Time to splurge on a special bottle
After a long, cold winter including a pounding ice storm in April, the summer-like weather is certainly cause for celebration. So lift a glass this weekend with a really special bottle of wine — one that delivers amazing value for money. Here are five wines well worth the splurge — and why.
2015 Tignanello, Marchesi Antinori, Tuscany IGT, Italy
(Vintages Essential 986786 $114.95 in stores and online)
The much-anticipated 2015 vintage of this super Tuscan just hit shelves and is definitely worth the hype. Captivating aromas of muddled cherries and blackcurrants mingle with notes of suede, licorice and warm earth draw you in. Then, the entry feels lush and full but not heavy. Expect a cashmere wash of dark berry fruit imbued with poached damsons, wild mushrooms, black licorice, soft suede and a light ripple of raspberry that lifts and balances the dark core. This blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc is drinking beautifully now but will reward patience. So maybe buy an extra bottle to tuck away. Score: 95
2014 Araujo Pickett Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, California
(Vintages 548297 $97.95 in stores only)
Fetching more than $750 per bottle, the Eisele Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley (Eisele is pronounced eye-sley) is one of the most sought-after, single-vineyard wines from California. Pickett is that property’s new second Cabernet Sauvignon, produced for the first time in 2014 and available exclusively in Ontario. This wine drinks like a far more expensive bottle, proving good value comes at all price points. The seduction begins with sumptuous scents of cassis and cherries underpinned with rose petals, vanilla cream, marzipan and white pepper. Then, those aromatics are reflected on the palate with a rich, crushed velvet mouthfeel, dark chocolate undertow, touch of mouth-watering salinity, and final note of burnt almond that persists for ages. Sublime. Score: 96+
2016 La Valentina Pecorino, Colline Pescaresi IGT, Abruzzo, Italy
(Vintages 541433 $17.95 available in stores and online)
I have a soft spot for Pecorino — the wine, not the cheese — because of its inherently rich, almost oily texture balanced by bracing grapefruit-squirt acidity. It’s an exciting style that’s a bit undersung and this bottle is a textbook example. Expect the characteristic note of struck steel on the nose and palate combined with quiet allusions of salted grapefruit zest and cool apple. The viscous centre is shot through with bracing acidity that scrapes the palate clean and leaves a slight chalkiness behind. If you like the refreshing, relatively neutral character of Pinot Grigio, unoaked Chardonnay and Verdicchio, you’ll love this Pecorino. Score: 92+
NV Veuve Clicquot Brut Champagne, France
(LCBO 389056 $41.75/375 mL; LCBO 37069 $75.55/750mL, which comes in its own cooler; LCBO 572586 $154.55/1500 mL — all sizes in stores and online)
Pop a bottle of this blue-chip bubbly to toast the start of summer. And if you choose the 750millilitre bottle, it includes its own cooler jacket that’s supposed to keep the wine chilled for up to two hours. I haven’t tested the cooler, but I’ve tested the wine — and it’s delicious. Expect hallmark flavours of cooked apple, white flowers, and toast edged with warm vanilla and toasted nut. The mouthfeel feels satisfyingly creamy yet lifted and elegant with tiny bubbles and a long length. Certainly splurge worthy. Score: 93+
Graham’s 20 Year Old Tawny Port, Portugal
(LCBO 620641 $38.45/500 mL bottle in stores and online)
Kicking back on the deck or the dock at sunsets with a glass of tawny Port is a great way to punctuate the day — especially on a long weekend. And this bottle is a fine choice. Its mahogany tint and resonant flavours taste articulate and mouthfilling with plunging flavours of toffee, spiced orange, warm wood, toasted hazelnut, fig, maraschino cherry, fruit cake and ripple of dark chocolate. Tastes equally superb on the rocks or neat. So go ahead, splurge on this bottle. It keeps for weeks after opening and is well worth the money. Score: 92