Billy Munnelly’s recommendations for LCBO Vintages, Saturday November 12, 2011
I’m entertaining more expensive and classic wines as we head into the holiday season. Treats for yourself, to share, or give as gifts. This is a good time of the year to use Vintages.
SPARKLING
DOMAINE DE VAUGONDY Vouvray Brut, Loire, France
154567 $17.95
A perfect blend of tartness and delicate flavours. Elegant, marble hall feeling. Fantastic aperitif, or as a base for “˜Champagne’ cocktails. Get a case for the holidays.
13th STREET “˜Cuvee 13′ Brut Rosé, VQA Ontario
147504 $24.95
Super refreshing. And good looking. Dreaming of a pink Christmas.
WHITES
Wine Style: FRESH WHITE
DOMAINE BERNARD 08 Chablis “˜Cote de Lechet’, 1er cru, France
17541 $34.95
Austere with mineral freshness and just a trace of flavour. Classic Chablis ““ which is a rare find. A set-up wine to tease the palate or complement anything out of the ocean. Oysters for sure.
Wine Style: RICH WHITE
CLOSSON CHASE 08 Beamsville Bench Chardonnay. Ontario
230904 $39.95
Blockbuster white. Tons of flavour and richness with the warm, toasty flavours of mature Chardonnay. Very Burgundian, very exotic, and a very wonderful local.
Wine Style: RICH WHITE
KUHLMANN-PLATZ 08 Pinot Gris, Alsace
224204 $17.95
Richness combined with a little spicy/sweetness. Pinot Gris is Alsace’s answer to Chard. Would be a perfect partner for the big bird and all the trimmings. And all the family.
Wine Style: RICH WHITE
DOMAINES SCHLUMBERGER 07 Riesling, Kessler, Alsace, France
61176 $25.95
A must for the Riesling fan. Bone dry and just starting to express itself with intriguing, hard-to”“pin-down flavours. Love that. Elegant and a wonderful tease.
REDS
Wine Style: RUSTIC RED
CHATEAU FONGABAN 06 Cotes de Castillon, Bordeaux, France
138735 $15.95
Rustic, invigorating and down to earth. Classic bistro red. Best with beef or lamb.
Wine Style: RICH RED
ROCCA DELLE MACIE 06 Chianti Classico Riserva, Tuscany, Italy
930966 $21.95
I don’t usually like mature Chianti but who could resist the woodsy, fall-day flavours, and charm in this wine. Enjoy with oven toasted anything, and thoughts of Tuscany.
Wine Style: RICH RED
DELAS 09 Cotes du Rhone “˜Saint-Esprit’, France
729962 $14.95
Fruity, spicy flavours combined with a tangy edge and some richness. The Rhone experience. Both heartwarming and refreshing. Good with everything.
Wine Style: RICH RED
GUIGAL 07 Gigondas, Rhone, France
331900 $29.95
Something special and seductive at a good price. Both sexy and solid, and ready to go. Guigal is one of the top producers in the Rhone and Gigondas outperforms most super deluxe wines.
Wine Style: RICH RED
FRAMINGHAM 09 Pinot Noir, Marlborough, New Zealand
699322 $24.95
Here’s a lush, exotic edition of Pinot. A charmer. Pamper yourself with a favourite dish, and partner.
Wine Style: RICH RED
SOKOL BLOSSER 08 Pinot Noir, Oregon
748434 $34.95
The Pinot purist will love this combination of delicious berry/spicy and “˜farmyard’ flavours. A bigger than usual presence for Pinot. Would be fab with duck breast!
Wine Style: RICH RED
STRATUS 08 Red, VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake
131037 $44.20
A multi grape blend in the sturdy, earthy Stratus style. Tons of personality and a refreshing change from the world of sameness in deluxe reds. Great local statement.
Wine Style: RICH RED
MASI “˜SEREGO ALIGHIERI’ 05 Amarone della Valpolicella, Veneto, Italy
462812 $69.95
Expensive but really good Amarone. Light on the usual dried fruit flavours but big on the mid palate stuff that makes expensive wines~ worthwhile. Sip with after dinner chat. From the estate of Dante ““ impressive gift choice.
SWEET
LENZ MOSER 08 Trockenbeerenauslese, Burgenland, Austria
729657 375ml/$19.95
Amazing concentration of sweet/spicy flavours in a low alcohol wine. Deep and delicious. The sweet wine buy of the decade.
CROFT Pink Port, Portugal
140871 $19.95
Lighthearted Port for the non Port drinker. And good at it.~ Lightly chilled this is a lovely drink for aperitif, party-time, or whenever.
