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Great
buys in today’s Vintages release
Michael
Vaughan
National Post Weekly Wine & Spirits
Columnist
Saturday, June 9, 2001
So
here it is, another Vintages release day with 160 products hitting the
shelves. And we have some dandy, well priced surprises. Those of you, who
missed last month’s sold out tasting of New Zealand wines, need not
lament. Miraculously Vintages has managed to acquire two of the best wines
featured at the event. The first is from the white grape that put New
Zealand on the wine map – Fairhall
Downs 2000 Sauvignon Blanc at $14.50. Fortunately, there’s
not a drop of cat’s pee to be found in this fragrant and yet crisp
effort. The very dry, zesty, lemony-Anjou pear flavours have a
refreshingly tart, lingering, gooseberry finish making perfect for seafood
and spicy cuisine. (www.fairhalldowns.co.nz)
Also
a red not to be missed is the well-structured Palliser Estate 1999 Pinot Noir from
the Martinborough area on the North Island. At $23.90, here’s a fairly
rich, rounded, sandalwood and dried black cherry purée flavoured effort
that is at its peak of perfection. You’ll be hard pressed to find a
classier Pinot Noir with this degree of accessibility from anywhere at the
price. In fact all four Pinot Noirs presented at the annual New Zealand
tasting were winners! (www.palliser.co.nz)
Moving
on, last week I focused on spicy whites, and today’s release has a real
gem - André
Blanck 1999 Gewürztraminer Clos Schwendi Ancienne Cour des Chevaliers de
Malte. Now that’s a mouthful and so is the wine, which has
extraordinarily spicy, honeyed, complex, lychee-rose petal flavours that
go on and on. It’s so intense that some are bound to find it a tad
overwhelming. As such, it’s probably best served well chilled with spicy
Thai cuisine. It comes at a remarkable price – only $13.95.
Of
all the whites this month, however, the two definitive best buys are
Chardonnays - one showing off some fine barrel aging, the other focusing
on fruit. Fans of the former should run down and pick up a case of Boyar
1999 Premium Oak Barrel Fermented Chardonnay. Thankfully
Vintages has 1,000 cases of this $8.95 Bulgarian steal waiting to kiss
your lips. This well-balanced crowd pleaser has dry but rounded, ripe pear
purée flavours with a lovely blush of vanilla lingering on the finish.
Another
incredible buy, this time from the south of France is Les Costières de Pomerols 1999 Hugues de
Beauvignac Chardonnay – a steal at $7.95. Originating in the
Vin de Pays de Côtes des Thau, it's amazing that so much flavour could be
bottled at such a low price. Although deep yellow in colour, the palate
sings with gently spicy, forward but still tangy, bright, light bodied,
ruby grapefruit flavours. A real crowd pleaser that shows excellent
versatility. With 599 cases in stock, there should be plenty to go around.
(www.cave-pomerols.com)
For
simply sipping, nothing will beat Dr.
Zenzen 1997 Valwiger Rosenhang Apollo-Falter Riesling Kabinett from
the Mosel. It has lovely structure with sweetish, bright and yet creamy,
lemon-lime-green pear flavours that show good balance and excellent
length. More incredible is the pinch-me-I-must-be-dreaming price of only
$10.95. It’s the kind of wine that you could even have at breakfast.
And
talking about early morning sippers, make sure you check out the
ever-delightful, low alcohol (5.5%) Bava
2000 Moscato d’Asti at $13.90. Originating in Italy’s
Piedmont, its yummy, gently sweet, slightly effervescent, honeyed, warm
grapefruit flavours will charm your socks off. Perfect for a breakfast in
bed Sunday. (www.bava.com)
For
that hot summer afternoon pick-me-up, there’s the Varanda do Conde 2000 Vinho Verde,
which is light yellow colour with some suspended tiny bubbles. At $12.65
it may not be the cheapest Portuguese white in town, but its cool, light
bodied, dry, zesty, melon-grapefruit flavours are the perfect foil for
oysters.
As
for the reds, me personal best buy would be a delicious bottle from the
Rhone - Delas
Frères 1998 Saint-Joseph Cuvée François de Tournon at
$24.95. Don’t worry if you have never heard of the St. Joseph commune -
this Syrah-based effort can challenge some of the best, pricier Hermitage
and Cote Rotie. It’s a true classic with a nose redolent of smoky,
gently meaty, vanilla stick and sweet black cherry essence. Ditto on the
rich, concentrated palate along with its slightly bitter lingering finish.
A very expressive St. Joseph, which is accessible now but should hold for
a number of years.
From
Portugal, we have a new Vintages “Discovery” - the rather earthy Casa
de Santar 1998 Dão Reserva at $19.95. This medium deep
ambering red has a complex, rich, very dry, plummy, spicy, stewed prune
flavours and a fairly bright, lingering finish. It’s the kind of French
barrel aged red that works wonderfully with marinated game just off the
BBQ.
Of
the eight newly-listed rosés, don’t miss Jacques
& François Lurton 2000 Rosado at $9.85 Originating in
Argentina’s Mendoza, this lively Syrah and Bonarda blend has that
faintly sweet, fresh, ripe strawberry flavour that takes the edge off the
warmest days. A real, versatile, crowd-pleasing pick-me-up that will sooth
and refresh at the same time. (www.jflurton.com)
Last
but not least, is an Austrian brew for the connoisseur - Schloss Eggenberg ‘Pils’ Hopenkönig
at $1.95. It has exactly what I want - not too much alcohol (5.1%); a
fine, slightly lemony, hoppy nose; and a very crisp, well-balanced, dry,
gently hoppy taste followed up with a refreshing hint of bitter lemon on
the finish. The house of Schloss Eggenberg goes back to 1681 and it’s
too bad that I had to wait so long to discover it! Ah, better late than
never! (www.eggenberger.at)
Copyright Food & Beverage Testing Institute of Canada
2004
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Contact Michael Vaughan at
mbv@total.net