ADD WEIGHT AND WARMTH TO YOUR DAILY FALL WINES
Summer’s not gone yet, but those long, warm evenings are quickly dissipating. With fall knocking on the door it’s time to consider exchanging those rosé and the light whites you’ve been drinking all summer for a bit more weight and warmth in your daily wines.
White wine isn’t so much a problem, but finding what I would term affordable reds for everyday drinking isn’t as easy as it once was.
The affordable part in B.C. is almost laughable, and when you combine it with the current soft, overripe style of so many commercial import wines, it’s a major task to find a real wine at a price that won’t break the bank.
The best red values in the world today (selling under $20 and preferably $12-$18) are coming out of Spain, the Languedoc (France), and Italy.
It helps if you are growing high quality but lesser-known grapes, because they always end up selling for less at retail than some of the mainstream varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, and Pinot Noir. Aiding and abetting this scenario are wineries and retailers who can’t help but compare what are very ordinary offerings with much better wines made from the same grapes to come up with a price that exceeds the wine’s real worth. Buyer beware.
So, what can you latch onto for the fall and get the most for your money? Let’s start in Spain. The Laya 2015 Garnacha Monastrell Vieilles Vignes ($14.49) is a good example of getting your money’s worth. Old vines, rich flavours, and a long finish that tastes like it cost $20. Decant this and serve it blind and tell everyone it’s worth $30.
We have featured the Cims del Montsant 2012 ($14.99) before; it’s a stone’s throw from the nearby and highly heralded Priorat region. Proximity to great terroir is always a good way to get more for less.
Here black cherries and intense wild blackberries kept in check by a plummy licorice finish offer stupid value. The Hacienda Lopez de Haro Rioja Crianza ($20) rounds out our Spanish picks with its juicy, lively red fruits and spice with a warm, spicy but modern, clean finish. Pizza, burgers, chicken kebabs will all work here.
France remains the master of the red blend, especially south in the Languedoc.
Well documented, but going nowhere off my list, are the La Vieille Ferme Côtes du Ventoux ($12.49, Rhone), now sold in magnums for only $18.99, and Paul Mas Estate Single Vineyard Collection Malbec 2015 ($13.99, Languedoc). The former is a chicken wine, the latter is better with beef.
The Brunel family has been making wine since the 17th century, which may suggest why the Brunel de la Gardine Cotes du Rhone 2015 ($16), is so tasty and so inexpensive. Aged in cement, the fruit shines and the minerality lives. It’s real wine, folks.
The magic of Italian wine is how well it works with food, especially the new whites.
Cleaner, fresher and more authentic than ever, it is a delight to sip dry Italian whites with our West Coast seafood. Labels to seek out include Ruffino Orvieto Classico 2015 ($13.49), Think tangerines, wet stones and almonds; or Kris Pinot Grigio 2016 ($17.99), so crisp and fresh with crunchy green apple, pear and citrus flavours — the shellfish slayer. Finally, Umani Ronchi Casal di Serra Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico Superiore 2016 ($17.99). This Marche white has longer flavour than its name. Pairs well with seafood, pesto, pasta and or grilled vegetables. Super value, too.
That should kick off your fall wine search — and just maybe help readjust your value meter. You don’t have to spend $30 to enjoy real wine. You just have to be curious, and ready for a new adventure.
WEEKEND WINE PICKS
Villa Maria Lightly Sparkling Sauvignon Blanc 2015, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand $17.99 | 86/100
UPC: 9414416219115
This lightly sparkling Sauvignon is classic Kiwi on the nose, with assertive grass, jalapeño, green pepper, green apple, and passion fruit aromas. The palate is lightly frizzante, adding a much-welcomed lift and lightness to the full-on fruitiness of this wine. Fruit for this wine comes off vineyards across the Marlborough region. Look for a fresh sparkle in the glass, with bitter green apple and cilantro on the finish. Pour alongside fish tacos topped with a fruit salsa.
Bodega Garzón Estate Cabernet Franc-Tannat 2015, Garzon, Maldonado, San José, Uruguay $19.99 | 89/100
UPC: 7730951081317
Poured blind you could mistake this for a B.C. Cabernet Franc, though the 20 per cent Tannat in the blend might puzzle at first. Here, the Franc is a lovely dark fruited chord in the effusive melody of herbal cassis, fresh plums, pepper, and scented cedar. Tannins are well managed and finely grippy; the acidity is bright enough to lift and brighten the 14 per cent alcohol here. Impressive, and drinkable now with most grilled meats. Hacienda Lopez de Haro Rioja Crianza Tempranillo — Garnacha 2014, Rioja, Spain
$20 | 88/100
UPC: 8437007162295
Tempranillo with a classic top up Garnacha and Graciano. Love the nose here, an earthy mix of cherries flecked with floral notes. The attack is juicy with lively red fruits and spice with a warm, spicy but modern, clean finish. Eighteen months in older American oak frames the fruit but doesn’t cover it. Pizza, burgers, chicken kebabs will all work here.
Meyer Family Vineyards Pinot Noir Reimer Vineyard 2015, Okanagan Valley
$37.64 | 90/100
UPC: 00808755008155
East Kelowna is home to this juicy, spicy Pinot Noir that has mostly survived the heat of 2015. The nose is a mix of ripe black cherries sprinkled with mineral notes and just the right amount of toasted oak. There is a touch of that earthy, sour cherry, Oregon thing going on in the back end, with enough acidity to make it all work. Drink all fall with smoked chicken, grilled salmon or mushroom risottos. Winery direct.