Don't get me wrong - there are some very good wines from South Africa and, like wines from everywhere else, South African ones have been improving.
One common feature that's unique to South Africa is the secondary note of "band aid" in its red wines, and it can be found in a number of different varietals - it's vaguely reminiscent of the smell of the rubber and adhesive on a bandage. It's sometimes just barely there, sometimes really strong, and sometimes not there at all. The main culprit is probably brettanomyces (aka "brett"), which is a bacteria found around vineyards. It thrives in oak barrels, especially if conditions are warm.
In some classic French wines, it can be considered a good thing - another earthy aroma. But too much is not good and, even though it can exist anywhere, it's much more common in South African wines. It's not clear why, but perhaps conditions in SA are more favourable for brett to grow - certainly it is present in many wineries. Brett is very difficult to get rid of, but there are a few techniques to control or minimize the effects of it on the wines. White wines are not affected by the band aid note.
In any case to summarize the South African reds' band aid aroma - the wine you choose could have lots, some or none. Many people don't mind it or even like it. I myself am quite brett-tolerant, but there does come a point... The South African reds I've selected do not exhibit the band-aid note, though I decline all responsibility for the kooky Cafe Culture Pinotage, which I put in for fun - not sure what's happening there.
Additionally, a new wine from Perrin (Cotes du Rhone Nature 2006) was released too but, just a short while after writing that I thought Perrin "could do no wrong" I'm now inclined to add "but they don't always get it right". The Nature is certainly drinkable "nice fruit, not bad, simple," I wrote, but, at $17.95, it's really not worth it. But by all means keep buying the Perrin Reserve - it's both better and cheaper ($14.95), and there's lots available out there.
In terms of Valentine's Day, well, apart from some rose champagnes - Deutz and Gosset would be wise choices - there's not really much different in the selection of wines. But then, let's be frank, any day can be Valentine's Day with the right wine and the right person.
Visit the LCBO website to check availability near you.
Chateau Jarr 2007. $15.95 ** TOP VALUE WHITE**
Bordeaux, France
This nicely muted Bordeaux take on sauvignon blanc (75%, sauv blanc, 25% semillon) has a fresh nose with a bit of grass and lime. It's a little rounder than expected on the palate, is very fresh with more lemon-lime notes, but has very little in the way of herbaceous or tropical fruit notes, which is, actually, fine. This restrained smoothie is good value. 88 points.
Cuatro Pasos Mencia 2006. $16.95 ** TOP VALUE RED**
Bierzo, Spain
This wine is made by terrific albarino producers Bodegas Martin Codax, who must have branched out from Spain's best white DO (Rias Baixas) to one of its top red DOs (Bierzo). Rich and fruity nose - rather more New World than Old World in style, with big red berry fruit and an almost sweet edge. Very young and fresh on the palate. The tannins are big enough to lend a serious edge to the almost Beaujolais style lightness of the fruit. A fun wine. 88 points.
Le Clos Jordanne is a joint venture between Vincor Canada and Boisset France. The focus is very narrow: just the chardonnay and pinot noir that are permitted in Burgundy, where Boisset is based.
Although plans for a grand winery building and visitor centre designed by Frank Gehry remain on ice, few expenses have been spared in making the premium wines.
Le Clos Jordanne Claystone Terrace Chardonnay 2006. $40
VQA Niagara
Fairly bold nose of white fruit with spice notes and vanilla. Smooth and fresh on the palate, which also has a smoky note, some caramel, apple and a bit of lemon. Nice smoky finish. 90 points.
Le Clos Jordanne La Petite Vineyard Pinor Noir 2006. $40
VQA Niagara
Rich and extracted nose of very dark red fruit and some secondary spicy notes. Smooth and elegant on the palate, which has nicely ripe red berry and cherry fruit, as well as a bit of tobacco/cigar box. Tannins and acidity are both high but nicely balanced. Good lingering finish. 90 points.
Le Clos Jordanne Claystone Terrace Pinot Noir 2006. $40
VQA Niagara
Bold nose with less fruit than the La Petite, but a similar profile. Fresh and lovely on the palate, with a modest amount of ripe berry and cherry fruit. Still tannic though and there are smoke notes. Nice but modest finish. This would be an elegant with-food choice. 89 points
Le Clos Jordanne Le Clos Jordanne Vineyard Pinot Noir 2006. $40
VQA Niagara
Moderately fruity on the nose, which has blackberry and cherry, perhaps a bit over-extracted. However it's super smooth and elegant on the palate, with ripe cherry fruit, mineral notes and a bit of earthiness: just what you want in a pinot. 91 points.
The Sparkling Wines
Deutz Rose Brut Champagne. $63.95
Champagne, France
Very light pink colour. Lots of light red berry fruit. Beautifully smooth fine mousse on the palate, which is dry. There's a bit of strawberry fruit and a chalky note. Very elegant as usual - and there's a lingering and discreet finish of light red fruit. 91 points.
Forget-Brimont Rose Brut Champagne. $53.95
Champagne, France
Fairly bold nose with nougat, orange marmalade and berry. Quite sharp acidity and very aggressive bubbles initially. Some mineral notes, good fruit levels and there's a nice finish of more nougat. 88 points.
Gosset Grand Rose Brut Champagne. $79.95
Champagne, France
Super pale salmon colour and then a surprisingly full nose of ripe strawberry and some biscuit. Smooth, rich and quite full on the palate, which has a hint of caramel. Crisp acidity keeps it fresh. Some citrus peel and a lovely finish. 92 points.
Langois Chateau Brut Rose. $21.95 ** GOOD VALUE **
Loire Valley France
This cremant de Loire is made with 100% cabernet franc (!) and has a more pink than salmon colour. Fresh light nose of strawberries and light red fruit. Lovely and dry, not too bubbly, more light red fruit on the palate and a good finish. This cremant is a nice surprise at a nice price. 88 points.
Jackson-Triggs Proprietors' Grand Reserve Brut 2003. $24.95
VAQ Niagara
The nose is fairly modest on this one, with a bit of biscuit. Things liven up on the palate, which is very dry. There is a lot of apple fruit and more biscuit. Good acidity levels, very fresh, nice citrus finish. 87 points.
The Whites
Delheim Sur Lie Chardonnay. $17.95
Stellenbosch, South Africa
Pleasant and muted nose of apple, vanilla and a bready note. Very smooth and rather round on the palate, which has restrained fruit - more apple and some lemon - almost elegant, but stopped by the slightly sweetish note. A pleasant, easy drinking chard with an OK finish with lingering fruit notes. 87 points.
Graham Beck Sauvignon Blanc. $13.95
Cape Province, South Africa
Over the top nose of grassy herbaceousness - it's really in your face. These notes carry though onto the palate and are joined by some tropical fruit notes. Acidity is fairly low and so it's fuller and rounder than a French or NZ offering. Nice and cheap though. 86 points.
Martin Steimer Pinot Gris 2007. $18.95
Alsace, France
Nicely aromatic nose - Alsacian pinot gris is not Italian pinot grigio. There are lots of ripe white fruit notes. It's soft but fresh on the palate, which verges on off dry, but has enough acidity to balance. There's a lot of fruit flavour here and it's all muted. Lovely lingering finish. 88 points.
La Chablisienne Chablis La Singuliere 1ere Cru 2005. $29.95
Burgundy, France
Very elegant and discreet nose with floral notes and a bit of butter. Zippy acidity and fresh lemon on the palate, which is also dry and minerally. Smooth finish. Nice. 89 points.
Maison Champy Pernana-Vergelesses 2006. $29.95
Burgundy, France
Rich and oakier nose here, and there's also some vanilla and anise. On the palate it's smooth yet crisp and elegant. Butterscotch notes, more citrus, nice finish. 90 points
Chateau de Quincay Sauvignon Selection Tradition 2007. $13.95 ** GOOD VALUE **
Loire Valley, France
Very unusual nose for a sauvignon blanc - the fresh grass is there, but there's orange peel too. Simple, fresh and dry on the palate, which has some lemon. The finish is not bad. 87 points.
The Reds
Graham Beck Merlot 2004. $15.95
Western Cape, South Africa
Nice nose with a darker edge - woody and even charred notes over muted fruit. Light and juicy surprise on the palate - fresh red berry and cherry fruit. Very approachable. 87 points
Groenland Shiraz 2004. $18.95
Stellenbosch, South Africa
Rich dark nose with earthy tones, lots of ripe red fruit and a bit of spice. On the palate there's more ripe fruit and the overall feel is plush. Fairly simple, but good. 87 points.
Cathedral Cellars 2003. $16.95 ** GOOD VALUE **
Cape Province, South Africa
The bottle at the tasting was slightly corked, but I managed to get another sample - Cathedral Cellars are usually pretty reliable. Nice complexity on the nose, which has soft ripe red fruit with secondary notes of undergrowth, herbs and a little menthol. Fairly smooth on the palate, which is simpler than the nose. There are grippy tannins and a dark note with some woodiness under the red berry fruit. Acidity is moderate, but there's enough to keep it from being round. This has an Old World feel to it and a nice fresh finish that highlights the fruit. 87/88 points
Cafe Culture Pinotage 2008. $13.95
Western Cape, South Africa
Well you can't do South Africa without doing its own grape, pinotage. It's a cross between pinot noir and cinsaut (cinsault) and... you'd never know it. Usually a pretty big wine, the fruit notes are dark. With this one, they've decided to pump up the coffee notes that are also often present in pinotage. Initial and quite remarkable blast of ground coffee on the nose, followed by dark red berry fruit and charred wood. Very full on the palate, the acidity is moderate and there's a round feel. The red plummy fruit is very ripe, the coffee notes are still there, but give it long enough and a caramel note emerges - mocha frappucino anyone? Modest finish on this quirky number. 86 points.
Opus One 2005. $360.95
Napa, California
Beautifully integrated nose that seems more Bordeaux than California - there's the rich ripe plummy fruit you'd expect, but a bit muted. And then there's also pencil shavings and tobacco leaf secondary notes: you know it's going to be fantastic. It's full, dark and rich on the palate, but the acidity is up to the task of balancing the obvious tannins. It's already quite smooth on the palate, which has woody notes. The fruit is noticeably ripe but doesn't feel over-extracted. Beautiful lingering finish on this cab dominated meritage blend that takes top honours in the "overpriced" category - but then this is a highly collectable wine, and older vintages hold their value, with many selling online for US$300-500 per bottle (C$375-600). What's particularly impressive is that even though this will improve for a decade or two, it's so good to drink already. 95 points.
Ridge Santa Cruz Mountains Estate 2005. $60.95
Santa Cruz, California
Super rich nose of extracted dark red fruit - blackberries and cherries, plus spice and a bit of woodiness. Very full on the palate. Acidity and tannins are both high, but there's smooth, rich, ripe cherry fruit. Good balance, great lingering finish with more cherry. This one will get even better with time. 90 points
Sarah Powell Pinot Noir 2003. $39.95
Rogue Valley, Oregon
The state most famous for its pinot noir is not the least bit shy about charging for it - it's difficult to find decent Oregon pinots under $40. This one has a fairly bold nose of strawberry and cherry fruit with a faint hint of spice. It's full and fresh on the palate, which has more spice and some caramel over ripe white fruit. Very New World, very friendly. 89 points.
Reacer Punto Final Reserva Malbec 2005. $23.95 ** GOOD PREMIUM VALUE **
Mendoza, Argentina
Rich dark nose of charred wood and forest berries. Rich and smooth on the palate - no malbec roughness here. Ripe and juicy fruit - red berries and plums mainly. Great smoky finish with plums. A terrific example of Argentina "trading up" and succeeding. 90 points.
Chateau de Pez 2006. $48.95
Bordeaux, France
Dark and fruity nose with classic Bordeaux notes of cigar box and pencil shavings. Rich ripe blackberry fruit on the palate, which is super smooth. Lovely lingering finish on this classy Bordeaux - so young yet so ready! 90 points.
Chateau Roudier 2005. $28.95
Bordeaux, France
Moderately dark nose of tobacco and cigar box over dark cherry. Lovely smooth ripe fruity surprise on the palate - but it's no real surprise: it's a St-Emilion, a merlot-heavy zone that's typically the fruitiest of the BX ACs. The tannins are fairly soft, the acidity is moderate and the fruit is there. A lovely Bordeaux at a good price. 89 points.
Louis Jadot Beaune Boucherottes 1er Cru 2006. $59.95
Burgundy, France
Louis Jadot just knows what's what. The company is one of the premier negociants in Burgundy and it has an extraordinary range of wines, including some Beaujolais. Prices range from almost cheap to three figures, but in my experience they don't sell anything but good wine. If you can spare sixty bucks for this one, you'll get a rich yet elegant nose of light red fruit, earth and leather. It's beautiful and silky smooth on the palate, which manages to be light and juicy, and fresh and ripe at once. The classic Burgundy secondary notes of leather, tobacco and earth are modest yet and the finish is lovely. This is a youngster still of course. I wrote "with some animal/barnyard secondary [notes], this would be amazing." 91 points.
Pierre Laplace Madiran 2005. $14.95 ** GOOD VALUE **
Madiran, France
Muted nose with dark red fruit and a hint of powdered candy. Nicely smooth and not over-tannic (which some Madirans, made from the heavyweight grape tannat, can be), but the tannins are there. Acidity and fruit are more muted than expected, but there's a nice fruity finish of plum. 87 points.
D'Arenberg The High Trellis Cabernet Sauvignon 2006. $19.95
McLaren Vale, South Australia
Terrific and well priced quality Aussie cab here from reliable producers d'Arenberg. Lovely blackberry fruit on the nose, which also has some spice and earthy notes. Smooth and darkly fruity, the acidity and tannins are balanced and it's a good, full body. Nice finish. 88 points
Kilikanoon Blocks Road Cabernet Sauvignon 2006. $34.95
Clare Valley, South Australia
Here's an absolutely lovely knockout cab that's both New World and smoothly elegant in style. Rich dark fruit on the nose, which also has secondary notes of earthiness, as well as herbal hints. Super smooth and fruity on the palate, which is well balanced and sleek. Great finish. 91 points.
McWilliams Mount Pleasant Shiraz 2005. $19.95 ** GOOD VALUE **
Hunter Valley, New South Wales
Rich and bold nose of dark red fruit - mainly blackberry - plus a spicy note and white pepper. Smooth on the palate, which is full of ripe red fruit without being a fruit bomb - so it's nicely reserved. There's also not bad complexity from secondary notes of spice and pepper, and the tannins and acidity are well balanced. McWilliams is a reliable producer - so this is just business as usual, i.e., excellent. 89 points.
Terredora Lacryma Christi Del Vesuvio Rosso 2005. $20.95
Campania, Italy
This region, near Naples, produces a lot of wine, but most of it is 'vino da tavola' which is not regulated by the DOC system. This one is DOC Campania and while the 'tears of Christ' will likely not bring tears of joy to your eyes, it's still mighty fine: rich and evolved nose with the character of an older wine (even though it's only 3). Fairly big on the palate. Tannins are high but there is a lot of ripe red fruit and some floral and herbal notes too. Nice finish. 88 points.
Pio Cesare Barbaresco 2004. $73.95
Piedmont, Italy
Lovely and subtle nose with smoke, plums and tar. Rich on the palate and the tar carries through here, and everything is very fresh - big ripe cherry fruit dominates, tannins and acidity are still high there are some tobacco notes and great length on the finish. 91 points.
Pio Cesare Barbera D'Alba 2006. $21.95
Piedmont, Italy
There has been a dramatic decrease in the acreage growing barbera in Italy over the last 20 years - most of the product wasn't very good, apparently. Well here's a very good barbera. Beautiful and complex dark nose with a dark, earthy note under red flowers and red berry fruit. Very zesty on the palate, which has good fresh acidity. There are oaky notes of vanilla over the ripe red berry/cherry fruit. Nice finish. 89 points.
Ca'Marcanda Promis 2006. $49.95
Tuscany, Italy
Lovely rich nose of dark red berry fruit on this Super Tuscan, which is a merlot, syrah and sangiovese blend. Super smooth and ripe on the palate, which has vanilla notes, some tar, fresh acidity balancing the tannins and a lovely, plummy finish. 91 points.
Clos St. Thomas Les Emirs 2004. $16.95
Bekaa Valley, Lebanon
Yes it's off the beaten track, yes it's very hot there, yes this is a relatively unusual blend (cab sauv, syrah and grenache), but no, this wine is not bad. Interestingly dark nose with a bit of stewed fruit, including strawberry. Rich, dark and tar-y on the palate which has nice fresh berry fruit and some spice. Interesting. 87 points.
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