Vic is away, visiting wineries in Portugal, so Rod tasted the Vintages wines solo.

This release starts with a selection of Cabernet Sauvignons and blends that include Cabernet Sauvignon-except for a group of Cabernet Francs. The Cabernet Sauvignons/blends are organized by country in the first part of the catalog, and the country sequence is repeated in the main part of the catalog. The wines are reviewed here in the order they appear in the catalog. If it's confusing, blame Vintages.

Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon 2002
Napa Valley $52.95 (718452)
2002 was an excellent year for Cab in Napa, and this wine shows its pedigree. The dark fruit is sweet, pure and well-focused and it's lifted and accented with mint, spice and a vein of earthiness. The texture is plush and stylish, and the ripe, firm tannins enable you to drink the wine now (with rare or medium-rare red meat) or hold it through another couple of Winter Olympics. (RP)


Geyser Peak Cabernet Sauvignon 2003
Alexander Valley $21.95 (343467) or $12.95/375ml (675850)
A full-bodied Cab with a solid core of good dark fruit (black cherry, plum, berry) and notes of spice and vanilla. It's well structured with a smooth texture, and has good tannic grip. Drink it now with grilled lamb chops or hold it five or six years. (RP)

Howard Park "Leston" Cabernet Sauvignon 2002
Margaret River, Western Australia $24.95 (923565)
Look for concentrated aromas and flavours of very ripe fruit (black berries and cherries dominate) with attractive spicy notes. The texture is generous and juicy, smooth with an edgy note, and the tannins are firm. This is drinking well now (red meat is the obvious choice) but you can tuck a couple of bottles away for the short term. (RP)

Lurton "Grand Araucano" Cabernet Sauvignon 2001
Colchagua Valley $31.95 (675579)
A delicious Cab, dry, medium-plus bodied, and with solid fruit flavours at its broad core. Look for dark cherry and berry fruit with spice and hints of smoke, a tangy texture, and a complex fruit finish. The tannins are firm and ripe and it adds up to an excellent partner for well-seasoned grilled red meat. (RP)

Chakana Cabernet Sauvignon 2004
Mendoza $11.95 (663161)
You rarely get better value than this, so snap up half a dozen bottles. It's a nicely-made Cab that's fruit-forward (black cherry, plum, berries) with notes of spice, pepper and smoke. The complexity is impressive, weight is medium, and the finish is good. It goes down well with herb-rich lamb stew, but will pair with many rich red meat dishes. (RP)

Frescobaldi "Tenuta di Castiglioni" Cabernet Sauvignon-Sangiovese 2003
IGT Tuscany $19.95 (974394)
This is really very good value. It delivers lovely, rich dark fruit flavours, with spicy notes and a seam of milk chocolate. The texture is silky smooth and elegant and the tannins are ripe and polished. A very classy wine at a great price, and one you can drink now or put away for another five or six years. (RP)

Domaine Boyar "Royal Reserve" Cabernet Sauvignon 2000
Iambol $12.95 (608810)
I tasted this in Bulgaria in 2004, and it was doing well then. It's come on a little further, and now offers well-integrated dark fruit with tannins that have softened to the point that this is drinking very well. The flavours are complex, with the slightest hint of dried fruit, and the balance is excellent. It's really very good value. Drink it now and over the next year with grilled or roasted red meats or hearty, mushroom-rich, vegetarian dishes. (RP)

Castillo Perelada Cabernet Sauvignon 2001
DO Empordà-Costa Brava $21.95 (673467)
The fruit here (dark cherry-plum) is good and consistent right through, and it's nicely complex, with notes of spice and smoke. The aromas and flavours show fairly heavy oak, and it comes through prominently on the finish. If you like oaky Cabs, drink this now. Otherwise, tuck it away for two or three years to let it settle down. (RP)

The wines of Yannick Amirault
The four wines reviewed here are from Yannick Amirault, a stellar producer in the Bourgeuil appellation of the Loire Valley. Note that these wines wear their vintage, the hot 2003 season, and tend to be more intense than surrounding vintages. This is not a problem in itself-a vintage is a vintage-but it does make them atypical.


Yannick Amirault "La Mine" 2003
AOC St. Nicolas de Bourgeuil $24.95 (663534)
(This is a sub-appellation of Bourgeuil.) The fruit here (100% Cabernet Franc) is rich and intense, all ripe dark berries and plum, with notes of tobacco, and cedar. It still has quite a tannic grip, and I would hold this a couple of years, then drink through to the end of the decade. (RP)


Yannick Amirault "La Coudraye" 2003
AOC Bourgeuil $17.95 (663542)
Made from 100% Cabernet Franc, this really impressive effort that has breadth and depth in spades. The fruit is dark and rich, with black berries and black cherries predominant, with notes of cedar and spice, with perfume on the nose. The tannins are so firm that you should give this two or three years to integrate, then drink it over the following five years. (RP)


Yannick Amirault "Les Quartiers" 2003
AOC Bourgeuil $23.95 (663559)
This displays remarkable depth and complexity of fruit. Look for concentrated dark berry flavours with complementary notes of spice, cedar and tobacco. The tannins are gripping well, but you can drink this now (with rare or medium-rare red meat) and during the next eight years. (RP)


Yannick Amirault "Le Grand Clos" 2003
AOC Bourgeuil $23.95 (663567)
A quite stunning wine, with intense, focused dark berry, cherry and plum flavours accented with spice, pepper, smoke and tar. It's smooth textured with ripe, firm tannins, but needs a little time and will repay cellaring for two to three years. (RP)

Ferreira Late Bottled Vintage Port 1999
DOC Douro $18.95 (675751)
This is a very attractive and well-priced Port. The aromas and flavours are all dark plum, raspberry, strawberry, spice and chocolate, but the balance corrects the sweetness nicely. It's medium bodied with a long finish, and ideal for sipping on its own or with a slice of rich fruitcake. (RP)

Henry of Pelham Merlot 2002
VQA Niagara Peninsula $24.95 (291120)
Variety and vintage hit it off in this bottle from one of Niagara's premium red wine producers. The 2002 season was a great success for Merlot (which can fare poorly in cool years) and this one gets it right on all points. The aromas and flavours are complex dark fruit (plum, berries, with notes of spice, pepper, coffee) and the texture is stylish. The tannins are firm, but you can drink this now (steak grilled medium-rare) or easily wait another five or six years. (RP)

Arrowood Chardonnay 2003
Sonoma County $39.95 (270694)
A very attractive Chardonnay that offers complex ripe fruit flavours in the tropical end of the peach-apricot zone. The texture is crisp and clean, and the finish is long, fruity and clean. It's a great partner for roast pork tenderloin stuffed with apricots. (RP)

Jip Jip Rocks Shiraz 2004
Limestone Coast $18.95 (673897)
A well-made Shiraz with big dark berry fruit flavours with notes of mint and spices. It's medium-plus in weight with good but manageable tannins, and it's well balanced and food-friendly. Give it a go with a juicy steak or leg of lamb. (RP)


Seppelt "Chalambar" Shiraz 2003
Bendigo Grampians, Victoria $26.95 (594903)
This review is brought to you by the letter S. S is for Sweet, Stylish, Seppelt and Shiraz. What a fruity beauty this is! The aromas and flavours are a kaleidoscope of rich dark fruit and berries with secondary accents that include pepper, mint, coffee and leather. This is a real fruit-bomb, and if that's your style, you'll love this. The price is very reasonable, and you can drink it now or hold it another six to eight years. (RP)


Yalumba Shiraz-Viognier 2003
Barossa Valley $19.95 (524926)
A very fine blend (5% Viognier) that lies halfway between the Rhône and Barossa Valleys (which would be either Clipperton Atoll or Mumbai, depending which way you go). Black cherry, spice and pepper dominate the aromas and flavours (with added floral notes on the nose), and the tannins are fine grained and sweet. All in all, it's a stylish number that you can enjoy for six to eight years. (RP)

Schlossweingut Bockfliess Pinot Blanc 2004
Niederösterreich $16.95 (675546)
A medium-bodied Pinot Blanc with a good clean, crisp texture. The flavours are mainly apple and pear with some minerality, and it goes well with grilled trout or other freshwater white fish. (RP)

Château Fayau 2003
AOC Cadillac $12.95 (681890)
This is a very good value, botrytis-affected late harvest, predominantly Semillon with a little Sauvignon Blanc, that's made in a method similar to Sauternes. It delivers rich flavours of ground cherries, apricot and peach with a pungent veneer of honey, the sweetness held nicely in check by the acidity. It's luscious, delicious and a give-away at this price, especially when you can put it away for up to ten years. Drink it with crème caramel, foie gras, or lobster (but not simultaneously). (RP)

Pascal Jolivet Château du Nozay Sancerre 2004
AOC Sancerre $26.95 (983130)
Rich and complex, lean and minerally. They seem contradictory but they co-exist in this delicious and very well-structured wine. The flavours are gooseberry, green apple and lemon-lime, and the wine has a taut texture and a long, clean finish. Drink this in the next year with fresh oysters. (RP)

Château Tauzinat l'Hermitage 2001
AOC St.-Emilion Grand Cru $34.95 (674200)
A very stylish wine that displays pure fruit at its core, fine balance, and soft, ripe tannins that need a year or two to integrate. The flavours are a complex mélange of dark fruit and berries, with notes of spice and dried fruit, and the finish is long and dry. When it's ready, pair it with a rack of lamb or roasted game. (RP)

Château Bouscassé 2000
AOC Madiran $18.95 (743385)
Big and stylish, with impressive breadth and depth, this is packed with flavours of ripe plum and cherry with spicy and gamey notes. It's full bodied with a tangy texture, but the tannins are so firm that you should put this away for two or three years before trying it. It's an affordable cellar wine you can enjoy over the next 10 to 12 years. (RP)

Balthasar Ress Riesling Trocken 2004
QbA Rheingau $12.95 (681882)
A nicely-balanced dry Riesling that offers quite generous fruit with attractive and bright lemon-lime acidity. Pair it with oysters or with smoked salmon. (RP)

Ascheri Dolcetto d'Alba "Nirane" 2004
DOC Dolcetto d'Alba $12.95 (747014)
Medium-bodied with a tangy texture, this delivers quite solid fruit flavours of raspberry, plum, cherry and spice. It's well balanced and makes a good wine for well-flavoured pizza and tomato-based pasta dishes. (RP)

Abbadia Ardenga Brunello di Montalcino 1999
DOCG Brunello di Montalcino $43.95 (672337)
More than six years on, the tannins still have a firm grip on this attractive wine. Look for complex flavours of fresh red fruit with some dried fruit notes and accents of spice, coffee and leather. It's developing very nicely and is ready for drinking now (after decanting) and over the next five to seven years. (RP)


Castello Vicchiomaggio "Agostini Petri" Chianti Classico Riserva 2001
DOCG Chianti Classico Riserva $25.95 (993360)
This has remarkably solid and focused fruit from attack to finish. You'll find rich dark plum and cherry, with fine spicy notes, a tangy texture, a good structure. The tannins are firm but you can drink this now and over the next five years with a richly-flavoured meat dish, like osso bucco. (RP)

Masi "Brolo di Campofiorin" 1999
IGT Rosso del Veronese $28.95 (976092)
A stylish red with sweet and tangy fruit (plum, cherry, strawberry) and very good, food-welcoming balance. The tannins are sweet and firm, but there's an overall crispness to the wine that lifts its texture, and you can drink it now (decanted) through to 2012. Pair it with tomato-based pasta dishes. (RP)

Bajoz "Caño" 2004
DO Toro $10.95 (672253)
A very well-priced blend of Tempranillo and Grenache that's all cherry, spice and a touch of earthiness. Dry, and on the light side of medium bodied, it's uncomplicated, well made, and a very good partner to tomato-based pasta with wild mushrooms. (RP)


Contino Reserva 2000
DOC Rioja $32.95 (672923)
The fruit is very solid and the balance is very good, but right now everything needs time to knit. It promises to be a fine example, with great complexity and structure. Buy a couple and put them in your cellar for three or four years, then be very pleased at your purchase. (RP)

Watch for these wines in forthcoming Vintages releases.

Château de Treviac 2004
AOC Corbières $13.95 (670505)
A blend of 80% Syrah and 20% Grenache, this delivers really rich, dense, dark fruit with notes of coffee, spice, pepper and chocolate. It's smooth and full bodied with a long finish marked by some warmth from the 14.5% alcohol. Drink it with flavoursome grilled red meat dishes. (RP)

Zevenwacht Cabernet Sauvignon 2001
Stellenbosch $19.95
A very well-made Cab that delivers concentrated black tree and berry fruit with a core of sweet ripeness, and attractive notes of spice, pepper and coffee. It's nicely balanced with an edgy, tangy texture, has light-medium tannins and medium-plus weight. Overall, it's an attractive Cabernet that's drinking well now and will do so for the next two or three years. It's a natural for grilled red meat dishes. (RP)

Domaine Lamargue Viognier 2004
Vin de Pays d'Oc $14.95 (525428)
This is a Viognier outside the mainstream. It delivers fruit that's less in the fruity peach and apricot zones and more in the white peach and apricot pit range, with notes of white grapefruit and grapefruit pith. Dry, well balanced and clean, it has a slight bitter note on the finish. Partner it with grilled trout. (RP)

Dornier "Donatus" White 2004
WO Stellenbosch $16.95
A blend of Chenin Blanc, Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc, this has been a wine I've looked forward to annually for several years. It's very stylish, with peach and apricot fruit aromas lifted by floral notes. The flavours are all peach and very ripe apricot, and the texture is weighty and quite plush, with good structure. Overall, it offers elegance and substance, a winning combination. (RP)

These are new to the LCBO General List or new vintages of existing wines on the List.

Palandri Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot 2003
Western Australia $18.45 (602607)
(I gave incorrect appellation and price information on this wine in the February 18 newsletter. The information here is correct and the review is reprinted.) A popular Australian blend, this delivers a well-balanced, medium-bodied mouthful of sweet dark fruit (plums, cherries) with attractive spiciness and a nice finish. Pair it with grilled lamb chops and herbed potatoes. Drink now or hold two or three years. (RP)


Palandri Merlot 2002
Western Australia $18.95 (621748)
Dense, complex and full of flavour. This is fruit-driven (loads of rich, dark plum and berry fruit, with notes of spice, pepper and coffee), well structured, has a tangy texture, and firm, drying tannins. It's medium-plus in weight and pairs well with substantial red meat dishes. (RP)


Wolf Blass Shiraz/Grenache 2002
South East Australia $14.10 (494336)
Usually bigger than life, this is pleasantly balanced without rough edges or corners. Floral and spice aromatics waft from the glass. The flavour profile has sweet blueberries and red currant whilst the tannins and acidity are held in check and balance. The lengthy finish is fruit forward and lip-smacking good. This would match an Aussie burger "all dressed". That would include: mince (hamburger), a bun, tomato, onion, beetroot, a slice of pineapple, rocket (lettuce), tasty (old) cheese, mustard, relish and topped with a fried egg. Honest. (VH)

Creekside Estate Cabernet Merlot 2002
VQA Niagara Peninsula $12.95 (669424)
This wine won the Andrew S. Brandt Award at Cuvée 2006 for the best Ontario red wine on the LCBO General List. From the excellent 2002 vintage, it delivers well concentrated dark fruit flavours with good complexity, and light tannins. Above all, it's well balanced and shows Creekside's signature food-friendly style. Pair this with red meat dishes. (RP)


Konzelmann "Golden Vintage" Vidal 2003
VQA Ontario $8.95 (203836)
Vidal is too often dismissed as a variety for table wine, but some Ontario wineries are working well with it. Konzelmann's is an inexpensive but well-made off-dry expression, that delivers flavours of apricot and peach, with floral added to the aromas. It's balanced and clean, and pairs well with spicy Thai dishes. (RP)

Viña Carmen Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2003
Valle de Maipo $16.95 (358309)
This is one of those wines about which wine snobs get upset when they see all those stars. After all, how good can it be at this price? Damn good. It is a stunningly, rich red that bursts forward with aromas of mint and cherries. It is full-bodied, creamy smooth and beautifully structured. Juicy cassis and black, spicy plum flavours abound and the ripe silky smooth tannins and zingy tang coalesce into a hummer of a wine. It finishes with dark chocolate, raspberries and a fair grip. Even so, you can enjoy it now and to 2012 with a slab of grilled medium-rare venison smothered in sautéed shitakes. (VH)


Viña Carmen Grande Vidure/Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2003
Valle de Maipo $17.00 (439166)
This 60 % Grande Vidure (aka Carmenère) blend has a lovely aromatic profile of toast and black licorice. It is full-bodied with rich ripe (14% alc.) fruit flavours that include dark chocolate cherries and spicy raspberries. It has a silky feel and offers good complexity and balance. The dry finish has a touch of earthiness and would be a lovely match to Osso Bucco with truffle risotto. These reserve wines are hand-picked, receive a premium oak regimen plus additional winery-ageing before release. (VH)

Caves des Papes 2004
Côtes du Rhône $15.20 (535849)
A very quiet nose (leather and anise) that opens up to fruit forward flavours of strawberry and spiced cherry. There is a sweet core to the finish, as well, along with tar and a touch of earthiness. This is deftly balanced, exhibits a touch of class and provides a red that would marry well to what they eat a great deal of in this area - cassoulet. (VH)

Martini Trentcinquesimo Parallelo Zinfandel 2004
DOC Primitivo Di Manduria $8.95 (612754)
This has cherry and bramble berry aromas that follow through to the palate. It is well balanced, medium-bodied and fruit forward, though tending toward jammy. It has a lengthy sweet (14% alc.) finish, but still cleans up nicely. Pair it with pizza or pasta with tomato sauce and pat yourself on the back, 35 times, for being such a canny wine shopper. (VH)

J.P. Vinhos 'Tinta da Anfora' 2002
Alentejo $12.95 (227256)
With this winery and the doyen of Portuguese winemakers Louis Pato leading the way, Alentejo is now being celebrated for their new wave of clean, fruit forward, quality reds. You will understand why by giving this a try. The lifted nose of cherries and tar gives way to rich flavours of dark berry fruit and spicy black plums. This medium to full-bodied beauty gives rise to descriptors like rich, concentrated, sweet and complex. The quality to price balance is tipped in your favour. (VH)

Osborne 'Solaz' 2004
Vino de la Terra de Castilla $10.00 (620922)
A Shiraz/Tempranillo blend from Spain's iconic bodega. Those striking black toro billboards that dot Spain's landscape were placed by Osborne and they have hit the bulls-eye here. This medium-bodied, almost fleshy, red has sweet (13.5% alc.) bramble berry flavours that border on jammy, but is held together smartly with ripe tannins and a dollop of pleasant tang. Try this with roast pork garnished with beetroot and onions. (VH)

Robert Mondavi 'Woodbridge' Zinfandel 2004
California $13.05 (329110)
Recently embroiled in a corporate takeover, they have not dropped the ball with what they do best - make wine. They prove it here with a non-jammy, but delicious Zin. A restrained nose of mint and cherry blossom leads one to a beautifully balanced, fruit forward (Bing cherry and raspberry) offering that is a smooth and mellow crowd pleaser. Pleasant on its own, a leg of lamb with mint jelly would work well, now to 2009. (VH)

These wines are generally available only from the wineries direct or from a home-delivery company. To order from a winery, use the information provided in the review or the links at www.winecurrent.com.


Château des Charmes St. David's Bench Vineyard Chardonnay 2001
VQA Niagara Peninsula $19.95 (430991)
A well-structured Chardonnay with complex flavours of peach, melon, pear, apple and citrus. The texture is full but quite lean, the balance is fine, and the finish long. It's drinking well now (with rich, buttery or creamy seafood or fish dishes) and over the next four or five years. (RP)


Norman Hardie Pinot Noir 2004
VQA Ontario $39.00
Winemaker Norman Hardie has made Pinot Noir all over the world and has now set up shop in Prince Edward County, where he has a new, gravity-fed winery with one of the most intriguing barrel rooms I've seen anywhere. This Pinot Noir is made from Niagara Peninsula fruit (a 2005 is made from his own vines) and it's a real cracker. The fruit, dominated by black cherry, is solid throughout, and is lifted by fine-grained herbal notes and accents of cola, coffee and chocolate. It's still quite tightly wound and will repay some cellaring, and if you want to drink it in the next year or so, you should decant it. Given the quality, this is a well-priced Pinot. Order from Norman Hardie Winery at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. (RP)


Norman Hardie Chardonnay 2004
VQA Ontario $29.00
Norman Hardie says that experience has led him to believe that the best Chardonnay grows at the base of slopes, not up the slopes themselves. He sourced the grapes for this wine from a vineyard at the bottom of the Beamsville Bench in Niagara and made the wine at his Prince Edward County winery. It seems to back up his theory about vineyard site. It's elegant, with a smooth taut texture and excellent balance. The well-focused and complex fruit flavours (peach-tropical zones) show mineral notes and a slight nuttiness on the finish. Half the wine was aged in new French oak, the other half in stainless steel, and half went through malolactic. Order from Norman Hardie Winery at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. (RP)

Look for these wines on restaurant wine lists. They are also available to individuals by the case (usually 12 bottles). Contact the agent named in the review.

Bellingham Chenin Blanc 2004
WO Coastal Region $19.95
Reminiscent of a nicely-oaked Chardonnay in style, but typically Chenin in flavour. Look for flavours in the peach-apricot zones with attractive musky, spicy notes. It has firm texture and excellent balance, and makes for a delicious aperitif wine or a partner to lightly spiced seafood or chicken dishes. Order from This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (RP)


Leopard Frog "Tantra" 2004 WO Stellenbosch $37.95
An impressive blend of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot from 15- to 35-year-old vines. Only 400 cases have been reserved for Canada and 60% of them have been sold already. The lucky purchasers (and their clients) will enjoy rich, concentrated dark fruit flavours with broad and deep complexity, a luxurious texture, and a long complex finish. You can drink it now (or after June) with red meat grilled no more than medium-rare, or hold it eight to ten years. To order, contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (RP)

We use the following symbols when rating wines:

	Wines achieving nirvana
	Wines of excellence
	Wines well worth trying
	Wines below average, but drinkable
	Wines better avoided, unless desperate
	Represents a half star
	We both agree —a brilliant wine!
	Drink now and over the next 2 years
	Drink now and over the next 5 years
	Place in cellar

Cheers!

Rod and Vic