Billy Munnelly – Billy's Best Bottles Wine Blog » Côtes du Rhône

When a Dog is Not a Dog!

Kato — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 15:01:15 +0000

France has produced its share of ‘dog’ wines over the years but here’s a pair that are anything but dogs. The white is a cool dude strutting frank refreshment with style. A Colombard/Chardonnay blend that may remind you of Muscadet, and a lovely lunch somewhere in the French countryside.

The red is in the Cotes du Rhone style – peppery earthy flavours along with refreshing vitality. Very gulpable, very good.

LONGUE-DOG 10 WHITE, VDP d’Oc, France 210161 $11.95

LONGUE-DOG 09 RED, VDP d’Oc, France 210153 $12.95

Summer Red

Kato — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 05:35:31 +0000

My most delicious light red experience this summer has been Labet’s CdR.

Behind that traditional label is a wine bursting with bright, fresh fruitiness and vitality. Lip-smacking stuff. Love how it feels both lighthearted but also ‘winey’. Lightly chill of course, and decant into clear glass to enjoy the cherry red colour. With a crusty baguette and wedge of brie you’ll almost be in France.

FRANCOIS LABET 10 Cotes du Rhone, France 630657 $11.45

(I posted this previously with the wrong picture and product number. Thanks Peter!)

Rhone Valley Voted Tops

Kato — Sat, 02 Apr 2011 09:20:14 +0000

A leading wine publication recently gave their ‘Wine Region of the Year’ award to the Rhone Valley. This will not come as a surprise to my readers as I’ve had Rhone wines at the top of my list for over twenty years. But it’s encouraging to see an American magazine recognizing one of the older wine sites.

In case you’ve somehow missed the Rhone let me offer a couple of reds to try. Expect warmhearted but not overbearing wines. Cave La Romaine has the delicate, sensual feeling of a Pinot Noir. Great anytime and with a wide range of foods. Chapoutier’s wine is richer with the peppery quality of Rhone reds. Evolves slowly with moments of charm as well as warm, earthy feelings.

CAVE LA ROMAINE 09 Cotes du Rhone, France 28779 11.75 ….delisted! what a shame!!! Try this guy: LOUIS BERNARD 09 Cotes du Rhone, France (581645 $11.95)
CHAPOUTIER 08 Rasteau, Cotes du Rhone Villages, France 321539 $17.80

LCBO Vintages Saturday April 2, 2011

Kato — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 05:03:54 +0000

THE LOW DOWN: There’s something for everyone in my whites – spicy sippers, keen refreshers and blockbusters. The South African wines offer new experiences in rich whites, and Torrontes is worth exploring for the summer season. Not a lot of action in the reds but you cannot go wrong with the Rhone. And Pelham’s Gamay is a classic light red.

Burgundy is the feature but I couldn’t find either a value or a treat.

Slainte.
Billy

WHITES
Wine style: fresh white
ST. LUCAS 10 Torrontes, Mendoza, Argentina 694513 $11.95
Torrontes is a the Argentinian edition of Muscat. This one is big on refreshment and would be a good intro to the grape. Not to mention a popular house wine.

Wine style: fresh white
SALMON-UNDHOF 10 Gruner Veltliner, Austria 669606 $12.95
Seriously, dry, tart and refreshing. Shades of dry Riesling with a little spice. Something different to start the evening.

Wine style: fresh white
PALACIO DE OTAZU 08 Chardonnay, Navarra, Spain 211003 $14.95
Refreshing, non-oaked Chardonnay that explodes with energy. Five star aperitif or partner for seafood.

Wine style: nice & easy white
DARTING 08 Riesling Kabinett, Pfalz, Germany 950212 $15.95
Delish, delish, off-dry sipper. Typical spicy flavours of the Pfalz region. Low alcohol, summer in the garden wine. Darting has been sending us delish Riesling for at least two decades.

Wine style: nice & easy white
CATTAIL CREEK Chardonnay Musque, VQA Four Mile Creek
222257 $17.50
Forget the Chardonnay word and thing dry white wine with a hit of lime and a dash of Muscat spicy sweetness. Off-dry but quite refreshing. Hard to imagine a better summer drink. Cattail are doing really well with their whites.

Wine style: rich whites
LAMMERSHOEK 08 ‘Roulette Blanc’, South Africa 225458 $16.95
BELLINGHAM 08 ‘Fair Maiden’, South Africa 220020 $17.95
These are blockbuster, Rhone-style whites. Broad, lush – would be palate killers if it were not for their vitality. Hulks with moves. Certainly an experience. I suggest late evening drinking.

SPARKLING

Wine style: dry sparkling
OYSTER BAY Sparkling Brut, New Zealand 163634 $21.95
A Chard sparkler with a delicious tease of delicate flavours. Very classy, very Champagne-ish but not too austere. To refresh, to celebrate, to live-it-up. Big time bargain.

REDS
Wine style: fresh red
HENRY of PELHAM 09 Gamay, VQA Short Hills Bench 291112 $14.95
Bright, light and gulpable – just how Gamay should be. Great vitality, great refreshment. Sure to put you in the mood for summer. Lightly chill.

Wine style: rich red
CAVE de RASTEAU 09 Cotes du Rhone-Villages, ‘Ortas’, France 998716 $15.00
A shade more lush and Merlot-ish than most Rhones so be prepared for instant seduction. Could be the crowdpleaser of the year.

Wine style: rich red
BELLINGHAM 06 ‘Dragon’s Lair’, South Africa 68692 $19.95
A Rhone grape blend combining richness and spicy flavours with an earthy, rustic feeling. Lots of character and the something different quality of South African reds. Needs a hearty supper.

LCBO Vintages Saturday February 19

Kato — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 19:04:28 +0000

LCBO VINTAGES SATURDAY FEB 19

Cabernet is the feature with lots of high priced, highly polished offerings. But as ever, the values are in the regular section of the catalogue.

MY 6 HIGHLIGHTS

#1. ONE OF THE WORLD’S BEST VALUE SPARKLING WINES
Codorniu’s Pink bubbly is back in town. Refreshing with a tease of strawberry flavour, and something earthy. Good fun naturally, but good with food too. Especially anything spicy/hot.
Wine style: Sparkling Dry Rosé
CODORNIU BRUT ROSÉ CAVA, Spain 665372 $16.95

#2. THE MEDITERRANEAN FEELING FOR ONLY $12.95
Try something different in white wine. Light ‘n refreshing but loaded with bold flavours. Herbs, olives – the Mediterranean feeling. Perfect with a seafood platter. Organic.
Wine-style: Fresh White
PARES BALTA 09 Blanc de Pacs, Penedes, Spain 190603 $12.95

#3. A PAIR of LOCAL HEROES – GOOD GAMAY and DELISH SWEET RIESLING
(a) 13th Street is one of the few wineries to take Gamay seriously. This vintage is Italian in spirit. Vibrant, gutsy and big on pucker. Not for the timid, but the perfect partner for a greasy burger or lamb chop. A bit expensive but an exciting local experience.
P.S. 13th Street has moved to beautiful new digs – bright and colourful with an art gallery feeling. The barn next door has been converted into a café with delicious local offerings to eat-in, or take for a picnic. A five star Niagara experience.
Wine style: Rustic Red
13th STREET 08 Gamay, VQA Niagara 177824 $17.95

(b) Late Harvest Riesling is one of the wines that Ontario does best. Hugely concentrated flavours with equal amounts of sweetness and zest are the features in Chateau des Charmes wine. A delicious anytime sipper. Heavenly after an alfresco lunch.
Wine style: Medium-sweet White
CHATEAU DES CHARMES 07 Late Harvest Riesling, VQA Niagara-on-the -Lake 432930 375ml/$21.95

#4. ONE OF THE WORLD’S BEST VALUES IN RED WINE
What more can I say about Cotes-du-Rhone! This one is delicious and warmhearted without feeling heavy, and the traditional label suggests a far more expensive wine. A-bottle-a-day drinkers will welcome the handy screw cap. Certain to be one of the buys of the year.
Wine style: Rich Red
LOUIS BERNARD 09 Cotes du Rhone ‘Reserve de Bonpas’, France 194969 $13.95

#5. THE SEXY RIOJA THING
A few weeks ago I recommended an everyday Rioja from this winery and now here’s their Saturday night offering. Richer, with more spicy/sweetness and pouring on the charm and seduction. Sip slowly from a big glass.
Wine style: Rich Red
PALACIO GLORIOSO 05 Rioja Reserva, Spain 930164 $19.95

#6. WINE SCHOOL – A LESSON IN CABERNET
Meet Cabernet in the raw. The original – unadorned by the sweetness of oak. Lots of vigour, pucker and refreshment. Wine for any Bistro food or mood.

P.S. The catalogue notes by James Suckling (Wine Spectator) are very misleading – he always is.

Wine style: Rustic Red
DOMAINES LAPALU 09 Medoc ‘La Patache’, Bordeaux, France 217307 $14.95

AND A FEW OTHERS…
Leth’s Gruner is a wonderful combination of zest and Spring-like flavours. Imagine a dry Riesling with a little spice and richness. Stock-up for patio lunches.
Wine style: Fresh White
LETH 09 Gruner Veltliner, Austria 207282 $16.95

Give Chardonnay a rest and explore another style of rich white. A spicy, manly white with a whiskey personality. Cannot wait to have this with summer BBQ’d chicken or pork. A mouthful of a name for a mouthful of a wine.
Wine style: Rich White
BOEKENHOUTSKLOOF 09 Viognier/Grenache Blanc ‘Porcupine Ridge’, South Africa 203893 $16.95

wp-image-3175" title="rasteau" src="http://www.billysbestbottles.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/rasteau.png" alt="rasteau" width="300" height="99" />Cotes du Rhone with an extra shot of richness and seduction.
Wine style: Rich Red
CHATEAU GOUDRAY 09 Rasteau, Cotes du Rhone Villages, France 195032 $15.95

Rich and plummy in the Merlot style. But not overdone.
Wine style: Rich Red
LUIGI BOSCA 08 Malbec Reserva, Mendoza, Argentina 79293 $17.95

Wakefield always offers more than Aussie bigness. There’s character too.
Wine style: Rich Red
WAKEFIELD ESTATE 08 Shiraz, Clare Valley, Australia 943787 $17.95

LCBO Vintages Saturday October 2

Kato — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 15:58:01 +0000

THE LOW DOWN: I found something to recommend in all three of the catalogue ‘features’ – Australia, Italy and Thanksgiving. Consider buying my Aussie reds for a snapshot of the four principal wine styles produced in that country.

Quintarelli is a wine folk hero and always worth the experience. You are sure to please putting Malivoire’s Rosé on the Thanksgiving table. (And any of my white picks would be popular too.) Chateau St. Jean is a must for Pinot addicts.

ROSE
wine style: dry rosé
MALIVOIRE 09 Rosé ‘Ladybug’, VQA Niagara 559088 $15.95
Delicious fruitiness and some richness. Perfect for Thanksgiving and stock up for Christmas too. Dry Rosé is a great food wine in general.

WHITES
wine style: fresh white
PETER LEHMANN 08 Riesling, Eden Valley, Australia 186361 $14.95
Tart, super refreshing with a tease of citrusy flavours. Unusually understated and low alcohol for an Aussie. Aperitif.

wine style: nice & easy white
SOELLNER ‘Toni’ Grüner Veltliner, Austria 184085 $14.95
Zippy, spicy with a gentle and friendly feeling. Better than a happy pill.

wine style: rich white
TORRES ‘Gran Vina Sol’ 08 Chardonnay, Penedes, Spain 171660 $14.95
Semi-rich Chardonnay with a refreshing tartness. And a solid earthy feeling. Built for food, not glamour. Good value.

REDS
wine style: rustic red
LITTLE YERING 08 Pinot Noir, Yarra Valley, Australia 188094 $14.95
A great buy for fans of ‘barnyard’ Pinots. Raunchy and very Burgundian. Needs food. Check out more value wines from this winery on the regular LCBO shelves.

wine style: rich red
CHATEAU ST. JEAN 07 Pinot Noir, Sonoma County, California 687970 $19.95
Big, lush and seductive. Very Californian. Would impress at a fancy dinner. St. Jean always does well with Pinot.
wine style: rich red
QUINTARELLI 01 Valpolicella, Veneto, Italy 986117 $84.95
Vapolicella that thinks it’s Tawny Port. Lush, spicy, earthy and full of mystery. More exciting, and more rare, than most Amarones or any wine at this price. Quintarelli delivers the goods. Treat yourself, or gift a good friend. Sip after dinner.

wine style: rich red
LES COTEAUX 07 ‘Visan’, Cotes du Rhone-Village, France 179226 $13.95
A yummy, spicy, peppery, rich red for those who missed the Rhone special a few weeks ago.
wine style: rich red
CHARLES CIMICKY 06 Shiraz ‘Trumps’, Barossa Valley, Australia 07383 $24.95
Dark, dense and solid. With a plummy, Port-like warmth. I’d pour this after dinner.

wine style: rich red
WYNNS 06 Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra, Australia 84996 $24.95
Wynns Coonawarra is an Australian classic. Modeled on Bordeaux, it combines boldness with some seriousness. As formal as it gets down under. Needs beef, of course.

wine style: rich red
MAXWELL 08 Shiraz/Grenache/Viognier ‘Four Roads’, McLaren Valley, Australia 57000 $19.95
Cotes du Rhone in style with extra ripeness and richness. Guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser with any hearty meal.

LCBO Vintages Saturday August 21

Kato — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 10:45:36 +0000

THE LOW DOWN: I didn’t get to the Vintages press tasting for this Saturday’s release but here’s a couple of delicious reds I tasted elsewhere. The Rhone is all charm and the Pinotage delivers a bit mre grit. Both are wonderful wines and values – and who knows? They may be the best two wines in this release.

wine style: rich red
LA FERME DU MONT 07 Cotes du Rhone ‘Le Ponnant’, France
171371 $17.95
I grew up drinking Cotes du Rhonme and have never stopped drinking it and encouraging others to do likewise. If you’re not yet converted this bottle should do the trick. Peppery and spicy flavours combine with great vitaltiy for a feeling that is both warmhearted and lively. Rich wine that seduces with charm rather than heft. Equally good with red or white meats. A lovely treat.

wine style: rich red
LAMMERSHOEK 07 Pinotage, South Africa
954594 $18.95
Lammershoek does for Pinotage what Henry of Pelham does for Baco. It puts a charming spin on a rustic grape variety. This combine the lush richness of a Rhone with the earthy feeling of a Portuguese red. Sexy with a light roughness. Wine to flatter any homecooked meal – as it’s more hearty than fancy.

LCBO Vintages May 1, 2010

Kato — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 19:37:50 +0000

Vintages Sat May 1/2010
THE LOW DOWN: Lacks the outstanding values of recent releases but there’s some good explorer wines. Such as a couple of heavy hitting Zinfandels, and a bargain priced red from the south of France. Guigal’s white Rhone and the Moulin-a-Vent would be a delightful French pairing for a summer dinner party. Prince Edward County wines are not values but offer good local expression. I hope to be featuring lots of local from the next few Vintages releases.
Enjoy!

WHITES
Wine style: fresh white
BLACK PRINCE 08 Riesling, VQA Prince Edward County 164236 $18.95
Classic dry Riesling – super refreshing, tart and low in alcohol. Perfect summer patio aperitif. Riesling fans should age this for a year or three.

Wine style: nice & easy white
GUIGAL 08 Côtes du Rhône Blanc, France 290296 $16.95
A lovely glass of wine. Mid-range everything and understated with delightful hints of this and that. Lots of charm from the Viognier grape. Enjoy with grilled white meats.
Wine style: nice & easy white
SHEPHERDS RIDGE ‘Kapuka’ 09 Sauvignon Blanc, New Zealand 163576 $14.95
Mild mannered for a New Zealand Sauvignon, but a wonderful general-purpose summer drink. Think high octane Pinot Grigio. Refreshment and crowd appeal. Pretty package too.
Wine style: rich white
CLOSSON CHASE 07 Chardonnay, VQA Prince Edward County 148866 $29.95
Deborah Paskus makes very seductive wines. Such as this silky smooth, exotic, tropical fruit flavoured Chardonnay. Lush, lovely and almost too nice to partner with food.

REDS
Wine style: rustic red
THE GRANGE ‘Trumpour’s Mill’ 07 Cabernet Franc, VQA Prince Edward County 173187 $17.95
Those with a European palate will understand and enjoy this wine. Feels light, tart and refreshing. Inviting food. On the second glass, woodsy Fall-day flavours unfold. Very suggestive of something you once enjoyed at a county café in France. Or maybe it was Italy.

Wine style: lively red
DOMAINE de GRAND GARANT 08 Moulin-a-Vent ‘Les Thorins’, Beaujolais, France 160168 $16.95
Moulin-a-Vent is usually the big daddy of the Beaujolais-Villages clan but this is mainly about refreshment. Along with charm – along with some of the sexy nature of Pinot Noir. I can’t imagine a better partner for BBQ’d salmon. Or any summer patio meal. Lightly chilled, of course.
Wine style: rich red
DOMAINE PUIG-PARAHY 07 ‘Georges’, Cotes du Roussillon, France 171025 $13.95
Shiraz fans will love this smooth, jammy-sweet wine. All things nice at a reasonable price.

Wine style: rich red
TRUCHARD 07 Zinfandel, Carneros/Napa, California 54858 $21.95
Solid, earthy Zin. Very concentrated, very manly and not unlike a Californian Cabernet. Needs the beef.

Wine style: rich red
EDMEADS 07 Zinfandel, Mendocino, California 105924 $24.95
Super rich, Port-like and mighty seductive. Heft meets charm. Could be likened to a fifty dollar Amarone. After dinner sipping for sure.

LCBO Vintages Saturday April 17

Kato — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 09:26:24 +0000

LCBO Vintages Saturday April 17th Release

THE LOW DOWN: A few years ago I met the folks from Monte Del Ffra winery in Italy’s Veneto region and fell in love with their wines. Imagine my delight to see their Custoza, Bardolino and Valpolicello in this release. An opportunity to experience modern German Riesling and yet another fab Cotes du Rhone are a few more highlights.

WHITES
wine style: fresh white
ST. ANTHONY 08 Riesling ’483′, Rheinhessen, Germany 160622 $16.95
Crisp, starched shirt feeling. Seriously dry and palate teasing with the hidden flavours that make Riesling so interesting. Excellent aperitif or appetizer wine. For those who are not afraid of a challenge on the first few sips, and who are looking for an alternative to N.Z. Sauvignon.

wine style: fresh white
CANTINA TUDERNUM 08 Grechetto di Todi, Umbria, Italy 160275 $14.95
The Grechetto grape produces wines that combine mineral freshness with mild flavour and flesh. Shades of an upscale Pinot Grigio – and a white wine that keeps your interest through the entire bottle.

wine style: nice & easy white
MIGUEL TORRES 08 ‘Nerola’, Spain 680678 $16.95
Spain’s best known winery is going the organic route. This is a delicious fruity, spicy sipper. Yummy and charming. Shades of white wine with a dollop of Gewurztraminer. Brunch or the patio, or an Asian stir fry.

wine style: nice & easy white
MONTE del FRA 08 Custoza ‘Ca Del Magro’, Veneto, Italy 165670 $14.95
Welcome to a new level of niceness. This is the ‘cloud nine’ experience – freshness, a little spicy buzz in the flavour and drop-dead prettiness. Chill, open and they will come. Best ‘nice’ wine I’ve tasted in a long time.

wine style: nice & easy rosé

CANTINA di NEGRAR 09 ‘Via Rosé’, Veneto, Italy 165407 $10.95
The café wine comes to us. A perfect blend of fruitiness, freshness and fun. Simple, but honest and awfully good at hitting the spot in the Rosé season. Keep an open bottle in the fridge.

REDS
wine style: lively red

JOSEF CHROMY 09 Pinot Noir ‘Pepik’, Tasmania 162990 $21.95
Here’s a light, fruity, Beaujolais-style Pinot from one of the pioneers of Tasmanian winemaking. Read more about him in the catalog. Refreshing and charming – perfect for summer gulping. Lightly chill. Handy screw cap.

wine style: lively red
MONTE DEL FRA 08 Bardolino, Veneto, Italy 134544 $12.95
A tomato sauce seafood pasta lunch with chilled Bardolino on the shores of Lake Gorda is one of my favourite wine/food/place memories. A simple-but-great experiences. Check it out with this Bardolino – lighthearted, exuberant and joyful. Make it your summer red.

wine style: lively red

MONTE DEL FRA 08 Valpolicella ‘Lena di Mezzo’, Vento, Italy 160226 $13.95
You’ll not meet a better example of Valpolicella. Juicy, furity flavours combined with high energy. A wow for the senses. Very invigorating and an invitation to get pasta on the table – and pour more wine.

wine style: rustic red
CAVE de VIGNERONS de BEL-AIR 08 Brouilly, Beaujolais 159749 $17.95
Beaujolais usually falls into my Lively Red category, but this guy has an earthy feeling to partner the vibrant side. Nourishing and fun. The perfect summer partner for BBQ’d white meats.

wine style: rustic red
CLOS du BOIS 07 Pinot Noir, California 161273 $18.95Wow! An earthy, gutsy Pinot at a reasonable price. Drier and more real than most Californian Pinot. And the refreshing style will be ideal for summer meals. Clos du Bois is one of the few Californian wineries offering quality and value.

wine style: rich red

CAVE de VIGNERONS a SABLET 07 Cotes du Rhone-Villages, France 78790 $15.00
Lush, red with delicious peppery flavours. And the heartwarming south of France feeling. Live it up for fifteen bucks.

LCBO Vintages Saturday April 3

Kato — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 16:08:25 +0000

THE LOW DOWN: Unfortunately, most of the Spanish reds offered in this release are super-rich/smooth – catering to the North American palate – but I did find some interesting and reasonable priced picks. France keeps giving us reasons to return to the motherland of wine: a white Burgundy, a red Bordeaux and a Côtes du Rhône are the star offerings in this release. Malivoire, Lailey and Southbrook deliver good reasons to buy local.

SPARKLING
Wine style: Fresh
CODORNIU Pinot Noir Rosé Brut, Spain 665372 $16.95
Fruity, fun, friendly sparkling. Refreshing, but not austere. Sunday brunch.

WHITES
Wine style: fresh white
VINA VILANO 08 Verdejo, Rueda, Spain 162719 $12.95
The Verdejo grape is Spain’s answer to Sauvignon Blanc. Zesty, herbaceous and perfect for the Summer season. This one is a very good allrounder – for food or just for fun.

Wine style: fresh white
CVNE 08 ‘Monopole’, Rioja, Spain 66951 $13.95
Traditional very dry, tart, low-alcohol white. Good tangy refresher or seafood partner.
P.S. Wouldn’t this be the perfect flagship white for the LCBO ‘monopoly’.

Wine style: nice ‘n easy white
ABAD DOM BUENO 08 ‘Godello’, Bierzo, Spain 154303 $14.95
Freshness combined with fruity flavours and a lighthearted feeling. Good everyday gulper.

wine style: nice ‘n easy white

HUGH HAMILTON 08 Unoaked Chardonnay ‘Jim Jim’, Australia 58537 $15.95
It doesn’t get much more crowdpleasing than this semi-rich, delicious gulper. A teasing mix of zest and slight sweetness.

wine style: rich white
SOUTHBROOK 08 Chardonnay ‘Triomphe’, VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake 172338 $21.95
Tart, earthy Chardonnay in the Burgundian style. Feels rich but the alcohol is moderate. A wonderful partner for herb roasted/BBQ white meats. Should be even more characterful in a year or two.

wine style: rich white
MAISON FRANCOIS MARTENOT 07 Bourgogne Chardonnay, Burgundy, France 159095 $16.95
Speaking of Burgundy, here’s a classic. Chardonnay the old way – tons of flavour but not heavy on alcohol. More earthy than fruity. A fab food wine. And an amazing value. Get some.

REDS
Wine style: lively red
MALIVOIRE 08 GAMAY, VQA Niagara 591313 $17.95
Juicy, fruity and refreshing. Most local Gamays are earthy but this delivers the fun, gulp me character of Beaujolais. A bit pricy but guaranteed to delight at any Summer event. Lightly chilled of course.

Wine style: rustic red
MALIVOIRE OLD VINES 08 Foch, VQA Ontario 551036 $24.95
Bitter, earthy and challenging. That’s the Foch way. But there’s something exciting about drinking a local red from 34 year old vines. Perhaps with old cheddar, old Lightfoot and late night by the campfire. Expensive but original.

Wine style: rustic red
CHATEAU FONGABAN 05 Cotes de Castillon, Bordeaux 165720 $17.95
Classic French bistro red. Rustic and a bit challenging. But wonderful with food because it invigorates and stimulates the palate. Red meats.

Wine style: rustic red
BODEGAS y VINEDOS NEO 07 ‘Vivir,Vivir’, Ribera del Duero, Spain 162693 $12.95
Rustic, gutsy and full of vigour. Heartwarming, old-style wine in the fashion of Tuscan or Abruzzi reds. Not anything like the description in the catalog.

wine style: rich red
LAILEY VINEYARD 07 Merlot, VQA Niagara River 591396 $25.00
The plummy character of Merlot along with some woodsy flavours. Good dinner partner because of the gutsy, refreshing edge. Lailey winery prices their premium wines lower than most.

Wine style: rich red
VINEDOS ARTAZU 08 Garnacha ‘Artazuri’, Navarra, Spain 80812 $13.95
The strawberry-sweet character of Pinot Noir, along with a tangy bite. Charm meets earthiness. A wonderful drink. Lightly chill and let the evening unfold.

Wine style: rich red
GABA do XIL 08 Mencia, Valdeorras, Spain 166199 $15.95
A delicious gulper. Lively, fruity and fun. Shades of Valpolicella. Lighly chill and let the party begin. BBQed burgers would keep the vibe going.

Wine style: rich red
BODEGAS LAN 2004 Rioja Reserva, Spain 42929 $19.95
Classic Rioja Reserva – sweet/spicy flavours combined with a faded, old-world feeling. Light lots of candles.

Wine style: rich red
LATRIA 2006, Montsant, Spain 155424 $18.95
Here’s the bite and vitality often lacking in Spanish reds. Charming, Merlot-style wine to partner with beef or lamb dishes.

wine style/rich red
DOMAINE de la CROISETTE 07 Côtes du Rhône, France 155465 $13.95
Almost New World in richness but has the vitality of Cotes du Rhone. A wonderful combination of substance, charm and playfulness. And value. Get lots of this for summer BBQs.

LCBO Vintages Saturday Feb 20

Kato — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 10:28:43 +0000

THE LOW DOWN: My favourite wines from the previous two releases were Côtes du Rhône, and now this release features that region (the southern Rhône). Yippee!! My five picks this week are out-and-out charmers. So warm and cuddly you may not want the winter to end.

I’m also recommending a pair of New World rich reds that are crafted with the northern Rhône Grape, the Syrah. From the Kosher feature there’s a lovely, mid-range, South African Chardonnay, and a superb Cava from Spain.

WHITES
wine style: fresh, sparkling white
ELVI WINES Cava ‘Adar’, Spain 156737 $17.95
Classic Champagne-style sparkling at a bargain price. Yeasty and super refreshing. A super wine to kick-off any event. Kosher.

wine style: fresh white
MASSERIA ALTEMURA 08 Fiano, Puglia, Italy 159475 $13.95
Lovely mineral freshness, pure, delicate flavours and gulpability. The Fiano grape is an Italian original. Ideal summer house wine.

wine style: fresh white
PLANALTO 08 Douro, Portugal
586420 $13.95
Here’s a crisp refresher to bring out on a summer’s evening. Shades of Sauvignon Blanc, but different.

wine style: nice ‘n easy white
VINELAND ESTATES 07 Riesling ‘St. Urban’, VQA Twenty Mile Bench 38117 $20.00
Dry Riesling that feels a touch sweet because the flavours are honeyed and delicious. Spring-like purity and a carefree feeling. Low alcohol. An afternoon, or anytime sipper.

wine style: fresh/nice n’easy white
BACKSBERG 09 Chardonnay, Paarl, South Africa 156661 $16.95
This non-oaked Chardonnay delivers freshness, fruitiness and friendliness. Feels classy too. Just a lovely glass of wine. Kosher.

wine style: rich white
CHRISTOBAL 09 Chardonnay ‘1492’ Mendoza, Argentina 144402 $11.95
A real crowdpleaser. Fruity, spicy and slightly sweet – yummy. Partygoers delight.

wine style: rich white
MARGAN 08 Chardonnay, Hunter Valley, Australia 141986 $15.95
Aussie Chard with a down to earth feeling. Refreshing too. A good drink and, a good food partner. Very bistro.

wine style: rich white
PELLER ESTATES 07 Chardonnay ‘Private Reserve’, VQA Okanagan Valley 618298 $17.95
Super, super rich Chard for a lot less than twenty dollars. Huge concentrated, vanilla sweet flavours – the Jack Daniels of white wine. A sipper.

REDS
wine style: rustic red
ASCHERI 08 Barbera d’Alba ‘Fontanelle’, Piedmont, Italy 982462 $17.95
The vigour and vitality of Italy. Gutsy, up-and-at-them wine. To start your evening and to partner with traditional tomato sauced foods.

wine style: rich red
DOMAINE de DIEUMERCY 07 Côtes du Rhône, France 155507 $12.95
Warm feelings combined with spicy, peppery, earthy flavours. Very nourishing. A lot of wine character for the price. Any food, anytime.

wine style: rich red
LES VIGNERONS de ROAIX 07 Côtes du Rhône Villages, France 156000 $13.95
Rich, lush and concentrated. A best friend on Winter nights. Luxury at an everyday price.

wine style: rich red
TERRES d’AVIGNON 07 Côtes du Rhône ‘Les Cardinalices’, France 155473 $14.95
All the lovely Rhone features with a lively, gutsy feeling. Dangerously gulpable. Get two bottles, cook dinner and live the bistro life.

wine style: rich red
DOMAINE SAINT-PIERRE 06 Vacqueyras, Côtes du Rhône Villages, France 130013 $25.95
A whopper of richness, spicy flavours and charm. Deep, dark and mysterious. Be prepared to be seduced. A Middle Eastern style lamb dish would be heavenly. Or just hit the couch.

wine style: rich red
CAVE de RASTEAU 07 Gigondas ‘Ortas’, Côtes du Rhône Villages, France 155440 $23.95
Here’s another couch red. Smooth, super rich and yummy. Fireside in a glass.

wine style: rich red
CONO SUR 07 Syrah ‘Vision’, Chile
24661 $15.95
Rich meets rustic. Chile meets France. Big wine with an earthy tang. Rich wine that’s good with food. Cono Sur scores again.

wine style: rich red
LOMOND ESTATE 08 Syrah, Cape Agulhas, South Africa 146464 $19.95
Another New World red with a French feeling. There’s vitality to partner the dark, earthy flavours. Could be aged a year or two.

Billy’s Online Wine School – Lesson #5

Kato — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 03:14:25 +0000

If you’re just tuning in, check out the other lessons posted on Billy’s Online Wine School page to your left. Enjoy your homework!

WINE LESSON # 5 Côtes du Rhône

I want to repeat the first lesson because of the flood of Côtes du Rhône wines appearing at Vintages this Saturday. You must grab this opportunity to explore one of the great experience in red wine. And great values too. The wines won’t be around for long and when they’re they gone – they’re gone.

Côtes du Rhône has a unique style that cannot be duplicated elsewhere. The sunny flavours and feeling of the south of France pour out of each glass. Effortlessly. Lovingly. Côtes du Rhône is Cabernet’s alter ego. Wines crafted for charm over size. Spicy/sweetness over power.

So here’s what to do. This weekend, go to an LCBO that carries a decent Vintages selection. Buy one or two of my 5 recommended Côtes du Rhônes. Here they are. All my other Vintages picks will be posted here on FRIDAY, FEB 19th.

My 5 recommended Côtes du Rhônes released this Saturday, Feb. 20th.
DOMAINE de DIEUMERCY 07 Côtes du Rhône, France 155507 $12.95
LES VIGNERONS de ROAIX 07 Côtes du Rhône, France 156000 $13.95
TERRES d’AVIGNON 07 Côtes du Rhône ‘Les Cardinalices’, France 155473 $14.95
DOMAINE SAINT-PIERRE 06 Vacqueyras, Côtes du Rhône Villages, France 130013 $25.95
CAVE de RASTEAU 07 Gigondas ‘Ortas’, Côtes du Rhône Villages, France 155440 $23.95

And don’t overlook a previous recommendation posted on Jan 8 (Rasteau 08 ‘Ortas’ Côtes du Rhône Villages #998716 $15).

P.S. Next Wednesday I’m taking a break from school because I’m posting a lot of ‘Olympic Wine Picks’ in the coming week. Cheers.

LCBO Vintages Saturday February 6

Kato — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 10:25:32 +0000

THE LOW DOWN: A very traditional Côtes du Rhône is my highlight of this release. Bistro at its best. Earthy but also rich is the Priorat from the North of Spain. Characterful stuff. For an interesting white wine experience check out Greco di Tufo from the south of Italy. This ancient Greek grape variety can hold its own with the worlds best whites. Speaking of best, Concha y Toro ‘Trio’ is a world campion value in rich whites. Finally, think about a spring picnic and grab a few Bordolino Chiaretto.

P.S. High scoring wines are the feature. While some are impressed with impact and richness, I found that most of the wines were overworked and the experience overwhelming. Port-like richness is not something I welcome in supper-table wines. Or party drinks. For an example of contrived, try Chimeres, Cotes du Roussillon-Villages (119354 $19.95) on page 11 in the catalogue. The taste description is a classic piece of wine gobbledegook.

WHITES
wine style: fresh white
ANGELS GATE 08 Riesling, VQA Beamsville Bench 160523 $13.95
The super refreshing character of Dry Riesling. Tart, clean as a whistle and worth stocking for summer events. I like the pure, fresh flavours and reasonable prices of Angels Gate wines.

wine style: fresh white
TERREDORA di PAOLO 08 Greco di Tufo, Campania, Italy 983197 $19.95
Regular readers will be familiar with my fondness for indigenous Italian whites. Wines with so much character they never need oak ageing. Flavours are more eathy than fruity and there’s a refreshing mineral tang. Great partner for the world of seafood. On the patio overlooking a lake always works for me. Could be aged a few years.

wine style: rich white
CONCHA y TORO 08 Reserva Chardonnay/Pinot Grigio/Pinot Blanc ‘Trio, Chile 433938 $12.95
The richness of New World Chardonnay with side notes from the other grapes. Glamour meets street smarts. Lemony freshness too. Wonderful stuff for the price.

REDS
wine style: dry rose
ZENATO 08 Bardolino Chiaretto, Italy 45203 $11.95
OK, it’s only February, but why not get started on your summer stash with this classic bistro Rosé? Tasty, refreshing and fun. Or you could have it with a Indian curry tonight. Rosé is an all season wine.

wine style: rich/rustic red
DELAS 07 Côtes du Rhône ‘Saint Esprit’, France 729962 $14.95
Unusually earthy, rustic edition of Côtes du Rhône due to the high Syrah content. Classic bistro red – invigorating, refreshing and a great partner for all the meat dishes. I love the traditional style int his wine – the ‘non smooth’

wine style: rich red
BUIL & GINÉ 06 Priorat, Spain 67843 $17.95
Starts out lively, fruity and tart – shades of the Rhône (same grapes) but on the second glass there’s wonderful down ‘n dirty flavours that are the hallmark of the old vine wines from the Priorat region. Lots of character.

LCBO Vintages Saturday Jan 23

Kato — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 13:01:55 +0000

THE LOW DOWN: Six picks ranging in price from $15 to $25. Blockbuster, crowd-pleasing Argentinan wines are the feature but they are outdone by my Cotes du Rhone pick. France also scores with a Sauv Blanc. Malivoire Gamay and Southbrook Chard are outstanding locals.

WHITES
wine style: fresh white
LA CHABLISIENNE 08 Sauvignon, Saint-Bris, France 641753 $14.95
Seriously dry and sharp Sauvignon. Edgy and super-refreshing – but needs a hot summer day.

wine style: rich white
SOUTHBROOK 07 Chardonnay ‘Triomphe’, VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake 117572 $21.95
Solid, manly Chard in the Burgundian style. Deep, earthy flavours, rich and very luxurious. Needs a special event and well seasoned food. Or just sip and enjoy. A wonderful wine experience at a reasonable price. Could be aged a year or three.

wine style: nice & easy white
ALAMOS 08 Torrontes, Argentina 81539 $13.95
Torrentes is South America’s Muscat or Gewuztraminer. Exotic and spicy with a suggestion of sweetness. Fun stuff to sip between meals and at parties. And a really good partner for Sunday eggs.

REDS
wine style: lively red
MALIVOIRE 08 Gamay VQA Niagara 591313 $17.95
A lively, fruity, earthy edition of the Beaujolais grape. Very refreshing, very gulpable and a wonderful local expression. A bit expensive but you’ll feel awfully good drinking this on a picnic this summer.

wine style: rich red
CLOS de LOS SIETE 07, Mendoza, Argentina 622571 $23.95
Argentinean edition of Bordeaux. Solid, manly red for beef or lamb. Best partnered with a formal mood.

wine style: super-rich red
LA RÉSERVE du CROUZAU ST. GERVAIS 07 Cotes du Rhône-Villages, France 142943 $14.95
A blockbuster for sure. Super-rich red for fireside sipping. If you like Amarone try this – at a quarter of the price.

LCBO Vintages September 26, 2009

Kato — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 13:09:06 +0000

Vintages, Saturday Sept 26

THE LOW DOWN: Three novel Italian whites are the hits of this release. All under $15. In reds, you’ll make a lot of people happy with my Côtes du Rhône or Napa Cab picks. I don’t usually recommend forty-five dollar wines but Foreign Affair Pinot is both novel and wonderfully satisfying if you enjoy traditional style red wine.

WHITES
ALOIS LAGEDER 08 Pinot Grigio ‘Riff’, Alto Adige, Italy 66415 $13.95
style: nice & easy white
Pinot grigio with zingy, mineral freshess and a little richness. Very pure with an elegant feeling, Classy white for a nice dinner.

CANTINA TOLLO 08 Pecorino, Abruzzo, Italy 134510 $14.95
style: nice & easy white
Pecorino is a lesser known Italian grape that produces really good, general purpose white wine. Not too light not too rich – more herbal than fruity, and best of all – something different.

STOCCO 08 Friulano, Friuli, Italy 135525 $14.95
style: fresh white
Friulano is a zesty Sauv Blanc-style white produced in Italy’s Friuli region. There’s also some fullness but the overall feeling is high-spirited and refreshing. A lovely pure, spring day experience. Have with appetizers.

REDS
TERRES d’AVIGNON 07 Côtes du Rhône ‘Cardinalices’, France 130294 $13.95
style: rich red
Super-rich and yummy – with dangerous drinkability. Charming and gentle so it works equally well with white or red meats.

AVALON 06 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, California 684399 $22.95
style: rich red
Solid Californian red that’s found a middle ground between heft and drinkabiltiy. Rich, but not overpowering. Steak wine that will let the meat and company shine.

THE FOREIGN AFFAIR 07 Pinot Noir, VQA Niagara 127332 $44.00
style: rich red
Foreign Affair is a new Niagara winery producing wines by the Appassimento technique (dried grapes as in Amarone) – hence the high cost of this wine. I’m recommending the Pinot because it delivers the goods – a really interesting red with some of the richness of Amarone and a lot of the earthy quality of Barolo. Feeling and flavours of the fall, the forest, the farm…all things woodsy. Quite refreshing and very together without trying too hard. Could be called the anti-wine in this era where smoothness rules. Have with simply roasted red meats or game – don’t forget to try and create your own farmhouse feeling.