A TASTE OF FRANCE AT A FRACTION OF THE PRICE
Some of the finest Chardonnay and Pinot Noir on the planet hails from Burgundy, which is why experts and enthusiasts love that famous French region. But buying bottles of Burgundy is complicated — even for diehard aficionados. Quality is notoriously spott
2013 Southbrook Triomphe Chardonnay VQA, Niagara Peninsula (Ontario), LCBO #172338, $22.95
This organic oaked Chardonnay starts with attractive aromas of smoky gunpowder before ripping across the palate with a bracing attack of cool granite, white grapefruit and apple laced with subtle notes of hazelnut and white pepper from the French barrel fermentation. Winemaker Ann Sperling’s 30 years of experience including time spent in France shines through here. An elegant, sophisticated and compact expression of Chardonnay.
2013 Folie à Deux Chardonnay, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County (California), Vintages LCBO #186163, $21.95
Big, bold and buttery, this wine tastes like Meursault. Rich aromas of crème brûlée, orange oil and marzipan lead to a generous wash of roasted almonds, freshly rolled pastry, buttered toast, toffee, vanilla bean, sea salt and warm Brazil nut over a cooked apple core. While wine is muscular and concentrated, weighing in at 13.9-percent alcohol, it remains perfectly balanced. Love the long sea salt and white pepper finish.
2013 Mirassou Pinot Noir (California), LCBO #185249, $13.95
I seldom find a seriously delicious Pinot Noir for less than $15, but here we have it. It’s a great introduction to the seductively silky texture of a well-made Pinot Noir, with a hint of savouriness found in red Burgundy. Expect instantly appealing flavours of cherry-vanilla, cranberry, sun-warmed violets and wild raspberries kissed with gentle oak and earthiness that morph into caramelized meat drippings on the finish. This Pinot Noir offers incredible value.
2011 Norman Hardie Pinot Noir Unfiltered VQA, Niagara Peninsula (Ontario), Vintages LCBO #208702, $39
This wine could probably pass for Burgundy tasted blind. It starts with a complex perfume of lilac and violet, black raspberry and cured meat, and the slightest suggestion of black truffle, then unfurls on the palate with a tight but discreet tapestry of roasted red berries, licorice, plum jam, coffee, mushroom, pencil lead and stone. The effect is both intricate and demure. Polished and sleek, this wine shows great purity and character. Pour it with pride on Thanksgiving.
A Kir cocktail: Mix NV Château des Charmes Brut Méthode Traditionelle VQA, Niagara-on-the-Lake (Ontario), LCBO #224766, $22.95, with Labbé François Cassis, (France), LCBO #57281, $24.95
Named after Félix Kir, a former mayor of Dijon in Burgundy, this French pre-dinner drink traditionally combines crisp, still white wine with crème de cassis (blackcurrant liqueur). But I would suggest using Ontario sparkling wine with the liqueur instead to create a locally inspired version to add panache to pre-feast festivities. To make one, pour half an ounce of crème de cassis in a white wine glass, then add four ounces of this fizz.