.jpg)
Colder weather favours reds and this release highlights the rich Italian styles amarone and ripasso. Amarone is made in the Valpolicella region near Venice and it's a big, rich full red. It's one of the cooler parts of Italy, so Veneto winemakers came up with a technique to get more richness - sort of like "late harvest" with rieslings. The main grape is corvina, which is also used to make the simpler valpolicella wines, and other local grapes find their way into the blend too.
The grapes designated to become amarone are left to hang on the vines longer for greater ripeness. Then, instead of going into the hopper and fermentation tanks, they are spread out on mats on special shelving and left to sit for up to several months. The process dries them out and causes them to shrivel - so, like icewine grapes that freeze out the water, the amarone grapes end up with denser and more concentrated sugars and flavours following the evaporation. The wines are then usually aged three, four or more years before release. The end result is a rich, full bodied wine, usually with notes of stewed fruit and very concentrated flavours.
As you can imagine, it's a more expensive and labour intensive process, so amarones are never cheap. A cheaper alternative is called ripasso. That means "re-passed", and it uses the leftovers from the amarone production in a new batch. According to Jancis Robinson in her encyclopedia, extra flavour and alcohol is added "by refermenting the young wine on the unpressed skins of amarone wines after these dried grape wines have finished their fermentation in the spring". Robinson warns that while it adds body and character, what's mostly added is "bitter tannins". Some producers, however, do use dried grapes instead of the amarone leftovers, but these tend not to have dried out as long. The quality level of the selection is very good, but time constraints mean I didn't write much on them. The amarones are also quite expensive - the catalogue cover models are $52.95 each.
Tezza Amarone Corte Majoli 2003. $38.95
Lovely and concentrated nose with dried/aged fruit notes like raisins and currants, as well as earthy and chocolate notes. Smooth and rich on the palate, which is well balanced and fresh and the dried fruit notes carry through, as does the earthiness. Smooth. 88 points.
Tezza Ripasso Valpolicella Ma Roat 2005. $17.95
The little sister is more affordable. Ripe and rich nose again, but the red cherry fruit is lighter and fresher. On the relatively smooth palate, the fruit is good and ripe, but with darker notes like earth coming through. 87 points
Stefano Accordini Valpolicella Classico Superiore Acinatico Ripasso 2005. $28.95
Rich ripe fresh cherry/berry nose with smoky cedary notes. Vanilla and chocolate milk on the palate, which also has surprisingly fresh - and ripe - berry fruit. 88 points.
Tedeschi Capital Dei Nical Valpolicella Classico Superiore 2006. $18.95
Very ripe nose of dark berry fruit with secondary notes of iodine squeaking through. Smooth and fresh on the palate - there's really not much in the way of aged or dried characteristics, yet it's a good rich wine. Nice fresh finish. 87 points.
There are some other interesting Italians too, including a super sangiovese and a nice nebbiolo. Argentina offers some good value and there's an interesting Washington state cab too.
...
The Sparkling Wines
Wolf Blass Gold Label Pinot Noir/Chardonnay. $20.95
South Australia
The two main champagne grapes go into this corporate product of "premium vineyards throughout South Australia", and to good effect. Muted and smooth nose with a hint of caramel and sourdough notes. Fresh and zesty on the palate, which has nice lemon and ripe white fruit. Not super fizzy, but it stays fresh. OK finish. 87 points.
Graham Beck Blanc de Blancs Premier Cuvee Brut 2005. $21.95
Robertson, South Africa
100% chardonnay here, there's a fairly muted and not too fruity nose with just a bit of biscuit. On the palate, there's a pleasantly sweet edge balanced with crisp acidity. Baked apple pie, ripe apples and a creamy, slightly buttery, texture. Very smooth finish, very nice. 88 points.
The White Wines
Flat Rock Cellars Chardonnay 2006. $16.95 ** GOOD VALUE **
VQA Niagara
Quite oaky nose with smoke and vanilla. Fresh and lively on the palate, even though it manages to feel slightly round. Lemon, smoke, quite ripe white fruit - apple - and a nice fresh finish. 87 points.
Murphy-Goode Chardonnay 2006. $21.95
Sonoma, California
Fresh and slightly sweet nose with some vanilla and a little fruit. Light and fresh on the palate, which suggests a judiciously conservative approach to the oak. There's vanilla, apple, pear on the palate and a bit of sweet lemon on the pleasant finish. 87 points.
Dog Point Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2007. $21.95
Marlborough, New Zealand
Classic NZ nose of grassy herbaceousness and even a bit of bug spray. Super fresh and zippy on the palate, even though it's got notes from the other side of sauvignon blanc - ripe lemon and some tropical fruit notes. Nice finish that's both rich and fresh. 88 points.
Kim Crawford Unoaked Chardonnay 2007. $19.95
Marlborough, New Zealand
Very muted nose with delicate flowery notes. Very fruity on the palate - nice ripe white fruit with tropical notes. Lovely finish with a bit of a butter, which is probably from time on the yeasty lees. Really doesn't seem like a chard, much less an unoaked one. 88 points.
KWV Cathedral Cellar Chardonnay 2005. $14.95 ** GOOD VALUE **
Cape Province, South Africa
Here's a low-priced blast of smoke and oak with some good lemon notes as well on the nose. On the palate, it's fresh and zesty with lemon fruit, some apple and even a spicy note. Nice smooth lingering finish on this great value chard. 87/88 points.
Leon Beyer Riesling Les Ecaillers 2005. $29.95
Alsace, France
Lovely riesling nose with a petrol hint, tropical fruit, lemon and a bit of mineral: complex. Super fresh and dry on the palate, which is nicely lean and serves up good fruit and segues smoothly into a lingering finish with more minerality. 90 points
Domaine Manciat-Poncet Macon-Charnay 2006. $21.95 ** GOOD VALUE **
Burgundy, France
Ever the "value" district for white burgs, Macon delivers here, but even better than usual. Rich and creamy nose - a surprise for an unoaked chard - it's tangy and creamy at the same time, with citrus notes and nougat. Super fresh and lively on the palate, the initial acid blast retreats leaving lemon and butter, a mineral note and a clean fresh finish. Very complex for an unoaked. 89 points.
Isabell et Denis Pommier Chablis 1er Cru Cote de Lechet 2006. $37.95
Burgundy, France
Lovely nose of smoky oak and lemon with a hint of butterscotch. Zippy acidity, great mineral notes over a smooth, buttery core and muted white fruit. Lovely finish, which lingers and gives another hint of smoke. Very elegant. 90 points.
Michel Delorme Pouilly-Fuisse sur la Roche 2006. $29.95
Burgundy, France
Fairly bold nose with a hint of anise. Great level of acidity - clean and smooth on the medium bodied palate. Lemon, mineral notes, muted fruit over a pleasantly creamy base. Nice finish. 90 points.
Peter Zemmer Pinot Grigio 2007. $17.95
Alto Adige, Italy
Big fresh fruity nose with citrus, apricot and some pear. Decent acidity and there's a hint of the pinot grigio "undertone" on the palate, but not too distracting. Nice ripe fruit and a fresh finish. 86 points.
The Red Wines
Jackson-Triggs Proprietors' Grand Reserve Meritage 2005. $24.95 ** GOOD VALUE **
VQA Niagara
Here's a fine Niagara red from one of the biggest producers... and an example of how they are getting very good at the high end. David Lawrason says that, with its new winemaker (who didn't make this 05 btw), Jackson-Triggs is getting better all the time. Anyway, 05 was a good, hot summer - your cue that it's OK to buy bigger reds from Ontario. Lovely rich nose with ripe berry fruit and smoky secondary notes. Smooth and fresh on the palate, which is medium bodied. Acidity and tannins are balanced and there's ripe cherry and berry fruit over tobacco and cedar, and the secondary notes are developing nicely. Nice lingering fresh finish. 89 points.
J. Lohr Seven Oaks Cabernet Sauvignon 2006. $39.95 (1.5L)
Paso Robles, California
This has now been made a Vintages Essential since, according to Vintages, "it disappears from store shelves with lightening speed so we decided to make it an Essential ensuring that it's always available". Well it's easy to see why: there just aren't enough large format bottles available, and those that are tend to be cheap plonk. So here's a good quality cab in a big bottle. Very New World Cali though, so get ready for a biggish fruity nose and then a soft, easy drinking palate of ripe cherry and berry fruit, but with good secondary notes of tobacco and wood as well as vanilla and spice notes - so there's a decent amount of complexity. OK finish. 88 points.
Kenwood Merlot 2005. $22.95
Sonoma, California
Big fruity nose of dark cherries and plum. Drier and less fruity than expected on the palate. Smooth, however, even though the tannins are fairly bold. Nice finish with plum. 87 points.
Hedges Cellars CMS 2006. $17.95
Columbia Valley, Washington
An odd blend here signalled in the intials on the label: cabernet sauvignon, merlot and syrah. Rich and complex nose with red berry fruit as well as tobacco and burnt wood. Ripe and round on the palate, this Americano is soft and smooth. For a total Pacific Northwest fruit bomb experience, try this. 87 points.
Finca El Origen Gran Reserva Malbec 2006. $24.95
Valle de Uco, Argentina
No wonder this one's above $20 - the bottle weighs a ton! I'm sure it added a few dollars to the price. Meanwhile, the wine is actually a great example of Argentina doing malbec well. Quite an intense and dark nose, and the full-bodied palate is very dry, yet chock full of dark berry fruit with secondary notes including spiciness. The fresh finish lightens things up nicely at the end. 88 points.
Lurton Reserva Malbec. $13.95 ** GOOD VALUE **
Mendoza, Argentina
Half the price and half the weight (and I'm not talking about the bottle). This is a much lighter take on malbec and it would be a good entry point. The nose is fruity and there's a hint of darker notes - though not necessarily the preferred type. Meanwhile, on the palate, it's fairly simple, with juicy, ripe fruit and a medium body. Not very complex, but a decent and well priced wine. 86 points.
Michel Torino Ciclos Malbec/Merlot 2006. $18.95
Cafayate, Chile
Across the Andes, Chile can turn out some decent malbec too - and this one really scores with the addition of merlot. Rich and fruity nose, with ripe blackberry and secondary woody notes. Rich and ripe on the palate, which is smooth - acidity and tannins are a balanced medium. Lovely fresh ripe berries and a hint of mint. Good finish. 88 points.
Elderton Shiraz 2005. $32.95 ** GOOD VALUE **
Barossa Valley, South Australia
The Barossa Valley is the source of some of Australia's finest shirazes and this one is right up there - actually well priced for the level of quality. Rich and bold nose with good complexity as the spicy, plummy and cherry notes swirl around. Super smooth on the full palate, which is fresh and dense, with lots of ripe fruit, including the plums and cherries again, and there's also a nice vanilla note. Given the acidity, tannin and fruit levels, this one will age beautifully, but it's already approachable. 91 points.
Wynn's Coonawarra Estate Shiraz 2006. $24.95 ** GOOD VALUE **
Coonawarra, South Australia
Rich ripe nose with good red fruit. Secondary notes include iodine and some mint, giving nice complexity. Very fresh on the palate, with acidity high and tannins medium. This is a smooth, ripe and very pleasant cab with a nice finish. 89 points.
Kim Crawford Merlot 2007. $19.95
Hawkes Bay, New Zealand
Rich and fruity nose of dark red berry fruit and earth. The fruit is very ripe on the palate, which is fresh and has zesty acidity as well as some spicy notes creeping in . Nice red fruit finish. 87 points.
Kim Crawford Pinot Noir 2007. $19.95
Marlborough, New Zealand
Rich and bold nose with dark cherry fruit but not much else. Acidity is high, but it's very smooth on the palate, which has lots of ripe cherry fruit and even some strawberry. Little in the way of secondary notes on this very New World pinot - but then that's a popular style and this is a great example. If you've had one too many thin and sour pinots from the northern hemisphere (not singling out any eastern provinces of northern countries or anything) grab this antipodean. 87 points.
Sileni The Triangle Merlot 2006. $18.95
Hawkes Bay, New Zealand
There's a bold and oaky nose on this one - lots of dark red fruit with cedar and some spice too. Acidity is high, tannins are moderate as is the amount of red fruit. There are some nice darker earthy notes and a bit of tobacco too. Nice finish with plum. 87 points.
Chateau Preuillac 2005. $29.95
Bordeaux, France
Great fruit for a Bordeaux! Almost sweet cherry and blackberry dominate the bold nose. Then it's very dry on the palate, with girppy tannins, good acidity, nice ripe fruit with some cigar/tobacco notes under - this one will definitely improve with age. 89 points.
Domaine des Graves D'Ardonneau Cuvee Prestige 2005. $24.95 ** GOOD VALUE **
Bordeaux, France
Lovely and surprisingly fruity nose on this 85% merlot Bordeaux. Rich smooth ripe fruit on the palate - ripe cherries and blackberries, there's also a bit of cedar, smoke, licorice and there's an almost meaty quality towards the finish, which lingers. A lovely Bordeaux. 89 points.
Domaine Bernard Baudry Chinon 2006. $19.95
Loire Valley, France
Very unusual nose on this 100% cab franc from the home of the grape - there's ripe cherry fruit, red licorice and the green, bell pepper edge. Tannins are high and it's very dry on the palate, which is not overly fruity, though there are nice cherries on the finish. 86 points.
Chateau Pineraie Cahors 2005. $17.95 ** GOOD VALUE **
Cahors, France
Nicely complex nose of dark raspberry and floral notes and some nice herbal aromas. Fresh and smooth on the palate. Medium bodied, nice ripe fruit and a very good finish. 87/88 points.
Salustri Santa Marta Single Vineyard Montecucco Sangiovese 2005. $40.95
Tuscany, Italy
This wine is from a very small appellation next to Montalcino. There's a lovely rich nose with cherry, raspberry, spice and pencil shavings. Great acidity on the palate, which has rich ripe cherry/plum notes. Very smooth and beautifully integrated secondary notes and an amazingly long finish with lots of fruit. The alcohol is high at 14.5%, but you'd never know it if you didn't check. Terrific. 91 points.
Santa Barbara Salice Salentino Rosso 2005. $14.95
Puglia, Italy
Fresh and spicy nose with light red fruit notes. Medium-full bodied with fresh acidity on the palate, which has more muted berry fruit than expected - redcurrants too. Very drinkable. Smooth finish. 87 points.
Fontodi Chianti Classico 2005. $27.95
Tuscany, Italy
Rich and complex nose with lots of dark red fruit, licorice and mint. Medium bodied. Tannins and acidity both elevated. Nice ripe fruit, including cherries, and a good solid finish with fresh acidity lifting it up. 88 points.
Capcanes Costers Del Gravet 2005. $25.95
Montsant, Spain
Beautifully rich, smooth and fruity, this 60% cabernet sauvignon wine (the rest garnacha and carinena) has good tannins and acidity, fresh ripe cherries and raspberries as well as woody notes. Lovely finish of sweet plum with a fresh lift of acidity at the end. 89 points.
.jpg){kind=logo}
