September 14 - Ontario wines and the end of summer

September 14 release. Sorry for the late posting but I was in BC for a week enjoying the sunshine, wines,  golf, kayaking, as well as some fine fish and seafood. 

Yes this is the last release of summer 2013. Is it a worthy release for this auspicious occasion? Nah! It appears to be just much more of the same from our friends at Vintages. It gratuitously presents wine writers opinions of Ontario wines (Here’s the Coles notes version  -  ‘Please look at me, experts say I’m special’). The release also presents  a nice little restaurant travelogue in a ‘Come eat here cuz I like Ontario wines’ kind of way.  I thought that the LCBO was selling beverage alcohol, not pimping restaurants.  Wait a second,  why not do an equivalent article pimping Ontario wine bloggers? Blog traffic skyrockets, Google Bucks start flowing in! We can turn our blogs into money making enterprises and not have to worry about all that restauverhead (see what I did there?).  As a mystery blogger  I’ll pose for a pic perched before my PC  in my gonch and motorcycle helmet swirling a nice Cabernet and looking every bit the world weary, motorcycle riding, wine aficionado that I think I am!  Also, I’ll appeal to the 1%’ers out there which will help to satisfy the LCBO’s quest to appeal to minorities. Can’t get more minority than that! 

Back to the release!  A few interesting wines. Most of the balance, uninspiring.

In spite of the paucity of recommended wines, the few I liked, I really liked so the VRSS score is 62-64 points.  

Whites

Norman Hardie PEC Chardonnay 2011 $35.00 – I love the county and it’s my blog so I can like this wine if I want to!  And I do want to! This has become a cultish icon among Canadian wines and is priced accordingly.  Stormin’ Norman should go into the Canadian Wine Hall of Fame for no other reason than Matt Kramer’s WotY mention. That little paragraph introduced (exposed?) Norman’s wine to the world (well to the US anyway).  By simple geographic proximity, all of PEC has benefited.  Is it a great wine?  Try it heads up against a good Chablis or Pouilly Fuissé and you be the judge.   

Reds

Alain Jaume Vacqueyras Le Grand Garrigue 2010 – $24.95- On August 25^th I had a bottle of the 2009 vintage from an earlier release (at $22.95 by the way).  It was served at home with an opener of saganaki, then ably accompanied  spicy lamb skewers with an equally spicy tahini sauce alongside the Mediterranean flavours of fresh oregano and peppery olive oil on a feta and tomato salad. The spiciness of the lamb/ tahini brought out the pepperiness of the 20% syrah in the Vacqueyras blend. And of course 2010 was a gold star vintage. While ready to drink anytime, you can certainly give this a few more years in your cellar. I’ll pick up more than a few of this one, even at this price!

Mas d’Auzieres Les Eclats 2007 – $17.95- Really? 2007? Brother to Sypathie pour les Stones  which  was a recommended wine a year or so ago. This one should give you a good idea of how your Midi 2010’s will be in a few years time. I think the vintages are similar. This of course assumes that you were and are able to keep your hands off your samples from the later vintage.  I was not!  I do recommend you  consume this ’07 in the near future.

As in the previous release, Spain has come to the front with an apparently  terrific selection of wines. The one that appeals most to me is the Bodegas LAN Gran Reserva 2005 at $28.95.

Big Bucks

Ste. Michelle Ethos – Wow, Part One. $44.95. It might be worth it BUT I had a bottle of the previously recommended Ste. Michelle Canoe Ridge Cabernet at almost $10 less than this and it was sooooo good.  Rich, mouthfilling, lot’s of spice, cedar , black currants and other black fruit.  It was a natural combination served with rare filets, baked potatoes and  caesar salad. So, I repeat, $44.95? Rather than buy two of these I think I’lI just buy 2 more Canoe Ridge and an H3 until they’re gone. Another enticing option for a left coast cab might be last release’s Beringer Cab at $49.95.

M. Chapoutier  La Bernardine 2010 - $49.95 – Wow, part two! Too much $’s. There are lot’s of 2010 CdP’s around for much less.

Jim Barry The McRae Wood Shiraz 2008 - $56.95 – Wow part three! Top of the line price for a top of the line Aussie Shiraz. Give it some air. Rare though, it’s an ISD.

Corte Pavone Brunello Di Montalcino 2007 - $49.95 – 96 points from Monica Larner. Not cheap but hard to argue with the score.