NATIONAL POST: I know I should let this breathe, but…

by Margaret Swaine | May 30, 2008

These are some of the questions I am asked more frequently about wine:

Are wine words baloney?

In short, no. All those descriptors mean something. Heck, there are even lengthy lexicons of wine words. There are an estimated 2,000 chemical compounds in wine, of which about 1,200 have been isolated and identified. Fruit and veggie smells, for example, come from the same molecular formula as found in the produce. We’re not all born with the same sniffing ability, however. The people scientists call “non-tasters” can’t tell a turnip from an apple, but most of us are more fortunate.

Feel very lucky if you can clearly and constantly pick out a few dozen or so aromas. Experience helps. Men can identify motor oil better than women but then the gals beat the males on most food smells.

Some fragrances are a snap to identify. Bell pepper (2-methoxyl-3 isobutyl pyrizine) is present in many reds, especially cool-climate cabernets. It’s so noticeable – a mere thimbleful would give an Olympic-size pool of water the whiff of pure pepper juice. The smell of strawberry that wafts from a glass of young pinot noir comes from the same domineering molecules that give the berry its characteristic aroma. Feel confident in declaring a wine to be fruity, herby or berry-like.

Chemical faults and bacterial spoilage come out as real stinkers. Sulphur is in all wines. Too much and odours of garlic, rotten eggs or onion appear. Mousey, vinegar and sauerkraut smells come from microbiological problems. Much can go wrong in a winery.

How can I tell if a wine is corked?

If the wine reminds you of dirty socks, wet cardboard or mouldy basements, it’s corked. Despite the name, corks (which are harvested from the bark of special trees) aren’t always to blame. The pungent chemical 2,4,6-trichloroanisole (TCA) is so powerful even the tiniest amount can taint a wine; it occurs when moulds react with the cleanser chlorine. Wood, plastic – just about anything can get TCA.

I’ve had mandarins at Christmas tainted by their packing boxes. Next time you taste musty strawberries or tainted bottled water, feel free to blame TCA. Even a wine under a screw cap can be “corked.” In a restaurant, if you encounter the smell, no matter how slight, reject the wine. It only gets worse as the wine opens up.

What can you do about a restaurant wine you ordered but don’t like?

See above. Tell the waiter the wine is corked. You may be right. If the restaurant insists the wine is sound, tell them their taste buds aren’t as sensitive as yours. (See the first question.) Try not to do this with more than one wine. I once got three wines in a row that were corked or faulty but at that point sending another bottle back can get you sent packing.

How does one assess a wine like a pro?

Tip the glass to admire the colour first. Sniff or nose the wine like you would a bouquet of flowers. Then take the wine in your mouth and roll it about (sucking in air if you dare, to release more of the aromas to the back of the throat – the tongue only perceives sweet, sour, salty and bitter). Last, swallow. Taste how the wine finishes (sweet, bitter, tangy) and if it lingers. Then make up a bunch of words.

At what temperature should I serve my wine?

Cool whites in reverse relationship to quality. The better the wine, the more you want to appreciate the aromas and flavours rather than knock them out cold. A fine white should be served no colder than the temperature of a root cellar. Right – who even remembers nowadays what those were? Let’s just say vaguely chilled. A deep frost will improve a cheapie and help to mask its problems.

In summer, reds often end up served too warm which tends to make the alcohol burningly obvious. They are best at a slightly cool room temperature (around 16C to 18C). Just pop them in the fridge for 10 to 20 minutes or so on a hot day but don’t leave them there too long. A tannic red will taste bitter and astringent if too cold. Light fruity reds such as Beaujolais are best slightly more chilled (14C to 15.5C). If you’re anal, use a wine thermometer. Or do what the pros do – feel the bottle and guess.

When should you decant a wine and why?

When you decant a wine, you pour it from the bottle into a carafe that’s big enough to hold the contents of the entire bottle (duh!). There are two possible reasons to do this.

If the wine is a young tannic red, it will benefit from being aerated. The exposure to oxygen while you pour it into the decanter starts the process of softening the wine. Depending on the wine, you may need to leave it to “breathe” for an hour or several.

Second, older reds often develop sediment as elements in the wine precipitate out over time. These particles, while harmless, taste bitter. To remove them, stand the bottle upright for several hours so the sediment settles to the bottom. Then open the bottle and pour the wine slowly into a decanter. Watch for cloudiness and stop when you see it. Most sommeliers do this work with a candle shining up through the bottle neck to allow them to better see the sediment. Any bright light will do. If this all sounds too complicated, can the ritual and pour through a coffee filter.

As a host, should I feel obligated to serve wine that a guest brings?

Serve it only if you fancy it. A good host plans a meal and the wines to go with it. Don’t feel forced to fit a wine gift into your meal. The wine a guest brings could clash with the dishes or perhaps is cheap and less than cheerful. However, if the guest called ahead, inquired about what would be served and offered to bring a wine to match, then you’re on the hook. If in doubt about a guest’s taste or you fear their homemade special, discourage that person from bringing wine when you take the call. Suggest flowers or dessert.

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© 2009 The National Post Company.

Wine Questions and Answers (First appeared in Chatelaine Magazine)

How long can you keep wine?

This depends on the kind of wine and the storage conditions. The vast majority of whites are meant to be consumed immediately but will keep a year or two if stored at a constant, cool temperature. The fridge is not a good place as it can dry out the cork (screw-caps and bag-in-the-box excepted). Rather store in a basement or dark cupboard, away from strong odors, heat and light. Cool climate whites from countries like Canada, France and Germany tend to have more acidity which helps keep their freshness longer than white from the hot climes of say Australia. Certain top whites such as those from France’s Burgundy (e.g. Corton-Charlemagne, Chablis Grand Crus) and great rieslings from Germany, Canada (particularly riesling icewine) and Austria can age ten to twenty years or even more. Reds are more long lived as they have more of a natural preservative called tannins obtained from barrel aging and from their skins. Simple reds will keep two to five years but the biggest and the best can last decades. These include fine Bordeaux, Grand Cru and Premier Cru Burgundies, Italian Barolos, Brunellos and Chianti Classico Reservas, Spain’s Vega Sicilia, top California cabernets and cabernet blends, Rhone Valley’s Hermitage and Côte Rôtie, Portugal’s Barca Velha and Australia’s Grange and other top shiraz based reds.

Why do People say red wine with meat and white wine with fish?

This old chestnut actually has a kernel of truth. Tannins in red wine coagulate proteins in our saliva and mouth tissues, causing a dry puckering effect. A rare steak has uncoagulated proteins, which bind with the tannins to make them taste smoother. Sometimes when I’ve been judging red wines, the organizers have given us rare roast beef to refresh our palates. A fatty substance such as a cream or cheese sauce or a richly oily food even if it’s fish (say salmon cassarole), will also smooth out a red. So you can do reds with certain fish or white meat dishes and still enjoy the match. On the other hand seafoods are high in umami, a naturally occurring glutamate (similar to MSG) with a savoury taste, which will enhance the bitterness in a red wine or leave a metallic taste in the mouth when they react with tannin. Hence white is generally a safer bet. Salt however can help neutralize the bitter tastes in wine and sour tastes in food can lower the perception of bitterness. Cod served in a tomato and black olive sauce therefore may well go well with a red. On the other hand delicate white-fleshed fish and shrimp simply prepared are best with a white.

I like oaky chardonnay. What are some good Canadian ones?

With about 70 grape based wineries in Ontario and the same number in British Columbia (and ever growing), we have lots of choice. Look for the “reserve” level of wines as this is a good general indication that the chardonnay has been oak aged. We generally aged our whites in French or American oak, but a few such as Lailey Vineyard in Niagara Peninsula have also experimented with Canadian oak. Some of my favourites I’ve recently tasted from Niagara are Henry of Pelham Chardonnay Reserve 2001 ($14.), Malivoire Moira Vineyard Chardonnay 2000 ($36), Thirty Bench Chardonnay Reserve 1998 ($35), Andrew Peller Signature Series Chardonnay sur lie 2000 ($28.), Peninsula Ridge Chardonnay Reserve 2000 ($40) and Cave Spring Reserve 2000 ($20.). In the Okanagan Burrowing Owl Estate Chardonnay ($22.) is impressive as is Sandhill’s barrel fermented Chardonnay 2001 from Burrowing Owl vineyard ($14.95). Quail’s Gate Family Reserve 2000 ($30.) is a recent silver award winner at the 2002 Best of Varietal Judging Competition at the Okanagan Spring Wine Festival. CedarCreek Chardonnay Platinum Reserve 2000 ($28) is another yummy award winning choice.

Do any Canadian wineries deliver to your door?

The good news is yes many do deliver. Customers pay a delivery charge per case along with the retail price of the wines. Since, for example, an estimated 70 per cent of wine brands in Ontario are not generally available in the LCBO outlets, it’s an important service. Some have elaborate programs. For example Peller by Request and Hillebrand by Request (byrequest@winecountryathome.com or 1-800-263-8465) offer people who join the club two VQA wines shipped directly every month to their home as well as tasting notes and matched recipes for the wines. Club membership also includes discounts at the winery stores and special invitations to winery events. The price of $35 to $42 per month ($72 for both) includes the wine and all other costs. It’s open to Ontario residents for delivery anywhere in the province. If you find a wine you like you can then order it by the case. Winery to Home (www.winerytohome.com) is a new company that handles orders from about a dozen Niagara wineries including Cave Spring, Reif Estates, Thirty Bench and Henry of Pelham. Winery specific newsletters, tasting notes on the wines and independent reviews of the wines by wine critics are part of the service. They plan to start with delivery in the Greater Toronto area with service expanded throughout the province once courier details are finalized. Mixed cases from individual wineries are possible. Almost all of the wineries in British Columbia deliver within the province according to the BC Wine Institute, which polled its members. Some such as Quail’s Gate www.quailsgate.com and Mission Hill www.missionhillwinery.com offer delivery to other provinces on orders taken over the internet. The best way to find out who does internet sales is to go to the winery website and click on order wine (find the websites through a search engine such as google by typing in the winery name).

I’ve read South African wines are good value. Can you recommend some?

The weakness of the South African rand has given us some good deals in wine.Vineyards are dispersed throughout Cape Province from the Atlantic to the Indian Ocean planted with an ever-growing variety of grapes. While chenin blanc, locally known as steen still takes up about a third of the vineyards, since the mid eighties the wineries have focused on other European varietals such as chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, cabernet sauvignon, merlot and shiraz. In 1990 these five varietals accounted for only ten percent of the total vineyard plantings; ten years later, that figured had doubled. Home grown pinotage (a.k.a. hermitage), the Cape’s 1925 crossing of pinot noir and cinsault, is also on the increase. It’s a versatile red that can be made in a youthful, fresh style for drinking cool, or oak aged for more depth and structure. New cooler sites such as Walker Bay and Elgin are proving to be good for varieties like pinot noir and sauvignon blanc. The historic Stellenbosch region, centered around the university town of that name, about 45 kilometres west of Cape Town, has the greatest concentration of leading estates – including Meerlust, Delheim, Mulderbosch, Simonsig and Thelema. Paarl region is home to the Cooperative Growers’ Association (KWV) the largest winery in South Africa. Simonsig Estate pinotage ($14.) from Stellenbosch is flavourful with smoky, red currant fruits. Kumala cinsault-pinotage ($8.) from the Western Cape is good value with a soft, plum, lightly smoky taste. Bellingham Shiraz ($13.) also a Western Cape red is big and full with tons of ripe berry fruit. Cape Indaba shiraz ($10.) from Stellenbosch is a friendly, straightforward, sweet blackberry tasting red. In whites Tribal Sauvignon blanc Colombard ($7.) is simple, lightly herbal with some grassy varietal tones at a real bargain. Simonsig Estate Chardonnay ($12.) is full of tangy fruit enhanced by toasty buttery notes. Hippo Creek sauvignon blanc ($9.) is a reliable crisp white with some gooseberry grassiness.

When should you decant a wine and why?

When you decant a wine, you pour it from the bottle into a carafe like container, normally glass or crystal, that’s big enough to hold the contents of the entire bottle. There are two possible reasons to do this. If the wine is a young tannic red, it will benefit from being aerated. The exposure to oxygen while you pour it into the decanter starts the process of softening the wine. Then as it sits in the container it will smooth out more. (Just opening a bottle is generally not enough due to its small neck, hence minimal exposure of the wine to air.) Depending on the wine you may need to leave it to “breathe” for an hour or several. Older reds often develop sediment as elements in the wine solidify and precipitate out over time. These particles while harmless, taste bitter. To remove them, stand the bottle upright for a day or two so the sediment settles completely to the bottom of the bottle. Then open the bottle and pour the wine slowly into a decanter. Watch for the cloudiness of the sediment and stop when you see it (normally when you get to the last inch or two of wine). Most sommeliers do this work with a candle shining up through the bottle neck to allow them to better see the sediment. Any bright light will do.

I’m planning a party. Would you give me some inexpensive red and white wine suggestions

Party wines should have good flavour but not be too complex or challenging to the palate. You have a lot of different palates to please so smooth, fruity style wines that aren’t too acidic work best. Of course a good price is de rigueur when there’s a crowd to serve. Luckily there are many possibilities if you look at lesser-known regions of famous wine countries or among the New World wines. In France the Pays d’Oc in the south is the world’s biggest vineyard area and the country’s leading producer in volume of wine. Andre Millot Chardonnay 2002 and Merlot 2002 both sell at around $12 for 1.5litre bottles. The chardonnay is fresh, fruity and lively with tastes of passionfruit. The merlot is cherry berry in a medium body. The famous Baron Philippe de Rothschild makes four different Pays d’Oc varietal wines all under ten dollars namely a chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, merlot and cabernet sauvignon. Southern Italy is another good source for easy drinking value wines. Corvo Rosso 2001 ($10.) from Sicily made from local nero d’avola, pignatello and nerello mascalese grapes has a smooth mellow spicy raisin taste in a medium body. From Abruzzi, Farnese Sangiovese Daunia 2002 ($7.) was voted Italian best value wine last year by one of the country’s important wine guides (Luca Maroni). It’s sleek in structure with some oak and spice with supple tannins and cherry notes. Farnese also makes a Montepulciano d’Abruzzo sold in 1.5 litre size ($12.) that has a bit more bite and intrigue with a spiced fruit taste. South America is a great for bargain hunting. Argentina’s Trapiche chardonnay and their red malbec (both under $8.) are friendly, fruity and soft on the palate. From Chile Santa Rita Chardonnay 120 ($9.) is soft, fruity with a medium body and creamy texture that’s pleasant and easy to quaff. Their red merlot 120 is also fruity and pleasant as is that of Vina Carmen ($10.). From South Africa try Nederburg Sauvignon Blanc 2001 ($10.) from the Western Cape for its fresh, clean zippy lemon-lime and grapefruit tastes or Two Oceans Sauvignon Blanc ($8.) with lighter but similar citrus notes. Cape Indaba Shiraz and Kumala Cinsault Pinotage are both smooth reds under ten. Spain also has lots of value wines. Oro Penedes Hill 2002 ($8.) is a white xarel-lo and muscat blend that’s light and aromatic and Candidato Oro 1999 ($8.) is a red made from mainly tempranillo grapes that’s easy going with sweet vanilla, oak and light fruit tastes. From Australia Yellow Tail’s a brand that’s taken the world by storm. The Chardonnay 2002 ($10.) is ripe with tropical mango flavours in a creamy texture. Tyrrell’s Long Flat Red and Long Flat White (both around $10.) are consistently smooth, fruity and bargain priced. Ontario’s Chateau des Charmes Silver Label Cabernet 2000 ($10. or $18. for 1.5 Litre) and Silver Label Chardonnay deliver good flavour for the price in a smooth drinking style. Mission Hill Pinot Blanc 2002 from the Okanagan ($11.) is fresh with citrus and tropical fruits.

I like to celebrate with bubbly. Would you please suggest some sparkling wine choices in a range of prices?

Every two seconds someone pops a cork of Champagne somewhere in the world. It’s synonymous with celebration. The traditional method for making sparkling wine – we must call it this as the word Champagne rightfully belongs to the famous region in France where making bubbly all began – involves bottling still wines and inducing a second fermentation by adding sugar and yeast to create captured bubbles in each individual bottle. This difficult and costly way to make fizz has the most refined, lingering and tiny the bubbles. Many inexpensive bubblies are quite successfully made by the charmat method (cuvée close in French). The natural carbon dioxide that is created during the second fermentation, is kept from dissipating by holding the wine in a sealed tank and bottling under pressure.Most Champagnes are a blend of pinot noir, pinot meunier and chardonnay grapes. Generally the more pinot noir in a blend, the fuller the wine. Blanc de Blancs is pure chardonnay, tending to a crisper style with elegant finesse. Each Champagne house has its own style with some aiming for a bigger fuller flavour, barrel fermenting in new oak, using oak aged reserve wines and so forth. Others go for more austerity and dry refinement.
Krug Grande Cuvée Brut ($176.) is a prestige brand with a full toasty style. It’s a justly famous Champagnes that along with Crystal Brut ($220.) and Dom Perignon ($165.) is reserved for very special occasions. Charles Heidsieck Brut ($48), well priced for Champagne, is from the three classic grape varieties. It has a toasted brioche bouquet, is fairly full with length, good depth and fruit.
Roederer Estate Anderson Valley Brut ($35.) is a classy made in California traditional method sparkler from mainly chardonnay grapes. It’s crisp, lean and elegant with a toasty floral nose and citrus finish. Aria Estate Brut ($15.) made in Spain by the traditional method from local grapes macabeo, parellada and xarel-lo is moderately tart and dry with a lightly toasty nose. It’s mainly vinous in taste with some apple notes. Segura Viudas Brut Reserve ($12.) also from the same Spanish company is made by the traditional method from the local grape varieties. It’s medium bodied and fresh with a slightly spicy fruity taste and forward brioche nose. Seaview Brut 2000 ($11.) is an Australian traditional method sparkler that’s frothy, soft and quite full, rounded and fruity. From Ontario Henry of Pelham Cuvee Saint Catharines Brut ($25.) is traditional method with 30 months aging on the lees resulting in a wine with complex and elegant aromas. It has bright fruit with subtle toast and baked apple tones. Sumac Ridge Prestige Cuvée Brut ($30.) from the Okanagan is a chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot blanc blend that’s toasty with lemony notes and nice length and depth.
Bottega Vino Dei Poeti Prosecco ($13.) made in northern Italy from prosecco grapes is a charmer made in the charmat method. It has floral aromatic aromas with a slightly off-dry freshness and an easy going nature. Remy Pannier Chardonnay Brut ($11.) is a charmat method sparkler from France that’s fresh, fruity and just off-dry. Clean, rounded and frothy in the mouth. Those who like their sparkers a bit sweeter and grapy in character will enjoy the charmat method Martini and Rossi Asti Demi-Sec ($10.) made from the muscat grape grown in northern Italy.

FOODSERVICE HOSPITALITY: Pouring for Profits; Earthy Delights

by Margaret Swaine | Mar 1, 2008

Can lunar energy really make your Caberbet taste better?

With concern about the environment top of mind, organic wines are no longer just a back of the shelf choice for the Birkenstocks and granola set. Today, consumers regularly seek out sustainable organic products from every industry. As more and more wineries around the world go organic, savvy restaurateurs are making room on their lists for earth-friendly options. READ MORE
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FOODSERVICE HOSPITALITY: Pouring for Profits Column; Spain in the glass

by Margaret Swaine | Jul 1, 2007

Spain’s hot these days. The food scene has been going gangbusters ever since Ferran Adrià put El Bulli on the tip of the tongue of foodies around the globe. As for wines, sales have surged so impressively that as of 2005 Spain is the world’s second largest wine exporter overtaking France and surpassed only by Italy. Dollar sales in Canada are up an astonishing seventy-five per cent in the past decade.

Influential wine critics such as America’s Robert Parker have labelled Spain as an undiscovered wine giant that is quickly becoming the wine world’s most fashionable subject. Wine Spectator has called Spain “the new source of Europe’s most exciting wine and food”. The buzz among wine pundits is that Spanish wines under promise and over deliver often at very reasonable prices.

Restaurateurs in Canada are beginning to take note. Savvy ones have already expanded their Spanish selection beyond a token Rioja or Penedés cava to include some varietals and styles on the cutting edge of new trends. This includes whites from the albariño grape and reds from emerging regions such as Jumilla and Toro.

Carlo Catallo, sommelier at Splendido in Toronto has three albariño wines on his novella size list. These whites are still relatively unknown in North America so it’s a “hand sell” says Catallo. However he adds, “I serve one in particular by the glass. When brought to people it’s a big success.” And that’s despite the price of $17 per glass of this Albariño Lagar de Cervera 2005. Catallo says his Spanish reds are dominated by the tempranillo grape wines. “Tempranillo is such a great food wine and it’s great value,” explained Catallo. “It’s the varietal that moves.”

While Rioja and Ribera del Duero are the most popular regions for the Splendido’s tempranillo reds, the restaurant also carries tempranillos from Toro, an emerging wine region to the west of Rueda. This is also bull-raising country where the tempranillo is called “tinta de toro” and it’s made big and ballsy. Less than ten years ago Toro was almost forgotten and underachieving. Then came the rumour that the venerable Vega Sicilia, Spain’s most revered winery was entering Toro’s arena. Bullish investors transformed the area which today boasts Vega Sicilia’s Pintia, Michel Rolland’s Campo Eliseo and dozens of new wineries underway.

Lifford Wine Agency which imports Toro and other Spanish wines into Ontario has had to create a waiting list for restaurants keen on some of their more popular Spanish selections. “I was expecting resistance to the unknown Spanish wines. I was really surprised at how positive the response was,” said Lifford sales consultant Nick Keukenmeester. “The wonderful thing is Spanish wines lend themselves to so many styles of food,” said Keukenmeester. “Their combination of fruit and complexity…some are laced with herbs and spices. It leads you into food.”

Spanish vineyards occupy the greatest land area of any country (almost three million acres) and the country is the third largest wine producer on this planet. With over 60 officially designated wine regions – called Denominaciones de Origen or DO – and more than 6,000 wineries the sheer numbers are daunting.

Why all the excitement now? Spain’s wine landscape has undergone dramatic transformation in the hands of a new generation of winemakers. The rancio styled whites with oxidative nuttiness are but a curiosity from the past. Fresh crisp dry unoaked whites have moved to the forefront. Tired over-oaked Riojas have faded away in favour of vibrant, bold yet elegant reds. The country is in the unique spot of offering new-old wines where old forgotten regions which happen to have amazing old vines with deep roots are being revived with new winemaking techniques. Well-known and traditional grape varieties and regions are reaching new heights and hot new areas are popping up.

“We can say that two types of wine regions are in the spotlight now,” reports David Villanueva González at the Economic and Commercial Office of Spain in Canada. “On one hand traditional wine regions such as Ribera del Duero, Penedés and Jerez…and on the other hand, newcomers into the international scene such as Jumilla, La Mancha and Rias Baixas.”

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Tempranillo is popular even in cities where consumers are more conservative about their wine choices. At Don Quijote in Calgary, part-owner Jim Beddome said, “Sometimes Calgary is a little behind but over the years the Rioja has become quite popular.” Marques de Murrieta Reserva is a customer favourite at the higher end and Torres Sangre de Toro is a big seller in the mid-range price. Further west at high profile Lumière in Vancouver as might be expected there’s an albariño and a number of tempranillo based reds on the list from Ribera del Duero and Jumilla as well as Rioja.

“Vancouver’s a city where people are very open minded,” said Lumière’s sommelier Sebastien Le Goff. Last September Le Goff had only one white and two Spanish reds on his list. Now he has over a dozen. According to Le Goff the Spanish wine craze started about 18 months ago in the States and about six months ago in British Columbia. “I think Spain offers a tremendous price quality ratio. The best in Europe at the moment. A lot of the wines are very food friendly.”

What are the fashionable regions to put on a wine list? In whites it’s Rias Baixas in Spain’s northwest coastal region of Galicia where albariño fever began. This aromatic native Galician variety accounts for over ninety per cent of the production in the region either as a single varietal wine or as the dominant grape in historic blends such as Blanco Rosal.
In reds, don’t ignore Rioja but add some other top regions. Ribera del Duero, home of Vega Sicilia and other iconic reds namely Pesquera and Pingus only got its appellation status in 1982. Its powerful and age worthy reds rival the world’s very best. Neighbouring areas such as Toro offer much of the sizzle without the high prices the top Duero reds now command. The key red variety of these regions, tempranillo is to Spain what sangiovese is to Italy and pinot noir to Burgundy. Namely it’s elegant, polished, distinctive and especially food friendly.

Priorat, a tiny mountainous ancient area has gone from obscurity to stardom in just over a decade. Situated in Catalonia within the larger DO of Tarragona its brawny wines are based on garnacha (grenache in French) often blended with the likes of cariñena, cabernet and syrah. Like the grenache based blend Châteauneuf-du-Pape from southern France, its reds are big, smooth and powerful. Jumilla, another Mediterranean region has sandy vineyards and old pre-phylloxera ungrafted monastrell vines. The grape is known as mourvèdre in France where it often goes into Rhone blends and southern reds to add a meaty intrigue. In Jumilla it creates dark, fragrant full bodied wines that can impress.

Spanish wines are trendy throughout Europe and growing quickly in popularity in North American. Any restaurant worth its salt should be adding more to their wine list. It’s only a matter of time before the wave will hit.

The Match Game – What to wash down with your Spanish wine.

Spanish wine is praised for its food friendly nature. The crisp non-oaked whites such as those of the grape albariño virtually cry for fish and seafood. The lower tannins, good fruit and nice acidity of tempranillo reds go with all kinds of meats, pastas and even certain seafoods. Jonathan Gonsenhauser, sommelier at Pangaea in Toronto said their tempranillo reds go particularly well with some of their signature dishes such as sweetbreads with wild mushrooms on noodles as well as the soft shell crab. Dishes with olive oil, sweet peppers and garlic marry well. In Rioja grilled lamb is a classic. And of course tapas and Spanish food such as chorizo, stuffed calamari and paella are naturals.

LUXE MAGAZINE: Going Going Gone, How I Caught Wine Auction Fever

by Margaret Swaine | Nov 1, 2006

I knew I was hooked when I found myself sitting in the brightly lit room of a private club glued to my chair. There wasn’t much to see. Just the back of heads, about 100 of them, one man on a podium and around the room’s periphery women on phones or in front of computers. I’d arrived early evening, it was nearly ten at night, my bladder was screaming but I couldn’t move. I’d caught wine auction fever.

My addiction began at a charity auction for the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. However it could have started at any of a multitude of charity or commercial auctions that take place annually throughout North America and Europe. That particular night I’d already bagged lot #136 of eleven burgundies including 1995 Vougeot and two Gevry Chambertin from Jadot for $550, well below the appraisal price of $1,182. I’d also snapped up lot 142 of six Leflaive Chassagne Montrachet for half their value. Wines at auction are sold in numbered lots. Lots in an auction can move at the pace of 80 to 100 per hour. That’s why I couldn’t leave. My persistence paid off as the hammer came down in my favour a few more times that night. My original intension was to capture a magazine story. In the process I was lured into the hunt.

Charity auctions are an important and ready way to raise dough for the cash strapped arts and medical services. The most famous charity wine auction and likely the one that started it all, is that of the Hospices de Beaune in France. The Hospices charity was set up in the 15th century to assist the poor and sick of the area. Since 1859, every third Sunday in November they have auctioned off barrels of the latest vintage from dozens of hectares of Grands Crus and Premiers Cru Burgundy vineyards. Last year when Christie’s auction house took over the running of this celebrated auction, they modernized and now offer sales of bottles are well as barrels.

Wine auctions started historically as a way to sell young wine in barrel. In Ancient Rome and in the Middle Ages wine was shipped by barrel to a trading post where it would be auctioned off. Centuries later when bottled wine became the norm, wine gained status as a commodity that could be labeled, aged and collected. Hence a market for older wines grew based on vintage, producer and reputation. In this century wine collecting has become so popular that by the late 1960’s the world’s two leading auction houses established specialized wine departments. Christie’s and Sotheby’s, both headquartered in England have also now set up branches in North America.

Auctions are the best way to acquire rare wines and older vintages. They’re also a fine way to turn a wine stash into cash. As an observant new addict I’ve learned a few things I’ll pass on. But first the basics of wine auctions: An auction date is announced. Wines get donated or consigned. An appraiser gives them a value. An auctioneer sells them. Bidders buy. Now let’s get to the spicy details.

The Auctions
Heublein held the first commercial New World wine auction in the United States in 1969 in Chicago. The charity wine auction boom in American has been led by the now famous, Napa Valley Wine Auction which raises millions annually for local health care.

Today both charity auctions and commercial ones abound. The fall’s commercial auction scene begins in September with flurry of major wine auctions. Houses such as Acker Merrall & Condit, Morrell & Company, Zachys, Sotheby’s, Chicago’s Hart Davis Hart, Christie’s and Edward Roberts International all offer fine old reds and other gems under the hammer.

You can find out about commercial auctions by getting on the mailing list of the auction houses for their catalogues or by checking their websites. Charity auctions are trickier. At charity wine auctions the friends and acquaintances of the cause itself tend to make up the majority. These are the socialites, the elite of the city who are on the invite lists and have the wealth to bid generously. Who you know matters. If you want to be on these lists cultivate the right friends and be prepared to spend.

The Cellars and Sellers
In a charity auction people donate their wine. Many do it for the good deed alone. The less philanthropic do it for the tax receipt. The less scrupulous do it to “wine flip”. They buy wines at a low price and donate them to auction for a guaranteed high appraisal price. Sometimes the auction hammer price is so below the appraisal, they buy back their own donation. The deduction and the drink secured they’re on to the next charity. In some jurisdictions those schemers are now toast as laws are brought in, some even retroactive, to put severe restrictions on such charitable donation “tax shelter” arrangements.

Death, debt and divorce are feeding grounds for commercial auctions. People who consign their wine to be sold by an auction house include former spouses of the wealthy, restaurateurs in need of cash, widows who inherit cellars but have no taste for wine or even collectors who have lost interest in their hobby. Some sell just so they can buy other wines or because the value of the wine has increased beyond their desire to drink up the liquid asset. The unprincipled could sell off wines past their prime or suffering from faulty storage conditions (i.e. wines from a Caribbean-hot warehouse with no air conditioning, rescued from a fire destroyed restaurant or frozen on the waterfront awaiting transport).

Buyers beware for both types of auction. While auctioneers inspect the cellars of some sellers, they rarely take back the liquid assets after a sale is made. Buyers must do their research, watch bottle ullage levels and even try to learn about the cellar of the seller. Wine auction catalogues are the key source for ullage levels (usually specified with words like “bottom neck” along with illustrations). They’ll also give details like the condition of the label and whether the wine comes from a cellar of pedigree. However at one commercial auction, two bottles of 1820 port I bought had sketchy details in the catalogue. When I picked them up, I found they lacked labels and were in completely different styles of bottles. The only identification was the word Harvey and the date stamped in old wax covering their corks. Said a companion who agreed to split the purchase with me, “We overpaid.”

The Appraisers
Wine appraisals are about as scientific as the practice of medicine. That’s to say in principal the practitioners do the best they can based on current knowledge and research. The value of an item is no more certain than the exact course of a cancer. Pure charlatans aside, some quite frankly are better at their job than others. Wine agent and appraiser Rob Jull is considered to be among the best in Canada. Revenue Canada will crosscheck wine appraisals with him. His methodology is based on replacement cost determined by international price with tax and transport added on. His main source of data comes from auction houses in the US and the UK.

There is corruption in the appraisal business for charity wines according to Jull. “I’m looking at some appraisals that are absurd,” he said. “I saw one bottle appraised at $500 that I put at $165.” Even the honest appraisers can be coerced by donors into over generous assessments. Jull often fends off calls from people who try to pressure him into appraising their wine at higher than market. While he claims to never be intimidated into this, “They can be convincing. They are lawyers, doctors, powerful, brainy people. Some appraisers eventually fall under their spell.”

Commercial auction houses have their learned staff do the appraisals. There’s a lot less shenanigans in the business side but still I’ve found many appraisals to be, shall I say “optimistic”. After all the higher the hammer prices the more money the auction house makes from commissions. They charge the consigner of wine a fee that’s generally about ten to 20 per cent of the hammer price. They also collect a commission from the buyer of 15 to 20 per cent.

The Auctioneers
Auctioneers learn how to gently goad the impulse buyers. A good one can raise the price by 20 to 30 per cent….at least. It’s like they’ve taken a Dale Carnegie course in people psychology one auctioneer told me. “You’re out sir. He’s in. Now you’re back in.” “Are you going to let him get away with that?” The patter of skilled masters at their work.

Testosterone lead bidding can raise the price of lots well beyond their worth. At charity auctions, the bidders, most often well lubricated before hand with generously poured wine, tend to lose self control as the evening goes on. It’s part of the fun to watch two presumably intelligent bidders get caught in a classic ping pong of ever higher prices until the hammer comes down at a vastly inflated sum. The same wine in earlier or later lots may barely draw an interest. I’ve seen commercial auctions boast in press releases about their skills at extracting fortunes. One for example reported “eight bottles of Amarone sold for $2,600, three hundred per cent over their high estimate of $900”. I’ve got caught myself and I should be savvy by now. At one fund-raiser for a hospital I ended up paying double retail price for six bottles of port because the desire to win the bid overran my common sense. I barely managed to save my pride by picking up 12 bottle of the very same port in a subsequent lot for only fifty dollars more.

The Bidders
Bidders are the other essential element of an auction. Once they fill in the forms with credit card details or other guarantees that they will pay, they get a paddle with a number and they are in the game. When they want to bid they raise the paddle. At every auction there are dealers, professionals, hobbyists and the merely curious.

That said, auctions have been called a blood sport for the rich, and rightly so. A third generation auctioneer told me there were many wild stories in the auction world. “You wouldn’t believe the drama that goes on behind the scenes,” he said, pointing out several tell-all books in his office written by retired auctioneers. No active auctioneer would go on record about his wealthy clientele. One of the great appeals of auctions is traditionally they have been a cash business. The money can go in both directions either to pay the consigner or from the buyer to the auction house. There are people who need a way to turn cash into money. This same auctioneer told me “If you buy a Rolls for $200,000 cash it looks weird. But at an auction it’s legit. The old timers do this regularly.”

The first treasurer of a charity auction confided to me that she has never forgotten the man who handed her about $10,000 in cash for his purchases of the night. Totally unprepared for such an occurrence, she had to rent a safety deposit box in the hotel as the banks were closed. The official in charge of the first commercial wine auction in Ontario had a similar experience, “We had one guy who paid his $60,000 in cash at the auction at the table. It was pretty weird,” he told me. Of course many auction goers attend because they love the auction scene, the collecting and maybe even the drinking. Then there’s the reward of hearing, “Nice work. It’s a bargain,” said by an auctioneer. The buyer who got this praise had acquired a bottle of 1978 Romanée Conti that hammered down at $3,400. Its auction book appraised value was $13,728.

The Sale
There are reserve bids at commercial auctions. If the wine doesn’t make a certain price, then it’s not sold. The auction houses set the reserve with the seller, but basically there’s always an amount below which the hammer never bangs. In this case the seller loses on several fronts. A handling fee of about five per cent of the reserve price must be paid and the errant wine picked up. No small task if the seller lives in another country. A distant sale isn’t unusual. Those in it for the money go where they think they’ll get the best return. The biggest seller at the second commercial auction in Ontario was a New Yorker who tendered about $400,000 in wines. At this auction I overheard one ‘from away’ consignee lamenting about his vertical of Sassicia that didn’t meet reserve. He was pacing around muttering, “They’ve got to go for it.” He was clearly hoping it would sell later at the post auction. (Wines that don’t make reserve can be later offered after the event by phone or internet to perspective buyers.)

At charity auctions no commissions are charged and all wine must sell regardless of how low. The auctioneer may or may not be professional. For these reasons charity auctions offer more of a chance to find a deal. If no one seems interested the price drops until it’s so low that someone in the room can’t resist whether or not they need, want or can afford. “Oh I spent too much,” is often heard at charity auctions, said much like a person exiting a buffet holding their stomach and groaning.

On the other hand there are fancy American charity auctions where buyers happily bid way beyond estimates because they get a tax receipt for all amounts paid above 20 per cent over the appraisal price. The moneyed crowd that attends the Naples Winter Wine Festival in Florida does this with gusto. Recently for example a case of 1961 Latour sold for a stunning US$180,000 and that’s just one of 68 different lots, most which achieved sales in the five figures. This auction has become a way to donate big, have fun and still leave with wine.

The Pay-up
At commercial auctions taxes are collected. The sum of commissions and taxes can raise a price up 30 to 40 per cent above the hammer price. It can be a shock. Fellow wine writer Tony Aspler exclaimed to me, “I bought one lot at a commercial auction last year for $1,000 and it was $1,541 when I picked it up.” I had my own sticker shock when I bid on a case of Thirty Bench Pinot Noir. I thought I got a bargain at $250 but the final tally of $342.13 took away the boasting factor.

At charity auctions what you bid is what you pay. Charity auctions therefore can offer much better deals to the wine lover. However you must be invited to attend and most often pay money (sometimes lots) to the charity to do so. Commercial auctions are open to the public and are mainly free.

The Addiction
Regarding the behavior of those with auction fever? It’s primal. Logic plays no part in the pursuit. Ritchie’s auction house for example has people who paid for their wine yet neglected to pick up the goods for years. The hunt and capture is the game not the consumption I guess. I have no such problems. I’ve cracked open a good number of my purchases. Unlike art or antiques that take up space unless they’re resold, wine is a liquid asset in more ways than one. When my husband or I drink up the cellar I smile. Empty spaces mean more auctions for me. What a perfect addiction.

Margaret Swaine is a wine, food and travel writer happily addicted to her chosen craft.

Canadian Wine Auctions:
British Columbia
March 2007: The Bacchanalia Gala Dinner and Auction is the crown jewel of the Playhouse International Wine Festival. Featuring a delectable five course dinner paired with wines from around the world, the evening is highlighted by silent and live auctions of rare and valuable wines.

Ontario
October 2006: This year marks the 16th anniversary of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra Fine Wine Auction. It’s one of the most successful fundraising events for the TSO, raising over $4 million in funding since its inception.
October 2006: Vintages Auction (2002 was the inaugural year) held in association with Ritchies Auctioneers features the largest and most extensive commercial auction of fine wines in Canada. http://www.vintages.com

Quebec
The Société des alcools (SAQ) in Quebec is involved in a multitude of wine auctions in the province including The Sports Celebrities Festival’s spring event. http://www.saq.com

Auction Houses
Christie’s: http://www.christies.com
Sotheby’s: www.sothebys.com/en
The Chicago Wine Company: http://www.tcwc.com
Winebid (internet based): http://www.winebid.com
Hart Davis Hart: http://www.hdhwine.com
Acker Merrall & Condit: http://www.ackerwines.com
Morrell & company: http://www.morrellwine.com

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Tuscan Treasures Lecture

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.)