New Releases: Wine and Personnel

Given the uncertainty surrounding privatization it's difficult to know how much longer wine will be an important part of B.C. Liquor Distribution Branch stores. The departure of highly respected senior wine buyer David Scholefield last month certainly gives one the impression a leading-edge wine portfolio for the masses is no longer a priority.

Scholefield's passion and knowledge for wine was only surpassed by the ease with which he moved in global wine circles. Just about any significant wine made in the world passed through his office during the last two decades and he made sure most of the best ended up in provincial specialty stores.

By continually raising the bar, Scholefield played an important role in putting Vancouver on the world wine map and, in many ways, by creating a vibrant import portfolio he forced the domestic industry to set higher standards and ultimately create their own success story.

Scholefield has yet to surface in the private sector, but it can't be from any shortage of job offers.

Now where was I ... ah yes, new releases. Here are my notes:

The only white wine in the group is made with the vermentino grape and it makes a wine of the same name. Tenuta Moraia Soldimela Vermentino 2001 comes out of the Maremma district of Tuscany although the vermentino grape is widely grown in Liguria, Sardinia, Corsica, Spain and Portugal and even along the Mediterranean coast of France.

Look for a rich aromatic nose with hints of figs, anise, lemon oil and marzipan on the nose. It's dry round and crisp but the flavours are fairly bizarre mixing almonds, citrus and herbal flavours with a strong mineral aftertaste. Busy is perhaps the best adjective for this wine.

The next three bottles all hail from the southern hemisphere.

The Tolten T Series Merlot 2000 comes out of Chile's highly regarded Colchagua Valley displaying a spicy dill and weedy cassis nose streak with red fruit aromas. The taste is rich for the price and there is fine round, plush merlot textures and a spicy, minty, chocolate/mocha theme that runs through the dry, earthy finish.

From Australia the McWilliam's Hanwood Shiraz 2001 reviewed on these pages about a month ago showed well in the group and more importantly the wine is now in liquor stores. The peppery, smoky, coffee aromas and saddle leather preview a soft, round, smooth entry. Its supple, prune/cherry fruit flavours finish with more coffee, vanilla and oak flavouring.

South American syrah was all the rage at the Playhouse festival thanks to its dense soft textures. The Santa Julia Syrah 2002 from Mendoza, Argentina has that classic sweaty, licorice, meaty nose that seems to permeate every Argentine wine. The entry is soft, the textures chewy and there's some appealing ripe black plum fruit flavours beneath the core. This will have consumer appeal but it needs a strong meat dish to tame the sweet and bitter aftertaste.

Italy's Marche region is the home of Umani Ronchi Serrano Rosso Conero 2001, a blend of mostly montepulciano grapes with a dash of sangiovese. I like the peppery, savoury, meat pie nose but my enthusiasm is tempered by its lean, dry, acidic Italian structure. There's decent extract and earthy prune flavours but the peppery savoury character takes a back seat to some substantial acidity in the finish. Another year in bottle will help as would most roasted or braised red meats dishes

The new vintage of Penfolds Rawson's Retreat Cabernet Sauvignon 2002 showed best this week with an open clean spicy, berry jam nose. It mixes savoury, chocolate, berry prune flavours with fine weight and richness. Simple, round and easy to drink the Rawson's is well made and well priced. Southcorp the parent wine group has been in the news of late for all the wrong reasons but none of the problems have to do with the wine made by Penfolds.

Two other new releases in the program were tasted but are not pictured here. The Aresti Merlot 2001 scored 13 out of 20 points and suffered from a dank, drainpipe nose. Far superior and perhaps the best over all was the Deen De Bortoli Vat 8 Shiraz 2000 which scored 15.5/20. It has a smoky, leathery, spicy nose with peppery, blackberry fruit. A sound wine it's another that is ready to drink.

NEW RELEASES

Wine: Tenuta Moraia Soldimela Vermentino 2001, Maremma, Tuscany, Italy
Price: $14.99
UPC: 8002793957419
Score: 13/20
Comments: Dry, almonds, citrus and mineral flavour

Wine: Tolten Merlot T Series 2000, Valle del Colchagua, Chile
Price: $14.90
UPC: 677758000189
Score: 14/20
Comments: Rich plush textures with spicy, dill, minty flavours.

Wine: McWilliam's Hanwood Shiraz 2001, Southeastern Australia
Price: $14.99
UPC: 085000010068
Score: 14/20
Comments: Pepper smoky coffee aromas; pruny cherry fruit flavours.

Wine: Santa Julia Syrah 2002, Mendoza, Argentina
Price: $12.90
UPC: 0335076010348
Score: 13.5/20
Comments: Typical licorice, meaty Argentine syrah.

Wine: Umani Ronchi Serrano Rosso Conero 2001, Marches, Italy
Price: $14.99
UPC: 044286911506
Score: 13/20
Comments: Peppery savoury meat pie nose and dry earthy flavours.

Wine: Penfolds Rawson's Retreat Cabernet Sauvignon 2002, Southeastern Australia
Price: 12.95
UPC: 012354071018
Score: 14/20
Comments: Berry jam aromas; chocolate berry prune flavours.