Vintage Assessments Home Page

Recent Articles

Archive of National Post Articles

Get all the evaluations for the January Release
Subscribe to Vintage Assessments today by Clicking Here
This not-for-profit website is dedicated to the discerning reader!

For Immediate Consumption
Bubbles on the Brain

© Michael Vaughan 2004
National Post Weekly Wine & Spirits Columnist
Friday, December 24, 2004

LIVE WINE LINK
www.winefind.ca
(CLICK ON THE NAME - All listings are automatically linked to the LCBO database)
If there is a product that interests you, just click on the name below and you will instantaneously connected with the LCBO database. The product will appear in blue and all you have to do is click on the name again and then the next screen will provide details along with the store search. Just click on store search. The number of bottles in each store is updated nightly. You should call the store first to see if stock still remains (each store phone number is listed).

I felt as tight as a pickle, slowly heating up in a gargantuan jar stuffed with pickles and forgotten on the kitchen counter. Of course, I wasn’t really in a jar, nor were my companions pickles. Rather I was in an LCBO store buying some last minute gifts on the day before Christmas – today! Suddenly the loudspeaker thundered: Attention shoppers! In aisle four we have a $10 discount on all bubblies in isle four.” The crowd stampeded but when I got there, the shelves were bare with nary a sparkling wine in sight!

I suddenly woke up in a sweat realizing that I was dreaming – after all, when does the LCBO offer $10 discounts on bubblies at Christmas? In fact, there actually was a grain of reality, a bit of premonition, associated with this dream. Because only a few days later, I discovered that one of my favourite Champagnes, Charles Heidsieck Champagne Brut Réserve Mise en Cave 1998 (31286) at $48.40 had been delisted without a scrap of fanfare (last September 13). I was shocked that such a consistently fine bubbly meet such an ignominious fate. After all, it was just last August that it beat out all competitors in a comparative tasting featuring 40 sparklers.

It appears that despite its high ratings virtually everywhere, fellow Ontarians were not buying it in sufficient quantities to meet the minimum sales quotas set by the LCBO; a system that has everything to do with dollars and, and, not enough to do with quality! Luckily I uncovered a few remaining bargain-priced bottles (only $37.40) at Toronto’s Queens Quay store and was assured by the staff that they would be held for pick up. Imagine my disappointment when I discovered that they had disappeared. Déjà vu in isle four!

The special designation “Mise en Cave” was launched by Charles Heidsieck in 1994 and refers to when the wine was put in the cellars to commence aging. It does not mean that it comes from the year mentioned, which would make it a true “Vintage” Champagne and more expensive. Nevertheless, these “MeC” bottlings often have more complexity as a result of extended lees aging (up to five years).

At present, the only Charles Heidsieck Champagnes now remaining at the LCBO are in Vintages. If your looking for a large format, check out the outstanding Charles Heidsieck Champagne Brut Réserve Mise en Cave 1996 (590430) for $99.95. This is the same terrific sparkler, albeit in magnum size, that got raves from Toronto’s accredited sommeliers at a mega Champagne comparative blind tasting I organized four years ago (click here to see the story that appeared in the National Post). My magnum is going to be popped on New Year’s Eve – welcome back stranger!

As a huge fan of rosé Champagne, I can only say that the just-released Charles Heidsieck 1996 Vintage Rosé Brut Champagne (651109) at $69.95 is the best tasted this year! This Vintages “in-store discovery" has a light salmon-pink colour; a gently honeyed, ripe plum nose; and a bright, dry, crisp, harmonious, gently juicy, plum flavours. Only 40 cases of six were purchased meaning you will have to run to track this one down (just click on the name and you will be able to see LCBO store inventory as of last night).

Last but not least is Charles Heidsieck 1995 Vintage Brut Champagne (52449) at $69.95, which was released earlier this year. This knockout is well structured, dry and fairly mouth filling with medium-full bodied, ripe lemon meringue flavours and a lingering finish, which shows a touch of lemon peel. Unfortunately, the remaining bottles have just disappeared this week, but it will be re-emerging in the upcoming February 2005 France promotion (thankfully at the same price). The best thing about all these bubblies is that they are bargains when compared to prices south of the border. For instance, the “online sale” at Premier Wines in Buffalo is $64.80 US for the latter, while the 1996 Brut Rosé fetches $70 US!

Of course, not everyone takes a shine to the classic, dry Champagne style. So here is another festive sparkler that should bring a smile to those who enjoy a fruitier style. Check out this newly listed Italian sparker Petalo il Vino dell'Amore Moscato (588780) at $13.65. The nose is quite lovely with fragrant, sweet, fresh Muscat fruit. It is gently sparkling on the palate with sweet, honeyed, spicy, fresh Muscat flavours making it a perfect starter for a celebratory brunch. With only 6.5% alcohol, it is the perfect addition perfect to my “leave-a-glass-for-Santa” program, which I launched last Christmas.

As for last minute gifts, the one that stood out was the RH Phillips Toasted Head Chardonnay 2002 & Estate Olive Oil Gift Set (643544) at $29.95. The extra virgin styled olive oil is great and the 2002 Chard is dry, spicy and bright with tangy, fresh ripe lemon-melon flavours and cedary finish that would go well with turkey. If you opt for the wine (594341) alone, there is a $2 LTO lowering the price to $17.95 until January 2, 2005.

Now in the words Flanders and Swann, Have Some Madeira, M'Dear:

She was young, she was pure, she was new, she was nice
She was fair, she was sweet seventeen.
He was old, he was vile, and no stranger to vice
He was base, he was bad, he was mean.
He had slyly inveigled her up to his flat
To view his collection of stamps,
And he said as he hastened to put out the cat,
The wine, his cigar and the lamps:  

Have some Madeira, m'dear. You really have nothing to fear.
I'm not trying to tempt you, that wouldn't be right,
You shouldn't drink spirits at this time of night.
Have some Madeira, m'dear. It's really much nicer than beer.
I don't care for sherry, one cannot drink stout,
And port is a wine I can well do without...
It's simply a case of chacun a son gout
Have some Madeira, m'dear.

(to see more lyrics click here)

Best Wishes for the Holiday Season

2001-2002-2003-2004 Tasting Note Database
Our tasting note database from December 31, 2000 to November 2004, covers every Vintages release product for the past 46 months. There are more than 8,000 notes in the database data. Just enter the name of the product, supplier name or CSPC number. Or you can search by type of wine, country of origin, even wine agent! Nothing could be easier. Also you can get information on the agent by clicking on the agent’s name, as well as current LCBO store inventory by clicking on "Check LCBO Availability", which will automatically tell you the number of bottles at LCBO as of last night.

To use our winefind.ca Tasting Notes Database: click here
 

** For All Visitors ** Vintages January 2005 Release To see the complete list of upcoming 162 products click here (sorted by date of release). It includes the number of cases, which wines were presented by the LCBO, our agent ID for every product, as well as, the 34 “In Store Discoveries” for January. You can also see it sorted by agent click here

Copyright Food & Beverage Testing Institute of Canada 2004
Prior written permission is required for any form of reproduction
 (electronic or other wise) and or quotation.
Contact Michael Vaughan at
mbv@total.net