My Favourite Wines Tasted in 2014

Happy New Years!

My 2014 was a roller coaster ride of joy and sadness. Many life lessons were learned, and with that came much personal growth. My love and passion for the wine world was a great source of comfort and perseverance through the tough times. The major highlight was branding myself as the Wine Concubine. I also attended a Joseph Drouhin tasting as well as a vintage port tasting earlier this year. And I continued to expand my knowledge of the wine world through a lot of self study. Can't let those text books go to waste!

Let's face it: I can't drink every bottle of wine out there in one year. But I did find some beautifully expressive wines of the ones I did taste. Below is the list of the wines I felt were the best in quality, which became my personal preferences of the year.

Top Red Wines
I was spoiled with bottles of red this year, and my top 3 picks are all in the high-priced category, ranging from $45-$90 CDN. These wines are excellent splurges when celebrating a momentous occasion or want to impress! The Rodney Strong Pinot Noir retails at under $25 CDN.
1. Chateau de Clinet: Fleur de Clinet 2011 - Bordeaux, France
2. Tommasi Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG 2010  - Valpolicella, Italy
3. Joseph Drouhin Clos des Mouches Beaune 1er Cru 2011 - Burgundy, France
HM:  Rodney Strong Estate Pinot Noir 2009 - California, USA

Top White Wines
It was a French sweep in the world of whites this year, with the exception of a California Chardonnay receiving my honourable mention of the year. Prices range from $25 to $45 CDN.
1. Jean-Michel Gerin "La Loye" Viognier 2007  - Northern Rhone, France
2. Pfaffenheim Gewurztraminer Steinert Grand Cru 2009 - Alsace, France
3. Joseph Drouhin Vaudon de Chablis 2012 - Burgundy, France
HM: Mer Soleil Reserve Chardonnay 2012 - California, USA

Top Sparkling Wines
The Jura is a lesser-known wine region in Eastern France, and their wines can be hard to find here in Alberta. Once I discovered that some local stores and restaurants carry Cremant du Jura, I spent all my "bubbly" energy tasting as many bottles as I could! The Jurancon wines are priced here between $20 and $25 CDN.
1. Domaine Rolet Pere et Fils Brut Cremant du Jura Rose N/V - Jura, France
2. Veuve Clicquot Brut Champagne N/V - Reims, France
3. Domaine Baud Cremant du Jura Brut Blanc de Blancs N/V - Jura, France

Top Sweet Wines
It was the year of vintage port! Not only is the 2011 vintage considered to be one of the best ever, but I attended a vintage port tasting in May and fell in love! Although the prices of my top 2 picks are very high, the bottle of Cave Springs retails here at under $30 CDN. It is interesting to note that Hetszolo made my 2013 list with their 6 puttonyos Tokaji.
1. Warre's Vintage Port 1983 - Portugal
2. Taylor Fladgate Vintage Port 1977 - Portugal
3. Hetszolo Tokaji Aszu 5 Puttonyos 2001 - Hungary
HM: Cave Springs Indian Summer Select Late Harvest Riesling 2010 - Niagara, Canada

Top Values
Since my top reds are ideal splurges, this is where I focused my value picks this year. Spain offers a lot of complex, robust wines at the $20 price point, and Chile makes the list with both a red and white offering.
1. Tommasi Maremma Toscana Poggio al Tufo Rompicollo 2011 - Tuscany, Italy
2. Bodegas Los800 Priorat 2010 - Priorat, Spain
3. Campo Viejo Rioja Reserva 2008 - Rioja, Spain
4. Concha y Toro Marques de Casa Concha Cabernet Sauvignon Puente Alto 2012 - Puente Alto, Chile
5. Quintay Clava Sauvignon Blanc 2011 - Casablanca, Chile

Top Food and Wine Pairings
Two of my top wines this year also shone with food. I focused the rest of year on pairing richer dishes with the zesty acidity of Sauvignon Blanc. The Montes Classic listed below, from Chile, retails at under $20 CDN!
1. Domaine Rolet Pere et Fils Brut Cremant du Jura Rose with Charcuterie
2. Pfaffenheim Gewurztraminer Steinert Grand Cru 2009 with Spicy Smoked Chicken
3. Chateau Guiraud Le G de Guiraud 2008 with Grilled Salmon on Pesto

HM: Montes Classic Sauvignon Blanc 2013 with Clam and Bacon Linguine

Hopefully you'll find this list useful-maybe there's a wine here that you've been wanting to try, or one that piques your interest. Let me know what you think. Enjoy!

Finding Joy in Red Wine

"The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched - they must be felt with the heart." - Helen Keller

A family emergency took me back to Ontario last week. Despite the melancholy feel over the visit, I decided to try and find small joys through my loved ones while there. I held my new baby nephew for the first time, did some of my favourite things with my best friend, and spent some quality time with my Dad. And when my father and I get together, wine is almost always involved!

He wanted to restock his cellar for the upcoming holidays. We set out to three of his local LCBO stores, and together, going off his palate preferences, we purchased 15 bottles and tasted a few of his choices. These were some of the hits:

1. Cantina del Dolcetto di Dogliani Superiore 2011
Flavours of ripe cherries, resin and tobacco with a hint of spice on the long finish. The soft tannins are well-structured and combine with focused acidity for a rustic, full mouthfeel. A classic Italian Dolcetto that pairs well with steak and other red meats. Decanting the wine 1-2 hours before serving will allow the red fruit flavours to really shine.

2. Montresor Capitel della Crosara Valpolicella Ripasso 2011
A sultry blend of stewed cherries, raspberries and chocolate. Smooth and structured tannins create a well balanced body with a long, lush finish. Excellent on it's own or paired with mild charcuterie, kalamata olives and mozzarella cheese.

3. Columbia Crest Horse Heaven Hills (H3) Cabernet Sauvignon 2012
Deep purple in colour, with notes of blackberry, plum and a white pepper finish. A hint of green olive mid-palate and silky tannins add complexity. A great wine to share with friends over foods such as gourmet pizzas.

When I returned home, I was asked to sample a wine for a 40th birthday party, which was the Bodegas Los 800 Priorat 2010 from Spain. An intoxicating bouquet of dark cherries, cloves and mocha lead into a rich, complex body with silky tannins and a graphite backbone. The long, spicy finish lingers long after your glass is finished. Pairs well with roasted meats like Beef Wellington.

It is inevitable that we will experience sorrow in our lives. How we get through the pain is up to us. Finding and experiencing these small joys is what has helped me get through it all this past year. Family, friends and good wine are all the joys I need to get me through anything.

Cheers!  

A Look at Sauvignon Blanc in Chile

Those who know me, know I love Sauvignon Blanc. And I also have a fondness for Chilean wines. Put them together and you have some expressive wines with great value. I spent the last month of summer tasting some Chilean Sauvignon Blancs to see how the flavour profiles change with each growing region in Chile.

Although winemaking in Chile dates back a couple hundred years, it was only in the 1990s that the country really landed on the viticultural map. Sauvignonasse was originally planted in some regions, a similar varietal that produces wines of lesser quality; it was mistaken for Sauvignon Blanc. Plantings are being removed with authentic vines replacing them. Chile tends to focus on producing fruit-forward Sauvignon Blancs with tropical nuances and less on the herbaceousness that old world wines tend to showcase.

Coquimbo is the northernmost wine region in Chile, and the Elqui Valley sub-region is becoming known for producing some excellent Sauvignon Blancs. This is likely because of low annual rainfall amounts, which would help control the growth of the vigorous vines. Plenty of access to sunlight and cooling mountain breezes also help to improve the quality of the grapes.

Falernia's 2012 Sauv Blanc is fresh and fruit-forward, full of passionfruit, pineapple and underripe green apple flavours. Hints of anise and a white pepper finish add complexity. The body is strong enough to handle dishes like roasted chicken and mashed potatoes.

South of the Coquimbo region and north of Santiago lies the Casablanca sub-region of the Aconcagua Valley. White varietals dominate in the vineyards due to cooling fogs and ocean breezes, ideal conditions for growing Sauvignon Blanc. Mild winters also extend the growing season by approximately one month longer than other winegrowing regions in Chile.

The Quintay Clava Sauvignon Blanc 2011 was my personal favourite of these wines, with tropical notes of passionfruit and pineapple up front and a beautiful nuance of sweet peas. Crisp acidity and a hint of minerality rounded out the palate. Well-balanced. Great for sipping on a patio with grilled salmon and mild cheeses.

The Central Valley consists of sub-regions that include the Maipo, Rapel, Curico and Maule. The Curico Valley is the southernmost region of these, with average high rainfall amounts and nutrient-rich soils. Although Curico does have the reputation for producing inexpensive blends and once was a haven for growing Sauvignonasse, some good Sauvignon Blancs have come from here of late.

One such example is the Montes Classic 2013. Notes of underripe apricots, leafiness and basil lead into a high, mouthwatering acidity that carries on through the finish. This wine has the power and structure I love about a good Sauvignon Blanc. Pairs well with seafood dishes, especially clam and bacon linguine.

Concha y Toro makes a Sauvignon Blanc on their Casillero del Diablo line that sources grapes from their vineyards in the Limari, Casablanca and Rapel Valleys. All regions are well represented here. Notes of pear, lemon and snap peas combine with a delightful hint of grilled pineapple on the finish. The zesty acidity makes this wine great with rich foods like quiches and hors d'oeuvres in puff pastry, but is also light enough to pair well with more delicate shellfish like scallops.

I was surprised to find hints of herbaceousness and leafiness in more of these bottles than I thought I would. Otherwise, each wine truly does reflect the style of Sauvignon Blanc that Chile seeks to produce, with approachable fruit flavours and crisp acidity at a good value. If Chile continues to focus on and improve quality in both the vineyard and in the winery, I truly believe their Sauvignon Blancs have potential to become world-class, like their Cabernet cousins from Puente Alto.

Salud!