Delas and Fairview Banking on Quality

The Delas name has a long history in B.C. liquor stores, although few if any editions prior to the 1997 vintage could be considered remarkable. That's all changed since the purchase of Delas by the champagne group Deutz/Roederer. The group brought in oenologist Jacques Grange, the same individual credited with turning around the wines at nearby Chapoutier, and Delas hasn't looked back since.

Even better news is that many of the changes at the top have filtered down to the winery's less expensive labels, resulting in some impressive values for consumers.

One of the best and perhaps the viognier value in the B.C market is the Selection Delas Viognier 2001 with its big honey, floral, orange nose streaked with mineral and lychee-nut fruit aromas. It is dry, round and oily on entry, but the structure is elegant. Look for more spicy, lychee-nut fruit flavours on the mid-palate with a dollop of honey and citrus in the finish. Fine balance and good value.

The Delas Cotes-du-Ventoux 2002 offers up an enticing red licorice, spicy, berry, mineral nose. It is soft and fruity on the entry but quite dry on the mid-palate and a bit Beaujolais-like with high acidity in the finish. The flavours are a mix of earthy, raspberry, mineral, floral flavours. All in all, it's a bit tannic and lean, perhaps reflecting the somewhat ordinary '02 vintage.

Look for a spicy, intense white pepper nose from the Selection Delas Syrah 2001 complete with raspberry and blackberry jam aromas. The style is light and round but quite dry and fresh with young raspberry, licorice, black cherry and spicy flavours. It's a bit lean and crisp, but very good fruit and not too intense. Its lean sophisticated Euro styling calls for similarly structured dishes that don't overwhelm your senses.

Part two of our tasting features three South African labels from Fairview Cellars, currently one of the hottest Cape wineries in the export market.

The history of Fairview Cellars dates back to 1699, but it wasn't until it 1937, when Charles Back purchased the property, that Fairview began to build a true wine culture.

Back passed away in 1955 and was succeeded by his son Cyril, who after replanting the farm made the bold move to stop selling bulk wine to the large commercial wineries and began an estate-bottling business under the Fairview name. By 1980, milking goats were introduced at Fairview (there are 600 today) and not long after, Cyril Back's son Charles joined the firm to run a wine and cheese portfolio that is must-stop for anyone visiting the Cape.

Our tastings features three Fairview wines available only in private wine stores, which is curious given the less than stellar collection of commercial brands currently dominating the tiny South African portfolio in government stores. Look some of the following picks at the Mark Anthony WineMart at 962 West King Edward, Broadway International Wine Shop at 2752 West Broadway and selected Liberty Wine Merchants.

Fairview Viognier 2002 opens with a citrus, creamy peach, honey, mineral spice aromas with some ginger and vanilla. It has a gorgeous rich, dry entry followed by persistent creamy vanilla, peach, honey and citrus flavours with a slightly nutty, mineral, lychee-nut fruit finish -- quite crisp and suave. Try it with Thai chicken satay or prawns in cream.

The Fairview Primo Pinotage 2001 is mostly harvested from bush vines, some of which are more than 25 years old; the remaining fruit comes off younger, trellised vineyard at the Fairview Paarl estate. Look for a smoky, shoe-polish, vanilla, cherry cola, nose with a dry, smooth, hot (alcoholic) entry and a smoky resiny, vanilla oak, cherry cola and tobacco taste. The finish is smoky and crisp but the fruit is dominated by oak tannins. It needs a bit more time to settle down.

All the fruit in the Fairview Cyril Back Shiraz 2000 is grown at Fairview on the decomposed granite slopes of Paarl Mountain. A variety of clones contribute to the peppery, spicy, gamey, meaty, plum-jam and vanilla aromas. On the palate, it is dry, round, rich and smooth with some fine, gritty tannin at the back end. Plenty of smoky vanilla, licorice and blackberry/cola flavours make this easy to sip. It has a rich, oaky style that, while not too tannic, finishes slightly acidic. Best with grilled lamb.

WEEKEND WINE TASTING: DELAS, FRANCE AND FAIRVIEW CELLARS, SOUTH AFRICA

Wine: Sélection Delas Viognier 2001 Southern Rhone, Rhone Valley, France
Price: $14.99 Private wine shops
UPC: 1232153400034
Score: 15.5/20
Comments: Spicy, citrus, mineral, fruit flavours with a dollop of honey.

Wine: Delas Côtes-du-Ventoux 2002, Côtes du Rhône, France
Price: $14.99
UPC: 753625103501
Score: 13/20
Comments: Soft and fruity with earthy, raspberry, mineral, floral flavours.

Wine: Sélection Delas Syrah 2001, France
Price: $14.99
UPC: 3359950090997
Score: 14.5/20
Comments: Young raspberry, licorice, black cherry and spicy flavours.

Wine: Fairview Viognier 2002, Paarl, Coastal Region, South Africa
Price: $23.95*
UPC: 6002291000381
Score: 16/20
Comments: Creamy vanilla, peach, honey, citrus rind, mineral flavours.

Wine: Fairview Primo Pinotage 2001 Coastal Region, South Africa
Price: $19.80*
UPC: 6002291000008
Score: 14/20
Comments: Smoky, vanilla, cherry cola and tobacco notes.

Wine: Fairview Cyril Back Shiraz 2000, Coastal Region, South Africa
Price: $32.95
UPC: 6002291000251
Score: 15.5/20
Comments: Smoky vanilla, licorice, blackberry jam, cola flavours.

*Mark Anthony, some Liberty wine merchants, Broadway International Wine Shop