A balanced and juicy Malbec. This represents pretty decent value. Delicious dark fruit with a hint of smoke – silky from start to finish with no need to cellar. We went for the whole Argentinian experience and paired it with a Matambre using Lourdes Castro`s recipe from her excellent cookbook, Latin Grilling (link).
($22.49 at BCLCB) Very good.
2012 Quinta da Aveleda Vinho Verde
Vinho Verde, a much maligned region, has been making a comeback of late. Although it`s not uniform, many quintas have upped their game in the last few years. This inexpensive number gives you everything you could expect at this price point. Fresh, crisp, and light. An easy choice for the back patio on a hot day.
($15 at Everything Wine) Good.
2009 Domaine Bernard Baudry Chinon
Slightly old school (a good thing in my view) Cabernet Franc – Baudry is a consistent Loire producer and this entry level Chinon hits all the right notes to deliver a wine true to its origins. Almost an austere approach with pronounced acidity and taut tannins, but don`t let that scare you away. There is ample fruit to balance out the whole package making this a solid entry level choice to pair with a meal.
($26.50 at BCLCB) Good.
2009 Belle Glos Pinot Noir (Clark & Telegraph Vineyard)
Arguably a bit over the top on extraction, but I kept reaching for more. Almost a dark fruited pinot with some complexity and subtle tannins. A bit of a vanilla kick from the oak as well, but all in all, a well balanced effort in a warmer California style. You’re a long way from Burgundy here, but there’s still a lot to appreciate.
($44 at the BCLCB for the 2011/12 vintages). Very Good
2011 Il Padrino Pinot Grigio
An inoffensive basic value white wine. It’s both clean and refreshing. Don’t expect anything more than a standard patio sipper with a short finish, but it’s a decent choice at this price point.
($14 at Everything Wine). Average
2010 Akarua Pinot Noir
The cooler vintage helped produce a wonderful Central Otago Pinot Noir. An elegant nose gives way to a soft yet relatively complex set of flavours. Arguably nudging up to the “fruit bomb” label, but it’s more than saved by the balance, polish and length. I’ve spent more for a lot less.
($27 for the 2012/13 at BCLCB) Very Good
2011 Chateau de la Roulerie Chenin Blanc (Anjou Sec)
A straight forward solid value Chenin Blanc. It’s hard to argue the quality vs. price point ratio here. Thierry Germain is one of the big guns in the Loire and this wine comes from his brother Phillipe’s estate. The family experience shows here in a medium intensity effort with a nice balance of acidity and fruit. There’s even a touch of the savoury coupled with a medium length finish and a bit of minerality. A versatile wine for the table.
($16 at BCLCB) Good (perhaps even Very Good given the price).
2012 Pewsey Vale Eden Valley Riesling
It’s sometimes easy to forget that Clare Valley isn’t the only Aussie region producing premium dry Riesling. Eden Valley is part of the Barossa zone and its relatively cool climate can be well suited to this style of wine. Fairly intense lemon/line notes appear in both the bouquet and on the palate of this offering from Pewsey Vale. Fresh, bracing acidity and a decent length on the finish combine to make a very pleasing wine. This one could even stand up to some cellar time if you’re so inclined. Somewhat more expensive than the average entry level Riesling, but worth it for a true expression of the grape and the region.
($24 at both BCLCB and Everything Wine) Very Good
2012 Ebano Ribera del Duero
A 100% Tempranillo can be intriguing, but this wine seemed overdone. There’s value here given the low price, but the balance just wasn’t there with a too warm midpoint and a heavy hand on the oak. All push and no restraint.
(price and availability uncertain – estimated at $20 in the USA) Average
1999 Paul Bara Grand Cru Brut Reserve Champagne
What a rare treat. Paul Bara delivers an intense, taut wine with great verve. A laser like Bouzy with precision and almost a tinge of welcome bitterness to offset the layers of biscuit and toast. This one has length and grace and more than a few years in reserve due to the fine acidity. A reminder of how Mr. Bara was crafting fine wine long before individual “growers“ were “en vogue“.
(price unknown – purchased in Reims several years ago) Excellent
2012 Robert Mondavi Fume Blanc
I’ve always felt this wine punched above its price point. A well balanced Sauvignon Blanc with 13% Semillon to give it a bit of heft. You’re not going to get the precision of a similar blend from Pessac-Leognan, but at this price, the wine has very pleasant aromatics, a refreshing lemon/lime palate and what seemed to me to be a hint of herbs. Highly drinkable.
($19 at BCLCB) Good to Very Good considering the price
2007 Quinta do Vallado (Reserva Field Blend)
Simply a great wine. Rich, brambly, plump juice with a near perfect level of acidity to achieve a fine balance. Dark, complex, with both power and structure. The tannins provide ample backbone, but are silky just the same. All this and wonderful length. A blend of Tinta Roriz, Tinta Amarela, Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca and Sousao with all but the Nacional coming from vines in excess of 80 years old. What a pleasure. (tasted twice)
($35 purchased in Portugal) Excellent
2007 Bergstrom Cumberland Reserve Pinot Noir
A good example of Oregon Pinot Noir. Classic Pinot fragrance of tart cherries mixed with a herbal note. Very smooth with a lingering, almost sweet finish. Still some tension and acidity, but definitely at the drink now stage. All said a solid effort, but I somehow found myself satisfied as opposed to dazzled. The foundation is there and Bergstrom does produce Pinot at a higher price point, so perhaps it would be worthwhile to gamble a few more dollars?
($38 purchased in Portland) Very Good
2012 Barons de Rothschild (Lafite) Cabernet Sauvignon Los Vascos
I had the opportunity to visit Chateau Lafite in Bordeaux just after the 2011 en primeur campaign. One visit to the Pauillac estate leaves an indelible impression that the Rothschild clan isn’t about to put their name on a bottle unless its up to snuff. This wine is not, of course, remotely close to the first growth grande vin, but given the price, it’s a very well made effort. Lovely balance, forward on the fruit – you can tell that there is some real technical expertise being brought to play here. It made me want to go out and spend a couple of extra dollars on the Grande Reserve just to see if I could pick up some echoes of Bordeaux.
($20 at Everything Wine) Good
2008 Bruno Colin Bourgogne Aligote
Aligote has traditionally been viewed as a poor cousin to the more prestigious Chardonnay of Burgundy. It’s a hardier grape, however, and can do well in the cooler sites found in the region. It’s usual knock is that it has too much acidity, but this example does well in terms of balance. Bruno Colin’s wine comes from 30+ year old vines. Its subtle floral and citrus scents draw you in and lead to a crisp citrus palate with some hints of stone fruit (peach? nectarine?). There’s a bit of what I’d almost describe as an oiliness in the texture which is quite appealing. This bottle was downed quickly by my usual patio crew on a hot summer night. An interesting opportunity given the age of the wine – I found this one hidden in the back of my cellar and realized I hadn’t catalogued it. A nice surprise.
($20 – $30 at Marquis Wines – I simply can’t remember the exact price). Good.
2011 Joie “En Famille” Reserve Chardonnay
One of my favourite Okanagan Chardonnays. You can close your eyes at first sip and pretend you’re actually drinking a glass at a bistro in Macon. Joie selects its best grapes for this effort and takes great care with the wine to produce something special. Extra time on the lees gives a wonderful rounded texture and intriguing complexity. Just an overall great rendition of Chardonnay in an old world style.
($30 upon release from the winery) Very Good
2009 Offley Late Bottled Vintage Port
35% Touriga Nacional, 30% Touriga Franca, 25% Tinta Roriz, and 10% Tinta Cao, this is an enjoyable LBV. Quite a lot happening on the nose and a reasonably long and smooth finish. I’d chill it ever so slightly and as is the case with this style of port, you can drink it now while you’re waiting for the declared vintages in your cellar to mature. Incidentally, is it my imagination or are a few restaurants now starting to charge more or less the same thing for an LBV as a true vintage port? That shouldn’t be allowed.
(tasted at a friend’s – I’d guess it’d be about $25 if you could find it in B.C) Good
2010 Tantalus Old Vines Riesling
Easily, at least in my view, one of the top dry whites produced in B.C. This wine is a favourite year after year. It displays a classic Riesling profile complete with the kerosene note. Stone fruit, honey, a mineral back bone and a wonderful texture due to the wine having spent time on its lees. We’re talking very special vines of 35 plus years here the effect of which easily justifies the price increase on the base line offering from this winery.
($29.90 upon release at the winery) Very Good
2007 Geyser Peak Cabernet Sauvignon
Geyser Peak has a reputation for full bodied Cabernets, but I have to say this bottle was unexceptional. ‘07 was a good year in Sonoma for this style of wine so my expectations might have been a bit high. Perhaps it was an off night, perhaps an off bottle, whatever the reason, this came across as a competently made wine, but not much more. To give it credit, there was decent balance, a light hand on the oak, and some intriguing fruit. That said, it was all just “ok”. Perhaps I’m being a bit harsh given the relatively low price for a Californian Cab.
($22 at BCLCB) Good (given the price)
2006 Fattorie Melini Vigneti La Selvanella Chianti Classico Riserva
The classic sour cherry tang of this wine’s Sangiovese Grosso clone takes you all the way back to the Rada commune in Chianti. There’s an underpinning of a savoury herb and the pronounced acidity you’d expect to find in a hillside Classico. All in all, a decent value. Not a “wow” effort, but not at all a loss either. Think mid-week with your favourite pasta.
($28 at BCLCB) Good
2009 Chateau Maison Blanche Medoc Cru Bourgeois
Remember that adage – buy the lesser chateau in the better vintage. This humble 2009 Cru Bourgeois provides excellent value. You can easily discern the Bordeaux lineage here – lots of berry fruit, a background note of oak, and fresh acidity. 85% Merlot with 13% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc ( I understand the latter is not usually included in the blend). Just a great chance to taste Bordeaux at a relatively modest price. I’ll be going back to the store for a few more bottles as this can easily keep for about 5 years.
($29 at BCLCB) Very Good (given the price)
2009 Michael + David 6th Sense Syrah – Lodi
Another somewhat over the top effort from this producer. If you like their 7 Deadly Zins, you’ll probably like the style of this wine. In fairness, there is a distinct Syrah character here, but it’s buried somewhere under the overpowering blackberry jam. The finish closes with heat from the alcohol which comes in at a whopping 15.5%. Just not my style, but I can appreciate that some might go for the approach.
($29 at Everything Wine) Good
2009 Cave de Rasteau La Domeliere
Rasteau was elevated from Cotes du Rhone Villages to Crus des Cotes du Rhone status in 2010, but the designation was made retroactive to the 2009 vintage. One could argue that the change of status resulted in many of the 2009 offerings coming in as relative bargains. This wine gives support to that premise. Lovely texture and ripeness with just enough acidity to lend a hint of elegance. A classic offering of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre, at a price well below the quality that is in the glass. One of those “I should have bought more” bottles.
($20 BCLCB) Very Good
2009 Meiomi Pinot Noir
This is a reasonable selection for a dinner party catering to a wide range of tastes. It’s a simple Pinot Noir, but represents solid value. A wine suitable for drinking now, think solid, straight down the middle. There’s decent cherry fruit and a somewhat respectable, but short finish. An easy mid-week sort of choice that won’t offend.
($28 BCLCB) Good
2010 Meiomi Pinot Noir
I preferred this vintage to the 2009 (see above). It had the same soft approach, almost too easy going, but the balance seemed better and the tannins were forward enough to produce a decent dry finish. Again, an easy choice for a dinner where there’s a need to satisfy a variety of guests. We brought both the ’09 and ’10 out for Thanksgiving turkey and the dozen of us around the table polished the bottles off with no complaint. Definitely no upside to cellaring at this point – drink now.
($28 BCLCB) Good
2011 Paul and Philippe Zink Pinot Gris
Unbelievable value here. I understand this is a simple entry level wine, but it’s punching way above its price point. Is it the finest Pinot Gris I’ve ever tasted? No. Is it the finest I’ve ever had for the price? Definitely. There’s a great balance between the acidity and its hint of sweetness. A little spice, some great fruit coming through – it’s actually taking you to the Alsace for a fraction of what you might otherwise pay.
($13.29 BCLCB) Very Good (and not just because of the price)
NV Taylor Fladgate Fine White Port
Okay, so I have to confess this bottle was picked up for the express purpose of using it in a cocktail recipe. Cocktails aside, I’d suggest this port can stand on it’s own as an inexpensive diversion. It’s matured in oak and made from a variety of grapes primarily from the Douro Valley. Not something I’d want as a mainstay, but worth a try if you’d like to go for an inexpensive, sweeter approach to an aperitif.
($21 BCLCB) Good
2014 La Boheme Act Three Pinot Gris (and friends) (Yarra Valley)
Not a pure Pinot Gris, this intriguing effort is actually made up of 86% PG with the balance being a blend of Riesling, Gewurztraminer and Pinot Blanc. I’m generally a fan of De Bortoli wines and this one doesn’t disappoint. Great aromatics here and a creaminess in texture coming from the wine having spent 8 weeks on its lees. Hand picked grapes, minimal handling, the use of tank and cask in fermentation – you’re getting a lot of effort from a knowledgeable producer for the price.
($20 BCLCB) Good