Vintage Assessments Home Page

Recent Articles

Archive of National Post Articles

A Survivor’s Guide for Vinous Gifting ^©

By Michael Vaughan • Weekly Wine & Spirits Columnist
National Post • Saturday, December 16^th
(Original unabridged version)

I feel just like the white rabbit – I’m late. I had hoped to give you a 12-days-of-Christmas “true love” shopping list. But the partridge has been cooked and, worse yet, the pears picked from the tree for our holiday crumble.

So what’s left? Just 9 more shopping days. So here’s my 9-day oenophile gift-shopping guide. First and foremost are bubbles, you know the kind that comes naturally in the bottle. And what better a gift than my best buy Champagne of the year, the sublime Piper Heidsieck Brut Champagne a steal at $39.90 available on the General List at the LCBO in a seasonal gift box.

For openers, for many years Screwpull has ruled the day. Unfortunately, major price hikes makes me feel that the producers are doing to the consumer exactly what they have done to countless millions of corks. If you don’t have one of these indispensable gadgets, you can pick one at Vinifera at 1055 Yonge Street, Suite 306 (416-924-4004). While this company specializes in wine cellars, they offer some of the best prices in town on accessories. The combo Screwpull gift pack with foil cutter at $40, for instance, compares to $49.95 at the LCBO.

An even better, terrifically priced, brand new product on the market is the Trudeau Corkscrew only $99.99. It’s available at most Bay as well as Bowering stores and comes in a gift metal box with a foil cutter. In my opinion, it is comparable, if not superior, to the luxury Screwpull Leverpull “Deluxe” at $299 (only $250 at The Wine Establishment) at a third of the price!

For glasses, my suggestion is that you track down Spiegelau ‘Vino Grande’ glasses, which are the German-made Riedel-inspired knock-offs at a fraction of the price. The large Bordeaux and Burgundy balloons sell for under $15 each at Vinifera and are also available at Bowering stores. A smaller tasting glass can be had for only $10.50 each at the former!

The best buy wine rack in town is available at Canadian Tire. The unhandsome but functional, self-assembly 72-bottle RTA Wine Rack sells for $74.99. It was a bargain $49.99 at last week’s Canadian Tire sale that just ended yesterday. In light of this week’s snowstorm, perhaps a well-disposed CT manager will extend these savings till today. By the way, this identical unit costs $99.95 US at Buffalo’s Premier Wines Gourmet store.

Those fortunate enough to live near a winery can drop in and personally assess the wares being offered. For red wine fans, one of my favourites this year was Henry of Pelham 1998 Cabernet/Merlot, which was released in Vintages last September at $29.95. A few bottles are still available in some Vintages stores as well as at the winery. You may want to check out their website at henryofpelham.com

At Magnotta stores don’t miss the absolutely delicious, sweet, newly-released Wild Berry at $16.95. This combo of black currant, blueberries, strawberries and raspberries (16.5% alcohol) will bring an after-dinner song to your lips.

Another tasty Vintages dessert gift pack is the Black Current Medley at $29.95 features a half bottle of Southbrook Cassis along with blackcurrant chocolates, jam and bottled chocolate sauce. Here’s a gift that will make every mom in town as happy as a clam. And if she is a Framboise fan, a similar pack is available at the winery store located near Canada’s Wonderland.

Spirits fans will jump for joy when they take a swig of sweet, honeyed, herbal Glenfiddich Malt Whisky Liqueur ($39.75). Another one of my favourite tipples, still available through Vintages, is the delicious Hine Cigar Reserve Cognac at $99.95. Finally, there’s the intriguing Distilleria Bottega Artegrappa featuring three halves (350 ml each) of grappa each made from different grape varieties - Prosecco (north), Verdicchio (central) and Grecco di Tufo (south) gift boxed at $57.95.

For Cognac lovers, I would first like to thank Mendy Sharf who generously hosts an annual blind tasting of treasures from his cellar. This year my favourite was Augier Extra Rare Grand Champagne Cognac (still available in the Classics Catalogue $295) due to it’s smoothness and refined, lingering, sweet, ripe prune finish, which just caressed the palate. Augier, by the way, it the oldest continuously operating house in France having been established in 643.

Very good value (and first rated by some) was the previously untasted Jean Filloux Très Vieux 1er Cru Grande Champagne Cognac at $98.45 from last November’s Vintages release.  A fairly elegant style with some tealeaf and dried orange peel notes.

For the literati, being the holiday season, you’ll hopefully get a chance to dig into a good book that expands your vinous horizons. Unfortunately, this hasn’t been a vintage year for readers. Thus, I find myself unable to hold back from recommending one of the best wine books money can buy –Tom Stevenson The New Sotheby’s Wine Encyclopedia (Firefly Books). Although this beautifully illustrated, well-documented, 600-page opus went to print in July 1997, it isn’t out of date. It has truly outstanding maps and is a pleasure to read both for experts and neophytes. And so while I have been patiently waiting for a new edition to surface, absolutely nothing wrong with the current edition, even at $75. Unfortunately, very few stores seem to have this treasure in stock. After making a series of calls, only Indigo Books had any copies available (1-888-466-3446).  

Last but not least is my own little monthly Vintage Assessments dedicated to professional buyers who need to know what something actually tastes like, not simply a number! At $72 for 12 issues of Vintage Assessments (or $39.95 e-mail edition) isn’t inexpensive. But for this week only, National Post readers have a real deal - only $52 and $29 respectively for gifts or new subscriptions. Email mbv@total.net or call 416-769-1674.