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From Napa classics to General List best buys
Michael
Vaughan • Weekly Wine & Spirits Columnist
National Post • Saturday, February 17, 2001
For those of you (meaning almost
everyone) unable to attend last Tuesday’s Napa Valley Vintners tasting,
here’s the scoop. First of all, the show sold out almost immediately -
so if you were disappointed, you’re not alone. Secondly, my notes from
last month’s preview blind tastings (55 wines in 6 flights) were not
totally encouraging. Several of the wines (i.e. 1997 Cabernet Sauvignons
from Stag’s Leap Faye Vineyard and Far Niente) were decidedly out of
sorts! Obviously, there’s always a danger when you rely on a single
sample.
Finally, kudos to Vintages who went the
extra mile to present 44 wines for private ordering! While sales were far
from overwhelming, many will be appearing in Vintages over the next 12
months. Of the whites, I had two definite favourites. The first was the
dynamite, wonderfully fresh, crisp, grassy, melon-driven St. Supery
2000 Sauvignon Blanc at $22.95 (PR Canada at 905-405-0410).
The other was the creamy, rounded Saintsbury
1999 Carneros Chardonnay a winner at $28.95 (Maxxium at
416-535-7899). Its flan-driven flavours have been caressed by a dollop of
French vanilla ice cream. If you can wait, it’s making its Vintages
debut next summer.
While some Napa fans were raving about
the extremely youthful, intense, berry-driven Joseph Phelps 1998 Insignia ($175),
my personal best of show was the more subdued, well-structured and yet
surprisingly refined Beaulieu
Vineyards 1997 Georges de Latour Reserve Cabernet (about $80US)
and is worth every penny (United Distillers at 416-626-2000). Some 17,000
cases of this 100% Cabernet Sauvignon saw 22 months in American (55%) and
French oak. There’s no question that the introduction of the latter has
given this BV a lot more finesse (especially the lime flavours from the
classy barrels). Look for mouthfilling richness that focuses on its
cassis-cherry-plum purée flavours.
Coming up on March 20th, fans of Pinot Noir will not want to miss the
special LCBO Vintages Preview Tasting “1999
Burgundy Prearrivals” featuring over one hundred white and red 1999
Burgundies! Wines from four houses will be featured: Bouchard Père et
Fils, Joseph Drouhin, Louis Jadot and Antonin Rodet! It all takes place at
Toronto's Capitol Theatre (3-6 pm) and tickets are a mere $45 (only 200
are available). Call today at 416-864-6999 or download a fax order sheet
from my website. A complete list of all wines being featured along with
prices will be forthcoming.
Every month a whack of new General List
wines appear on LCBO shelves. They rarely make the spotlight usually
because they don’t stir much organoleptic excitement.
Of course, there are exceptions and here are four. The first is the
medium-light bodied, slightly sweetish Con
Sur 2000 Pinot Noir from Chile. Now don’t get me wrong, this
isn’t a showstopper, but at only $9.95 who can complain? Its zesty,
easy-to-quaff, red cherry-beetroot flavours actually remind me of the real
thing - a bit of a miracle at the price.
And
talking about miracles, here’s an Italian white that definitely worthy
of a pilgrimage. Let the snobs turn up their collective noses at this
General List entry, they’ll never know what they missed. Yes, from the
actual 1353 estate vineyards surrounding the home of poet Dante comes the
fruity, delicious Masi
Serego Alighieri 1999 Bianco del Conte at $12.95. This unique
unoaked blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Garganega is dry and yet mellow with
gently honeyed, spicy, melon-lychee flavours. Perfect with soups,
appetizers and seafood.
In
a completely different vein from Portugal is a red bargoon – Grao
Vasco 1999
Dao at only $7.25. If you enjoy the spicy, gently leathery, plummy,
dried red cherry and fresh beefsteak tomato flavours that this region has
to offer, you won’t find better value anywhere. It’s been around
forever, is taken for granted and is greatly under-priced. It’s a
special treat for those who are bored with the homogeneous flavours that
seem to characterize most of today’s hits!
Finally,
hitting the shelves this week is one of the best Spanish reds I have
tasted in quite some time. Better yet, it’s an incredible buy at only
$11.95. From the Somontana region (foothills of the Pyrenees in the
northeast) comes the ultra delicious, well-structured, red
cherry-cassis-chocolate flavoured Vinas del Vero 1998 San Marcos Estate Cabernet
Sauvignon. I had to pinch myself because not only was this
beauty aged for eight months in fine-grained French Allier, but it also it
puts most comparably-priced Bordeaux to shame. The fact that you can find
it on the General List (an ex-Vintages listing) is one for Ripley’s
“Believe it or not!”
Copyright
Food & Beverage Testing Institute of Canada 2004
Prior written permission is required for any form of reproduction
(electronic or other wise) and or quotation.
Contact Michael Vaughan at
mbv@total.net