Michael Vaughan's Weekly National Post Feature

Uncovering the best of Vintages
Today’s Release & Next Saturday’s Upcoming Sale
© Michael Vaughan 2002
National Post Weekly Wine & Spirits Columnist
National Post • Saturday, July 6, 2002

Lots of Vintages things are happening. First, there’s the upcoming clearance warehouse sale of 129 previously listed products with discounts ranging from 12% to 42%. Note that some dozen items are actually brand new and have never graced the pages of a Vintages release. It begins next Saturday, July 13^th at the LCBO warehouse at 3180 Airway Drive just north of Airport Road. Click Here to see a map and list of sale items. Subscribers have the privilege of receiving our special detailed list with the number of cases available along with the original release date PLUS my evaluation of each item in the sale by Click Here Be Advised that Vintage Assessments has 5 “BEST BUYS” • 27 “RECOMMENDED” • 21 “WORTH EXPLORING” Awards to Upcoming Sale Items – critical buying information only available to subscribers.

It is a shame that Vintages no longer shares these sale items with customers in other areas. At one time they would appear in LCBO stores across the province. No longer – now you will have to personally visit the otherwise empty LCBO Peel warehouse. Tough luck if you happen to live in Windsor, Ottawa, London or anywhere else!

Fortunately, today’s the twice-monthly Vintages release of 72 products offers wider accessibility. Alas, when it comes to quality it is a bit of a minefield with some disappointments, which are best avoided.

From Ontario, for instance, all three bottles of the usually fine Malivoire 2001 Pinot Gris ($17.95) seemed afflicted with somewhat bitter, burnt, sappy notes. Reinhold Haart 1999 Riesling Kabinett ($19.75) is slightly sulphury with unimpressive, simple, candy apple flavours. And while I like spicy raspberry tea, I don’t relish it in my Californian Cab (i.e. Blackstone 1999 Cabernet Sauvignon) especially when it costs $22.95.

Also, beware of some of the “previous releases” designated by a small triangle; there are 17 in the July catalogue. None of these products, which may date back more than 18 months, were presented for re-evaluation. That’s too bad because certain items like the Italian sparkling 1999 Prosecco di Valdobbiadene ($13.95), which has been kicking around the LCBO warehouse for over a year now, is hardly going to taste better. Light bodied sparklers definitely loose their crisp, fresh, fruity character with age.

Getting down to recommendations, fans of spicy dry wines, from Gewurztraminer to Torrontes should be thrilled with a very tasty Italian ditty from Veneto. The deep yellow coloured Vignalta 1999 Sirio at $14.95 is a great summer refresher. This intensely flavoured dry Muscat has very spicy, tangy, faintly herbal, honeyed, dried Anjou pear fruit. The distinctive taste would be great with Thai cuisine, poultry and appetizers. Not that this white has 14.5% alcohol.

Designated drivers might be better off spending one dollar more for a lovely bottle of frizzy sweet Muscat with only 5.5% alcohol. Dripping with fresh, honeyed Muscat flavours, the gently spritzy La Spinetta 2001 Bricco Quaglia Moscato d’Asti ($15.95) is a definite treat from Italy’s Piedmont. It is delicious to sip - any time, any place.

Chard fans who like lots of smoky, toasty notes should not miss Lanzerac 1999 Chardonnay at $15.85. From the South Africa's Stellenbosch region, it was barrel fermented and matured in French oak for 11 months. It is rounded, smooth and perhaps a bit over the top in terms of the oak with huge ripe pear flavours that go on and on. At its peak, it would be great served well-chilled with tapas and white meats.

Also worth exploring are a pair of Sauvignon Blanc directed whites from France. The first from the classic Loire is the very dry, crisp, refreshing Domaine de La Charmoise 2000 Sauvignon at $13.60. The grassy, ripe lemon nose is followed up by light bodied, slightly tart, pear flavours along with a touch of spearmint on the finish.

From the Bordeaux Première Côte de Blaye region comes 2001 Château La Rivalerie Blanc ($10.55) This tasty blend of 60% Sauvignon Blanc and 40% Sémillion from the Comte du Perier de Larsan is a definite winner. The very crisp, dry, light bodied, grassy, white peach flavours would be perfect with seafood, especially fried calamari.

In terms of price, the best buy white comes from the Gascogne region of southwest France; the extremely tasty 2001 Domaine Des Cassagnoles at only $8.50. In fact, this is the sixth consecutive vintage to appear at Vintages. Based on Colombard, its racy, faintly grassy, fresh green pear flavours suggest New Zealand. Fortunately, there is a whack available (950 cases) meaning that you should have no trouble sourcing a bottle or two. Another excellent, unoaked, seafood white.

For the two best buy reds of the release, France shares the stage with Chile. I can’t think of a sexier wine than Domaine De La Camarette 1999 ‘Terroir Vieilles Vignes’ at $15.95, which hails from the Rhone’s Côtes du Ventoux region and is a bargain relative to the agent’s $16.95 price tag. It first appeared as a Vintages “In-Store Discovery” May 2001 at $14.95. I recommended it then and am pleased that it has finally clawed its way on to the regular release list.

This Syrah-dominated Rhone blend from 54-year-old vines has a very expressive, sun dried tomato nose with rich, complex, plummy, smoky, dried ripe cherry flavours followed up by an excellent, lingering, bitter chocolate finish. It’s perfectly accessible now but will hold well for another year or so. There are only 200 cases, so hurry, hurry!

The other excellent buy of the release, this time from Chile, is one of the better Merlots I have come across this year. Viña Casa del Bosque 2000 Merlot Reserve at only $16.75 originates in the Casablanca Valley. This delicious find has a slightly reedy nose with lovely, sandalwood, cedar, mint, ripe black cherries and cassis notes. On the palate, it is solid, rich and well balanced with smoky plum and black cherry flavours with a tangy, lingering finish. Great for the BBQ today, it will continue to evolve over next 12-24 months.

Last but not least is a bargain priced rosé sparkler Taltarni 1999 Brut Taché. Made in the classic Champagne tradition, this blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier offers crisp, ripe, lemony, dried strawberry flavours along with excellent effervescence. This dry, well-structured effort costs a mere $17.65 and is perfect for any occasion.

If you are not a subscriber, don’t miss the only full analysis of all Vintages products prior to the release by Canada’s leading critic. Unlike other publications, you get details on who is the agent and how many bottles were ordered. Moreover, it is the only guide based on duplicate tastings – two bottles of every wine is assessed! Better yet, it is by a single author – Vintage releases are not evaluated by other less experienced writers. As one subscriber puts it: “tasting notes you can rely on!” With a renewal rate of 96% and a 12-year monthly publishing record, nothing even comes close to it! Get the current July 2002 issue today by clicking here. Or to see a free sample of last month’s June 2002 issue Click Here.

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