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Weekly Wine & Spirits Columnist - Michael Vaughan

When the ‘experts’ are wrong

Copy for Saturday, January 8, 2000 - National Post Toronto Section

So here it comes, the first Vintages release of the millennium.  The ultimate question: what's worth buying? Each month the LCBO Vintages release catalogue provides us with tasting notes and scores (primarily from US sources) for various newly-listed wines.  These can have a profound impact on sales and it's important that they are accurate.  Coming up next Saturday, for instance, is a white Burgundy 1997 Chateau de Chamirey which received a stunning score of 94 points in the Wine Spectator (one of the wine buyer's bibles - the other being Robert Parker).  At $27.75, people will be lining up for this wine. In fact, some LCBO consultants have already received calls from customers begging them to put bottles aside.

I have had the privilege pretasting it twice.  Was I impressed with this “little Montrachet”?  No, not at all! In fact, the tasting note quoted by the LCBO is totally out of sync with both bottles sampled.  Indeed, most LCBO product consultants were equally dismayed by the obvious discrepancy between what was in the glass and what was on the page.  To be charitable, perhaps this wine is going through one of those awkward stages of drinkability.  And while there's nothing wrong with it (it should have scored in the high 80s), to rank it as number 15 out of the 1999 top 100 is sheer madness.  I don't blame the LCBO for using this information - it helps consumers make a decision about a product.  Plus there's lots of pressure from importers who use high scores to push their products.  In this instance, the tasting note is simply irrelevant.

Moving on to other slips.  Turn to page 20 of the current Catalogue and you will find the Australian 1995  'E & E' Black Pepper Shiraz at $55 which isn't bad for a red that achieves a superlative score of 97(#7 in the Wine Spectator's top 100).  Problem is, the quoted score/tasting note is for a 1996, not 1995.  Fortunately, it is the 1996 that's available - only 250 cases of 6.  Too bad the LCBO product consultants were not permitted to taste it.

The inside front cover of the Catalogue erroneously suggests that the “wine of the month’ 1996 Merlot 'Cuvée

Angeline' is sweet, when in fact it is very dry.  I enjoyed its well structured, slightly tart, dried strawberry and red cherry flavours - it would be great with steak (but not foie gras as the LCBO suggests).  In fact, if you wanted something to go with foie gras, try the sweet, pear-marmalade flavoured 1997 Coteaux du Layon at $19.85 made from the white Chenin Blanc grown in the Loire.

What other whites do I recommend?  My best buy white of the release is an obscure 1997 Chateau des Eyssards Cuvče Prestige ($11.40), a Bergerac which hails from the southwest of France and is made from basically the same varieties as a Bordeaux Blanc - Sauvignon, Semillon and Muscadelle.  This one has a surprisingly deep golden yellow colour with a dry but still rounded, slightly spicy, dried apricot-pear fruit flavours and a long gently toasty finish.  Produced by L. Cuisset & Fils, some 200 cases are available and it would be perfect with poultry and white meats.

Somewhat drier and crisper, but also very good is the 1997 Chateau Tudin Cuvče Prestige ($14.95) produced by Bordeaux house of Ginestet.  It would be perfect with oysters and seafood dishes.  For the adventuresome, try the 1997 Hawthorne Mountain Vineyards Gewürztraminer ($14.65) which comes from the Okanagan region of British Columbia.  It's just off-dry, refreshing, spicy, lichee-pear flavours would be perfect with Thai or Chinese cuisine. 

Next week will focus on best buy reds.  But before I leave a word of warning on a traditional favourite, the 1995 Gran Sangre de Toro ($13.30).  It pretasted two bottles from next Saturday's release and both were oxidized with tart dried out flavours.  The 86 point score referred to simply has no merit.  The quotation used by the LCBO that “it's light enough for flavourful fish, or full enough for lamb” could only mean pounding the former to death or defending yourself from the latter.  Sometimes it's better to say nothing!