Inspired by the classics can hold much charm
Some wines stick to the bones. They give you such a deep sense of satisfaction that they leave an imprint. A memory. A desire to return to them again because they’re more a place than an experience.
These wines earn a cultlike following. They become destinations of sorts. Just the names evoke that small longing to return to them in those who have experienced their charms and have been gently — or powerfully — taken with these wines. Chablis. Champagne. Bordeaux. Barolo. Burgundy. These are just a handful.
These stand tall as classics. They’re looked to and revered by both wine drinkers and winemakers. Champagne is usually a blend of Pinot Noir with Chardonnay, and sometimes Pinot Meunier that undergoes a second fermentation in bottle to create a sparkling wine. Chablis is Chardonnay — often unoaked — with a cool minerality underpinning the fruit. And most of the finest reds of Bordeaux are based on a mix of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, sometimes seasoned with Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot. These are just a few archetypes — and these styles have inspired wines made elsewhere.
Even the humble dry rosé of Provence with its pale hue and gentle, even whispering allusions of cool berries and sea salt have influenced other producers to make comparable wines.
And yes, a sip of smart Champagne, cru Chablis or classed growth Bordeaux renews faith in the concept of terroir: the idea that wines hold a distinguishable sense of place. And the finest of those classics are certainly distinctive. But wines inspired by them — or simply made from similar grape varieties grown elsewhere — can hold much charm too. Especially when the price is right.
The Uco Valley of Argentina is doing marvellous things with Malbec these days. The grapes are grown at high elevations, which help them retain bright acidity due to the temperature fluctuations between night and day. And the powerful UV rays at high altitudes cause the berries to grow thicker skins, which is where much of the flavour and colour of the wines come from.
What’s more, Argentina can make wine more economically than many other places for a variety of reasons, such as cheaper land and labour. The results are good wines at reasonable prices.
To see what I mean, taste the 2017 La Celia Malbec-Cabernet from the Uco Valley (Vintages 618280, $14.95). This exciting red — released at the LCBO on Saturday — tastes tranquil and deep. Each sip rolls in with smooth, velvety flavours of blackberry and ripe black plum that hover then fade to let earthy, chalky notes show through. The finish doesn’t last long, but the texture and purity of this wine is fabulous. Score: 92. This is just the sort of wine to pair with sunset and something still sizzling off the grill.
The Uco Valley can produce pulse-quickening whites, too. The stunning 2018 Susana Balbo Signature White Blend (Vintages 558734, $21.95), which was also released on Saturday in Ontario, is a blend of equal parts Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Torrontés. It’s aromatic, vivacious and complex, immediately arresting the senses with mouth-filling flavours of apricot and peach purée, juicy grapefruit and zesty lime with electric acidity, and stony, saline undercurrents that linger on the finish. It’s juicy and flavourful and bone dry. Just a gem. Score: 95. Pair this wine with creamy, mild cheese such as a young Gouda or a handful of macadamia nuts.
Ontario is making world class sparkling wine these days. The combination of our cool climate and stony soils can produce marvellously elegant bubbly. The NV 13th Street Winery Cuvée Rosé Brut VQA Niagara Peninsula (13thstreetwinery.com, LCBO Vintages Essential 147504, $29.95) is a shining example and it’s widely available.
Crafted by winemaker Jean Pierre Colas from Chablis in France, it’s about half Chardonnay and half Pinot Noir. It gleams the colour of wild salmon, and the fragrance lifts, spins and embraces with soft suggestions of strawberry and crushed seashell.
The attack is cool and crisp with a subtle kaleidoscope of flavour and feeling. It calls to mind a sunlit porch, the spray of lemon oil as you twist the peel, a kitchen where someone is making raspberry jam. The bubbles are tiny and delicate.
And on the finish, the scent of wet stones after a cool rain lingers along with a touch of grapefruit pith that leaves the palate scraped clean. This is refined refreshment at a very good price for what it is. Score: 94. Pour this wine with smoked salmon on thin toast.
We all know California can make sun-drenched styles of red wine. And a riveting Rhone-inspired red worth your attention was released earlier this summer at the LCBO, of which there’s still a fair amount left on shelves. The 2017 22 Pirates Red Blend from California (LCBO 14384, $25.95) combines Syrah, Petite Sirah, Grenache, Carignane and Cinsault for a wildly complex result that’s full-bodied and rich. The entry is lush and saturated, unspooling with sweet black cherry, smoked meat, blueberry cobbler and a soft sifting of cocoa powder that lingers. Score: 92. Open-handed and hedonistic, this delicious wine works well on its own, cocktail style, at sunset.
So there you have it. Some white, red and sparkling rosé to keep you sailing through summer tastefully.