SOME NEW BEVERAGE SAMPLES SENT TO ME FOR TASTING THIS MONTH OF MAY 2020

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

 

1.Henry of Pelham Riesling Speck Family Reserve 2018 VQA Short Hills Bench, +643361 Vintages June, $27.95 [now available online and at winery]: absolutely delicious MVC intense riesling in a Rhine style, with an off-dry palate but a dry finish (good acid levels on the finish); broad fruity strokes of peaches and flowers on the mid-palate; quite a blazing riesling with intense pleasure, sip or food. 10.5% ABV, cork closure, from HOP's oldest Estate vineyards (35+ year old riesling vines, handpicked). Try with rich bivalve dishes or porchetta. Should improve in the bottle over the years. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.

 

2.Gerard Bertrand Grand Terroir La Clape Syrah/Carignan/Mourvedre 2016 AOP Coteaux du Languedoc La Clape, +370262, $19.95 Vintages June: the South of France bargains continue at the LCBO with this southern Rhone clone emphasizing aromatic red fruit (with some black) and garrigue. Nice long finish for that heavy meat dish. 14% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.

 

3.Gerard Bertrand Terroir Corbieres 2016 $17.95 +394288 Vintages: In this Terroir Corbieres (from the Narbonne), Bertrand uses traditional fermentation for the syrah, grenache and mourvedre. It is an appealing Rhonish G-S-M, with one-third of the blended wine aging in wood for nine months before bottling. Very firm with some very dark fruit on the very full finish. 14% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.

 

4.Quails' Gate Chardonnay 2018 BCVQA Okanagan Valley +377770 $24.95 Vintages Essential:

from one of the leading producers of Chardonnay in BC. Soft orchard fruit (pear, apple, peach), some citrus tones. Soft and versatile, with a medium balance good to accompany any foods. 13% ABV, Residual Sugar 1.0 g/L. Quality/Price rating is 92 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.

 

5.Westcott Vineyards Temperance 2018 VQA Vinemount Ridge $19.99 winery [and SAQ +14209964]: this is a passtoutgrain-styled wine (as found in Burgundy) which is very popular in France, made from 50% Gamay Noir and 50% Pinot Noir grapes. There is a 30-day maceration, with a stainless steel all wild and malo-lactic fermentation. Very soft, fleshy, fruity (despite a low residual sugar of only 1 g/L), good for the patio and deck. It would be excellent with all kinds of soups. 12% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 89 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.

 

6.Westcott Vineyards Brilliant Traditional Sparkling 2013 VQA Vinemount Ridge $39.99 winery, licensees: this is a still-fresh terrific sparkler done up in the traditional style of long lees contact (75 months here), hand riddling, and disgorgement for a secondary fermentation in the bottle. 667 cases were produced of this pinot noir (66%) and chardonnay (33%) blend from their own estate in Vinemount Ridge. It's got a complex basket of flavours, ranging from orchard fruit through to citrus, with the lightness of the chardonnay being balanced off against the heavier tones of the pinot noir. It stays this way right from the entry through to the long finish, and the latter makes this a pretty good food wine too. You'll need to put some down for 2025. 12.9% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.

 

7.Westcott Vineyards Lillias Chardonnay 2019 VQA Niagara Escarpment $24.99 +425322 Vintages: a bright and fresh Chardonnay reflective of the vintage. Tank fermentation and storage with full MLF to soften, and six months lees contact. No oak. Slightly off-dry feel despite 1.8 g/L residual sugar, but a rounded mid-palate. Very stylish with a light lingering finish, great as a non-appetite-provoking aperitif, which makes it a fab cocktail party white wine. Emphasis is on fresh orchard fruit (apples, pears, peaches): it could change over the next two years, which would make it more versatile in being also a first course wine. 12.9% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 89 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.

 

May we all have 2020 vision.
Chimo! www.deantudor.com

WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for MAY 2, 2020 (plus others)....

WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES:  under/over $20 for MAY 2, 2020

By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at http://www.deantudor.com since 1994.

These notes for good wines available through  LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis)  can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca  or at  http://www.deantudor.com No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication.

Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price).

Currently, the wine media have no access to the 50 or so tasting samples usually provided to us in the LCBO lab on a fortnightly basis. This will go on until mid-May. HOWEVER,  the wine media will still have access to the advance spreadsheet of the wines to be released. So I know what is to be released and when. SOME (but not many) of these wines I have recently tasted since January 2020 or so, and I can comfortably recommend them based on prior sampling.

Under $20

=========

Sparkling+370361    TAWSE SPARK LIMESTONE RIDGE ORGANIC SPARKLING RIESLING     Traditional method, VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario  NV  $19.95 MVC/QPR: 92

W+43281    FLAT ROCK RIESLING    20??  VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Escarpment    $17.95    MVC/QPR: 89

W+ 446427    BARON DE HOEN RÉSERVE RIESLING    AC Alsace    2018    $16.95     MVC/QPR: 90

W+12174    CHÂTEAU HAUT-RIAN    AC Entre-deux-Mers    2018    $14.95     MVC/QPR: 89

W+82461    PIERRE-LUC BOUCHAUD SUR LIE MUSCADET SÈVRE ET MAINE AC 2018    $15.95 MVC/QPR: 89

Rose+117861    FEATHERSTONE ROSÉ    VQA Niagara Peninsula    2019    $15.95 MVC/QPR: 89

Rose+493171    OYSTER BAY ROSÉ    Marlborough, South Island    2019    $19.95    MVC/QPR: 89

R+434464    CHÂTEAU SAINT-ANTOINE RÉSERVE DU CHÂTEAU    AC Bordeaux Supérieur    2016    $16.95    MVC/QPR: 89

Over $20

========

Sparkling+421032    CHARLES MIGNON PREMIUM RÉSERVE BRUT CHAMPAGNE NV     AC $48.95     MVC/QPR: 90

Sparkling+78055    CHÂTEAU DES CHARMES SPARKLING ROSÉ     Traditional method, VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario    2014    $34.95 MVC/QPR: 90

W+181289    DOMAINE LE VERGER CHABLIS    AC    2018    $26.95     MVC/QPR: 90

R+209148    MARQUÉS DE MURRIETA FINCA YGAY RESERVA    DOCa Rioja    2015    $29.95 MVC/QPR: 89

R+171587    FARINA LE PEZZE AMARONE DELLA VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO    DOCG    2016    $36.95 MVC/QPR: 91

R+172692    VINOSIA SANTANDREA TAURASI    DOCG    2014    $29.95     MVC/QPR: 89

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

1.Henry of Pelham Riesling Speck Family Reserve 2018 VQA Short Hills Bench, +643361 Vintages June, $27.95 [now available online and at winery]: absolutely delicious MVC intense riesling in a Rhine style, with an off-dry palate but a dry finish (good acid levels on the finish); broad fruity strokes of peaches and flowers on the mid-palate; quite a blazing riesling with intense pleasure, sip or food. 10.5% ABV, cork closure, from HOP's oldest Estate vineyards (35+ year old riesling vines, handpicked). Try with rich bivalve dishes or porchetta. Should improve in the bottle over the years. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.

2.Gerard Bertrand Grand Terroir La Clape Syrah/Carignan/Mourvedre 2016 AOP Coteaux du Languedoc La Clape, +370262, $19.95 Vintages June: the South of France bargains continue at the LCBO with this southern Rhone clone emphasizing aromatic red fruit (with some black) and garrigue. Nice long finish for that heavy meat dish. 14% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.

3.Gerard Bertrand Terroir Corbieres 2016 $17.95 +394288 Vintages: In this Terroir Corbieres (from the Narbonne), Bertrand uses traditional fermentation for the syrah, grenache and mourvedre. It is an appealing Rhonish G-S-M, with one-third of the blended wine aging in wood for nine months before bottling. Very firm with some very dark fruit on the very full finish. 14% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.

4.Quails' Gate Chardonnay 2018 BCVQA Okanagan Valley +377770 $24.95 Vintages Essential:

from one of the leading producers of Chardonnay in BC. Soft orchard fruit (pear, apple, peach), some citrus tones. Soft and versatile, with a medium balance good to accompany any foods. 13% ABV, Residual Sugar 1.0 g/L. Quality/Price rating is 92 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.

5.Westcott Vineyards Temperance 2018 VQA Vinemount Ridge $19.99 winery [and SAQ +14209964]: this is a passtoutgrain-styled wine (as found in Burgundy) which is very popular in France, made from 50% Gamay Noir and 50% Pinot Noir grapes. There is a 30-day maceration, with a stainless steel all wild and malo-lactic fermentation. Very soft, fleshy, fruity (despite a low residual sugar of only 1 g/L), good for the patio and deck. It would be excellent with all kinds of soups. 12% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 89 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.

6.Westcott Vineyards Brilliant Traditional Sparkling 2013 VQA Vinemount Ridge $39.99 winery, licensees: this is a still-fresh terrific sparkler done up in the traditional style of long lees contact (75 months here), hand riddling, and disgorgement for a secondary fermentation in the bottle. 667 cases were produced of this pinot noir (66%) and chardonnay (33%) blend from their own estate in Vinemount Ridge. It's got a complex basket of flavours, ranging from orchard fruit through to citrus, with the lightness of the chardonnay being balanced off against the heavier tones of the pinot noir. It stays this way right from the entry through to the long finish, and the latter makes this a pretty good food wine too. You'll need to put some down for 2025. 12.9% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.

7.Westcott Vineyards Lillias Chardonnay 2019 VQA Niagara Escarpment $24.99 +425322 Vintages: a bright and fresh Chardonnay reflective of the vintage. Tank fermentation and storage with full MLF to soften, and six months lees contact. No oak. Slightly off-dry feel despite 1.8 g/L residual sugar, but a rounded mid-palate. Very stylish with a light lingering finish, great as a non-appetite-provoking aperitif, which makes it a fab cocktail party white wine. Emphasis is on fresh orchard fruit (apples, pears, peaches): it could change over the next two years, which would make it more versatile in being also a first course wine. 12.9% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 89 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.

May we all have 2020 vision.
Chimo! www.deantudor.com

* THE RESTAURANT/CELEBRITY COOKBOOK...

 

...is one of the hottest trends in cookbooks. Actually, they've been around for many years, but never in such proliferation. They are automatic best sellers, since the book can be flogged at the restaurant or TV show and since the chef ends up being a celebrity somewhere, doing guest cooking or catering or even turning up on the Food Network. Most of these books will certainly appeal to fans of the chef and/or the restaurant and/or the media personality. Many of the recipes in these books actually come off the menus of the restaurants involved. Occasionally, there will be, in these books, special notes or preps, or recipes for items no longer on the menu. Stories or anecdotes will be related to the history of a dish. But because most of these books are American, they use only US volume measurements for the ingredients; sometimes there is a table of metric equivalents, but more often there is not. I'll try to point this out. The usual shtick is "favourite recipes made easy for everyday cooks". There is also PR copy on "demystifying ethnic ingredients". PR bumpf also includes much use of the magic phrase "mouth-watering recipes" as if that is what it takes to sell such a book. I keep hearing from readers, users, and other food writers that some restaurant recipes (not necessarily from these books) don't seem to work at home, but how could that be? The books all claim to be kitchen tested for the home, and many books identify the food researcher by name. Most books are loaded with tips, techniques, and advice, as well as gregarious stories about life in the restaurant world. Photos abound, usually of the chef bounding about. The celebrity books, with well-known chefs or entertainers, seem to have too much self-involvement and ego. And, of course, there are a lot of food photo shots, verging on gastroporn. There are endorsements from other celebrities in magnificent cases of logrolling. If resources are cited, they are usually American mail order firms, with websites. Some companies, though, will ship around the world, so don't ignore them altogether. Here's a rundown on the latest crop of such books –

 

 

 

 

SHARE (Ryland Peters & Small, 2020, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-78879-211-0 $19.95 USD hardbound) is by Theo Michaels, from BBC's MasterChefUK, some popups, and other food writing and TV gigs (including four previous cookbooks). Here he gives 75 recipes for themed menus of sharing boards. These are for six to eight people, moderately easy to do, and are relevant to communal dining. He begins with deli-style foods (all purchased) to set you up, followed by themes with garnishes. He got brunches, mezes, picnic, BBQ, harvest time, sweets, and feasts. A lot of the book deals with presentation (clusters, colours, height, fillers) in the layout of foods. The range is from fresh figs with goat's cheese and honey through griddled apricots with lavender and bee pollen. Also spicy chicken shawama, roasty squash and lentil salad, tomato and blue cheese salad with ciabatta croutons, and souvlaki with date molasses and tahini dressing. The book could have been improved if it also used more metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 88

 

Chimo! www.deantudor.com

MORE FOOD AND WINE BOOKS THIS MONTH OF APRIL!!!

THE DEFINED DISH (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2019, 291 pages, ISBN 978-0-358-00441-7, $30 USD hardbound) is by Alex Snodgrass, founder of the eponymous blog, which won a Saveur blog award in 2018 for the most inspired weeknight dinners. She's also a recipe developer and food stylist. In this current book, she now concentrates on healthy and wholesome weeknight dishes. She favours her local Tex-Mex cuisine, her mom's Italian cooking, Indian curries, Asian flavours, and a wide range of Mediterranean dishes. The table of contents are arranged this way, with other chapters for salads, soups, kid food, "southern" charms and date-night dinners. Her healthier dishes include pad Thai made with spaghetti squash, and mac and cheese made with a dairy substitute of squash and coconut milk. Recipes are marked gluten-free, dairy-free, grain-free, and paleo.

The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. It might then sell better outside the USA.

Audience and level of use: those looking for wellness and family dishes.

Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: carrot-ginger salad with baked salmon; minestra del sedano; sheet pan sausage with squash and roasted grapes; crispy-skinned branzino with parsnip puree; sheet pan rack of lamb with potatoes and mint chimichurri.

The downside to this book: while it is endorsed by Whole30, this is not quite properly explained in the text of the book...as to what it means.

The upside to this book: great preps for the health conscious.

Quality/Price Rating: 88

 

 

 

3.A GOOD MEAL IS HARD TO FIND (Chronicle Books, 2020, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-4521-6978-1 $24.95 hardbound) is by Amy C. Evans and Martha Hall Foose. Evans is an artist and a storyteller; she's collected Southern food culture through oral history fieldwork. Foose is a cookbook author and storyteller; she won a Beard Award for American Cooking for "Screen Doors and Sweet Tea". It's a collection of culinary narratives augmented by stories, recipes and artwork. It's got 60 preps prefaced by funny vignettes, arranged by course (breakfast, lunch, afternoon pick-me-ups, and dinners. Amy is the artist, Martha is the cook, and together they create the stories. The book could have been improved if it had also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart.

Audience and level of use: fans of story-driven cooking and Southern recipes.

Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: Agnes Graton Firecracker popcorn; Alice's rosary cannelini salad; Ida';s Shore lunch loaf; Rita's roadside attraction; Gayle's lucky chicken posole; Vi's sherry pot pie; Frank's collard green and field pea fried rice.

The downside to this book: I wanted more.

The upside to this book: good pic, good stories.

Quality/Price Rating: 88

 

 

4.KEEPING IT SIMPLE (Hardie Grant Books, 2020, 176 pages, ISBN 978-1-78488-282-2 $24.99 USD flexibound) is by Yasmin Fahr, who is a food writer with a Master's degree in Food Studies. She wisely concentrates on easy weeknight one-pot recipes, which will be very popular. You'll need to have a good pantry with a variety of seasonings. There's a go-to weeknight pizza that is pretty basic, but there are a variety of variations in the toppings and doughs. Her chapter topics cover oven to table, quick and easy (faster than home delivery), gluten and grains, salads, and more. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements with some metric, but there is no table of metric equivalents.

Audience and level of use: beginners, harried workers

Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: 20 minute spicy sausage with crispy broccoli; pork chops with nectarines; baked feta with greens and lemon-tahini dressing; simple whole fish with charred citrus; cumin spiced steak salad with avocado and kale; sleeveless sweet potato jackets with Dijonaisse.

The downside to this book: lots of citrus and cumin and feta.

The upside to this book: very useful

Quality/Price Rating: 88

 

 

5.POSH TARTS (Hardie Grant Quadrille, 2019, 193 pages, ISBN 978-1-78713-381-5 $19.99 USD hardbound) is another entry in Quadrille's "Posh" series, which emphasizes the flash of an easy prep with great visuals. Pip Spence has 70 recipes, from galettes to pastries, all arranged by ingredient or time of day: breakfast, meat, seafood, veggie, fruit, and dessert tarts. She opens with the basics of pastry, such as types and commercial sources. So you can either buy a shortcrust, a puff, or a filo pastry, or make it yourself. She has the recipes for them. It may help to at least start off with commercial pastry doughs, to see what they are about and to test the fills she proposes. And then move on to homemade doughs.  Preparations have their ingredients listed in mainly avoirdupois measurements with some metric, but there is no overall table of metric equivalents.

Audience and level of use: beginners and up.

Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: acorn squash and carrot tarte tatin; cherry Bakewell slice; heritage beetroot and feta slice; chickpea tagine filo tart; spiced lamb and eggplant tart; maple pecan pie; roasted fruit and granola tart; tonnato tart.

The downside to this book: I wanted more.

The upside to this book: makes it all seem easy, but the photos are great.

Quality/Price Rating: 89.

 

 

6.DINNER'S IN THE BAG (Hardie Grant Quadrille, 2019, 144 pages, ISBN 978-1-78713-485-0 $22.99 USD hardbound) is by Louise Kenney. She proposes 60 easy oven recipes all wrapped up in any of baking parchment, foil, or oven bags. The range is from healthy weekday suppers through veggie dishes and sweet desserts. As Kenney says, just bag it up, pop it in the oven, set the timer,  and eat. It's a good little open and shut cookbook for one techniques using an assortments of meat, veggies, fish, and sweets. She's got photographic essays for the techniques. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents.

Audience and level of use: beginners, the harried, needing a quick meal.

Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: Italian salmon packets with couscous; lemon sole with potatoes, capers, lemon and herbs; ratatouille; baked peppers with lentils and goat's cheese; pork with ginger and coconut rice; sausages with sweet corn, peppers and zucchini.

The downside to this book: again, I wanted more.

The upside to this book: she has icons to let you know which wrapping is best (parchment, foil, bag)

Quality/Price Rating: 89

 

 

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

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

 

 

1.Stel+Mar Premium Red (+14775, $4.95), White (+14776, $4.95) and Sparkling Rose (not yet available at LCBO): These are wine-in-a-can, 250 mL each. By proper blending it was possible to get the most out of the wine. The appellation is California, and for the Red (13.7 ABV)it is a cherry-berry typical zinfandel from the Lodi area. The White is unoaked chardonnay (14.5% ABV with some vanilla minerality) from the North Coast. The Sparkling Rose (12.5% ABV) is off-dry, but the bubbles are an added attraction [apparently it is their basic rose with bubbles]. Simple, easy to drink, good with picnics of course. The size is right – one-third of a bottle, 8 ounces (two drinks). A good idea. Pretty basic wine. By July, the LCBO hopes to also have Stel+Mar Rose Tetra, +15515, 3 Litres (6 x 500mL, $45.95). Quality/Price rating for each is 87 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures (although I did enjoy the chardonnay a tad more).

 

 

 

2.Terlato Steep Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 California, $19.95 release TBD: another Cabernet Sauvignon with just a California appellation. Made principally with grapes from the north east area of Mount Diablo in northern California. There are 20 other California wines at the LCBO at this same price level, some with names such as Victor, Joel, Josh, Tom, et al. The Terlato label says "big, bold Cabernet Sauvignon" to enjoy with heavier meats such as steak or lamb, but it actually tastes of soft tannins with a medium body: more like a Merlot (which would still put it within the lamb area). 13.5% ABV, Stelvin closure. Quality/Price rating is 87 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.

 

 

3.Mud House Sauvignon Blanc 2018 Marlbrough +190454 Vintages $19.95: down a dollar since last time at LCBO. The wine typical Kiwi Savvy, with a combo of citric tones across the spectrum, grass, and melon-like tropicality. It's a blend of different Marlborough vineyards. Every vineyard batch from Woolshed, Wairau, and Awatere is kept separate for a final blending before bottling.  Best served with seafood. I rated this 89 at the media tasting, but in the comfort of my own home, I easily gave it a 90. 12.5% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 90 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.

 

 

4.Nugan Estate Cookoothama Cabernet Merlot 2016 New South Wales +91669 Vintages May 16 $17.95: from Darlington Point in New South Wales, night harvested, cold mascerated, and then transferred to US and French oak (1,2 and 3 year old) prior to final blending and bottling. Currently it is a lively MVC style (black fruit, herbs, mocha, vanilla), ready now, for red meats or simply just as a conversation social wine. Easily affordable and nicely received. Quality/Price rating is 89 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.

 

5.Nugan Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2016 Coonawarra Alcira Vineyard +393686 Vintages May 30 $29.95: after fermentation, the wine moved to French oak for 14 months. Full of cassis, mint, earth, and overlaying oak. Still needs time, say about two more years, or one could do a double decant or one could keep the bottle open for a week, tasting a little each day (as I did). 14.5% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.

 

 

6.Henry of Pelham Family Tree Red 2017 VQA Ontario, +247882, $18.95 Vintages: This red blend for 2017 (the blend can change with each release) comprises syrah (31%), cabernet franc (24%), merlot (24%), cabernet sauvignon (16%), and baco noir (5%). The latter may have resulted in a VQA Ontario designation rather than a VQA Niagara. It's all barrel aged, 65% French oak and 35% US oak for 17 months. It is substantial, reflecting the aromatics and flavour profiles of the grapes used. Cherry-berry tones, fresh spices on the finish, some spine to stand up to hearty food. Cork closure, 13.5% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 88 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.

 

 

 

7.Henry of Pelham Pinot Noir Classic 2019 VQA Niagara Peninsula, +13904 LCBO, $16.95: Here is a deft entry-level character lightish pinot noir wine, with some cherry-berry tones, some nuances of wood, mildly opulent style, not totally cool climate at all. Four different clones are fermented in stainless and aged in "European" oak for six months plus. Expect also light cloves, fresh fruit tones, and oak vanillin which will mute over time. Ready soon, but will get better, very food friendly and drinkable. Maybe decant first. 12.8% ABV, twist top. Quality/Price rating is 88 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.

 

 

8.Baron de Hoen Riesling Reserve 2018 Alsace, +446427, $16.95 Vintages: a classic straight-up Alsatian Riesling in the MVC dry mode, 12% ABV, twist top, fairly priced. Orchard fruit dominates, with a nice lemony citric finish meant for fish. Quality/Price rating is 89 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.

 

 

May we all have 2020 vision.
Chimo! www.deantudor.com
AND http://gothicepicures.blogspot.com
AND https://twitter.com/gothicepicures

Dean Tudor, Ryerson University Journalism Professor Emeritus
Treasurer, Wine Writers' Circle of Canada http://winewriterscircle.ca
Look it up and you'll remember it; screw it up and you'll never forget it.

WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for APRIL 18, 2020

WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES:  under/over $20 for APRIL 18, 2020

 

By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at http://www.deantudor.com since 1994.

 

These notes for good wines available through  LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis)  can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca  or at  http://www.deantudor.com No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication.

 

Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price).

 

Currently, the wine media have no access to the 50 or so tasting samples usually provided to us in the LCBO lab on a fortnightly basis. This will go on until mid-May. HOWEVER,  the wine media will still have access to the advance spreadsheet of the wines to be released (email me if you'd like to see a copy). So I know what is to be released and when. SOME (but not many) of these wines I have recently tasted since January 2020 or so, and I can comfortably recommend them based on prior sampling.

 

Under $20

=========

W+557165    HENRY OF PELHAM ESTATE RIESLING    Certified sustainable, VQA Short Hills Bench, Niagara Escarpment    2018    $19.95  MVC/QPR:  90

W+968537    TERRE BIANCHE ALGHERO TORBATO    DOC    2018    $18.95  MVC/QPR: 89

W+173336    CUSUMANO INSOLIA    IGT Terre Siciliane    2018    $12.95  MVC/QPR: 89

W+14420    LYRARAKIS VÓILA ASSYRTIKO    Vegan, PGI Crete    2018    $16.95 MVC/QPR: 89

R+14058    ESCUDO ROJO RESERVA CARMENÈRE    Colchagua Valley    2018    $17 MVC/QPR: 89

R+216309    CASTELLO DI GABBIANO RISERVA CHIANTI CLASSICO    DOCG    2015    $18.95  MVC/QPR: 89

R+523639    CAIS DA RIBEIRA RESERVA    DOC Douro    2016    $13.95  MVC/QPR: 89

R+39925    CVNE CUNE CRIANZA    DOCa Rioja    2016    $15.95 MVC/QPR: 89

 

Over $20

=========

W+346304    GRGICH HILLS ESTATE GROWN CHARDONNAY    Made with organic grapes, Napa Valley    2016    $67.95 MVC/QPR: 92

R+539106    BUENA VISTA CABERNET SAUVIGNON    Napa Valley    2016    $59.95 MVC/QPR: 89

R+165662    MONTE DEL FRÀ LENA DI MEZZO VALPOLICELLA RIPASSO CLASSICO SUPERIORE    DOC    2017    $24.95  MVC/QPR: 88

R+13745    MAIUS ASSEMBLAGE    DOQ Priorat    2017    $23.95  MVC/QPR: 90

R+709980    MICHELE SATTA PIASTRAIA    DOC Bolgheri Superiore    2016    $41.95 MVC/QPR: 89

 

 

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

 

 

1.Stel+Mar Premium Red (+14775, $4.95), White (+14776, $4.95) and Sparkling Rose (not yet available at LCBO): These are wine-in-a-can, 250 mL each. By proper blending it was possible to get the most out of the wine. The appellation is California, and for the Red (13.7 ABV)it is a cherry-berry typical zinfandel from the Lodi area. The White is unoaked chardonnay (14.5% ABV with some vanilla minerality) from the North Coast. The Sparkling Rose (12.5% ABV) is off-dry, but the bubbles are an added attraction [apparently it is their basic rose with bubbles]. Simple, easy to drink, good with picnics of course. The size is right – one-third of a bottle, 8 ounces (two drinks). A good idea. Pretty basic wine. By July, the LCBO hopes to also have Stel+Mar Rose Tetra, +15515, 3 Litres (6 x 500mL, $45.95). Quality/Price rating for each is 87 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures (although I did enjoy the chardonnay a tad more).

 

 

 

2.Terlato Steep Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 California, $19.95 release TBD: another Cabernet Sauvignon with just a California appellation. Made principally with grapes from the north east area of Mount Diablo in northern California. There are 20 other California wines at the LCBO at this same price level, some with names such as Victor, Joel, Josh, Tom, et al. The Terlato label says "big, bold Cabernet Sauvignon" to enjoy with heavier meats such as steak or lamb, but it actually tastes of soft tannins with a medium body: more like a Merlot (which would still put it within the lamb area). 13.5% ABV, Stelvin closure. Quality/Price rating is 87 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.

 

 

3.Mud House Sauvignon Blanc 2018 Marlbrough +190454 Vintages $19.95: down a dollar since last time at LCBO. The wine typical Kiwi Savvy, with a combo of citric tones across the spectrum, grass, and melon-like tropicality. It's a blend of different Marlborough vineyards. Every vineyard batch from Woolshed, Wairau, and Awatere is kept separate for a final blending before bottling.  Best served with seafood. I rated this 89 at the media tasting, but in the comfort of my own home, I easily gave it a 90. 12.5% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 90 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.

 

 

4.Nugan Estate Cookoothama Cabernet Merlot 2016 New South Wales +91669 Vintages May 16 $17.95: from Darlington Point in New South Wales, night harvested, cold mascerated, and then transferred to US and French oak (1,2 and 3 year old) prior to final blending and bottling. Currently it is a lively MVC style (black fruit, herbs, mocha, vanilla), ready now, for red meats or simply just as a conversation social wine. Easily affordable and nicely received. Quality/Price rating is 89 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.

 

5.Nugan Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2016 Coonawarra Alcira Vineyard +393686 Vintages May 30 $29.95: after fermentation, the wine moved to French oak for 14 months. Full of cassis, mint, earth, and overlaying oak. Still needs time, say about two more years, or one could do a double decant or one could keep the bottle open for a week, tasting a little each day (as I did). 14.5% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.

 

 

6.Henry of Pelham Family Tree Red 2017 VQA Ontario, +247882, $18.95 Vintages: This red blend for 2017 (the blend can change with each release) comprises syrah (31%), cabernet franc (24%), merlot (24%), cabernet sauvignon (16%), and baco noir (5%). The latter may have resulted in a VQA Ontario designation rather than a VQA Niagara. It's all barrel aged, 65% French oak and 35% US oak for 17 months. It is substantial, reflecting the aromatics and flavour profiles of the grapes used. Cherry-berry tones, fresh spices on the finish, some spine to stand up to hearty food. Cork closure, 13.5% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 88 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.

 

 

 

7.Henry of Pelham Pinot Noir Classic 2019 VQA Niagara Peninsula, +13904 LCBO, $16.95: Here is a deft entry-level character lightish pinot noir wine, with some cherry-berry tones, some nuances of wood, mildly opulent style, not totally cool climate at all. Four different clones are fermented in stainless and aged in "European" oak for six months plus. Expect also light cloves, fresh fruit tones, and oak vanillin which will mute over time. Ready soon, but will get better, very food friendly and drinkable. Maybe decant first. 12.8% ABV, twist top. Quality/Price rating is 88 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.

 

 

8.Baron de Hoen Riesling Reserve 2018 Alsace, +446427, $16.95 Vintages: a classic straight-up Alsatian Riesling in the MVC dry mode, 12% ABV, twist top, fairly priced. Orchard fruit dominates, with a nice lemony citric finish meant for fish. Quality/Price rating is 89 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.

 

 

May we all have 2020 vision.
Chimo! www.deantudor.com
AND http://gothicepicures.blogspot.com
AND https://twitter.com/gothicepicures

Dean Tudor, Ryerson University Journalism Professor Emeritus
Treasurer, Wine Writers' Circle of Canada http://winewriterscircle.ca
Look it up and you'll remember it; screw it up and you'll never forget it.

May we all have 2020 vision.
Chimo! www.deantudor.com
AND http://gothicepicures.blogspot.com
AND https://twitter.com/gothicepicures

Dean Tudor, Ryerson University Journalism Professor Emeritus
Treasurer, Wine Writers' Circle of Canada http://winewriterscircle.ca
Look it up and you'll remember it; screw it up and you'll never forget it.

* FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH! :

 

HOW TO BE A CONSCIOUS EATER (Workman Publishing, 2020, 270 pages, ISBN 978-1-5235-0738-2 $16.95 USD paperbound) is by Sophie Egan, Director of Health and Sustainability Leadership for the Strategic Initiatives Group at The Culinary Institute of America. She's written health articles for numerous publications, and authored "Devoured: How what we eat defines who we are". Her current book is promoted as a "radically" practical guide to making food choices that are good for yourself, others and the planet (ecosystems) by having accurate information to determine what's best – the basic criteria guiding lines. Stuff your mother probably never told you. It's divided into four parts: stuff that comes from the ground, stuff that comes from animals, stuff that comes from factories, and stuff that's made in restaurant kitchens. One of her charts deals with the Food Pyramid; another concerns water usage (it takes 660 gallons of water to produce one hamburger, 23 for a handful of almonds, and 7 for one potato). She also covers tap water, organic produce, food waste, pollination, olive oil, greenhouse gases, carnivores, processed foods, nutrition and restaurants. Quality/price rating: 90.

Chimo! www.deantudor.com

* DRINK BOOK OF THE MONTH! Disco Cube Cocktails, by Leslie Kirchhoff

 

1.DISCO CUBE COCKTAILS (Chronicle Books, 2020, 176 pages, ISBN 978-1-4521-8081-6 $18.95 USD hardbound) is by Leslie Kirchhoff, who launched Disco Cubes in Los Angeles in 2018. She creates and then photographs unique frozen works of art. Here she does craft cocktails. There are over 100 recipes here for ice creations of cubes for cocktails. Because music is such an integral part of the millennial experience she proposes seven playlists to enjoy while sipping on the drinks. She tells you how to make the different ices and how to add them to the cocktail, and illustrates it all whit a photo. Quite a different book. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements.

Audience and level of use: millennials, potential bartenders.

Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: Indochine iced coffee; Let's Stay Together cubes; Bellini Balls; the Breeze and double mint cubes; white Negroni and rose cube; soul makossa and tangerine turmeric cubes.

The downside to this book: I guess I wanted a playlist form the 1950s rock and roll era.

The upside to this book: good use of metric measurements and dashes. Good lookin' lifestyle book.

Quality/Price Rating: 92.

 

Chimo! www.deantudor.com

WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for APRIL 4, 2020

 

WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES:  under/over $20 for APRIL 4, 2020

 

By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at http://www.deantudor.com since 1994.

 

As of this release, April 4, 2020, the wine media will no longer have access to the 50 or so tasting samples usually provided to us in the LCBO lab on a fortnightly basis. This will go on until mid-May. HOWEVER,  the wine media will still have access to the advance spreadsheet of the wines to be released. So I know what is to be released and when. SOME (but not many) of these wines I have recently tasted since January 2020 or so, and I can comfortably recommend them based on prior sampling.

 

Under $20:

 

Rose+556209    France -- Languedoc    GÉRARD BERTRAND PERLES DE GRENACHE ROSÉ    IGP Pays d'Oc      2018    $18.95     MVC/QPR: 89

W+14189    Austria -- Kamptal    ALLRAM STRASS GRÜNER VELTLINER    Vegan, certified sustainable, DAC Kamptal     2018    $19.95     MVC/QPR:  89

W+391847    France -- Loire    THIERRY DELAUNAY TOURAINE SAUVIGNON BLANC    AP    Joël Delaunay        2018  $16.95 MVC/QPR: 91

R+128629    Argentina -- Mendoza    LUIGI BOSCA CABERNET SAUVIGNON    Mendoza    Familia Arizu        2017    $18.95    MVC/QPR: 90

 

Over $20:

 

Sparkler+11985    Canada -- Ontario    JACKSON TRIGGS ENTOURAGE    Icewine dosage, traditional method, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario 2016    $34.95 MVC/QPR: 89

W+82255    France -- Loire    ROGER & DIDIER RAIMBAULT SANCERRE    AC            2018    $32.95     MVC/QPR: 90

W+238642    Canada -- Ontario    INNISKILLIN MONTAGUE VINEYARD CHARDONNAY    VQA Niagara Peninsula 2017  $25.95 MVC/QPR: 90

W+28845    France -- Bordeaux    CLARENCE DILLON CLARENDELLE BLANC    AC Bordeaux            2018    $25.95    MVC/QPR:  89

R+364380    Canada -- Ontario    THE FOREIGN AFFAIR DREAM    VQA Niagara Peninsula            2016  $29.95    MVC/QPR:  91   

R+12908    Australia -- New South Wales    NUGAN MANUKA GROVE VINEYARD DURIF    Riverina, New South Wales     2016    $29.95     MVC/QPR: 89

R+13642    France -- Rhône    DOMAINE ANDRÉ MATHIEU CUVÉE TRADITION CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE    Certified sustainable, AC 2016  $52.95 MVC/QPR: 89

R+332411    Italy -- Tuscany    RUFFINO LODOLA NUOVA VINO NOBILE DI MONTEPULCIANO    DOCG            2015  $24.95     MVC/QPR: 89       

 

May we all have 2020 vision.
Chimo! www.deantudor.com