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The LCBO Yours to Discover!
From Limited Time Offers to Undiscovered Classics
©
Michael Vaughan 2004
National Post
Weekly Wine & Spirits Columnist
Saturday,
July 17, 2004
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. You should call the store first to see if stock still remains (each store phone number is listed).
As
much as I complain about LCBO policies, there certainly is a myriad of
things going on that are well worth exploring - something for everyone.
The “Shake
it Up!”
program, for
instance, has been featuring a series of ever-changing weekly cocktails,
which have been available for tasting in many LCBO stores. 
Today, for
instance, stores will be sampling the
Mint Divine,
which wraps up Whisky week. Apparently it only takes 38 seconds to whip it
up - 1.5 oz of Gibson’s
12-Year-Old Finest Canadian Whisky
(general list #3558 - $22.95)
is mixed with 5 oz. of lemonade, shaken on the rocks and poured into a
long glass along with some mint leaves and few blueberries. You can taste
it this afternoon at the Kingsway, Fairview, Bayview, Manulife and
Summerhill stores.
It
should be noted that come Monday, the price of Gibson’s Finest jumps to
$24.20. The current special price is related to the LCBO’s monthly “limited
time offers”
(called a LTO), which are fully paid for by the participants. There are a
number of fine buys in this current month’s LTO program, which continues
until tomorrow, July 18. You can ignore LCBO signage stating that today is
the last day. Out of 113 items on offer, discounts vary from 15 cents to
as much as $3 per bottle. Here is a short list of some things worth
buying. Keep in mind that a discounted wine isn’t a bargain if you
don’t like it (click
here
for the list of LTO items). Also, check store availability first and confirm by
calling the store to ensure you get what you want - there are no rain
cheques.
Kicking
off with spirits, let me recommend one of my summer favourites Appleton
Estate Reserve Jamaican Rum
(general list #200436 - $25.95
vs. $27.85). With all the July month end Caribana festivities
coming up (click here to see details), a bottle or two will come in very
handy. Jamaica’s Wray & Nephew also makes the sweet, creamy
Sangsters
Original Gold Rum Cream
(general list #605535 - $22.90
vs. $25.15).
Anther
seasonal item is the ever-delicious distinctively bright red coloured Campari
Apertivo (277954 - $22.60
vs. $24.30). This delicious, bitter-sweet, herbal flavoured liqueur (24.7%
alcohol) complete with tangy, citrus peel notes gives a new expression to
everyday soda, especially when served with a twist of lemon.
If you have
a sweet tooth, you might want to try the Americano,
which sees Campari cut with red Vermouth - try Noilly
Prat Original Red Vermouth (#24596)
from France. It is in the LCBO’s general list “Discovery Store”
program with a litre priced at $12.10. It would a big step in the right
direction if the LCBO included these “Discovery
Store” wines in their General
List Price Book (click
here to see where it is sold).
This
month’s biggest discount is $3.00 on the E
& J Gallo Sonoma Chardonnay (354282 -
$13.95 vs. $16.95). The problem here is that there are still two vintages
kicking around the LCBO. Last Tuesday all I could find at the Queens Quay
store was the older 2000, which was surprising since they had the 2002 on
the shelves months earlier. While the deeper coloured 2000 has been
afflicted with some bottle variation, I basically liked its gently spicy,
bright, tangy, ripe Anjou pear flavours with its hint of cedar. By
contrast, the 2002 still seem a bit subdued on the nose with some peppery
notes. It is higher in alcohol (14%) but seems bit less flavourful, at
least at present.
Moving
on to some new items landing on LCBO shelves, a big thumbs up for a very
tasty, albeit sweet, strawberry beer from Belgium. Based on a Belgium
white with pure fruit juice added, Fruli
Strawberry Beer (#698548)
is a winner at $1.95 for a modest 250 ml. It is made for the London based
Van Diest Beer Company and isn’t exactly what I would try on my own.
Nevertheless, much to my surprise, this unquestionably sweet but balanced,
low alcohol (4.1%), strawberry flavoured effort really hit the spot. Think
of it as a dessert beer, something that your typical non-beer drinking
friends might fall in love with even with food.
Last
but not least are the still-undiscovered Spring/Summer
2004 Classics. Each month I review some dozen plus new items
and recently came across two showstoppers. The first from Alsace is loaded
with exquisite, honeyed, spicy fruit. Trimbach
1999 Gewurztraminer Cuvée des Seigneurs de Ribeaupierre
(714246) at $39.00 will definitely turn heads when served as an
afternoon/evening sipper, or perhaps with foie gras. Rated ***
(out of 3 stars) it is medium yellow in colour and has a lovely, intense,
sweet, lychee, rose petal nose. On the palate it is intense, sweet but
refreshing and dry on the finish with concentrated lychee flavours that
show great persistence along with just a hint of bitterness. Fans of
Gewurz will love this one.
Also
not to be missed is a stunning red from Spain’s Ribera del Duero, which
is at its absolute peak of perfection in terms of drinkability. Real
Sitio de Ventosilla 1999 Prado Rey Reserva (995191)
at $44.00 is an amazing blend of 95% Tinta Fina (Tempranillo),
3% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Merlot, which spent 12 months in American oak
followed by 6 months in newer French oak and finally 18 months in bottle.
Rated ***
(out of 3 stars) it is deep intense purple in colour with a supple and
seductive nose focused on juicy, black cherries, hints of red pepper,
sandalwood and cedar. Dry, harmonious and yet extracty on the palate, it
is medium-full bodied with cedar-chocolate tinged, ripe plum and red
pepper flavours followed up by a lingering, ripe blueberry/sandalwood
finish. The estate is located in Burgos and grapes are cultivated from
their own vineyards, which is made up of seven distinct terrains spread
over 520 hectares.
2001-2002-2003-2004
Tasting Note Database
Our
tasting note database from December 31, 2000 to June 2004, covers every
Vintages release product for the past 42 months. There are more than 7,000 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 winefind.ca Tasting Notes Database: click here
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2004
Prior written permission is required for any form of reproduction
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Contact Michael Vaughan at
mbv@total.net