Canadian Wino(s)

To order the wines of this vertical and tasting dinner go to: http://www.vintages.com/vmail/bertani.html

Wine tastings generally fall within two categories: vertical and horizontal.  Horizontal tastings are most common with wines of a similar vintage but from different wineries, vineyards, regions, etc.  A vertical tasting consists of several different vintages of the same wine.  Although there may be a small vertical opportunity (2 or 3 vintages) at many tastings, extensive vertical tastings are rare.  When they do take place, a vertical tasting can provide great insight into the difference between individual vintages and how a given wine develops as it ages over time.

Amarone is a big, full bodied wine that is typically capable of significant aging.  Even though some modern styled Amarone may drink well young, many really start to shine after about 10 years.

On May 25 I attended the Bertani structured tasting and dinner with some friends at Mitsura.  The central focus was a tasting of a 14 vintages of the Bertani Amarone della Valpolicella Classico dating from 1962 to 2001 prior to dinner.  There was not enough time to taste, compare, and make notes for all of the wines in the vertical.  However some years stood out, and we were able to get a good sense of how this great wine ages over time.

Unfortunately, we did not have time to taste all the wines in the vertical as thoroughly as we would have preferred.  A couple did stand out, especially the 1962.  At close to 50 years old, one could be skeptical as to how much fruit and flavour would be left.  We did not have the 62 until dinner after the vertical tasting.  We started the vertical with the 1964 and 1967.  The 64 was softer on the nose, with the 1967 jumping out on the nose:

1964: Soft on the nose, more elegant than the 1967.  Licorice, tar, smooth, light on palate, plum.

1967: Jumps out on the nose.  Go with this if you like a bigger wine.  Does taste old – madeirized, oxidized.  More powerful than the 64.  Bitter orange peel –Seville orange, plume and prune.

I preferred the 64 while a good friend who was with us preferred the 67.

Due to time limitations we raced through the rest of the vertical.  The limited notes are due to time, not to anything lacking in the wines. By now we were just picking out highlights or how they differed from one year to the next.

1972: Bitter orange – the better of the two from the 70s.

1975: More bitter

1980: More balanced and smooth – very good.

1981: Bill’s mid age favorite.  Very good.

1986: Bitter with green herb

1998: More fruit, less dark ageing character.

1998 seemed to be the turning point for ageing.  1998 and younger had more young fruit while wines older than this showed less of the youthful fruit character and more darker signs of ageing (and smoothened out).  This fits with my other experiences with Amarone and a general conclusion that most really start to hit their stride at about 10 years.  After that a combination of style (modern vs. traditional), length of barrel ageing, and vintage will determine how well and how long they will age.

Dinner:

We were served several wines throughout the dinner:

2006 Bertani Ripasso Valpolicella Classico Superiore DOC: Very good, light and bright, sharper than the Rosso but more structure.  Great with the gnocchi.

Bertani Catullo Rosso 2006 IGT: Smoother than the Ripasso, but less structure.  More of an easy drinker, a high quality easy drinker.  Smooth and elegant.  Drink now.  This red blend is a step up from $15 quaffers

2005 Amarone Villa Arvedi della Valpolicella DOC:  This is Bertani’s modern styled Amarone, getting about 3 years barrel ageing vs. the 6 years that the Classico gets.  This is an excellent modern styled Amarone and will benefit from short term cellaring (another 3-5 years or more).

1962 Amarone Classico:  BEST OF THE NIGHT! The 62 has the darker older tones of age but also has retained some of its original fruit and character.  This is a beautiful old wine that still shows some of what it had in youth.  It was delightful with our main entrée.  If you are looking for a very old bottle and only want to buy one vintage – buy this one.  This still has a few years to go.  I would love to open a bottle in 2012 when it is 50 years old!

2001 Amarone Classico:  With 6 years of barrel ageing and 1 year of bottle ageing this is the youngest of the Classico Amarone that is available.  It was very good but we could tell that it needs time.  While this could start drinking well at 10-12 years, the evening’s tasting demonstrated that this can be cellared much longer.

2006 Recioto Della Valpolicella Valpantena DOC:  Valpantena is the area, Recioto is the style.  Recioto is the sweet dessert wine from Valpolicella.  The grapes are dried on mats for about 3 months as with Amarone to concentrate the flavour and sugar.  Fermentation is stopped before all the sugar is converted into alcohol.  The result is a wine that is sweeter with less alcohol than Amarone, but with the big fruit flavours.  Not as sweet as Icewine, Recioto is great with berry or chocolate desserts.  We had it with an Italian biscuit that was like an almond shortbread.  The combination was simple but wonderful.  The biscuit/cookie complimented the Recioto beautifully.  The 2006 was great.  I don’t see the need to age Recioto.  It drinks well young and there will be more produced next year.  Order some and enjoy!

CONCLUSIONS:  My thoughts of Amarone hitting its stride at about 10 years were confirmed.  The difference between modern and traditional Amarone is that the modern ones may be at their best from 10-15 years or 10-20 years while the traditional ones may cellar much longer depending on the vintage. I found that once the Classico got to be about 20 years old, the difference seemed to be more due to vintage influences than age.  This wine evolves slowly.  With the very old wines, it was vintage influence plus age to create 3 quite different wines all from the 1960’s and all good.

Bittersweet: Lorenzo Boscaini, Export Manager for Bertani, was on hand to talk about Bertani and its wines.  He described Amarone as both bitter and sweet.  Amarone starts of a very big and intense wine then softens and mellows with age.  The sweetness is an implied sweetness, not from actual sugar content.  The 1962 was the best example of this with hints of sweetness similar to dried fruit or candied fruit.  As the big fruit of youth diminished with age the bitter flavours, like the Seville orange peel of the 1967, show on the palate first.  Then they may be followed with a subtle sweet tone, depending on the age and vintage.

If you are looking for an anniversary bottle for someone’s birth year, this is your best shot at getting something good.  On the other hand, if you would simply like to try something much older – here is your chance.  Pick a year that fits your budget and go for it!

Cheers,   Ross

Ontario’s cool climate makes it ideal for producing good white wine.  I don’t buy too many whites but enjoy trying them at tastings from time to time.  Over the last few years I have been able to attend a couple of Ontario Wine Awards tastings, and private tastings from Peninsula Ridge, Mike Weir, and others.  For my palate, the varieties that stand out are Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc (including Fume Blanc), and Pinot Gris/Grigio.  Riesling and Gewürztraminer do well and may suit your palate.

Most of the Ontario whites are under, or near the $20 mark.  My recommendation is to pick a variety you like (or try a new variety) and see what you like.  One distinction I have found about Ontario is that winemakers are still in the process of discovering which varieties work the best for their terroir, and they are quite innovative.  The result is a wide range of styles within any given varietal.  It may take trying a few but the good news is that you should be able to find something that fits your palate and is grown close to home.

This is an opportunity to buy local, and enjoy a good quality product in the process, something that is worthwhile in our current economic climate.  So do your bit for Ontario and enjoy…

Sparkling

Bailly Lapierre Crémant de Bourgogne Réserve Brut. AC Burgundy, $19.95

Drink now
Grapes: Pinot Noir, Gamay, Chardonnay, Aligoté
This Burgundian sparkling gives some Champagne taste to fit a Ginger Ale budget.
‘yellow fruit aromas, fine mousse, fresh well balanced palate…match for trout meunière, shucked oysters, or cheeses like brie or gouda’ Vintages 641423 (Half bottle $11.95)

Bestheim Brut Rosé  Crémant D’Alsace, AC Alcase, $19.95

Drink now
Grapes: Pinot Noir
$20 dollar sparkling rose made by the traditional method.  The Alsace is the other regional producer of Crémant.
‘…bright strawberry, raspberry…layers of red berries’ Vintages 106740

California – Merlot

2005 Stag’s Leap Winery Merlot, Napa Valley, $49.95

Drink now – 2015
Grapes: Merlot, with small amounts of Cabernet
Stag’s leap is an iconic Napa winery.  For fans of California wine, this is a must try.
‘…nearly two years in French oak (50% new)…aromas of black cherry, bramble fruit with cedar and fennel…good tannin structure…pair with gourmet 3 cheese macaroni or spiced duck breast…’ Vintages 655399

Australia – Grenache

2006 D’Arenberg The Custodian Grenache, McLaren Vale SA, $21.95

Drink now – 2010
Grapes: Grenache
90 Josh Raynolds – Intl Wine Cellar
Grenache is one of the main grapes of the Southern Rhone (Chateauneuf) and is found from there over to Spain where as Garnacha it is a key grape of Rioja.  It usually gives good berry flavour with a bit of spice to a wine and is soft and smooth.  Not big in terms of tannins, it is often blended with other varieties (old world and new).  Here is a chance to try an Aussie Grenache from a good region, on its own.  Big fruit, soft and easy drinking.
‘…raspberry, cherry, and blackberry.  Smooth and seemless with deeply concentrated focused red fruit flavors, no apparent tannins…’ JR 713040

Australia – CSM (not to be confused with GSM)

Elderton Ode to Lorraine Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz/Merlot, Barossa SA, $37.95

Drink 2011 – 2021
Grapes: 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27%Shiraz, 16% Merlot
91 Joe Czerwinski, Wine Enthusiast
Elderton is one of Australia’s better producers.  Tastings of earlier CSM from Elderton were terrific (and still in my cellar).  I am a fan of unconventional blends using Cab.  Super Tuscans and similar styled blends from Umbria or Piedmont are great to.  Each region gives its own character to the blend with a backbone of Cabernet coming through.  This is a great Aussie combination in this vein.
‘…amply oaked, roaring forth with smoke, toast and vanilla,…tight core of mixed berry fruit and long finish…’ JC (WE) 976423

Australia – Shiraz – Margaret River

2006 Stella Bella Shiraz, Margaret River WA, $20.95

Drink now – 2011
Grapes: Shiraz
The Margaret River is in Western Australia.  I had the 2005 Stella Bella and found it to be a good value at this price level.  Big fruit and smooth.  This was in the Feb 28 release but there is still a lot in stores.
‘…Light and spicy bouquet and supple and lush on the palate, with well-defined varietal fruit flavours and an intense and crisp finish. Lovely complexity. A totally faultless wine. Score – 4 Stars (out of 5). (Winestate, May/June 2008) ’ 048553

Beaujolais – Morgon

2007 Domaine Duthel Douby Morgon AC, $20.95

Drink now – 2011
Grapes: Gamay
Morgon is one of the better sites in Burgundy, producing fuller than average Gamay.  I recently enjoyed a bottle of 2007 Beaujolais Village (Louis Jadot $18) which is a blend of grapes from around Beaujolais.  It was indicative of a good vintage for Beaujolais.  This Morgon looks like a village wine (grapes from around this particular village) and as such is a step up from the classification of Beaujolais Village.  It should be smooth, medium bodied, with cherry notes.  Try a bottle and go back for more if it delivers.  Best at 3-4 years. 112557

Italy – Piedmont – Dolcetto

2007 Luigi Tacchino Dolcetto D’Ovada DOC, $18.95

Drink now
Grapes: Dolcetto
Dolcetto is a grape with good fruit and low acid.  That makes for a great drinking young wine that is smooth with big fruit flavor.
‘…bright ruby colour, intense cherry, strawberry and hints of poached plum on nose…medium bodied…enjoy tonight with carpaccio’ Vintages 101279

Veneto – 11 year old Amarone

1998 Remo Farina Monte Fante Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico Riserva DOC, $77.95

Drink now – 2012
Grapes: Blend
Good Amarone seems to really hit its stride at about 10 years.  This one should be drinking superbly now, and over the next couple or three years.  If you don’t have the cellar or time to store Amarone, the cellaring has been done for you on this one.  Match with big full flavored Italian dishes.  My favorite match for Amarone is Aglio e Olio Anchovie Pepperincino.  Recently, some good friends and I enjoyed a 1998 Amarone along with Aglio e Olio and it was a memorable dinner.
‘…single vineyard Amarone Riserva…fruit is hand selected…rich and round…complex blend of earthy cherry, ginger and stewed fruit flavours and aromas…’ Vintages 101634

B.C.  St. Emilion styled Bordeaux blend

2005 OSOYOOS LAROSE LE GRAND VIN,VQA Okanagan Valley, $44.95

Drink 2012 – 2015
Grapes: 68% Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon 21%, Petit Verdot 5%, Cabernet Franc 4%, Malbec 2%
This is a joint effort between the Canadians and Ch Gruaud Larose of Bordeaux (St. Julien).  It seems to get consistently great reviews from Canadian critics (any joint venture with the French seems to do so).  I had some of the 2004 and found it flat and disappointing although this may have been due to a poor vintage (in BC 2004).  So… if you like Right Bank blends (Merlot based) and wines from BC, this one gets 5 of 5 starts from Tony Aspler who is well respected here in Toronto.  Try a bottle and go back for more if it stands up to the 5 star rating.  626325

France – Bordeaux

2000 Chateau Bourdrieu La Valada, AC Fronsac, $34.95

Drink now
Grapes: 70% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc
Great Vintage
No big score here, but this could be a great wine for the money anyway (from a great vintage).  Fronsac is near St. Émilion and Pomerol.  The 70/30 Merlot/Cab Franc blend, typical of Fronsac, delivers some of the character of the more famous Right Bank appellations at a fraction of the cost.  These wines are usually at their best over the first 5-10 years.
‘…dry, full bodied…plum and black current…round smooth texture…tannins are mellowing’ Vintages 092551

2005 Chateau Haut-Bernat, AC Puisseguin-Saint-Emilion, $36.95

Drink now – 2013
Grapes: Merlot (mainly)
Great Vintage
The buzz about this wine from the Right Bank satellite commune of Puisseguin-St. Émilion is that for the last several years improvements have been guided by uber wine consultant Michel Rolland.  This may be good or bad depending on which side of the Mondo Vino debate you find yourself (Critics suggest that Rolland’s prolific influence is driving wines to all taste the same.  Fans suggest that he gets the best from a vineyard.)  Try a bottle and decide for yourself.
‘…Gold Medal at Paris…bright blackberry fruit…vanilla oak…medium frame’ Vintages 091298

Italy –Veneto

2005 Quintarelli Primofiore IGT Veneto, $64.95

Drink now – 2015
Grapes: Corvina, Rondinella, and Molinara
No 90 pt score here, just a legendary producer, a good vintage and a classic Valpolicella/Amarone blend.  The addition of some Amarone adds complexity.  No need to cellar this as it is designed to drink young.
‘…complex rich flavours of cherry, olives, exotic spices and oak’ Vintages 020897

Italy –Piedmont

2006 Gaja Sito Moresco, DOC Langhe, $63.95 750 ml, $32.95 375 ml

Drink now – 2016
Grapes: 35% Nebbiolo, 35% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon
No 90 pt score here as well, just another legendary producer, a good vintage and an innovative blend from Piedmont.  Gaja is one of the top producers in the Langhe (region surrounding Barolo) and one of the great innovators.  This one sounds like a Piedmont twist on a Super Tuscan theme with Nebbiolo replacing the usual Sangiovese.
‘…spectacular…elegant, balanced, ageworthy… (5-7 years)’ Vintages 091843

Cheers,   Ross