Our story so far… the year is 2088 and the scene is a hospital room where an elderly man is recovering from liver transplant surgery. His grandson is dutifully visiting.

How are you feeling today Grandpa?

Well, very well, well enough to pop a cork or two. Did you bring the wine from the cellar like I asked you to?

Yes, I did as I was asked, but Grandpa should we really be drinking wine here in the hospital? This is your third liver transplant. I’m scared what the doctors will say.

It’s the fourth kido but who’s counting? Don’t worry about the doctors kid…I’m a Super Elite member of the KGBO’s Burgundy Carpet Club. I’m one of the doctor’s most important customers. They know who butters their bread and they know that if they zip their lips it will keep me happy.

Grandpa, you mean the LCBO, someday you will have to explain why you keep calling them the KGBO. I can’t remember how you became a Super Elite member. And, what does that mean exactly?

It goes back a long time kid. The year was 2018 to be exact. It was an election year in the People’s Republic of Ontario. Things were not looking good for the governing party so they started sweetening the pot and promised the Proletariat lots of “free” goodies. It started with free dental care, then free daycare for the little ones, then free prescription drugs. As the election drew on, the free services promises just kept getting grander. Then someone, I don’t remember or care who, promised a LCBO loyalty program. They have different levels based on the amount of money you spend at the LCBO…the top level being Super Elite. In 2018 by spending a million dollars at the LCBO I became Super Elite for life and that status entitles me to a free liver transplant every decade. Super Elite members go to the top of the transplant list, no questions asked.

2018 was the year they legalized pot right Grandpa?

Yep. And the government jerks almost ruined the free liver giveaway by saying the loyalty program should also include free lung transplants for all the Super Elite potheads. We had to wait until 2022 until the government found someone stupid enough to lend them the money for that promise. Do you know how the government does all this kid?

No, how?

The same way I spent a million dollars on wine in 2018. You borrow the money and you screw over the next generation. My dad did it to me, I did it to your dad, and he screwed over you. It’ll be your turn soon. If you are going to screw someone over make sure you go large. The problem is that it’s gotten pretty big so you may have to screw over the rest of the country and not just the next generation. Maybe loop the Americans in too. Think big and screw over the whole continent if you can. I know you’ll find a way and will make me proud.

Will I get a free liver Grandpa?

No worries. You’re in the Will my boy. You get my Super Elite card when I finally go. Now be a good boy and pop that bottle of Bordeaux.

********************

Thanks to big John C for the idea and inspiration for the silly story.

Onto the wines in the 31 March 2018 release as there are a couple of buys to put on your list.

Outstanding wines

The $16 Sansilvestro Sabbie Roero Arneis 2016—VINTAGES#: 541482 is the value white wine buy in this release. Finally, after nearly a month of nothing to recommend, a good value white wine comes along. The tasting notes are accurate. Wine styles made from the Arneis grape typically can be floral and fruity or can be mineral focused. Minerals are what I like and this wine, from a producer not known to me, delivers some complexity and minerality at a great price. A wine you can sip on its own and a wine with enough acidity to work well with food. Try one and, if you are like me, you’ll end up ordering a case. We pay $4 less for this wine than the folks pay in Italy and $6 less than our friends in the Excited States of America. I think that it’s a great buy.Collector’s corner

The $23 Balbás Reserva 2005 Tempranillo Blend—VINTAGES#: 85183 is a somewhat mysterious wine to me. After our tasting on Sunday, I did some reading. One source asserts that this is the 5th time that the LCBO has released this vintage of this wine. It is at least a second release as the local wine critics have twice posted tasting notes (some complimentary, some not). If 5 times is correct then the size of the production is huge (I could not find information about quantity on the producer’s website).

The color of the wine in the glass does not indicate a wine that is 13 years old. It got me thinking that I might be looking at a rat. The mystery continues as the wine’s taste is youthful. The taste is a little disjointed and a little too much wood but, thanks to John C, we had the chance to do a comparative taste of this wine (allegedly the 2005) against the 2001 vintage. The 2001 was a well-practiced choir singing with all the components in harmony. We could identify these components in the 2005 and felt this wine would come together with more time in the bottle.

In the end, whether the wine in this release is the 2005 vintage or some other year is probably not relevant. The issue is like well-done breast augmentation surgery. Whether they are fake or real might make interesting speculation and gossip but don’t get uppity and let’s just acknowledge that no one really cares and it just doesn’t matter. A victimless crime at the worst.

The current vintage (2012) retails in Spain for the equivalent of $35-41CAD. So for $23 for the 2005 go buy a couple bottles and stick them in your cellar. Try one in 5 years or so and see what you think. I’m guessing that the contents will be singing. 

Wines to consider

The $80 Hedges Family Estate Red 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Blend—VINTAGES#: 1594 is expensive but worth the money. Why? Because if you not able to source wine in the USA this release is your opportunity to taste a very good wine from Washington state. The KGBO does a really poor job sourcing Washington state wines. Most of their selections they put on the shelves are cheap fruit bombs. If that is your experience with Washington state wine then the Hedges will change your mind about this wonderful wine region.

We are paying a premium for the wine’s age. Comparable vintages and age of this wine sells in the USA for about $60CAD. So $80 here in the People’s Republic of Ontario is not a bad deal. However, recent vintages (2012 to 2014) retail in the Excited States for $30CAD. The price of the 2015 vintage pops back up to $50CAD.

The posted tasting notes are accurate. This is a wine that that is enjoyable now and will age and take on more complexity for years to come. 

The $17 Bellingham Homestead Chardonnay 2016—VINTAGES#: 544247 is really well put together for the money. This wine has classic Chardonnay attributes (if you like Chardonnay, you will like this wine). The tasting notes of kumquat and marmalade are accurate. A good value wine for when you are in the mood for a decent Chardonnay. The Ontario price is the same as the price in Europe.

The most appealing attribute of the $19 Pierre Sparr Altenbourg Riesling 2015—VINTAGES#: 906016 is the petrol (kerosene) on the nose. Petrol is typical in many rieslings but normally develops when the wine has some age. It was the first attribute we noticed and one that is not mentioned in the published tasting notes. I dare you to taste this wine and not think of ham and other cured meats.

A word of warning…this wine has 15 grams of residual sugar. After reading the criteria posted on the LCBO website I am mystified on how they could consider this wine to be dry. Don’t be fooled on your purchase as your palate will detect sweetness in this wine. If you don’t like that attribute then do not buy this wine. To be enjoyable this wine needs food (pork, cured meats, spicy dishes). The Ontario price is the same as that paid by the folks in France.The $17 Falesco Poggio Dei Gelsi 2016 White Blend—VINTAGES#: 541490 should not be served too cold. At the right temperature, the wine has nice lemon and apple flavors and acidity crisp enough to work with a salad or deep-fried foods like calamari. This wine is a dock / deck / balcony wine and a refreshing change for the normal dock wine fare. Price-wise we are paying a $5 premium to the amount paid by the folks in Europe. I guess our government needs the money to pay for those liver transplants.Wines to avoid

The $30 Lake Sonoma Winery Cabernet Sauvignon 2014—VINTAGES#: 380188 is a basic California cab. It is not a bad wine as there is a decent balance between the fruit, acid, and tannins. The wine retails in the USA for as little as the equivalent of $20CAD. That amount of money is what this wine is worth and what it delivers. The published tasting notes are nonsense. A “spectacular” wine it is not. The comment that this wine “tastes like a cult classic but without the price tag” is as silly as getting a free liver every decade.

The $20 Loma Larga Lomas del Valle Quinteto 2015 Cabernet Franc Blend—VINTAGES#: 546721 has a nose of summertime compost bin. On the taste, the wine comes across as confused and disconnected. This was not a pleasant wine for our tasting group. Decanter gave it a score of 95 and the local wine critics also rated this wine highly. Perhaps we had a bad bottle but I’m staying away from trying this one again.

The $25 Kilikanoon Prodigal Grenache 2013—VINTAGES#: 482547 is a highly fruit forward wine with intense blackberry jam flavors and characteristics. The tasting notes indicate boysenberry flavors and I could be convinced of that fruit instead of blackberry as I my boysenberry experience is limited to eating cheap yogurt in my childhood. In either case, this style of wine is not my cup of tea. The tasting notes are silly, especially when the conclusion is that this wine is a special value. Give me a f-ing break.

The $15 K Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon 2012—VINTAGES#: 484949 is a fruit bomb. The nose is strawberry compote. The wine’s flavors lack integration and there is an unpleasant finish. The posted tasting notes and the wine’s score make no sense. I was really cheering for this wine to turn out to be good. I visited Bulgaria several years ago and thought the region had potential as the people there were wonderful and the country has centuries of winemaking history. The effect of communism liggers as long and as nasty as this wine’s finish.

The $20 Clairmont Classique Crozes-Hermitage 2015 Shiraz/Syrah—VINTAGES#: 537811 is a pretty simple wine that centers on fresh blueberry characteristics. A 2015 Crozes-Hermitage should sing and this one just croaks. The posted tasting notes are dribble. The local wine critics love this wine so I’m confused. My solution? Simple. Avoid this wine.

Want a dry riesling? I don’t think that you will find one in this release. The other riesling to consider trying is the $18 Selbach Incline Riesling 2016—VINTAGES#: 523928 and this wine has 17 grams of residual sugar. Yet the KGBO considers this wine to be dry, meaning “no distinct sweetness well rounded with balanced acidity” (quoted from the LCBO website). Come on man, this is a medium sweet wine as sweetness is the first thing from this wine that the brain detects. The wine is simple and it’s a wine that needs help from spicy food.  I’ve categorized this wine as one to avoid because of the asking price. This wine retails for the equivalent of $11CAD in the USA. The price in Ontario is a ripoff.

 

 

 

In the news today we learned that the People’s Republic of Canada announced strict regulations on the packaging of legalized marijuana. Cannabis must be marketed in bags resembling No Frills potato chips sacks. The bags must have benign and boring labeling, contain a warning that the product contains THC and clearly state that consumption of the product may cause sudden hunger for raw cookie dough and other unhealthy but delicious snacks.

Packaging must also contain warning imagery of uncomplimentary pictures of unattractive people gorging themselves on chocolate or salty food items and staring aimlessly at inanimate objects. Ironically, one of the government-approved images is a picture of an obese man sitting in his underwear in front of a TV munching away on a large sack of No Frills potato chips.

Convenience store operators, fearing the imagery will result in a reduction in snack revenue, are outraged. Potato farmers, being a much more optimistic group, are acquiring hectares of land to expand their crop. The Pillsbury Dough Boy would neither confirm nor deny the construction of additional dough plants in the People’s Republic of Ontario. The Girl Guides of Canada announced that they have acquired the right to setup cookie stalls outside of authorized cannabis distribution sites.

In sympathy to the plight that the government is imposing on the cannabis industry, the Ontario wine industry decided to adopt similar packaging principles. Bags of wine will now be labeled “wine”, will clearly state that the contents contain alcohol and that consumption of the product may result in sleepiness and unintended procreation.

It will be up to the consumer to guess whether the wine is white or red or pink as knowing the wine’s color could result in increased consumption. Labelling imagery will focus on unattractive people passed out on public park benches in various states of undress. An industry spokesperson denied that Dan Aykroyd and James Sucklings were the lead male models for the photo shoot. Suckling rated the imagery 98 points.

Many wine-industry observers have pointed out that the decision really amounts to no change in current practices.

Enough silliness. Well, maybe just a few lines more.

So how is the KGBO doing these days?

The KGBO? Well, they were borderline for a while… then they crossed the border.

(I apologize to the author(s) of Ghostbusters for the two lines above).

I thought that the KGBO’s (a.k.a., the LCBO) last Vintages release (3 March 2018) was bad but the current release is worse. The theme of this release was wines from classic Euro regions. The wines we sampled from this release were of mediocre or poor quality or poor value. Recommending wines from this selection is challenging.

Once again, we failed to find a single still white wine that was exciting. It is hard to believe that the last time we found a white wine that I was comfortable recommending was a month and one-half ago. It’s an outcome that is shameful. Don’t you wish that we had a shopping alternative to the LCBO?

There is good news to share. While you may not wish to buy the wines in this release, if you did, you now can order all the wines in this Vintage catalog online. I assume that this ability will apply to future releases. The LCBO was behind the times and I think we need to thank the people in their back office that worked hard to bring this ability to customers.

Ordering online is a time saver. Now there is no need to engage in that frustrating search to find the store and the place in the store that has the wine that you wish to try. Ordering online will also save you money by avoiding (or minimizing) those impulse buys to which we all succumb.

Outstanding wines

From the 3 February 2018 release the $17 Stars Brut Nature Reserva Cava 2015—VINTAGES#: 515221 provides good value. Several people in our tasting group preferred this wine to the champagne discussed below. This sparkling wine is nicely balanced, not overly complex, has decent length and finishes nicely. It will work when the setting is sipping it on its own and will work with food such as shellfish and other seafood. This wine is not available online. If a store near you does not have supply ask your product consultant to do a store transfer. 

Fans of dessert wines probably can’t go wrong with buying the $30 Grand Tokaj Tokaji Aszú 5 Puttonyos 2013—VINTAGES#: 539650. The posted tasting notes are pretty accurate. We had the opportunity to contrast this wine with another Tokaj that was 13 years older. Drink this Tokaj young if you enjoy freshness of fruit or let it age if you enjoy richer wines with some caramel overtones. This wine would work well with desserts or a cheese course. Thoroughly enjoyable (our bottle was empty at the end of our tasting time) and great value when compared to higher-cost wine from the Sauterne region of France. This wine is available for the equivalent of $18CAD in the United States. Before you get too pissed-off at being ripped off by the government note that our friends in La Belle Province pay $51. Yes, it is shocking to learn that greed also exists in the Quebec government. Shocking and about as surprising as a Donald Trump tweet. Governments in Western Canada are charging similar to the amount charged in Quebec. Shameful.

Collector’s corner

I’m convinced that the $50 Obsidian Ridge Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2014—VINTAGES#: 544940 will shine with some bottle age. The wine is tannic in its youth but all of the components of a good California cab are present in your glass. If you insist on consuming this wine young please give it a long decant. Twenty four hours would not be too long. I will be placing a couple of bottles in my cellar and will try hard to keep my hands off them so they will be around to enjoy in a decade. Our friends in the Excited States can buy this wine for about $25USD. They are very fortunate indeed and if I lived there I would back up the truck.

Wines to consider

My view is you need food to enjoy the $18 Fontanafredda Eremo Langhe Rosso 2014
Barbera/Nebbiolo—VINTAGES#: 454041. The Barbera grape in this blend creates a lot of acidity in the wine’s taste profile and you need some fat to balance out the experience. A decent table wine. Italian wine for Italian fare.

If you are need of a cheap drinkable utility wine then consider the $15 Confidencial Reserva 2014 Red Blend—VINTAGES#: 452789.  A fruit forward wine with primarily red berry flavors. It is a basic wine and has some acidity so it will be okay at your table too. If $2 is material to you then consider the $13 Beyra Vinhos de Altitude Red 2015 Tempranillo—VINTAGES#: 408120. It’s even simpler but is enjoyable in small quantities (a wine that you likely will tire of quickly).

You’ll have to cough up more money to get our two preferred choices in this category. Starting with the $23 Baigorri Crianza 2014 Tempranillo—VINTAGES#: 376376, for your extra money you get a wine with some character, a little complexity, better balance, and more versatility. In Spain this wine will cost you the equivalent of $14CAD but in the Excited States one pays the equivalent of $32CAD. My advice to my friends in the USA…don’t buy this wine. It is not worth that amount of money.

If you are willing to up your game by spending a little more money then consider the $30 Baigorri Reserva 2009 Tempranillo—VINTAGES#: 319814. For $30 you get a wine that is nearly 10 years old. The fruit is still going strong and the wine has wonderful black-tea tannins. It’s a wine with character and quite enjoyable (our bottle was empty at the end of the tasting). Value is okay as you are basically paying the same price as the folks in Spain fork out for a bottle.

Wines to avoid

We tired quickly of the $52 Moutard Père & Fils Cuvée Prestige Brut Champagne Pinot Noir/Chardonnay—VINTAGES#: 514372. Yes, there is nice ginger and apple flavors but even with a high dosage of 10 grams of sugar this wine is overly acidity and leaves one with a funny aftertaste in your mouth. There are better champagnes in this price point or near this price point.

The flavors described in the posted tasting notes for the $45 Viña Cobos Bramare Malbec 2014—VINTAGES#: 123729 are pretty accurate. What the reviewer does not state is the lack of integration and balance of these flavors. This is an over-the-top wine and I doubt that years of bottle age would correct its jumbled state. Save your money and the assault on your palate.

Want another wine to assault your palate? Then go stock up on the $19 Anima di Negroamaro Lizzano Negroamaro Rosso Superiore 2014 Negroamaro—VINTAGES#: 536300. The posted tasting notes are nonsense. This wine is a high alcohol, high sugar, over-ripe dark fruit mess. Avoid.

In contrast, the $32 Marchand-Tawse Bourgogne Pinot Noir 2014—VINTAGES#: 285601 is a thin, flat and basically an unimpressive wine. The posted tasting notes are just silly. Can someone help me understand why professional wine critics think that they are in the business of selling wine?

Weird is the best word that I can use to describe the $17 Anselmann Edesheimer Rosengarten Siegerrebe Spätlese 2016 Siegerrebe—VINTAGES#: 910554.  Having no experience with the Siegerrebe grape acquiring a bottle to have a taste was worth a try but it was not an experience we wanted to repeat. A very-sweet and floral wine looking for a purpose.

Only lovers of overly grassy Sauvignon Blanc could possibly like the $21 Tenuta Ulisse Pecorino 2016—VINTAGES#: 249128. I do realize that the Pecorino grape is not Sauvignon Blanc but the aromas and flavors of this wine burst nasty Sauvignon Blanc attributes. To describe this wine as “light and crisp” is silly. To say that it has “mineral overtones” is misleading. To give it a score of 96 is a joke. To say that it is exclusive and rare is thankful.

 

Our story so far…

Once again the scene of our story is KGBO (a.k.a. the LCBO) headquarters. This is a place where the perpetually orbiting lightning clouds darken the building and set the mood of its inhabitants. Walking the hallways one is often overcome from the smell of Totalitarianism that permeates the air.

“Okay, let’s get down to business…we have a lot of crappy wine to move and we need to fill the coffers of the People’s Republic of Ontario. Let’s recap the plan. In February we will focus on wines from south of the equator. Tony, you get the Vintage buyers focused on securing wine mediocrity from Australia, Argentina, Chile, South Africa and New Zealand. Annie what’s your focus?”

“I have the pencil-heads increasing our margins. The spreadsheets are being updated this morning. We’ll get the opening price of most wines to $19.95”

“Boss. For the catalog I’m working on pretty marketing pictures and catchy phrases like ‘peak performance’. ”

“Excellent Satish. My task is to make sure that the local wine critics are on board. I think that they should congratulate our team for the “very good quality, and even better value of the wines from south of the equator.”

“Speaking of congratulations, I think that we can congratulate ourselves. In February we’ll move mediocre wines from south of the equator at inflated prices. Comrade Wynne will be happy.”

*****************************

I was slightly worried about the turnout for the tasting of March 3 Vintages release. Several people commented that the catalog didn’t contain any wine that they wished to try. They acted on their views and spent their Sunday on alternate activities. Yet many others persevered and the result is that we did identify wines that you may wish to consider purchasing.

With one exception, none of our recommendations originate from the wines depicted from the pretty pictures of the bottles from KGBO’s selected theme of “wines south of the equator”. Sadly, I was not surprised.

If you are in need of a good still white wine then you can stop reading now and try to source a wine from one of my previous postings. We simply struck out in the white wine department.

When sourcing wine that interest you always check if the KGBO will allow you to order the item online. You’ll be shocked to learn that I think that their online approach is confusing. The Vintages catalog indicates that certain wines are available online. In reality, many more are wines also available for online ordering. Also, the wines that are flagged in the catalog as available online may also be available in the store. Follow the link in the post or enter the product code into the LCBO search function. The product page will inform you whether the item is available online. If so, you can have the wine delivered to your store for free or have it delivered to your home for a fee. Ordering online is a time saver.

Outstanding wines

The $24 Graham Beck Brut Zero 2011 Sparkling—VINTAGES#: 435453 is an excellent buy. The wine has complexity (although the posted tasting notes go way overboard), it’s refreshing, would work with food and has good length. The folks at Graham Beck know how to make a good sparkling wine. This wine retails for the equivalent of $28 CAD in the Excited States of America so we are getting a great deal here in the People’s Republic of Ontario. The local wine critics believe that this wine’s style will not have wide appeal. That outcome was not what I witnessed.

The decanter was empty at the end of our tasting. What did it previously contain? It was filled with the $35 Casetta Barbaresco 2008 Nebbiolo—VINTAGES#: 412247. You know that a wine was a hit when there is nothing to take home at the end of the tasting. Yes, you can get a ten year old Barbaresco from our state controlled monopoly for $35. The wine is a classic and decent Barbaresco (cherries, roses, some earth, nice tannins). Decanting is highly recommended as there was something off putting on the nose initially, a negative that went away once the wine had some air time.

If you are committed and willing to acquire a case (or find a group of people willing to share a case) then consider buying the 2010 vintage of this wine from The Beer Guy. It’s the same price as the LCBO offering, you get a better vintage and I’m guessing a better wine.

The $23 Hacienda el Ternero Selección Crianza 2012 Tempranillo—VINTAGES#: 548016 is the value red wine that we discovered in this release. It has nice balance, structure and would work with food. The posted tasting notes are accurate and I would add this wine has character. If it was a person this wine is someone that you would like to chat with. There’s a lot to like for $23 and the price is not a lot different than what you would pay in most places in Europe.

Collector’s corner

We had the opportunity to contrast the $30 Coudoulet de Beaucastel Côtes-du-Rhône 2015 Grenache Blend—VINTAGES#: 48884 to the same wine from the 2001 vintage. What a difference time in a bottle makes. The 2001 was singing and it was easy to tell that the 2015 vintage would one day do the same. If you buy the current release it would be a sin to open it before 2025. Store a bottle or two or more, be patient and be rewarded with something special in a few years. Highly recommended.

Collectors who are fans of Australian Shiraz should consider the $30 Two Hands Fields of Joy Shiraz 2015 Shiraz/Syrah—VINTAGES#: 432963.  Two Hands is a good producer, the posted tasting notes are pretty accurate (I don’t agree that things are harmonious on the finish), and the price is the same as you would pay in Australia. This wine needs cellar time to come together. The wine is bottled with a screw cap and this issue causes me to wonder how long one must age this wine for it to shine. For that reason I will not be buying this wine. If you take the plunge I’d recommend a long decant before consumption as this wine was much better after being open for over a day.

House wines to consider

If you are in need of a decent house wine this release provides a few options. I will attempt to frame your choices by specifically focusing on price and country of origin.

If you are fond of Spanish wines then try the $15 López de Haro Crianza 2013 Tempranillo—VINTAGES#: 377481. The wine has nice red fruit flavors, some complexity, smoke, decent length, acidity and nice tannins. It’s a decent cheap red wine. You are paying a bit of a premium in Ontario ($10 CAD equivalent in Spain /$12 CAD in the USA). 

Alternately, if price is your major consideration, consider the $13 Marqués de Toro Finca La Moura 2012 Mencia—VINTAGES#: 545939. It’s a decent wine but I found that the finish left a fruit punch taste and would prefer to spend the extra $2 for the López de Haro.

Unfortunately, the price point of the following possible red house wines jumps to the $20 and above. I suspect that the KGBO pricing formula that is dictated by the Ontario government makes it difficult to retail a decent wine in the republic below this amount.

Prefer Italian wines? Looking for something that would work with pizza or tomato sauce pasta? Then consider the $20 Carpineto Chianti Classico 2015 Sangiovese Blend—VINTAGES#: 356048. My guess is that the large production allows this producer to offer a classic Chianti at this price. If you are a Chianti fan this one should work for you and your bank account will be happy as many Chianti Classicos cost significantly more.

Fans of French wines should consider the $20 Georges Duboeuf Domaine Mont Chavy Morgon 2014 Gamay—VINTAGES#: 276477. The typical bubble gum smell and flavor present in many Beaujolais is tamed. This wine is nothing special. If you need a few bottles of French wine to tide you over until something better comes along then this bottle is an okay choice. 

Not a fan of lighter wines from Burgundy / Beaujolais and would like a house red from France with more weight? Then consider the $20 Louis Bernard Vacqueyras 2015 Grenache/Syrah—VINTAGES#: 546051. The posted tasting notes are pretty accurate and the wine is nicely balanced. It retails in the Excited States for $21CAD so we are getting a good price here.

Prefer wines made in new world style? Then consider $20 The Foundation Stone 2014 Shiraz Blend —VINTAGES#: 444521 from South Africa.  This wine has good fruit, it’s earthy and has complexity (stemming from the over-the-top blending). While this wine retails in South Africa for as little as the equivalent of $9CAD the price in Europe and the USA jumps to more than we pay in Ontario.

Other wines to consider

Are you a fan of Aglianico? Don’t know but would like to try a wine from the volcanic soils of southern Italy? Then read the posted tasting notes (they are pretty accurate), see if the description tickles your fancy and try the $22 Re Manfredi Taglio del Tralcio 2013 Red Blend—VINTAGES#: 538470. I particularly enjoyed the volcanic stone smells and flavors coming from my glass. It’s a great wine to try to help you decide whether wines from the Aglianico grape interest you.  

Wines to avoid

The $20 Bastide Miraflors Syrah/Vieilles Vignes Grenache 2015 Syrah/Grenache—VINTAGES#: 320499 is tannin bomb. The posted tasting notes are just nonsense as is the score of 94 points. Jeb your stock just got lower in my book. There is a lot of this product in the system and I suspect that product consultants will be pushing this wine hard.

I am not a fan of the Moscato grape so it will not be a surprise to hear that I recommend avoiding the $14 Bricco Riella Moscato d’Asti 2016 Moscato d’Asti—VINTAGES#: 378380. This wine is sweet and has flavors of canned peaches. In fairness, if you are a fan of this grape then this wine is textbook and you will be happy with your purchase.

The same comments apply to the $20 Susana Balbo Signature Barrel Fermented Torrontés 2016 Torrontes—VINTAGES#: 384339. If you are a fan of the Torrontes grape or want to experience a wine made from this varietal then the Balbo is not a bad buy. I’m not fond of the floral nature of this grape or the flavor profiles in the wine (no one else at our tasting was a fan either).  This one had a powerful Spearmint nose that I thought was confusing and strange. The posted tasting notes are nonsense but clearly I’m biased.

Fans of Chilean Carmenère may be happy with the $18 Carmen Gran Reserva Carmenère 2015 Carmenère Blend—VINTAGES#: 439166.  This one has an unpleasant bitter finish and that’s what caused me to conclude it is a wine that I would avoid.

Speaking of unpleasant bitterness, that is what we found in the $18 Spier Vintage Selection Chenin Blanc 2015 Chenin Blanc—VINTAGES#: 455618. The nose of this wine was also overly floral. It’s a wine that we just didn’t enjoy.

Price was our main objection to the $20 Paco & Lola Albariño 2016 Alvarinho—VINTAGES#: 350041. This wine is not as complex as the tasting notes imply. It’s a good summer sipper that should be priced at less than $14.

 

 

 

 

 

Arnold Schwarzenegger’s law of happiness…
Having more money doesn’t make you happier. I have 50 million dollars but I’m just as happy as when I had 48 million.

The Dom’s corollary …
Having more wine doesn’t make you happier. I have 2800 bottles but I’m just as happy as when I had 2600.

Outstanding wines in this release

The $15 Château Bellevue La Forêt 2014 Negrette Blend—VINTAGES#: 354134 will appeal to people that like earthy wines. This wine has balance, character, and good length. The average price of this wine in France is $12CAD. The $15 price in Ontario is not bad and the wine a good value red wine. The KGBO (a.k.a, the LCBO) will allow you to order this wine online and have it delivered to your store for free or to your home for a fee. 

The $19 Thema White 2015 Sauvignon Blanc Blend—VINTAGES#: 178442 is a lovely balanced wine with some complexity. The posted tasting notes are accurate with the wine having good minerality and citrix flavors and sufficient acidity to work with food. The wine is a 50/50 blend of Assyrtiko and Sauvignon Blanc and the winemaker pulls it off.

This is the third KGBO release in a row where a white wine from Greece has really shined. The Greeks are kicking ass. These would be great summer time wines so my sole complaint is the timing of their release to the proletariat of the People’s Republic of Ontario. It is, you know, like February presently.

This wine retails for $15CAD in Europe and our friends in the Excited States pay the equivalent price as we do here in the republic. Another good and fair value buy. This wine is available for online ordering. 

Collector‘s corner

Port fans should grab a bottle or two of the $42 Dalva Colheita Port 1995 Port—VINTAGES#: 69930. The tasting notes are accurate and I would add that this is a Port with grip (one that has some tannic structure) – an attribute that I prize in Port. Even though this wine is 22 years old it is a baby and would be much better sleeping in your cellar for another 10 or more years. This Port retails for $35CAD in Portugal so the Ontario price represents good value, considering our greedy governments’ retail and tax practices. 

If you are a fan of southern Rhone red wine then consider cellaring the $33 Domaine du Grapillon d’Or Gigondas 2015 Grenache/Syrah—VINTAGES#: 981787. Thanks to Doctor C we were able to contrast the 2010 vintage to the 2015. That extra 5 years in bottle yielded an exceptional wine. This Gigondas is much better value than its more famous near-by region of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. If you are able put this wine away to enjoy around 2025. Our neighbors in New York state pay $29CAD for this wine and the good folk in La Belle Province pay $35 (this outcome surprised me as the SAQ normally outperforms the KGBO significantly). 

Fans of Nebbiolo based wine (think Barolo and Barbaresco) should stock up and cellar the $30 Anzivino Gattinara 2010 Nebbiolo—VINTAGES#: 534909.  The 2010 vintage in the area was fantastic. This is a wine that will please Barolo lovers as it has the elements one expects to find in a decent Barolo at about half the cost. Collectors can use this wine as a cellar protector or let it age and evolve like their more expensive Barolo cousins. It is available in the Excited States for about $25CAD equivalent.

There is something to be said when the posted tasting notes simply state “ripe fruit, dark plum and dark chocolate” and the comments are surprisingly accurate. The $23 Château Paradis 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Blend—VINTAGES#: 415984 needs more time in the bottle to settle down and come together. In a year or two or three I think that you will be enjoying a lovely drink all for $23. This wine retails in France for the equivalent of $27CAD. Give the devil his due and let say that the LCBO is giving you a great value here in the republic. 

We had the opportunity to contrast the $30 Château Sénéjac 2015 Bordeaux—VINTAGES#: 962977 with the same wine from the 1985 vintage. That’s not a typo…two wines from a minor Bordeaux producer that were 30 years apart. The outcome? The 2015 bottle is closed and coy. Based on our bottle it is a shame to drink this wine now. The 1985 bottle had plenty of fruit and many tertiary notes (think saddle leather). It was a joy to drink at a fraction of the price normally commanded by an ageable Bordeaux.  Will you have a similar experience with the 2015 in 2025 or 2035 or 2045? My money is on it. If you have the cellar space age a few bottles to find out. Unless you are traveling to the USA or France you’ll have to hold your nose on the tax grab vested in the KGBO’s price. This wine sells for less than $18CAD in France and the USA. Thank Comrade Wynne.

Wines to consider

Fans of Spanish wine should consider trying the $18  Monasterio de las Viñas Gran Reserva 2010 Grenache Blend—VINTAGES#: 82024. This an aged full body red wine that would work well with food. Too much wood was the main criticism stemming from our tasting group yesterday. I regret not decanting this wine in advance of the tasting as I have a feeling that an hour or two air time would bring things into balance. You can buy this wine for $11CAD in Spain so the price you are paying in Ontario reflects the expected high taxation and KGBO markup. This wine is available for online ordering. 

Riesling fans should consider buying the $17 Heimberger Vieilles Vignes Riesling 2015—VINTAGES#: 168955. For me the unctuousness (that wonderfully oily mouth feel you’ll experience after your sip) of this wine is its most appealing attribute. Only a cooperative can provide an Alsace riesling for this price. It’s not a complex wine nor does it come close to the quality of other Alsace producers. But it offers better quality and better value than many Niagara rieslings and will satisfy a riesling craving. The good people in France pay the same price as we do in Ontario.

Wines to avoid

Wines in this release that we turned thumbs down due to their fruit bomb nature include $28 Astrolabe Province Marlborough Pinot Noir 2014 Pinot Noir—VINTAGES#: 538918. In fairness, the wine has the classic New Zealand fruit-forward nature. I’m just not a fan, especially when I factor in the price. It is a similar story with the $17 Le Cirque Grenache Noir/Carignan/Syrah 2014 Grenache/Syrah/Carignan—VINTAGES#: 277079 borders on being a fruit bomb. It’s too fruit forward for my taste.

The $17 Domaine Bousquet Organic Pinot Noir/Chardonnay Brut Rosé Sparkling
Pinot Noir/Chardonnay—VINTAGES#: 539080 is a fruity wine with aggressive bubbles. It would be a great addition to Sangria but not that enjoyable on its own.

The $20 d’Arenberg The Money Spider Roussanne 2016 Roussanne—VINTAGES#: 656710 was a disappointment. I love the Roussanne grape and I love this producer but this effort comes across as very commercial and lacks character. I’ll spend my $20 on the Thema.

The $15 Porcupine Ridge Chardonnay 2016 Chardonnay—VINTAGES#: 542175 is a simple wine that disappoints. The Vintages panel’s tasting notes, including describing this wine as “full bodied and rich” are just nonsense.

The $17 Château Grange Cochard Vieilles Vignes Morgon 2014 Gamay—VINTAGES#: 469627 comes across as simple and thin. We were left scratching our heads wondering how the wine critic Josh Raynolds could give this wine the high score of 92. WTF Josh.

There are fruit bombs and then there are tannin bombs. The $25, so called “wine of the month” Otazu Reserva Clásico 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot/Tempranillo—VINTAGES#: 543728 is a tannin bomb. This wine is nearly a decade old and I doubt that the tannins will ever integrate and become in balance with the other elements of the wine. The Vintage tasting panel says this wine has “fine tannins”. Seriously?

Outstanding wines

I have little doubt that you’ll pause before spending $28 for the Argyros Assyrtiko 2016 Assyrtiko—VINTAGES#: 387365.  The pause will be caused by your brain wondering “why would a Greek wine command such a price?” Further, people who last year bought the 2015 vintage from the KGBO (a.k.a., the LCBO) for $22 will not just wonder but also think WTF? If you love a minerally / salinity / food friendly white wine forget the price and buy this wine.

We had the opportunity to do a side-by-side tasting of the 2016 vintage to the 2015 vintage. I can  report with confidence that time in the bottle will enhance your purchase. If you are able to store this wine for a year or two then your efforts will be rewarded. If you are not willing or able to store this wine then I beg you to decant it for at least an hour before its consumption. We exposed the 2016 to lots of air and the difference air time makes in this wine is remarkable. It’s the difference between an overpriced fruit forward wine and a wine that is special. The posted tasting notes are accurate but the wine needs that air for the components to shine.

I initially thought that the massive 27% price increase was a blatant tax grab from the People’s Republic of Ontario but the limited information available online indicates that the price increase applies globally.

The clear value winner of this release is the $16 Avondale Jonty’s Ducks Pekin White 2015 Chenin Blanc Blend—VINTAGES#: 439554. The posted tasting notes are accurate and I would add that the wine has a touch of pleasant bitterness on the finish. This wine is a blend and my research indicates that there is Chenin Blanc, Roussanne, Muscat, Semillon, and Viognier in the mixture. This wine is good on its own and would work very well with food. I will be braving the Toronto cold weather and will bring home many bottles to enjoy. My bank account will appreciate my efforts. 

There are two “Super Tuscan” wines in this release that deserve your attention. The first is the $35 Le Macchiole Bolgheri Rosso 2015 Red Blend—VINTAGES#: 483412. This wine is just delicious. There is great red and black fruit, nice acidity and tannins. You can drink this wine now or age it in your cellar. With a great producer and a good vintage you cannot go wrong. This is a wine with finesse. The price we are paying in the People’s Republic is not bad considering the amount of  tax that is embedded in the $35 price. The wine sells for $30USD in the Excited States of America. If you lived in Italy you might make this €15 bottle your house wine.

The second is the $39 Poggio Verrano Chance 2007 Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon/Cabernet Franc—VINTAGES#: 239707. The published tasting notes are accurate. The Chance will appeal to people that like full-bodied wines. The wine has power but it is balanced, delicious and very enjoyable. It’s a wine for hearty dishes and cold nights. It’s a decade old now and will easily age longer but I willing to bet if you buy this wine it will hard to keep your corkscrew away from the bottles.

Collector’s corner

The local wine critics believe the $30 Domaines Schlumberger Kessler Pinot Gris 2012 Pinot Gris—VINTAGES#: 249623 is mature and ready to drink. We fortunately were able to contrast the 2012 with a bottle of the 2006 vintage from Doctor C’s collection. Our conclusion? The 2012 needs some bottle time to shine. Decanting will not accelerate this natural aging process. Sure you can buy and enjoy this wine now but a few years in the bottle will make a big difference.The nose on the $60 Machard de Gramont Vieilles Vignes Nuits-Saint-Georges 2015 Pinot Noir—VINTAGES#: 539825 is intriguing. There is fruit and herbs and animal attributes that cause you to linger and wonder. I just love smelling this wine. On the palette bright red berries dominate and the intensity of fruit is off-putting. This is a wine that needs to age, perhaps for a long while, to give it a chance to come together. In time you may have a stunning wine or you may have a disappointment. There are no guarantees especially in Burgundy land.Wines to consider

If you are a fan of Shiraz and are looking for a good house red then consider trying the $20 Boschendal 1685 Shiraz 2015 Shiraz/Syrah—VINTAGES#: 542787. It’s a well balanced wine with black and red fruits flavors. The tannins provide decent structure and also a dusty finish that I enjoy. The South Africans are kicking ass in the value department.

I struggle to understand why Paolo Scavino would produce a 375ml bottle of their 2013 Barolo Nebbiolo—VINTAGES#: 531137. Scavino is a great producer that makes a polished style of Barolo. Yes, you can drink them early, especially when paired with food but most people buy Barolo to place in the cellar to mature for a few years. A collector typically doesn’t seek 375ml bottles as accepted wisdom is that wine in these small bottles does not age well. I think the reason one would buy the bottle in this release is to taste the 2013 vintage. It is a great vintage so, fair enough, if you wish to find out for yourself spend the $37 for a half bottle and give it a try. Wines to avoid

The $30 Patrick Chan Sparkling Blanc de Blancs 2011 Sparkling—VINTAGES#: 546291 is simple, appley and overpriced.  If this wine was $15 it would be a decent sipper. I’ve yet to find a celebrity based wine that’s worth the asking price.

We may have been tired when we tasted the $23 Inzolia dei Fornelli 2016 Insolia—VINTAGES#: 539932 but we felt the content of the glass was not worth the asking price. In fairness the local wine critics love and praise this wine but on Sunday it failed to excite the group.

We found the $18 Novellum Chardonnay 2016 Chardonnay—VINTAGES#: 390781 to be thin, simple and not worth the money. The local wine critics love this wine. Frankly we struggled to pick up the attributes they experienced. There’s a disconnect between what we experienced from our bottle and the content of the tasting notes.

The published tasting notes on the $20 Jean-Paul Dubost Beaujolais Villages Climat le Tracot 2015 Gamay—VINTAGES#: 527051 are nonsense. Neil Martin describes this wine as superb. He must chew a lot of gum as we thought the flavor of Hubba Bubba Bubble gum dominated this wine (bubble gum flavor is a common trait in cheap Beaujolais). This wine has a long finish, unfortunately.

We were baffled by the scores that the $43 Secret de Schistes Syrah 2014 Shiraz/Syrah—VINTAGES#: 440669 received.  This wine comes across as very commercial in style. There’s a lot of wood influences and the smell and flavors push you towards the cherry cola spectrum. The score of 95 from Jeb Dunnuck of Robert Parker is silly and it may be worth noting that previous vintages also received very high scores from this critic. The local wine critics also give this wine high scores. Also troubling is the 33% price increase since the previous release of this wine in the People’s Republic of Ontario. My money is best spent elsewhere.

Barone Ricasoli Rocca Guicciarda Riserva Chianti Classico 2014 Chianti—VINTAGES#: 943613 is peppery and light. I guess the dead give away was Suckling’s score of 91. That might be the lowest score he has handed out. Ever.

Suckling also granted the $17 Feudo Maccari Noto Nero d’Avola 2015 Nero d’Avola—VINTAGES#: 339101 a score of 91. I guess that I am just not a fan of the Nero d’Avola grape but on Sunday I was not alone. The other people in our tasting group quickly dumped their glasses and moved on too. A food wine perhaps but I have yet to figure it out.

The appealing attribute of the $22 Pinacle de Fakra 2012 Syrah/Cabernet Sauvignon—VINTAGES#: 641670 is the underlying earthy tones. But this curiosity fades quickly and you are left with beetroot and dried fruit flavors. This is another wine with a long finish, unfortunately. Two years ago the 2010 vintage retailed for $15. The 2012 is not worth that price either and I mention the prior price because this is the third wine in this release that I noted had a very significant price increase. One has to wonder why.

A limerick on the this release’s “sustainable Chilean wines” theme:

Sustainable vino is the theme
Green vino is a hit, so it seems
Too much focus on Chile
Might come across as silly?
The KGBO knows how to scheme?

A friend explained to me how the LCBO (a.k.a., the KGBO) comes up with the theme of their biweekly releases. I will not bore you with the details but after hearing the challenges I did feel some compassion. There are challenges. Yet, the world is competitive and full of challenges. The theme was lame and I doubt that the LCBO experienced a surge in sales of Chilean wine.

Enough complaining. After a month of travel and holiday festivities, the muddle bunker resumed its activity on Sunday. Man, it was great to get back in the grove.

After a “hard day working” we have a few wines for you to consider.

Outstanding wines

The $14 Tetramythos Roditis 2016 Roditis—VINTAGES#: 261610 is the great buy of this release. The posted tasting notes are accurate. Your first sip of this wine might give you the impression that the wine is too simple. Take a second sip and your opinion will change. Buy this wine for sipping pleasure or buy this wine to pair with light seafood (such as white-flesh fish or calamari). Just a great value. Consider buying by the case as the Tetramythos will be a great summer-time wine. I bought two cases.

The $14 price point makes the Michele Chiarlo Le Orme 16 Months Barbera d’Asti 2015 Barbera—VINTAGES#: 265413 an outstanding wine. The tasting notes are accurate. This is a well made and balanced Barbera. Wines made from the Barbera grape have a lot of acidity and therefore cry out for food. Buy this wine to pair with tomato-based pasta or pizza dishes. In that setting I don’t think that it will disappoint and your bank account will thank you.

The $30 Valdivieso Éclat 2010 Carignan Blend—VINTAGES#: 541128 was a hit with the tasting group. Great nose, fruit, some complexity & decent structure. Well worth the money. The wine is 8 years old and will easily age and improve more. Buy this full bodied wine for its drinking pleasure or to pair with hearty dishes.

The $27 Aldeasoña 2006 Aragonés Blend—VINTAGES#: 378968 was a hit with the tasting team. Yes, thanks again to the Spaniards, you can buy a well-made and well-aged (12 years) wine for less than $30. There is too much oak in the wine for my liking but I found that the oak started to come into balance as the wine was exposed to air. Give this wine a long decant and enjoy the full bodied, dried fruit complexity and length of this wine. Your local store may not have stock but this is a wine that the LCBO will allow you to order online and have it delivered to your store or your home.

Wines to consider

If I was heading to a dinner party and needed to visit the KGBO to buy a white Burgundy then I would consider buying the $43 Jean Claude Boisset Marsannay Blanc 2015 Chardonnay —VINTAGES#: 522227 or the $39 Louis Moreau Vaulignot Chablis 1er Cru 2015 Chardonnay—VINTAGES#: 525386.  Between the two the Boisset gets the nod as the wine evolved in the glass while the Chablis started to die. If you don’t have a white Burg emergency then I would avoid these wines. Don’t get me wrong. They are fine wines but they are missing the wow factor that you should experience from a 2015 white Burgundy. Note that the Louis Moreau Vaulignot Chablis sells for $31 at the SAQ. The KGBO is charging us almost 26% more than our friends in La Belle Province. Ouch!

The $24 Domaine du Grande Tinel Côtes du Rhône 2015 Grenache/Syrah/Mourvèdre—VINTAGES#: 539478 is a powerful, high alcohol, fruit forward wine. It has good length and supporting structure. It’s not a wine style that I seek but it may work for you. Rich food (for example, BBQ) would help tame this wine. Sadly, the wine is overpriced.

Bordeaux lovers should consider trying the $19 Château Bréhat 2012 Bordeaux—VINTAGES#: 348672 .  The wine will not win a prize but if you are fond (or curious about) aged Bordeaux, $19 will give you an introduction. It is only 6 years old and the wine is already showing signs of age (leather notes in the nose and taste). A curiosity buy for those who are curious. Otherwise avoid.

 

Wines to avoid

The $15 Essay Chenin Blanc/Viognier/Roussanne 2017 Chenin Blanc Blend—VINTAGES#: 414144 is a one dimension fruit bomb. The Vintage Tasting Panel thinks this wine is a great value. Please don’t fall for it. We couldn’t get through a single glass.

Outside of having a Barolo emergency, I would avoid the $35 La Pieve Barolo 2013 Nebbiolo—VINTAGES#: 213132. It’s not that the wine is bad. There are better Nebbiolo on the general list for less money (for example, the $24 Castello di Neive Barbaresco DOCG Nebbiolo—LCBO#: 160143).

There is something not quite right with one of the KGBO’s “wines of the month”: the $34 Château Pech-Redon La Centaurée Coteaux-du-languedoc La Clape 2012 Mourvèdre/Syrah/Grenache Noir—VINTAGES#: 530246. I couldn’t figure it so I think it is best to avoid buying this wine.

 

 

 

Dear Santa

It’s TheMuddler. I know that years have passed since I wrote last. Seeing that you are all knowing, it is redundant for me to say that I lost faith in you. You did not fulfill my previous Christmas requests but I now know that you were not ignoring me. Instead, I realize that asking for things such as world peace, good government, fair taxes, the abolition of daylight savings time, and a decent Mexican restaurant in Oakville are tasks too big even for you. This year Santa I will make my request more doable. So here goes. What I really want for Christmas Santa is a favorable supreme court ruling. On what issue you wonder? I’m talking about the $292.50 ticket Gerard Comeau received for bringing 14 cases of beer and three bottles of liquor across the provincial boundary between Quebec and New Brunswick.

You see Santa transporting beer or wine or spirits across provincial borders is illegal in the People’s Republic of Canada. One can bring fruit or meat or clothing or evil things like Tim Horton’s coffee or Celine Dion CDs but not a controlled substance like wine or beer. Mr. Comeau is challenging that law and all I want for Christmas is for him to win this case.

Why? Two reasons Santa and I admit that the first is a little selfish. Call me an optimist but a verdict that sides with Mr. Comeau may provide much needed choice to the proletariat of the republic. We will have government monopolies still but the people will feel hope (albeit faint hope) that we will have a choice. Santa, have you seen the selection and prices of Italian and French wine at the SAQ? Oh, it would be a Merry Christmas if the proletariat of the People’s Republic of Ontario could buy their wine at the SAQ. You are all about Merry Christmases aren’t you Santa?

A favorable verdict also has a bigger purpose. The North Pole may have you isolated from current affairs Santa so you may not have noticed that hypocrisy is now a cultural virtue. If you have nice-hair and trust-funds or a chateau in France or a TV show or a senate seat or you’re a Hollywood producer you can say one thing and do another. Even celebrity chefs are in on the game Santa but you already knew that Mario Batali was really naughty and nasty so the news did not come as a surprise to you.

You are a smart guy Santa. You know the issue is power. You also know that power corrupts and that absolute power corrupts absolutely. So I’m worried about you Santa. You’re male (by most people’s account) and once a year you possess absolute power. Do you realize that the “I know when you are sleeping” thing is really creepy? And, what about the elves Santa? TMZ might have a gold mine of stories there. Please tell me that you are not hiding skeletons. I’m not threatening you Santa. I am just hoping that the next shocking news story is not about you. Be like Johnny Cash and walk the line.

Sorry. I lost focus there. I know you cannot stop the bad behaviour of men in powerful positions but Santa you must realize that people need a hero. People have stopped looking for heroes in politicians or celebrates or athletics or producers. People, especially young people, need a hero. Don’t you think that a beer-smuggling retiree that sticks up for his principles would fit the modern-day ticket? Do it for the kids Santa. Convince 5 out of the 9 judges to rule in Gerard Comeau’s favor and Canada will have a real hero.

My present to you Santa is a few wine suggestions for you to give to the people who, unlike me, wrote to you with purely selfish requests. Just remember not to transport wine across provincial borders or you might find yourself on the naughty list.

********************************************************************************

Santa, I cannot say enough good things about the $76 Larmandier-Bernier Longitude Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut 1er Cru—VINTAGES#: 514737. From one of my favorite producers this champagne hits all the right notes for me.

Santa for the lover of California cabs rush out and buy the $73 Burgess Cabernet Sauvignon 2013—VINTAGES#: 291914.  This wine is old-school-classic Napa cab, great flavor and balance and structure and it could stand up to wines that cost 50% more. Santa please leave a note saying to decant this wine for at least one hour before consuming. Our friends in the good-old USA can buy this wine for $33USD and if I was there I would back up the truck. The folks in the USA may not have a hero like Gerrald but they have access to wine like this one at a much better price.

The $23 Maison Roche de Bellene Vieilles Vignes Bourgogne Chardonnay 2015—VINTAGES#: 299867 is a decent Chardonnay for the price. Given my admiration for this producer I was expecting a greater “wow factor”. It’s not there but still the Vieilles Vignes is a decent wine.

Santa, if you are budgeting and need to secure a sparkling wine for your post Christmas party with the elves then consider buying the $15 Enterizo Brut Nature Cava Sparkling—VINTAGES#: 516716. This wine is the value buy from the 9 December release. With less than 12% alcohol, no dosage, 2 grams of residual sugar, some complexity, and minerality this wine pushes a lot of the right buttons for me.

The $21 Convento San Francisco 2010 Tempranillo Blend—VINTAGES#: 206409 is the value red wine in this release Santa. The winemaker somehow pulled 15% alcohol, 6 grams of residual sugar and 15 months in oak together to make a decent (not great but decent) wine for $21. I’ve already given you my Christmas wish Santa but maybe someone else will ask for a wine region in addition to Spain to provide us with decent value wines. Is that too much to ask Santa?

Gifts for those not so nice? Well, we’ll get to that in a moment. Santa, if you know someone that loves floral in his or her wine then consider getting that person the $23 Valtea Albariño 2016 Alvarinho/Albariño—VINTAGES#: 518019. I like a touch of floral in wines and this wine has a lot of field flowers. So this wine is not a pleasant one for me. Admittedly, there is a lot going on in this wine so if you like floral in your wine this one would work for you.

Santa, the wines that I would avoid are the $15 Monasterio de las Viñas Reserva Grenache Blend—VINTAGES#: 166579 and the $37 Urbina Reserva Especial 2001
Tempranillo/Mazuelo—VINTAGES#: 511568. To me the Monasterio is an oaky-coarse-fruit bomb and you are better off spending a few dollars more to buy the Convento San Francisco. The Urbina was a big disappointment for me because I really like this producer. However, this offering misses the mark. It is too fruit forward for my taste and not worth the asking price.

 

 

Please note that TheMuddler will be muddling his way through Italy over the next three weeks. Therefore, there will not be a post on the Vintages November 21 release. Observations on the December 9 release will be posted on December 12.

Our story so far: The Globe’s Marsha Lederman wrote an excellent article about the collateral damage that occurs when a powerful man is outed. She highlights the damages caused by Louis C. K. to his co writer of the show Better Things. This article and the seemingly daily revelations coming out of Hollywood got me thinking about powerful men in the wine industry. For example, if James Suckling behaved like Louis C. K. what do you think would happen? Would the dialog go something like:

James: I’ve tasted your wine and I like it a lot. Before I write up my review I want you to take this.

Female Winemaker: It looks like a hotel room key. Why would you give me a hotel room key?

James: It’s the extra key to my room. Be there around 8:30. I’ll be done my daily cigar by then. Do your hair up nice and wear something sexy.

Female Winemaker: And, if I don’t come to your room what happens?

James: Well, I would be forced to give your wine a low score.

Female Winemaker: Like a 95 instead of a 96?

James: Exactly!

Female Winemaker: I’ll take my chances with James Halliday.

But neither of the two James is the alpha male of the wine industry. Even in retirement, Parker is the man. What if you found out that Parker behaved like Harvey Weinstein? Would looking at a Parker wine score of 95+ then make you feel as icky as watching a Kevin Spacey movie? That ship has sailed for me already.

Outstanding wines

The KGBO (a.k.a., the LCBO) wants more of your money. People are starting to think about gift giving so in this release our wine monopoly seemed to have focused on higher-price-point wines. I didn’t find any value oriented wines that I would consider to be outstanding purchases (although there are a few decent purchases identified below). There are two wines, however, that if you have the budget then the wines are outstanding buys.

The first is the $63 Weinbach Cuvée Laurence Gewurztraminer 2015 —VINTAGES#: 581975. The posted tasting notes of Ian D’Agata are spot on and I would add that the balance provided by this wine is wonderful. I’m not a huge Gewurztraminer fan but when a wine like this one comes along it changes my mind. It’s wonderful alone and wonderful with food. The price that you are paying is okay. It retails in the Excited States for $35USD (so with exchange and taxes and KGBO inspired tariffs you could be paying up to $70CAD).

The second is the $70 Domaine Servin Bougros Grand Cru Chablis 2013 Chardonnay—VINTAGES#: 145623.  Yep, if you are willing to pay the $70 you can have a white Burgundy grand cru. The wine in this bottle is the real deal and it would age nicely in a cellar. If you pop the cork of a bottle take your time with this wine. It will evolve and change in your glass as the wine get exposed to air and warms up. A lovely experience. And the price? Well, if you think we are gouged in the People’s Republic of Ontario then consider that our comrades in British Columbia have to pay $100 if they want this wine. Our friends in the USA pay $80USD. You may not like paying $70 for a bottle of wine but on a relative basis it’s a bargain.

 

Collectors corner

The $55 d’Arenberg The Dead Arm Shiraz 2013—VINTAGES#: 430512 likely will be a perpetual recommendation of mine. We tasted the 2013 next to the 2005 vintage and the group got a look into the future. Buy this wine and age it for several years and enjoy the experience.

I think that the $39 Château Bouscassé Vieilles Vignes Madiran 2006 Tannat Blend—VINTAGES#: 132415 will reward the patient collector. We tasted this wine along with a bottle from the 1998 vintage. The 1998 had years of life left and had a taste profile that would cause even experts to believe they were drinking a decent aged red Bordeaux wine. If you have the ability to age this wine another 10 years (more or less) then consider buying this wine. It also showed well after a few hours in the decanter so if you want to drink one earlier make sure you give it lots of air.

Wines to consider

The $20 abouré-Gontard Rosé Crémant de Bourgogne Sparkling—VINTAGES#: 460816 is okay. The red fruit is not out of balance and I enjoyed the acidity the wine provided. It’s fizz is so aggressive, however, that the experience with the bubbles resembles the one you experience when you drink soda pop. A good wine for Mimosas but a tiring wine to drink on its own.

If the European Union does not sue the KGBO for describing this Crémant as a “Champagne experience” then we should consider launching our own court action. I mean seriously…does the tasting panel really think this wine tastes anything like Champagne? What a shameful write-up.

The $23 Clos de los Siete 2013 Malbec Blend—VINTAGES#: 622571 is a bold and balanced red wine with nice structure. This wine is drinkable now and would make a good house red wine. A potential case buy, one where you drink some now and age the others to watch how the wine involves. A good buy.

The $33 Marie-Pierre Manciat Les Petites Bruyères Pouilly-Fuissé 2016 Chardonnay—VINTAGES#: 374553 is an okay buy for fans of the Pouilly-Fuissé style. For me, the perfume on the nose is not the type I like and I think there are better buys at this price point.

For a release with a theme of “the romance of France” there was a lot of Italian Chianti Classico. We selected and tasted four wines.

Our bottle of Lamole di Lamole Riserva Chianti Classico 2012 Sangiovese—VINTAGES#: 280651 was DOA (a flawed bottle).

The $31 Castello di Ama Chianti Classico 2014 Sangiovese—VINTAGES#: 515759 is fine but not worth the money. I adore this producer but 2014 was a poor year and I don’t think that this vintage is worth paying the asking price. It’s upsetting when a wine critic says “excellent quality for this difficult vintage” and, then gives it a score of 92. Well, it James Suckling at it again. Yes, that statement is technically correct but shouldn’t these critics have the consumer’s interest at heart? People has tons of wine buying options and you don’t have to buy a wine because it is “excellent quality for this difficult vintage.” For example, our group preferred the $23 Mazzei Ser Lapo Riserva Chianti Classico 2013 Sangiovese Blend—VINTAGES#: 288530 to the $31 Castello di Ama. The Mazzei Ser Lapo is a decent Chianti Classico at a decent price.

The winner of the Chianti Classico tasting group was the $45 Ruffino Ducale Oro Gran Selezione Riserva Chianti Classico 2012 Sangiovese Blend—VINTAGES#: 353201. This wine has a lot more complexity than the others Chiantis we tasted. Very enjoyable but, for me, it’s not worth the price.

 

Wines to avoid

The $23 Ardal Reserva 2006 Tempranillo Blend—VINTAGES#: 167700 is over oaked. Coconut explodes from the glass and dominates the taste. Decanting the wine did not help. Tasting the open bottle the following day didn’t help either. If you like this style of Spanish wine then it’s not a bad buy. But, for me, this wine is not enjoyable and one that I would avoid. Apparently, this is a re-release of the same vintage and the two releases could not be more different.

When I arrived at my LCBO store my product consultant said “you must be here to buy the Athos…everyone is calling…it’s flying off the shelves.” Against my better judgment I bought a bottle of the $29 Corte Medicea Athos 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot
—VINTAGES#: 475996 to taste.

The wine is selling fast because of the tasting note and the score of 99 out of 100. It takes a special person to come up with the pile of bullshit that is written to describe this wine. The tasting note even goes so far to say “one of the best ever red wines”. When the people in our group tasted this wine a puzzled expression appeared on their faces. The expression was not one of happiness that you would expect upon tasting “one of the best ever red wines.” The expression was one of confusion and mild disgust. This is an engineered wine that lacks any character. Save your money. Please.

 

Our story so far: The year is 2025 and officials from the People’s Republic of Canada just announced that three Canadian men detained and tortured in France during the security clampdown that followed the 2020 Champagne riots will get $31.25 million from the federal government. The resolution and accompanying government apology put an end to a three-year court battle for compensation when a former Supreme Court judge blamed Canadian officials partly for the men’s ordeals. French officials acting in part on information from the Canadian spy agency CSIS labeled the men as “wine extremists” for their refusal to recognize the natural wine movement and their insistence on exclusively drinking Champagne from small-grower producers.

The men were detained for months in a 500,000 gallon blending tank at the Moet Chandon factory, where they were forced to drink non-vintage Dom Perignon and survive by eating snails and brioche. “The Dom was the crap Moet needed to get rid of” said one man. Another reported the horrific torture techniques used by the French (commonly referred to as “using inferior products”). “The butter was clearly substandard, the brioche was not sufficiently eggy, and the escargot had way too much garlic” choked out another man while he barely suppressed his emotional state. “To this day I can only spend 3 or 4 hours in a bistro before I have to leave” stated the third man.

Government officials have refused to comment further on this matter.

Okay, let’s put joking aside…

My last post discussed the power of contrasting. Last Sunday’s tasting of the wines selected from the 28 October release illustrated the perils of the contrasting technique. We will able to contrast six different wines (2 Gewürztraminers, 2 Chardonnays, and 2 Pinot Noirs). In all cases, one wine in the pairing made the other seem pale. Tasted individually each wine was decent. The main difference was the wines had different styles and there is nothing wrong with that. In turns out that contrasting is a double-ended sword.

Outstanding wines

The $19 Bohigas Reserva Brut Cava Sparkling—VINTAGES#: 401216 is a great buy. A well-balanced-delicious wine with some complexity at a good price. It will please you and make you happy.

The nose of the $20 Rustenberg Chardonnay 2015—VINTAGES#: 598631 explodes out of the glass and will intrigue you. The wine has power, good minerality and acid and plenty of complexity in flavors. The tasting notes overstate the case by comparing this wine to a Corton Charlemagne but if you are a fan of the style found in a powerful white Burgundy then the Rustenberg is for you. At $20 to boot.

Collector’s corner

The $22 J.L. Chave Sélection Mon Coeur Côtes-du-Rhône 2015 Blend—VINTAGES#: 995548 has potential. The published tasting notes are pretty accurate but what got me thinking about the wine’s potential was the experience of tasting the 2013 vintage next to the 2015 vintage that was in this release. The 2015 is a good wine and the 2013 is a wow wine, which would stand up to much more expensive Rhone examples. My money’s on the 2015 to come together with a few years in the bottle and give you that wow experience.

Behind the tannic blast of the $39 Marco & Vittorio Adriano Basarin Barbaresco 2012 Nebbiolo—VINTAGES#: 496992 lurks all of the things I look for in a rustic-traditional Barbaresco. The suggestion in the tasting notes that this wine would be ready to drink in a year is nonsense. It needs several years to come together and reward you. Don’t buy it unless you plan to cellar it.

Wines to consider

The $22 Featherstone Canadian Oak Chardonnay 2015—VINTAGES#: 149302 is a well made wine. The published tasting notes are accurate. This is a subdued wine and when tasted alongside with the Rustenberg (discussed above) this wine was crushed. If you enjoy a subtle style with a splash of oak then give this wine a try. Thanks to Rosco for pointing out this wine. My knowledge of Canadian wine is poor and hopefully will improve with some help.

The $24 Kew Vineyards Pinot Noir 2013—VINTAGES#: 520080 is a New World style Pinot Noir from a Canadian producer that I have begun to explore. The nose is classic for the varietal and the smell of this wine will really grab you. A fruit-forward-red-berry wine that, while not my style, will appeal to many people. I think the wine would stand up to many New World Pinots.

The $21  Nikolaihof Wachau Terrassen Grüner Veltliner 2014—VINTAGES#: 85274 is steely and mineral driven with good acidity and length. It’s a re-release by the KGBO of this vintage and supply will disappear quickly as GV fans snatch up a bargan. Would likely benefit from a year or so in the bottle.

The $18 Ruppertsberger Gewürztraminer Hofstück Spätlese 2016 Gewürztraminer—VINTAGES#: 320473 is rich and fruity and sweet and would work well with Chinese or other Asian inspired dishes. Unless you are a fan of sweet wine it is hard to drink on its own. To me it’s a food wine. If you seek less intensity consider the $19 Pierre Sparr Réserve Gewurztraminer 2016—VINTAGES#: 747600 instead.

Wines to avoid

As the Featherstone is to the Rustenberg the Kew is to the $22 Roche de Bellène Cuvée Réserve Pinot Noir Bourgogne 2015—VINTAGES#: 299859. I love this producer and expected more from this bottle of wine. It’s light and simple and, well, boring. A slight medicinal element also put me off this wine.

Our story so far: Last week I attended a wine tasting that reminded me of the power of contrasting. The stories told to us in childhood and the movies we watch often illustrate life experiences as a choice between good and bad. Sure there are situations where we can identify someone or something as being good or bad in absence of a contrasting reference. For example, no one needs to contrast the reported acts of Harvey Weinstein against those of Mother Teresa to conclude that he is a low-life predator. Most judgments are more complex and it’s really hard to choose which product is best for you (and why) without at least one contrasting reference.

What’s the connection to the wine tasting I attended? Well, a month ago the Muddle group of amateurs gathered to taste wines. In the tasting was the the $20 Bernard-Massard Brut Cuvée de L’Écusson —VINTAGES#: 970970.  The unanimous conclusion of this group was that the wine came across as sweet and simple. There were better choices in the release and I categorized this wine as one to avoid. Fast forward two weeks and (unknown to me at the time) this wine appears as another wine tasting. This gathering is much larger, almost 50 people, served blind and was the sole sparkling wine in the line up. The conclusion of that group? Most loved the wine and there was clamour to write down the product code.

Why the difference in the conclusion? I believe that one group had a significant advantage over the other. And, that advantage was the ability to contrast the choices.

Thankfully today there are few bad wines. The world is, however, awash in mediocre wine. Hell, there is so much of it that excess supply is made into ethanol to blend with gasoline. More importantly, there are gems in both the bi-weekly KGBO (a.k.a. the LCBO) Vintages releases and the general list wines (that is, the wines that are not in the Vintages section of your store). As I muddle along exploring the fun and complexities of wine I will try to remember and apply the power of contrasting.

Outstanding wines

We only tasted one wine from this release that I would call outstanding. I love the $23 Joseph Drouhin Bourgogne Chardonnay 2015 —VINTAGES#: 512582. If you are a fan of fruit forward, bold, or buttery Chardonnay this wine is not for you. This is a wine of finesse and balance. It has fruit, the right amount and type of floral, a touch of oak, and good acidity. A good producer and good vintage and my kind-of style. If this type of wine appeals to you then please slightly chill it before serving (say 1/2 hour in the refrigerator) and decant the wine 30 minutes or more before consuming. If you serve the wine cold it will be very muted and will only shine once it warms up and gets air.

Wines to consider

The $20 Premius Crémant de Bordeaux Sparkling —VINTAGES#: 515239 is a dry and simple wine that would be a crowd pleaser. The published tasting notes are bunk. There is better value Sparkling wine at this price point but I’m mentioning this product because you may be looking for quantity and there are lots of bottles in the KGBO’s system.

The $20 Susana Balbo Signature Malbec 2014 —VINTAGES#: 79798 is an entry-level Malbec with some finesse. If you are a fan of high alcohol big fruit Argentinian Malbec this wine is not for you. The style of Malbec in this wine is more balanced. Decent fruit, acidity and chocolate tones that will please many people. While the alcohol level is high at 14.5% the sipping the wine only results in the burn that I find unpleasant at the very end of the finish. Given the high alcohol levels in modern winemaking I guess I’ve learned to live with that outcome. A decent wine.

However, heed this warning. I know of at least two bottles of this wine that had flawed corks so I have to be suspect of a problem at the winery. If you buy this wine and it smells like an old basement or wet cardboard then the wine is corked. Put the cork back into the bottle and return the bottle to the LCBO for a refund. The LCBO has a great return policy and process.

The $20 Tabalí Vetas Blancas Reserva Especial Cabernet Franc 2014 —VINTAGES#: 514117 is a wine geek’s wine. If you are only familiar with Cab Franc from France or Canada you probably have not tasted a Cab Franc with this degree of ripeness. Wine made from Cab Franc grapes grown in cool climate areas typically has a lot of vegetal aromas and flavors (specifically green bell pepper). They’ll jump from the glass at you and most people find this attribute unappealing. The Tabalí has this attribute but it is slight, not unappealing and you’ll have to go looking for it. The tasting notes speak of black raspberries and violets and I think that you’ll find them present in the wine. This wine would benefit from several years in the cellar. I wish that I had space as it would be interesting to see how this wine evolves over time. The alcohol level at 15.1% is ridiculous but it is decently integrated in the wine. Fatty foods help to tame it.

The $20 Château Peymelon 2006 Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon—VINTAGES#: 512558 is a good buy. There is a slight off-putting scent of candy on the nose and the wine is tannic but here is your chance to taste an 11 year old Bordeaux that hits a lot of the aged Bordeaux attributes for $20. If you are a fan of Bordeaux then it’s pretty hard to argue that this wine does not represent good value. If you are willing to pay about double then consider the $43 Château Haut-Bergey 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot—VINTAGES#: 516161, a more sophisticated and classical Bordeaux wine that would benefit from several more years of cellar time.

The $18 La Chablisienne Saint Bris 2016 Sauvignon Blanc—VINTAGES#: 641753 is a novelty wine. The novelty is that Saint Bris region is the sole region is Burgundy that is allowed to make wine with Sauvignon Blanc grapes. Supposedly, this wine could trick experts to think that it is Chardonnay but, in a blind tasting, it fooled none of the amatuer tasters that gathered on Sunday. If you are a fan of French Sauvignon Blanc then this wine is a decent buy.

The $50 Caparzo Brunello di Montalcino 2012 Sangiovese —VINTAGES#: 579094 is a good purchase. The wine is from a good vintage and displays classic Brunello flavors. It’s a balanced wine that you could drink now or cellar for many years. The price is decent as the fair value of this wine on the world market is about $30USD. You could expect to pay as high as $60 here. Book a table at your favorite BYOB Italian restaurant and bring a bottle.

The $35 Faustino I Gran Reserva 2004 Tempranillo Blend—VINTAGES#: 976662 is a decent value, especially if you are willing to store and age the wines. Yes, the wine is 13 years old but the wine’s components would benefit from significant cellar time. If you consume this wine now (or in the next few years) please decant it for at least an hour. The wine’s exposure to wood needs to settle so that the wine’s other elements come through. Air time will help. Years in the bottle would be better.

Wines to avoid

The $17 Beni di Batasiolo Langhe Rosso 2014 Nebbiolo Blend—VINTAGES#: 981019 is table wine that has an off-putting sourness and is overpriced. While I agree with other reviewers that it is accurate blend of local varieties the wine lacks appeal in the final product. Not a fan at this price.

The $15 Vetiver Viura 2014 Viura (Macabeo)—VINTAGES#: 437707 is floral, slightly bitter and simple. The tasting notes confounds me as they recommend aging this wine to as long as 2024. To the group that tasted this wine on Sunday, it was a simple dock wine and it’s now too cold to sit on a dock and drink chilled white wine.

The $15  Susana Balbo Crios Red Blend 2016 Red Blend —VINTAGES#: 366146 is a basic house wine. Again, the tasting notes overstate the attributes of this wine. There is a spiciness to the nose that is slightly medicinal that may put some people off. I also grew weary of this wine after a single glass. At this price point it’s just an okay wine and you would served better if you spent an extra $5 to buy the Susana Balbo Signature Malbec, which is discussed above. You are worth it.