SAQ-LCBO rematch VIII
The LCBO’s February 19th Vintages release includes 17 wines also available at the SAQ. Here’s how they match up.
SAQ / LCBO
$14.75 / $13.95 Brampton Sauvignon Blanc 2009 Western Cape (Rustenberg WInes)
$16.10 / $14.95 Château Mourgues du Grès Les Galets Rouges 2009 Costières de Nîmes
$16.20 / $16.95 Codorniu Pinot Noir Rosé Brut Cava
$16.40 / $16.95 Tedeschi Capitel Nicalo Appassimento Valpolicella Classico Superiore 2008
$19.70 / $17.95 Liberty School Chardonnay 2008 Central Coast
$19.95 / $21.95 Cloudline Pinot Noir 2008 Oregon
$20.20 / $21.95 Château des Charmes Late Harvest Riesling 2007 Niagara-on-the-Lake
$20.65 / $18.95 Domaines Schlumberger Les Princes Abbés Riesling 2007 Alsace
$20.90 / $19.95 René Bouvier Le Chapitre Bourgogne 2008
$21.30 / $12.95 Weinstock Cellar Select Chardonnay KPM 2007 Sonoma
$23.50 / $19.95 Gregg Norman Australia Estates Chardonnay 2008 Eden Valley
$23.65 / $19.95 Château Mazeris 2006 Canon-Fronsac
$24.20 / $19.95 Palacio Glorioso Reserva 2005 Rioja
$25.25 / $21.95 Frescobaldi Tunuta di Castiglioni 2008 IGT Toscana
$70.50 / $69.95 Concha y Toro Don Melchor Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 Maipo Valley
$71.50 / $72.95 Smith Woodhouse Vintage Port 2007
$84.25 / $84.00 Château Haut-Bailly 2007, Pessac-Léognan
SAQ 5, LCBO 12. And when the LCBO is cheaper, it’s often by a wide margin, whereas the opposite isn’t true. (That said, I suspect that the Weinstock Cellars Chardonnay – a whopping 64% more expensive in Quebec – is actually two different products. Though the listings are identical, the SAQ’s price is more in line with the price at the few US retail stores I checked. Or maybe it’s a typo and the LCBO meant $21.95 instead of $12.95. Or maybe Weinstock is looking to clear out its current inventory in the run-up to Passover and the LCBO was at the right place at the right time.)
At the retail level, wine and spirits pricing is affected by several factors including when the products were purchased by the retailer, the currency they’re paid for in, the exchange rate, the producer’s ex cellar price, volume discounts, shipping, government duties and taxes and the retailer’s and agent’s (aka “importer’s”) markups. On January 1, the Quebec sales tax was ratcheted up one percentage point. And in early February, the SAQ’s fixed markup was increased due to its now being tied to tied to the consumer price index. Whether or not these last two developments alone explain the outcome of the most recent shoot-outs, the trend is clear: the LCBO increasingly beats the SAQ on price.
La Stoppa’s 2009 Gutturnio
Colli Piacentini 2009, Gutturnio, La Stoppa ($19.40, 12 bottles/case)
A blend of organically farmed Barbera and Bonarda. Fermented with native yeasts.
So intriguing. The nose is unlike any other: hay loft, old leather-bound books, dried beef, turned earth exposed to the sun for a while, black tea leaves and a hint of barnyard against a gossamer backdrop of red fruit stewed with spices. (If it’s not obvious, I’m grasping for descriptors.) The first sip brings a surprise: a sparkling tingle. Judging by the label, this isn’t the estate’s frizzante cuvée that bears the same name but it almost could be. Exceedingly dry yet light and fleet on the palate: acid galore, a fluid texture, light and raspy-bordering-on-rustic tannins and a long sour-fruity finish, all lifted by that spritz. Lingering dried wood (or is it lightly roasted coffee?) and faint astringency. You’d never suspect it was 13.5% ABV.
The fruit sweetens and the carbon dioxide diminishes as the wine breathes.
Cries out for salumi, though it’d also be great with spaghetti with pesto rosso, grilled sausages or just about anything in tomato sauce. A private import from oenopole, and it looks like they’ve got some left.
January 13th MWG tasting: report
FLIGHT 1: FOUR TABLE WINES FROM LES VENTS D’ANGE
Cuvée Valérie 2009, Vignoble Les Vents d’Ange ($15, Sublime Vins et Spiritueux)
100% Kay Gray. Floral, citrusy nose, extroverted in a Sauvignon Blanc kind of way. Bright and clean on the palate, with an acidic bite on the finish. Refreshing. (Buy again? Yes.)
Cuvée Catherine 2009, Vignoble Les Vents d’Ange ($15.50, Sublime Vins et Spiritueux)
50% Kay Gray, 50% Prairie Star. More restrained nose: hints of white flowers, spice and musk grapes. Rounder and smoother on the palate than the Valérie, a fact due not only to the less acidic Prairie Star but also to the higher residual sugar. White fruit with a suggestion of something green (fennel? bok choy?). Soft, buttery, minerally finish. (Buy again? Maybe.)
Cuvée Marie-Rose 2008, Vignoble Les Vents d’Ange ($13, Sublime Vins et Spiritueux)
And now for something completely different. 100% Montreal Blues (aka St. Theresa and Flambeau), a Concord-type black table grape. Candied apple, sour plum, a hint of foxiness and an oxidized note, a little like a rancio Banyuls. Intensely fruity yet surprisingly, even shockingly dry. Acidic, clean but abrupt finish. (Buy again? Doubtful.)
Cuvée Alexandria 2008, Vignoble Les Vents d’Ange ($15.50, Sublime Vins et Spiritueux)
70% Montreal Blues, 30% St. Croix. Oak chips added during fermentation. Spice and candied raspberry with subtle wood. Medium-bodied, brightly acidic. Straightforward fruit flavours, a suggestion of oak, a bit more than a suggestion of residual sugar. Light, raspy tannins and a tingly finish. (Buy again? Probably not.)
A relatively new arrival on the Quebec winemaking scene (first vintage was 2006), Vignoble Les Vents d’Ange is located in St-Joseph-du-Lac just east of Oka. In deference to the climate, the winery works exclusively with hardy hybrid cultivars developed by Wisconsin grape breeder Elmer Swenson. I first encountered the wines in November at the Quebec wine and cheese expo, where I found their straightforwardness and lack of pretension refreshing. This time around, the dry whites were exactly as I remembered them (my two sets of tasting notes use many of the same descriptors) while the rosé and red didn’t show nearly as well; this may have something to do with the fact that our bottles were uncorked only minutes before serving while the bottles at the expo had been open for a while.
FLIGHT 2: THREE AFFORDABLE AUSTRIAN RIESLINGS
Riesling Federspiel Terrassen 2009, Domäne Wachau ($18.35, 11034775)
Lime with a hint of lanolin. Clean, pure and intense: heading into racy territory. Biting finish somewhat rounded by residual sugar. (Buy again? Maybe.)
Riesling Kamptal Trocken 2009, Domaene Gobelsburg ($18.35, 10790309)
Minerals. Slight tingle, almost a fizz. Bracing acidity balanced by pure if lean fruit. Came across as very dry when chilled. Long, fieldstone finish. (Buy again. Yes.)
Riesling Kamptal 2008, Steinhaus, Weingut Rabl ($20.95, 10790341)
Stony with an initial spice-box note (curry?). Smoother, slightly sweeter and a little more complex than the other two. Acidic finish. (Buy again? Maybe.)
All three wines, especially the Wachau and Rabl, seemed to gain weight and sweetness as they warmed in the glass. Few of us thought this was a good thing; keep the bottles in the fridge or ice bucket when not pouring.
FLIGHT 3: TWO BOTTLINGS OF LAPIERRE’S 2009 MORGON
Morgon 2009, Domaine Marcel Lapierre ($26.80, 11305344)
The “SAQ” bottling: lightly sulphured and filtered. 100% organically farmed Gamay. Slightly clearer and more limpid. Pure fruit. Showing a bit harsher with a little less depth and character. Not as complete though still lovely. Tasting blind, three of the 12 people present chose this as the “Nature.” (Buy again? Moot. September’s initial release of 1,800 bottles sold out in six hours; a recent, less hyped restocking vanished almost as fast, though a few stragglers remain in St-Jean de Matha and other remote outlets.)
Morgon 2009, “Nature,” Domaine Marcel Lapierre ($27.55, Rézin–NLA)
The winemaker’s regular bottling: unfiltered and unsulphured. 100% organically farmed Gamay. A little cloudier. More complex nose: minerals, peony, spice and a bit of funk. More faceted and serious. Longer too. Acid, fruit and light tannins in perfect balance. Pure, lovely, caressing. Nine of the 12 tasters identified this as the “Nature.” (Buy again? If only I could.)
The late lamented Marcel provides some background in a short video made during his visit to Quebec last spring.
The differences between the two bottlings became increasingly apparent as the wines breathed. When I returned to my glasses after the tasting was over (about two hours after the bottles were opened), the SAQ bottling had lost presence and gained harshness while the “Nature” bottling was still chugging sweetly along.
FLIGHT 4: TWO ORGANIC SYRAH-GRENACHE BLENDS
Côtes du Vivarais 2007, Domaine Gallety ($23.70, 00918615)
Earlier vintages have been a 50-50 blend of biodynamically farmed Syrah and Grenache; I assume the 2007 is too. Slightly candied nose initially marked by alcohol (15.9%!) and volatile acidity; the latter eventually blew off, leaving plum, red meat and beef jerky. An intense mouthful of spicy baked fruit and tannins. Long, hot, garrigue-scented finish. Dry but somewhat port-like, the heat only partially balanced by the fruit. May improve with time though it will never become refreshing. (Buy again? Nope.)
Coteaux du Languedoc 2007, Cuvée 5 920 km, Terrenum ($23.25, Réserve et Sélection)
Organically farmed Syrah (65%) and Grenache (35%). Aged five months in new French oak casks. 1,800 bottles made. An altogether earthier nose than the Gallety’s: garrigue, black raspberry and a whiff of barnyard. Very dry, less tannic, somewhat lighter-bodied, with livelier acid: overall more digeste. Plum and spice flavours gain a faint bitter tarriness on the nicely sustained finish. (Buy again? Yes.)
Côtes du Vivarais is a relatively new (created in 1999) and obscure appellation that straddles the Ardèche river and, at one point, touches the west bank of the Rhône. Kermit Lynch, among others, claim the Gallety estate is the missing link between the northern and southern Rhône regions. Terrenum is a négociant operation run by Montrealer Simon Thibaudeau.
FLIGHT 5: FOUR FIVE SUB-SUPERTUSCANS
Toscana IGT 2008, Maremma, Mongrana, Querciabella ($19.90, 11192183)
Organically farmed Sangiovese (50%), Merlot (25%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (25%); a fraction of the wine sees three months in casks. The 2008 is the fourth vintage. Cassis and pencil lead, gaining a candied note and a hint of volatility as it breathed. Medium-bodied. Fluid. Structured, the tannins drying on the finish, but not particularly deep. Fruit sweeter and spicier than in the same house’s Chiantis. Good if a little one-dimensional and anonymous. (Buy again? Eh.)
Bolgheri 2007, Villa Donoratico, Argentiera ($27.25, 10845074)
Cabernet Sauvignon (65%), Cabernet Franc (25%) and Merlot (10%); aged 12 months in new and one-year French oak barrels. Freshly ground beef, green pepper, cassis and ash. Smooth, round. Tannins seem fruit-cloaked, in the background. Oak a little too present for now. Good structure and length. Decent enough but lacking charm. (Buy again? No.)
Bolgheri 2008, Le Serre Nuove, Tenuta dell’Ornellaia ($59, 10223574)
The second wine of Ornellaia. Merlot (50%), Cabernet Sauvignon (35%), Cabernet Franc (9%) and Petit Verdot (6%). Aged 18 months in a mix of new and year-old oak casks. Nose dominated by sweet oak (vanilla, toast, chocolate), albeit very classy oak; Bordeauxish cassis, graphite and cedar are also present, though you have to look for them. Far too oaky on first taste. With time, the wood receded slightly and you could see the makings of an elegant, structured and balanced wine. Obviously needs another five years or so to mature. That said, I’m left wondering whether it will ever taste Italian. (Buy again? No.)
Maremma Toscana IGT 2005, Sesà, I Vigneti di Poggio Foco ($39.50, 10538728)
Organically farmed Merlot (50%), Cabernet Franc (30%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (15%) with the remainder made up of other, unspecified grape varieties. Spent 18 months in new French oak barrels. Lovely fresh nose of cassis and graphite yet more Langhe- than Bordeaux-like. Smooth and fluid texture. More medium- than full-bodied. Tobacco and cedar – but oddly little oak – scent the fruit. Good structure and acidity. Ripe tannins turn a little drying on the long finish. Many tasters’ wine of the night. (Buy again? Sure.)
Bolgheri Superiore 2007, Sapaio, Podere Sapaio ($47.50, 10860805)
Cabernet Sauvignon (50%), Merlot (30%) with Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Spent 18 months in oak casks. Complex and engaging nose: black cherry, red meat, ink, slate, wood, fresh-turned earth, grass/herbs, hint of kirsch (14.5%). Rich and dense, big and muscular but not galumphing. Sweet fruit on entry with a swelling bitter undercurrent. Velvety tannins, showing some astringency on finish. As the wine breathed, the oak became more apparent. Long, liqueurish (Chambord?) finish. A sun-drenched Cabernet, bordering on New Worldish yet retaining its Italian accent. Will likely improve over the next five to eight years. Made a credible pairing for a grilled rib eye sliced and drizzled with garlic- and rosemary-infused olive oil. (Buy again? Not my style but recommendable all the same.)
Popular with SAQ wine advisors and local critics, the Sapaio has a reputation for punching above its weight. I’d originally planned to include it in the tasting but inadvertently left it at home, leading to its last-minute replacement by Le Serre Nuove.
FLIGHT 6: A KAY GRAY ICE WINE
Cuvée Blanche 2008, Vin de glace, Vignobles Les Vents d’Ange ($35/375 ml, Sublime Vins et Spiritueux)
100% Kay Gray. Apple butter and honey nose with a hint of spice and vanilla. Sweet but not saccharine. Acidic enough to avoid syrupiness. Not particularly complex flavour profile. Long, honeyed finish with a cheesy note. (Buy again? Maybe.)
SAQ–LCBO rematch VII
Of the 100 wines in the LCBO’s February 5th release, only six are also available at the SAQ.
SAQ / LCBO
$11.80 / $11.95 L.A. Cetto Petite Sirah 2008 Guadalupe Valley
$16.30 / $15.95 Domaine Gardiés Mas Las Cabes Rouge 2009 Côtes du Roussillon
$17.00 / $15.95 Tamanohikari Omachi Junmai Daiginjo sake
$18.15 / $17.95 Newman’s Own Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 California
$19.10 / $18.95 Oyster Bay Merlot 2009 Hawkes Bay
$55.75 / $54.95 Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 Oakville
SAQ 1, LCBO 5. That being noted, with one exception, the price differences are minimal.
Exordium for a welterweight
It had been a long day for the Pork Futures guys but they’d managed to sell their umpteen kilos of sausage, cured duck breast, beef jerky, headcheese and other goodies. The hordes had departed, only to be replaced by a crushing wave of fatigue.
A last bottle was opened, glasses filled. The guys took a sip and sat up straight, eyes open wide. “Wow!” “This is fun!” “What is this?”
What is this? A wine that can revive the dead, apparently.
The label reads:
EXORDE 2009
Vin de France
Mise en bouteille par David Caer
Clos Mathélisse
Later that evening I searched the Web, trying various combinations of the wine’s name, estate and producer. Not a single hit. How often does that happen?
The bottle was a straggler picked up at La QV’s organic market event last fall. The next day I gave Mr. La QV, Cyril Kérébel, a call. Here’s what he told me:
Clos Mathélisse is a new estate – a couple of vineyards actually – owned by David Caer. 2009 is its second vintage. Its wines are made by Régis Pichon of Domaine Ribiera, whose Grenache-Carignan blend La Vista impressed me in October. Both Clos Mathélisse and Domaine Ribiera are located in Aspiran, a commune in the Hérault département of the Languedoc. (Aspiran is also the name of a once popular but now rapidly disappearing local red grape variety still permitted in Minervois wines.)
Pichon makes natural wines from organically farmed grapes and indigenous yeasts. He destems his red wine grapes before pressing. Whether to punch down, pump over or sit tight is decided on a day-to-day basis. Fermentation and maceration typically last 15 to 25 days. The wines are bottled unfiltered and unfined. Very little sulphur is added, so the winemaker recommends that the bottles be stored at 15ºC (60ºF) or less.
Clos Mathélisse’s Exorde is 100% Cinsault. Pichon says his aim for the variety is “matière veloutée et arômes” (velvety substance and aromas), both of which Exorde has in spades. That said, it’s a vin plaisir, an easy drinker, not a vin de contemplation or a keeper for that matter.
None of us was taking notes the evening we opened the bottle. My initial memory is one of delight. I also recall the wine as being slightly cloudy to the eye and extrovertedly funky-fruity to the nose. The fruit had a wild flavour, like elderberry or wild cherry, while the tannins were raspy and light. There was also a je ne sais quoi quality quite unlike anything I’ve ever encountered in a wine, including other Cinsaults from the Languedoc.
A few days later I asked the Pork Futures boys for their impressions. “Ripe fruit with a note higher up on the palate, something mineral or medicinal but not green (fennel? mint?), and a silky texture,” said one. “Light-bodied, like a Pinot, maybe with some Beaujolais hints. Not overly ripe. A super-fun wine that puts a smile on your face,” said the other.
The bad news was that La QV had sold out of the wine when I inquired in November. The good news is that a small second shipment is slated to arrive on a private-import basis in early February. Price should be $20.50 a bottle, 12 bottles per case. Carpe diem.
SAQ–LCBO rematch VI
It appears that 17 of the wines and spirits in the LCBO’s January 22nd release are also available at the SAQ (“appears” because the monopolies’ listings for three of the wines – asterisked below – differ slightly and, despite visits to the producers’ websites, I’ve not been able to confirm that they are exactly the same bottlings).
SAQ / LCBO
$12.30 / $11.95 Beauvignac Picpoul de Pinet 2009 Coteaux de Languedoc*
$15.10 / $14.95 Château de Nages Réserve 2009 Costières de Nîmes
$16.50 / $16.95 Gonzalez Byass Tio Pepe Palomino Fino Extra Dry Sherry
$16.60 / $15.00 Donnafugata Anthìlia Bianco 2009 Sicilia
$16.95 / $16.95 Tommasi Vigneto Le Prunée Merlot 2008 delle Venezie
$17.95 / $18.95 Altesino Rosso Toscana 2008
$18.40 / $17.95 Buil & Giné Priorat Giné Giné 2007
$18.50 / $18.95 Nino Franco Brut Prosecco di Valdobbiadene
$19.55 / $17.95 Kilikanoon The Lackey Shiraz 2007 South Australia
$19.60 / $18.95 Weinert Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 Mendoza*
$19.85 / $19.95 Chateau St. Jean Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 California
$22.15 / $19.95 Ravenswood Old Vine Zinfandel 2008 Lodi*
$22.55 / $21.95 Rocca Delle Macie Chianti Classico Riserva 2006
$29.70 / $29.95 Beringer Pinot Noir 2007 Napa Valley
$29.80 / $29.95 Perrin et Fils Gigondas La Gille 2007
$35.25 / $34.95 Mission Hill S.L.C. Merlot 2005 Okanagan Valley
$90.00 / $99.95 Ardbeg 10 Years Old Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
SAQ 7, LCBO 9. Advantage Ontario for the second release in a row.
SAQ–LCBO rematch V
Reflecting the post-holidays zeitgeist, the latest issue of Vintages (January 8th release) is slimmer than usual and focuses on low-end wines and spirits, ten of which are also sold at the SAQ.
SAQ / LCBO
$10.05 / $9.95 Sauvignon Blanc 2010, Marlborough, Kim Crawford (375 ml)
$13.35 / $10.95 Valpolicella Classico Superiore 2008, Ripasso, Tommasi (375 ml)
$14.00 / $14.95 Minervois 2008, Cuvée Mathilde, Château de Gourgazaud
$14.65 / $12.95 Touraine 2009, Sauvignon Blanc, Domaine Bellevue
$15.10 / $14.95 Costières de Nîmes 2009, Réserve Blanc, Château de Nages
$17.90 / $14.95 Viognier 2009, North Coast, Cline Cellars
$19.30 / $16.95 Côtes du Rhône 2009, Nature, Domaine Perrin
$19.75 / $17.95 Ménage à Trois red 2009, California, Folie à Deux
$21.15 / $19.95 Merlot 2007, Mendocino County, Bonterra
$25.90 / $24.95 Ron Abuelo Añejo Reserva Especial
SAQ 1, LCBO 9. What’s more, the SAQ is often 10% and even 20% more expensive. The results appear to confirm the widely held belief that inexpensive wines are generally cheaper in Ontario.
What gives? Probably a combination of factors. The monopolies’ different markups on low-end bottles. Also, all these products are new arrivals at the LCBO but have been listed by the SAQ for a while, meaning the Ontario monopoly may have benefited from the recent, more favourable exchange rate. In addition, the prices include sales taxes, which rose by more than 1% in Quebec on January 1.
SAQ–LCBO rematch IV
Twenty-nine of the wines featured in the latest issue (December 11th release) of the LCBO’s Vintages magazine are also available in Quebec. Time for another shoot-out.
SAQ / LCBO
$14.60 / $14.95 Juan Gil White Label de Cepas Viejas Monastrell 2009 Jumilla
$15.55 / $13.95 Alamos Torrontès 2009 Mendoza
$16.00 / $16.95 Tommasi vigneto Le Rosse Pinot Grigio 2008 IGT delle Venezie
$17.95 / $17.95 Château de Gourgazaud Réserve 2006 Minervois La Livinière
$19.25 / $18.95 Pittacum Mencia 2006 Bierzo
$19.85 / $17.95 Coriole Redstone Shiraz 2007 McLaren Vale
$19.95 / $19.95 Clos du Bois Zinfandel 2007 North Coast
$19.95 / $19.95 Wolf Blass Gold Label Riesling 2008
$20.90 / $19.95 Yalumba Shiraz/Viognier 2008 Barossa
$22.35 / $21.95 Kendall-Jackson Vintner’s Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2007
$23.15 / $23.95 Gloria Ferrer Sonoma Brut Sparkling Wine
$25.70 / $28.95 Tenuta San Guido Le Difese 2008 IGT Toscana
$25.75 / $24.95 Francis Coppola Diamond Collection Blue Label Merlot 2008
$26.50 / $22.95 Robert Mondavi Fumé Blanc 2008 Napa Valley
$27.30 / $28.95 La Valentina Spelt Montepulciano d’Abruzzo 2005
$27.90 / $24.95 Nk’Mip Cellars Merlot 2007 Okanagan Valley
$29.60 / $29.95 Kim Crawford Rise-and-Shine Creek Pinot Noir 2007 Central Otago
$37.50 / $41.95 Tenuta Sant’Antonio Selezione Antonio Castagnedi Amarone della Valpolicella 2006
$42.00 / $39.95 Boekenhoutskloff The Chocolate Block 2008 Western Cape
$44.00 / $47.95 Delamotte Brut Champagne
$44.75 / $44.95 Fattoria dei Barbi Brunello di Montalcino 2004
$49.25 / $52.95 Le Vieux Donjon Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2008
$53.25 / $49.95 Heidsieck Monopole Blue Top Brut Champagne
$54.00 / $54.00 Warre’s Quinta da Cavadinha Vintage Port 1996
$60.50 / $64.95 Glenafarclas 12 years old Highland Single Malt
$64.00 / $69.95 The Yamazaki 12 years old Single Malt Wiskey
$75.00 / $69.95 Tenuta Sette Ponte Oreno 2007 IGT Toscana
$99.00 / $99.95 Gaston de Lagrange XO Cognac
$147.25 / $119.95 Beringer Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 Napa Valley
SAQ 13, LCBO 12. That said, several of Ontario’s wins are decisive, approaching and even exceeding 10%.
It’ll be interesting to see what happens in the new year, when Quebec wine and spirits lovers get hit with a double whammy: the Quebec sales tax jumping from 7.5% to 8.5% on January 1 and a small increase in the SAQ’s fixed markup in early February.
November 4th MWG tasting: report
Notes on 15 wines from the November 4th Cellier release. Prices are in Canadian dollars and include sales taxes.
FLIGHT 1
Mosel 2008, Riesling, Mönchhof ($17.45, 11334920)
Light breezy nose of white flowers, lime and minerals. Off-dry and a little spritzy. Medium acidity, pure fruit, rainwater finish. Pleasant though more grip would be welcome. Vin terrasse. (Buy again? Maybe.)
Pinot Gris 2008, Acrobat, Oregon, King Estate ($17.95, 11333767)
Wax and pear with dried herb and lactic notes. Fluid but unctuous with just-noticeable residual sugar. A little facile, though a mildly mineral/bitter/astringent substrate hints at deeper things. Enough acidity to keep things fresh. Fair finish. (Buy again? Probably not.)
Columbia Valley 2009, Riesling, Evergreen Vineyard, Efesté Wine ($21.50, 11334760)
7-Up and minerals on the nose. Lemon-lime, minerals and herbs on the palate. Nearly dry and what sugar there is is counterbalanced by acidity. Fruity finish. Requires vigorous chewing to show any depth. (Buy again? Probably not when Germans offer more bang for the buck.)
Central Otago 2009, Riesling, Target Gully, Mt. Difficulty ($25.60, 11334778)
Petrol, lime, tarragon and a hint of BO. A mouthful of minerals and yellow citrus with a dollop of residual sugar. Fair length. Could use more oomph, especially more acid, but clearly the most complete and dimensional wine in the flight. (Buy again? Probably not when Germans offer more bang for the buck.)
FLIGHT 2
Chehalem Mountains 2006, Pinot Noir, Carabella Vineyard ($27.65, 11333791)
Sweet red berries, hints of forest floor. Sweet fruity attack, oaky mid-palate and bitter-edged finish. Bright acid. Lacks depth. Not unpleasant but unexceptional. (Buy again? Not when you can find better Burgundies for the same price.)
Willamette Valley 2007, Pinot Noir, 3 Vineyard, Chehalem Wines ($32.75, 11333783)
Not particularly appealing nose of spice, beet and oak. Medium-bodied. Oak-heavy choco-cherry with some herby mid-palate nuance. Hot finish. Yuk! (Buy again? No way.)
Langhe 2007, Nebbiolo, La Spinetta ($28.90, 11337979)
Ink, raspberry, cherry, minerals, tar, Asian spice. Dense but not heavy fruit, mineral underlay. Tight tannins. Fluid texture. Lingering bitter-edged finish. Needs a few years to knit together and smooth out. (Buy again? If looking for a modern-style Nebbiolo, yep.)
Barolo 2005, Albe, G. D. Vajra ($35.25, 11337944)
Nail polish, shoe leather, dried roses. Fluid but rich. Pure fruit and background oak. Tight tannins and bright acid. Earthy finish. Seems ready to go. Despite the wine’s interesting qualities, several of us wondered whether our bottle wasn’t defective (ethyl acetate), a disappointment as I’d been looking forward to tasting this bottling from a producer whose other wines I’ve often enjoyed. (Buy again? Another bottle to see if ours was off.)
FLIGHT 3
Etna 2006, Rosso di Verzella, Benanti ($20.65, 11348459)
A blend of Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio given about ten months in small casks. Wafting nose of dried black cherry, baked earth, rosemary. Round, smooth and savoury. Medium-bodied. Lively acid gives freshness. Round tannins provide structure. Soft, long finish. A charmer. (Buy again? If only I could…)
Valpolicella Superiore Classico 2007, Ripasso, Pojega, Guerrieri Rizzardi ($22.65, 11331681)
Blend of Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella and Molinara. Roasted red peppers, spice. Sweet plummy fruit enlivened by acid, underpinned by fine tannins. Rich, smooth and harmonious with a long, savoury finish and lingering impression of warmth (not heat). A winner. (Buy again? Yes.)
Monferrato 2007, Pin, La Spinetta ($49.75, 11337987)
Blend of barrel-aged Nebbiolo (65%) and Barbera (35%). Exuberant nose of spice, leaf mould, wood and black cherry with a floral note. Pure fruit. Dense and plush. Good acid. Quite tannic. Long astringent finish. Needs time. Modern but in a good way. (Buy again? Price is the only thing holding me back.)
FLIGHT 4
Valle de Colchagua 2008, Quatro, MontGras ($17.95, 11331737)
Blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (45%), Carmenère (20%), Malbec (20%) and Syrah (15%). Spent 11 months in casks, 30% new. Nose of bacon, Keds, dried herbs and telltale tomato vine. Smooth on the palate, with ripe fruit and noticeable oak. Cocoa finish. Straightforward, balanced and pleasant if a little facile. Good QPR. (Buy again? Sure, if you like the style.)
Columbia Valley 2007, River’s Red, Three Rivers Winery ($19.90, 11336466)
A dog’s breakfast blend of Syrah, Malbec, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenère and Trempranillo. Fresh nose: cassis, herbs, green pepper, spice. Clean if somewhat candied fruit, smooth tannins, oaky finish. Simple but fun. (Buy again? Sure, if you like the style.)
Columbia Valley 2007, Cabernet Sauvignon, L’École N° 41 ($37.75, 10707093)
100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Spent 22 months in oak barrels, a third of them new. Cheese grains, cassis. Rich fruit, touch of residual sugar, oak in background. Good acid, light tannins that become more prominent with aeration. Shorter than expected for a wine in this price bracket. In fact, the wine overall seemed a bit one-dimensional and a little disjointed. Needs time? (Buy again? Only out of curiosity to see how it might develop.)
Yakima Valley 2006, Boushey Vineyard, Fidélitas Wines ($58.75, 11335421)
Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon with a little Cabernet Franc. Spent 24 months in casks, half of them new. Cassis, black raspberry and fresh dill. Sweet fruit buttressed by rich tannins, freshened by acidity. Plush texture. Layers of flavour. Long. A complete wine. Quite impressive in its style. (Buy again? If in the market for a full-bore West Coast Bordeaux blend, sure.)
Brett happens 