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Wines
with personality and zip!
Rick's Picks - January
2010
by Rick
VanSickle
It's
January. It's cold. It's snowy.
And there's no end in sight to the
long, bitter winter. We need some
wines with personality and zip in
our lives. Often that job falls
to sauvignon blanc — a versatile
white grape that provides intense
flavours of gooseberry, grass (yes,
grass!), and lime (when grown in
New Zealand) to tropical fruits,
melon and spice notes (when produced
in California and treated with a
touch of oak).
Sauvignon
blanc is grown widely around the
world and made in myriad styles.
It's a beautiful food wine and also
works well for just sipping with
friends.
Most
of these wines are typically crafted
with no oak so that they are fresh
and lively in the mouth with interesting
flavours of lime, gooseberry and
herbs. When grown in the U.S., a
little oak is often used to "soften"
the wine and offer a more fruity,
richer and less aggressive style.
Some producers call it fume blanc
when oak is added.
Whatever
your tastes, there's a sauvignon
blanc that will suit your palate.
Here are a few currently available:
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Blind
River Sauvignon Blanc
2008
($20
Vintages)
This
is a new wine for Ontario
and hails from one of
the great regions in
the world for growing
this personable grape.
The Marlborough region
of New Zealand provides
delicious whites. This
one is vibrant and enchanting
with kiwi, lime and
passion fruit aromas.
It has intensity on
the palate with lime
and grapefruit to go
with a touch of mineral.
Very nice.
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Robert
Mondavi Fume Blanc 2007
($23,
Vintages)
This
is Napa Valley's version
of sauvignon blanc made
with just a touch of
barrel fermentation
that gives the wine
a classic smoky-spicy
touch. More fruity than
traditional sauvignon
blanc but still vibrant
and zesty with peach
and citrus fruits with
a hint of spice on the
finish.
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Robert
Mondavi Private Selection
Sauvignon Blanc 2008
($16,
LCBO)
A
more traditional style
from Mondavi with citrus,
tropical fruits, and
lemon zest. This is
all about crisp, fresh
and lively fruits and
not overly grassy as
some sauvignon blancs
tend to be.
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Robertson
Winery
Sauvignon Blanc 2008
($11, LCBO)
An
affordable example of
this grape from South
Africa. Green apple,
melon and other bright
fruits with a slightly
herbal note. A decent
little white for the
price.
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And
a few reds to consider to help take
the chill off winter:
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Liberty
School Cabernet
Sauvignon 2004
($19,
Vintages)
What
a bargain this wine
is from Hope Family
Wines in California's
Paso Robles region!
It's loaded with cherries
and cassis fruit to
go with chocolate truffles
and peppery spices.
This is a very special
wine at this price.
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Luigi
Bosca Single
Vineyard Malbec 2006
($20,
available Feb. 6 at
Vintages)
From
Mendoza, Argentina,
you may want to consider
loading up on this gorgeous
red. The nose shows
cherry and blackberry
fruit with lovely spice
notes. This is a smooth,
round wine in the mouth
with black fruits lifted
by sweet spice and oak
touches.
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Gerard
Bertrand Montpeyroux
2007
($18,
Vintages)
A
Mediterranean French
red with vivid wild
raspberry/kirsch notes
on the nose. Smooth
on the palate with red
fruits, pepper, spice,
herbs and good concentration
of flavours. A blend
of mourvedre, syrah,
carignan and grenache.
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Torres
Gran Coronas Cabernet
Sauvignon Reserva 2005
($19, Vintages)
Miguel
Torres presides over
the Penedes region of
Spain and crafts fabulous
red wines. This cabernet
has an exotic nose of
jammy red fruits, pepper,
currants and oak overtones.
It's dense on the palate,
showing ripe, rich red
fruits, smoke, leather,
tar and lavish spices.
A big, bold red.
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