Today’s best wine values
Sure, it’s nice to splurge on a top Napa Cabernet, hedonistic SuperTuscan or Grand Cru Burgundy once in a while — but these wines cost a small fortune these days. It can be almost as fun to find a dirt-cheap drop that’s so good it automagically becomes your go-to bottle. I’ve been keeping a short list of such thrillers for a few months now.
2015 Hardy’s Stamp Chardonnay Semillon, Australia (LCBO #335638 $9.95)
This surprisingly smart white hammers home the idea that you don’t have to spend a lot to get a great glass of wine these days — you just have to buy from a trustworthy producer. Showing far more complexity and composure than most 10-buck wines, this bottle starts with salty sea breeze and fresh white grapefruit aromas that lead to a lively attack of brisk citrus, salted lime and grapefruit pith. Pour it and sip alongside a turkey and brie sandwich.
Score: 91
2015 Casas del Bosque Reserva Sauvignon Blanc, DO Casablanca Valley, Chile (Vintages Essential #974717 $14.95)
Casablanca Valley is to Chile as Marlborough is to New Zealand for Sauvignon Blanc — the place to look for full-throttle thrills. And winemaker Grant Phelps teases a gorgeously sophisticated expression of that grape variety in this deeply undervalued drop. Think fresh kiwi fruit and ruby grapefruit notes that unfold slowly to reveal a touch of crystalized ginger, lemon oil and white pepper. The finish is attractively astringent and long, making it a marvellous food wine for, say, miso-and-gingerglazed salmon.
Score: 92
2015 Marius Rouge Pays D’Oc, France (LCBO 470096 $12.95).
Michel Chapoutier, who heads the famous Maison M. Chapoutier winery in the Rhone, created this wine as a tribute to his grandfather, Marius. And it’s an exciting new listing in Ontario. It tastes silkysmooth and polished with juicy flavours of wild berries without losing the subtly savory and refined elegance for which Chapoutier’s wines are known. So appealing and such great value. This classic bistro wine makes me instantly crave steak frites.
Score: 94
2007 Monasterio de las Vinas Gran Reserva, Carinena, Spain (Vintages Essential #82024 $17.95)
Seldom do you find a nine-year old wine on shelves under $20, let alone one that’s in its prime and drinks like a $40 bottle. But all of that’s true here. This stunning Gran Reserva still tastes gorgeously youthful, with lots of smooth, ripe fruit expressed as macerated crushed berries and plum purée. And all that depth and extract is imbued with leather, earth, grilled meat and cigar box from two years in oak and three years in bottle. Incredible wine at a steal of a price.
Score: 93+