This new $9 white wine will fly off shelves
This bargain bottle has more complexity, concentration and length than most sub-$10 whites
It costs less than a couple of grande lattes. It tastes like summertime in a glass. And it’s rolling out across Ontario right now.
It’s the new 2023 Tall Horse Wines Chenin Blanc from the Western Cape of South Africa (LCBO 36825, $9.60). The glossy pale liquid looks and smells luminous and then beams in like a flood of light. Lemon zest, sliced grapefruit, fresh pineapple and chiselled limestone come into focus and then fade, leaving behind a soft sifting of crushed oyster shell. This crisp, smart wine is impeccably balanced, finishes dry and clocks a mere 12.5 per cent alcohol. Outstanding value. Score: 96
The LCBO invested heavily in Tall Horse Chenin Blanc, buying more than 20,000 bottles in its initial order. So the liquor giant is clearly confident it will sell well. And it’s tough to disagree for a number of reasons. It’s Chenin Blanc, a grape variety that’s a darling of connoisseurs. It’s inexpensive but offers more complexity, concentration and length than most sub-$10 whites. And it comes with a proven track record. This wine has been around for more than 10 years and is available in 47 other countries. But it’s new to Ontario. What’s more, the LCBO is choosing to release it right now, as many wine drinkers are looking to splash something bright and white in their glass. The 2023 Tall Horse Chenin Blanc is easy to enjoy on its own, cocktail style, or served with anything that works with a squeeze of citrus such as fish, seafood or spicy dishes. That versatility adds value.
So quietly get yourself to the LCBO, don’t tell anyone you’re going, and buy it. If you do nip over to the LCBO, here are three other tips.
The gorgeous 2022 Les Hauts de Lagarde Blanc from Bordeaux, France (Vintages 387787, $19.95) was recently released and is a knockout buy. This organic, classic blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon sings with punchy purity of fruit. The scent is a flurry of lime blossom, dried grass and honeyed almond — but subtle, fleeting. On the palate, both lift and weight are found. Waxy Semillon tempers the sprightly Sauvignon Blanc while the focused entry fans out with green apple, pineapple, lanolin and a bit of brine. Long, intriguing expression
that’s dry and steely with 12.5 per cent alcohol. Score: 93
The 2021 Bieler Gott Three Thieves Cabernet Sauvignon from California in magnum is now $3 off (LCBO 285 until April 28). Each sip sweeps in with a crush of ripe black and red fruit — muddled black currants and jammy strawberry laced with cassis, nut and vanilla cream. Dry, but not bone-dry, this plush red with 13.5 per cent alcohol offers the precision and structure of a pricier bottle. So pour it at your next barbecue to please them all. Score: 91
The 2022 La Posta Pizzella Malbec from Mendoza (Vintages 166298, $16.95) is a bottle of magic from Argentina at a remarkably low price. Such aromatic complexity here. The wild blackberry centre threaded with allusions of iodine, white pepper and grilled meat tastes decadent and full yet lively, too, with a touch of rich dark soil and black olive on the finish. While not very persistent, it keeps you sipping. Medium-bodied with 13.5 per cent alcohol. Score: 92
Or spend a bit more for one of these brilliant bottles from Ontario, available online only at bachelderniagara.com. They’re pricier but still overdeliver in terms of value for money.
The 2022 Bachelder Les Villages Bench Chardonnay VQA Niagara Escarpment
($34.95, bachelderniagara.com) is a sunlit expression that smells like a string of pearls — mineral yet polished, sea-dipped and pristine. Each sip glides in glossy and allusive, nodding toward pear and lemon zest, baked apple and wet stone before returning to pearls on the persistent finish. Effortless elegance. Seamless and complete. Dry with 13.5 per cent alcohol. Score: 96
The 2022 Bachelder Niagara Cru Single Vineyard Willms Gamay Noir, VQA Four Mile Creek ($32, bachelderniagara.com) is a generous red made from old vines planted in 1983 that offers immediate pleasure. It’s a terroir-driven beauty that starts with a rush of raspberries then shifts toward more savoury notes of smoked meat, underbrush and pink peppercorn as well as strokes of violet, salt and chalk. So much going on. Meanwhile, the structure of this dry red remains lithe yet well-toned, languid and long. Just a gem of a wine with a low 12.5 per cent alcohol. Score: 97
These two Bachelder wines were released April 2 and pack serious value for less than $35 each. But act fast. They’ll sell out quickly.