Michael Vaughan's Weekly National Post Feature

A Quality Vintages Kick-off to the New Year
Easy Quaffing Southern Hemisphere Shiraz
© Michael Vaughan 2006
National Post Weekly Wine & Spirits Columnist
Saturday, January 7, 2006

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In the past, January Vintages releases have been pretty lackluster. Well there was no moaning and groaning this time, it seems that the LCBO has put the right foot forward with this first release of 2006 featuring 104 selections - many of them great buys.

With all the freezing weather, it isn't the time of year when people are loading up on whites. But with the current Vintages focus on Chile & Argentina, it's pretty hard to ignore all the great white buys. Kicking off with Chile, there are a whopping five recommendations out of seven new listings. Of 5 Chards, my favorite was the fruity, vibrant Santa Rita 2004 Medalla Real Chardonnay (303628) at $16.95. Originating in the Casablanca Valley, this one gets up and says "hello" with its distinctive, attractive, spicy lemony and ripe rhubarb flavours with hints of vanilla. It perfectly balanced the luncheon lineup of tasty Indian dishes being served at a terrific new Indian restaurant at 31 Elm Street called Mantra (the lunch buffet from 11:30 am to 2:30 pm, Monday to Friday - for more information click here). Visiting Santa Rita winemaker Andres Ilabaca was pleased to see how well it stood up to the onslaught of spicy flavours.

FBTI/National Post Reader Bonus: At only one dollar more, Marques De Casa Concha 2004 Chardonnay (342857 - $17.95), offers fine drinking value. This one has more oak complexity and leans in a tropical direction without any of Santa Rita's flamboyant grassy notes. With 14% alcohol, you will find that it is well-balanced and nicely structured. The fruit is focused on lingering, toasty, ripe lemon-melon-pear flavours. A second bottle sampled seemed quite tropical in style with lots of pineapple.

Both Chilean Sauvignon Blanc are "best buys" at $12.95. My personal favourite is Miguel Torres 2004 Santa Digna Sauvignon Blanc (177444 - $12.95) from the Curico Valley. Boy, this one sure has sex appeal. Look for attractive, slightly honeyed, ripe melon aromas and crisp, dry, refreshing, somewhat light bodied, yellow grapefruit flavours with a tangy finish. It is perfect to current drinking. Crisper, drier and considerably grassier is Yali 2004 Sauvignon Blanc Reserve (663039 - $12.95) from the Casablanca Valley. The nose is quite intense with fine, classy, bright, grassy aromas. It is very dry and bright with lots of grassy flavours that are reminiscent of New Zealand. A great wine to serve with oysters.

At two dollars more, comes a terrific new listing from New Zealand: Sileni Estate 2004 Cellar Selection Sauvignon Blanc (662882 - $14.95), which won Gold at the 2005 International Wine Challenge. Originating in the South Island's Marlborough region, the very dry, slightly spicy, grassy, ripe gooseberry flavours show fine balance and excellent length. It is ready to enjoy today and, surprisingly enough, comes without a screwcap!

The wine buy for Italian wine fans is Macrina 2004 Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico Superiore (987693) at $12.95 from the Marche region. This DOC from the respected house of Garofoli, is sourced from a single cru vineyard exclusively from Verdicchio grapes. Pale straw in colour, the nose has floral, lightish pear aromas. The palate is dry and fairly light bodied with honeyed, ripe apricot flavours. According to Italian wine authority Nicholas Belfrage, Macrina epitomizes the very best of this traditional style.

One of my two release highlights is the just off-dry, honeyed, ripe melon flavoured Studert Prum 2004 Maximiner Riesling Kabinett (912741 - $15.95) from Germany's Mosel region. The Studert family dates back to 1581 and consistently produces well-made, well priced Riesling. With only 8% alcohol, this tantalizing can be served by itself or as an aperitif.

FBTI/National Post Reader Bonus: Also from the Mosel and at only $17.95, the In-Store-Discovery 2002 Scharzhofberger Riesling Kabinett (670752) by Bischoefliche Wiengueter is a definite Best Buy. It has a wonderfully sweet, honeyed, floral nose and is loaded with delicious, juicy, ripe melon flavours. It has 8.5% alcohol and only 28 cases are available.

Moving on to today's reds. I am happy to report that many also hit the mark at reasonable prices. Of nine Argentine reds, four are recommended. If I only could buy one, my choice would be Trivento 2004 Syrah Reserve (663112), which is bargain-priced at $12.95. Originating in the Mendoza's Tupungato district of the Uco Valley, this winner received six months of French and American oak aging. It is surprisingly well structured with outstanding, very slightly smoky, black cherry flavours that show excellent length. With 14.3% alcohol, the only danger is that you will drink too much of it at any time.

At the premium end of the scale, 2003 Clos de Los Siete (622571) at $23.95 shows very well, despite the $4 jump since the last release of the 2002 vintage. With 14.5% alcohol, some 2/3 of the blend of 40% Malbec, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 20% Syrah was aged in new French barriques. Extremely deep intense purple colour., the nose shows lots of class with ripe plum and cherries. Although very dry and youthful, this solid, well-structured red shows lots of plumy, black cherry flavours. Good today, it will even be better in a year from now.

Of 13 Chilean reds, my best buy ends up being another Shiraz, from the new Limari Valley, which is the country's most northerly wine region located some 400 km north of Santiago and 65 km from the coast. It is named a Franciscan monk who first planted vines here in 1548. Tabali 2003 Reserva Shiraz (662692) at $16.95 is a newcomer at Vintages. It has an extremely deep intense purple colour and a complex, spicy, cedar tinged, stewed ripe plum and juicy cherry nose. It too, is well structured with very slightly smoky, harmonious, plumy, ripe black cherry flavours.

From Southeastern Australia, De Bortoli "dB Selection" 2004 Shiraz (595314) at $12.95 at has finally hit the shelves. I say finally because I had the opportunity of pre-tasting this juice bomb, along with a selection other releases, with Victor De Bortoli last summer. At this price, it is the best value Aussi red of the release. Look for juicy, ripe Damson plum and spicy, black cherries on the nose. It has juicy, spicy, blueberry flavours with some hints of Xmas cake on the finish. It is the most forward of all three Shiraz recommended, it fits into the wide-appeal, quaffer category.

On a more serious note, we have a genuine Portuguese bargain at $13.95. José Maria da Fonseca 2001 Primum Tinto (694026) is must try blend of the classic Touriga Nacional (71.2%) and Touriga Franca (22.2%) with a touch of Tinta Cao (6.6%), which is also known as "Red Dog". Designated as a Vinho Regional Terras do Sado, it comes from the Setubal Peninsula just southeast of Lisbon. Unlike some previous vintages which only saw French oak, the 2001 was aged for six months in American oak and the results are first class. It has a complex, slightly cedary, black cherry purée nose and well balanced, fairly rich, dry but not austere, plumy, black cherry flavours. This besat buy of the release is one you can enjoy today or keep for another year.

FBTI/National Post Reader Bonus: If you are looking for a change off pace, make a detour for this tasty, sweet, spicy, winter warmer: Hutchison's Spiced Ginger Wine (505636) at $12.95 for 700 ml. Produced by Aberfoyle & Knight in Scotland with 13% alcohol, this orange-amber coloured elixir has a very spicy, sweet, honey-ginger-caramel nose. The spicy, very bright, sweet, lifted, honeyed-ginger flavours are most satisfying - perfect apres ski. It hasn't been seen in Vintages since March 10, 2001 ($11.40) and was my Release Highlight and Best Buy at the time. What a shame that it took Vintages so long to reorder it. Also, Sherry fans should be alerted that Gonzalez Byass Nutty Solera Oloroso Sherry (35204) at $11.95 is back. Light orange-amber in colour, the nosre is very sweet with nutty, slightly raisiny, caramel notes. On the palate it is sweet but balanced with caramelized apples, plumy, raisin flavours and a lingering finish.

GET MICHAEL VAUGHAN'S BUYER'S GUIDE FOR TODAY'S VINTAGES RELEASE: There are many host of other exceptional wine & spirit buys detailed in our VINTAGE ASSESSMENTS newsletter reserved for FBTI Supporters only and is sent every four weeks prior to the Vintages releases. To avoid disappointments, become a FBTI Supporter today and receive $20 off in the process! As soon as you sign up, you will receive Michael Vaughan's exclusive Release Buyer's Guide. Do it today by email and get it by email today.

Coming up is the 11th Niagara Icewine Festival from January 13-22 with a multitude of events in Niagara region. It kicks off next Friday 13th with a special evening icewine event at the Sheraton on the Falls Hotel in Niagara Falls. For details click here.

2001-2002-2003-2004-2005 Tasting Note Database
Our tasting note database from December 31, 2000 to December 2005, covers every Vintages release product for the past 60 months. There are more than 10,000 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.

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** For All Visitors **
Vintages Releases
To see the complete list of upcoming products from the
January 7 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
January 21 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
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Contact Michael Vaughan at
mbv@total.net