Cheap and Cheerful

Today's report is part of a continuing search for those bargains: it's Big Bottles, Part Two. Regular readers may recall that late last September, Weekend Wine Tasting look a first look at offerings in oversized, 1.5-litre bottles. Those were all reds from Italy; today the focus is on California, and some of its major varietals sold here by the magnum. At double the size of a regular bottle, these are party-size purchases. Prices for the Californians range from $13.95 to $25.95, which would make the price about $7 to $13 for a regular bottle. At the low end of the pricing range, these wines can be attractive, especially when the quality is good. But the big bottles selling at the top of that range (equal to about $13 for a regular bottle), competition from estate-bottled wines world-wide is stiff. As was the case with the Italian taste-off, it had been several years since I'd tasted many of today's choices, but I anticipated a clear jump in quality in the intervening years. All these bottles were sealed with corks, although, to their credit, Vendange and the Heritage Vineyards use synthetic corks. Since this isn't wine produced for careful aging, and since screwcap closures virtually guarantee that what you put into the bottle is what comes out, there's no point in using corks, much less natural cork (which is in short supply), to seal the bottles. Why all producers don't move to synthetic - or even better, screwcap - closures for these products is beyond me. Doing so would demonstrated their commitment to preserving a dwindling resource and to giving their customers an untainted product. Enough of that, and on to the party bottles. Heritage Vineyards Country Sauvignon Blanc has a nose that's vinous although not particularly sauvignon-like. The textures are soft and smooth; the flavours innocuous. Light and slightly sweet, this will offend no one unless they happen to know something about wine. This is the perfect, nondescript wine-by-the-glass - restaurants pay about a dollar a pour for it and charge the customer $5. The E. & J. Gallo 2000 Chardonnay is a step up in quality. There is a hint of fresh green apples, which is a good sign for chardonnay, and also a bit of what I like to describe as a garlic/lees character, which can be appealing in small doses. The textures are soft, it's easy to drink and the finish is only mildly sweet. It's a decent everyday chardonnay, which at roughly $9 per regular bottle will please a wide variety of palates. Next, two zinfandels. The Corbett Canyon was the lighter coloured of the two, but the nose is vibrant, offering bright, briary, black-cherry fruit. On the palate it's soft and easy to sip, but the flavours rise to the same level of intensity as the nose. It's a light red that slides down easily, but the finish is marred by vegetal flavours and it is decidedly dry. At $14.95 for 1.5 litres, it's still worth buying, but it will be greatly improved by serving it with grilled meats. The Vendange zin is non-vintage, presumably so the winery can keep the blend consistent from year to year. The nose is similar to that of the Corbett Canyon, with bright, briary, cherry fruit. It is smoother and slightly sweeter on the palate, which will appeal to some, and the residual sugar adds to its warm, smooth finish. This is a good value, everyday red that meets the oft-spoken request: "Not too dry, please." To wrap up, two cabernet sauvignons from giant competitors: Robert Mondavi's Woodbridge, and E. & J. Gallo. The '99 Woodbridge cab has a dark colour and an impressive black fruit nose. It's very soft and round in the mouth, with just enough structure and bite to interest serious drinkers. Look for some blackberry, pepper, spice and earth flavours, with just a hint of oak in the finish. It is an excellent introductory cabernet, although at the equivalent of $13 a bottle, it should be. The E. & J. Gallo 2000 Cabernet Sauvignon is slightly lighter in colour and much less sophisticated. The nose is an odd mix of candied/vegetal flavours, which carry through on the palate. The finish is dry and slightly bitter. It is no where near as classy as the Woodbridge. Weekend Wine Tasting: California Varietals in 1.5 Litre Bottles Wine Heritage Vineyards Country Sauvignon Blanc Price $14.95 Stock No. 435537 Score 10/20 Remarks Simple soft flavourless white. Wine E. & J. Gallo 2000 Chardonnay Price $17.95 Stock No. 326462 Score 13/20 Remarks Soft round, baked-apple fruit. Wine Corbett Canyon Zinfandel Price $14.95 Stock No. 561092 Score 12.5/20 Remarks Bright fruit; dry finish. Wine Vendange N/V Zinfandel Price $13.95 Stock No. 361659 Score 13/20 Remarks A smooth, off-dry zin. Wine Woodbridge 1999 Cabernet Sauvignon Price $25.95 Stock No. 258909 Score 13.5/20 Remarks Solid introduction to cabernet. Wine E & J Gallo 2000 Cabernet Sauvignon Price $17.95 Stock No. 326447 Score 11/20 Remarks Simple dry bitter red.