I suppose I should apologize once again for being so slack with my postings here. I would love to keep to a regular posting schedule, but my day job gets in the way. And even though I’ve been on vacation for nearly a week now, I can only muster up enough energy for a few quick tasting notes!
Anyways, without further rambling, here are some of my current summertime favourites and I’m off to the patio.
I’m still on the lookout for budget wines to beat the winter chill, and with that in mind, I picked a bottle of the Yali Reserva Shiraz (2006 vintage) the other night. As you’ll see, I’m now a big fan of this wine.
I enjoy Malbec, but I’m iffy on Argentinian wines in general. There are some great finds out there (Etchart is an excellent example), but I find the range in quality to be a little much. So I was happy to find a Chilean Malbec (from one of my favourite lines too) this weekend.
The Casillero del Diablo Malbec shows a rich purple colour in the glass, with lots of overripe plums on the nose. It was medium-bodied in the mouth, with fewer tannins than I expected. But (unlike some Argentinian examples) it was lush and smooth, with more plums and a hint of dark chocolate in the mouth. The finish was average, but very tasty – and it went great with a sirloin tip roast last night. It’s available at your local MLCC for $11.95 before tax.
One of my favourite grapes is Viognier, the banner white grape of the Northern Rhone Valley. It is blessed with the richness of Chardonnay (minus all of the butterscotch and caramel that comes with oak-ageing), but it has a unique set of flavours all to itself. It is apparently a difficult grape to grow (although being an urban-dwelling Canadian, I really wouldn’t know).
For years, it was only found in the tiny region of Condrieu in the northern Rhone Valley. Now, you can find Viognier all over the world. Even Canada has gotten into the game, with fine examples from both B.C and Ontario (the linked list doesn’t include the Kettle Valley Viognier from Naramata).
In the Winnipeg market, there are two good examples gracing local shelves these days. Both are from Chile. Both are under $15, and both are very good. Read on for the winner in today’s showdown…
First post in a long time., and apologies for my extended silence. The move-in saga progresses, and the level of moving-related chaos in my life is diminishing. I hope to get back to more regular posts soon.
In an effort to keep up with the trends being set by WineWineWine, I picked up a bottle of the 2003 Viu Manent Carmenere (Chile) at my local MLCC last night. For $11.05, I wasn’t expecting a lot but I was very impressed. To be honest, I was feeling cheap and didn’t want to pay the $11.30 for a bottle of the Casillero del Diablo Cabernet. So I saved a whole quarter by going for the Viu Manent instead. Lucky me. If I do that seven more times, I’ll have enough for a big cup of tasty coffee at the Fyxx.
In the glass, it showed off a beautiful deep purple colour, almost a stereotypical “wine” colour. The nose was very strong, with lots of tea and rich plumy fruit. In the mouth, there was a hint of green pepper on the finish, suggesting that the grapes may not have been as ripe as possible.
Typically, Carmenere ripens later, so this could be the case. But otherwise, it was fantastic. I typically associate plums with Carmenere, and this held true, although it was tempered by some black currant zippiness and an herbal flavour I couldn’t place. The tasting sheet suggests sage, which is pretty accurate. Plenty of chewy tannins and a nice long finish wrapped it all up very well.
At 14%, it’s probably better with food. I had a glass on its own, which was just peachy. But the strong flavours and the alcohol content make this more a “serve with food” wine than a “sip on its own” wine. For $11 and change, this is not only a steal, but it is also an excellent example of what Chile can do with Carmenere.
Funnily enough, despite its low price tag, I found this in the “Fine Wine” section of my local MLCC. Perhaps the local wine column is indeed having an impact, and $11 wines are being shelved in the back in favour of $8 wines?
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wine in the 'peg 
