Taster’s Diary:
From Canada Day
to July 5th Vintages Release

Michael Vaughan
Friday, July 4, 2008

It was a beautiful July 1st. My first wine for Canada Day 2008 was a CEV (short for Colio Estate Vineyard) CEV 2006 Sauvignon Blanc (**+ out of 3 stars). It has a lovely, gently honeyed, spicy, ripe ruby grapefruit nose with hints of rhubarb jam! I am sure that you have heard the expression “mouth watering” – well this is nose watering. One sniff and you want to attack. It’s dry but not austere with medium bodied, ripe ruby grapefruit flavours and a gently honeyed, refreshing, lingering, juicy, lemon-melon finish. A perfect starter for a warm summer day and, at only $15.95, terrific value. At present, it is only available in Colio stores or at the winery (click here to see).

Congrats to CEV winemaker Tim Reilly on this 100% Sauvignon Blanc which comes from their Lake Erie North Shore (LENS for short) vineyards. Only 1,100 cases were made. Harvested on September 26, 2006 at 20.5 brix, it has a modest 12.2% alcohol and an undetectable wink of sugar (2 grams which translates into a a zero sugar rating). In fact, the impression of slight sweetness comes from the ripeness of the fruit. There is a subtle hint of fresh cut grass and no herbal, peppery notes (which some love and others hate). The bottling date was the 142nd day of 2007 and the code appears on the upper part of the glass bottle as AUL7142. It has a whopping 7.0 total acidity explaining its freshness.

The second white was Dopff & Irion 2006 Gewurztraminer (81463) at $15.95 from Alsace. What a revelation – it also scored **+. It has a slightly sweet, honeyed, juicy, ripe lychee-melon nose and very attractive, fairly dry, crisp, harmonious, honeyed, lychee flavours. It is a shame that the agent, in this case Charton Hobbs/Authentic, isn’t proactive in getting newly-released wines to Canadian wine writers for assessment. The case of 2006 was purchased last week, but when i tried to get more only the untasted 2007 was on the shelf.

The third wine was Peninsula Ridge 2006 Cabernet Rosé Beal Vineyards (8581 General List) at $12.95. This VQA Beamsville Bench has 13% alcohol and a Tavel-inspired, slightly orange-pink colour. It has a bright, dry, ripe yellow grapefruit and dried strawberry nose with a hint of spicy plums. On the palate it is crisp, dry and fairly-light bodied with gently plumy, dried strawberry flavours and tangy crancherry finish. It’s fairly good (*+) but not up to last year’s recommended 2005 (**), which sold at $14.95.

The first red tasted was Colio Estate Vineyard CEV 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon (**/**+ out of 3 stars) also available at the winery for $21.95. In three words: complex, earthy, crancherries. It is deep dark red in colour with complex, gently earthy, plums, sandalwood and stewed black cherries on the nose. On the palate it is very dry and quite harmonious with medium bodied, slightly spicy, white pepper, plums and sun dried crancherry flavours and a lingering slightly earthy, dusty, vanilla-tinged finish. It actually reminded me a bit of a mini, slightly rustic (think of mushroom risotto), Chateau Gruaud Larose, a Saint Julien coming from the right bank the Medoc region of Bordeaux.

This 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from LENS vineyards was harvested at 21.4° brix, spent 10-14 days on the skins and has 12.7% alcohol. Only 820 cases were produced. Unlike the Niagara Peninsula, 2005 was a good year terms of yield.

The second red tasted was a *** In-Store Discovery coming out on July 19th. The identity is being revealed to FBTI Supporters who will have first crack on buying the limited number of cases on release.

The third red was a reference bottle of Robert Mondavi 1998 Napa Valley Melot  (released in Vintages on February 9, 2002 at $39.95) came from my refrigerated cellar, which I keep at a very chilly 39ºF (or about 4ºF). The reason? To maintain the freshness because the higher the temperature, the faster the maturing process. I received it from the then-agents Maxxium. I have to admit that I have not received (nor requested) a Mondavi since 2004 when the agency was transferred to Churchill Cellars.

My initial note reads: Fairly deep purple colour.  Gently spicy, leafy, cocoa-directed, red pepper purée nose.  Plummy, solid, dry, gently spicy, minty, red pepper flavours with some dusty cherry notes on the lingering finish.  A reasonably successful, albeit not inexpensive, effort from a challenging vintage. Initially scored ** and raised to **/**+.

Tasted again on July 1, 2008 (scored ***). Lovely, ripe plum nose with hints of mocha and cherry. Well balanced, harmonious, medium bodied. well textured, rich ripe plum flavours with some dark fruit, mocha and cherry notes on the lingering finish. Quite delicious.

On Thursday, June 3rd,  I went to Terroni restaurant where I met Mr. Gianni Masciarelli. I tasted some of his most recent releases courtesy of STEM Wine Group. I was most impressed (***) with Marina Cvetić 2005 Trebbiano d’Abruzzo ($44.95), which has been awarded the Top 100 Wines of the World for 2007  and 93-points by Wine Enthusiast Magazine. It was first produced in 1991 from 55-year-old vines at an altitude of 385 m. It is complex, slightly spicy, mineral-tinged, ripe lemon and dried Anjou pear nose with a hint of cedar. Lovely on the palate – medium to medium-full bodied, very well structured, ripe lemon-pear-lime flavours. With a Trebbiano like this, I had to wonder why anyone would want to buy the identically-priced 2005 Chardonnay.

Other impressionable wines were the Villa Gemma Montepulciano d’Abruzzo both 2001 and 2003 at $71.95 (I preferred the 2001) and Marina Cvetić 2004 Montepulciano d’Abruzzo at $29.95. The entry level white and red were ok, but I had to wonder about the Marina Cvetić 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon at $79.95. Only 6,800 bottles of the latter are made and, for my taste, it is the Italian varieties that showed best. For information call Robert Tomé at 647-444-2099.

Available today – Some Vintages July 5th Best Buys:

Recommended - Best Buy
**/**+ (out of three stars)
Marchesi de’ Frescobaldi 2007 Attems Pinot Grigio
# 707950 • $19.95
DOC Collio
300 Cases of 6 • 13% • Lot: L8074 • Sch Age
Light yellow colour. Spicy, honeyed, lush, ripe melon-pear nose. Zesty, dry, medium bodied, slightly honeyed, spicy, ripe lemon-melon-pear flavours with a crisp, lingering ,vanilla-tinged finish. Better than the ** 2006 released on July 7, 2006 at $20.95. The 2006 and 2007 have both have 13% alcohol. Drinkability: { N S SM }

Recommended - Best Buy
** (out of three stars)
Zenato 2007 Lugana San Benedetto
# 707158 • $15.95
DOC San Benedetto
700 Cases • 13% • Lot: L648 • Cip Win
This 100% Trebbiano di Lugana (a.k.a. Trebbiano Veronese) has a very light yellow colour. Lovely, honeyed, ripe grapefruit aromas. Medium to medium-light bodied, attractive, slightly honeyed, well balanced, dry but not austere, honeyed fresh melon flavours with hints of grapefruit on the lingering finish. The recommended 2005 (*+/**) was released on January 20, 2007 at $13.95. Drinkability: { N S SM m }

Recommended
*+/** (out of three stars)
Frescobaldi 2007 Castello di Pomino
# 65086 • $18.95
DOC Pomino Bianco
200 Cases • 12.5% • Lot: L8059 • Sch Age
This blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Blanc has a light yellow colour. Spicy, bright, ripe lemon-melon nose with a faint hint of vanilla. Dry, bright, harmonious, medium bodied, ripe lemon-pear flavours with a lingering spicy finish. A bit lighter than the Recommended 2006 (**) released on June 23, 2007. Drinkability: { N S SM }

Recommended
** (out of three stars)
Monção 2006 Alvarinho deu la deu Vinho Verde
# 40642 • $18.95
DOC, Sub-Região de Monção
150 Cases • 13% • Lot: L1803072 • Ter Win
This 100% Alvarinho has an extremely pale straw colour. Slightly spicy, light, ripe lemon-melon nose. Dry, medium to medium-light bodied, slightly spicy, tangy, ripe, lemony, melon flavours with a very crisp finish. A repeat, albeit more recent bottling, of the 2006 released on September 15, 2007 at $18.95. Drinkability: { N S SM }

Release Highlight - Best Buy
**+ (out of three stars)
Finca Sophenia 2003 Reserve Malbec
# 66837 • $16.95
Tupungato, Mendoza
600 Cases • 13.5% • Lot: L-8056-373 • B&W Win
Extremely deep intense purple colour. Lovely, complex, slightly smoky, black cherry purée nose. Dry, medium bodied, delicious, well structured, ripe cherry flavours with a long, lingering, very slightly smoky, smooth, mocha finish. Remarkable value and absolutely ready to enjoy.  Drinkability: { N S SM }

Recommended - Best Buy
**/**+ (out of three stars)
Beronia 2006 Tempranillo Elaboracion Especial
# 723643 • $18.95
DOCa Rioja
1000 Cases of 6 • 14% • Lot: LXT170A082 • Rus Woo
This 100% Tempranillo has a very deep intense purple colour. Lush, slightly spicy, buttered toast, cherry plum nose with some smoky vanilla-mocha notes. Fairly tangy, dry, medium bodied, spicy, gently juicy, plummy-cherry flavours with subtle hints of cedar and smoke. An easy-to-drink smooth, wide appeal,versatile style. Not your average Rioja. Drinkability: { N S SM m }