Taster’s Diary

Michael Vaughan
Friday, May 2, 2008

Welcome to Friday First
What a week! Having just returned from Rioja with a carryover case of Spanish flu, I was confronted by a series of massive tastings - almost every day this past week. Next week gets worse, what with all the Santé events. Hopefully, I will be feeling up to the challenge.

Upcoming tastings not to be missed include Germany Wines with Jazz, which features over 100 German wines as well as some German food. Held at the Roy Thomson Hall (60 Simcoe Street) on Tuesday, May 6th from 7:00 to 9:00 pm - tickets are $50 per person or $45 for wine club members. For more information contact Ron Fiorelli at 905-815-1581 or email info@GermanWineCanada.org, or visit www.germanwinecanada.org to order tickets. Sommeliers should plan to attend the invitation-only afternoon trade session from 2 to 5:30.

If there is a single winemaker dinner event that excites me, it’s the one taking place on Tuesday, May 6th at Globe Bistro. While not part of Santé, it features one of Canada’s most exciting white wine producers – a tiny new winery called Hidden Bench that has been producing some truly top notch wines since 2005.

Organized by sommelier/co-owner Ed Ho of Globe Bistro (124 Danforth Avenue), it features winemaker Jean-Martin Bouchard and Hidden Bench owner Harald Thiel along with some of their stellar wines. To see the dinner menu click here. It starts at 6:30 pm and a few seats remain at $125 per person. For reservations or more information call 416-466-2000.

In this vein, I should add that three Hidden Bench whites and one rosé are part of the upcoming Discover Ontario Vintages release of May 10th. Three of the four wines being presented are definite destinations. Don’t miss Hidden Bench 2006 Estate Fumé Blanc Rosomel Vineyard (68825) is being released at the winery this weekend (May 3rd). It’s a *** (out of three stars) knockout at $ 28.00. Light yellow colour, it sports a fairly intense, spicy, key lime pie nose with some hints of slightly sweet butter and warmed brioche. On the palate it is intense, very flavourful, well structured and medium-full bodied with bright, key lime pie flavours with an extremely long, lingering, toasty, bright finish.

I also awarded *** to their remarkable Hidden Bench 2005 Estate Bottled Chardonnay (68817). Light yellow colour, it has a very intense, complex, slightly toasty, ripe lemon-key lime pie nose. The palate is rich, medium-full bodied, and very well structured with harmonious, ripe plum and key lime pie flavours and a faintly smoky, vanilla-tinged, lingering, slightly spicy finish. It shows exceptional integration with great acidity, but is too complex for seafood. If you want to wait till next Saturday you will have to pay $35 at Vintages. Let me suggest that you order it today on the Hidden Bench website where it goes for only $30! To check it out click here (a minimum of six bottles are required for any order).

Last but not least is the terrific Hidden Bench 2006 Locust Lane Rosé (68833) at $18.00 (now sold out at the winery), which I awarded the highest rosé score of the year **+/***. This very tasty blend of 70% Pinot Noir, 15% Syrah and 15% Malbec has a medium reddish rosé colour. It has a complex, intense, spicy, slightly smoky, baked ripe plum and dried strawberry nose. On the palate it is dry, harmonious and medium-full bodied with fairly intense, well-structured, plummy and ripe cherry flavours with a long, lingering finish.

Looking back, Monday, April 28th was the Toronto edition of the California Wine Fair. At the enormous 16th annual “Toast to California” Royal York trade luncheon I sat with Zoltan Fekete owner of Kylix Wines. It all seemed like a LCBO-California love-in. God knows how much money California poured into this massive promotion? In a world of me-too-ism, I am happy to report that Zoltan specializes in some of the pricier, more esoteric wines – things that are often found in some of Toronto’s chi-chi restaurants.

I wasn’t disappointed with the first white tasted, Tandem 2004 Porter-Bass Chardonnay which was a *** zinger ($54.95 and coming up in the August 16th Vintages release). It has a very intense, bright, toasty, key lime pie and rhubarb-tinged nose with some hints of pineapple. It is huge on the palate with a whack of lemony, key lime pie flavours that go on and on. It was paired to Brian Fannings delicious smoked salmon and overall the best menu to date – especially for the numbers involved. Call Zoltan at 905-882-1999 for pricing on this awesome Chard.

Porter-Bass Vineyard: Biodynamics has now become quite popular, but in the far west of the Russian River Appellation in the cool, steep hills near Guerneville, one normally sees this applied to easier crops to grow in the cold and damp, such as Redwoods and sheep. Continuing their biodynamic farming, the Porter-Bass family also continues to amaze. The 2003 Chardonnay was almost identical in flavor profile to the 1997 vintage, when Greg La Follette (owner/winemaker of Tandem) made these grapes into the most highly rated Chardonnay of the year from Wine & Spirits (95 rating), a 93 rating from The Wine Spectator and were chosen as “Artisan Winery of the Year”, anchored by Sue and Dirck’s tireless and responsible work with the soil. The Rued (musque) clone, at the top of the vineyard and basket-pressed the old-fashioned way instead of membrane pressed, is always absolutely right-on with its combination of floral notes and feral, attitudinal in-your-face aromas. The Wente clone provides the backbone and structure on the mouth, with deep peach tones to add to the cacophony of aromas. The heat of 2004 tended to not affect this far-flung vineyard, with flavors and timing of picking continuing along in a blessedly orderly manner!  

April 26th Vintages Best Buys

Michael Vaughan
Friday, April 25, 2008

Welcome to Friday First
Tomorrow’s Vintages April 26th Release a Tasting California - Napa/Sonoma Wine Trip thematic featuring 30 selections. The 117-items include 17 In-Store Discoveries, which are coded as ISD – note that Vintages does not permit wine writers to taste these ISD releases). All recommended wine have been tasted twice.

To see our Ratings, Drinkability & Cellaring Table click here
See LCBO store availability by clicking on the name of the wine

Best Buy Whites
There are a number of destination Chardonnays in this release. One of the best values is Henry of Pelham 2006 Barrel Fermented Chardonnay (V 268342) at $19.95 which a VQA designation from the Niagara Escarpment. It rated **+ out of three stars and weighs in with13.5% alcohol. Very light yellow colour, it has a complex, intense, rather toasty, ripe lemon-melon purée nose. On the palate it is dry, well structured and medium-full bodied with toasty, ripe lemon-melon flavours along with some key lime notes on the fine, long, lingering, slightly cedary, pineapple-tinged finish.

From California’s Sonoma County, the best buy is Dry Creek Vineyard 2006 Fumé Blanc (V 277715) at only $14.95. It rated a respectable *+/** and has 13.5% alcohol. Light straw in colour, it has fresh, lively, grassy, yellow grapefruit aromas. This Sauvignon Blanc is very crisp and medium to medium-light-bodied  on the palate with slightly grassy, yellow grapefruit flavours accompanied by lingering, very tangy finish. Note that the last time it appeared in Vintages was on July 26, 2003 at $25.95 for the 2001 vintage.

Another rendition of Sauvignon Blanc, this time from the Loire, is Domaine Bonnard 2006 Pouilly Fumé (V 65987) at $21.95 with a very respectable rating of **/**+. It has 12.5% alcohol and an extremely pale straw colour. The message here is delicate - a very slightly honeyed, ripe lemon-melon nose and crisp, medium-light bodied, slightly spicy, very gently grassy, ripe lemon-melon flavours. A great oyster wine and perfection with fresh fish.

There are two great In Store Discoveries in this release. The first is the delicious Marchesi di Frescobaldi 2006 Benefizio Pomino Bianco (ISD 332247) at $35.95. It always sells out immediately and I am disappointed that it didn’t appear in Vintages last year and with the minuscule order of only 50 cases of six bottles. It scores **+/*** and seems to be getting better each year. The 13.5% alcohol is quite seamless - dry, harmonious and well structured with lovely, lingering, dried ripe Anjou pear flavours. Move quickly on this one. I love it with poultry, especially roast chicken.
 
With the upcoming German Wine Fair – Wines with Jazz set for Tuesday, May 6th at Roy Thomson Hall (click here for information), nothing beats the Spring-like quality of a great Riesling. For fans, make a beeline to this oldie but goldie. There are only 75 cases of the *** ISD Schloss Schonborn 1997 Riesling Kabinett Hattenheimer Pfaffenberg (ISD 70946) at $17.95 available. It’s sweet, lively and delicious with mineral tinged, lingering, melon-lime flavours. With only 10% alcohol, still lively acidity and fresh fruit flavours, it is a makes for a perfect, gently sweet aperitif.

Best Buy Reds
Forget the overpriced 2001 Solaia (**+) at $154.95, the best buy red is my *** release highlight Caymus 2005 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (222877) at $79.95. It weighs in at 14.5% with an extremely deep intense purple colour. The nose is very attractive with plums, ripe cherries and dark chocolat notes. On the palate it is intense, medium-full bodied and extracty with fairly juicy, dried black cherry, cassis and chocolate flavours and a long, expansive, cedary finish. Decant if you plan to drink soon. I would much prefer to have two bottles of this as compared to a single bottle of the Camus 2005 Special Select, which at $155.95 (***) is almost twice the price.

Another reliable ** buy from Spain is Miguel Torres 2004 Selección de Torres Celeste (672691) at $19.95. It comes from Torres vineyards in Ribera del Duero and is 100% Tempranillo. This is the third Vintages release of the 2004. It has a very deep intense purple colour and complex, slightly cedary, warm, baked plum and ripe black cherry nose. On the palate it is dry, quite well structured and medium to medium-full-bodied with harmonious, ripe plum and baked black cherry flavours and a lingering finish. It offers great versatility and is ready to enjoy with grilled meats.

Finally, from the last release don’t miss this great Rioja - Muga 2004 Reserva (177345) at $23.95. There is an extensive inventory still available. It shows lots of **+ class. It weighs in with 14% alcohol and has a very deep intense purple colour. The nose is intense, complex and cedary with lots of baked plums. On the palate, it is dry, harmonious, medium to medium-full bodied and fairly extracty with cedary, ripe plum and mocha flavours along with a lingering, balanced finish. It is even a bit better than the recommended 2003 released on September 1, 2007.

If you wish to receive the April 26th Edition of Vintage Assessments and get the complete list of exactly what’s worth buying (and avoiding) become an FBTI Supporter today and have our April 26th issue and my personal Shopping List sent to you TODAY click here