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Matua 2005 Marlborough Riesling
Now only $10.95 (Regular General List Price $15.95)
for details click here
Saturday, June 21 - Wine at the Castle This event will feature a fine wine tasting, exquisite food and an exclusive live and silent wine auction. The proceeds of this event will support the Las Nubes Program of the Fisher Fund for Neotropical Conservation, Faculty of Environmental Studies, York University. Held at Courtyard of Berkeley Castle - 250 The Esplanade, from 1:00 to 5:00 pm. Tickets are $95 per person. For reservations, contact York University Foundation at 416-650-8200, for more information click here.
Monday, June 23 - Portuguese Wine Dinner Held at EDO restaurant - 484 Eglinton Ave. W., starting at 6:30 pm. Price is $95. For more information and reservations contact Shin Nakamura at EDO at 416-322-3033 or click here for the reservation form. To see the menu click here. |
Today in Vintages
June 21st Release
 Michael
Vaughan
Friday, June 20, 2008
REDS:
 There are some very decent buys on the shelf today in tomorrow’s June 21st Vintages release. From Portugal’s Douro, check out Caves Alianca 2005 Quinta dos Quatro Ventos (902742 - $19.95) with a **/**+ (out of three star) rating. This blend of Tinta Roriz, Touriga Nacional and Touriga Franca was aged for 12 months in French and Russian oak and weighs in with 14% alcohol. It has an extremely deep intense purple colour and spicy, ripe plum nose with some hints of dried red cherry and a touch of sandalwood. On the palate it’s dry, spicy, harmonious and medium bodied with gently juicy, plums, ripe red and black cherry flavours and a lingering, sandalwood finish. Terrific value here, it’s ready to enjoy today – especially a BBQ steak.
 From South Australia’s McLaren Vale Tatachilla 2004 Keystone Shiraz/Viognier (673889) is a fine ** buy at $18.95. It has rather intense, mouthfilling, extracty, plummy, firm, black cherry flavours with a lingering, rather high acid, cedary, slightly spicy finish. It has a convenien screwcap closure and is ready to enjoy with BBQ ribs.
 A neat half-bottle from Spain’s Penedes region offers lots of pleasurable accessability. Miguel Torres 2003 Gran Coronas Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon (626721 - $9.95/375 mL) is a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Tempranillo.
This well structured, rather juicy, plummy ripe red cherry flavoured effort rated a strong **. It comes from the Penedès region just west of Barcelona.
SPARKLING:
 Also from this region is a delightful sparkling pink Codorniu Brut Cava Pinot Noir Rosé (665372) really good value *+/** at only $16.95. This 100% Pinot Noir has a bright light reddish pink colour. It is fairly dry, bright and slightly honeyed with fresh, plummy, dried ripe strawberry flavours and a crisp, refreshing finish. Made in the classic Champagne method. Try it, you’ll like it.
WHITES:
 A great new ** release from Ontario’s Niagara Peninsula is Jackson-Triggs 2006 Delaine Vineyard Riesling (17509) at $19.95. It has a very light yellow colour and fairly intense, gently spicy, ripe lemon-melon nose. On the palate it is dry and medium to medium-light bodied with fairly intense, well balanced classy, slightly lemony, melon and ripe apple flavours with a bright, crisp, ripe apple finish. A great refresher that gets better every time I taste it.
 My best buy **+ release highlight is Thomas Fogarty 2006 Gewurztraminer (66878 - $21.95). This Monterey County effort is extremely impressive. It has a whopping 14.5% alcohol and rather forward medium-light yellow colour. The nose is very intense and complex with lychee-driven, honeyed, slightly buttery, hazelnut notes. On the palate: complex, intense, and mouthfilling with rich, just off-dry, honeyed, very spicy, lychee-lemon meringue flavours and a lifted, long, lingering finish. It comes in a screwcap closure. I find it hard to believe that it goes for as little as $12 a bottle in the US. Despite this incredibly low price, it’s still terrific value. I am constantly irked by dramatically overpriced California wines currently being featured in Vintages. Is there a conspiracy between the California suppliers and the LCBO to keep prices unreasonably high in Canada? Without an ounce of competition, it the Ontario customer who really loses out!
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