveled, internet-savvy..."

Happy sipping in 2009.

Gift Wines: Vino Nobile

2008-12-11T10:16:00.003-05:00

It can be hard to find the right wine to buy as a gift for someone who has a cellar. You can to get something special, but don't want to spend a fortune. With that in mind, this week's wine gift recommendation is the intriguing Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. A big Tuscan red, primarily made from the Sangiovese grape, the Vino Nobile is less well-known than Chianti or the massive Brunello di Montalcino.

Having done a bicycle tour through Montepulciano in the late 80s, I have a special affinity toward the wine. It's opulent yet rustic flavors and big tannins allow the region's wines to age very well. Bottles usually range from $25 to $40 or more.

I recently tried the Lodola Nuova Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2005 ($25). It's a finely structured and silky wine, with a balance that allows you to enjoy all the flavors without too much cheek puckering. Other version of Vino Nobile are more bitter and potent, so this would be a good bottle to buy as a present. It would hard not to like this wine.

Wine Gadget: The Metrokane Vertical Rabbit Corkscrew

2008-11-28T11:13:00.003-05:00

The new version of Metrokane’s popular Rabbit corkscrew, the Vertical Rabbit, is an elegant device that makes cork removal a breeze. Simply place the Vertical Rabbit on top of any size bottle of wine, push the lever down and then lift it up again. It will pull out and eject the cork automatically in just three seconds. This model goes for about $60 and comes in three colors: black metal, gun-metal and candy-apple red (pictured).

The Vinturi Wine Aerator

2008-11-20T18:54:00.002-05:00

Let It Breathe: The Vinturi Wine Aerator

Over the next few weeks, I’ll be featuring some wine geek stocking-stuffer ideas. The first one up is an elegant little device called the Vinturi wine aerator. This is one of those products that might arouse suspicion among skeptics, but all signs point to credibility. This aerating accessory is designed to accelerate a wine’s “breathing” time and enhance its bouquet and flavors, allowing wine drinkers to enjoy the effects of decanting without waiting around for an hour or more.

I haven’t tried one out yet, but there are several favorable reviews online, and the Vinturi is certified for use and sale at more than 100 Napa Valley and Sonoma wineries

How to use it: Just hold the Vinturi over the glass and pour the wine through. The company says the device uses Bernoulli’s principle – that is, as the speed of a moving liquid increases, the pressure within the fluid decreases. The pressure difference in the Vinturi ostensibly draws in air, which is mixed into the wine for perfect aeration.

How to buy it: The Vinturi is available at http://www.vinturi.com/ and several retailers and wineries, for about $40.

Wine Review: Goats Do Roam in Villages 2007

2008-11-14T07:16:00.002-05:00

Wine Review: Fairview Goats Do Roam in Villages 2007, $16

The Goats Do Roam in Villages is one of those ideal bring-to-a-party wines. It has a funny name, a nice label, it’s not too pricey, and – most importantly – it’s a very good, approachable wine. The cheeky play on the French classic Côtes du Rhône-Villages gave me a good laugh the first time a co-worker told me about this wine a few years ago, and I was pleasantly surprised when I tasted it that the wine itself captured the same sense of playfulness as its title.

Made in South Africa on a goat farm, the blend of 80 percent Shiraz, 6.5 percent Pinotage and 3.5 percent Mourvèdre is aged separately in oak for 14 months and then blended and bottled with minimal filtration to maximize flavor. There’s a nice interplay of dark plum flavors, aromatic spices and a pleasing, not-too-harsh pop of black pepper. If you want something similar, but on the lighter side, look for the yellow-label of the Goats Do Roam (without the “in Villages”) – it’s a bit cheaper still, and is also a great party wine.

Quaffability Rating: 90

Wine Vacations: Sipping in the Sun

2008-11-12T18:36:00.003-05:00

Two weeks ago, I discussed corportate winery tours, so I thought it would be appropriate to follow that up with a post about how to add wine-tasting to your vacation.

Royal Hideaway Playacar, an all-inclusive resort on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, is offering a $7,000 wine class to visitors as part of a luxury vacation package. The experience includes a private wine class with Royal Hideaway’s wine expert, Olivier Cramail, a bottle of the rare 1986 Pétrus, and a dinner for two on the beach – paired with the wine, of course. As part of the tour, Cramail will take the participants on a tour of the resort’s wine cellar, followed by instruction on the art of wine selection, pairing wine with meals and appreciating the subtle flavors of each wine. To book the $7,000 Wine Class, call 1-800-999-9182. For reservations at Royal Hideaway Playacar, call 1-800-999-9182 or visit www.occidentalhotels.com/royalhideaway.

Of course, you can also visit any number of resorts in wine regions around the world. Wine Hotels Collection has a directory of wine resorts in Argentina, Spain, France, Chile, Italy and South Africa, with plans to include Germany, Australia and New Zealand in the future.

In the U.S., http://www.resortsandlodges.com/ has a listing of California Wine Country resorts and lodges.

If you want to make your own wine travel trip, http://www.winetravelguides.com/ provides specialized guides for independent travelers, written by respected wine and travel writers with inside knowledge of their region.0020

For a very special wine travel experience, consider heading to the Niagara Icewine Festival in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario in January. Celebrations of the famed Ontario icewine, which is made from frozen grapes harvested in the dead of winter, include gala evenings, ornate ice bars and winery tours. I’ll talk more about icewine later. In the meantime, enjoy your vacation -- if you're lucky enough to be taking one soon.

Join the Club: The Joys of Wine-of-the-Month Clubs

2008-11-06T19:23:00.006-05:00

As the holiday season approaches, I have the perfect idea for a gift that keeps on giving. Rather than buying a bottle or two of wine as a gift, consider a wine-of-the-month club membership. It’ll cost more, but it’s a great way to support the smaller winemakers, and – much like a magazine subscription – the person you give it to is going to remember your generosity every month of the year.

There are some complications with state borders in the U.S. and provincial restrictions in Canada, so ideally you should look for a club close to home, but some of the American clubs ship to most States. Here are some suggestions:

California Wine Club
You can order two-bottle packages for about $47, or monthly packages. Each comes with a 12-page newsletter. The founders wanted to replicate the effect of “one friend recommending a great bottle of wine to another friend,” taking the guessing out of wine selection.

Californiareds.com
This is another California wine club that obviously specializes in red wines.

Wine Insiders
The Wine Insiders club uses an expert panel to make their selections, buying the wines in large volume and “cutting out the middle man.” They offer a California Wine Club, World Classics and a Connoisseur’s package, all in the affordable price range of three months for $89-149.

Virginia Wine Club
The Virginia Wine Club is one of several clubs in smaller growing regions. This is a perfect way to sample wines that might not be widely available. From their website

“As a member of the Virginia Wine of the Month Club, you will be privileged
to savor an impressive array of award-winning Virginia wines...delivered
directly to your doorstep. As you delight in each month's wine, you will
also learn about the winery's history and the dedicated vintners who create
these wonderful wines.”

In Canada:

Winerytohome.com
This is a very popular club that delivers Ontario wine selections each month chosen by top experts such as Tony Aspler and David Lawrason.

BCwineclub.ca
In British Columbia, the B.C. Wine Club charges $60-80 per month, including all shipping and taxes.

This is just a sampling on the wine-of-the-month clubs out there. Many individual wineries will also have their own. I belong to the Hillebrand Winery's club in Ontario, and I like the surprise each month of opening the box to discover a new treasure.

Wine Review: Kenwood Pinot Noir 2006

2008-10-30T19:16:00.003-04:00

Wine Review: Kenwood Pinot Noir 2006 - $21

It’s back. The Kenwood Pinot Noir from California’s Russian River Valley is one of my favorites, but I wasn’t able to find it the past couple of years. On Sunday, I picked up a bottle of the 2006 and popped it open that night. I tried this wine for a first time about four years ago at a company party and was immediately stricken by its harmony of flavor. The 2006 lives up to previous editions, with a tinge of oak melding perfectly with well-structured dark-cherry flavors. If you can find it, grab a case. It’s the kind of wine you can give as a gift and be reasonably sure the recipient will love it.

Quaffability Rating: 91

The Vino Chapeau

2008-10-29T10:43:00.004-04:00

Because I’m fascinated by simple gadgets, I’m intrigued by a little product that's slated for release in mid-November called the Vino Chapeau. Here's what they say about it on their site:

Vino Chapeau discs are cling-enabled wineglass covers that double the
concentration of wine aromas. With their unique ability to cling to the rim of
your wineglass, Vino Chapeau discs remain secure as you swirl your wine. Made
from a high-grade polymer plastic, Vino Chapeau discs are completely reusable.
Thin and lightweight, they can be easily tucked into your purse or pocket.

I remember being amazed the first time I properly swirled a wine around in the glass and took a sniff. It makes a huge difference in the aromas that jump up into your nostrils. If this disc can amplify that effect, I’d give it try. An early report from Tom Wark’s Fermentation blog indicates that the hat does, in fact, do the trick.

Drinking and Blogging

2008-10-24T09:57:00.003-04:00

The subject of wine lends itself perfectly to blogging. OpenWine Consortium reports that four years ago there were fewer than 50 wine bloggers; today there are at least 500.

This weekend, more than 150 wine bloggers are meeting in Sonoma County for the first-ever North American Wine Bloggers Conference, put together by OpenWine Consortium and Zephyr Wine Adventures. I was hoping to attend this event, but couldn’t pull things together in time, so instead I’ll be covering some of the festivities remotely. The fact that the wine industry is wooing bloggers shows how influential they’ve become.

I’ve been meaning to link up a “Sipping and Surfing” list of some of my favorite wine blogs. Until I get them posted permanently on my main page, here’s a small taste:

Gary Vaynerchuk’s Thunder Show:
A highly entertaining and informative video blog from Wine Library TV. Vaynerchuk posts a video daily, and has a huge following of “Vayniacs.” My only complaint was that the episodes were too long, but they now offer a condensed version.

Vinography:
A hugely popular wine blog by San Francisco technology consultant Alder Yarrow.

Dr. Vino:
With a doctorate on the politics and economies of the wine industries in the U.S. and France, blogger Tyler Coleman compellingly dissects the business of wine.

The Pour:
Eric Asimov’s New York Times wine blog marries good writing with fine wine.

Traveling with Wine – the BottleWise Solution

2008-10-22T12:58:00.007-04:00

Now that liquids are prohibited in carry-ons, bringing a bottle or two back from a trip is risky business. My wife and I visited beautiful Victoria, British Columbia last week to run the marathon. While we were there, we tasted some fantastic B.C. wines from the Okanagan Valley on Vancouver Island.

I bought a bottle to take back for my parents, and was forced to pack it into my checked suitcase by rolling it up in some clothes. When I picked up my bag from the luggage carousel in Toronto, I half expected to see a red stain in the bottom and find a shattered bottle of Merlot mixed in with my clothing. I breathed a sign of relief when I saw that it survived the trip intact.

To take the worry out of checking wine in your luggage, the ingenious people at BottleWise have launched a line of wine travel bags. Their bags are specifically designed to keep a bottle of wine safe in checked-in luggage, using padded, liquid-tight packs. They also recently introduced a new version called the BottleWise Duo that holds two bottles, plus two very stylish limited edition two-bottle bags, the $65 Duo TX, made of Denier Cordura with accented trim, and the $125 fine-grained leather Duo LX. Both would make a perfect holiday gift for the wine-drinking traveler.

Real Estate Developments Pouring Out Wine Luxuries

2008-10-16T19:59:00.007-04:00

A quick peruse of the ads in Wine Spectator shows that wine enthusiasts tend sit in a comfortable salary bracket. Now some upscale real estate developers are wooing the ever-growing wine crowd with new wine-related amenities and storage facilities. It makes perfect sense when you think about it. If you’re a well-off wine lover living in a condo, why not have the developer help you out with some exclusive wine deals?

In Manhattan's Flatiron District, the Alma Lofts development just announced a partnership with James Beard award-winning sommelier Jean Luc Le Du titled, “Le Due’s Wines pour Alma.” Residents at Alma will enjoy:

Exclusive sommelier services to consult on wine pairings and suggest new, popular and hard-to-find wines
A seasonal case of select wines delivered to each of the 13 homes
And “The Alma 100,” a private collection of hand-picked wines for Alma

Not bad. It’s a shame the units are out of my price range at $6-10 million.

Other Manhattan developments are also pouring out the wine incentives. Residents of the Setai New York can buy storage space in a wine cellar near the exclusive Setai Club restaurant, and bottles can be delivered from the cellar to residents’ doors. They also offer state-of-the-art, in-home wine cooling systems.

At 15 Central Park West, they have 30 private climate-controlled wine rooms for up to 5,000 bottles, and a shared tasting room large enough for eight guests. They also have a wine tasting room over at 200 West End Avenue, offering regular wine-tasting events through a partnership with Wine Enthusiast Magazine. And for those who don’t have time to pick and choose their own bottles, SoHo Mews will offer the services of Centovini Restaurant’s sommelier to keep residents’ homes stocked with selections from the restaurant’s “library” of 100-plus Italian wines.

If these options are out of your budget, here are tips for storing wine if you live in a condo. Or, by contrast, if you’re looking to move into a house complete a stocked wine cellar, click here.

Pairing Wine with Music

2008-10-08T14:58:00.002-04:00

Pairing Wine with Music

In a follow-up to last year’s clever marketing campaign, California’s Wente Vinyards has launched a wine and music pairing for its latest vintage. Bottles of Wente wines will come with a list of wine-and-song pairings, and include an access code to download the featured songs for free.

As an ode to the Wente campaign, here is my general guide to wine-music matchups:

Chardonnay (unoaked) – Classical
Chardonnay (oaked) – Country
Sauvignon Blanc – Top 40
Pinot Gris – Adult Contemporary
Riesling – Euro Techno-Trance
White Zinfandel – Céline Dion (that’s right - she gets her own genre)
Cabernet – Classic Rock
Merlot – Reggae
Zinfandel – Blues or Hip-Hop
Pinot Noir – Jazz Fusion
Syrah – Gangsta Rap
Petit Syrah – Death Metal

There you go. So grab a bottle of California Petit Syrah, dust off your old Slayer CDs and taste the music. All joking aside, I do like the idea of pairing wine and music. Wine drinking involves all senses except hearing, so why not bring some music into your wine-tasting experience?

Wine Review: Villa Santera Primitivo di Manduria 2006

2008-10-03T12:02:00.000-04:00

Wine Review: Villa Santera Primitivo di Manduria 2006 ($18)

You may not have tried a Primitivo di Manduria before, but chances are you’ve tasted something very similar. That’s because the Primitivo grape, grown primarily in the southern Italian province of Puglia, is related to red Zinfandel. Despite its ancient-sounding name, Primitivo is relatively new to the region. The term Primitivo relates to the fact that the grape is known for ripening early – it’s not a “primitive” grape.

Interestingly, both Primitivo and Zinfandel appear to share a common origin in an almost-extinct, impossible-to-pronounce (for me, anyway) Croatian grape called Crljenak Kaštelanski. Researchers say this grape may have been introduced to Puglia in the late 1600s by some Dalmatian people who migrated to Italy. The question of how Zinfandel ended up in America remains a mystery.

This week’s wine pick is the Villa Santera Primitivo di Manduria 2006 ($18). There was definitely a Zinfandel quality about it, but it also had some other interesting things going on. On the nose, chocolate truffles mingled with strawberries and damp earth. The palette surprised me because it was so different from the aroma. I tasted black pepper, rosemary, bitter chocolate, fig and dark fruit. It was a little rough around the edges, but still a great value. I guess we can thank the Dalmatians for this one.

Quaffability Rating: 87

Trend Watch: Corporate Team-building with Wine

2008-10-01T16:40:00.005-04:00

Wine tasting ranks among the best corporate team-building events (no bias here). Our Captivate office in Toronto recently took a tour of some Niagara wineries. We learned a lot about the winemaking process at Lailey Vinyard, one of the smaller wineries near Niagara-on-the-Lake. Our tour was fairly unstructured, but some other wineries are doing some interesting things to attract corporate groups.

The Viansa Winery in Sonoma Valley not far from San Francisco (see photo above) has an interesting team-building program that involves corporate teams creating their own wine. For a minimum group of 12 or more (at $65 per guest) Viansa lets groups experience the creation of a new wine with their own custom-designed wine label. The goal of each team is to prepare the perfect blend using three component wines. After creating three trial blends, the team selects their "Master Blend." The wine, label and team spirit are then judged with prizes awarded to the winner in each category. Sounds like fun, so it’s no surprise that recent clients at Viansa include Google, Bank of America and Mercedes Benz.

If you work near a wine region and are organizing a corporate team event, find out what the local wineries have to offer. The combination of tasting wine, learning about winemaking and enjoying the vineyard setting will be sure to boost company morale in these shaky economic times.

Wine Review: Ornellaia La Volte 2006

2008-09-25T19:14:00.001-04:00

Wine Review: Ornellaia La Volte 2006 ($23)

The famous Ornellaia – made from a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot – will set you back about $150. I don’t doubt that it’s amazing. Wine Spectator rated the 2004 vintage the seventh best wine in the world last year.

I don’t have that kind of cash, but I did find a nice bottle from the same producer, for a more affordable $23. This week’s wine pick is La Volte 2006, a heavenly taste of the Tuscan coast. The wine is a well-rounded blend of Sangiovese (the Chianti grape), Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Both the aromas and flavour really jump out at you. There’s a lot of plum on the nose, and some forest-floor elements that remind of fall leaves. It’s not a huge, tannic wine, but is chock-full of intriguing flavors, such as campfire smoke, liquorice root and jammy, dark fruit. A first-class effort.

Quaffability Rating: 89

Product Review: Storing Leftover Wine in the PlatyPreserve

2008-09-24T21:46:00.003-04:00

How to Store Leftover Wine

I know, I know, it’s rare that you have any wine left over, but there are those times that you might start a bottle and only get halfway through. What are your options? You can pop the cork back in and drink it the next day. It’ll still be palatable, but definitely deteriorated. You can get one of those do-hickeys that sucks the air out of the top of the bottle and seal it with a vacuum. Those work fairly well.

Now there’s another choice for keeping the open bottle of wine fresh for many days. I got my hands on a sample of a PlatyPreserve, made by Platypus, a company known for water storage systems. I must admit that I laughed out loud when I first saw the thing. It’s essentially a plastic bladder that expands when filled with wine. You simply pour your leftover wine into the opening on top, put the cap on partway, squeeze out the air from inside, screw the cap tight, and voila, your wine is fully sealed with oxygen-free environment.

You feel a bit stupid pouring a decent wine into this plastic casing, but who cares. It’s not like you’re going to be serving it to guests the next day (hopefully not, anyway). I tried it out a few times, and it actually works stunningly well. The PlatyPreserve is easy to rinse out with hot water. The wine I tried was three days old and tasted perfectly fresh. It’s not the prettiest product, but I'm addicted to it because it works. At $12 a pop, it’s worth a shot – if you don’t mind pouring your Pinot out of a bag.

Red Wine and Multiple Sclerosis

2008-09-18T19:42:00.003-04:00

HealthDay News is reporting that resveratrol, a compound found in red wine, may help in the battle against multiple sclerosis. The research is preliminary and has only been carried out on mice, but scientists at the Univeristy of Utah say the results are promising.

In the study, Mice with an MS-like condition showed an initial weight gain after being given resveratrol, and reseachers say weight gain is a good sign because weight loss usually accompanies a deterioration in neurological function.

Several studies on animals have also linked resveratrol to a longer lifespan. Keep the reserach coming.

Wine Review: Quintus Ripasso Valpolicella 2006

2008-09-18T19:42:00.001-04:00

Wine Review: Quintus Ripasso Valpolicella 2006 ($17.95)

I love a good ripasso – the bastard cousin of Italy’s towering Amarone wines from the Veneto region. The problem is that it’s often hard to find a good one. Ripasso is made by adding the grape skins used to make Amarone to a Valpolicella, creating a second fermentation and higher concentration of tannins and flavor. Unlike Amarone, the price tag on a good ripasso won’t put a huge dent in your wallet.

This week’s wine pick, I’m happy to report, is a very good ripasso. The Quintus Ripasso Valpolicella 2006 has a nose of dark cherries, rusty nails and chocolate. The palette is silky rich, producing flavors of Glosette raisins. There’s a bit of heat, but the wine it’s not overwhelming. I could see this pairing well with glazed pork roast or roast beer. It’s certainly smooth enough to drink on its own as well.

Quaffability Rating: 91

Are You Allergic to Wine?

2008-09-16T20:28:00.002-04:00

Are You Allergic to Wine?

I worked at a wine shop for a couple of years, and I can’t tell you the number of times customers told me they couldn’t drink red wine because they were allergic to sulfites. While I never doubted that they had a reaction to something in the red wine, I was skeptical about the sulfites claim, so I did a little digging in the library (this was pre-Google) and discovered that a true sulfite allergy is quite rare. So, how to explain the adverse reactions to red wine?

Almost 20 years after my initial research on the subject, there are still many unanswered questions. This recent article on ABC News cites a study in Northern Europe in which 8 percent of those surveyed said wine causes them to have an allergic reaction. Complaints range from headaches to a flushed face to a runny nose. Since there are only a tiny number of documented cases of people being allergic to the actual wine grapes, the oft-cited target for blame is sulfites, which occur naturally in wine, but are also added to prevent early spoilage.

Poor sulfites always get the blame, since winemakers are required by law to list them on the label, but the wine labels don’t tell the whole story. Researchers found that only 1 percent of people react to sulfites, and even then, the sulfite levels in red wine are much lower than in dried fruit. So if you can eat dried apricots without a reaction, but get a headache from wine, you are probably in the other 7 percent of people who react to something else in the wine other than sulfites.

There several other compounds found in wine that could lead to reactions, including histamines, which are in higher concentrations in red wines, and could cause allergy-like symptoms. Egg whites are another potential allergen used in the winemaking process, sometimes dropped into wine barrels in very small amounts to remove cloudiness.

In an inflammatory article in the U.K. Telegraph, the reporter quotes Malcolm Gluck, author of the book The Great Wine Swindle, as saying that “Many, many wines are no better than alcoholic cola. You get artificial yeasts, enzymes, sugar, extracts, tannins, all sorts of things added.” It’s not surprising to learn that a lot of plonk contains bogus ingredients, but I’m willing to bet than most of the bottles sold in North America in the $10-30 range, are legit, which is not to say that people won’t still have adverse reactions to them.

Wines are complex – that’s why we love them. Unfortunately, that complexity comes with a price for some people – headaches (and I’m talking about the non-hangover variety) and itchy eyes. Until there’s more conclusive research about what’s causing those reactions, your best bet is to try a little bit of the wine to see if you react, rather than simply shunning all reds because you had a bad reaction of one of them. And unless you’ve been diagnosed with a bona-fide allergy to sulfites, don’t immediately jump on them as the culprit.

Wine Review: Bellingham Dragon’s Lair 2005 ($20)

2008-09-12T12:20:00.002-04:00

Bellingham Dragon’s Lair 2005 ($20)

14.5 percent alcohol
Blend of Shiraz, Mourvedre and Vionier
Aged for 18 months in the barrel

This South African wine crafted near the mountains in the valley of Franschoek, where the legend of St. George and the dragon was born. In a gimmicky bit of marketing, the producer says Dragon’s Lair captures the mystery and enchantment of the famous era. I hate wines that stick cute animals on their labels (hello, Yellow Tail), but I’m always game for a good story behind a wine that gives it a sense of place. If a local legend inspired Bellingham to make a good wine, all the power to them.

Dragon’s Lair is a blend of 88 percent Shiraz, 10 percent Mourvedre and 2 percent Viongier. Tasting this wine, I had the distinct impression that the winemaker took considerable care to come up with the perfect mix of grape varieties. The nose is concentrated and complex, but not too harsh. I get some wild blueberries and chocolate on the palette. It has a surprisingly acidic zing to it, with some quite a bit of red grapefruit, which is in very interesting for a Shiraz-dominated wine. Despite its threatening-sounding name, Dragon’s Lair is very approachable.

Quaffability Rating 88

Wine Critic Robert Parker Faces Defamation Charges

2008-09-10T16:38:00.004-04:00

Could this be the Judgment of Paris II?

The Associated Press reported that renowned American wine critic Robert Parker is facing preliminary charges in Paris for alleged defamation against his former assistant, Hanna Agostini. French officials speaking on condition of anonymity said the charges stem from Parker’s comments on his website that Agostini “could end up stagnating in prison” for alleged forgery charges she faces in a wine-trafficking case revolving around the Belgian wine trader, Geens.

It’s a soap opera. Parker, the former Baltimore lawyer who has his nose insured for a million dollars and is now known as the “Emperor of Wine,” fired Agostini in 2003 amid allegations of false accounting. Last year, Agostini released a scathing biography on Parker in French, entitled, Robert Parker: Anatomie d’un Mythe (Robert Parker: Anatomy of a Myth). In it, she accuses the wine guru of several indiscretions, including discrepancies in his ratings, recycled wine reviews, and cozying up to Bordeaux producers.

Obviously incensed by Agostini’s thrashing of his integrity, Parker allegedly wrote some comments about her on his website (I didn’t see them), and now faces defamation charges. I have some opinions on the subject, but I’ll keep them to myself for fear of French lawsuits. But I will say that this story sounds much more appealing than the schlocky plot of Bottle Shock, and I can see Alan Rickman doing a mean Robert Parker impersonation.

Wine Review: Terra Andina Altos 2005 Syrah Cabernet ($19)

2008-09-05T10:00:00.005-04:00

With a distinctive nose of roast lamb and sauerkraut, I know right away that the Terra Andina Altos 2005 Syrah Cabernet is going to be an interesting wine. Something about the aroma reminds me of a hearty meal. On the palette, I detect blueberries, spicy sausage, green pepper and the distant hint of cow manure, but in a good way. It’s a crazy mix of flavors, but it works. The Terra Andina would pair well with spiced lamb, sausage or meatballs.

The offbeat, concentrated flavors of this 75-25 blend of Syrah and Cab would be off-putting were it not for a well-rounded structure and backbone of fruit. If you want a standard Chilean Cab, don't buy this wine, but if you're ready to jump off the cliff and embrace something thrilling, grab a bottle of Terra Andina.

Quaffability Rating: 88

How Long to Age Wine?

2008-09-03T15:51:00.002-04:00

My dad, who has a nice collection of age-worthy wines, often opens up a bottle and says, “This one needs a few more years,” or, “This one’s over the hill.” Managing a wine cellar, even a small one, is not an easy task. Every bottle has its own optimal date range for consumption. Drink it too soon and you might get harsh tannins and unripe fruit; wait too long and the flavor is lost forever.

WineEducation.com has a good rundown on wine aging. The last line of the article is probably the most important point: the only way to know if the wine is ready to drink is to taste it. If you buy your wine by the case or half-case, this allows some room for trial and error. Open a bottle and if it needs more time (tannins still a bit rough, fruit to powerful), let the rest of the case sit for another year and try again. That way you get to taste the evolution of the same wine as it ages – a fantastic experience that really highlight the fact that you’re drinking something that’s still alive and ever-changing.

If you don’t have cases of wine to experiment with, check out WineAging.com’s searchable guide, which lists the optimal year to pop the cork out (or unscrew the top). CellarNotes.net also has a chart to use as a general guide.

Personally, I’ve found the over-the-hill wines much more disappointing than under-ripe bottles. When you’re expecting something great from a wine that’s been lying down for decades, and all you get is a bland experience, it’s a real letdown. Drink a wine too young, on the other hand, and it’s still bursting with flavor – it might make your cheeks pucker, and it won't be as complex as it could be, but it still has potential for greatness. So when in doubt, just drink it, and if you’re lucky, you’ll hit the wine aging sweet spot.

Wine Review: Delta Vineyard Pinot Noir 2007 ($23)

2008-08-22T13:04:00.002-04:00

Delta Vineyard Pinot Noir 2007 $23

As the most widely planted red grape in New Zealand, Pinot Noir is a major focus for winemakers in the country. Delta Vineyard in the Marlborough region planted the fickle grape on clay soils in the south of the valley and used top French clones. Winemakers Matt Thomson and David Gleave say they found the perfect Pinot spot in the “delta” of a triangular hill near Blenheim.

This week’s wine, the Delta Vineyard Pinot Noir 2007 ($23), is a top-notch wine. The price tag may sound steep for the bargain hunter, but it’s worth dropping an extra few bucks for a taste of a fine New Zealand red. Most of the New Zealand Pinots I’ve tried to date have been too fruity and too dense.

Under good light, the Delta is the color of candy apple, and I get a hit of candy apple on the nose as well, along with wine gums, but there are also some classic Pinot earthy elements to the aroma. The mid-palette brings out dark cherry juice and some mushroom. A joy to sip.

Quaffability Rating: 90