Wines that left their mark in 2011(2)
Mantra of 2011 – Thin is in
When my chef buddy Louis-Phillipe is over for dinner and it comes time to choose the evening’s wine, I always ask him what he wants to drink. We both smile, because the answer is always the same – something “thin.”
Wait – thin? Aren’t wines, especially red wines, supposed to be rich, creamy and as one noted American wine critic often says, hedonistic?
I am over it. The more I drink, the less I want those thick and creamy red wines that seem to be better suited as a substitute for dessert than drinking with a main course. It is already happening in white wines, where winemakers are highlighting acidity, freshness and minerality. Let’s see more of that in red wines.
Enough of the over-ripening of grapes, which kills acidity, and using additives like gum arabic, a substance sourced from Acacia trees, to fatten up textures. No more cream balls!
Big wine company of the year – Masi
I still have fond memories of how Masi press attaché Elisa Venturini pronounces the name of the winery – à la Veronese: Máhhhhsi. Every year, I like to single out a larger wine producer for a job well done. Masi makes a whole lot of wine, yet at the same time maintains quality and a sense of place. From the Modello rosé ($13.95, SAQ #10791803) to the always steady Valpolicella Ripasso Campofiorin ($19.95, SAQ #155051) to its high-end and fabulous single-vineyard Amarone Mazzano ($98, SAQ #545129), the wines always say “Veneto.”
Booze of the year – scotch is back
I still love my “clear” alcohols – grappa, good tequila and so forth, but I seem to have emptied more than a few of those bottles of scotch that were gathering dust in my cupboard. But while I love a great single malt, I am primarily a blend drinker. I realize that I am in the minority here, but blended whisky is starting to gain greater recognition. In the 2011 edition of his Whisky Bible, whisky guru Jim Murray chose Ballantine’s 17 Year Old as his whisky of the year, beating out more than 4,500 brands, including single malts. My preference, if money is no object? Chivas Regal’s Royal Salute ($174, SAQ #56440). And for a single malt, I never say no to a glass of the 12-year-old Balvenie ($62.75, SAQ #387316).
The “I love you, I hate you” award
This is a new category in my yearly review, and I have a funny feeling that the winner will more often than not be our beloved monopoly – the SAQ. Last Christmas, frustrated by what I saw was an uninspired buying policy, I wrote a column calling for the SAQ to be at least partially dismantled to allow for our province’s wine agents to open their own stores. I just felt it was time that you, the interested wine consumer, should have easier access to all the incredible wines that are available these days on private import. Well, that is still a wish.
Then last February, the SAQ launched a promotion that plastered the face, and scores, of ex-Wine Spectator writer James Suckling in every SAQ across the province. Not only did it lend even more credence to the absolutely ridiculous 100-point scoring system – I still can’t believe the guy gives points for the colour of a wine – but at the same time the SAQ gave Suckling and his website a publicity campaign that was worth tens of thousands of dollars in exposure. What irked me most, as well as others, was that the exposure went to someone who has done absolutely nothing to help grow and educate the Quebec wine market.
So what does the SAQ do? Just when it was becoming such an easy target, it starts doing some things right. Damn, I hate that! Over the first few months, I had some good discussions with SAQ bigwigs, and they admitted that they had been a bit negligent in the specialty-wine category, instead focusing on regularly listed wines.
Well, during the past few months I have been shocked by some of the wines that have been showing up on the shelves. More smaller producers, lesser-known regions – so many great wines.
I have travelled all over the world, and if we in Quebec had a relatively enviable selection before, these days we are sitting even prettier.
Yes, we still pay way too much for the regularly listed products, most of which are industrial wines, lifeless and uninteresting.
But with the specialty wines, things are moving in the right direction.
This week’s suggestions: cabernet-sauvignons and merlots
Winter is definitely on its way, and that means it’s time for some bigger wines. Here are a few suggestions of cabernet sauvignon- or merlot-based wines.
Côtes de Bourg 2008, La Petite Chardonne, Louis Marinier, France red, $23.35, SAQ #919068. Classically styled Bordeaux merlot. All red fruit, touch of that graphite minerality, very fresh, with gentle tannins and a velvety mouth. Classic. Still young and showing a touch of oak, but this is ready to go. Serve at 18C. Drink now-2015. Food-pairing idea: Beef or chicken stir-fries with Thai curry.
Cabernet-Sauvignon 2008, Margaret River, Vasse Felix, Australia red, $33.50, SAQ #10250265. Has that Margaret River elegance and finesse. But make no mistake, this is pure Australia, which satisfies any need you might have for a purely fruit-driven cabernet. Has just enough acidity to add a refreshing tang to the finish. Serve at 18C. Drink now-2014. Food-pairing idea: Beef or chicken stir-fries with Thai curry.
Toscana Igt 2008, Lucente, Luce della Vite, Italy red, $34.75, SAQ #860627. Merlot, sangiovese and cabernet sauvignon. This is still a baby, just coming together. Black cherry and spice on the nose, but some pretty gritty tannin on the finish. Give it some time in the cellar for the merlot to become more plush. Serve at 18C. Drink now-2020. Food- pairing idea: Grilled lamb chops with rosemary.
Saint-Estèphe 2008, Château La Rousselière, France red, $36.50, SAQ #11472417. Has that thumping low end that I love in Ste-Estèphe wines. Not the most buoyant of Left-Bank Bordeaux, this is the richer, more sombre side of cabernet sauvignon. Just ripe blackberry, mixed with humus and olives. Sturdy as all heck. Just screams for roast beef, gravy, Yorkshire pudding and hearty winter fare. Serve at 18C. Drink now-2016. Food pairing idea: Roast beef.
