Unique
Vintages Best Buys
Champers
on sale
© Michael Vaughan 2002
National Post
Weekly Wine & Spirits Columnist
National Post • Saturday, June 1, 2002
(full
unedited version)
Champagne anyone? Continuing until
June 22nd, the LCBO in celebration of their 75th
Anniversary is offering a number of classic bubblies at special reductions.
Prices have been cut by just over 30% and there are eight items to choose from
starting at $29.95. One of my favourites, the reliably tasty Pommery
NV Brut Royal Champagne, has
been reduced from $44.75 to only $29.95. This is fine value and would make the
perfect June 16th Father’s Day gift.
For that special “big” or
“sugar” daddy, where no expense is to be spared, the 3-litre (four bottle
jeroboam) of Piper
Heidsieck Champagne (reduced
from $199.95 to $139.95) will definitely make a splash. Unfortunately, I have
not had an opportunity to recently evaluate all the brands up for grabs, so are
you are on your own.
For my own taste, I like my bubbles
only gently chilled. Ice-cold Champagne will never show its flavours. Now that
may be a good thing if you are gulping down some no name substitute, but it
really is a waste when it comes to the real thing. Don’t forget that the glass
matters. I prefer a flute with very thin glass, which enables the wine to glide
smoothly on the palate. Keep in mind that if the flute’s opening is too
narrow, exploding carbon dioxide laden bubbles may overwhelm the nose. By
experimenting, you can discover which glass is best.
 Moving on to today’s Vintages
release, 72 items are up for grabs. One of the big surprises is the reappearance
of Château
des Charmes 1998 Savagnin St. David’s Bench Vineyard
at $14.95. This white first appeared in Vintages more than two years ago –
April 2000! Under most circumstances, I would have expected it to be in serious
decline. Well what a surprise, the wine is better than before. The dry, spicy,
ripe apricot fruit flavours show very good intensity and length. The key is high
extract and acidity, which has enabled it to survive the ravages of time. Only
490 cases were produced and it would go well with seafood or poultry.
If you have never heard of the
Savagnin grape, you are probably not alone. Supposedly related to Traminer, it
is a specialty of the French Jura; a small, somewhat mountainous region situated
between Burgundy and Switzerland. Its claim to fame is that it is used in the
production of Château-Châlon, a long-lived Vin Jaune; a distinctive, somewhat oxidative, nutty tasting white
that is reminiscent of Sherry.
 Another obscure, albeit well priced white worth
considering comes from the Italian Marches or Marche region. Velenosi
2000 “Vigna Solaria” Falerio at $12.95 gives
Verdicchio, the region’s most famous white (which is made from a local grape
with the identical name) a good run for the money. Falerio must be exclusively
made from Trebbiano grapes. This one is grown in Velenosi’s 16-year old
vineyard, which is located on the sunniest and highest point of the property.
From these ripe grapes comes a fine fruit-driven white with 13.5% alcohol. It
has a lovely nose focused on spicy, pear purée with hints of cedar. On the
palate, it is nicely structured with rounded, ripe pear flavours. This great
spring quaffer is at its peak.
There are two best buy whites under $10. The first is from
the Bairrada region of Portugal, Messias 2000 Selection
at $ 8.30. It is another underdog white which will
confound your friends who are addicted to Australian/California Chardonnay. Made
from Maria Gomes and Bical, the fine, expressive, bright lime and lemon aromas
leap from the glass. Its tangy, fresh, tangerine-grapefruit flavours are at
their peak.
 The second best buy white which comes from South
Africa’s Western Cape. Lyngrove
2001 Collection Chardonnay at $9.95. Its light,
bright and refreshing, straightforward, red apple and green pear flavours makes
it a perfect choice for sultry summer days.
 Shifting
gears, the four new rosés appearing today are aptly designated as “sunset in
a glass” by Vintages. My favourite is Henry
of Pelham 2001 Dry Rosé 2001 ($10.95) and it has been selected as their wine of the month. This
invigorating VQA Niagara Peninsula blend of 45% Zweigelt, 33% Gamay and 22% Merlot is
bright, crisp and fruity. With just 12% alcohol, a frosty glass will go
well with just about anything.
 The best buy red of the first Vintages wave is Capezzana
2000 Barco Reale di Carmignano at $16.70. At a
time when Chianti Classico seems to be pricing itself out of the market, it is a
joy to discover a fine, robust but rounded Sangiovese from the rather miniscule
Carmignano region only a few kilometers north west of Florence.
What is surprising is that this was the only
Tuscan DOC to actually require the inclusion of Cabernet Sauvignon at a time
(1975) when these grapes were relatively rare in Italy. It achieved DOCG status
in 1990. This blend of 70% Sangiovese, 20% Cabernet and 10% Canaiolo has
slightly earthy, ripe black cherry flavours will match robust tomato based
dishes.
Carmignano
It’s sister wine, the still very youthful Villa
di Capezzana 1998 Carmignano ($81 for a pack of
three) is the June Vintages “Cellar Direct” selection and can be ordered by
phone as of June 7th. It costs $27 and, quite frankly, I enjoyed the
less expensive 2000 Barco Reale more, at least for the moment. It has no
Canaiolo and only 15% Cabernet.
Last but not least is a fairly decent Burgundy, Domaine
Christopher Newman 1999 Côte-De-Beaune
La Grand Châtelaine at $23.90. The crisp,
medium-light bodied, tangy, dried ripe cherry, cranberry and ruby grapefruit
flavours dance on the tongue. The Pinot Noir character comes through nicely and,
just to make sure, you will find Pinot Noir printed on the front label -
something that cannot be done legally on labels for the French market.
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