IF YOU’RE LOOKING for a wine experience above the humdrum — that is, a wine of real character that speaks of the soil in which it was grown — have I got a selection for you.
Sandhill Small Lots Viognier 2009 has recently landed on the Vintages’ shelves. This wine is a consistent award winner at national and international competitions.
The wine is a light golden colour with a bouquet of stone fruit preserve and white blossoms. It’s dry and full-bodied, viscous on the palate with a lingering, warm, fruit-saturated finish ($24.95, Vintages #126862).
I have always been a great fan of the village-named Côtes du Rhône reds. These well-priced blends are usually made from Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre, but for Perrin & Fils Peyre Blanche Cairanne Côtes du Rhône 2007, the winemaker has gone heavy on the Grenache with a mere 20 per cent of Syrah added.
The result is a dense purple-coloured wine with a nose of raspberries, violets, white pepper and licorice. It’s full on the palate with ripe flavours of raspberry and black cherry with earthy-herbal notes and a very long finish ($17.95, Vintages #650960).
And here’s another delicious wine from the southern Rhône, part of the Vintages September release: Vignerons de Caractère Les Hauts du Castellas Vacqueyras 2007 has that unmistakable nose of Syrah — blackberries, roasted herbs and a note of the barnyard.
Believe me, this is a compliment. The wine is full-bodied on the palate, rich, but not overblown, with lots of flavour and soft tannins. It’s also a great value ($18.95, Vintages #177634).
In April, Huff Estates South Bay Chardonnay 2007 was named White Wine of the Year at the 2010 Ontario Wine Awards, and this wine has carried off other trophies since.
This medium-bodied dry Chardonnay has a nose of tropical fruits, sweet lemon and vanilla oak. On the palate it has a creamy texture with a spicy note. The fine spine of acidity carries the tropical fruit flavours to a long and satisfying finish ($29.95, Vintages #88955).
Viticcio I Greppi Greppicante Bolgheri 2007 is a wine that uses the three Bordeaux grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot. It’s intensely coloured deep ruby with a beet purple core.
The nose is an amalgam of cassis, mint and sweet oak. The seductive palate is rich and full with black fruit flavours tempered by toasty oak and licorice ($23.95, Vintages #170381).
