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A sparkling treat
for the longest day of the year

I am searching through today’s Vintages release of 73 items in search of the perfect item to toast today – the longest day of the year. What makes this scary is the numbing thought that starting tomorrow, the days are starting to get shorter. It’s enough to drive one to drink.

Fortunately, there is a very tasty alternative to the tangy, orange citrus flavoured 1996 Belle Époque Brut Champagne (135798), which hit the shelves earlier this month at a staggering $119.00 a pop. Don’t miss raising a frothy glass of Bailly-Lapierre Brut Réserve (991562) a steal at only $ 17.95. Originating in Burgundy’s Côte Chalonnaise region, it is made in the traditional méthode Champenoise usually using early-harvested Chardonnay and some Pinot Noir. Called Crémant de Bourgogne, look for an attractive, honeyed, winter melon nose and very bright, effervescent, fresh ripe melon flavours. Dry and delightful, it has just the right amount of lip smacking acidity on the finish.

For well-heeled seasoned bubbly fans where money-is-no-object, I have a special recommendation from a recent tasting I did with 33-year-old assistant winemaker Benoit Gouez who was in town doing previewing Dom Pérignon’s recently-disgorged Oenothèque line of Champagne. I don’t think I have ever experienced a richer, better tasting Dom than the magnum of Moet & Chandon 1990 Dom Perignon Champagne (461145). The nose sings of sweet buttery brioche with lemon-lime notes. It is simply gorgeous on the palate with crème brûlée and warm ripe lemon flavours that show great persistence. Gouez agrees that this 1990 is a “fringe” Dom style having more of the rich gout angalais character than is normal for Dom Perignon. For my taste, I much preferred this original bottling to the fruitier, crisper, recently-disgorged 1990 Oenothèque edition. The good news is that this older bottling is currently available in Vintages at $341.60. If you need help in getting through your magnum, call me.

Getting back down to earth, well as close to ground level as you can get with a wine eccentric like Randall Grahm (aka Mr. Bonny Doon), comes my best buy white of the release. Move over Beethoven, this year’s edition of Ca’ del Solo 2002 Malvasia Bianca (948737) from California’s Monterey County at $21.95 is the best on record. Look for a wonderfully fresh, spicy, fruit-driven, honeyed, Orange Muscat-leaning nose. There is just a hint of sweetness on the palate with very spicy, juicy, ripe Muscat-tangerine-pear fruit flavours. DNA analysis has determined that Malvasia Bianca is, in fact, the Piedmont Moscato Greco grape. Unfortunately the price is ever-spiralling upwards – up $2 annually for the past three years. For those frivolous hot summer days, check out the Bonny Doon website where the irreverent 24-page National Vinquirer will amuse/abuse. Click here for more info.

If you are looking for something inexpensive and thirst quenching, you might try Quinta la Lixa 2001 Vinho Verde Trajadura (973529) $9.45. This 100% Trajadura from Portugal is the antithesis of the Malvasia - extremely dry, crisp and light on the palate with some fresh melon-citrus flavours followed up by a refreshing lemon finish.

Moving on to the best buy red of the release, we have a fine, well-priced effort from Chile’s Rapel Valley - the intense deep purple coloured Concha y Toro 2002 Trio Merlot (433920) at $12.95. The nose is very attractive with spicy, dried ripe black cherries and just a touch of cumin. It is medium bodied and yet nicely structured with bright, plummy, dried black cherry flavours. It’s ready to enjoy today and should hold well for the next 16 months.

Organic wine fans can rejoice that a decent red has finally hit the Vintages shelves. Domaines Perrin 2000 Cotes-du-Rhone (948059) at $14.00 is a definite detour. It is quite low in sulphur (only 7.1 ppm). You should find that the very dry, spicy, bright, dried red cherry and rather crisp, dusty plum flavours, with only a vary faint hint of smoke, will hit the spot when just slightly chilled.

Perhaps the biggest disappointment is the Moulin de Gassac 2001 Figaro (735100) from the Midi. Even at $9.95, I am hard pressed to suggest that you try this rather anemic, dusty plum, green apple flavoured effort, which is up $1.30 from its last Vintages appearance. The big question is: will the attractive label seduce consumers into buying all 2,000 six packs?

From South Australia’s Barossa Valley, check out Peter Lehmann 1999 The Seven Surveys (952507) at $19.95. This 14% alcohol blend of 35% Grenache, 33% Shiraz and 32% Mourvèdre was aged for 12 months in used French/American oak. The result is a slightly earthy, chocolaty, ripe plum nose and dry, firm, rich, medium full bodied, baked plums and chocolate flavours complete with a lingering, leathery, sun dried tomato purée finish.

With eight different summer rosés hitting the shelves this month, I really wanted to find that perfect early summer refresher. Unfortunately, Vintages seems to offer many of the same old and sometimes lackluster selections. Best of the group is Bodegas Julien Chivite 2002 Gran Fuedo Rosé (256149) at $11.00. From Spain’s Navarra, the attractive nose has spicy, slightly sweetish, plummy, ripe strawberry notes. It has crisp, dry, light bodied, tangy, plumy-red apple flavours with some dried strawberry notes on the finish.

Those wanting to impress visitors with a fine Ontario rosé, let me suggest Malivoire 2002 Rosé (559088) from last month’s Vintages release. It may not be the bargain of the century at  $15.00, but it certainly is the best Ontario effort I have tasted. The gently honeyed, fresh ripe strawberry-plum purée flavours have versatility, wide appeal and are ready to enjoy. It is interesting to note that the LCBO had Malivoire label this wine as Rosé. If you buy it at the winery, you will see that it has always been sold as Ladybug. Also the Vintages Catalogue has it wrong when it comes to grapes used. Winemaker Ann Sperling actually used 85% Cabernet Franc, which attained 22 brix of ripeness meaning that strawberry character was highlighted (while any green herbal notes were thankfully absent). Some 8 g. of residual sugar are perfectly balanced by 7.5 total acidity.

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Copyright Food & Beverage Testing Institute of Canada 2004
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