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Gifts from the Easter Bunny
Tedeschi's Outstanding Valpolicella Classico Superiore

Who said great wine buys are hard to find? I’m looking at today’s Vintages release and feel that there really is an Easter Bunny. Plus, I am happy to report that he (or is it she?) shown up early with goodies a full day ahead of time in today’s release. Thankfully I have had the opportunity of tasting them twice, meaning that I can dispense with “hot and cold” guessing games.

If I had a single wine to drink from today’s release, it would be Tedeschi Capitel Dei Nicalo, a 14.40 Italian red. And that’s a problem because no matter how hard I try, I can’t think of a single Easter culinary delight to accompany it. My own Sunday choice would be a juicy rib steak sizzling from the barbeque.

This red isn’t new to Vintages - it has appeared before and is a consistent best buy. Its last appearance was October 6, 2001 when 350 cases of the 1997 flew through the stores. Unfortunately, LCBO order takers failed to nail down the 1998 in time during last year’s Vintages purge. So instead of the 1998, which is incorrectly listed in the Catalogue, we have 400 cases of 1999.

The good news is that Tedeschi 1999 Capitel Dei Nicalò is truly great. The nose is sensuous and complex - it exudes slightly smoky, autumnal, earthy, chestnut purée, baked ripe plums, figs and prunes. While dry on the palate, there are those teasing, slightly earthy, sweetish, ripe plum and figgy-prune flavours. It’s well structured, harmonious and medium full bodied with a solid lingering finish. It is so tasty that I much preferred it, at least for current drinking, over a $97.50 Amarone, also in today’s release!

This wine is named after Nicolò Tedeschi who founded the winery in firm in 1824. It is now in the hands of the fifth generation and includes oenologist Ricardo Tedesch, who not only deals with wine production, but also exports.

This Valpolicella Classico Superiore is a thoughtful 30-30-30 blend of Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella along with 10% Molinara, Rossignola, Oseleta, Negrara and Dindarella. Despite its 13.6% alcohol level, it has the finesse and flavours often found in a higher priced Ricioto (which requires 14% minimum).

The key is the traditional Veronese technique of raisin-drying the grapes. Essentially what happens is that grapes are placed in wooden crates for about one month where lose about 8-10% of their weight. They are then pressed and fermentation in special small vats, where skin steeping, pumping over and fermentation continues for two weeks followed by malolactic fermentation. The wine is then placed in large 5,000 liter Slavonia oak barrels for 18 months. The end result is one of the best value Italian reds to pass these lips!

The other best buy red is hails from Spain - Bodegas Beronia 2000 Rioja Tempranillo Elaboracion Especial at $16.95. Look for a very spicy, somewhat cedary, dried ripe red cherry nose with some smoky notes. On the palate it is dry and medium-light bodied with attractive, rounded, dried ripe black cherry flavours followed up by a lingering, cedary finish. This versatile, crowd pleaser would work well with lamb.

The “elaboracion especial” secret in making this wine so accessible is actually fermenting the tank-macerated must in 225-litre American oak barrels, where it is lees stirred and aged for five months. Rioja regulations does not permit the words “barrel fermented” to appear on the label.

Perhaps the best red of the release is a beautifully crafted Châteauneuf-du-Pape - the classic Pierre Perrin 1999 Château de Beaucastel at $64.95. It isn’t cheap, but this Rhone is actually worth the money. It is wonderfully structured with mouthfilling, rich, garrigue-tinged, smoky, ripe plum puree flavours that show great length. I suggest that you pick a half bottle at $32.95, which will mature sooner. Accessible today, it will likely reach its peak in five years.

Moving on to whites in today’s release, skip the mad dash for Australia’s Cape Mentelle 2002 Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc at $18.65. It’s ok, but still very dry, tight and rather grassy - no detour when compared to other similarly-priced Sauvignon Blanc recommended two weeks ago.

My best buy white is the charming Kesselstatt 2000 Riesling ‘RK’ at $14.75. Look for lively, slightly sweet, honeyed, ripe red apple-pear purée flavours. It should be sheer perfection with an Easter ham or for just plain old sipping.

The white highlight Beringer 2000 Alluvium White ($28.85), which comes from the Knights Valley vineyards located in the northern climes of the Napa Valley and is named after the vineyard’s poor, stony, alluvial soils.

Winemaker Ed Sbragia has done well. The nose is shy at first, but opens up (after two hours of breathing) taking on complex, spicy, ripe lime, lemon custard and butterscotch notes. On the palate, it is rich, complex and mouthfilling with buttered toast, smoky, lemon meringue and crème brulée flavours. It is based on two naturally crisp, often grassy varietals - Semillon (49%) and Sauvignon Blanc (40%) – which were barrel fermented for 9 months in 60 percent new French oak along with 9% Chardonnay and 2% Viognier. This Easter crowd-pleaser would go well with a variety of white meats and poultry. Those wanting the full scoop on all 66 items in today’s release should consider subscribing to Vintage Assessments today Click Here to Subscribe.

Coming up: The 9th Annual Wine Classic in support of Toronto General Hospital and Toronto Western Hospital takes place on Thursday, April 24th, 2003. The essence of the Wine Classic is the Wine Auction with over 50 lots of fine and rare wines from all over the world, along with a much broader silent auction. Only the most celebrated lots being auctioned in a live format - the highlight being a bottle of 1900 Chateau Margaux, which has been appraised at $22,000. For information call Melanie Litwin at (416) 340-4800 ext 6895. Click here for further information regarding this event.

Vintages May 2003 Release
To see the complete list of upcoming products click here (sorted by date of release). It includes the number of cases, which wines were presented by the LCBO, our agent ID for every product, as well as, special unannounced “In Store Discoveries” for April.
You can also see it sorted by agent click here

Check out the
May 2003 InStore Discovery

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