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Winethisweek.ca presents Huff Estate's 2006 Off Dry Riesling VQA.
The True Story of The Goats Wines...
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 New Tasting Notes From Zoltan SzaboCelebrity Sommelier Zoltan Szabo generously shared his notes from a recent tour of Germany with none other than Jancis Robinson. See her write up here and Gremolata's interview with her here. All scores out of five stars... 2005 Egri Kékfrankos, J&J Eger Wine Co., Eger, Hungary 2004 Egri Kékfrankos, J&J Eger Wine Co., Eger, Hungary New Ontario Releases 2006 Semillon, Legends 2006 White, Grey Ghost, Fishing the Flats, Henry Waszczuk, Legends, Lincoln Lakeshore 2006 Red, Grey Ghost, Fishing the Flats, Henry Waszczuk, Legends, Lincoln Lakeshore
2006 Riesling, Lailey, Niagara Peninsula 2006 Gewurztraminer, Lailey, Niagara River 2006 Sauvignon Blanc, Lailey, Niagara River 2006 Sauvignon Blanc Fume, Lailey, Niagara River 2005 Chardonnay, Lailey, Niagara River 2005 Cabernet, Lailey, Niagara Peninsula Read more of Zoltan's Notes at ZoltanSzabo.ca | ||||
 2004 Château de PérierNo wine region is as sensitive to the vagaries of vintages than Bordeaux. The difference between a good year and so-so one often means hundred of dollars on the price of a bottle of premier cru. The twenty first century has had three years generally thought to be great: 2000, 2003 and 2005, and 2006 is being championed by some. All of this happens, however, at the high end of a region that produces more wine than all the other French regions put together. And just because a vintage isn't generally lauded, that's not to say it wasn't a good year for some vineyards, or that an experienced wine maker can't make a great bottle, like the 2004 Château de Périer being retailed for $17.95 at Vintages (LCBO# 35634). At a food-friendly 12% alcohol it's a rare treat to get a mouthfull of claret from a bottle under $20. On these grounds alone, Gremolata thinks it's worth a try. The Périer comes with the extra curiosity of being a cru bourgeois, an designation currently being fought over in the French courts due to a recent classification that ruffled many feathers. Open well before and make sure it's closer to cellar temperature. To find a bottle at an shop near you, click here. | ||||
| Konrad Ejbich's Pick: Lailey Vinyard's 2005 Zweigelt On the last Friday of every month wine expert Konrad Ejbich mans the phones for CBC Radio One's Ontario Today call-in show. In addition to answering the listeners' questions, Konrad always features at least one winery (usually a small producer from Ontario). In a web-exclusive for Gremolata readers, Konrad has agreed to tip-off Gremolata Publisher, Malcolm Jolley every month and tell us which wine he'll feature on the show. Read this month's tip-off email below and catch Konrad between 12:30 and 1:30 PM on your local CBC Radio One frequency (click here to find the station near you)... From: Konrad Ejbich Dear Malcolm Is the summer hot enough for you? I adore the heat and I don’t even mind the humidity. What I don’t like drinking in summer, though, are those massively alcoholic wines being produced everywhere these days. Monstrous, tannic reds and ponderous, sickly-sweet chardonnays may be bearable as winter sipping but our muggy Ontario summers make them difficult to enjoy. Aside from their overpowering explosion of candied fruit, they offer a second type of explosion... within the cranial cavity... the morning after. Summer sippers should be light, fruity and, most important, refreshing. I considered steering CBC listeners toward a rosé this month, but since many of my colleagues in the wine scribbling profession have been talking endlessly about them recently, I won’t. Instead, I’ve found a lovely red to enjoy on the hottest days of the year.  Lailey Vineyards 2005 Zweigelt ($11.95, plus bottle deposit) may disappoint some consumers if they are expecting a biggie. At only 11.5 per cent alcohol, one can easily enjoy a second or third glass. The acidity is brisk and more than refreshing – it’s cleansing. Just the thing one needs with some of the greasy things we yank off the barbecue.Zweigelt is a German crossing of Blaufrankisch and St. Laurent. It’s grown in Ontario mainly because it resists our blustery winters, yields early and abundantly. I’ve tasted too many crappy ones over the years, but Ontario winemakers now are getting it and not trying to turn it into cabernet sauvignon lick-a-like. Lailey’s winemaker/partner, Derek Barnett, has done a terrific job with this one, so I’ve decided to feature it on the next wine phone-in on CBC radio. Gremolata readers who’d like to taste along with Ontario Today host Rita Celli and me can do so by ordering direct by calling the winery at 905-468-0503, by logging on to their website at laileyvineyard.comm, or ordering through through the Toronto-based reseller, winerytohome.com. Cheers, Konrad Ejbich Tunee in to the wine phone-in on CBC Radio One from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. on the last Friday of every month. Set your radio to 99.1 FM in Toronto. You can also listen online, at www.cbc.ca/radio/. |  Konrad Ejbich | |||
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Canada Day Special:: Don't miss Zoltan's new Niagara and PEC notes. Click here. | ||||
| Konrad Ejbich's Pick: Flatrock Cellars' 2006 Twisted On the last Friday of every month wine expert Konrad Ejbich mans the phones for CBC Radio One's Ontario Today call-in show. In addition to answering the listeners' questions, Konrad always features at least one winery (usually a small producer from Ontario). In a web-exclusive for Gremolata readers, Konrad has agreed to tip-off Gremolata Publisher, Malcolm Jolley every month and tell us which wine he'll feature on the show. Read this month's tip-off email below and catch Konrad between 12:30 and 1:30 PM on your local CBC Radio One frequency (click here to find the station near you)...UPDATE: KONRAD'S PHONE-IN WILL BE FROM 1PM TO 2PM ON FRIDAY, JUNE 29. From: Konrad Ejbich Dear Malcolm, This month's phone-in wine selection was chosen for its name, however, to ensure its quality was up to CBC-Radio listeners' usual requirements, I did intensive research (i.e., two bottles). The wine is called 2006 Twisted... probably because it is a blend stirred up from several classic white grape varieties and sealed with a twist-top. There's tonnes of bumf on the winery's website at www.flatrockcellars.com. All you need to know for now, though, is how good this wine is chilled on a sultry summer day, how much it costs and how long you can keep it. Bottom line: A case ($203.40) will last you all summer if you drink one bottle ($16.95) each week. Sounds like a plan to me... Should Gremolata readers like to taste along with host Rita Celli and me, pick up a bottle at your local Vintages outlet, or by calling the winery at 905-562-8994. Cheers, Konrad Ejbich Tune in to the wine phone-in with host Rita Celli and writer Konrad Ejbich on the last Friday of every month from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. on CBC Radio One. Set your radio to 99.1 FM in Toronto. For other cities, check local frequencies at http://www.cbc.ca/frequency/frequency_ontario.html. | Konrad Ejbich Konrad Ejbich | |||
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 It is a given that when a bunch of winemakers, agents or writers socialise after a tasting or industry event, they'll have a beer. And it will probably be something cold and kind of bland (forgive us Greg Clow). The point is to refresh, more than to savour. With this in mind, I'm partial to picking up a few cans of beer in the summer when also buying wine at the LCBO. On my last trip I saw a new offering: Kaiser Fasstyp, an Austrian beer that appears to be made in Linz (there's not a lot of English on the can). It's pleasant enough, if you like Teutonic lagers and pilsners. What really caught my eye, though was the price: $1.95 for a 500 ml can. That's a full 35 cents more per can than Beck's. Even the Eastern European beers, which used to be a bit of a bargain, are now mostly over $2 a pint. But how, I wondered, did this beer compare in cost to Labatt's Blue or Molson Canadian? Turns out it's cheaper. A six pack of Blue at The Beer Store costs $9.95. At 341 ml a bottle, that works out to a unit cost of $4.86 per litre. That's $2.43 per 500 ml, which is still 13 cents a pint more expensive than Beck's! So, enjoy your patio brew this summer, and if you like imported beer, you can be smug about how much money you're saving. - MJ. | ||||
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 Segreta means "secret", but this wine has been out in open since at least last spring when Gremolata 072 profiled the 2004 vintage. Prior to that, La Segreta Bianco ($16.95 - LCBO# 581546) was a long standing listing on the wine list of the Toronto Italo-gastro institution Terroni, where it's bold profile matched their Southern Italian fare. Since then the blend of indigenous Grecanico (50%) grape, with the international varietals Chardonnay (30%) and Viognier (15%), with a dash of Fiano (10%), has garnered some serious attention: James Suckling gave it an 88 in The Wine Spectator. The house, Planeta is a Sicilian pioneer, and makes some of the island's most sought after labels. This second wine echoes it's better bred cousins and might be actually more fun to quaff. I like it colder than most whites: not a patio wine, but a vino del piazza?. Despite a mid-April release, there's still lots around. Click here to find a bottle in a Vintages store near you. | ||||
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Spotlight: Laughingstock Vineyards, Naramata,BC 2006 Pinot Gris, Laughing Stock Vineyards 2005 Chardonnay, Laughing Stock Vineyards 2005 Portfolio, Laughing Stock Vineyards 2004 Portfolio, Laughing Stock Vineyards Spotlight: Fielding Estate Winery, Beamsville, ON 2006 Rose, Fielding, Niagara Peninsula 2006 Pinot Gris, Fielding 2006 Riesling Reserve, Fielding, Niagara Escarpment 2006 Gewurztraminer, Fielding, Niagara Escarpment 2006 Gewurztraminer Reserve, Fawnsbrook Vineyard, Fielding, Beamsville Bench 2005 Cabernet Franc, Unfiltered, Fielding, Niagara Escarpment 2005 Cabernet Franc Reserve, Unfiltered, Fielding, Niagara Escarpment 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, Fielding, Niagara Peninsula Spotlight: Joie Wines, Naramata, BC 2006 Riesling, "A Delicate Balance", Joie, Naramata (BC) 2006 "A Noble Blend - A Wine Inspired by Alsace", Joie, Naramata 2006 Un-Oaked Chardonnay, Joie, Naramata 2006 Rose, "Re-Think Pink", Joie, Naramata | ||||
 Full disclosure: I am friendly with some of the people at Henry of Pelham, which is how I got a bottle of their 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Rosé ($13.95 - LCBO# 685610) before its release on May 26. What's worse is that the bottle was a gift (though I bought my winery friend a beer when he gave it to me, so I think that might mitigate a bit). So bear this in mind when I say that it's a great fruity but dry wine and evidence that HoP takes their line of pink drinks seriously. Luckily for what's left of my credibility, others agree. Vic Harradine, at winecurrent.com, gives it four stars and comments on "good flavours of berries, nice balance, and a clean finish". It's a homegrown summer sipper and it comes with the added attraction of being grown under The Wine Council of Ontario's new Sustainability Program: HoP participated in the pilot project. To find a bottle near you , click here. | ||||
 I am not an ABC (anything but Chardonnay) wine drinker and I like a crisp Sauvignon Blanc as much as the next guy, but The 2004 Margan Semillon ($17.95, LCBO# 961516 made me stand up and notice the minute it hit my palate. This is a fantastically interesting wine, and nothing like any Aussie white I had tried since. Vic Harradine at winecurrent.com says to expect Semillons from the Hunter Valley to be marketed aggressively - this could be the next trendy white wine, the way that Viogner was a few years ago, or more recently Albarinos from Galacia. Semillon's most famous application is in Sauternes, and this wine echoes some of that nectarine complexity, albeit in a bone dry way. Harradine suggests it could benefit from being put down for a few years, but then you wouldn't get too try it right away. For a Vintages stocking the Margan Semillon, click here. | ||||
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| Konrad Ejbich's Pick: Malivoire Chardonnay Musque On the last Friday of every month wine expert Konrad Ejbich mans the phones for CBC Radio One's Ontario Today call-in show. In addition to answering the listeners' questions, Konrad always features at least one winery (usually a small producer from Ontario). In a web-exclusive for Gremolata readers, Konrad has agreed to tip-off Gremolata Publisher, Malcolm Jolley every month and tell us which wine he'll feature on the show. Read this month's tip-off email below and catch Konrad between 12:30 and 1:30 PM on your local CBC Radio One frequency (click here to find the station near you)... -----Original Message----- Malcolm, |
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New Tasting Notes From Zoltan Szabo
2006 Sauvignon Blanc, AJ Lepp Vineyards, Niagara Lakeshore, Peninsula Ridge 2006 Sauvignon Blanc, Wismer Vineyards, Twenty Mile Bench, Peninsula Ridge 2004 Chardonnay, Private Vintners Reserve, Peninsula Ridge 2006 Viognier, Peninsula Ridge | ||||
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| 2005 Bouchard Père et Fils Côte de Beaune-Villages
"Quite simply, nothing went wrong" is how Jancis Robinson describes the 2005 growing year in Burgundy. By all accounts it's a stellar vintage and a recent tasting of the venerable negociant Bouchard Père et Fils' 2005 portfolio, put on by their importing agent Woodman Wines & Spirits, proved it. At the start of the tasting table was their most modest fare the Beaune-Villages ($24.89, LCBO# 714998), but it showed the subtle fruit and pure Burgundian pleasure at what passes for a deal. But be careful: there are still bottles of the 2004 Beaune-Villages mixed in with the more recently arrived 2005. Nothing wrong with the 2004 but it's just not the same, so read the label! Vintages stores carrying it can be found by clicking here. Correction: Geoffrey James pointed out to me that I had got the relationship between "Villages" and the regular AOC designation (ie. simply Côte de Beaune) completely backwards in this review as it originally appeared. Villages is a step above the the basic appellation. I should have known, since I've written as much in these pages previously. I apologise for the misinformation and hope I haven't caused too much or any long-lasting confusion. -MJ | ||||
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 Once in while the LCBO's general list produces a great wine. Though rare, when it happens it's nealry always a great bargain. And since the introduction of the 20¢ deposit the era of the $19.95 Vintages "deal" has passed and a case of decent wine for under $200 is becoming a distant memory. So, when for $16.15 this bedraggled Ontarian wine drinker discovered Matua Valley's 2003 Hawke's Bay Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot (LCBO# 610964) it was manna from heaven. THe discovery wasn't in the aisles, but rather at a tasting presided over by Bill Spence, one of the founding brothers of Matua Valley. Despite being matched up against a number of the wineries premium labels, the Hawke's Bay Cab/Merlot held its ground nicely. For once a new world red that doesn't blow off the alcohol scale. This wine is food friendly and full of good fruit. Could match with lamb, or anything one drinks red with. TO find a bottle at a store near you, click here | ||||
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 2004 Bottaccio Rosso ConeroAs wine nerd, I love an obscure label. The one to the left stumped me completely. First of all, the producer, Monte Schiavo, wasn't in my Hugh Johnsons's pocket guide. Then, when I dragged down my Oxford Companion to Wine, there was no mention of the DOC: Rosso Conero. Thank goodness for Google. Turns out the earthy red we enjoyed with a simple dinner came from that fabled region The Marches, on the other side of the Apennines from Tuscany and Umbria. At $17.15 it's a great value, perfectly reminiscent of the well priced reds one finds at better alimentari when on vacation. The Marches is best known for its Verdicchio whites, but like everywhere else, standards are being raised for red table wines and value abounds (for now). Click here to find an LCBO Vintages store stocking the Bottacio near you. | ||||
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Konrad Ejbich's Pick: Jackson-Triggs Niagara Estates 2004 “Delaine Vineyard” Syrah -----Original Message----- Dear Malcolm, | Konrad Ejbich Konrad Ejbich | |||
| Capçanes' 2002 Vall des Callàs
The hottest Spanish wines are not from Rioja or even the increasingly trendy Ribera del Douro but from Priorat. They are generally priced accordingly, like the delicious 2004 Les Terrasses from super-winemaker Alvaro Palacios at $38.95 (LCBO# 977843). At half the price ($20.15 incl. dep.) the 2002 Vall del Calàs (LCBO# 10298) from the nearby Catalan region of Montsant is a wonderful example of a big wine made subtly from the Northeastern corner of the Iberian peninsula. By age and oak, this 14% alcohol wine has been well mellowed - what other country consistently waits five or more years to release their table wines? It also must help that the blend is mostly Merlot, though I wouldn't have guessed it. If tasted blind, I bet I'd have said it was a Rhône of some description, full of garrigue. Supplies are beginning to dwindle, as word gets out. To find a bottle near you click here. | ||||
New from Gremolata Click here for a free brochure | ||||
 In the 1990s the Southwest of France (points below Bordeaux and North of the Pyrenees) underwent a profound winemaking revolution, moving away from bulk production to estate grown fine wines. The fruits (more or less literally) of the  efforts of the women and men at the centre of the revolution began to be enjoyed in Ontario at the beginning of this century, and by and large they were enjoyed for considerably less than one would have to spend for French wines from more established terroirs. This phenomenon is beginning to recede rapidly, in so far as the wine keeps getting better while the prices are catching up. Last week's recommendation, Domaine de Villemajou, is $1.95 above Gremolata's usual $20 ceiling and this week's perilously close at $19.95. Napa transplant, and Clos Du Val founder, John Goelet began making wine at Domaine de Nizas in 1998 to immediate acclaim (The Wine Spectator gave his first vintage a 91). After five years of age on the vines and as much experience on the land, his 2003 Côteaux du Languedoc bears the mark of maturity, and is about as good a French red as can be had presently at this price. It's 60% Syrah, then Mourvedre and Carignan with the sort of dark red fruit that this region is identified with. Stocks are dwindling, though it was largely ignored by the critics at release on February 17. Find a stocked sotre by clicking here. | ||||
| New from Gremolata Click here for a free brochure | ||||
  2004 Domaine de VillemajouThis lovely balanced (but strong at 14%) Carignan blend somehow escaped the attention of the Ontario wine critics when it was released on Febraury 17. Perhpas the high end scribes were taken up with the $50+ Burgundies form the release before, and the low end ones equally entranced by the flood of South Americans with their big POS displays. Too bad, or maybe just as well for French fans. The 2004 Domaine de Villemajou (LCBO# 017194) is one of the labels from Gérard Bertrand, whose father Georges was a trail blazer in the Langedoc's journey from bulk grape growing to estate wine making. At $21.95, it's a little more than the all important $20 barrier, but worth it. Because it's got oomph and good fruit, it's a great wine to bring to Aussie anf South African fans, and much better value than most Rhones. Stocks are steadily dwindling: to find an LCBO Vintages tore stocking it, click here. | ||||
| Konrad Ejbich's Pick: Henry of Pelham Botrytis-Affected Riesling On the last Friday of every month wine expert Konrad Ejbich mans the phones for CBC Radio One's Ontario Today call-in show. In addition to answering the listeners' questions, Konrad always features at least one winery (usually a small producer from Ontario). In a web-exclusive for Gremolata readers, Konrad has agreed to tip-off Malcolm Jolley every month and tell us which wine he'll feature on the show. Read this month's tip-off email below and catch Konrad between 12:30 and 1:30 PM on your local CBC Radio One frequency (click here to find the station near you)... From: Konrad Ejbich Dear Malcolm, Toronto listeners can tune in to the wine phone-in with wine writer Konrad Ejbich on the last Friday of every month from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. on CBC Radio One. Tune your radio to 99.1 FM in Toronto. For other cities, check local frequencies at http://www.cbc.ca/frequency/frequency_ontario.html
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HOT WINE: Finca Flichman is once again the darling of the latest Vintages release with their Expresiones Reserve 2005 Mendoza ($15.75 - LCBO# 507707), much as its Malbec was in January of last year, as reviewed in Gremolata 058 - click here. | ||||
Bag It Back: Curse or Blessing? After a few days, we thought we would weigh the balance of the new Bag it Back recycling program in Ontario and decide if it's a blessing or a curse by enumerating each... Curses:
Blessings
I guess it's a pretty good idea, after all. See www.bagitback.ca for details.
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Konrad Ejbich's Pick: Angels Gate Winery, 2004 Angels III From: Konrad Ejbich Happy 2007, Malcolm, ...and best wishes to all Gremolata.com readers. Hope you all drank well over the holidays. In December, I had hoped to introduce CBC radio listeners to a terrific Ontario red wine during our monthly phone-in on Ontario Today. Winelovers feasting on roast turkey, goose, beef, lamb or any number of robust dishes, could have served this tasty Meritage in an ideal setting. Lamentably, the wine is sold only at the winery and, since the show was scheduled for Friday, December 23, listeners would have no chance for delivery in time for Christmas. So instead, I chose to plug a new general listing bubbly, Henry of Pelham Cuvée Catharine Brut Rosé. It’s pretty, delicious, relatively-affordable at $30/bottle, and widely-available through KGBO outlets. It offered an equally-fine accompaniment to Christmas dinner as well as a marvellous way to toast the New Year. So this month, it’s back to Plan A. The wine I'll finally get to feature on Friday, January 26, is Angels Gate Winery, 2004 Angels III. It retails for $35 per 750 ml., or $420 for a 12-bottle case. Produced from three of the classic red Bordeaux grapes – Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot – it clearly reflects the 2004 vintage in the Niagara Peninsula. Lean, clean, elegant, subtle and silky, it has aromas of bell pepper, spice, cedar, black currant and raspberry. Winemaker Natalie Spytkowsky gave the wine a brief wood regimen, trading away oak-based longevity in exchange for subtle fruit nuances and textural delicacy. There were only 125 cases produced. Fewer than 100 remain. It think the 2004 Angels III can age gracefully at least through 2012 but, as most wine drinkers tend to prefer bold, bright jammy flavours over fragile, mature fruit nuances, I recommend drinking it over the next two years, with sufficient bottles set aside for Christmas Dinner, 2007. Gremolata.com readers can join host Rita Celli and me for the on-air tasting. But you'll need a bottle. Contact the winery locally at 905-563-3942, or toll-free at 1-877-264-4283, or visit their website at www.anglesgatewinery.com to order some before the rest of the world discovers it. Cheers, Konrad Ejbich ____________ Toronto listeners can tune in to the wine phone-in with Konrad Ejbich's on the last Friday of every month from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. on CBC Radio One at 99.1FM. For other cities, check frequencies at http://www.cbc.ca/frequency/frequency_ontario.html | Konrad Ejbich Konrad Ejbich Konrad Ejbich | |||
 What you drink with your bird is firmly your business. I see no evidence of any emerging consensus on this, so I am tempted to dodge the whole thing and write about what one ought to drink before the bird. Champagne is always good, and they're all good. The general rule is drink as much and at whatever level you can afford. A bottle of Dom Perignon will put you back $198.45 (LCBO# 280461), but if you're rolling in it, it's almost worth it. On the other hand, if you need to save a little for the plum pudding, the best value on the shelves is Henry of Pelham's Cuvée Catharine Brut Rosé. It's a wonderfully dry and refreshing sparkling for $29.95 (LCBO# 4051). The Speck brothers think that sparkling wine may become Niagara's strongest product, and this blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir goes a long way to proving it. It's miles above most sparklings under $40. BREAKING NEWS: David Lawrason's newsletter just named the 2005 Porcupine Ridge Syrah (LCBO# 595280) as 'Best Red Wine Value of the Year' at $14.95 a bottle. | ||||
| Konrad Ejbich's Pick: 2002 Kacaba Cabernet Sauvignon On the last Friday of every month wine expert Konrad Ejbich mans the phones for CBC Radio One's Ontario Today call-in show. In addition to answering the listeners' questions, Konrad always features at least one winery (usually a small producer from Ontario). In a web-exclusive for Gremolata readers, Konrad has agreed to tip-off Malcolm Jolley every month and tell us which wine he'll feature on the show. Read this month's tip-off email below and catch Konrad between 12:30 and 1:30 PM on your local CBC Radio One frequency (click here to find the station near you)... From: Konrad Ejbich Dear Malcolm, A couple of weeks ago, after a terrific tasting of young and old Cabernet-Merlots at Cave Spring Cellars (check out the results in the latest City Bites), proprietor Leonard Pennachetti took me on a fascinating backroads tour of "Sights & Sites" around the Jordan area of the Escarpment. The "sight" was Ball's Falls where Len pointed out the layered structure of the exposed limestone rock, sand and shale sub-strata, clearly illustrating the composition and source of soils in the vineyards below the Escarpment. The "sites" were the vineyards themselves. Len showed me a wide variety of blocks, some high and dry, others with dips of muck and frost traps. Many were carefully manicured, but some showed obvious neglect. One vineyard I was particularly impressed by was that of Mike Kacaba. It is one of those high and dry exposures that warms early in spring, has relatively constant air movement and gets plenty of sun. That's the key to ripening some of the late varieties planted at Kacaba Vineyards: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Syrah. Kacaba wines are made to last: many are tough and tannic for quite some time. The great 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve isn't likely to start softening up till after 2010 but the lighter non-reserve version: Kacaba Vineyards 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon, is already showing signs of brilliance. I've decided to feature this wine on CBC-Radio's Ontario Today phone-in on Friday, November 24, 2006. When I tasted it recently, I needed to decant it rather violently at least a half-dozen times. Each time, I dumped the bottle roughly into a decanter, sloshed it around a few times, then poured it back into the original bottle through a stainless steel funnel. Six days later, it was still quite tight but drinking nicely, with tons of black fruit, hints of rose, and plenty of smoky oak. Its texture had become more like velvet; round, supple and totally palate-coating. This wine can be drunk now, if you give it the same rough treatment, but it will be wa-a-ay better in two years and better still in five. It is available only from the winery at $22.00. Kacaba now has a toll-free number: 1-866-522-2228. Cheers, Editor's note: visit Kacaba's webite at www.kacaba.com. Toronto listeners can tune in to the wine phone-in with Konrad Ejbich's on the last Friday of every month from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. on CBC Radio One at 99.1FM. For other cities, check frequencies at http://www.cbc.ca/frequency/frequency_ontario.html | Konrad Ejbich
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 This wine review breaks every rule we can think of. First of all, it's not for a wine, rather for a pack of four different wines. Second, the wine hasn't been bought to try, because it's not actually available at the LCBO; the winery sent it to Gremolata to be reviewed gratis. Third, to buy it we suggest you use WineryToHome.com a company that delivers premium Ontario wines that are often not available at the LCBO and that is advertising on Gremolata: we'll receive a commission for any wine sold from a click-thru from our site (as we do from Amazon.ca for books). So, if you're still with us, we're still excited about the 2004 Flat Rock Cellars Pinot Clone Research Pack. It's $110 for subtly distinct bottles: the 2004 Gravity Pinot (which, by comparison, retailed for $29.95) and then three bottles made exlcusive from only one of the three "clones" of pinot noir used by the winery: "115", "667" and "777". The clones are the name sof the specicic Burgundy Pinot Noir varietals. The idea is to have a party open them up and conduct a little tasting to see what differences lurk. We did and it was a lot of fun, then we all drank what was left with dinner. David Lawrason says the differences are two subtle not to open and try all at once, and generally describes all four as "classic terroir driven, lighter pinots with lifted cran-raspberry-sour cherry fruit and some beetroot earthiness becoming strongly associated with Niagara pinot." There are more notes at winerytohome.com, or you can go directly to their order form by clicking here. | ||||
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 Mahler-Besse is better known for their prestigious Bordeaux, but the French winemakers are doing very interesting things down in Spain. Their 2001 'Taja' Reserva (LCBO# 223329) is dominated by the soft notes of Monastrell (more commonly known by its French name, Mourverdre). Somehow this vintage has escaped the attention of the usual mainstream media critics. (One suspects it wasn't ready for the regular Vintages tastings - since normally actually buy our picks, sometimes we review things others don't.) Anyway, it tastes like a lovely fruity older Spanish wine, but without the sun-spangled hit of overly high alcohol (it claims a food-friendly 13.5%). In other words it drinks like a good quality $20 Rioja, when in fact it's from the Southwestern region of Jumilla and costs a bargain-basement price of $14.95. It gets better: there's tons of it in Ontario. Or at least 'tons' for a Vintages release. You shouldn't have any trouble finding a case at the bigger stores. Just click here to find one near you. | ||||
Not that it's been completely ignored: David Lawrason recently gave it three and a half out of four stars noting that the wine "delivers surprisingly deep colour and density." He found "strong aromas of burnt toast, coffee and leather, with sweet, ripe blackberry jam fruit more evident on breathing" and suggested decanting an hour before serving, if not cellaring for a few years. Find a bottle at a Vintages store near you by clicking here. | ||||
41/2 out of 5 Stars! "This is a great Pinotage from the sun-baked Swartland region. It delivers huge, concentrated black fruit flavours, firm tannins and a finish that goes on and on." - Rod Phillips, winecurrent.com, September 26 Top 10 Global Performer: "one of those rare non-weedy pinotages, with blackberry, bramble, red plum, and black cherry depth. Outstanding for the category." - Gordon Stimmel, Toronto Star, September 30 Seductive: "Pinotage done in a lush, seductive style. Shades of Rhône-Villages. Quite the charmer. Wine for a spicy evening. - Billy Munnely, BillysBestBottles.com, September 30 The 2004 Lammershoek "Barrique" Pinotage (LCBO# 954594) is the Vintages Release story of the year. Find this wine, before it's sold out - at $17.95 the Lammershoek rivals wines twice or three times as expensive in structure and finish. Find this wine at a LCBO Vintages near you by clicking here. Some of the stores stocking this item in Toronto include Summerhill, Queen's Quay, Bayview Village, Dupont & Spadina, Avenue Rd. & Lawrence and 401 & Weston. This wine is also stocked throughout Ontario. Remember: you can always order some at your local store. Learn more about this great South African wine at | ||||
KONRAD EJBICH'S MONTHLY PICKS: NOVEMBER 2006
Find out more about Stoney Ridge at www.stoneyridge.com and find a bottle of the 2004 Stoney Ridge Cabernet Franc ($12.84, LCBO# 525691) at an LCBO near you by clicking here. Toronto listener's can tune in to Konrad Ejbich's wine phone-in from 12:30 p.m. top 1:30 p.m. on the last Friday of every month, on CBC Radio One, 99.1FM in Toronto. For other cities check local frequencies by clicking on: www.cbc.ca/frequency/frequency_ontario.html | Konrad Ejbich
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TURKEY WINE Niagara's Henry of Pelham is one of the few truly craft wineries on the fabled benches (in this case the "Short Hills Bench") that is able to produce some of their wines in sufficient quantities to be consistently available in the LCBO's Vintages stores. For most boutique wineries, it's simply not worth their while to deal with the government retail behemoth and they sell directly to consumers and restaurants. Henry of Pelham's 2004 Unfiltered Pinot Noir (LCBO# 268391) is our Official Thanksgiving Wine (see also Zoltan's Szabo's much more comprehensive list of recommendations below) because 1) if there was ever a meal to drink a lcoal wine this is it, 2) this pinot will stand up to any comparative New World rival, and 3) there's enough of it around that you're likely to find enough for your table. It's not super cheap, and at $24.95 it violates our standard under $20 rule. But it's a special occasion and your turkey deserves it. Find a bottle at a LCBO near you by clicking here. | ||||
ZOLTAN SZABO'S 2006 THANKSGIVING PICKS Star sommelier Zoltan Szabo gave us his list of Thanksgiving friendly wines below. Watch for more from Szabo as Gremolata recounts hius recent trip to the Far East, championing Canadian wines in an upcoming issue. In the meantime, learn more about what he's upt at www.szaboandszabo.com and www.savourflavour.com. Top White: 2005 Peninsula Ridge Fume Blanc Top Red: 2003 Ampelou Gis Red Other Picks 2005 Niagara College Teaching College Red 1998 Strewn Vidal Select Late Harvest 2004 Château des Charmes Paul Bosc Estate Vineyard Chardonnay 2002 Creekside Reserve Meritage 2004 Trius Red 2003 Strewn Vidal Icewine 2005 Frogpond Organic Cabernet/Merlot 2005 Coyote’s Run Cabernet 2005 Creekside Laura’s White (49% Sauvignon Blanc, 48% Chardonnay, 3% Viognier) 2005 Mike Weir Estate Chardonnay 2004 Château des Charmes Riesling 2005 Château des Charmes St. David’s Bench Sauvignon Blanc 2005 Trius Riesling Dry 2005 Château des Charmes Sauvignon Blanc 2005 Château des Charmes St. David’s Bench Viognier 2004 Château des Charmes Chardonnay ___________________________ | ||||
| LCBO'S MOST EXPENSIVE WINES Some changes in our semi-annual look at the most expensive wines that show up on the LCBO's inventory webpages...
1. 2000 Château Le Pin (Pomerol): $5,899.00 for a 750ml bottle = $7.87 per ml. Two bottles reported in stock at Summerhill (same result as when we queried last spring - doesn't seem to be a big seller). Hugh Johnson says, "Almost as rich as its drinkers, but prices well beyond Pétrus are ridiculous." LCBO# 641167 2. 2000 Château Haut-Brion (Graves): $1,099.00 for a 750ml bottle = $1.47 per ml. Since we last looked Haut-Brion has climbed up in the ranking, largely due to someone buying the two single bottles of the 2000 Cheval Blanc and Ch. Margaux, respectively, that held the number two and three positions. LCBO# 641191 3. 2000 Château La Tour (Medoc): $3620.00 for a 3L double magnum or $1795.00 for a regular 1.5L magnum = $1.21 per ml or $1.20 per ml. Note the one cent per ml discount given to the bargain conscious purchasers of the regular magnum. This seems unfair, since to get the extra benefit of the double magnum, one would have to age it longer. The discount should really be reversed. LCBO#'s 658674 and 659292 4. 2000 Château L'Évangile (Pomerol): $695.00 for a 750ml bottle = $0.93 per ml. This is a Rothschild wine, priced somewhere in between Mouton Cadet and Lafite. Mid-range, I guess. LCBO# 641217. 5. 2000 Château La Modotte (St. Emilion): $599.95 for a 750ml = $0.80 per ml. Note how the dastardly marketers at the LCBO have kept this bottle just under the all important $600 psychological barrier. If they charged just five cents more, I'm sure their customers would eschew this cultish super-wine and favourite of Robert Parker (he gave it a 98) for bargain basement Gaja's and the like. ____________________
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  Lillet is a famous French aperitif and the instructions on how to drink come on the back of the bottle: serve well chilled, with a slice of orange and ice if preferred. It's wonderfully simple and the orange picks up on the orange flavours already there (though experiments confirm that a lemon wedge is just as pleasing. At $11.55 a bottle, Lillet is a pleasantly affordable indulgence and a great way to kick off a summer evening barbecue. But be warned! The aperitif is made from fortified white Bordeaux wines and packs a deceptively refreshing punch at 17%. A bottle will disappear quickly among a group four, and it may not be a good idea to open another too quickly, if at all. Bottles of Lillet are spread all over the LCBO, just click here to find a store stocking some near you. Santé! | ||||
| ALL NEW FEATURE: KONRAD EJBICH'S MONTHLY PICKS On the last Friday of every month wine expert Konrad Ejbich mans the phones for CBC Radio One's Ontario Today | ||||
2006 Dry Riesling, Lailey, Niagara Peninsula
2003 Château Argadens Bordeaux Superieur
The region of Bordeaux produces more wine as all the other regions of France put together. Hugh Johnson uses two chapters for French wine: Bordeaux, then everything else. The Côtes de Bourg, at the right bank and confluence of the Dordogne and Gironde rivers, produces more wine than any other Bordeaux appellation. As such it is not terribly well known compared to many of its neighbouring AOC's to the west and to the south. This is the sort of information bargain hunters love! It has all the elements of a great find: 1) relative obscurity, 2) famous neighbours and 3) a reputation for producing wine in great volume. (The last point is important since it is at the point when small vineyards switch to growing in bulk to family estate production that quality typically starts to really improve.) In the case Bordeaux/Southwest France, when you add the spectacular year of 2003 to the mix, it's a wonder that a wine like that vintage's Château Peychaud (LCBO# 
Toronto Life/Wine Access uber-critic David Lawrason says the 2003 Tenuta del Portale Aglianico del Vulture ($17.95 - LCBO# 581892) has "a woodsy, smoky, hashish and cherry nose", he give is four stars and praises it as a "great under-$20 value". He's right: it's a fantastic fruity wine, perfect for the table at a food friendly 13%. The Aglianico del Vulture DOC is sometimes called the 'Barolo of the South' and this wine shows the sophistication of the great Piedmontese wines, but also demonstrates the spicy character of the South - it comes from the "instep" of the boot. There's lots and lots of it around: click 
Dozens of new wines roll into the Liquor Control Board of Ontario's Vintages Release program every two weeks. Some of them get reviewed, a lot don't. Even the newsletters which try and cover every wine will come up short of a few, since some wines won't be available before the release date. Critics tend to concentrate on big wines, or pricier cellar keepers. And for good reason: after tasting hundreds of wines a month they tend to remember the ones that really stand out. And so it was that a little wine like the 2004 Villa Simone Frascati Superior (LCBO# 686998) slipped into Vintages on August 20 and has been sitting on the shelves largely unnoticed, save for the attention of a few italophile sippers. If you've ever had a glass of white wine in Rome, then you've likely had a Frascati, which is the nearest wine region. Jancis Robinson calls the Mavasia-Trebbiano blend "a sound, if rarely exciting, commercial product." Fair enough, but you can't buy Montrachet of $13.95 a bottle, and who wants to drink California oak-bombs or New Zealand lemon wedges every night. Sometimes it's nice to have cold, simple taste of Italy on a muggy September night and dream that the backyard is really a piazza. Anyway, the Villa Simone is well made and well balanced and there still lots left. Summerhill, Woodbridge, Avenue Rd. & Lawrence and Dundas & Trafalgar in Oakville show the most quantities. To find a shop with some near you, click 
Natalie MacLean's new book,