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It's back to new listings this week specially singled out by government buyers to catch your interest.
You should be able to find each pick among the special displays in 25 designated government liquor stores.
The stores involved in the New Releases program include all specialty wine stores as well as those neighbourhood stores known to have the broadest wine selection, in areas such as Brighouse in Richmond, Scottsdale in Surrey, Lynn Valley in North Vancouver, Peninsula Village in South Surrey and many more.
There are seven wines in this latest group. They have been available since the middle of January and will remain on display until March 23, so you have plenty of time to check out the various labels.
The only wine in the group not reviewed this week is the Bianchi Cabernet Sauvignon from Argentina. This well-made red was favourably reviewed last weekend, scoring an impressive 88/100 points among its cabernet peers. If you missed the review, suffice to say its savoury mix of earthy cassis jam aromas and peppery, chocolate, vanilla flavours make it well worth trying.
Today we begin with two white wines -- the first hails from Italy, the second South Africa. The Italian pick, with its pinot gris versus grigio label, may have been designed to appeal to New World buyers.
Kris Pinot Gris 2003, grown in the Veneto region of northern Italy, has a wonderful floral nose with mineral, citrus, green apple skin and pear aromas. On the palate, it is round and elegant with more fresh citrus fruit streaked with mineral, apple, floral and spice flavours. It's light but not without finesse. Very solid, it should be of interest to locals who have come to know B.C. pinot gris.
The South African pick, Danie de Wet Chardonnay Sur Lie 2004, is one of many South African wines that will appear in B.C. as the 2005 Playhouse International Wine Festival approaches, because South Africa is the theme country of the March 14 to 20 celebration of the grape.
De Wetshof is a well known chardonnay producer from the Breede River Valley and this wine rings all the correct bells for chardonnay at $15.99. The nose is an attractive mix of peach, mineral and green apple skin that previews a fresh crisp white wine with spicy, mineral, lees, green apple flavours. It's light on extract but well balanced. Think oysters.
Among the four new reds, the Solo Shiraz 2002 from Latium, Italy may be the most intriguing. The nose offers up a big blast of ground pepper followed by licorice, black cherry and smoky, garrigue notes. It's lean in style with cherry, smoky, peppery, spicy, garrigue flavours. Good intensity, but with the usual Italian austerity.
My least favourite is the Cono Sur Cabernet Sauvignon/Carmenere 2003. The good news is the wine is made with organically grown grapes. Look for a spicy peppery, sawdust, saddle leather nose with light berry fruit. The flavours are quite similar with a dusty, chalky, savoury finish. Just a bit too herbaceous for the modern palate.
Spain is getting so much positive press that a $13 red should get its share of attention, with or without a great score. Valdelosfrailes is a young wine (Joven) from Cigales. The nose is the controversial part, depending upon whether you think its earthy, smoky, sausage, rootsy aromas are just a bit too, well, stinky. Otherwise this dry, round, mineral, licorice, smoky/cherry flavoured red is a lot of fun to drink.
There is a savoury edge (less sweet, more intriguing to the palate) with some intensity and smoothness that makes me want to really recommend this one, but that underlying barnyard note may scare some people off. Check it out for yourself with some hamburgers.
The finale is another South African label, this time made with shiraz -- the grape that, in my opinion, the Cape should be touting long before pinotage. The Man Vintners Shiraz 2003 has an appealing smoky, gamey, peppery nose with some blackberry jam notes. It's soft and sippable with just enough dry, smoky, savoury licorice/blackberry flavours to keep you interested in another glass. It's simple and round with a touch of acidity on the finish. Perfect for barbeque ribs. Good value.
Come March 31, wineries will be in Vancouver from the "Rainbow Nation" and they will participate in 11 South Africa-themed consumer and trade special events. In addition, the International Festival Tasting Room will boast a special Discover South Africa Winelands section, where South African wines will be served alongside crafts, music and dancing.
South Africa's leading wine personality, Dave Hughes, will be the festival's guest of honour. Hughes, whose extensive resume includes winemaker, wine writer, auctioneer, judge and author, is keynote speaker at the opening trade event, South Africa -- Alive with Possibility. He will also moderate the wine seminar John Platter Five Star Wines and is auctioneer at the Nederburg Wine Auction.
For more information on the 27th Playhouse Wine Festival and the South Africa theme, log on to www.playhousewinefest.com.
Weekend Wine Tasting: New Releases
Wine Danie de Wet Chardonnay Sur Lie 2004, Robertson, Breede River Valley, South Africa
Price $15.99
UPC 6004635000156
Score 86/100
Remarks Crisp fresh spicy, mineral fruit; made for oysters.
Wine Kris Pinot Gris 2003, Veneto, Italy
Price $19.95
UPC 098709436206
Score 87/100
Remarks Green apple skin and pear aromas; citrus fruit flavours.
Wine Solo Shiraz 2002, Latium, Italy
Price $16.99
UPC 8005644101641
Score 86/100
Remarks Dry smoky cherry, spicy, minty fruit flavours.
Wine Cono Sur Cabernet Sauvignon / Carmenère 2003, Valle del Colchagua, Chile
Price $14.15
UPC 7804320127538
Score 84/100
Remarks Cedar/cassis flavours with a dusty, chalky, savoury finish.
Wine Valdelosfrailes Cigales Joven 2003, Cigales, Spain
Price $12.99
UPC 8437005009127
Score 85/100
Remarks Strong earthy, smoky/licorice meaty flavours.
Wine Man Vintners Shiraz 2003, Western Cape, South Africa
Price $13.99
UPC 6009669350444
Score 86/100
Remarks Soft easy sipping red with savoury blackberry flavours.
