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General List Hop-Scotch
Some recommended wines to salute Canada Day!

Launch of Winefind.ca
The system is foolproof and easy. If there is a wine that interests you, just click on the name and you will instantaneously connected with the LCBO database telling you if the wine is in the LCBO system. If it is, it will appear in blue and all you have to do is click on the name again and then the next screen will provide details on the wine along with a store search. While the number of bottles in each store is updated every night, you should call the store first to see if stock still remains (each store phone number is also provided). It is that simple!
Note that all the items recommended below are connected with the LCBO database – just click on the name!

If wines could talk, I am sure that wine critics would get an earful. I can imagine that shy Pinot Gris suddenly yelling at me for giving it such a low score. No, thankfully the only scorn we face is from disgruntled producers and/or wine salesmen, and perhaps the occasional reader. In a universe of different styles and preferences, it isn’t easy being the arbiter of taste. Nevertheless, as a critic my first duty is to say it like it is.

Which brings me to my monthly grazing report of wines on the LCBO general list. They vary from outstanding to indecent. Unfortunately, the sheer abundance of the latter proves that no matter how wretched the contents, a pretty face (i.e. label) sells. So while there may be no accounting for taste, I am hoping that fans will give their palates a break and sample some of my recommended selections.

Of course, some professional buyers will seek refuge in Vintages and/or consignment wines – eschewing the general list all together. The truth, however, is that there are inexpensive gems lurking on the lowest of LCBO shelves that only a very foolish buyer would ignore. Think of your wine buying as a game of hop-scotch – jumping from one best buy to another.

From recent tastings, let me recommend two Pinot Noirs department with two totally diverging styles. First is the dry, crisp, medium-light bodied Bouchard Père & Fils 2001 La Vignée Bourgogne Pinot Noir (605667 - $15.95). It is not rich enough to make lovers of Chambolle Musigny jump for joy. And yet, there is just enough fresh red cherry fruit with nuances of strawberry to keep most serious fans happy. Serve it just a tad chilled and you have a shy, but friendly winner.

The other Pinot Noir that caught my eye was the Mission Hill 2000 Pinot Noir Bin 99 VQA (118844 - $12.95). This pretty, medium-light bodied, ripe red cherry driven effort comes from the Okanagan and has some tangy pink grapefruit notes on the refreshing finish. There is no question that winemaker John Simes has picked up the pace in producing some significantly better reds over the past few years. “It’s getting better grapes from more mature vines,” explains Simes. “That and reduced yields, although at this price point it’s charm and not extract that we’re after.”

Closer to home, we have the tasty Jackson-Triggs 2002 Proprietor’s Reserve Meritage (526228 - $11.45), which has well balanced, ready to enjoy, spicy, fresh, plumy, juicy raspberry flavours. This VQA Niagara Peninsula blend of 36% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot and 30 Cabernet Franc has been aged in French and American oak for 11 months. If bbq steaks are on the Canada Day menu, this would be the perfect match.  

As a fan of traditional and obscure wines, it is refreshing to find individualistic styles, which have not been blended into obliteration. This brings me to an Italian red I first discovered several years ago. It’s been a rocky road for Librandi 1999 Cirò Rosso Classico (79863 - $8.80). Made from indigenous Gaglioppo grapes, Cirò tastes pretty much the way it did decades ago - slightly leathery with woodsy, baked plum, sandalwood and licorice-tinged flavours. It doesn’t have great depth of colour – it’s orange-amber around the edges. Nor is it big and gusty, but rather has a nip of tannin on the finish making it work well with pizza or perhaps spaghetti and meatballs. To get the scoop on this wine you can check out their website click here You might also order a copy of the new 493-page paperback Brunello to Zubibbo, the Wines of Tuscany, Central and Southern Italy by Nicolas Belfrage from the Chapters/Indigo website for only $27.96 (a full 30% discount over the list price) click here

This Cirò is made by the respected Librandi family located Ciró Marina, a tiny town on the rugged Ionian coast of southern Calabria region, which forms the toe of Italy’s boot. It hasn’t been an easy time for this Cirò, which has passed through the hands of four different Ontario agents. As a result, sales have been slipping; meaning that newcomer Tim Gibb of Ruby Wines (416-890-7973) is going to have a tough time fending off the delisting guillotine for not making the LCBO’s quota. It would be a shame if it Ciró was dumped as it deserves a chance to slake the thirst of Ontario consumers. Happily, the LCBO has just granted it a six-month extension.

Moving on, for ABC (Anything But Chardonnay) fans, Pinot Gris, is one of the hottest varietals in Canada. I know it’s cheating (as this one appears in the July 12^th Vintages Catalogue), but I can’t resist recommending my Canadian Wine Award gold medal winner Mission Hill 2001 Pinot Gris Reserve (537076 - $16.90). It’s the kind of white that might make’s one mutter “and God made Pinot Gris.” Well, in this case it was actually John Simes. Here is my original tasting note: Bright, dry, crisp, medium light bodied, tangy, fairly fresh, Anjou pear flavours with some pepper on the finish. As this Vintages “Essential” is already in LCBO stores, National Post readers should be the first to know. You can track down the bottles available in each store by using www.winefind.ca

Last but not least comes one of my favourite summer refreshers. At $12.95 on the general list, Henry Of Pelham 2002 Reserve Riesling (283291) is turning heads. While it costs $2.00 more that their decent 2000 Dry Riesling, for my palate, it’s money well spent. To begin with, both are dry but not austere with very gentle floral, honeyed notes. The reserve comes from older lower yielding vines and consequently has a touch more alcohol, ripeness and flavour. Look for faintly spicy, almost spritzy, refreshing, ripe lemon-lime-apple fruit. It’s versatile and thirst quenching, especially with spicy bbq chicken.