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From Napa classics to General List best buys
Michael Vaughan • Weekly Wine & Spirits Columnist
National Post • Saturday, February 17, 2001

For those of you (meaning almost everyone) unable to attend last Tuesday’s Napa Valley Vintners tasting, here’s the scoop. First of all, the show sold out almost immediately - so if you were disappointed, you’re not alone. Secondly, my notes from last month’s preview blind tastings (55 wines in 6 flights) were not totally encouraging. Several of the wines (i.e. 1997 Cabernet Sauvignons from Stag’s Leap Faye Vineyard and Far Niente) were decidedly out of sorts! Obviously, there’s always a danger when you rely on a single sample.

Finally, kudos to Vintages who went the extra mile to present 44 wines for private ordering! While sales were far from overwhelming, many will be appearing in Vintages over the next 12 months. Of the whites, I had two definite favourites. The first was the dynamite, wonderfully fresh, crisp, grassy, melon-driven St. Supery 2000 Sauvignon Blanc at $22.95 (PR Canada at 905-405-0410).

The other was the creamy, rounded Saintsbury 1999 Carneros Chardonnay a winner at $28.95 (Maxxium at 416-535-7899). Its flan-driven flavours have been caressed by a dollop of French vanilla ice cream. If you can wait, it’s making its Vintages debut next summer.

While some Napa fans were raving about the extremely youthful, intense, berry-driven Joseph Phelps 1998 Insignia ($175), my personal best of show was the more subdued, well-structured and yet surprisingly refined Beaulieu Vineyards 1997 Georges de Latour Reserve Cabernet (about $80US) and is worth every penny (United Distillers at 416-626-2000). Some 17,000 cases of this 100% Cabernet Sauvignon saw 22 months in American (55%) and French oak. There’s no question that the introduction of the latter has given this BV a lot more finesse (especially the lime flavours from the classy barrels). Look for mouthfilling richness that focuses on its cassis-cherry-plum purée flavours.

Coming up on March 20th, fans of Pinot Noir will not want to miss the special LCBO Vintages Preview Tasting “1999 Burgundy Prearrivals” featuring over one hundred white and red 1999 Burgundies! Wines from four houses will be featured: Bouchard Père et Fils, Joseph Drouhin, Louis Jadot and Antonin Rodet! It all takes place at Toronto's Capitol Theatre (3-6 pm) and tickets are a mere $45 (only 200 are available). Call today at 416-864-6999 or download a fax order sheet from my website. A complete list of all wines being featured along with prices will be forthcoming.

Every month a whack of new General List wines appear on LCBO shelves. They rarely make the spotlight usually because they don’t stir much organoleptic excitement.  Of course, there are exceptions and here are four. The first is the medium-light bodied, slightly sweetish Con Sur 2000 Pinot Noir from Chile. Now don’t get me wrong, this isn’t a showstopper, but at only $9.95 who can complain? Its zesty, easy-to-quaff, red cherry-beetroot flavours actually remind me of the real thing - a bit of a miracle at the price.

And talking about miracles, here’s an Italian white that definitely worthy of a pilgrimage. Let the snobs turn up their collective noses at this General List entry, they’ll never know what they missed. Yes, from the actual 1353 estate vineyards surrounding the home of poet Dante comes the fruity, delicious Masi Serego Alighieri 1999 Bianco del Conte at $12.95. This unique unoaked blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Garganega is dry and yet mellow with gently honeyed, spicy, melon-lychee flavours. Perfect with soups, appetizers and seafood.

In a completely different vein from Portugal is a red bargoon – Grao Vasco 1999 Dao at only $7.25. If you enjoy the spicy, gently leathery, plummy, dried red cherry and fresh beefsteak tomato flavours that this region has to offer, you won’t find better value anywhere. It’s been around forever, is taken for granted and is greatly under-priced. It’s a special treat for those who are bored with the homogeneous flavours that seem to characterize most of today’s hits!

Finally, hitting the shelves this week is one of the best Spanish reds I have tasted in quite some time. Better yet, it’s an incredible buy at only $11.95. From the Somontana region (foothills of the Pyrenees in the northeast) comes the ultra delicious, well-structured, red cherry-cassis-chocolate flavoured Vinas del Vero 1998 San Marcos Estate Cabernet Sauvignon. I had to pinch myself because not only was this beauty aged for eight months in fine-grained French Allier, but it also it puts most comparably-priced Bordeaux to shame. The fact that you can find it on the General List (an ex-Vintages listing) is one for Ripley’s “Believe it or not!”

 

 

Copyright Food & Beverage Testing Institute of Canada 2004
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Contact Michael Vaughan at
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