The image is a detail from the label of Il Molino di Grace Chianti Classico 2004, which is new at Vintages. See below for the tasting note on this fine Chianti, which is not even overpriced. Meanwhile, back in the New World...
Part of this release's focus is on Chile - in particular the country's wide range of wines varietals and styles. The Vintages team has sourced a decent range of both whites and reds, but alas no showstoppers. With its consistent showing in the "best value" categories, Chile can deliver better than this release would suggest. And, unfortunately, Chile's high end was also ignored.
Casa Lapostolle is represented with its entry level chard (very good - a Top Value Pick), but it would have been nice to see the winery's pricier Cuvee Alexandre series - or to see some of Chile's other high end producers like Don Melchor. The wine industry is still very much in development in Chile and so Chile still hugs the lower end of the price spectrum - but credit is due to quality strides made in recent years.
One of Toronto's leading wine importers told me a couple of years ago that "Canadians won't pay more than twenty five bucks for Chilean". But make no mistake: for all its success selling mid- and lower-priced wines (annual wine exports now top $1 billion, up from pretty much nothing 25 years ago), the best from Chile is yet to come.
The Sparkling Wines
Schlumberger Sparkling Brut 2006. $15.95
Vienna, Austria
The other feature country is Austria - and here's a chance to try a sparkler from a company that's been making it since 1842. They follow the methode champenoise, but they keep the grapes local, using 100% welschriesling. It's got a light fresh nose with not much fruit and a hint of bread. Very nicely dry on the palate, which is pretty simple and not very fruity. Fine on its own, it would be better paired with food. 86 points.
Nicolas Feuillatte Rose Brut Champagne. $57.95 ** GOOD VALUE **
Champagne, France
Here's a well priced (for a champagne rose) rose from one of the region's biggest producers. With insatiable worldwide demand for rose champagne spiking prices up closer to $100 for some names, Nicolas Feuillatte keeps it as real as he can. Bold and fresh nose with rich aromas of red berries and nougat. Super bubbly initially, with lots of tiny bubbles. Fresh, crisp and fairly full on the palate. Lovely lingering finish with layers of berries, honey and bread. 90 points.
Bellenda San Fermo Prosecco di Conegliano Valdobbiadene Brut 2007. $19.95
Veneto, Italy
Here's a terrific example of a favourite champagne substitute. Lovely bold and characteristically prosecco peachy nose, fresh with a bit of bread. Fresh and zesty on the palate, acidity is high and its very dry - not a bit of cloying sweetness. Very modest peach fruit and some lemon zest on this lovely restrained prosecco. 88 points.
Yves Lambert Cremant de Loire. $18.95
Loire, France
Fresh and fruity on the nose, but there's also a bit of nuttiness. Nice and dry on the palate, with a seam of richness to the ripe white fruit. Good and "champagne-like" until the finish, which then goes just slightly cloying. Must be the chenin blanc they used... 87 points.
The White Wines
Coyote's Run Reserve Chardonnay 2006. $20.95
VQA Niagara
Fairly rich and smoky nose with some spice and vanilla notes too on this chard from one of my favourite Niagara producers. Smooth and lemony on the palate with vanilla under, and leading nicely to the decent finish. I liked the 05 better, but the 06 is good (and a buck cheaper). 88 points.
Tandem Porter-Bass Vineyards Chardonnay 2004. $51.95
Sonoma, California
Fabulous Cali chard: lovely oaky smoky vanilla notes, but not overpowering. Ripe white fruit notes: peaches and melon and ripe lemon with vanilla notes under. Fresh and zesty too, with good acidity. Lovely finish of lemon, vanilla and wood. 91 points.
Casa Lapostolle Chardonnay 2007. $14.95 ** TOP VALUE PICK **
Casablanca Valley, Chile
Fresh fun nose with white fruit, mineral and vanilla notes. Rich and almost full bodied on the palate, which has a hint of anise plus and lemon - and vanilla too, even though it's unoaked... OK finish. 87/88 points.
Casa Marin Cipreses Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2007. $29.95
San Antonio Valley, Chile
Interesting: big spicy nose with fruit under, not herbaceous at all. Lots of tropical fruit on the palate, but this is leavened nicely with the mineral notes and some lemon. The acidity keeps it all fresh and tart. Nice finish too. 89 points.
Cono Sur Chardonnay 2007. $12.95 ** TOP VALUE PICK **
Colchagua Valley, Chile
Chile's bargain producer du jour delivers again with a decent chard at a great price. Fresh fruity nose with notes of sweet lemon. Smooth and a bit round on the palate, but there's more lemon fruit zesting things up. Simple but fun, nice finish. 87 points.
Terranoble VIneyard Selection Sauvignon Blanc 2007. $11.95 ** GOOD VALUE **
Maule Valley, Chile
Some of the sauv blanc attributes of grassiness present here, along with some citrus fruit. The citrus carries through onto the palate, which I noted as "a bit boring, but OK". With a nice enough finish and a very nice price, you can't really go wrong. 86 points.
Gildas Cormeirais Muscadet de Sevre et Maine 2007. $13.95 ** VERY GOOD VALUE **
Loire, France
Zesty nose of fresh white fruit with some nice floral notes. Zippy and lemony on the palate, which is medium bodied and with high acidity. Short finish, but great for the price - would work very well with seafood or just sitting on the patio in the sun (if we ever see that again...). 87 points.
Ferraton Pere & fils Cotes du Rhone Samorens Blance 2006. $14.95 ** GOOD VALUE **
Rhone, France
Made from a blend of grapes, but mostly grenache blanc, this well priced wine has a simple fresh nose with a hint of juicy peach. It's smooth and medium-bodied on the palate, which is not too fruiy, but which is very fresh and lively (white Cotes du Rhones can sometimes be round and even flabby). Nice finish. 87 points.
Botromagno Gravina 2006. $14.95 ** VERY GOOD VALUE **
Puglia, Italy
Interesting white here: made from a combination of greco and malvasia grapes, there's both rich white fruit and stewed muscat grape notes on the nose. The palate is smooth, there's good acidity and the white fruit is joined by an unripe plum note. OK finish. "Nice", I wrote. 87/88 points.
La Cappuccina Soave 2007. $15.95 ** GOOD VALUE **
Veneto, Italy
A certified organic product, this is no female cappuccino: Fresh lemony nose, smooth and layered flavours of lemon and orange, as well as zippy acidity, keep the palate fresh and interesting. Nice lingering finish. 88 points
Fazio Grillo 2006. $14.95 ** GOOD VALUE **
Sicily, Italy
The grillo grape is used to make Sicily's famous fortified wine, Marsala. Forget the veal for this dry version and just drink it as it is: there's a nice fresh nose of muted marmelade and it's fresh and zesty on the palate. Smooth and nicely full bodied, it's nicely dry too. OK finish. 87 points.
The Red Wines
Artesa Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2004. $39.95
Napa, California
Here's a terrific Cali cab: Fresh nose of ripe dark berry fruit with some secondary notes including tobacco. Rich mouthful of smooth ripe blackberry fruit on the palate, which has a good acidity/tannin balance leading to a great lingering finish. Good now, this one will continue to improve for years to come. 90 points.
Beringer Cabernet Sauvignon 2003. $28.95
Napa, California
Rich earthy nose of dark red fruit, including black cherries. Secondary notes of tobacco are present too. Smooth rich and alluring on the palate, with acidity and tannins both elevated. Full bodied, cherry and plum fruit over tobacco, and a nice lingering finish. 89 points.
Catapereiro Vinho Tinto 2005 ** TOP VALUE PICK **
Ribatejano, Portugal
Bold nose of dark red fruit, including blackberries and blueberries. Smooth, full and ripe on the palate, which has a good balance of tannins and acidity and is not over-fruity - more Old World that way. Nice finish. 87/88 points.
Clos De Los Siete 2006. $24.95
Mendoza, Argentina
An unusual blend here (50% malbec, plus merlot, cab sauv & syrah) and an unusual nose: red fruit and strawberry sundae topping. Smooth and a full New World fruit bomb on the palate, with lots of cherry and plum - but nicely leavened with woody, earthy notes so it doesn't feel silly. The fruit overpowered everything, so who knows about the acidity and tannins? Nice finish too on this very smooth wine. As Michel Rolland (who consulted on it) might say: "only in the New World". Fun yet serious. 89/90 points.
Finca Flichman Expresiones Reserve Malbec/Cabernet Sauvignon 2006. $15.95 ** VERY GOOD VALUE **
Mendoza, Argentina
This 60/40 blend with malbec leading is a great example of Argentina doing mid-priced reds right. This one will give you a rich nose of dark red fruit with some nice oaky notes adding some depth. Full bodied on the palate, which is both fruity and dry, with some nice plum and dark berry fruit notes. Nice finish too. 88 points
Trapiche Broquel Malbec 2006. $15.95
Mendoza, Argentina
Bold nose with a lot of woody, cedary notes and dark red fruits like plum. A bit rough on the palate, but nice fruit and good acidity and tannins. This would stand up nicely to a big bloody steak - give it what for. 87 points.
Panul Reserve Malbec 2006. $14.95 ** GOOD VALUE **
Maipo Valley
Not a great nose - muted and dark - but nice rich full surprise on the palate, with rich ripe red fruit notes, including cherry and raspberry. Attractive oaky highlights as well, and a good finish. 87/88 points.
Chateau Fonreaud 2003. $33.95
Bordeaux (Listrac-Medoc), France
Lovely rich nose of ripe red fruit - plum and cherries - and tobacco. And, like a good Bordeaux, it gets better in the glass. Nicely complex on the palate, with the fruit and secondary notes playing off one another nicely, and a nice finish too. The hot 03 summer sure ripened the fruit! 89 points.
Chateau Lestage 2004. $27.95
Bordeaux (Listrac-Medoc), France
Rich and beautiful Bordeaux nose with a great interplay of dark red fruit, leather and earth. Rich and fairly full on the palate, with cherry and plum notes, as well as more leather and some cigar box. Good finish. 88 points.
Gerard Bertrand Terroir Syrah/Carignan 2005. $15.95 ** TOP VALUE PICK **
Minervois, France
This very South-of-France blend gives the solid value that makes the once dismissed as "vin de pays" South so alluring - lovely though Bordeaux and Burgundy are, seeing Minervois is good news for me - especially regarding the price. Gerard Bertrand is definitely one of the dedicated winemakers that are raising the bar in the region: expect a great peppery nose with lots of dark red fruit under - berries. Dark and earthy notes add some heft, but the tannins are pretty soft and the acidity is muted. This is an easy, pleasant, rich, ripe fruity red with a nice lingering finish. And you worried carignan would be too rough... 88 points.
Marziano Abbona Terlo Ravera Barolo Riserva 2003. $54.95
Piedmont, Italy
Rich nose of dark red berry fruit and rose petals, this Old World charmer is immediately inviting. On the full palate, acidity and tannins are both bold, but balanced nicely so the overall effect is smooth and elegant. Cherry fruit with a hint of vanilla are part of the complex palate, which has earthy secondary notes too. Seriously long finish with cherry fruit and a vanilla hint. 91 points.
Santera Primitivo di Manduria 2006. $17.95 ** GOOD VALUE **
Puglia, Italy
This one's more Zin than a Cali hamburger wine. Very fruity fun nose, with smooth light red berry and plum fruit. Smooth on the palate with the fruit following right through - more plummy now. Acidity and tannins both muted so it's all smooth and easy, yet it's got some weight and depth. Nice finish too. 88 points.
Il Molino di Grace Chianti Classico 2004. $26.95 ** GOOD VALUE **
Tuscany, Italy
The terrific label serves to point out the obvious: this Chianti is a winner. Lovely and rich nose of ripe dark blackberry and cherry fruit, with secondary notes of wood. Smooth and fresh on the palate, the tannins are soft and the acidity is medium. Dark plum joins the cherry fruit and the woodiness keeps it real. Good finish too. 89 points.
Brigaldara Valpolicella 2006. $15.95 ** GOOD VALUE **
Veneto, Italy
Rich nose of dark cherry and berry fruit. Smooth and supple on the palate with more ripe cherry fruit. Acidity and tannins medium, OK finish. 87 points.
