Between the Lines
What does the newest Vintages release have to offer? Let’s take a look!
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It’s been too long since my last BtL post, and while I do apologize, I’d rather spend these precious moments booming through the new release for May 23rd.
Your feature… New Zealand reds. Fine by me! If there were a ‘default’ red to come from NZ it’d be Pinot Noir, and Pinot is always welcome. It’s also capable of making some very good Merlot — I won’t say great/exceptional til I’ve tried one, but I’m holding out hope.
New Zealand’s quality-wine-industry is only decades old; consequently many of the bottles we see on the LCBO shelves are made from new/newer facilities, with all the frills of modern winemaking. Lots of the wines see oak, they’re generally fruity and supple - all good things for many drinkers.
Where some shy away from NZ’s reds is the weight. They aren’t pushovers, but generally speaking, they’re noticeably lighter than their Australian neighbours. That’s why I love their feature in this Vintages release: it helps teach the consumer that body isn’t everything.
Sure, high-alcohol, richly-extracted wines with slabs of oak are compelling, but I just get bored with the same thing repeatedly. And though the New Zealand reds might show a same-ness, it’s a same-ness which accommodates food very handily, encouraging buyers to experiment with more cool-climate reds in the process. Besides, every area has a same-ness to it. No shame in recognizing it.
So congrats LCBO, you found another niche to flesh out. These wines might not make your head spin, but they’re well-made and certainly pleasurable.
Short notes on my personal wish list:
Carrick Pinot Noir 2006. Central Otago, New Zealand. 919837. $39.95.
Leave it to me to pick the most expensive red listed in the feature. The note invokes high-end Burgundian Pinots twice; most writers wouldn’t lightly toss around certain names unless they felt their comments were justified. Though it appears to have the density of most NZ Pinot, it’s also “light on its feet,” and “Finishes very long, with a firm tannic spine.” Intensity with some elegance is what good Pinot will bring you…
Cantina Tramin Gewurztraminer 2007. DOC Sudtirol-Alto Adige, Italy. 117028. $19.95.
90pts Wine Spectator, James Suckling rating. Gewurz from its home-district… Seems like an entry-level bottle, but we don’t get these often and I’d like to jump on it. Big, oily Gewurz is so good! Though some toffee is noted in its description (could be mildly oxidative), consuming it soon will keep it from devolving.
Mulderbosch Chardonnay 2005. WO Stellenbosch, South Africa. 717090. $20.95.
90pts Wine Spectator, James Moleworth rating. John Szabo also raved about this one in Wine Access. I recall quite enjoying the 2003, and I assume Mulderbosch is large enough to ensure some sort of consistency in style. Seems like a New World bottle with some acid to prove its worth. Smart pick-up.
Suckfizzle Cabernet Sauvignon 2006. Margaret River, Australia. 053538. $35.95.
The tasting note doesn’t do much beyond telling a story behind the name. Usually I’m wary when this happens, but what follows is enough to safely sell it for me: its description as a cult wine, as well as its “magnificent balance, structure and incredible length.” Though it’s hard to trust all sales pitches, this seems like a slightly more delicate wine (relative to Oz) with enough fire in it to warrant an immediate decant.
