We Need and Ordinary Vintage - Bordeaux 2011

An unnamed Bordeaux producer of a renowned left bank château was quoted as saying, '"We need an ordinary vintage this year. The market would not stand another great vintage."

My French is not great but I think the translation is: we (the Bordelais) have jacked up prices so high the last decade we need a reason to drop prices but not too much. Normally the price of Bordeaux goes up in good and bad vintages but after a decade of madness and a euro whose power is fading, there is some resistance to paying $600 to $1,000 a bottle when not long ago it seemed a ridiculous price for a case of the same wine.

Here in British Columbia, vintners are too busy hoping the harvest will simply begin let alone worry about its ultimate quality. Earlier this week, I was able get into some vineyards and finally tasted some grapes first hand from Osoyoos to Kelowna, and there is little doubt it will be nail biter for the late ripening varieties. As it stands now, the warmest sites in Oliver/Osoyoos look to be about a week behind and as you move north, the ripening process is even further retarded. Add to that some considerable damage from hail and rainstorm in the Kelowna region, and it's been a trying year.

Warm September weather has been a blessing for the grapes that have struggled all spring and early into the summer, and a warm dry October could solve most of the issues. In some ways these difficult years serve notice to everyone that precision viticulture is the key to success in marginal regions such as the Okanagan Valley. Balance and harmony among vines has to be the goal because when a vine is in balance, it only grows so long before it instinctively begins to ripen its crop.

It's possible that with experience and time, Okanagan producers could find themselves in the same position as the Bordelais, raising prices in good years due to the quality and raising the price in poor years due to a shortage of grapes. It's all about experience. The good news is anyone travelling to the Okanagan Wine Festival (Sept. 30 - Oct. 9) should see a lot of crushing and fermenting as the 2011 harvest will be barely underway at most wineries.

This week I wanted to catch up on some tastings by offering a broad selection of unrelated wines at several price points. Unless otherwise noted, all wines should be available in most government stores where wine is a focus.

There is something to be said for fresh, bright, mouth-watering, citrus, herbal, mineral-based white wines that do not pretend to be anything else but that. Farmer Dominique Torgan Grenache Blanc 2010 is all that and more for $15, and we love the freshness, the drinkability and the balance. We tried it with guacamole and baby carrots but it would be equally at home with an oven-roasted chicken. Good value.

You will have to drop by the Everything Wine stores to find Domaines Astruc 'dA' Marsanne 2009 and you will be glad you did. The nose is a mix of honey, apricot, butter and fresh pear aromas. The palate: ripe, fresh, juicy and off dry with pear, nectarine, mineral, honey, red apple and lychee flavours. A fun, elegant, juicy, fruity style for any food. Bravo.

The red equivalent Farmer Robert Grenache Noir 2010 is equally kitschy in name for the French, but make no mistake this Grenache is a winner for the price. Ripe and round its intense raspberry fruit aromas and flavours lay over a rustic earthy tobacco-scented red that will disappear if you leave it on the kitchen table at any house party. Try it with grilled meats for best effect. Again like the white, good value.

The Ricossa Antica Casa Barbera d'Asti 2009, from Piedmont seems to get better every year. The nose is fresh and bright with vibrant red plums, licorice, meat and pepper/floral highlights. The entry is soft and the textures rich and dense with pleasant acidity. Love the juicy, black cherry fruit with bits of almond and resin and ripe kirsch flavours. Modern clean and fun to drink.

Much like our last review, Red Knot by Shingleback 2010 reminds us of shiraz from a decade ago, and that is a good thing. They are made to be hedonistic, to drink now. The attack is soft and spicy with juicy rounded harmonious black and blueberry fruit with bits of coffee and mocha. Fine quality for the price and would be perfect with grilled sausages or steaks.

Taylor Fladgate Late Bottled Vintage Port 2005 is responsible for the Late Bottled Vintage category blending wines of a single year and aging those four to six years in wood. Upon release, its black cherry jam and licorice aromas entice while its supple, subtly sweet nose invite you to the glass. On the palate more chocolate, pepper, black tea, cherry and coffee flavours dominate. An excellent example of the LBV category providing big flavours, early drinkability and fine value.

Price      $15

UPC       3288843145011

Score     87/100

Remarks              Fresh, bright mouth-watering, citrus, herbal, mineral based white wine.

Domaines Astruc 'dA' Marsanne 2009, Limoux, Languedoc, France

Price      $18 Everything Wine only

UPC       003453040000092

Score     88/100

Remarks              Fun, elegant, juicy, fruity style for any food. Bravo.

Farmer Robert Torgan Grenache Noir 2010, France

Price      $15

UPC       00328843045069

Score     88/100

Remarks              Try it with grilled meats for best effect.

Ricossa Antica Casa Barbera d'Asti 2009, Piedmont, Italy

Price      $16

UPC       851241000577

Score     88/100

Remarks              Love the juicy, black cherry fruit with bits of almonds and ripe kirsch flavours.

Red Knot by Shingleback 2010, McLaren Vale, South Australia, Australia

Price      $20

UPC       00857846000325

Score     89/100

Remarks              Soft and spicy with juicy, rounded harmonious black and blueberry fruit.

Taylor Fladgate Late Bottled Vintage Port 2005, Douro Valley, Portugal

Price      $26

UPC       05013626111277

Score     90/100

Remarks              An excellent example of the LBV port providing big flavours and early drinkability.

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