by Margaret Swaine | May 1, 2005
By Margaret Swaine
Last column I talked about golf pros with links to wineries. But the reverse hold true too. Some winery owners have such a love of golf they’ll pony up big money to support the game by backing tournaments, backing their winery onto a golf course or even turning some of their acreage into links. In 1999, at VinExpo which is an enormous biannual wine show held in Bordeaux that attracts all the players in wine, I experienced how the French do it. When they hold a golf tournament in wine country, they take the 19th hole pleasures with them throughout the prior 18. There were wine stations at tee boxes dotted throughout the Pessac Golf Course. I joined winery owners in vying for wine prizes all given out at the awards reception which naturally featured tables full of wines for tasting.
At this year’s VinExpo 2005, champagne producer Duval-Leroy has ditched its traditional stand at the hectic trade show and replaced it with a day of golf for customers who sign up under their bubblies.birdies site. President Carol Duval-Leroy is a keen golfer who makes sure her champagne is at tournaments in Europe – she sponsors for example the Golf Makser Cup with 50 competitions throughout the summer. Duval-Leroy is the largest family owned champagne winery with five million bottles produced a year. Ranked among the world’s top ten Champagne Houses, the wine can be found all over Europe in the best restaurants and stores, but only just entered the American market three years ago. Duval-Leroy’s delightful bubblies are now in 43 states and beginning to appear in Quebec, Ontario, BC and out east.
Carol Duval-Leroy became head of the company upon her husband’s sudden death from cancer in 1991 at the age of 39. Along with the winery, she inherited 170 hectares of vines (the property is the ninth largest vineyard owner in Champagne). This gives her Champagne House a great advantage in maintaining quality and controlling costs. Carol, who once dreamed of being a chef, has applied her knowledge of food to work together with Chef de Caves Hervé Jestin to expand the line of wines to 12 different blends that can match with a whole range of dishes. I wholeheartedly recommend all the ones I’ve tasted. The Brut non-vintage ($44.95), a blend of mainly chardonnay with 25 per cent pinot noir grapes is lemony crisp with a lively intensity and hints of brioche and minerals. Many airlines stock this label – it can carry the palate from aperitifs into a first course of white meats. The Design Paris Brut ($58.) features a beautiful silk screened bottle depicting the gaiety of Paris by American painter LeRoy Neiman. This fizzy, an alluring blend of sixty per cent pinot noir with the rest chardonnay, has good length with a fresh minerals and honeysuckle character. Any romantic moment will be the right one to pop the cork. Lady Rosé ($36.95) made from 100 per cent pinot noir, is a pretty salmon pink with a touch of residual sugar. Its rounded fruity style matches with cakes, cookies and other desserts though I would just as easily pair it with salmon. Champagne Blanc de Chardonnay 1998 is a pure chardonnay bubbly with a fresh lemony elegance perfect with seafood. Her top of the line vintage dated champagne, 1995 Femme de Champagne ($99.) is made from grapes all coming from prestigious grand cru vineyards It’s the athlete of the family with serious structure and intensity that can handle veal and fowl.
Closer to home, Archibald Winery and Cider House in Bowmanville Ontario (www.archibaldswinery.com), has turned some of their apple orchards into fairways to make a sweet nine hole par three public course. Fred Archibald explained to me that they need to leave some of their fields fallow every year so he reckoned might as well make them playable. The course welcomes families with an emphasis on juniors, ladies and beginners. Those of drinking age can sample and purchase from a wide and delicious range of fruit wines such as Oak Aged Ida Red ($9.95), Apple Cranberry ($12.95) and Spiced Winter Apple ($16.95) a dessert wine. A complimentary glass of wine is offered to all participants in their Ladies and Couples golf nights. Those who can’t make the trip to Bowmanville can still enjoy Archibald’s wines – they ship countrywide.
Further to the topic, Penfolds Winery is the official wine sponsor of the Royal Canadian Golf Association Canadian Championship events for a three year term. You’ll find Penfolds wines on site during the BMO Canadian Women’s Open at Glen Arbour Golf course in Halifax from July 11 – 17 and at the Bell Canadian Open at Shaughnessey Golf and Country Club in Vancouver from September 5 – 11. If you email your name, address and phone number to Canada@southcorp-usa.com you will be entered for a chance to win a VIP event package to the Bell Open. Penfolds, an Australian wine company founded in 1844, is perhaps the most famous in Oz. Their premier reputation was firmly established in the 1950’s when Grange and Bin wines were created by then winemaker Max Schubert. Penfolds Grange is still the icon, recognized as one of the world’s finest reds. The current 1999 ($299.) demands at least five years or more of age (these babies can easily handle 40 years in the cellar) to mellow its tightness but is as classy as ever with cedary oak, smoky fruit and earthiness. Yattarna is Penfolds new ultra premium white though I can’t say I want to spend the ninety bucks for the chardonnay 2001. More accessible in price is the Thomas Hyland range of shiraz, cabernet and chardonnay. Penfolds St. Henry style is pure shiraz that doesn’t rely on new oak hence the warmth of berries comes through rich, full and plush. The Bin series is also reliably good, offering the style and complexity of Penfolds flagship wines at affordable prices. Bin 128 Shiraz 2001 ($29.95) for example is ripe and generously fruity. Bin 407 Cabernet Sauvignon ($29.95) is for those like the more structured cassis taste of a cab. Their entry level labels are Rawson’s Retreat followed by the Koonunga Hill range – priced at $10 to $15 they’re consistent best value winners. Supporting wine that supports golf has never been so easy.
Swaine top picks:
Champagne Duval-Leroy Brut $44.95 Agent Vinexx 1-877-659-9463 www.vinexx.com
Penfold’s St. Henry Shiraz 2000 $49.95 Agent Southcorp 416-504-3830 www.southcorp.com
by Margaret Swaine | Apr 1, 2005
By Margaret Swaine
It’s no surprise to me that golf, a game awash in affluence, would link the greats on the PGA Tour with the finesse in the bottle. I’m certain I’m not alone in harbouring both a strong love for wine and for golf. I may however be the only one to switch club membership (from ClubLink’s King Riding to King Valley) because of the wine list. Okay I exaggerate a bit. The latter’s course is pretty spectacular but all the more reason to enjoy the après game view with a fine tipple.
That said, as a wine columnist and critic for over twenty years, I did question whether wins on tour translated to award winning wines. Was it just a marketing ploy or would a champion’s name guarantee greatness in the bottle and not just on the label? When Greg Norman first launched the product of a joint venture between Great White Shark Enterprises and Beringer Blass Wine Estates in the late nineties, I was dubious. I felt his 1996 cabernet merlot blend from Coonawarra in Australia hit a tad on the rough side. Colleagues were less critical including those at the Wine Spectator which rated it 91 points out of 100. His reds and his chardonnay continued to appear at golf tournaments and golf clubs where I played and as vintages went by I became a convert. Recently when I purchased a bottle of Limestone Coast Shiraz Cabernet 2002, I found the rich mélange of plump plum, crisp blackberry and vanilla spiced oak tastes to be delicious. When my husband heard it cost me a mere $19.95, he exclaimed “Buy three cases of it now!” Featured in Ontario as an LCBO Vintages wine of the month for March, this time it truly deserved its accolades. And unlike the sometimes disappointing finishes of its namesake, the wine lingered on with great fruit delivery. Also recommended are the Greg Norman Shiraz 2002 and Greg Norman Cabernet Merlot 2002 both $23.95.
Greg Norman Estates initially focused on quality wine at the “right” price moving up market with a Shiraz Reserve at twice the bucks after establishing their reputation. Ernie Els took the opposite approach. His Ernie Els Stellenbosch 2000 soared onto the North American playing field with a hefty price of over $60 US and instant acclaim. The Wine Spectator rated it 93, the highest score ever given by the magazine to a South African wine. “Ernie Els wine is hugely expensive,” says his Ontario agent David Thompson “and it goes up ten per cent a year no matter what.” The upcoming vintage 2002 is expected to sell at over $100 a bottle in Canada when it hits our shores. With an allocation of a mere 150 bottles for the entire country, it’s more a question of which club will get lucky rather than who will buy. Last year’s 180 bottles mainly went to Magna Golf course in Aurora, Ontario with Toronto restaurant Boba bagging a few.
According to agent Thompson, Els got the advice of going high from Norman who let on that’s exactly how he would do it if he had it to do over again. Now Els has his rainmaker wine on solid ground, he’s moving into the quality for price arena. Slated to come to Canada this year are Engelbrecht Els red blend at around $50 and a line called Guardian Peak in the $12 to $15 range. Engelbrecht Els is the new venture between Els and Jean Engelbrecht son of Jannie who owns Rust-en-Vrede, the original winery where Els’ first wine was made. Engelbrecht junior had a falling out with his father, severing ties with Rust-en-Vrede but taking the winemaker of Ernie Els wine as well as the rights to the flagship wine of his longtime friend Els. Expect the Ernie Els Stellenbosch red to remain a fine classic Bordeaux blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot, malbec, cabernet franc with a touch petit verdot built in a full robust style to age well. The Engelbrecht Els also a blend of red grapes will first make its appearance this summer when Jean comes to Canada to host a series of dinners at golf clubs. The more basic Guardian Peak features single varietal wines such as the shiraz expected to be on the market in the Fall and SMG, a syrah, mourvèdre, grenache blend.
Frequently only three to four sessions are required. go right here viagra sale buy It is very potent and high amounts of fiber this reduce high levels of cholesterol and stopping levitra price the obstruction of blood vessels. However, you can slow down cialis vs viagra http://cute-n-tiny.com/cute-animals/video-jumping-red-panda/ the aging process and stay healthy. On the off chance that you are more seasoned than 65 or have liver issues, your spe buy generic cialist may begin you on lower measurements of this item. * If you have prostate issues or hypertension, for which you take solutions called alpha-blockers, your specialist may begin you on a lower measurement of buy generic cialis * If you are taking sure different drugs your specute-n-tiny.comt may endorse a lower. Mike Weir Estate Wines are an exciting new development in golfer wines for Canada especially. Creekside Estate Winery, an excellent producer in the Niagara region of Ontario, approached Weir for this joint venture. Fifty-one acres of premium vineyard in Niagara-on-the-Lake, nearby esteemed Chateau des Charmes winery, have been designated for Weir wines. There’s a 7,000 square foot basic facility on the site now with the goal to open for retail shopping by 2006. Weir’s brother Jim is on the board of directors of the new winery and Mike himself approved of the labels and taste of the first two wine offerings. The 2001 Chardonnay ($15.95) is a steal. It’s complex, more burgundian in style than New World fruity, with the toasty flavours to be expected from a four year old white aged in oak. The 2002 Cabernet Merlot ($17.95) is a blend of mainly cabernet sauvignon with cabernet franc and merlot created in a bordeaux style. It’s medium bodied, fairly taut with a pleasant intertwine of oaky fruit, silky tannins, good balance with a crisp finish. “We expect trial will be very high so we went for affordable prices with a huge over-delivery,” said Barry Katzman, Creekside president and director of Mike Weir Estate Winery. Not only is the wine generous but so is the man behind them. Net proceeds go to assist children’s charities through the Mike Weir Foundation. Expect to see Weir wines served at the likes of Redtail, Magna, Copper Creek, Legends, The Hunt Club and of course Taboo. I say any club who doesn’t stock them is a putz.
Swaine top picks:
Greg Norman Shiraz Cabernet 2002, $19.95 Agent Maxxium Canada 1-866-263-0171 www.maxxium.com
Mike Weir Estate Wines sadly closed.
by Margaret Swaine | Apr 11, 2004
Vineyards and wine routes in Quebec
Travels Through Quebec’s Wine Country
By Margaret Swaine
Pouring wine in their rustic 1830 fieldstone and wood beam barn, Iréneé Belley and his wife Sandra Moreau explained how they came to grow wine in a province famous for its cold snowy winters. “I think doing a vineyard will keep the landscape beautiful. People tried to discourage us but I just felt that we needed a lot of money or to be very stubborn.
We didn’t have the first so we needed double the second,” said Sandra. Indeed at Vignoble de la Sablière close to the Vermont border in the Eastern Townships, they must bury the vines under earth every winter to protect them from freezing. With their first plantings in 1996, this vignoble joined a small group of about 28 wineries in Quebec. They’re a hearty lot as are the vines. The vines often spend eight months under snow, buried in earth mounds for protection against bone-chilling -30C temperatures.
This summer I decided to check out Quebec’s newly formed wine tourist route. I was born in Montreal and spent the first twenty years of my life enjoying the ski hills, golf courses and horseback trails of the Laurentians and Eastern Townships. Had there been wineries back then, I’m sure as teenagers with a spirit for adventure, my friends and I would have found them. But the wine trails came after us anglos had all moved out of the province in search of better jobs.
The route meanders along rural roads through wooded valleys by vast lakes with the Appalachian mountains to the south. In the Eastern Townships British and Victorian influenced villages meld with Irish and Scottish tradition and a veneer of colourful Quebecois. The loyalists of New England gave the area its architectural heritage and shaped its face starting in 1775. The French Canadians didn’t arrive until 1850, though from the beginning of the 20th century in two generations they became the majority residents. This rich history of mixed cultures is part of the unique charm of the area.
In the villages baker, butcher and food shops offer fresh baked goodies, homemade pâté and other local foods for the picnicking traveler such as artisan made cheeses. Among my favourites was L’Ermite, a tasty blue cheese produced by the monks of Saint-Benoît -du-Lac at their grand Benedictine abbey above Lac Memphrémagog. You can visit the abbey and buy recordings at their shop of their acclaimed choir reciting Gregorian chants.
Samuel de Champlain who planted vines near Quebec City in 1608 was likely the first to try viticulture in Quebec. His vines didn’t last long. However New France was not to go dry. For example in 1736 records show the colony imported the equivalent of 775,166 bottles of wine for a population of about twenty-four thousand. Attempts continued to be made to introduce viticulture to Canada but it wasn’t until the 1850’s that new hybrid plants from the United States solved the winter kill problem. There was even a vineyard in my old neighborhood, the Beaconsfield Vineyard at Pointe-Claire planted in 1877. However only a few tiny vineyards survived this period, tended by the Trappist monks in Oka and the Cistercians near Rougemont.
In modern times, the first licenses to operate vineyards were issued in 1980. About two dozen others have joined Those original five winegrowers. The province’s two major wine producing areas, the Eastern Townships (Cantons-de-L’est) and Montérégie have over 20 wineries, mostly all located within an hour or less of Montreal. Within the Eastern Townships, in Brome-Missisquoi, an all-new tourist circuit with road signs placed every 10 kilometres marks out the first ‘official’ wine route. It stretches over 132 kilometres taking visitors to 11 wineries. L’Orpailleur, which means gold-panner, is on this tour. It’s one of the original wineries and the largest. I learned my wine history lesson from their self-guided historical look at viticulture in the province. I also enjoyed a tasty lunch at their country-style bistro: Toulouse sausages, salad, a plate of locally made cheeses and pâté all ably accompanied by L’Orpailleur Oak Aged seyval blanc 2002, a fresh fruity white. Their Vin de Glace 2002 was a pure vidal icewine with a peachy apricot and honey taste that was delightful with the maple syrup pie dessert. Also worth more than a sip is their La Marquise de L’Orpailleur, a fortified white that’s macerated with fruits and spices for forty days. This winery is well equipped to handle groups (and they do so) with a film, tour and tasting offered to all.
At Vignoble la Bauge first planted in 1987, the property tour included a visit to their menagerie of boars, llamas, emu, red deer, yaks and more. This mini zoo of 15 different fauna helps draw ten thousand visitors in a season. Inside the winery shop they sold emu oil, goat soap, preserves and wine accessories. Outside, picnic table were set up for light lunches. A mere six dollars bought me a plate of boar and deer sausage, goat cheese in celery along with pâtés of boar and deer spread on rye bread. My choice to go with this savoury assortment was Folie de Vigneron 2002, a vermouth like aperitif wine made with a blend of seyval blanc and prairie star grapes flavoured with lemon and orange peel.
Vignoble La Mission in Brigham is a small family centered winery that makes a delicious vidal icewine as well as clean and fresh table wines. Spanish born Alejandro Guerrero greeted me warmly and offered a tour of his vines, then a visit to his small clean garage like winery with its new but quite manual equipment. When we went to the tasting room, his young daughters came to shyly say hello and help. My favourite visit of all was Domaine des Côtes D’Ardoise in Dunham as it had beautiful gardens dotted throughout with sculptures by some of Quebec’s best artists. They also make the only riesling in the province, a French vinifera varietal. They grow another French varietal, gamay, and I got to try some of it freshly made into wine but not yet bottled. It was lively and delicious but alas I couldn’t convince the winemaker, David Cottineau, to bottle it under its own label. It was to be blended with maréchal foch. Most of the wine in the province is made from hybrid grapes, such as seyval blanc, de chaunac, maréchal foch and vidal. With vines planted in 1975 and their first vintage in 1980, Côtes D’Ardoise has the honour of being the very first winery in modern Quebec. In 1984 it was bought by Dr. Jacques Papillon, a plastic surgeon in Montreal who’s often on TV and is famous for having “done” the breasts of stars in the province.
Montérégie by the south shores of the Saint Lawrence River, is so close to Montreal that it’s home to many commuters. It’s also the number one region for production of apple cider with 14 producers, number one in sugar shacks with 35 and home to 11 vineyards. Clos Saint-Denis in the Richelieu Valley about half an hour from downtown Montreal, makes a fabulous ice apple wine (Pomme de Glace) from their 2,000 apple trees along with a selection of grape based wines and hard ciders on their mile long farm. Among their over 8,500 vines are some varieties that I’ve rarely seen grown anywhere. The eona variety created in South Dakota is winter hardy to -40C, hence the vines don’t need to be buried. They sell it as Cuvée Saint-Denis and it’s fruity, rounded, quite aromatic and certainly interesting to drink. While in this Montérégie area, a must stop is La Cabosse d’Or Chocolaterie where Belgian style chocolates, ice cream and light lunches are made on premises. Their chocolate making is cleverly done behind a glass barrier to allow the public to view. Watching the employees make some of the 60 types of small candies from imported Belgian chocolate certainly motivated me to buy.
Half an hour just northwest of downtown Montreal on the other side of the River is La Roche des Brises in St-Joseph-du-Lac at the start of the Laurentians. One of a few five star gîtes (an upscale bed and breakfast) in the province, this country gem needs to be booked ahead. Its backdrop is another pastoral paradise. The land is dotted with apple orchards, vineyards and ancient farmhouses of stone and sloping tin roofs. It felt like I was stepping back into early Quebec history.
Like elsewhere in the province, La Roche des Brises is surrounded by activity year round. In spring the maple sap runs and sugar shacks open their doors to the public. People flock to them to watch sap turn into maple syrup and enjoy a meal of scrambled eggs, hot dogs, beans and more all drenched in it. In fall it’s apple and grape harvest, the leaves turn brilliant colours and people come to pick their own apples, picnic and sample apple cider and wine. Year round food lovers come for fine regional dining. The 125-seat restaurant at Brises des Bois is beside their wine tasting room with a view of the rolling farmland hills. Owners Gina Pratt and husband Jean-Pierre Bélisle have hired well. Chef André Martin and sommelier/maitre d’ Ivan Blanchette created for me a truly gourmet dining experience. My accommodations were in the gîte across the street in one of their seven large luxurious rooms.
Nearby Ciderie Lafrance offered me samples of a range of their strong (alcoholic) ciders, from sparkling, to still and dry, to sweet apple cider ice wine and a port style one aged in wood. All delicious, I bought a champagne method one and some artisanal cider vinegar to take home. In the fall this place attracts 2,000 visitors on a weekend with its café, live folk music and picnic areas.
Eventually, reluctantly I had to head back to my place in Toronto. My suitcase was stuffed with bottles of ice wine, cider, preserves, chocolates, pâtés and condiments. My nostalgia for La Belle Province will be well soothed by these tasty goodies. And I won’t miss the bone-chilling winters. Those are best enjoyed in small doses as ski vacations. But that’s another story.
Contacts:
L’Orpailleur: www.orpailleur.ca
Vignoble La Bauge: www.labauge.com
A good way to experience regional cuisine is to visit the three elegant country inns of Lake Massawippi; Manoir Hovey, Auberge Hatley and Ripplecove Inn. They all offer fine dining, excellent wine lists and easy access to the nearby wineries.
Hovey Manor: www.hoveymanor.com
Ripplecove: www.ripplecove.com
Auberge Hatley: https://www.relaischateaux.com/us/
Other accommodation in the area:
Auberge Quilliams: www.aubergequilliams.com for large sized rooms, an indoor pool and decent dining
Auberge Knowlton: https://en.aubergeknowlton.com is an historic property right in the heart of the picturesque town of Knowlton
Hostellerie Rive Gauche is in Beloeil on the river and well situated for touring Montérégie. It’s part of the Hôtellerie Champêtre, a fine group of independently owned Quebec resorts and inns www.hotelleriechampetre.com
For details on the wine route, maps and wineries, visit www.bonjourquebec.com
Quebec details: www.bonjourquebec.com (1-877-266-5687) Eastern Townships: www.easterntownships.cc (click on vineyards for winery details) or call 1-800-355-5755 and ask for the new Eastern Townships Tourist Guide that shows the wine route in detail. For the Laurentians: : www.Laurentides.com
by Margaret Swaine | Mar 1, 2004
By Margaret Swaine
“I’m in the sun a lot and I’d go for a facial. Every little bit helps,” said Tim Collins, Director of Golf at The Breakers in Palm Beach. At the swank Flagler Steakhouse overlooking the resort’s Ocean Course from above the pro shop, we were immersed in an animated discussion about the twinning of golf and spa. Collins was being challenged by public relations manager Margee Adelsperger, about the male acceptance of treatments other than massages. He won the point. While women are the major spa goers and men play more golf, the numbers are changing. Male spa visits are trending up just as the number of women golfers is increasing.
I was on the hunt for some of the best spa/golf combos in South Florida with a little beach thrown in for cool dipping. Spas and links are not a new concept here. The Bonaventure and The Doral have offered this combo for years. But a phenomenon that’s really good news for us gals is afoot. While in the past the marriage of golf and spa was rather rare in resorts, now it’s a must. If a property doesn’t have a spa, they are not in the game. And in Florida where there are 1,500 golf courses, if a resort doesn’t own their own fairways, they darn well better have good playing privileges elsewhere for their guests. What more could a woman golfer need?
“Spa and golf have become the key in order to compete with other Florida properties but also other destinations,” explained Joel Rosen, leisure industry expert and chairman of Horwath Horizon Consultants in Toronto. “After a round of golf it’s not uncommon for men to get their massage or go for treatments. I think we’ll see more and more of that,” he added. Rosen is a self-described “customer who would go for golf and spa.” The more men that want spas and women that desire golf, the better the facilities for all of us.
No expense is spared as old courses in Florida get redesigned under the skilled eye of top golf architects. And the spas? They’ve moved from a back room off the hair salon into their own state of the art buildings with 20,000 to 30,000 square feet of space now common. Sauna, steam room, exercise centre, pool, multi-treatment rooms, lounge areas with complimentary beverages, robes and slippers are all part of every modern spa.
The top of the pyramid has got to be The Breakers in elegant delivery of these amenities but also in price. Rosen said only one to two per cent of North Americans can stretch their budget to this height. However if you can stand the heat, the summer is low season when the rates drop by about half. Last year they ran a “the longer you stay, the less you pay” promotion that included golf for the cost of the cart only. A version of the deal is in the plans for this July/August but with some fee attached to the golf. Too many took to the links last summer for Collins in his role of golf director and protector of the fairways, to want to give it away so freely.
Stretched over 140 acres on the island of Palm Beach, The Breakers is a legendary luxury resort. Listed on the American National Register of Historic Places, its history spans over 100 years. Florida’s first 9 holes of golf were built here designed by Alexander J. Findlay in 1897. The resort is not resting on its laurels at all. In 2002 it completed a ten-year $145 million revitalization and expansion. Today the total’s reached $220 million in magnificent updates complete with a Brian Silva redesigned golf course and many entirely new additions.
I kick started my time there with a lesson at their Todd Anderson Golf Academy. My PGA instructor Eric Johnson used the VI video coaching system to record my swing before, during and after my lesson. My terribly long backswing had to be shortened and sure enough we had the video to mark the progress and then view the results. I also saw my outfit was more coordinated than me at times. Private instruction, small three person clinics and weekend retreats can be booked with Todd Anderson himself, ranked among the best teachers in America.
The beach beckoned however, then a tour of the property. There’s half a mile of private beach, four swimming pools and ten tennis courts. Kids have their own entertainment multiplex divided into rooms with fun in mind: an arcade, movie theatre, craft area and child friendly computer game centre. The restaurants were more my focus, particularly the wine cellar. Displayed behind 19th century European leaded glass doors were over 7,000 bottles, the crown jewels of the 22,000-bottle collection. More than 1250 selections chosen by chief sommelier Virginia Philip are on their Wine Spectator Grand Award winning wine list for L’Escalier their fancy French restaurant.
It was the wine at Flagler’s that night that fueled the conversation and later decision to check out Echo, the resort’s off-property Asian restaurant in the heart of Palm Beach. The sushi bar was hopping and the tables packed with locals who obviously appreciated the bold Asian flavours created by Chef Lee and manager David Thall as well as the quality wines on offer at their Dragon Fly bar. The next morning I was glad I had a spa facial booked so I could recoup before golf.
The Spa at the Breakers, recently named one of the top five hotel/resort spas in North America is 20,000 square feet of pampering elegance. I used one of the private change rooms to slip into the robe and slippers they gave me. Then I sunk into a comfortable chair in the lounge to sip complimentary herb tea before my treatment. If I wished I could have enjoyed the sauna or steam room. As it was, my facial left my face glowing and detoxified. Christine’s expert hands worked beauty magic using Guerlain Institut de Beauté of Paris facial massage techniques and Guerlain’s Issima skincare products.
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Golf followed at the Ocean Course, the state’s oldest, a grand dame with a major face lift. It had classic vintage course appeal with random bunkering and fairways that weave between sandy hazards. Silva’s redesign addressed tee elevation, surface slopes and other elements to heighten playing interest while reviving vintage details that didn’t survive the rigors of climate and time. It’s fairly short for us ladies with a yardage of 5,254 and only one par five. Precision counts with challenges to keep the ball straight and out of water and traps. Breakers West Course is more contemporary, better for those who hit hard and high. Exotic birds are everywhere including a green parrot found only on the island.
Next in line was The Turnberry, formerly known as the Aventura Country Club and now taken over by Fairmont. Headquartered in Toronto, I know Fairmont and have found it can be depended upon to deliver luxury in resort destinations. (They operate 43 properties in six countries and their parent company FHR manages 83.) Think Banff Springs, Lake Louise, The Plaza in New York, Le Chateau Frontenac and other classics. Six of Fairmont’s resorts were among Conde Nast Traveler’s list of top100 golf resorts around the world. Turnberry Isle Resort and Club located in Aventura, an exclusive enclave in North Miami, is their newest and they are keenly promoting it. They also are very much behind their spa concept called Willow Stream. The spa at Turnberry has been converted to feature signature Willow Stream treatments this spring of 2004. The “All the Best Package” is a sampler of golf, dining and spa offered as a special at Turnberry.
The 25,000 square foot spa and fitness centre is beautiful and offers an LPG massage machine designed to roll and stretch a golfer into greater flexibility. That’s providing you can handle the heavy suck and grab action. Golf instructor David Ledbetter is purportedly a big fan of it. The machine looks like a cross between an octopus and a vacuum cleaner. Before its tentacles are placed on you, first you must slip into a tight catsuit to protect your skin and hair. Then as you lay on a table, the sucking and stretching begins. This latest greatest doodad is quite something believe me. I saw the same machine in the fanciest spa ever in the Intercontinental in Hong Kong.
The resort has two Robert Trent Jones, Sr. designed golf courses and five golf pros. I took a golf lesson with Robyn Roberson, one of about five female teaching pros in South Florida. Her style was soothing and reinforcing of the psyche. “I always look at the little things,” she explained as she gently “tuned up” my swing to eliminate two common flaws. She moved my weight back to my heels and kept me looking at the ball until impact.
When playing either of the courses, wind is a major factor. You can be blown in the water that is in play on 13 of 18 holes on the south course. The dramatic 18th hole is the signature on these links with its big carry to an island green. The north course has challenging long holes on the first 9 and target golf on the back. Even low handicappers find it tough. Roberson, who was a top ranked Atlanta state amateur before she turned pro, said her own best is 68 on the north and 71 on the south. The resort also has a club membership that gives it a friendly, welcoming appeal. While it’s not on the beach, its Atlantic side private Ocean Club is just a quick shuttle bus away.
The Westin Diplomat Resort and Spa in Hollywood Florida about eight miles south of Fort Lauderdale airport is yet another face of the coin. High tech modern and gleaming on the beaches of the Atlantic Ocean with the Intracoastal Waterway on its other side, it’s brassy and corporate. Adjacent to the over 1000-room hotel is a huge 209,000 square foot convention centre. The lobby atrium with its soaring high glass ceilings and water sculptures is as dramatic as the multilevel pools and waterfalls outside. Best however are two things: Westin’s famous “heavenly beds” which allow the dreamiest sleep imaginable and the view from the ocean front rooms through the floor to ceiling glass balcony doors. The bathrooms offer sliding panels into the bedroom so the ocean can even be sighted as you brush your teeth.
The 30,000 square foot spa is a shuttle away as is the golf club. A Putt and Pamper package that offers one golf round and one spa treatment per room per night is available. As can be expected of a luxury spa there’s a spa pool, sauna, steam room, change rooms with lockers and many private treatment rooms. Service is at a high level and I found my massage table to be state of the art – heated, padded and easily adjustable. Wendy’s hands took all the kinks out of my body in time for my game.
The 18 hole Joe Lee re-designed course which opened in 2000 is rated five star on service and has several magnificent holes. (The original course was built in 1957.) The 2nd hole is the signature, a par four to a difficult island green. Play moved along at a good pace. However one of the guys in my foursome was going through a divorce and his cell rang constantly. Because people fork out big time to play here during high season, perhaps golf etiquette is enforced more loosely.
I came home after a long weekend away with a glow on my face, a better swing and memories of sometimes challenging but always enchanting golf with exotic birds and gleaming water ever present. Spa-golf was such a dynamo combo I never got around to the ocean dip. A perfect excuse to have to return.
by Margaret Swaine | Nov 22, 2003
Let’s begin with a short history of Tuscany. Then I’ll take you to modern day and the story of the super Tuscans. The wines in the glasses in front of you are all full and flavourful reds built for the modern palate. Some are made with the traditional grape of the region, sangiovese, while others are blends of today’s super stars such as cabernet sauvignon and merlot. Sangiovese incidentally means “blood of Jove”.
Even those who have not visited Tuscany know of its beauty and its culture. Giotto, Leonardo, Botticelli, and Michelangelo are just a few of brilliant artists who have captured it on canvas. Florence was the centre and capital of the school of painting to which these artists belonged and they have painted its undulating hills, cypress trees and people. Florence along with Sienna were and still are the center of a wine-growing district that’s also world renown. Who hasn’t heard of Chianti?
Tuscan vine-growing dates back to the Etruscans who were in 1000 BC cultivating vineyards and enjoying wine both as an everyday beverage and in religious rites. The Middle Ages saw the rise of the commune – the medieval city-republic – with Tuscan vine growing a vital part of the society and the economy despite the frequent wars. Florence and Sienna were the most powerful of the self-governing cities and they engaged each other in fierce and bloody battles. The land was mostly owned by the monasteries, the local aristocracy and increasingly the cities’ merchants. The landowners would often provide the land and the working capital to farming families in return for half (mezzo) the crop; hence the system was called messadria. To achieve self-sufficiency these people would raise animals and plant olive and fruit trees on the same plot. Even today it’s very common for wine estates to have olive trees and sell olive oil along with wine.
Almost seventy per cent of the Tuscan countryside is officially classified as hilly, and the hillside vineyards supply the better quality wines. The red grape sangiovese which forms the backbone of the regional production seems to need the sunlight the slopes can provide to ripen well. The Arno River marks the northern border for the cultivation of sangiovese in Tuscany. Southwards through Chianti Classico to the zones of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and Brunello di Montalcino the wines become richer and fuller in general. For this reason Montalcino is the only area of Tuscany where the reds have traditionally been 100 per cent sangiovese. Sangiovese grown in Montalcino is known as Brunello and about six different clones of the grape have been identified in the region. Chianti and Vino Nobile have a history of being blended with canaiolo, malvasia and trebbiano to soften sangiovese’s youthful sharpness. The white grape trebbiano was important many centuries ago and the first recorded mention of Chianti in 1398 refers to it as a white wine.
Large estates owned by wealthy aristocracy and tilled by sharecroppers used to dominate the Tuscan viticulture. The demise of this system in the 50’s and 60’s lead to newcomers snapping up run-down properties on superb sites in pursuit of their dream of an estate in the country. The new owners would turn the hodge podge of vegetables, fruit trees and animals into a monoculture of vines. However few knew enough about grape clones. This resulted in the planting of inferior clones of sangiovese that gave high yields. A lake of cheap weak chianti flooded the market. Those of us old enough will remember the thin and light reds in fiasco bottles. Eventually Chianti Classico 2000 was born to study clonal selection among other things. In addition more new money and new ideas came in from the big cities such as Milan and Rome and from foreigners. Supertuscans were born. In these the old blending grapes have been abandoned for French varietals and an international style. Many of these grapes are not new to the region. In fact cabernet was one of the 150 varieties that the Grand Duke Cosimo III de’ Medici imported in the mid-eighteenth century. However it was in the early seventies that Marchese Piero Antinori launched Tignanello to much acclaim. Antinori’s Tignanello was the first sangiovese/cabernet blend aged in small French oak. Small barrel fermentation in French oak has replaced the traditional large barrels for aging of most of the super Tuscans. Tignanello along with Sassicaia, and Ornellaia became among the most expensive and highly regarded bottles in all of Italy. I don’t know if many of you attend wine auctions – but Sassiccaia, a pure cabernet that only recently got official status regularly gets a hammer price of over $200 a bottle. In the 1990’s syrah vines began to bear fruit in the region. We see some of that today too. Tuscany has become Italy’s most dynamic innovator of wine. Cult wines have triumphed over the officially sanctioned three DOCG wines namely Chianti, Brunello and Vino Nobile. Now even tiny estates are creating a vino da tavola from a special vineyard. It gets a catchy name, designer label and price tag well above Chianti.
Nowadays dozens of wines fall into the super-Tuscan category. Meanwhile a debate rages over what the rules should be for the cherished DOCG wines. Part of the issue is what is “typical” for the wine. Italians like to talk about “tipicità” the way the French do terroir. This typicity of wine is not as simple as just adhering to tradition. It’s a flavour profile that links soil, microclimate, grape varieties and customary practices. Adding syrah to Brunello di Montalcino would distort the wine’s typicity. On the other hand some merlot or cabernet sauvignon in Chianti, which by tradition is a blend, is less obviously a break with custom. Many maintain it’s a matter of degree – as long as one only adds X per cent it should be alright. Hence in Chianti Classico the amount of other grapes allowed which was ten per cent, has increased to 15 per cent in 1996 and now is at 20 per cent. The list of other grapes allowed is most of the reds known to man but since 1984 white has been discouraged. Until and including the 2005 harvest however Trebbiano Toscano and Malvasia Bianca individually or together, to as much as 6% can be used in the blend. Another issue is oak. Thirty years ago there was virtually no French oak used in Italian wines and very little aging in small barriques (2.25 hectolitres). The best producers used oak from Slavonia and sizes between seven and 100 plus hectolitres. Today one sees small French oak barrels everywhere and even some barrels from America, Russia, Hungary and Austria.
Recently a large delegation of Italian winemakers came through Toronto. I was impressed by how delicious were almost all of the Tuscan reds. Coltibuono despite being a self described “traditionalist producer” was the first in Chianti Classico to make a super Tuscan from 100 per cent sangiovese. When they first made this wine it was I.G.T. as a pure sangiovese was not permitted in Chianti.
Now let’s look at each wine:
1. Castello Vicchiomaggio Rippa della More 1999
Agent: Brunello Imports, 416-631-9778. Price: $44.95 (Vintages) Grapes: 90% sangiovese, 10% cabernet sauvignon
John Matta, a British expat living in Tuscany, was named Italian Producer of the Year in the 2002 International Wine and Spirit Competition in England. Matta’s father had bought as an investment, the ancient but rundown Castello di Vicchiomaggio estate in the Chianti Classico area. Matta Jr. who studied viticulture and Oenology in Alba in Piedmont, did his first harvest as a winemaker there in 1970. At that stage he divided his time between the family business (wine importing) in England and Italy. In 1987 he married an Italian and decided to settle in Vicchiomaggio for good. At that date Chianti was at last re-establishing itself as a serious wine region. “The big changes have been in the vineyards. In the cellar the modifications have been small,” says Matta. Now most of the vineyards are being transformed again. Especially in Chianti Classico, the heartland, replanting of better clones of sangiovese is well underway. “The style of wine I make today is different even from ten years ago,” says Matta. “The consensus is that it’s getting better.”
The Vicchiomaggio Castle can be traced to the 5th century when it was called Vicchio dei Longobardi (the village of the Longobards). In 1450 approximately the name was changed to Vicchiomaggio, the village of may. From its hilltop it dominates the Greve valley and was the first defence for Florence during its feuds with Sienna. Rippa means small hill in Tuscan. More means blackberry. It’s so named because Matta feels this wine has the intensity of blackberry. It’s a very, very late harvest of sangiovese and has three weeks skin contact, the maximum they can do for sangiovese according to Matta. Then it goes into brand new French barrique of medium to low toast for 18 months. He’s looking for maximum extraction and concentration, American style. It’s only not called Chianti Classico because of a legal technicality. (French oak is not the issue). Despite the fact the Matta’s vineyards are all in the heart of Chianti Classico, not all of them are registered Chianti. He expanded his vineyards from 22 hectares to 32 but it’s not allowed to do new plantings of DOCG or DOC vineyards in Italy since 1974/75. No one wants to increase the acreage in Chianti according to Matta. So he purchased the “right” to plant vineyards from those who were digging up theirs elsewhere in Italy. They were actually documents he purchased that gave the right to plant within three years. If he didn’t do so, the papers expired and became useless. Some acreage rights from Sicily, Abruzzo and so forth so that the total gain in vineyards in Italy is zero. Italy’s acreage hasn’t’ increased in the last ten years, it’s actually decreased. However since the rights for Matta’s new vineyards didn’t come from the Chianti area, he can’t call his wine from them Chianti. It’s full, rich, impressive with ripe berry and some undergrowth.
2. Fontodi Chianti Classico Riserva Vigna del Sorbo 1999
Agent: Rogers and Company, 416-961-2294 Price: $63.90 Grapes: 90% sangiovese, 10% cabernet sauvignon
Fontodi is another estate purchased when land was cheap in the sixties (1968). The Manetti brothers bought the 222 acre Fontodi estate for what would be about $20,000 today. The estate sits on the hills in the heart of the Chianti Classico. (There are seven subregions of Chianti of which Classico is considered the most distinguished.) Each wine estate along the Chianti road south of Sienna has its own unique climate depending on the steepness of the hills and the direction that the land faces. The name Fontodi is derived from an ancient Lombard phrase, fonte de oro, which means place rich with water. The superior elevation of the vineyards provides plenty of necessary rain. Today Fontodi is managed by the sons of the two Manetti’s along with winemaker Franco Bernabei, considered one of Chianti’s leading oenologists. The team has made a conscious decision to continue traditional methods, including the governo method whereby grapes are allowed to dry like raisins for a period of time before being crushed for juice. Chianti Classico Vigna del Sorbo is made from single vineyard grapes aged in small French oak barrels for 18 months. It was first produced in the early 1980’s. This 1999 got a 91 rating by both the Wine Spectator and the Wine Advocate. It’s deep, full bodied, quite intense and concentrated with berries, cedar and underbrush. A very serious wine with firm tannins, spice notes and multilayers, it can easily handle another ten years of aging. You’ll find it served at Crush, Susur, Oro, Noce and Barbarians in town.
3. Antinori Tignanello 2000
Agent: Halpern Enterprises, 416-593-2662 Price: $89.95 Grapes: 80% sangiovese, 15% cabernet sauvignon, 5% cabernet franc
The Antinori family has been in the wine business since 1386 – more than 26 generations ago. It has remained family owned throughout its long history and today is directed by Marchesi Piero Antinori. His three daughters have followed the tradition: Albiera, Allegra and Alessia all work in the family wine business. The company produces a range of wines from different estates in Tuscany and Umbria. They also have invested in Prunotto in Piedmont, Atlas Peak in California and in Hungary. A bit of extraordinary news of late: in May Antinori announced as of the 2001 vintage (which will be available later this year), Villa Antinori will become a Tuscan IGT wine and no longer bear the Chianti Classico designation. Since it was no longer practical for them to improve quality of the wines without full control o f the vineyards, years ago Marchesi Antinori started purchasing properties with new vineyards in various areas of Tuscany with a high potential for quality. Consequently they now own 1,100 hectares of vineyards, planted high density with a selection of native and international grapes. Tignanello is an original super Tuscan. It’s produced exclusively from the Tignanello vineyard. It was the first sangiovese to be aged in small oak barrels, the first red Chianti wine in modern times to use a non-traditional grape variety, cabernet, in the blend. It was also among the first red wines made in Chianti with no white grapes. It set the example for a new breed of top-of-the-line Italian wine. It has not been produced in poor vintages such as 1976, 1984 and 1992.They did a marvelous job with the vintage 2000. I find it rich, full with ripe fruit and velvety tannins. It’s complex with a great structure and lengthy finish.
4. Agent: Luce della Vita Luce 1999
Such a inflammation exists in viagra shop usa a wide range of health disorders. This disease is common in children who stay in developing countries. cialis best buy Are you looking to http://appalachianmagazine.com/2019/08/06/the-story-of-americas-one-room-school-houses/ tadalafil overnight shipping buy the most effective is Voice Broadcasting. Knowing your helicopter’s parts and their uses will help you so much in case one of them is dysfunctional and you need to repair the helicopter at home. appalachianmagazine.com generic levitra online Robert Mondavi (Maxxium), 416-535-7899) Price: $99.95 (Vintages) Grapes: 50% sangiovese, 50% merlot
The wines of Luce and Lucente were created by a joint venture in 1995 between the Robert Mondavi family of Napa and the Marchesi de’ Frescobaldi family of Tuscany. The Frescobaldi history goes back 700 years. Today they have a significantly large winegrowing business with 2,500 acres under vine at nine estates. Mondavi winery under Robert and sons Tim and Michael is a high profile leader in the California wine industry. Robert Mondavi winery owns property in Oakville, Stags Leap and Carneros. They’ve formed joint ventures with Mouton Rothschild in France (Opus One), Vina Errazuriz in Chile (Caliterra) and Rosemount Estate in Australia. The Frescobaldi/Mondavi partnership purchased a parcel of land in Montalcino, next to the Frescobaldi’s Castel Giocondo estate. This area, approximately 20 miles south of Siena is highly regarded as the birthplace of the richest of Tuscan reds. Luce della Vite, the name of their partnership means “light of the vine”. Luce was the first wine produced as a luxury ultra-premium blend of sangiovese and merlot. A member of the Frescobaldi family first brought merlot to Tuscany in 1855. Today the Frescobaldis own the oldest merlot vineyards in Tuscany with 32 year old vines. For Luce the grapes are from a hilltop vineyard at an altitude of 1400 feet on soil of schist, slate and rocky limestone. I think the grapes and the winemaking is hitting its stride now. This 1999 is much less tannic and bitter than past vintages. On the nose I get cloves, mints, cinnamon with leather and small berries in the taste. It’s complex with depth, length and hints of tobacco.
5. Castello Banfi SummuS 1999
Agent: Select Wines, 416-367-5600 Price: $65. Grapes: 40% Brunello (Banfi clonal selection of sangiovese), 40% cabernet sauvignon, 20 % syrah
The Castello Banfi estate is on the southern slope of Montalcino in Tuscany. Single vineyards dot one third of this three thousand hectare domain. The Castello Banfi wines are the fruit of the single vineyards. Castello Banfi is a rarity among Italian wine estates, not just because of its size, its single vineyards and its state-of-the-art winery, but because it was started from scratch less than 20 years ago. Most of the land was covered with forest and brush when the Mariani family found it. John and Harry Mariani, successful American importers, joined forces with Italy’s leading oenologist, Ezio Rivella with the their objective to produce top-quality wine on a scale never before attempted in Italy. The 4,500 acres that they first found were near Montalcino, and eligible for the DOCG of Brunello di Montalcino. By great good luck the adjacent estate, of 2,600 acres, became available shortly afterwards. The 11th century castle was the final purchase, and was acquired in 1984. The estate was renamed Castello Banfi. The land was planted to vines in only a few places; elsewhere the only crops were corn and olives. But there are abundant south-facing slopes overlooking a valley bottom that, 40 million years ago, was under the sea. Even today, the calcium-rich soil is scattered with seashells. The winery is built partly above ground and partly underground. Such is the degree of computer control that the entire above-ground operation can be controlled by just a few people, while below ground natural elements combine to maintain the ideal conditions for ageing and storing. The winery contains over 300 stainless steel tanks and 2,000 French oak barriques, plus traditional Slavonian oak casks, used for Brunello di Montalcino, and shaved every ten years or so. These casks have a life of 30 to 50 years. The total storage capacity of the winery is over 12 million liters. Their first major task was to select the proper vine clones for the diverse soils and sun exposures on the estate. Yet they found no scientific standards or documented results for the Sangiovese, despite a centuries-long history of that vine in the area. On their own, they identified over 100 distinct clones of Sangiovese Brunello. They first narrowed the selection down to 60, which they planted in experimental vineyards on the Castello Banfi estate. Through subsequent field study and microvinification, the selection was further narrowed to a final six clones, based on their individual contributions to the final blend, including color, structure, tannin, body, and bouquet. Not only did Castello Banfi plant new vineyards accordingly, but shared the results with neighboring producers. The residual of this practice is increasing quality standards throughout the region.
SummuS enjoyed a text book example of a great vintage. A blend of cabernet sauvignon, sangiovese and syrah all hand picked from their estates, it’s aged for one year in French oak barrels. I think you’ll find this and the ExcelsuS quite young and firm. Look for the fruit and the structure from the cabernet, the tannic grip and rich colour from the Brunello and the plump perfumed effect of the syrah.
6. Castello Banfi ExcelsuS 1999
Agent: Select Wines, 416-367-5600 Price: $79. Grapes: 60% cabernet sauvignon, 40% merlot
Excelsus is always extremely limited release produced only in favourable vintages. A cabernet sauvignon merlot blend, it’s aged separately in French oak barrique for one year. It’s deeply coloured yet austere with a forward complex bouquet of plum, black currant and bell pepper. The strong, lengthy tannins suggest great aging potential.
7. Antinori Guado al Tasso 2000
Agent: Halpern Enterprises, 416-593-2662. Price: $79.95 Grapes: 60% cabernet sauvignon, 30% merlot, 10% syrah and other grapes
Guado al Tasso comes from a small wine zone around the medieval village of Bolgheri on the coast, where cabernet was planted early in the 20th century. It’s about 60 miles southwest of Florence. The estate of Guado al Tasso started as a summer retreat for the Antinori family. The name either means “the estate with the beautiful view” or “badger’s ford” depending on which part of their website you read. Their villa is built on the foundations of an ancient fortress. The grounds are 1000 hectares of which 300 are planted with vineyards – the rest has olive trees, sunflowers and other crops. Adjacent to this estate is Ornellaia which was owned by Piero’s younger brother Ludovico and is now owned jointly by Mondavi and Frescobaldi. Sassicaia a pure cabernet which is also from this area was awarded its own DOC. Red wines from the Bolgheri zone, which was created 20 years ago, are allowed to be 10 to 80 per cent cabernet, up to 70 per cent merlot and up to 30 per cent other grapes. This gives Guado al Tasso and other reds from this area a geographic standing that most of the other super Tuscans don’t have. I find this 2000 vintage to be rich, delicious, with a full body and very velvety, concentrated, intense taste.
Producers to watch:
Dievole: Their Chianti Classico 2000 ($24.95) is rich, dense and supple with a smooth finish. Chianti Classico Riserva Novecento 1999 ($99.95) in magnum is lovely, supple with fullness and plummy tastes. Fonterutoli: Chianti Classico 2000 ($50.) is rich, intense, fruity (like a fruit cake). Plump with depth and structure. Toscana IGT Siepi 2001 (50% sangiovese, 50% merlot) selling for $120. in Classics is very rich, deep, huge even. It needs time to mellow the persistent tannins. Maremma Toscana IGT Serrata di Beguiardo 2001 (40% cabernet sauvignon, 40% sangiovese, 20% merlot) is rich, velvety, more evolved and lengthy. Maremma is in the western part of Tuscany and legally could be Chianti but prefers its own name recognition. Ornellaia: Bolgheri Superiore DOC Ornellaia 2000 ($159) is a very rich blend of 65% cabernet sauvignon, 30 % merlot and 5% cabernet franc. It’s intense with a mineral quality, pencil lead and supple, plush velvety tannins and lots of fruit. Bolgheri Le Serre Nuove 2001 ($59.95) is the second label of Ornellaia. It’s all estate fruit, hand harvested with the same pedigree as Ornellaia. The best estate grapes go to Ornellaia, the rest to Le Serre Nuove. It’s still very good and a great deal less expensive. Barone Ricasoli whose ancestor’s created the formula for chianti is still going strong. Chianti Classico Castello di Brolio ($40.) is 95% sangiovese, the rest merlot and cabernet. It’s spiced, woodsy, intense and quite full and complex with lingering flavours. Rocca della Macie: Toscana Roccato 2000 is very deep with a huge, dense, inky concentration yet supple tannins. Vivaio dei Barbi Morellino di Scansano 2000 ($20.) is from the southern part of Tuscany and made entirely from sangiovese grapes. It’s supple and smooth with a nice fleshy texture that’s almost new world. Some spiciness and berry tones complete the pleasure. Ruffino: Chianti Classico Riserva Ducale Oro 1999 ($44.95) is smooth, plush, with nicely supple tannins. Chianti Classico Aziano 2001 ($16.95) has lively cherry and old wood tastes. Toscana Super Tuscan Modus 1998 (55% sangiovese, rest cabernet sauvignon and merlot) sells for $59 in Classics. It’s lovely supple, silky yet firm and elegant. San Felice: Brunello di Montalcino Campogiovanni 1998 ($60.) a pure sangiovese has a delicious structure and balance.
NOTES
Brunello di Montalcino was conceived by the Biondi Santi family a century ago. Now it’s issued under more than a hundred labels. Morellino di Scansano grown on the coastal hills of the Maremma is strongly on the rise.
White truffles sold for $6,000 a kilo this Fall in Alba. (The hot dry summer meant there were much fewer of them around.)
