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The recession may be fading at some level in British Columbia but for many in the wine business, the abrupt change in consumer buying habits has triggered a debate about just how much a person will spend on wine in the future.
I feel sensible wine drinkers are somewhat unaffected because they never bought into the ridiculous prices asked for cult wines and first-growth Bordeaux. Those prices are no longer sustainable, and more important, nor is the "drafting" effect practiced by many retailers and producers who inflated the price of their mediocre wine to fill the gap left behind, hoping no one would notice.
Heading into the holidays we plan to recommend a series of wines to enjoy at home with friends. Each will be at a price that befits the quality of the wine.
It's wasn't all that long ago we were pushing consumers to breach the $10 price mark in search of quality wine; now we are hear you won't go past $20. I'm not that pessimistic but let no producer think they will sell a $25, or $50 or $100 bottle on price alone. Those days are gone for the foreseeable future.
When it comes 2010, producers best get the price right or face becoming another victim of the recession. There is new world order in wine and you better figure out what your place and price is if you want to succeed.
We begin our holiday picks with the incredibly versatile aromatic category and will follow in the weeks to come with several other themes. The aromatic genre purports to pair with most any foods and of course can be served solo. Your choices can range from sauvignon blanc, viognier and riesling to albariño, ehrenfelser, torrontés and gewürztraminer and any assortment of the previous blended together.
We searched through the best of the year to present a list and from that pick a favourite, with an emphasis on value to illustrate with its label.
We begin with sauvignon. It's been a good year for value and quality. Freshness and vibrant grapefruit and grassy citrus flavours are at the core of the best. Santa Rita 120 and Casillero are high on my Chilean list, while the Robertson and Obikwa form South Africa are fine inexpensive models. Mount Riley and Villa Maria are go-to New Zealand choices while Arrogant Frog and Tariquet top the best French values.
Under screwcap the Domaine du Tariquet Sauvignon 2008 is all but recession-proof at $15. Love the big fresh nose of passion fruit, lemons and limes with a touch of asparagus and crisp acidity. Serve it with just about anything.
The viognier list offers many surprises. Labels to look for include the Serame Reserve and Paul Mas from France, Clay Station and Smoking Loon and Clay Staton from California and locally the Cassini and Pentâge. Yalumba rules Australia but the prize this year goes to Cono Sur.
The Cono Sur Viognier Limited Release 2008 is fresh and crisp with spicy, floral, ginger, hone, orange, juicy melon flavours. Consistently fine and a super value, it is a great party wine.
Riesling has become the aromatic entertainer of late whether it is accompanying food or simply served solo. B.C. producers have supplied us with tasty examples from Tantalus, Quails Gate, JoieFarm and CedarCreek and Pentâge while the imports of choice are Dr Loosen, Devil's Rock, Thomas Hyland and our pick the Bird Series from Lingenfelder. The Lingenfelder Riesling Bird Series 2007 hails from the Pfalz and promises moderately dry and elegant fruit flecked with orange, lime, smoky, grapefruit, granny smith apple flavours. Great with food.
The gewürztraminer category is owned by local producers with Sumac Ridge, Mt. Boucherie, Quails' Gate, Red Rooster, Gray Monk and our pick CedarCreek Gewurztraminer 2008. Look for a deft fruit handling and wine making exploring the fresh, easy-sipping style of this variety. The palate is soft with a touch of mid-palate sugar over an herbal, lemon, ginger, sausage meat finish. Serve with appetizers and lighter style sushi dishes.
Perhaps the best story in B.C wine is the aromatic white blend. It affinity for West Coast cuisine and its freshness makes it appealing.
One of the more serious newcomers is Road 13 Viognier Roussanne Marsanne 2008, made by winemaker Michael Bartier. The obsessive, perfectionist manages to pack peaches, honey, butter, melon, tangerine and grapefruit in a delicate balance white wine that will make any party special.
Argentina concludes the look at aromatic whites for the Holidays with its famed torrontés grape, in this case: Crios de Susanna Balbo 2008 Torrontés, from Salta. The nose is surprisingly floral, with bits of spiced apple, sausage, and ginger and lemon oil. The entry is dry and fresh with slightly fat spicy fruit flecked with slate, ginger, lychee and nectarine skin flavours. The finish is beautifully fresh and juicy with a touch of lemon zest and ginger. All under screwcap, this is a winner.
There you have it: a fine selection of aromatic wines you can buy, store, chill and serve and everybody will think you are a wine genius.
DOMAINE DU TARIQUET SAUVIGNON 2008, GASCONY, FRANCE
Price: $15
UPC: 3359880123314
Score: 88/100
Remarks: Fresh nose of passion fruit, lemons and limes. Huge value.
CONO SUR VIOGNIER LIMITED RELEASE 2008, VALLE DEL COLCHAGUA, VALLE DEL RAPEL, CHILE
Price: $11
UPC: 7804320405407
Score: 88/100
Remarks: Consistently fine and this is one of the best yet.
LINGENFELDER RIESLING BIRD SERIES 2007, PFALZ, GERMANY
Price: $19
UPC: 4017974070003
Score: 87/100
Remarks: Slate, orange, peach, ripe apple, lime, floral wine.
CEDARCREEK GEWURZTRAMINER 2008, OKANAGAN VALLEY, B.C.
Price: $18
UPC: 778913028052
Score: 88/100
Remarks: Fresh easy sipping style with lychee lime and peach flavours.
ROAD 13 VIOGNIER ROUSSANNE MARSANNE 2008, OKANAGAN VALLEY, B.C.
Price: $24
UPC: 626990081364
Score: 88/100
Remarks: Grapefruit, honey, floral, nectarine, mineral, butter and passion fruit.
CRIOS DE SUSANNA BALBO 2008 TORRONTES, SALTA, NORTH, ARGENTINA
Price: $19
UPC: 07798068480300
Score: 89/100
Remarks: Fresh and juicy with lemon zest and bitter ginger.
