Vic Harradine will be visiting wineries in Australia and New Zealand for the next few weeks and, while he is away, Rod Phillips will write all the Vintages release reviews. Vic will file reviews in the other categories in the next newsletter.

All the wines in this release are from France.

Consult our rating system for a description of the symbols we use when rating a wine.




Henry de Fontenay Vouvray 2003
AOC Vouvray, Loire $13.95 (653576)
Made from Chenin Blanc, Vouvray comes in a range of styles. This one offers plush ripe fruit (stewed pears, ripe red apple) flavours with good acidity. It’s off-dry in texture and makes a good partner for spicy chicken dishes. (RP)


Fournier Père et Fils “Les Maulins Bâles” Sancerre 2002
AOC Sancerre, Loire $24.95 (651091)
The Vintages catalog reminds us that Sancerre inspired New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc and adds, “Kiwi wine lovers take note.” But this and good New Zealand SB are as far apart stylistically as, well, Sancerre and Marlborough. This is much more restrained in fruit and acidity, more understated, and delicious in its own style. Serve it with briny seafood. (RP)


Verget St-Romain 2002
AOC St Romain, Burgundy $29.95 (652040)
St-Romain is off the beaten track in Burgundy, not along the famous Côte d’Or, and as is so often true, you get the best value from lesser-known appellations. This is a stunning Chardonnay, with finely-honed fruit, poised acidity, and gorgeous texture. Do I like it? Pair it with something elegant or something simple, like herbed sea bass or grilled chicken in a white wine sauce. (RP)


Bouchard Père et Fils Montagny 1er Cru 2003
AOC Montagny 1er Cru, Burgundy $24.95 (653683)
A superbly-made wine that shows elegance and style. The fruit is focused and pure, the acidity is balanced, and the oak is so deftly handled that you feel it in the texture but it doesn’t interfere with the fruit. This is one for delicately-flavoured food, like poached salmon with a light lemon sauce. (RP)


Mas de Daumas Gassac Réserve de Gassac Blanc 2003
Vin de Pays de l’Hérault, Languedoc $18.95 (608778)
From the icon winery of Languedoc, a delicate but full-fruit white with attractive floral, apple and pear aromas and flavours, all set off with good citrus acidity. It’s medium bodied and just well made, an ideal and versatile food wine. Think of it for grilled snapper. (RP)


Martin Schaetzel Riesling 2003
AOC Alsace $17.95 (641647)
A mouth-filling, dry Riesling with all the acidity you expect of the variety, along with full-flavoured fruit (apple and pear to the fore). Despite its dryness, it has a richness that will carry it through to a pairing with seared foie gras without any problem. (RP)





Guy Saget Domaine d’Artois Rouge 2002
AOC Touraine-Mesland, Loire $11.95 (694018)
A very well-priced red from a region associated with white wine. This is predominantly Cabernet Franc, and it has flavours of spicy, bright red fruit with a hint of candied fruit. Very lightly tannic, dry textured, and light to medium bodied, it’s easy-drinking and versatile for dishes from pasta to pizza. (RP)


Château de Brézé Saumur Rouge 2002
AOC Saumur, Loire $14.95 (590554)
A light- to medium-bodied Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon blend that has bright red cherry and berry with some spice and earthy notes. It has quite a good tannic grip, a bit of depth on the palate, and comes through thoroughly dry. Versatile with food, it can be paired well with tomato and mushroom-based vegetarian dishes. (RP)


Louis Jadot Beaune 1er Cru “Les Grèves” 2002
AOC Beaune 1er Cru, Burgundy $52.95 (680413)
A beautifully-made Pinot Noir that takes advantage of the quality of the year’s fruit. There’s a seam of fruit purity here, with stunning flavours of ripe red cherry and sweet berry. Throw in some peppery spice, fine tannins and loooooong length, and you have it.  Pair this up with duck and a cherry coulis. (RP)


Joseph Drouhin Ladoix 2002
AOC Ladoix, Burgundy $26.95 (966200)
This is stylish and flavoursome, with lovely cherry and red berry fruit, the merest hint of earthiness and a scattering of spice, and brisk acidity. It verges on being elegant, but it’s a ‘now’ wine, not one to put aside. So enjoy it anytime in the next year or two with grilled lamb and root vegetables. (RP)


Château Clos Dubreuil 2001
AOC St-Emilion, Bordeaux $74.95 (603993)
An amazing wine that’s worth putting away for five to ten years. Its inky appearance prepares you for the dense, concentrated aromas and flavours. Look for complex dark fruit flavours and notes like tar, coffee and leather, but right now the tannins, while integrating, are too firm and drying.  Hold off buying the steak for another five to ten years, too. (RP)


Château du Glana 2000
AOC St-Julien, Bordeaux $44.95 (592881)
Dense and intense. No, it’s not a politician, but a Bordeaux from the much-vaunted 2000 vintage. This has well-focused dark fruit (cherry, plum, black currant) with herbal and spice notes, food-friendly acidity, and good length. The tannins are firm but approachable, so you can drink it now and over the next eight years. Pair it with rare roast lamb. (RP)


Château Coucheroy 2000
AOC Pessac-Léognan, Bordeaux $17.95 (944983)
Apparently “Coucheroy” means the king (roi) slept (coucha) there. The king in question, Henri IV, was one of France’s most popular, and he took refuge at the château in a storm. Fortunately, no storms spoiled the great 2000 vintage, and here you have plush cherry and plum backed by good acidity, and approachable tannins. It’s well made and very good value for the appellation. Pair it with grilled game or red meat. (RP)


Château Moulin de Curat 2001
AOC Puisseguin St-Emilion, Bordeaux $18.95 (653162)
A well-priced Bordeaux that you can drink now or cellar another six years. Predominantly Merlot, this has good fruit intensity, long and firm tannins, and a very good finish. Just well made and affordable, and a great match for lamb stew. (RP)


Bois de Boursan Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2001
AOC Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Rhône $41.95 (728014)
How great is this? A superb, full-flavoured, well-structured, complex… words escaped me as I tasted this. Just gorgeous fruit, up-front tannins, and an elongated finish. This is one for cellaring, at least for another three years, but it will drink for a decade after that. Hitch it up to a grilled rack of well-seasoned (lots of garlic) lamb. (RP)


Michel Gassier “Les Piliers” Cabernet Sauvignon 2001
Vin de Pays du Gard $17.95 (653725)
Michel Gassier is an iconoclastic winemaker who turns out great wines at affordable prices. This is a real bargain—under-priced, but only because it’s a vin de pays. It’s totally delicious, with terrific fruit concentration, perfect balance, firm, sweet tannins…. And it’s “wine of the month,” so it won’t be around long, and you’d better get in quickly. Pair it with rich red meat dishes. (RP)


Domaine de la Croze 2003
AOC Côtes-du-Rhône $14.95 (736371)
The Côtes-du-Rhône appellation is one of those big hit-and-miss regions. You can get terrific wine and really mediocre stuff.  This is one of the former (we don’t bother with the other kind here). It has very complex fruit (raspberry, plum, cherry) with a host of secondaries, firm tannic structure, and good length. How can you let it go by at this price? It’s a natural for a grilled veal chop. (RP)


Mas des Bressades 2002
Vin de Pays du Gard $18.95 (712174)
A Cabernet-Syrah blend that’s always popular, so don’t wait too long if you want some of this. It has everything in excellent balance: plush fruit, firm drink-me-now-or-later tannins, and food-friendly acid balance. Pair it with sweet red meat dishes, like lamb with parsnips and carrots. (RP)


Mas de Daumas Gassac Réserve de Gassac Rouge 2003
Vin de Pays de l’Hérault, Languedoc $18.95 (608760)
A blend of too many varieties to list, this is a sort of second label of the winery’s Rouge, which has been called Languedoc’s First Growth wine.  The fruit is complex and generous, beautifully balanced, and it’s a marvelous partner to lamb stew flavoured with dried lavender. (RP)


Château de Haute-Serre 2001
AOC Cahors $20.95 (693952)
Malbec makes wines with amazing intensity, structure and flavour, and Cahors is a benchmark region for them. This one is packed with rich, dark fruit, still in the shadow of firm, drying tannins that will need at least five years to soften. It’s great value as a cellaring wine. (RP)


Château Bouissel 2001
AOC Côtes du Frontonnais $12.95 (693986)
Made predominantly from Négrette, a grape variety indigenous to south western France and the variety that distinguishes this little-known appellation. Here it makes a rich, fleshy wine with some beet and game flavours and good acidity.  It’s great value. Try it with a hamburger that includes slices of freshly-boiled beets. (RP)


Château de Sérame 2002
AOC Minervois $18.95 (651125)
A juicy, ripe fruit-forward Syrah-Grenache blend with lots of complexity and character. Look for notes of mint, pepper and spice, soft tannins, and excellent acid balance. Well made and well priced, it’s a good partner for roast or grilled duck. (RP)





Inniskillin “Dark Horse Estate Vineyard” Chardonnay 2002
VQA Okanagan Valley, British Columbia  $17.95 (590372)
A rich, creamy-textured Chardonnay with up-front fruit (peach, pear, tropical) and well-balanced acidity. It’s quite stylish and shows the excellence that comes from the West. Pair this with grilled chicken with a tropical fruit salsa. (RP)


Barossa Valley Estates “Ebenezer” Chardonnay 2001
Barossa Valley, South Australia $29.95 (976324)
Wine-lovers may be more familiar with the Ebenezer reds from Barossa Estates, a company owned by the grape-growers who provide the fruit.  This white reaches the same quality, with elegant and complex floral and peach aromas, excellent balance, and good structure. Try it with grilled swordfish. (RP)


Esk Valley Estate “Black Label” Chardonnay 2003
Hawkes Bay, New Zealand $19.95 (595538)
Lovely fruit complexity here, with the balance more toward peach and pear than toward the tropical spectrum. There’s a pleasant warm toastiness to the aromas, too, but the oak is well-enough handled that it doesn’t cloud the purity of the fruit. Good balance, smooth in the mouth, this pairs well with grilled white fish. (RP)


Sacred Hill “Whitecliff” Sauvignon Blanc 2004
Hawkes Bay, New Zealand $14.95 (651802)
This is very well priced and shows that Marlborough doesn’t have a stranglehold on Sauvignon Blanc. The aromas and flavours are all passion fruit. (If you don’t know passion fruit, Loblaws has them from time to time: make sure you buy one that has wrinkled skin.) The fruit is as pungent and the acidity as zesty as you expect from a NZ Sauvignon Blanc. Screwcap-sealed for freshness. Great with oysters, of course. (RP)


Fairview Viognier 2003
WO Paarl, South Africa $19.95 (906487)
Just a very fine Viognier from one of South Africa’s best wineries. It has focused ripe fruit, elegant structure, clean acidity and a hint of warmth from the 14.5% alcohol. Vintages suggests spiced shrimp, and I second that. (RP)


St Donatus Muscat Ottonel 2003
Balaton, Transdanubia, Hungary $10.95 (608497)
Lovely flora and Muscat aromas with hints of peach and apricot. The texture is smooth, and this is made in an off-dry style that works very well with spicy seafood dishes. (RP)



Thomas & Vaughan Marechal Foch 2002
VQA Ontario $14.95 (585968)
Funny how hybrids like Marechal Foch were reviled not so long ago as varieties that Canadian wineries should say good riddance to. But in the hands of a good winemaker, they make very good wine… like this one.  It has rich meaty, beet flavours that shade into sweet berry and plum. The texture is fleshy and it’s well balanced.  Try it with spicy beef dishes. (RP)


Quails’ Gate Estate “Family Reserve” Gamay Noir 2002
VQA Okanagan Valley, B.C. $29.95 (590679)
If you think all Gamay tastes like the fresh, fruity, lighter styles of Beaujolais, try this full-fruit wonder from one of Okanagan’s best wineries. Lovely intense dark fruit here, with good acidity, fine balance, and good weight. The alcohol is 15%, but you wouldn’t know it. Pair this with a veal chop in a rich, spicy tomato sauce. (RP)


Gray Monk Pinot Noir 2002
VQA Okanagan Valley $15.95 (251835)
The hospitable folk at Gray Monk have produced a very stylish and well-priced Pinot here. Look for aromas and flavours of sweet and tart cherries, with soft tannins and good length. Overall, very successful and ideal for lighter dishes like grilled salmon. (RP)


Eberle Cabernet Sauvignon 2000
Paso Robles, California $19.95 (680835)
A California Cab, but not from the Napa. Paso Robles is attracting a lot of attention these days, and with wine like this, no wonder. It shows concentrated, complex dark fruit with firm but approachable tannins and good acidity. It’s beautifully made and will pair well now with rare steak or lamb. (RP)


Estancia Estates Meritage 2000
Alexander Valley, California $35.95 (975920)
The soft texture is one of the attractive features of this wine. The others include the rich, complex flavours (plum, cherry, cassis) and the perfect balance of fruit and acidity. It makes for a marvelous package, and this will enhance all manner of red meat dishes. (RP)


Francis Coppola “Blue Label” Merlot 2002
California $27.95 (595686)
Here’s a wine that shouts New World in the best sense. The fruit is luscious and forward, the acidity is balanced, and the tannins are bulky and prominent. Somehow it manages to achieve equilibrium between in-your-face and under-stated/brooding.  Pair it with nothing less than a hunk of rare-grilled red meat. (RP)


Firestone “Estate” Merlot 2001
Santa Ynez Valley, California $22.95 (982744)
This contains 14 per cent Cabernet Franc, which adds a little structure and complexity to the Merlot.  The flavours (cherry, berry, plum) are concentrated and plush, and the tannins are firm but drinking now.  Pair it with roast game. (RP)
 

Amity Pinot Noir 2000
Willamette Valley, Oregon $22.95 (965756]
Myron Redford is one of the characters of the Oregon wine scene, and makes wine in an idiosyncratic winery on top of a hill. Whatever he does, it works. Here he gives us a good-value Pinot Noir (a Willamette Valley specialty) with a seam of pure, sweet fruit running right through its core. The tannins are grippy, the finish is long, and the whole thing is well made. Try this with a rack of lamb. Medium rare. (RP)


Ravenswood “Old Vines” Zinfandel 2001
Amador County, Sierra Foothills, California $23.95 (7325030)
This stands out above most of the Zins available. It’s a big, hearty, in-your-face sort of Zin, with hefty dark fruit, firm sweet tannins, and good acid balance. In-your-face but not in your way if you want to dine while drinking it. It goes well with spicy beef dishes, like well-seasoned beef stew. (RP)


Goundrey Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2002
Mt Barker, Western Australia $21.95 (922195)
Goundrey (owned by Canada’s Vincor) makes excellent wines and here’s another.  The dark fruit is pure, concentrated and saturated, with complexity a-plenty. The tannins are firm but manageable now if you just can’t wait to taste it, and the length is very good. It’s stylish and very well priced. Pair it with grilled/roast game. (RP)


Tyrrell’s “Lost Block” Cabernet Sauvignon 2002
Victorian Alps, Australia $17.5 (595678) 
Excellent value. For under $18 you get a bottle of well-structured Cab, with intense, complex dark fruit flavours, great balance, and good length. The tannins are sweet and softening, but you can still hold this for a few years if you want to buy a few bottles. It’s screwcap-sealed to keep the fruit fresh. Drink it with rich red meat dishes. (RP)


D’Arenberg “The Coppermine Road” Cabernet Sauvignon 2001
McLaren Vale, South Australia $48.95 (943399)
Step away from the corkscrew! Don’t even think about opening this until the end of the decade at the earliest.  It’s a huge, tannic, high alcohol (14.5%) fruit-bomb, black and inky, that needs time to integrate and develop a little refinement. Once it does that, it’ll be a beautiful wine.  You could put this down for a child born in 2001. (RP)


Wolf Blass “Gold Label” Cabernet Sauvignon/Cabernet Franc 2001
Adelaide Hills, South Australia $29.95 (590265)
The Gold Label is notable (a) because nearly all the wines are under screwcap and (b) the wines are consistently successful. This Cabernet blend shows a really elegant texture and deft handling of oak. The purity of the fruit has been maintained, and the tannins are fine and supple. Drink it now and to the end of the decade.  With red meat. (RP)


Rosemount Estate “Traditional” Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot/Petit Verdot 2001
McLaren Vale, South Australia $35.95 (484097)
It’s not often we get to taste a winner of the Jimmy Watson Trophy, Australia’s most prestigious wine award. And to taste at this price is even better.  You get a simply gorgeous blend with full-on fruit, smooth texture, elegant structure, and firm tannins. Drink t now and for the next en years, perhaps with richly-seasoned lamb. (RP)


Angove’s “Red Belly Black” Shiraz 2002
South Australia $16.95 (640557)
This is the first vintage of Red Belly Black, named after an unpleasant-looking, two-toned, venomous snake, which is found in various parts of Australia—including Sydney, where Vic Harradine is spending February. I’ll stick to the vinous, rather than venomous, variety. This is great value, with intense black (of course!) fruit aromas and flavours and good, food-friendly acidity.  Great with rare steak. (RP)


Chateau Reynella “Basket Pressed Shiraz 2001
McLaren Vale, South Australia $29.95 (510628)
Beautiful toasty black fruit on the nose, with the oak retreating to a more subtle note on the palate and giving way to vanilla and spice nuances. Just lovely flavours and a silky texture make this a winner in every way. Pair it up with well garlicked medium-rare grilled lamb. (RP)


Barossa Valley Estate “Ebenezer” Shiraz 2001
Barossa Valley, South Australia $38.95 (971705)
Many people wait for this every year, so don’t wait too long if you want some. This has elegant dark fruit with eucalyptus and pepper notes, full, smooth texture, and firm tannins. Drink it now with rare red meat or stash it away for up to ten years. (RP)


Yalumba “The Signature” Cabernet/Shiraz 1999
Barossa Valley, South Australia $44.95 (528356)
 Best to hide this one quickly, because it would be a total pity to open it this side of 2010. This has what you’d call ‘brooding depth’. It’s all dark fruit, tightly wound and astringently tannic.  Given it peace and quiet for five years, and it will relax, round out, soften, and reward your patience a hundred-fold. (RP)


Vidal Estate Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot 2002
Hawkes Bay, New Zealand $19.95 (700617)
Another screwcap-sealed wine from Kiwi-land, where the corkscrews are rusting through lack of use. Sweet dark fruit are to the fore here, with good structure, firm tannins and good acidity.  Lamb is the natural food suggestion. (RP)


Fairview Goats do Roam in Villages Red 2003
WO Paarl, South Africa $14.95 (566851)
The Vintages catalogue (page 60) has an amusing account of Fairview’s struggle with the wine associations in France’s Rhône region over their use of the “Goats do Roam” brand. All they’re doing is providing him with publicity for the very good wines, like this well-made, very well-priced blend.  It’s got good fruit, good structure, good everything, and it gets a very good rating for its price. (RP)


Tittarelli Finca El Retiro Syrah 2001
Mendoza, Argentina $11.95 (928283)
Wines from Argentina offer exceptional value, but this one just about beats them all. It’s a fruit-bomb with saturated black fruit, good structure, nice tannins, very good balance… all for under $12. The only excuse not to buy lots of this is that it’s sold out. Drink it with anything from hamburgers to steak to beef stew to hearty vegetarian dishes. (RP)
 

Concha y Toro “Trio” Merlot 2003
Rapel Valley, Chile $13.95 (433920)
It’s called Trio because there are three varieties here: Merlot (65%), Carmenère (20%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (15%).  How can they call it Merlot if it’s only 65% Merlot? I don’t know, because a Chilean wine must contain at least 75% of the label variety. I suspect they can combine Merlot and Carmenère (which was thought to be Merlot for many decades).  Anyway, this is wonderful value, given that the wine has a soft texture, concentrated dark fruit flavours and sweet tannic structure. An amazing price for wine of this quality. (RP)


Biondi Santi Sassoalloro 2001
IGT Tuscany, Italy $32.95 (981407)
This Sangiovese-dominant wine has bright, fresh plum and berry fruit, with spice and earthy notes.  The tannins are grippy and there’s lots of good acidity that makes it food-friendly.  Hold it three years or so, then open it with osso bucco. (RP)


Pesquera Crianza 2001
DO Ribera del Duero, Spain $27.95 (341461)
One of those complex wines that has you sniffing and tasting over and over to see what else you can find. Among the descriptors in my notes: mulberry, raspberry, plum, strawberry, blackberry, pepper, spice…. It has fine, forward tannins and a good acid spine. You could drink it now (with game) but you’d be happier in the long run if you held it for five years. (RP)


Casa de la Ermita Crianza 2001
DO Jumilla, Spain $17.95 (956334)
Juicy, well structured, with up-front dark fruit with mocha and tar notes, this Mourvèdre-dominant blend has brisk acidity, firm tannins, and a long, generous finish. Stewed rabbit with prunes comes to mind. (RP)

Cheers!

Rod and Vic (in absentia… or in Australia)