DRINK WINE in Food & Entertaining
Fab Cabs
Cabernet rules. For some, that’s a truth year-round. For the rest of us, it’s certainly the point of today’s release of new Vintages products.
The theme is “cabernets from around the world,” and while that opens the door a crack for an appearance by Cabernet Franc, the focus is definitely on Cabernet Sauvignon. We tend to take Cabernet Sauvignon for granted. It grows well just about everywhere. It has a character that is recognizable in bottles that cost $10 as well as those that cost $100. It’s widely available, alone or in blends. In short, our relationship with Cabernet Sauvignon often is one of those “familiarity breeds contempt” deals.
Yet the magic of this grape is that it is like an artist’s canvas. By its nature, it gives structure and style to any wine. It offers longevity and the ability to mature, thanks to its tannins. It marries beautifully with other grape varieties and allows both the soil in which it grows — the terroir — as well the winemaker to add their signatures to the finished wine.
At the high end of the scale for collectors, you might want to look at Chateau d’Issan 2001 ($61.95, code 683672). The year is a good one though not as exceptional as 2000. The wine is still a baby and needs a decade or more in the cellar to open up, but as Bordeaux prices go that’s not a bad tag for a wine that’s a third-growth Grand Cru Classe (the top Bordeaux estates are classified in five growths or levels, with first being the highest; third-growth means a wine is considered among the elite 30 or so of the entire region).
Some excellent Cabernet Sauvignons in the lineup are more in line with our normal budget and desire to enjoy the wine soon.
Chakana 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon ($11.95, code 663161). Here’s a pleasant, ready-to-drink Argentine cab, coming across with forward, pretty red and black fruits — dark plums, black cherries, dried strawberries. There’s a round, soft tannin involved, and a warm feeling in the mouth. Give this one 30 minutes in the fridge before serving to firm it up.
Geyser Peak 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon ($21.95, code 343467). Yes, we’re moving up the price scale a bit, but the wine is worth it. Stylish California (Alexander Valley) offering with a concentration and complexity that is quite seductive. It’s an ink-black colour, with luscious blackberries and black currants, a spicy undertone, a kiss of black olives, all overlaid with lovely toasted cedar wood and vanilla notes from barrel treatment. A class act to the final drop.
Domaine Boyar 2000 Royal Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon ($12.95, code 608810). Top of the line from the leading Bulgarian wine producer. Royal Reserve honours the country’s last tsar, who came back from exile a few years ago as the democratically elected prime minister. The wine is full, the fruit is ripe and sweet; it’s mature and mellow and drinking well now. Look for blueberry, dried cherry, and beetroot flavours with a smoky feel overall.
Michel Gassier 2003 Les Piliers Cabernet Sauvignon ($16.95, code 653725). Fresh and lively yet appealing in its youth, this one is from the south of France. Bright berry and juicy plum flavours abound, with a nicely modulated but firm tannin adding interest.
Here are some other fine choices as we know there is more to life than Cabernet Sauvignon.
Masi 1999 Brolo di Campofiorin ($28.95, code 976092). OK, a bit of explanation is needed. You know Masi. Great northern Italian producer. Campofiorin is their premium nonDOC wine, made in Valpolicella but styled as a “baby Amarone” at half the price. “Brolo” refers to a specific selection of grapes, as “cru” does in French. While the price may seem high, you’re getting a very special wine indeed. This one is still youthful and while drinking well now can continue for several more years. It’s dark and opulent, spicy and smooth, with a rose petal/floral perfume and flavours of cherry, roasted chestnut, coffee bean and a tang of licorice.
Balthasar Ress 2004 Riesling Trocken ($12.95, code 681882). Remarkable value in a dry — yes, dry — German Riesling. Classic year with all the right pear/red apple/tart gooseberry/custard flavours supported by a brisk orange juice/lemon peel acidity.
Glenfiddich Malt Whisky Liqueur ($27.95 for 500 mL, code 678706). A special treat. Glenfiddich is a single malt Scotch whisky, noted for its clean, feathery flavours and gentle peat smokiness. Here, the spirit is used in a liqueur, carrying over the tastes and aromas of Glenfiddich in a fresh, not-too-sweet styling.
Look for these wines in stores that have Vintages selections — Dundurn Street and Fennell Square Plaza, the two Fairview Street stores and Millcroft Centre in Burlington, University Plaza in Dundas, Meadowlands Power Centre in Ancaster, and Eastgate Mall.
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