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Primum Familiae Vini Release – Vintages October 16^th

It is an honour that the PFV (or Leading Wine Families) have decided to have their annual meeting in Toronto (for those who are unfamiliar with the group, the current October Vintages Catalogue provides an in-depth profile).  My only wish is that the organizers for the PFV might have made them more accessible to the average wine lover.  Their schedule consisted of one privately organized pre-sold-out $350 fund-raising dinner and a $185 three-hour ROM walk-around-tasting organized by the LCBO on October 19th.  This, unfortunately, doesn’t really translate into meeting the locals.

The most important individuals left out are the LCBO’s own wine consultants who as a group are not afforded a single opportunity to meet this special assemblage of wine producers.  It’s a shame that the LCBO organizers who are using this event to launch PFV wines in the Vintages and Classics Catalogue couldn’t have come up with something that would allow greater access for everyone.  One has to ask why this LCBO event had to have a $185 price tag and why there are not more tastings.

Also left out are most of the local Ontario wine writers.  While many mainstream writers have had the fortune of attending various wine & dine opportunities with PFV members, the majority have not.  It would have made more sense if the LCBO organized a PFV round table panel discussion about wine in the next millennium for all interested parties.  Such an event could have been broadcast and accompanied by special LCBO in-store tastings of a variety of rarified PFV wines (by the glass and at cost) right across the province.  Instead we have expensive events that seem elitist and exclusive.

My own PFV memories date back some three decades.  I know first hand that these families are not snobs.  They are dedicated and work hard to sustain their position in what is an increasingly competitive, corporately-owned industry.  But times have changed.  The increasing demands of the well-heeled who purchase their ever-more-expensive wares forms a constituency that is hard to ignore.  The 100-point system has perversely democratized wines in a sense that people now vote with their pocketbook and less and sometimes in spite of their own palate. 

In this fast-paced world, many simply don’t have time to take wine courses or do comparative tastings.  They expediently buy by number, whether or not they end up really enjoying what that bottle contains.  This unfortunately has put many fine wines out of reach of the average individual.  Worse yet are the speculators who hoard wines hoping to cash in at auctions when prices rise.  It is hard to believe that when I first started laying away a few bottles there was only a three-fold difference between the ordinary and the great.  A 1962 First Growth Bordeaux sold for under $7!  It’s enough to make you weep.

In any case, if you were to ask me whether the upcoming $185 event is worthy of a detour, I would say yes!  It’s great chance to taste some fine PFV wines from the current Vintages and upcoming Classics release.  The following is a listing of all PFV products made available in Vintages stores as of Saturday, October 16th.  The number of cases ordered by the LCBO is indicated as well as the % alcohol from the label.  The Agent Id (the first three letters of the agent’s first and second name) is included with each product. 

Port

728287 DOW’S RESERVE PORT 1982                                            $ 34.70
(Silva & Cosens)                                                                    A Smooth Sipper **
(150 Cases) (20%)  [Rog Com]
This wood-matured Tawny has a medium amber colour with a tinge of copper red on the edges.  The sweet caramel driven nose has vanilla stick, cloves and baked apples notes.  Creamy, sweet, rounded, smooth, baked figs, vanilla and plum purée flavours.  This wood-matured Port has of a minimum of seven years aging.  This combined with about 9 years of bottle aging means that it is more like a Tawny than a LBV!  As it has not been filtered, it requires decanting.

Recommended by Vintage Assessments!
208405 GRAHAM’S ‘SIX GRAPES’ PORT                                      $ 15.95
(WM. J. Graham & Co.)                                            Sweet & Well Structured **
(400 Cases) (20%)  [Le Mar]
I rather liked this reasonably-priced Vintage-styled Port.  Deep dark purple red colour. Intense, ripe, complex, roasted plum and gently sweet, classy, chocolate figs on the nose.  Very well balanced, rounded, fairly intense, roasted plums, figs, chocolate and cassis on the palate.  A fine, intense, reasonably sweet blend that is still capable of aging!  Blended from several harvests, ‘Six Grapes’ is an average of 5-6 years old when bottled.

727172 WARRE’S VINTAGE PORT 1977                                       $ 130.50
Bottled 1979                                                         Not Presented For Evaluation by the LCBO
(Warre & Co.) (50 Cases) (21%)  [Sai Com]
I last reviewed the ‘77 in my December 1996 issue (it rated **+) and the 150 cases ordered by the LCBO sold for only $63.35!  Firm, mouthfilling, rich, slightly peppery, honeyed, sweet black cherry flavours with a dusting of unsweetened chocolate.  It will have evolved since then.

White Table Wine
U.S.A.–California

Recommended by Vintage Assessments!
335976 CHARDONNAY 1996                                                          $ 34.95
Estate Grown & Bottled                                                  Ripe Pear & Vanilla **+
‘Don Miguel Vineyards’ Green Valley
Sonoma County (Prod. & Btld. Marimar
Torres Estate) (150 Cases) (13.5%)  [Lif Age]
Bright medium light yellow colour.  Gently spicy, complex,rich, rounded, buckwheat honey, limes and baked lemon on the nose.  Creamy, rich, forward, creamy but bright, dried ripe lemon flavours with cedary green pear notes on the finish.  At it’s peak so drink while it displays all its charm.

Chile

A Vintage Assessments Explorer’s Selection!
177444 SAUVIGNON BLANC 1998                                                    $ 9.90
Estate Bottle                                                       Crisp Light White Grapefruit *+
Curico (Soc. Vinicola Miguel            
Torres  S.A.) (799 Cases) (13.5%)  [Pac Win]
This 100% Sauvignon Blanc was bottled unoaked three months after the harvest.  The first bottle was corked, second bottle fine.  Bright medium yellow colour.  Gently honeyed, orange citrus, white grapefruit and fresh melon on the nose.  Dry, clean, crisp, light bodied, ever so slightly herbaceous, fresh grapefruit flavours.  Perfect for seafood and at its peak so drink soon.  With respect to ageability, it is always advisable to drink most Sauvignon Blanc young, usually the younger the better.  One exception was a Torres 1996 whose gently honeyed, fresh, ruby grapefruit flavours were still pristine when tasted earlier this year!  It is one of the best inexpensive Chilean Sauvignon Blancs I have tasted!  Key to this wine’s survival was higher acidity and lower alcohol (only 12% vs 13.%% for the 1998).

France – Alsace

86264 PINOT BLANC 1997                                                                $ 14.90
Alsace, A.C.                                                                   Honeyed Ripe Apples **
(Hugel et fils) (300 Cases) (12%)  [Hal Ent]
Bright yellow colour.  Gently honeyed, fresh apricot aromas.  Dry, rounded, gently honeyed, slightly spicy, fresh ripe red apple flavours with a crisp, lightly peppery, refreshing finish.  You may not know that Pinot Blanc is a mutation of Pinot Gris which in turn is a pink berry-hued version of Pinot Noir.  

France – Bourgogne

715102 CHABLIS 1996                                                                        $ 29.50
Domaine de Vaudon                                                   Rich, Crisp & Persistent **
(Joseph Drouhin) (200 Cases) (12.5%)  [Phi Dan]
Incorrectly identified as “Moulin de Vaudon” in the LCBO release this Chablis has a light yellow colour.  Very distinctive nose - rather intense, very bright, surprisingly herbaceous, fine fresh melon and ripe red apple fruit with some toasty notes (perhaps from some barrel exposure).  Dry, rather rich, lemon meringue pie flavours with some spicy, crisp, lime notes on the fairly persistent greenish finish.  Quite frankly I was surprised that Vintages decided to show a Chablis as opposed to something closer to Beaune i.e. Clos des Mouches.

Germany – Mosel-Saar-Ruwer

727032 SCHARZHOFBERGER 1998                                                   $ 17.45
Riesling, QbA, Gutsab-                                    Not Presented For Evaluation by the LCBO 
füllung (Egon Müller) (100 Cases)  [Tor Tra]

Red Table Wine
U.S.A. – California

962241 CABERNET SAUVIGNON 1996                                          $64.75
Stag’s Leap District                                                                             Youthful **+
(Robert Mondavi) (174 Cases @ 6) (13.5%)  [Phi Dan]
Deep purple colour.  Rather cedary, spicy, somewhat earthy, herbal (rosemary), hot baked plums and cassis on the nose.  Solid, zesty, somewhat cedary, vanilla stick and BBQ red pepper flavours.  Some dusty dry chocolate notes are evident on the long, still youthful finish.  Needs time to evolve. 

Recommended by Vintage Assessments!
960328 merlot 1996                                                                        $ 49.95
Carneros District                                                                   Solid, Zesty Fruity ***
(Robert Mondavi) (432 Cases @ 6)  [Phi Dan]
Deep purple red colour.  Fairly intense, hot, earthy, leathery, dried raspberry and persimmons nose with zesty sun dried tomato and red pepper purée notes.  Fine extract and well balanced with intense, dried plum, sage and cedar on the palate.  Lingering dusty chocolate finish.  A Best Buy!

Recommended by Vintage Assessments!
438697 PINOT NOIR 1996                                                                 $ 27.95
Napa Valley, Unfiltered                                                       Mature Spicy Fruit **+
(Robert Mondavi) (299 Cases) (13.5%)  [Phi Dan]
Medium deep red colour.  Very spicy (vanilla and cloves) and rather sweet with lovely, baked ripe plums, rosehips and beet root notes.  Lots of spicy, fairly creamy, bright, cassis, raspberry and sun dried tomato flavours!  Nice structure but not huge.  Probably at peak and starting to dry out.  Great with rack of lamb.  Very fine Pinot Noir value.

France – Bordeaux

966424 CHATEAU CLERC-MILON 1996                                        $ 66.85
Pauillac A.C.                                                                                     Still Young **
5ième Cru CLASSé (65 Cases) (12.5%)  [LCB Dir]
Tasted twice with one bottle being more forward than the other (this review reflects the less austere sample).  Deep purple red colour.  Dry, surprisingly spicy, dusty hot plums and dried raspberries on the nose which has some slightly earthy, chalky notes.  Solid, youthful, still tight, dried red cherry and dusty chocolate flavours.  Good structure but requires a few years to evolve.

Recommended by Vintage Assessments!
965806 ‘LE PETIT MOUTON                                                          $ 99.95
              DE ROTHSCHILD’ 1996                                      Rich & Cedary ***
Pauillac A.C. (12.5%)  [Phi Dan]
(Mouton-Rothschild) (75 Cs @ 6)
Rather deep solid dark purple colour.  Intense, surprisingly cedary, youthful, somewhat smoky, spicy, baked black cherries on the nose.  Solid, spicy, mouthfilling, still youthful, very dry, dusty chocolate and dried ripe plum flavours.  Intense, rather weighty, chewy finish.  This one is showing surprisingly well and will without doubt be better in 5-10 years from now!

France – Rhône

716985 CÔTE-ROTIE 1996                                                                 $ 69.90
‘Les Jumelles’                                                    Smoky, Hot, Candied Licorice **
(Paul Jaboulet Aîné) (50 Cases) (12.5%)  [Hal Ent]
Medium deep purple red colour.  Hot, sweetish, stewed, candied plum nose with some smoky, licorice, violet notes.  A hint of baked red apples is also present.  Very dry, somewhat chalky, smoky, baked red crab apple, licorice, dried plums and lemon zest on the palate.  Youthful with lots of flavours, this one will change significantly as it matures and becomes ready to drink over the next decade.  Lay Away!

Champagne

725481 ‘Cuvée Sir Winston                                     3000 mL   $ 1,199.00
              Churchill’ 1988                        Not Presented For Evaluation by the LCBO
Double Magnum        
(Pol Roger) (13 Cases @ 1)  [Chu Cel]

Recommended by Vintage Assessments!
701888 RÉSERVE SPECIALE ‘PR’ BRUT 1988                            $ 58.80
(Pol Roger)                                                          Creamy & Gently Complex ***
(100 Cases) (12%)  [Chu Cel]
This blend of 50% Chardonnay and 50% Pinot Noir has a medium yellow colour.  Rather intense, toasty, complex, roasted lemons and hazelnuts on the nose.  Creamy, intense, hot melted butter and leesy hazelnut flavours.  Solid “gout Anglaise” taste with a long finish.  Would be great with a freshly sautéed butter-infused dover sole or sandre (pike or pickerel).