WEEKEND WINE PICKS
Mission Hill Reserve Meritage 2016, Okanagan Valley $25.99 | 90/100 UPC: 776545975232
The first Reserve Meritage at Mission Hill mixes a larger proportion of Cabernet Franc (35 per cent) with 32 per cent Cabernet Sauvignon, 31 per cent Merlot, and two per cent Petit Verdot grown on two estates: one in Osoyoos, one in Oliver. The attraction here is the elegance and texture of this wine. The red and black fruit is modestly spicy and juicy, but it’s the long, round, silky palate and earthy, savoury Okanagan notes that make it especially attractive for the price. Well done.
Gray Monk Odyssey White Brut Méthode Classique 2016, Okanagan Valley $21.79 | 89/100 UPC: 778829136261
This wine is consistently well made, and the combination of the bright 2016 vintage continues the string. This bubble is now razor sharp, with a wonderful freshness that runs from the front to the back of every sip. The mix is Riesling, Pinot Blanc and Chardonnay — a strange combination, yet it yields a bright green apple and lemon pith white, flecked with salty, lemon-soaked nuts. It’s fizz for your favourite sushi. Excellent value.
Masroig Sola Fred Montsant 2017, Montsant, Catalonia, Spain $19.99 | 89/100 UPC: 8437002456214
The Masroig, or “red farm” co-op, was established in Montsant, the “Holy Mountain” region surrounding Priorat, in 1918. This 100 per cent Samsó (Carignan) grown over clay and black slate is a delight to drink. It has all the floral, dried herbs and berries you could want in a red wine with moderate tannins that preview a medium-long finish. This is a wine drinker’s wine that can pump up any weeknight dinner or step in and punch above its weight on the weekend. A workhorse red for barbecue meats.
Tiberio Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo 2017, Abruzzo, Italy $22.99 | 90/100 UPC: 8032919422019
Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo Tiberio is made from 100 per cent indigenous Montepulciano d’Abruzzo grapes. The old, original 50-year-old clones represent a direct link to the traditional style of Cerasuolo, albeit with a modern twist: freshness and cleanliness. The colour is medium-dark, despite a mere 20 minutes of skin contact. The aromas and flavours are very pure and mostly cherry in nature, save for a citrus twang beneath. As light and refreshing as this is, the flavours are surprisingly concentrated. Serve chilled for best results.
Robert Mondavi Cabernet Franc Oakville 2015, Oakville, Napa Valley, California, United States $49.99 | 92/100 UPC: 083085220426
Less and more is the story of Napa Valley Cabernet Franc: less tannin, less structure, more aromatics, more lush textures. This is extremely attractive on the nose and palate, with a whack of juicy black fruit and only a tug of tannins from the addition of 20 per cent Cabernet Sauvignon. The clusters were gently de-stemmed into traditional French oak tanks for a cold soak and fermentation/maceration that totalled 32 days. The new wine then ended up in new French oak to give it the finesse it deserves. Polished, serious and brooding, this would work with roasted meats now, but you could easily lay it away for a decade.