We apologize for not being able to provide reviews and ratings for the March 19 release at Vintages. We taste new Vintages wines in advance, at sessions organized by the LCBO, but we were both out of the country (Vic in New Zealand and Rod in Australia) when the wines to be released in March were available for tasting.

We will be back on track for next month, though, and you will receive a newsletter with reviews of April’s wines.

In the meantime, here are reviews of other wines and new vintages that have recently become available in Ontario.

Cheers!

Vic and Rod



Australia


Deakin Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2004
Victoria $9.95 (560839)

A softer, easier-drinking style of Sauvignon Blanc that the more pungent, heady New Zealand expression. This is crisp and fruit-driven, with tropical, pear and citrus flavours. Well-balanced, well-made, well-priced. It’s a great partner for a range of dishes such as grilled white fish and seafood appetizers. (RP)

France


Georges Duboeuf Moulin-à-Vent 2002
AOC Moulin-à-Vent, Beaujolais $18.95 (154864)

Beaujolais is too often thought of as “not serious,” probably because most people think of Beaujolais Nouveau. Try some of the crus, or designated appellations, within the broader Beaujolais region, and see what the Gamay grape can produce. This bottle delivers fresh cherry and red plum with light spices and a hint of earthiness. It’s on the crisp side and makes a perfect partner for tomato-based pasta and meat dishes. Try it with tomato-based chicken or veal stews. (RP)


New Zealand


Stoneleigh Sauvignon Blanc 2004
Marlborough $14.10 (293043)

A well-priced Sauvignon Blanc in the classic New Zealand style. Look for pungent, rich fruit (passion fruit, green apples, gooseberries and a hint of asparagus) with zesty, ever-so-slightly eye-watering acidity, and a long finish. Delicious and a great partner for freshly-shucked oysters. (RP)


United States


Beringer “Founder’s Estate” Cabernet Sauvignon 2001
California $20.00 (534263)

A medium- to full-bodied California Cab that delivers everything you want at this price. Look for generous and richly-flavoured dark fruit (plum, cherry, black berry) with spicy notes and light tannins. It’s smooth-textured and pairs perfectly with well-flavoured red meat dishes like beef stew and pepper steak. (RP)


Delicato Merlot 2003
California $12.45 (520148)

A good value Merlot. This won’t knock your socks off, but it’s very well made and you won’t get much better for $12. It has a soft, mouth-filling texture, with plump fruit (cherry, plum) flavours and some smoky, spicy notes that add complexity. It’ll be great with barbecued red meat once the weather warms up, but drink it now with spaghetti in a rich tomato sauce. (RP)


Ernest & Julio Gallo “Sierra Valley” Chardonnay 2003
California $8.95 (235598)

A very good value Chardonnay, just the sort of wine you want for everyday drinking or for serving to a crowd. It has quite perfumed aromatics, with tropical fruit and floral hints. On the palate the tropical fruit comes through loud and clear. The balance is good and it’s a nice partner to straightforward seafood and chicken dishes, or simply for sipping. (RP)


King Fish Shiraz 2003
California $9.95 (622845)

Compare this with a similarly-priced Australian Shiraz and see how the California style varies. This is an unpretentious crowd-pleaser—an unpretentious wine, that is, although it will also please an unpretentious crowd. With lots of dark fruit, a hint of vanilla, and a dash of spiciness, it’s medium bodied and has a good spicy finish. It’s perfect with pizza and will make an excellent summer barbecue wine for hamburgers, ribs, steak, chops…. Try a bottle now and treat yourself to a taste of summer to come. (RP)



United States


Chateau Ste Michelle Chardonnay 2002
Columbia Valley, Washington $19.95 (232439) Vintages Essential

A marvelously complex Chardonnay from a very reputable producer (that happens to be housed in one of Washington’s most attractive wineries). It’s a little restrained on the nose, as we say when we can’t smell too much, but—boy, oh boy!—does it deliver on the palate! There’s beautiful rich tropical fruit, to start with, but then come notes of rich caramel, butterscotch, marmalade, sweet spice and vanilla. With a full, smooth texture, it’s like a glass of sweet, tropical fruit that’s served with caramel cream. But—and this is crucial—all this richness is perfectly balanced with acidity. Dee-licious! And a great partner for spicy Thai cuisine. (RP)


Columbia Crest “Grand Estates” Merlot 2001
Columbia Valley, Washington $19.95 (263418) Vintages Essential

Washington is widely recognized as producing stunning, value-priced reds, and this is the sort of wine that makes the point in spades. It’s 85% Merlot, with 10% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, drawn from two vineyards. It’s a great mouthful, full bodied, rich and spicy, with predominant dark cherry and plum flavours accented by sweet spices and pepper. The texture is generous and the finish is long and spicy. It calls for full-flavoured red meat dishes. (RP)


Rancho Zabaco Dancing Bull Zinfandel 2002
California $15.95 (655423) Released March 5 and soon to be permanent

With generous dark and red fruit accented by spice and pepper notes, this is a very attractive Zin that will go well with a range of food from well-seasoned hamburgers to hearty pasta and grilled pepper steak. The fruit flavours are vibrant, the acid-fruit balance is good and food-friendly, and the tannins are light. Well worth the price. (RP)


Sterling Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 2001
Napa Valley, California $29.95 Vintages Essential

There’s a beautiful core of fruit purity in this wine, which provides a platform for a complex interplay of textures and flavours. Look for notes of pepper, sweet spices, dark chocolate, mint, and leather, with a smooth texture and a pleasant tannic burr. It’s very classic and very classy, and a great partner for well-seasoned red meat dishes. Try it with a beef stew that’s rich in root vegetables, garlic and sweet herbs. (RP)




Henry of Pelham “Speck Family Reserve” Riesling 2002
VQA Niagara Peninsula $30.00

Another in the new range of SFR wines, the Riesling reflects both the quality of the excellent 2002 Niagara vintage and the skill of Henry of Pelham winemaker Ron Giesbrecht. It’s a luscious Riesling with gorgeous fruit that’s a mélange of pear, melon and tropical fruit. There’s already a lovely petrol nuance in the aromas (more like an oily rag, but in the best sense!) and the flavours are in perfect harmony with the zesty acidity. This is great drinking now, but it’s a wine to cellar another five or more years. It’s a perfect foil for spicy seafood dishes, and you can order from the winery using the link at winecurrent.com. (RP)


Jackson-Triggs Delaine Vineyard Pinot Noir 2002
VQA Niagara Peninsula $29.95 (989277)

This is a great Pinot Noir, elegant and refined, and showing the quality that the Delaine Vineyard series is delivering across the board. It’s unmistakably Pinot, with tempting aromas of earth, sweet cherry and spice. Once you give in to the temptation (a struggle measured in seconds), your reward is a finely-tuned palate of cherry and spice with supple tannins and perfectly poised acidity. The finish is long and complex. You can drink this now (grilled lamb would be my choice) or hold it for another five, six, maybe eight years. Available at Wine Rack stores or from the winery. Contact them via the link at winecurrent.com (RP)


New Zealand


Craggy Range Winery “Te Muna Road Vineyard” Sauvignon Blanc 2003
Martinborough, New Zealand $26.60 (818468)

Glorious SB aromatics of nettles, white peaches and grapefruit waft from this low-yield Kiwi white. The silky smooth palate offers up zingy essences of gooseberries and passion fruit before the laser-like citrussy finish cleans it up nicely. Words like complex and luscious come to mind. This is a classic food wine, fresh and clean, begging for seared scallops or steamed mussels Provençal. Order, by the case of 12, via Aaron Shaw This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. website www.liffordwineagency.com (VH)


Craggy Range Winery “Gimblett Gravels Vineyard” Merlot 2002
Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand $47.10 (778910)

A stunning wine. Black plum and black currant aromas gush from the glass along with hints of raisins and spice. The full-bodied palate offers up an elegant mélange of flavours including Xmas cake spice, ripe cherries and touches of coffee and chocolate. The luxuriating finish concentrates on more of the same underpinned by deft handling of oak that truly shows off the unique terroir and meticulous wine making practices. Drink now until 2015. Order, by the case of 12, via Aaron Shaw This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. website www.liffordwineagency.com (VH)

United States


Beaulieu Vineyard “Coastal Estates” Cabernet Sauvignon 2002
California $11.95

A rich, generous, juicy Cab at a very good price. Look for quite concentrated dark fruit aromas and flavours with hints of spice, pepper, mint and vanilla. It’s full-fruit right through, and has a very decent finish. The tannins are light, the balance is right, and it’s a versatile red for dishes as varied as steak and rich vegetarian dishes with mushroom and tomato bases. Order by the case from Wendy Cheropita at Diageo Canada Inc., 416 626 2000 ext 2277. (RP)



Esk Valley Chardonnay 2004
Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand $19.95 (595538)

A powerful leesy nose is overlaid with tropical fruit and vanilla notes. Gorgeously textured; flavours include, pineapple, figs and nectarines. This Burgundy-styled beauty showcases Hawke’s Bay as a first class Chardonnay producer. It has it all: French and American barriques, partial malolactic, tank and barrel fermentation plus low yields from a variety of vineyard sites. The plush and lengthy finish also rewards the taster. (VH)


Esk Valley Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon/Malbec 2002
Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand $19.95 (914341)

Blackberries and ripe cherries greet the nose, following through on the palate along with coffee and chocolate. Good grip from quite firm tannin underpins this wine, portending ageing potential. If you believe in terroir or ‘horses for courses’, Merlot (this one is 58%) is the champion in Hawke’s Bay. The full-bodied palate exudes ripe black fruit, perfectly balanced with good acidity and a lengthy, full throttle finish. Drink 2006-2010. (VH)


Sileni Estates “Saigneé Rosé” Merlot 2004
Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand $14.95 (599951)

Beautifully perfumed aromatics of raspberries and plums are followed by a gutsy wine, taking the taster by surprise. Complex flavours of plums, cherries and black currants are backed by silky tannins that underpin this well structured, light to medium bodied rosé. This premium winery also boasts an Epicurean Centre and this wine could easily stand up to herbed and buttered grilled salmon or most veal dishes. Sensational value. (VH)


Vidal Estate Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot 2003
Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand $19.95 (700617)

Cassis, tobacco and leather aromatics lead the way to this extremely well-priced 75% Cab/25% Merlot blend. An interesting and involved palate of furry tannins, good acidity, ripe black cherries and tar portend a long life for this classy red. The tiny bit of Malbec / Syrah round it all out, providing good complexity and balance. A classic example of careful fruit selection and handling coalescing with painstaking wine making practices to produce a gorgeous wine in a challenging vintage. Bravo, Vidal! Drink 2007 – 20012. (VH)