Five wines that triumph over the latest contenders
July 16, 2010 |11:30 | Wine Information By : Team X
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Why, you may ask, are these five wines so special that I judged them in the top 10 of the current raft of 100 or so Vintages wines? First off, and quite simply, they are all delicious. They also are flawless expressions of their grape varieties and the finest terroir of the five countries that gave birth to them. And four, as well, are astounding value.
The Santa Carolina is a vast step up from their entry level general list Chardonnay, which is always a supple sipper. This is hand-selected from their better oak barrels of aging Chardonnay. Astrolabe Sauvignon Blanc is a repeat performer, or, as the Vintages folks declare, a “customer favourite.”
It gives me a warm feeling inside when buyers agree that a recommended wine is totally killer.The same with Rocca Delle Macie Chianti, which, at $15, blew off the shelves last time. Why? Because it tastes like a $40-$50 Chianti Riserva. At a third of the price. Try it, let me know if you do not agree, or if you do!
The Spanish Monasterio, a 100 per cent Carignan grape red, is a ridiculously inexpensive world-class bargain. How can any red taste this great at $12.95? Astonishing value. The Phelps Pinot Noir? Yes, it is $26.95. This is not from venerable Joseph Phelps in Napa, a fave rave winery of mine since 1978.
It’s Oregonian and gives a glimpse of why cult Oregon pinot noirs can trend to $80 to $100 a bottle and the cognoscenti don’t even sneeze at that price league. So $26 affords a glimpse of the truly great pinots from Oregon that rarely come to Canada. Please enjoy my selections. Santé!
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