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Premiering Today at Vintages:
Potential Oscar-Winning Reds!
© Michael Vaughan 2003
National Post Weekly Wine & Spirits Columnist
 Saturday, September 9, 2000

So I’m sitting here debating the merits of one of the juicier Festival films with a Los Angeles producer and he stops mid-sentence and says, “so you’re a wine guy, who’s the best in Canada?”

After a long pause I say “well 20 years ago that would have been easy, but today it’s much harder! It’s much more competitive and has become a case of picking wines, like films.” “Cherry picking,” he retorts. “Ya, cherry picking,” I reply.

It’s amazing how much film and wines have in common. After all, to produce a sensational film you need more than great actors – you need the vision of a competent director to put it all together! Identically, great grapes need a brilliant winemaker to achieve the best.

As 1998 was a wonderful year for Ontario reds, if I had to nominate one from today’s Vintages release for an Oscar, it would be the remarkable Henry of Pelham 1998 Cabernet-Merlot. Now some may complain that it’s not cheap at $29.95 but let me assure you that in recent comparative blind tastings it swept a French Bordeaux costing more than twice the price under the floor mat! For my California buddies, it’s a bargain at under $20 US!

“Director” winemaker Ron Giesbrecht has already won gold for this wonderful Bordeaux-inspired blend. The lovely, creamy, blackberry fruit flavours are melded perfectly with cedar-lime nuances from new French oak. A delicious effort that can be enjoyed today or laid away for the future. It is, without question, the best of the excellent crop of five being released at today’s Henry of Pelham 10^th anniversary release.

Another Ontario wine worthy of the Oscar spotlight is the golden-coloured Chateau des Charmes 1997 St. Davids Bench Chardonnay ($19.95). Ironically, while the reputation of the1997 vintage wasn’t up to 1998, in many instances the former did manage to produce better whites due to cooler weather. What this did is keep acid levels up resulting in rich, rather vanilla-driven, buttery, baked pear, ripe lemon and key lime pie flavours. It’s perfect for white meats and poultry but perhaps a tad overwhelming for delicate seafood dishes!

Looking south, two California under-$20 bargains should be snapped up quickly. The first is Geyser Peak 1998 Sonoma County Chardonnay. This one gives Chateau des Charmes a run for the money (identically-priced at $19.95). It’s rich and dry with rounded, creamy, ripe melon-lemon-lime flavours and a lingering, lemon-zested, pear cobbler finish. Unfortunately the Vintages Catalogue uses a positive Wine Spectator tasting note without having the courage to include the erroneously low 84 point score. Surely any tasting notes quoted by the LCBO should be used in its entirety, not just in bits and pieces.

For California red fans, of the 12 presented, the hands-down best buy is bright, smoky Sebastiani Old Vines, 1998 Sonoma Cask Zinfandel ($17.90). This versatile, medium-bodied, crowd-pleaser has spicy, blueberry pie flavours with a blush of vanilla and some refreshing notes of lemon zest. Kudos, however, to the LCBO for yanking the Alexander Valley Vineyards

For Cannes film festival die-hards, we have a bounty of new French wines that are well worth exploring. The best and one of my “release highlights” (only 4 out of the 175 new products) is the absolutely delicious 1997 Chateau Clos de L’Eglise ($129.95). This wonderful Pomerol has a stunning nose - very intense, baked limes and juicy ripe plum purée. It’s well-textured, beautifully balanced with rich, chocolaty, plum purée, limes and a fine hint of cedar on the palate. It’s showing beautifully now (but improves as it breathes) and is actually worth the money.

A pox on the 1997 vintage Bordeaux naysayers, who will have to eat their hats when it comes to this one (it’s capable of evolving nicely for many years to come). As a generalization, it’s true that 1997 did not produce a bevy of big gutsy wines (which would be incapable of being enjoyed today) for collectors. But this doesn’t mean that the eminently drinkable 1997 reds are no good!

For those whose budgets don’t fall into film producer proportions, there’s Georges Audy’s very decent Bordeaux Supérieur 1996 Chateau Jonqueyres ($14.65). It’s ready to drink with well balanced, medium-bodied, dried plum and chocolate-licorice flavours.

There are a surprising number of inexpensive, very fine Midi reds in this release. One not to be missed is the lovely, unfiltered Corbières 1998 Chateau La Baronne ($12.45). This blend of Syrah, Mourvédre and 40-100 year old Carignan is nicely structured with dried ripe plums and dusty dark chocolate flavours. It has good length and is capable of aging although is quite approachable, especially with breathing. Great with a lamb stew. It’s imported by Mark Moldover of Cepages Du Terroir who lives and specializes in fine wines from Southern France (416) 482-0252.

Another great buy is the deeply coloured Côtes du Roussillon 1997 Domaine de L’Auris ($11.70) with its spicy, slightly smoky, dried black cherry nose. The slightly leathery, smoky, ripe prune flavours will go well with hearty fall dishes.

Of course beauty is in the eye of the beholder and the Midi which swept me away was the 1998 Chateau Depaule ($10.30) with its beguiling, complex, slightly leathery nose. On the palate it has lovely balance with bright, smoky, plum purée flavours and a fine persistent finish – simply delicious. It comes from the Cabardès which permits blending grapes associated with Bordeaux (Cabernet and Merlot) with those from the Rhône/Midi (Syrah and Carignan). It is ready to enjoy and at this price, one of my highest scoring wines of the year!

Fans of Roberto Benigni might be tempted to make the slightly sweet, frizzy, honeyed Marchesi Di Gresy 1999 Moscato d’Asti La Serra ($15.55) the beverage of choice with their Sunday brunch. It’s well balanced, light bodied (5.5% alcohol), refreshing Muscat flavours should please everyone, even those who disdain the taste of most wines. Indeed, its flavours want to make you get up and dance.

There’s nothing Felini-esque, however, about the seriously made, ready-to-enjoy Zenato 1993 Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico ($38.40). Another release highlight, it features complex, rich, mouthfilling, ripe dried plum flavours and some herbal, sweet vanilla notes on the persistent finish.

The antithesis of the latter is Carpineto 1999 Dogajolo ($14.90) a cheerful, fruity Tuscany blend of Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon. Its light-bodied, slightly sweet, fruity, red cherry flavours make it a ready to enjoy, versatile, crowd-pleasing style.

As for the fourteen 1997 Ports being released today, I don’t think anyone should panic because prices are sufficiently high to dampen buyer enthusiasm. This and the fact that they need 4-14 years worth of additional aging. Details on these and other upcoming events are available on my website.  (press here for Port reviews)