Holiday Wines For Entertaining

It seems everyone I meet wants to know what to buy and serve at this time of the year and, for the most part, they would prefer to spend as little money as possible.

Spending less shouldn't be a problem in B.C. given the on-going dumbing-down of the wine portfolio at the BCLDB, highlighted this week by the resignation of yet another talented wine specialist, acting portfolio manager Chris Perry.

Perry's departure follows that of former senior portfolio manager David Scholefield (the person who put B.C. and Vancouver on the international wine trail) and it leaves the branch essentially without status among the cutting-edge community of international wine producers.

From the looks of it, the BCLDB brass appears to be interpreting its recent reprieve from privatization as a mandate to conduct business as usual or, as most distributors who deal with the monopoly would say, as little business as usual.

My reviews stem from the final New Releases program for the year, so the good news is most of the wines are still available in those government stores with the broadest wine selections.

First up is a terrific bottle of screwcap wine from New Zealand. The Villa Maria Chardonnay Private Bin 2002 reflects just how favourable the 2002 harvest was for chardonnay along the East Coast of New Zealand. Moderate warmth and low rainfall allowed the grape flavours to reach their full potential. Most of the fruit comes out of Hawke's Bay with important components sourced at Gisborne and Marlborough. Portions of the wine get some oak maturation, malolactic fermentation or lees stirring in tank to improve texture and mouthfeel.

Look for a highly attractive nose of honey, pear, melon, mineral and green apple scents that together remind one of a fresh fruit salad. The textures are soft with a fresh citrus, honey butter, melon/baked apple flavour. It doesn't get any better for the price and its bright red, easy-to-use screwcap ensures you will taste the same vibrant wine each time out.

Several years ago I sat through a long tasting of ordinary white wines in Mendoza, Argentina, with the exception of a lone viognier made by the Zuccardi family, a large important regional producer.

Fast forward to this week and the latest Santa Julia Viognier 2002, finally available in B.C. and with the same impressive, inviting mineral, orange rind, floral nose flecked with scents of peach and honey that I remember.

Rich, ripe, round and soft, it is very viognier, with mineral, spicy honey, orange flavours and a big citrus, oily finish. It isn't super crisp but it is well balanced and a good representation of viognier for the price. It should be a hit with spicy food, and we love the price.

There so much good wine coming out of Sonoma-based Cline Cellars, it's possible to grab almost any label from Cline and get something tasty. Certainly that's the case with the Cline Oakley White 2001 an intriguing blend of pinot gris, viognier and marsanne from its Los Carneros ranch, with varying amounts of chardonnay, roussanne, riesling, gewürztraminer palomino, sémillon, malvasia bianco and sauvignon blanc.

Put it all together and you end up with a versatile party wine that works as a stand-alone sipper or with a variety of appetizers. Look for a viscous aromatic white with zesty fruit and streaks of orange peel. Superb value for California.

If you like the white, why not try the red edition too? The Cline Oakley Red 2000 is the winery's ode to southern Côtes du Rhône. The blend is a mix of mourvèdre, carignane, alicante bouschet and syrah. Most of the fruit comes out of Contra Costa County, where sandy soils, dry-farmed vineyards and head-pruned, 100-year-old vines creates an environment suited to warm weather Rhône grape varieties.

Yields from 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 tons per acre are responsible for the rich, plush flavouring in this wine. It is awash in gamey, spicy, savoury, black cherry and strawberry aromas. The textures are round and the flavours dry with plenty of spicy, strawberry jam, peppery, licorice flavours and a bit of smoky game. Another fun party wine.

The Domaine de Moulines Merlot 2002 was somewhat disappointing. The Languedoc-based red has a leafy, savoury, earthy tobacco nose with light, black cherry fruit highlights. The styling is very Euro, with dry, slightly lean fruit and spicy cedar, earth and licorice flavours. Sound, but lacks fruit flavour.

Fans of Castaño Monastrell and the Castaño Hecula will want to try the newest cousin, Infierno Merlot Monastrell 2001, a 70/30 blend of monastrell (mourvèdre) and merlot. It's partially aged in small French oak barrels and is brimming with juicy earthy dark chocolate-scented plummy fruit. Look for peppery, earthy, black cherry smoky fruit flavours and a firm dry finish. Think tapas.

NEW RELEASES

Wine: Villa Maria Chardonnay Private Bin 2002, East Coast, New Zealand
Price: $16.95
UPC: 9414416501616
Score: 15.5/20
Comments: Aromatic fruit salad nose and citrus, honey, melon flavours.

Wine: Santa Julia Viognier 2002, Mendoza, Argentina
Price: $13.45
UPC: 7791728000320
Score: 14/20
Comments: Mineral, spicy honey, orange flavours.

Wine: Cline Oakley White 2001, California
Price: $14.99
UPC: 098652500047
Score: 15/20
Comments: A versatile, zesty fruit party wine.

Wine: Cline Oakley Red 2000, California
Price: $14.99
UPC: 098652500023      
Score: 14.5/20
Comments: Spicy, strawberry jam, peppery, licorice flavours. Good value here.

Wine: Domaine de Moulines Merlot 2002, Languedoc, France
Price: $12.99
UPC: 891769000017
Score: 13/20
Comments: Cedar, earthy, licorice, spicy gamey flavours.

Wine: Infierno Merlot Monastrell 2001, Yecla, Spain
Price: $13.95
UPC: 5011932008649
Score: 14/20
Comments: Chocolate-scented plummy fruit with cherry smoky flavours.