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The big bird cometh!
Discovering an inexpensive gem from Chile

© Michael Vaughan 2001
National Post Weekly Wine & Spirits Columnist
Saturday, September 29, 2001

It’s hard to believe that a week Monday will be Thanksgiving. When it comes to my feathered friends, I lean towards fleshy, fruity wines – especially new world Syrah and Zinfandel. To my taste, drier reds be it Beaujolais or Bordeaux don’t work as well!

Last Saturday’s September 21st Chilean Vintages release of 16 wines has a gem that will bring any bird to its knees. It’s the absolutely delicious Morandé 2000 Pionero Syrah from the Central Valley. It’s well balanced, harmonious, gently smoky, ripe black cherry and fresh beefsteak tomato flavours will sweep you off your feet. At $10.80 it’s an absolute steal.  Fortunately the LCBO has some 600 cases available. The best website for searching out Chilean wines is http://www.chilevinos.com  (it’s in Spanish but it’s great for researching). There is an American and Chilean website for Morandé: www.morande.usa.com or www.morande.cl

From the same release for white wine fans is another bargain Santa Alicia 2000 Chardonnay Reserve at $10.50 from Chile’s Maipo Valley. It’s very bright on the palate with gently cedary, fresh melon flavours that will go with pretty much anything. Half the wine was aged in French and American oak barrels with malolactic; the balance was fermented and stored in stainless steel tanks with no malo. www.santa-alicia.com

If you are fishing for something bigger, the creamy, rich, ripe peach-pear purée flavoured Casa Lapostelle 1998 Chardonnay at $21.90 is sure to hit the spot. For details on this wine see http://www.casalapostolle.com/index2.html

Next Saturday’s Vintages Release!

As for next Saturday’s Vintages October 6th Release also has some truly exciting wines out of the 158 on offer. Perhaps the most unusual are two native Italian varietals produced by Jim Clendenen, winemaker at California’s esteemed Au Bon Climat. The red Terzetto 1998 Barbera ($24.80) from the Central Coast Bien Nacido vineyard seriously outperforms many of the LCBO’s genuine Italian entries. The gently earthy, spicy, very tangy, ripe raspberry-cherry-cranberry fruit flavours dance on the tongue – perfect for fall poultry. Only 66 cases are available.

Now if you haven’t heard of Terzetto, you’re not alone. Terzetto is a musical term, which means an operatic or instrumental trio. According to the label, “Terzetto Wines are the brainchildren of Peter and Scott, gently raised by Jim.” It depicts three guys enjoying a game of bocce. In this case the players are winemaker Jim Clendenen along with Toronto’s own Scott Wilson (third horn at the TSO) and his neighbour Peter Warrian an economics professor at the U of T. This trio has introduced three wines: Barbera, Teroldego and Tocai Friulano. All come from single vineyards and only 150 cases (six barrels) of each varietal were produced.

Their white Terzetto Tocai Friulano at $24.60 is also a possible poultry partner. It’s very fragrant, honeyed, wildflower aromas which are perhaps more reminiscent of Viognier than Tocai and more Alsatian than Italian.  It’s surprisingly intense and dry with citrusy, wildflower-melon flavours and excellent length. For further information call (416) 465-2648 (email doublehorn@sympatico.ca).

In defense of Italian wines, I must tip my hat to one of the best value Sauvignons I have tasted this year. Fattoria Il Palagio 1999 Sauvignon Blanc at $13.45 is loaded with refreshing, kiwi-gooseberry flavours. A definite best buy at the price, only 150 cases are available so act quickly. Keep in mind that with this level of crispness, it’s more of an aperitif white, better with oysters and seafood than poultry.  See http://www.zonin.it/english/estates/palagio.htm

Eau de vie makes for a great after-dinner palate cleanser and the upcoming André Blanck Poire William at $29.90 per half bottle is a beauty. Clear in colour, the intense, fresh, sweet pear nose is followed up by refined, dry, pear essence flavours. It’s amazing that they can get this much flavour into a bottle. But then again, Alsace stipulates than a minimum 28 kg of ripe, locally grown pears must be used to make a litre of spirits!

Classics Catalogue Ordering!

For those planning their purchases from the upcoming Classics Fall Catalogue (advance fax and mail orders commenced September 24 and continue until October 10) I want to suggest one terrific buy. But first, I am happy to report that you still have a chance of getting what you want as “orders will be entered by random selection rather than by the date of receival.”

There are a total of 489 products in the Fall Catalogue of which 198 or 40% are old listings which have appeared before, while 60% or 291 are new of which 100 are subject to limited sales. Of the preview tasting of 19 wines, a definite best buy is a neat, spicy, ready-to-drink Rhone Les Galets Rouge 1999 Chateau Morgues de Gres ($13.00) from the Costières de Nimes region. The well-balanced, slightly smoky, very fruity flavours were napped with just the right amount of vanilla. Detailed notes on all Classic wines tasted will be posted on this Web site next Tuesday. To check out the Fall Classics Catalogue Click Here.

 

From the Classics Catalogue

LES GALETS ROUGE 1999

Costières de Nîmes, Château Morgues de Gres

725606 (XD) $ 13

 

MAKE TIME FOR NÎMES

Costières de Nîmes is a small appellation lying between the Rhône river to the north and the Languedoc-Roussillon regions to the south. Often thought of as the northern outpost of the Languedoc but technically part of the Rhône region. The locals will often say they’re neither, they’re Nîmes. Less known and therefore less expensive than some of the neighbouring Rhône appellations.

 

François Collard’s Morgues du Grès, produces the most concentrated, intense, full-bodied wines of the appellation, according to Robert Parker Jr. (Wines of the Rhone Valley, revised & expanded edition). See if you don’t agree when you try Collard’s Galets Rouges a palate-satisfying blend of 57% Syrah, 40% Grenache and 3% Mourvèdre.

 

Tasting note: Bright blackberry, some baked raspberries, plum, strawberryr, licorice and spice-box scents and flavours skip across a medium-bodied, ripely-tannined frame. Ready to drink with something spicy like: chorizo sausage, goat curry, a vegetable tagine with preserved lemons, or a nice smelly French cheese. (Lloyd Evans, Dec. 15, 2000) Grappe d’Or for the 1998 vintage, the highest award accorded by Michel Phaneuf in Le Guide du Vin 2001. The 1999 is a worthy successor.

 

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