One More Once

Count Basie’s memorable refrain at the end of his 1955 live recording of April in Paris, “One more one!” always brings a smile and giddy anticipation as the band wraps up one of the most memorable tracks ever laid down.  This year’s delayed spring is having the same effect.  Alright, already, let’s get this show on the road; queue up the tulips, roll out the daffodils and get the garden ready for spring.  It might not be April in Paris (unless you happen to be reading this from the cobblestone capital of Canada), but at least it’s not snowing.

The mid-April edition of The Imbiber’s Report brings you several sumptuous reds, a zinger of a white, a Portfolio Tasting report and notes from the field.  We also give you a heads-up on a few LCBO Promotions and as well as some upcoming wine events. 

You know the drill by now; grab a glass of something titillating, a charismatic Carmenère or some beguiling bubbly, relax, maybe put a little Count Basie on and join us on another Imbibing adventure.

Vintages Release – April 12^th, 2008

d’Arenberg

The Last Ditch

Viognier 2006

McLaren Vale, South Australia

(25064) $19.75

250 (6 pack) cases available

89 Points – Robert Parker

“The 2006 The Last Ditch Viognier was sourced from the cool-climate Adelaide Hills. It was aged for 9 months in older French and American oak without malolactic fermentation. Medium straw colored, it offers an enticing bouquet of dried herbs, ginger, honeysuckle, and apricot. This is followed by a medium-bodied wine in which tropical and white peach flavors emerge on the palate. Supple-textured and well-balanced, this tasty effort can be enjoyed over the next 1-2 years.”

The forward thinking Osborne Clan grubbed up an old vineyard site that had been planted with a non-descript white variety called Doradillo and replanted the aromatic, and soon to internationally famous, Viognier.  The vineyard sight is at the bottom of a gully in a big ditch, hence the name.

Viognier’s ancestral home is in the Rhône Valley, where it reaches it zenith by producing the likes of Château Grillet, considered to be one of world’s great dry white wines.  In the hands on d’Arenberg’s winemaker Chester Osborn, the McLaren Vale version shows beautifully exotic aromatics of flowers, tropical fruit, peaches and peppery ginger (really).  There is a pleasant oily-viscosity of ripe fruit on the palate, finely balanced with herbaceous lemon grass and minerals.  The Last Ditch is a wonderful wine to pull out for all sorts of seafood, slightly spicy dishes or anything with a saffron cream sauce. 

d’Arenberg

The Footbolt

Shiraz 2005

McLaren Vale, South Australia

(984021) $21.75

1,800 (12 pack) cases available

89 Points – Robert Parker

“The 2005 The Footbolt Shiraz was aged for 12-18 months in a mix of new and used French and American oak. Purple-colored, it exhibits an aromatic array of fresh herbs, plum, cranberry, and black cherry. Medium-to full-bodied, on the palate spicy blueberry and licorice notes emerge. The wine has very good depth and concentration, ripe tannin, and a medium-long finish. It will evolve for 2-3 years and drink well through 2015.”

The Footbolt Shiraz, like all of d’Arenberg’s traditional red wines, gains considerable complexity with age.

Of all the d’Arenberg wines available through Vintages, The Footbolt is one of the most approachable, scrumptious reds in the fold.  There is wonderful balance between spicy fruit intensity and fresh pomegranate-like acidity, which makes the wine seem moderately full bodied and light at the same time.  One of the hallmarks of d’Arenberg is the ability to craft wines that are delicious right now, especially with the right food, but can also be put down to age for a few years.  The Footbolt is a great example of that style.

This is a fun wine to have on hand for the barbecue/grilling season.  The handy-dandy screw top closure makes it perfect to keep around to have “a splash” while at the grill or prepping in the kitchen.  Try The Footbolt with grilled sweet Italian sausage over a plate of fresh-tomato cooked short cut pasta.  Mmmmm. 

d’Arenberg

The Laughing Magpie

Shiraz Viognier 2006

McLaren Vale, South Australia

(936971) $27.75

1,700 (6 pack) cases available

92 Points – Robert Parker

“The 2006 The Laughing Magpie is composed of 90%

Shiraz and 10% Viognier. Deep crimson/violet in color, it offers up notes of cherry, ginger, black tea, tar, and blueberry. Medium to full-bodied, layered flavors of cherry, blueberry, and dark chocolate make an appearance accompanied by ripe tannin and excellent concentration leading to a long, refined finish. It will benefit from 3-4 years of cellaring and drink well through 2020.”

The vineyards and bushland that surround the d’Arenberg winery are home to the unique native Australian bird, the Kookaburra, famous for its distinctive laughing call. Much to the amusement of the family, Chester Osborn’s daughters, Alicia and Ruby, named their two wild pet Kookaburras the “Laughing Magpies”.

The Magpie plumage is black with a stripe of white feathers and bears no resemblance to its famous cousin, but to this day the name has stuck. The Osborn’s thought the name was a good choice for McLaren Vale’s first ever Shiraz Viognier blend combining the (black) Shiraz and its white partner, Viognier and for it being such a cheerful wine (with colour & life) it resembles this cheeky native bird.

A bit more serious and polished than The Footbolt, The Laughing Magpie is a deeper, darker, spicier version of Shiraz with a little twist.  The addition of Viognier adds a bit of levity to the mid-palate making it, counter intuitively for such a big wine, feel a bit like a quaffer.  Viognier also adds some beautiful floral notes to the nose.

If you can stand to hang on to a few bottles for a few years, you will be rewarded with even more complexity and finesse even after a relatively short time.  If you are thinking of building a cellar and are looking for a ‘vertical’ candidate (a wine that you would collect multiple consecutive vintages of), this is an affordable, yet complex enough Shiraz to make an interesting addition to a collection.

Casa Silva

Quinta Generacion Red 2004

Colchagua Valley, Chile

(59451) $19.75

200 (12 pack) cases available

89 Points – Robert Parker

“Purple/black in color, it offers a nose of vanilla, cedar, spice, box, blueberry, and black currant. On the palate the wine is ripe and elegant....” (June 2007)

This from the Casa Silva Website: Founded in 1892 by French wine pioneer and family ancestor Emilio Bouchon, Casa Silva is now owned by Mario Silva and family - the fifth generation of winemakers. Many of the vines planted are over 90 years old, carried over from Bordeaux, pre-phylloxera, by the first generation. Previously selling their juice to larger, bulk wineries, Casa Silva began a bold, estate bottling program in 1997. Now, the Silva Family is viewed as leaders of the new generation of premium wine producers, and their wines have received international acclaim. Accolades include being the most awarded Chilean winery in 2000 international competition – taking 20% of all Gold Medals – as well as winning “The Best South American Producer” at the 2000 International Wine & Spirits Competition on London.

Quinta Generation is made in tribute to the original family settlers who founded Casa Silva five generations ago.  The cepage is a marvelously unusual Chilean blend of 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Carmenère, 15% Shiraz and 5% Petit Verdot, drawn from small family-owned vineyard lots around the Colchagua Valley.

We poured this at our Portfolio Tasting this week and it was a complete hit.  There is a lot of wine here for under $20, with rich, spicy fruit, ripe, supple tannins and a fresh underpinning of tart plums that gives this wine tremendous balance.  If you are looking for amazing QPR (Quality to Price Ratio), this wine has it in spades.  The Editor plans to invest in a case for summer enjoyment.  The Quinta Generation will make a fabulous hostess/host gift for casual summer grilling parties.

Try with Mediterranean influenced dishes with, lamb, game or beef.  Plays well with tomato sauce.  

Post Scriptum De Chryseia

Douro 2005

Portugal

(67538) $27.75

300 (6 pack) cases available

90 Points – Robert Parker

“A blend of Touriga Franca (40%), Touriga Nacional (30%), Tinta Barroca (20%) and Tinto Cao. In 2005, it shows more grip, flavour and finish than the 2004 at a similar stage, although it does evolve fairly quickly with an hour or so of air. The mid-palate remains on the understated and elegant side, but the wine is full of flavor, persistent and focused. There seems to have been some extra attention given to this wine in this year. This is a very nice value in the vintage, and it drank rather well the next day, too, which is impressive for a second wine. The Symingtons, owners of Dow’s and Graham’s ports, among others, pair up with Bruno Prats of Cos d’Estournel fame here to make Chryseia, the Greek translation of ‘Douro,’ literally meaning ‘of gold.’”

This is a very easy wine to fall in love with.  The tiny bit of Port plumpness is kept on its toes by superb tannic structure and lively, focused fruit through the mid-palate.  Nine months of ageing in 400 litre oak casks has softened the wine enough that it extremely drinkable right now – like this weekend.

Sear any combination of chicken pieces, chorizo sausage, blood sausage, rabbit in a pan and place in a pot with, clams, mussels, shrimp, tomatoes, carrots, onion, garlic, sweet and spicy peppers, with a bit of stock and some wine, and herbs and cook until the meat falls easily away from the chicken bone.  Boil some new potatoes and serve stew over potatoes in large bowls with crusty bread and some Post Scriptum de Chryseia.

Château de Gourgazaud

Cuvée Mathilde

Minervois AC 2006

France

(958629) $13.75

800 (12 pack) cases available

Most Imbibers will be familiar with the ‘biggest little wine’ in our portfolio, Château de Gourgazaud which is available through LCBO general purchase for the rock-bottom price of $12.30. You can make the great leap forward up to the special Mathilde Cuvée for a whopping $1.65 (we know that the prices see a bit odd – but that’s what a fluctuating Euro will do).  Grapes for the Cuvée Mathilde are sourced from schist and quartz rich terraced vineyards at Château de Gourgazaud.  Syrah and Mourvedre play the leading roles and complement each other nicely with a solid balance of fruit and spice.  This charming, medium bodied wine is perfect for casual, bistro-styled food like steak and frites, gourmet hamburger with some blue cheese and caramelized onions or a bit of pâté and cheese with some warm, crusty bread.

Notes From the Field

California Part II:

The Simi Winery, in the heart of Sonoma, is steeped in history.  Its origins date back to early Italian immigrants to California who settlled in Sonoma to take advantage of the climate and weather, which reminded them of their homeland.  The Simi story is the narrative of American west, with tragedy, hope and renewal all playing out over generations.  Two founding brothers die young, leaving a young daughter to keep the family business alive through unbelievable odds and circumstance.  Determination, moxy and unwavering loyalty to her staff, even through the grim prohibition period, pays off in the end with lifetime friendships and the satisfaction that one really can make a difference.

Our wine tasting at Simi was a relaxed, informal round-table affair that featured the beautifully zippy ‘06 Sonoma County Sauvignon Blanc, a mineral-laden, smoky ‘06 Chardonnay as well as the woodsy, coco-infused Sonoma County ‘04 Merlot.  The surprise of the tasting was a delightfully bright and crisp Rosito that was redolent of green tea and fresh strawberries.  The treat of the tasting was the 2003 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, which I used more than 18 different words to describe in my tasting notes.  The bottom line is concentrated and complex but still remarkably friendly at the same time.  Well worth hunting down if you can.

Two non-winery diversions came in the form of a visit to the central distribution warehouse, where we witnessed the entire library stock of Opus (see Eddie Sokolof sitting on ‘a million’ bucks worth of unlabeled Opus) and got a chance to meet the good folks who ship all of the orders to the LCBO. 

The other diversion was a remarkable visit to Demptos cooperage, where we saw a mini version of Dante’s inferno.  Making a barrel by hand is no easy feat and seeing how it was done was one of the educational highlights of the trip.

Those of you who were able to join us last year for our Ravenswood Barbecue at Fort York, would have had the opportunity to meet the iconic Joel Peterson, founder of Ravenswood.  Well, Joel said to say ‘hello’ and he hopes to make it back to Ontario very soon.

Our tasting at Ravenswood was fantastic.  We sampled half a dozen of the Single Vineyard Zinfandels directly from the barrel and had a chance to taste a wide number of finished bottle samples as well.  Highlights included Joel’s new baby, the ’05 Icon blend as well as ’05 Teldeschi and, my perennial favourite, The Sonoma Old Vine Zinfandel ’05.

Teldeschi 2006 Barrel Samples

Our trip wrapped up with a tour and an educational lunch at the renowned Copia.  Sauvignon Blanc was the highlight and the menu featured fresh, California spring veggies including some difficult to match asparagus.  The lunch was informative and delicious; a great combination and a fabulous way to wrap up the trip.

The Portfolio Tasting

On behalf of the entire Churchill Cellars staff, all of our suppliers who attended, both in body and in spirit, I would like to thank the four hundred guests who graced us with your company at our annual spring wine tasting event.  A huge thanks to Stanley Janecek and ‘Piggy’ from Whitehouse Meats, who once again supplied some great sandwiches.  Thanks to the good folks at The Cheese Boutique, and to Afrim in particular, for choosing a perfect selection of cheeses.  Thanks also to M+G Kitchens for once again suppyling us with their delectable sweet and savoury shortbreads.

Highlights included some ‘Easter Eggs’ around the room like the 2001 Robert Mondavi Napa Valley Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Bay of Fires Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, The E&E Black Pepper Shiraz, some Vintage Pol Roger Rosé and Brut Champagne as well as a Reserve Carmenère from Casa Silva that resulted in near religious experiences for a few of our guests.

Affordable wines that surprised:  The entire Woodbridge Range, Robert Mondavi Private Selection Merlot, Robertson Shiraz, Hardys Stamp of Australia Riesling Gewurztraminer, Marcus James Malbec and our old friend Cellier des Dauphins Carte Noire.

Thanks again to all those who showed up, we hope to see you again next year!

Events

California Wine Fair – Ottawa

Thursday, April 24, 2008

Westin Ottawa, 11 Colonel By Drive

Tickets: $60.00 or $55.00 for Wine Club Members.

For ticket information, please call the California Wine Institute at 1-800-558-2675 or CLICK HERE to download an order form.

California Wine Fair – Toronto

Monday, April 28, 2008

The Fairmont Royal York Hotel, 100 Front Street

Tickets: $65.00 or $60.00 for Wine Club Members.

For ticket information, please call the California Wine Institute at 1-800-558-2675 or CLICK HERE to download an order form.

SANTE WINE FESTIVAL

APRIL 28 – MAY 10, 2008

SANTE IN THE CITY: DECADE OF DECADENCE 

The Santé Toronto International Wine Festival rolls through Toronto again this year, celebrating its tenth anniversary.

Toronto and Bloor-Yorkville’s restaurants, bars and bistros will play host to Santé’s many international guests and offer wine lovers an exclusive preview of the vintages guaranteed to create a buzz at this year’s festival.

Santé is celebrating a decade of decadence by introducing an unprecedented number of exciting new wines, many of which will be popped for the first time at Santé in the City.

Please visit www.santewinefestival.net for further information and a full listing of participating restaurants.

LCBO Promotions

The following promotions are available only from March 31^st to April 27^th, 2008 at the LCBO:

Banrock Station Shiraz 1 Litre (668962), Banrock Station Cabernet Sauvignon 1 Litre (668970) and Banrock Station Unwooded Chardonnay 1 Litre (668954)

When you purchase 2 or more of the “Eco Chic” featured products you will receive 4 Bundled Bonus Air Miles.

Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi Pinot Grigio (523431)

4 Bonus Air Miles

Save $1.00 off 20 Bees Growers’ White 1 Litre (49635)

Free 50 ml bottle of Danfield’s Private Reserve Whisky when attached to Black Velvet Canadian Whisky 1.14 L (1586)

2 Free 50 ml bottles of Danfield’s Private Reserve Whisky when attached to Schenley Golden Wedding Canadian Whisky 1.75 L (114934)

Mark Donaldson, Editor

PRICES SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE