SOME NEW BEVERAGE SAMPLES SENT TO ME FOR TASTING THIS MONTH –

SOME NEW BEVERAGE SAMPLES SENT TO ME FOR TASTING THIS MONTH –

 

1.Best's Great Western Shiraz 2017 Bin 1 Victoria, +222323 Vintages, $21.95: very ripe and juicy at this point, with a longer than expected finish. 13.5% ABV is not hot at all. Typical black fruit of shiraz but also with some herbs and mint. It is a keeper for the next few years. Twist top. Quality/Price rating is 90 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.

 

 

2.Gerard Bertrand Terroir Fitou 2017 $16.95 +403683 Vintages November: Bertrand continues to advance the Terroir series (and the Grand Terroir series) with more localized vineyards. Here it is Fitou, with its grenache and carignan grapes, vinified separately. The carignan has carbonic maceration for two weeks; the grenache is done in traditional style. Some of the wine is barrel aged for a year. Everything here seems to be concentrated in aromas and flavours, red fruit and undergrowth dominating. 14% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 90 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.

 

 

3.Gerard Bertrand Reserve Speciale Viognier 2018 IGP Pays d'Oc, +147975, $14.95 Vintages Nov 2019: aromatic but on the dry side, perfect as a social wine or for first course. Expect peachy and orange character, but of course no oak. Youthful and useful with nuances of orchard fruit and spicy nuts. No malolactic fermentation. Could go either way with or without food, hence versatile. 13.5% ABV, cork closure. Quality/Price rating is 89 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.

 

 

 

4.Henry of Pelham Cabernet-Merlot Estate 2015 VQA Short Hills Bench, +395855 Vintages, $24.95: both cabernets franc (4%) and sauvignon (50%) are used in this Bordeaux-styled blend (46% merlot) which comes across as a mid-Atlantic version of Cali/Bordeaux New World and Old World. It is still in its youth at 4 years of age, and it would be a shame to consume it this young. You could do what I did: open it and drink it over a couple of weeks, exposing it to air gently or speeding up the process by double-triple decanting. You will get several different wines out of one bottle over the course of time. Extended maceration in stainless, followed by French and US oak (40% new) for 18 months. Currently, you could match it with heavy meats. 13.5% ABV on label. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.

 

 

5.The Audacity of Thomas G. Bright Chardonnay Sussreserve 2017 VQA Niagara Peninsula +11565 LCBO $16.95: Arterra has unleashed a series in respectful memory of the work of its founder the indefatigable Thomas G. Bright. He brought over Euro grapes to grow in Ontario in the late 19th century. Some perished but others survived. I remember drinking "Pinot Chardonnay" from Bright's  in the late 1950s. This version from 2017 has been aged in French oak for eight months, then after MF it spent a year on lees. Some unfermented grape juice was added back into the wine before bottling. This brings it up against California chardonnay. RS is now 10g/L but the acidity level means that it can also be used with food, in addition to being a sipper at patios or stand-up events. 14% ABV, cork finish. Best with dairy and fatty foods (cream sauces, cheeses, buttered popcorn, avocado).  Quality/Price rating is 88 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.

 

 

 

6.The Audacity of Thomas G. Bright Merlot-Cabernet Sauvignon Whisky-Barrel Finish 2017 VQA Niagara Peninsula +11564 LCBO $16.95: another Arterra salute to founder Thomas G. Bright. And this wine certainly is bright as a full-bodied red blend in the definite Cali style, mostly merlot. Aged in US oak for 8 months, finished in whisky barrels for 5 months for that smooth finish. Black fruit dominates through the over-the-top cassis tones, but it is countered with spices and smoke elements. Hearty foods are suggested (stews from lamb or beef, meaty pastas, BBQ). 14.5% ABV and RS 5 g/L (the latter well-under some leading Cali brands). Quality/Price rating is 88.5 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.

 

 

7.Henry of Pelham Bin 106 Baco Noir 30th Vintage Limited Edition 2018 VQA Ontario, $29.95, +13421: these vines were planted in 1984 by the Three Speck Brothers, and this is the 30th vintage for many of the grapes (and maybe the Brothers too). These grapes survived the cut, and represent the very best barrels. Kudos on the effort! Low yields on 3.5 tonnes per acre, gravity movement, destemming, etc. Aged in new and one year old US barriques for a year. Single vineyard. Top barrels were selected. As with their previous baco noirs, HOP has maintained both the rich jammy black currant spicy wood character and the lowish price – under $30 – a buck for each year. This bottle still needs another two years for proper aging, but with double decanting and prolonged exposure to air while under cork, it can be enjoyed now. 13% ABV. One of the top bacos in Ontario, works best with pronounced meats such as pork/boar, lamb, farmed or wild game – all either braised or grilled. Really old cheeses and blues as well. 400 cases produced; collectors' item. Quality/Price rating is 92.5 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.

 

Chimo! www.deantudor.com