Michael Vaughan's Weekly National Post Feature

LIVE WINE LINK
www.winefind.ca
(CLICK ON THE NAME - All listings are automatically linked to the LCBO database)
If there is a product that interests you, just click on the name below and you will instantaneously connected with the LCBO database. The product will appear in blue and all you have to do is click on the name again and then the next screen will provide details along with the store search. Just click on store search. The number of bottles in each store is updated nightly. Call the store first to see if stock still remains (each store phone number is listed).

It was great getting feedback from numerous readers who shared my disappointment with some excessively high Parker ratings that are being used to flog wine at the LCBO. There is nothing like being able to taste the wines actually on offer. This is something that Vintages should be keenly concerned about. Why? Because recent cancellation of customer preview Classics tastings and Vintages Instore Discovery tasting for writers has had a dampening impact on sales.

It's simple. Customers want to hear from credible critics who are actually tasting the stuff that's for sale here - not reviews of things you can't buy. Today, I search out Olympic medal winners from both February releases.

Kicking off with Chardonnay, there are eight in the February 4th release and 12 in today's release. Coming out on top with Olympic Gold, is an expensive but exceedingly fine effort from Burgundy Domaine Philippe Chavy 2003 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Folatieres (678144) at $76.95. The nose shows intense, honeyed, ripe melon with some hazelnut notes. On the palate it is smooth, rich and extracty with lingering, perfectly harmonious, ripe lemon-melon fruit and crème brulée flavours.

It exemplifies my point about the having to get a wine review visibility. As Vintages refused to let wine writers sample this Instore Discovery, it got zero visibility. And so, with no reviews and at $76.95, there were very few takers. Of 20 cases released two weeks ago, less than 6 cases had been sold by last Wednesday. Why? Because too many buyers have been burned by overpriced Burgundy.

Another gold medal winner being released today is Shafer 2003 Red Shoulder Ranch' Chardonnay (246090) at $59.95. In this case, there are 44 cases of 12. It weighs in at 14.9% alcohol and has a fairly deep bright yellow colour. The nose is intense, complex and rather spicy with toasty, pear purée notes. Intense and well structured, the gently spicy, flavourful, faintly sweetish, pear flavours are followed up by a toasty finish.

Everyone wants to know, which is better. The answer: both are excellent, but different. The Shafer is more opulent and intense; the Puligny-Montrachet more refined. It seems quite ridiculous to think of wine like two skiers in a race, which will place first and second. Tagging each with an everlasting number is not going to help you determine which is best for your own palate.

Considering that these wines were not presented side-by-side, the numeric branding game becomes even more slippery. Under these conditions, it is virtually impossible to say unequivocally that one is a 94, the other a 95. It is like trying to judge a downhill race on different days without a stopwatch.

Moving on to the high Silver medal winning Chardonnay: Wolf Blass 2004 Gold Label Chardonnay (606186) at only $21.95. This Adelaide Hills repeat of the October 29th release comes with a screwcap closure. It has a complex, gently toasty, ripe lemon nose and dry but not austere, bright, ripe lemon-lime flavours with a gently toasty, lingering finish that shows good acidity. It is a style I really like - not overly sweet or tropical. It shows excellent versatility and in terms of value, a definite best buy. Keep in mind that three bottles of Wolf Blass will buy just one bottle of Shaffer. Wolf wins hands down.

Those looking for great, ready-to-drink, value shouldn't miss 1707 Barrel Fermented 2003 Chardonnay (662213) at $16.95. The rather deep yellow colour indicates that it is ready to enjoy. The nose shows lots of spicy, toasty, ripe pear. On the palate, it is dry and well textured with spicy, ripe pear flavours and a lingering, toasty finish.

Before going on to reds, let me mention two more. First, a worthy Austrian white Salomon-Undhof 2004 Grüner Veltliner (670513) at $17.95. Because of its versatility, it's the perfect by-the-glass licensee white. Pale straw colour, look for gently spicy, honeyed, ripe apricot aromas. It is dry, crisp and medium-light bodied with honeyed, ripe, lemon-melon-apricot flavours with a clean, lingering finish.

The second is another one of those Instore Discoveries, this time a very serious Gold medal winner from Alsace: Chateaux Isenbourg 2001 Gewurztraminer Les Terrasses (675744) at $37.95. Fairly deep yellow in colour, the nose is wonderfully complex with honeyed, ripe lychee and floral rose petal notes. Rich, seductive and gently sweet on the palate, the honeyed, lychee flavours go on and on. Sadly only 20 cases are being released today.

If you want to get the best red value of the release, better move quickly because Ben Glaetzer 2004 Heartland Shiraz (661934) at $17.95 is not going to last long. I met gifted winemaking guru Ben Glaetzer in Toronto with Ontario agent Wayne Watts and was extremely impressed.

Thankfully, Parker hasn't rated this, or any of the Heartland wines, yet. If he did I am sure that it would be in the 93-point range. Look for a refined, very faintly smoky, cedar-tinged, plumy, ripe cherry nose. It is big and surprisingly extracty with mouthfilling, plumy, fairly juicy, black cherry flavours and a buttery, brioche finish. Kudos to wine enthusiast Nick Christopoulos, who works at the Applewood Hills LCBO store in Mississauga. He has apparently pre-sold some 140 cases to his customers on credit cards. Nice to see someone at the LCBO show some initiative.

Upcoming event this week: On Tuesday, February 21 from 4:30 to 6:30 at the Yonge Street Summerhill LCBO at Alvaro Palacios will be doing an in-store tasting and bottle signing. The wines featured include two Riojas - two BEST BUY from today's Vintages release Palacios Remondo La Vendimia Tempranillo 2004 ($15.95 - #674564) and Palacios Remondo La Montesa 2003 ($21.95 - #674572) plus a Priorat - Alvaro Palacios Les Terrasses 2003 ($41.95 - #977843). National Post readers wishing to receive the current Vintage Assessments newsletter (covering the Vintages releases for next Saturday & from last Saturday - including exclusive current ISD reviews) can have it e-mailed today and receive a $20 discount - click here.

2001-2002-2003-2004-2005 Tasting Note Database
Our tasting note database from December 31, 2000 to January 2006, covers every Vintages release product for the past 61 months. There are more than 12,000 notes in the database data. Just enter the name of the product, supplier name or CSPC number. Or you can search by type of wine, country of origin, even wine agent! Nothing could be easier. Also you can get information on the agent by clicking on the agent’s name, as well as current LCBO store inventory by clicking on "Check LCBO Availability", which will automatically tell you the number of bottles at LCBO as of last night.

To use our Tasting Notes Database: click here

** For All Visitors **
Vintages Releases
To see the complete list of upcoming products from the
February 18 release, including In-Store Discovery items,
click here (sorted by date of release).
You can also see it sorted by agent click here
To see the complete list of upcoming products from the
March 4 release, including In-Store Discovery items,
click here (sorted by date of release).
You can also see it sorted by agent click here
To see the complete list of upcoming products from the
March 18 release, including In-Store Discovery items,
click here (sorted by date of release).
You can also see it sorted by agent click here

Copyright Food & Beverage Testing Institute of Canada 2006
Prior written permission is required for any form of reproduction
(electronic or other wise) and or quotation.
Contact Michael Vaughan at
mbv@total.net