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The Crushing Deals (con't from Home page)
I had no problem thinking of the many great, unique wines of value I have tasted from Europe. Valdepenas, Languedoc, Valtellina, Marche, Carmignano and numerous other regions are all producing wines of distinct character and value. And let?s not confuse value with cheapness. A $40 wine can still be great value for the money. Similarly, let?s not confuse popularity with quality. Just because a wine sells a lot, does not necessarily indicate that it is well made (Baby Duck and most Merlot come to mind). But as I turn my sights to the New World, my first thought was that there are no wine values in the New World. Realizing that this was somewhat extreme (but not too far off reality) I try and think harder. It is difficult to identify regions as a whole that are producing good values, but there must be producers in otherwise overpriced areas that are making great value, unique wines with personality that can be included in Scholefield?s 20%.
There?s no better place to start my search than at home. Since the inception of the Vintners Quality Alliance (VQA) in the late 1980s, the quality of Canadian wines has improved dramatically. But, the general perception of our country?s wines is that they are either cheap, undrinkable jug-wine; decent quality, but overpriced; or very good quality, but the winery owners are ungracious and under the false impression that their wines have attained cult status and are of the quality to rival such internationally collected wines as Harlan Estate and Domaine Roman?e Conte.
But make no mistake, Canada is producing some outstanding bottles, in some of the most gorgeous country-side in the world. Living close to the Okanagan, I start there. The beauty of the mountains, valleys and crystal clear lakes in the southern Okanagan is awe-inspiring. In amongst the postcard-like settings are producers such as Tinhorn Creek, Cedar Creek, Lake Breeze, and Quail?s Gate.
Celebrating its 10th Anniversary, Tinhorn Creek Vineyards, located just south of Oliver, B.C., has established itself by creating quality wines that can be enjoyed every day. The majority of their wines retail for less than $20 a bottle. There are no pie-in-the-sky aspirations of making the best wine in the world. Instead winemaker Sandra Oldfield is committed to showing Canadians that it is possible to have a very distinctive Canadian bottle that will not break the bank. This is about value. Tinhorn?s refreshing 2002 Gewurztraminer ($17.99) shows lychee and floral characters with just a touch of sweetness. The 2001 Pinot Noir ($16.99) is warm and spicy with vibrant cherry flavours and a silky finish. The standout wine is the 2001 Cabernet Franc ($18.99). Rich and deep with firm tannins, pepper, vanilla, ripe plums, black cherries and just the right amount of ?edge?, the flavours linger on the finish. Bring on the stinky cheese and rabbit stew.
An hour and a half north of Tinhorn is Cedar Creek, in Kelowna. Purchased by the Fitzpatrick family in 1986, Cedar Creek?s wines have emerged as some of British Columbia?s best. The Fitzpatricks have spent considerable time and money to recreate a brand that was, quite frankly, producing less than average wines through most of the 1990s. Through replanting and technological and philosophical advancements, the quality of the juice improved and the brand was re-released in new packaging in 1998. Since then, it is difficult to find a Canadian winery that is producing as consistently good wines from their table wines to their premium wines. The 2001 Pinot Blanc ($15.99) is almost creamy, showing apple, pear, pineapple and hints of butterscotch. A long silky finish and moderate tannins are balanced nicely with the layered cherry, plum, spice and mocha flavours of the 2000 Estate Pinot Noir ($24.99). But, dollar for dollar, the best wine Cedar Creek makes is their Pinot Gris. This should be the benchmark for all B.C. Pinot Gris. The 2002 offering ($18.99) is lip-smacking, mouth-filling with flavours of melon, pears, nectarines, coconuts and just the right amount of complexity on the round finish. B.C. wineries should simply forget Chardonnay. The climate and soil lend themselves to producing some of the most unique and distinctive Pinot Gris in the world. Let that be B.C.?s signature.
Ready for a bigger challenge, I hop on a plane and head to California. Wine values in California??!! It doesn?t seem possible. California is the home of extremes, whether it be $250US cult Cabernet or Two Buck Chuck, which is not so much a testament to worth as it is to the American consumer?s willingness to pour any cheap, bland and boring swill down their gullet.
California has the ability to produce some of the World?s best wines. Value is a word that is not commonly thought of, but it does exist, and Canadian born Michael Ouellette really gets it. Ouellette is perhaps the most under-rated wine stylist in the state. His wines possess enough fruit to satisfy the North American palate, and enough structure, elegance and layered complexity to satisfy European wine lovers. Owner of the virtual Lorenza-Lake Winery, Ouellette?s wines are released under the Blockheadia Ringnosii label, which is a reference to the use of specific ?blocks? of vineyards from which he sources his grapes. No oak, no Semillon and no malolactic fermentation are Ouellette?s recipe for the 2001 Sauvignon Blanc ($27.95), his homage to the Loire Valley. The wine is bright and lively with aromas of melon, flavours of canteloupe and citrus finishing with just the right amount of mineral. It simultaneously whets your appetite and quenches your thirst.
As great as the Sauvignon Blanc is, the reds will blow you away. Extraordinarily rich and dark with seductive aromas of blackberry and cocoa, jammy flavours of preserves and a silky chocolatey finish, the 2001 Lodi Zinfandel ($28.95) is a sexy wine. Even better is the 2001 Napa Zinfandel ($52.00) with its structure, depth of concentrated black cherries, blackberries and plum flavours, a subtle earthiness, and a lingering finish.
Amazingly, Ouellette climbs a step higher with his 2001 Petite Sirah ($49.99). This stunning jet black wine possesses black and white pepper aromas combined with jammy boysenberries. The lush, but ever present tannins are tame enough to allow the amazing fruit to show through. Only 463 cases were produced, but the wine is worth every effort of the search.
Nestled along the Silverado Trail in the eastern hills of Napa Valley, lies a small winery producing wines so good, I did not even bat an eyelash at the their prices. Vine Cliff, owned by the hotelier Sweeney, is creating distinct wines of great character and quality, when you consider the price tags in Napa. The nose and palate on the 2001 Napa Chardonnay ($55.00) are loaded with pear, apple, apricots and honey. The wine shows great balance and just the right amount of integrated wood to compliment the nuttiness and spice. This may be the best Chardonnay in Napa. One of the few Merlots that I can actually recommend without qualifying that ?it is good for a Merlot? is Vine Cliff?s 1999 Napa offering ($58.00). Structured and layered with ample tannins and an abundance of dark plum and blackberry flavours, this is a serious wine. Quality California wines may be over-priced in general, but you can still find the occasional value, if you look hard enough and taste a lot.
Feeling the need to tango, I continue my journey south to Argentina. Frequently, and inexplicably, overshadowed by its Chilean neighbour, Argentina is the home of not only the greatest quantity of wine, but of the best quality wines in South America. Here the mountainous Mendoza region is the castle and the rich, voluptuous Malbec grape is the king. Mendoza?s proximity to the Andes results in cool night breezes descending into the vineyards, ripening and intensifying the fruit flavours of the grapes. The advent of technological and viticultural advancements, combined with the magnificent terroir have allowed producers such as J&F Lurton, Luigi Bosca, Bodegas y Cavas de Weinert, Catena Zapata, and many others to create classy wines of substance. Perhaps the best deal is the 2001 Malbec from Bodega J&F Lurton ($11.99). Sons of the largest private owner of vineyards in Bordeaux, Jacques and Francois have taken their show on the road to make wines that are more accessible earlier than the long aging Bordeaux of their father Andre. While their Malbec does not provoke serious thought, it possesses a quaffability exhibiting very pleasant full plum flavours, good balance and a nice supple finish with a touch of spice. Similarly, Lurton?s 2002 Pinot Gris ($11.99) is a tremendous bargain showing tropical aromas and crisp flavours of peach and apricot with an almost Alsace-like mouth-feel.
Even more impressive are the wines of Luigi Bosca. Elegant and sophisticated, Bosca?s wines are extremely under-rated. The 2000 Syrah ($22.99) is warm and spicy with layers of mature fruit and a long finish. Soft, supple tannins, with penetrating cherry and plum flavours characterize the 2001 Malbec ($22.99).
There is nothing subtle about the wines from Bernardo Weinert. Blockbuster chewy fruit with big structure and ample tannins are the common thread in the 1997 Malbec ($19.99) and the 1997 Cavas de Weinert ($26.00) - a blend of Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Made with the same blend, the 2000 Carrascal ($17.99) does not possess the complexity of the Cavas, but is a good bargain nonetheless. The 1977 Malbec ($150.00) is a testament to the age-ability of Weinert?s wines. Almost Amarone-like, the wine falls a little short on the finish but has held up remarkably well.
Many of Argentina?s wines are influenced by Spanish, French and Italian immigrants and investment. Originally from Marche along the Italian coast, the Catena family established its wine roots in Mendoza in the early 1900s. Today, Catena is producing some of the country?s most highly regarded wines. Their Alamos second label produces a great Malbec and Chardonnay, but the real stars are Catena Zapata?s main label. Rich and fruit driven, the 2001 Chardonnay ($23.99) shows ripe pear and figs with subtle oak in a well-integrated package. A bargain even at $25.00, the 2001 Malbec has an abundance of ripe plum and black cherry flavours, supple tannins, a slight earthiness and a long luscious finish. Argentina?s wines will continue to improve. We hope that their price-quality ratio stays intact.
So, there are some unique values in the New World after all! I decide to make one more stop. Last year, a sampling of homogenized, over-sweetened wines at an Australian Wine Bureau tasting, initiated my quest for distinctive and unique values. The real test will be if I can find wines with soul in Australia. I brave the 17 hour flight and journey to Margaret River in Western Australia (WA). Although it only accounts for a tiny portion of the country?s wine production, it compensates for its lack of volume by being home to Moss Wood, Ribbon Vale, Cape Mentelle, and Vasse Felix, producers of Australia?s most original wines. It is easy to forget how diverse Australia is, but Margaret River is a great reminder. The climate is strongly maritime influenced resulting in multi-dimensional wines of extraordinary depth, diversity, elegance and penetrating flavours.
Unirrigated, hand-pruned and handpicked are the ways of Keith and Clare Mugford who are responsible for the outstanding wines at Moss Wood. Their 2000 Semillon ($36) has clean and lively acidity with mouth-coating apple and fig flavours and a minerally finish. Super delicious is the brooding 1999 Ribbon Vale Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot/Cabernet Franc ($32), from a winery also owned by the Mugfords. This polished wine is extremely generous on the palate showing rich blackberry, cassis, chocolate, herbs and cherry, finishing with vanilla and leather. Crisp and round displaying pineapple and grapefruit undertones, Ribbon Vale?s 2001 Sauvignon Blanc ($26) is a tasty alternative to the immensely popular New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs.
Australia is best known for Shiraz, but much of it insipid, tasting like they all came from the same vat. But this is far from the case with Cape Mentelle?s 2001($25.00) harmonious example showing vibrant, lush ripe prune and wildberries with layers of graceful intricacies and penetrating flavours. The most pleasant surprise, though, is their 2001 Zinfandel ($30.00). I fully expected the wine to be over-alcoholic and over-extracted, but it was one of the finest Zins I have tasted this year (not to mention much less expensive than anything of equivalent quality from California). Nutty and spicy with ripe dark fruit, big structure and multi-layers, this wine is a bargain. The wines of Margaret River are the country?s finest. The Aussies should do a better job of showcasing them to the World.
While diversity may not be as evident in the New World, it does exist. But retailers have a duty to offer these unique wines to their customers, writers have an obligation to suggest them to their readers and, most importantly, the consumer must demand individualistic, well-made, wines of personality from retailers, restaurateurs and importers. By leading the pursuit for quality, ultimately it will be the consumer who drives the producers to make better wine. Otherwise, as Scholefield laments, ?What?s the point??.
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