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Discovering
the undiscovered
Spice is the variety of life
© Michael
Vaughan 2001
National Post Weekly Wine & Spirits
Columnist
Saturday, June 2, 2001
I
am always surprised how many wine fans fail to venture forth and try
something different. Perhaps it’s a matter of having been there, done
that and ultimately being disappointed. Of course, this isn’t too
surprising considering the marketing hyperbole that surrounds many wines
today. Nevertheless, there are a tremendous number of truly delicious
wines waiting out there to be discovered.
Getting
the scoop on these products isn’t all easy. One would hope that articles
in the press would be reliable sources of information. But in a world of
advertorial, genuine consumer-driven advice is occasionally the last
priority. This is especially true of pundits who are consultants to the
industry, or in other words, are paid by the very people whose products
they praise.
Of
course, every critic will have their own likes and dislikes. There are,
for instance, styles of wine that I am not personally keen on that others
love. The answer to this dilemma is to recognize all wines that are
qualitatively deserving. The annual blind judging that is carried out for
the Toronto
Wine & Cheese Show does
precisely that - offering fans an unbiased list of best buys by key
professionals (to see the list of 2001
award winning wines press here).
Of
course, every week new wines appear on the shelves of the LCBO replacing
those that haven’t made the cut. Since there’s no point lamenting some
of the terrific wines the LCBO has trashed, let me guide you to a few new
wines that are really worth trying (to
see the LCBO
Delist of 23 product from May
28th press here).
Unfortunately,
many of us naturally equate quality and price. That isn’t too unexpected
since pedigree is what supposedly drives price. This tends to make snobs
of us all – we prefer Chateau Mouton Rothschild to Chateau Plonk, even
though the latter may be a bargain. We fawn on Australian whites,
disdaining those from say Hungary. Indeed, whites from the latter are the
decidedly unfashionable – Ontario sales are down 28.6%!
Now
one would think that when an agent gets a listing for a terrific, well
priced but totally unknown Hungarian white, there would be a fair amount
of hoopla. And even if a launch isn’t affordable, then a simple note
from the importer making the wine’s presence known might do the trick.
But no, there hasn’t been a hint of its presence since the April 9th
release. In fact, I only managed to discover this little gem in a LCBO lab
tasting last week.
It’s
St. Ursula
Dunavár 1999 Connoisseur Collection Muscat. And what a buy at
only $6.95 on the LCBO General List. How does it taste? Well it’s very
spicy but dry. The nose has bright, gentle clove-driven, floral notes.
Crisp and yet well bodied, it’s extremely easy to sip and would work
well with poultry, pasta and Thai cuisine.
Unfortunately,
you’re not likely to find it at very many restaurants. Why? “It’s
too cheap and who the hell wants a Hungarian white,” answers one
licensee who wishes to remain anonymous. Indeed, many Toronto restaurants
are striving to create an upscale image by focusing on specialty wines
with lots of snob appeal. Moreover, these private imports enable
restaurateurs to make big mark-ups without the customer’s knowledge. In
the immortal words of one local sommelier: “What can you do with a wine
that only costs $6.95?”
And
so despite its upscale packaging, Dunavár is unlikely to survive its LCBO
quota unless a lot of readers suddenly decide to try it and like it. At
this price, who can loose? As for its companion, the identically priced St.
Ursula Dunavár 1999 Connoisseur Collection Pinot Blanc with
its light-bodied, white peach and grapefruit driven flavours – it’s
decent value, especially if you are a Sauvignon Blanc fan.
Of
course there are a host of spicy whites to brighten up your springtime
meals. I was reminded of this while sipping a tasty Pierre
Spaar 1999 Gewürztraminer with owner Bernard Spaar at Jump
last week. Also on the General List, this medal winner from Alsace is one
of the LCBO’s faster movers. It’s is a tad drier with more focused
flavours and structure than its Hungarian Muscat cousin, but at $13.95
(almost twice the price), you’ll have to do your own comparative blind
tasting to discover which you personally prefer. The nice thing about this
wine is that you don’t have to worry about it collapsing – it has
enough refreshing acidity that you can put the cork into the
partial-filled bottle, throw it into the fridge and it will be totally
alive on the following day! Other excellent Spaar wines are available
through Barrique
Wines & Spirits at 416-598-0033. (www.alsace-wines.com)
Coming
Up:
June 1/3
• New Vintage Niagara This 6th annual event features 25
Ontario wineries (70 unreleased wines) starting at 8 pm at White Oaks
Resort and is followed up by over 30 special weekend events at various
Niagara wineries. Tickets are $65 - call (905) 688-0212 or visit their
website www.grapeandwine.com
June
3 • 11th Annual Toronto Taste 2001 Dedicated
to raising funds for Second Harvest and featuring 70 chefs (more dishes
than anyone could ever possibly taste!) accompanied by a wide variety of
fine wines and spirits. Commencing at 6 pm at the Liberty Grand
(Exhibition Place), spend a Sunday grazing to your heart’s content.
Tickets are $175, call (416) 408-2594 and visit their website at www.taste2000.toronto.com
June
7 • Covenant House Wine Auction & Dinner
This 5th Annual Fundraiser takes place at the Royal Ontario Museum at 5:30
pm. The wine auction features over 100 lots. Tickets are $250 and for info
call (416) 204-7067.
June 9th • Fashion Cares M•A•C Viva Glam
“Garden” This is the 15th annual benefit for the AIDS
Committee of Toronto (ACT). The opening reception along with boutique
shopping starts at 5:30 pm followed by dinner at 8 pm and a heart-stopping
fashion show at 10:30 pm. Gala
tickets are $300 at the Metro Convention Centre. Call (416) 340-9255 www.fashioncares.org
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