Over the next two weeks, we will have no difficulty finding suggestions on what to give your sweetheart for Valentine’s Day. When it comes to wine, every expert asked will likely make suggestions distinct from everyone else. The possibilities are immense.
Sparkling wine will have its advocates, as “Champagne” and Celebration are often synonymous. Sweet wines paired with chocolate are also common options. Then, there are wines whose names or packaging bring to mind romance and love. Finally, and perhaps best of all, there are wines which will best appeal to your lover’s tastes.
The same Sparklers which I mentioned a month or so ago before New Year’s Eve in my “Pop the Cork” column could provide the same yeoman service for Valentine’s Day.
Henry of Pelham Cuvée Catharine Brut Rosé, $32.95, could well lead the pack. Predominantly Pinot Noir-based, it will impress with the suggestion of strawberry, cranberry, citrus and toast. It would go well with fresh oysters, strawberries dipped in chocolate and salmon, or it could be shared perfectly in front of a fire with your Valentine.
Much sweeter, and inexpensive is the Botega Petalo Vino Dell’ Amore Moscato, $13.95. If the preference is towards the sweeter end of the spectrum, this bubbly with 87 grams of sugar per litre could be the way to go. With ‘Love’ in the name, the message is both in and on the bottle!
On February 8 you will find in Vintages the excellent Andreola Dirupo Brut Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore, $19.95. An earlier version was #86 in the Wine Enthusiast’s “Top 100”, where it was described thus: “Fresh and balanced, this bright savoury sparkler delivers mouthfuls of green apple, white peach and lemon peel. Crisp acidity keeps it refreshing while a soft mousse gives it plenty of finesse. It has a dry juicy finish.” This edition earned the top honour “3 glasses” from Italy’s Gamberro Rosso. Pouring this is a pretty good way to say, “I Love You.”
If you are going in the direction of ‘Sweets for the Sweet’ then the Inniskillin Vidal Ice Wine from Niagara can deliver the goods. It is suggested that this would pair beautifully with Milk Chocolate. Available at Wine Rack stores as well as in Vintages, you can pick up the 2017 for $49.95 for a 375 ml. bottle – or a couple of 50 ml. bottles for $7.95 apiece. The critics are mightily impressed with this lush, honeyed beauty, often giving it scores of 93 and 94. The ‘Robert Parker’ people call it super, saying “it is hedonistic and sexy with a big flavorful finish.” Pineapple and butterscotch balanced by apple-like acidity characterize the flavours.
The Taylor Fladgate Historic Limited Edition Reserve Tawny Port, $57.85, is an impressive option for those who appreciate this style of dessert wine. It comes in a unique replica bottle and is made from extensive, aged reserves that have been ‘elevated’ in seasoned oak casks. The producers tell us that “the wine is seductively round and smooth with discreet, beautifully integrated tannins adding an attractive dryness and grip. The wine is full of rich, fruit cake flavours with some fresh plum character emerging on the long finish.”
This will pair nicely with darker chocolate, but especially with Stilton Cheese…drizzled with honey!
Some say nothing symbolizes Love better than roses, which might explain why the Gerard Bertrand Cotes Des Roses Rosé, $18.95, may be a nifty choice, coming as it does in a lovely, long-necked bottle with a rose embossed on the bottom. Strawberry leads to melon leads to grapefruit on the palette in this delicious but dry rosé – Enjoy the wine, and then show off one of your terrific long-stemmed roses in the bottle when you’re done.
Aside from themes for Valentine’s Day, a good way to go is to choose a wine that you know you can enjoy together. The choices are endless, but looking at some on offer on the January 25 and February 8 Vintages releases may be appealing.
See Ya Later Major’s Block Red Blend 2016, $22.95, from the Okanagan Valley is a deep, plummy and smooth combination primarily composed of Syrah and Merlot. The Syrah definitely contributes dark fruit, and the Merlot seems to soften all the edges. There is good grip on the finish which also carries some vanilla and coffee notes. If your dinner is leaning towards lamb chops or prime rib, this will pair sumptuously.
For a bit more complexity, Argentina’s Escudo Rojo Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2018, $17.95, can knock it out of the park. Elegant and textured, this red is smooth as suede and carries strawberry, cassis, and a shade of licorice, following up with a bit of chalk on the finish. “Escudo Rojo” means ‘red shield’ and is part of the Baron Phillippe de Rothschild enterprises, the makers of the outstanding Mouton Rothschild in Bordeaux. This is very hard to beat at the price, and would be a wonderful proof of your ‘judicious affection’! Look for it on Feb. 8.
Maso Antico Da Uve Leggermente Appassito Primitivo Salento 2017, $16.95, is a rich and deep Zinfandel-like wine from Puglia. Basically off-dry, it has 17 grams of sugar per litre, Called an “archetypal“ wine, it is described by Luca Maroni as having “bright and harmonious smoothness” with balance triumphing over the ample concentration. For yummy and rich, this will be hard to beat.
Vouvray can be a difficult wine to understand, as it comes in both dry and off-dry styles…yet the distinction is not necessarily communicated on the bottle. Chateau deValmer Vouvray 2017, $17.95, is in the off-dry and fruity camp. Vintages tells us we can expect the wine to be “off-dry with suggestions of beeswax, apple, ripe pear and white flowers plus the style’s characteristic tones of wet wool.” (Lanonlin is often a positive descriptor of this kind of wine. They go on to call it perfectly pitched, balanced and refined, and great for spicy Thai dishes.
On February 8, look for the Three of Hearts Rosé 2018, $19.95, from Henry of Pelham. Here is another good wine with the perfect packaging for Valentine’s Day. ”It bathes the palate with a medium-bodied juicy and tangy wash of freshly picked strawberry, mandarin orange, and grilled sugared pink grapefruit,” suggests winecurrent.com -90.
Zuccari Serie A Torrontés 2019, $16.95, is an aromatic beauty from Argentina. The nose might suggest something sweet will follow, but it is actually quite dry. Crisp, elegant and balanced, it offers both dried lemon and orange peel, accompanied by herbal notes such as oregano or even celery. Intriguing and distinct. 91+, according to robertparker.com.
New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc has many fans, especially for those wines produced in the Marlborough region. The Eradus 2019, $19.95, carries ”passionfruit, kiwifruit, peach and lime zest” on the nose, with a refreshingly pure and vibrant palate which finishes “superbly long and delicious,” – wineorbit.co.nz. 93
Argentina’s Sur De Los Andes Premium Blend Malbec/Cabernet Sauvignon 2014, $16.95, absolutely over-delivers. The Wine Enthusiast calls it “saturated and extracted” with “toasty blackberry and cassis flavours [that] are chocolaty through a smooth finish with modest tannins.” – 92.
Bernardeschi Governo All’Uso Rosso 2017, $19.95, is a Tuscan blend of Sangiovese and Merlot which employs the old “governo” method in the wine-making process. At one time, the Tuscan cellars could be fairly cool, and so a portion of the grapes were allowed to dry at harvest, and then pressed a few months later before introducing them to the original wine. If the fermentation had “stuck” this would rev it up and encouraged the softening malolactic fermentation. The result is a very fruity wine (15 g/litre of sugar) with dark berry flavours emphasized.
If you want to go big, pick up a bottle of La Grande Gardiole Les Vielles Vignes Chateauneuf –Du-Pape 2016, $48.95. It carries a robertparker.com 93, which says it offers “hints of roses, tea and anise on the nose, then ripe black cherries on the full-bodied palate. It's bright and fresh on the silky finish, where more red fruits come into play. Drink date: 2019-2030.”
For a wonderful Valentine’s weekend, you must take in the Wine-Tasting at Stokely Creek Lodge on Saturday, February 15. Gifted winemaker Thomas Bachelder, a Burgundy specialist, will be there to pour some of his wines. They will be accompanied by the Jackson-Triggs Grand Reserve Sparkling Wine and the Inniskillin Vidal Ice Wine which I described above. Thomas, who makes wine not only in Ontario but also in France and Oregon, is a wizard with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. At $35 per person for the tasting with appetizers, excluding tax and gratuities, you are in for an exceptional experience – to purchase a bottle of each of the wines yourselves would cost more than $200!
Stay for dinner, and the cost for the tasting dinner together is $80, and well worth it. Wines will be available for purchase to accompany dinner.
Available currently in Vintages is Bachelder’s Les Villages’ Pinot Noir Reserve 2016, $29.95. Michael Pinkus explains there's also a lovely smokiness to this 18 month in oak Pinot ... add in the cranberry and black cherry and you've got some textbook, easy-drinking Niagara Pinot Noir. Gold Medal winner at the 2019 Ontario Wine Awards.”
Thomas was charged with re-introducing Le Clos Jordannne, a highly prized and significant Ontario vineyard which had been idle as such for a few years. The red, described below, is in Vintages.
Le Grand Clos 2017 Single-vineyard Pinot Noir, $44.95 – Tony Aspler, whom I consider the Dean of Ontario wine writing, suggests this is in the style of Burgundy’s Volnay, a wine known for its elegance, finesse, soft tannins and delicacy, and possessing a lovely perfumed fragrance and silky mouthfeel. Simply put, ‘he knows whereof he speaks.’
Medium ruby in colour, the wine brings tannins that feel like a luxurious suede. The fruit is present, but subdued, not drawing attention to itself, but instead contributing to the over-all rich and flavourful impact finishing with a lush herbal and mineral grace note. Impressive indeed.
If you enjoy red Burgundy, you must pick up a bottle. If you enjoy exceptional wine, period, be sure to join us at Stokely on February 15.
Call Stokely Creek Lodge at 705-649-3421 to make your reservation. It will be a terrific tasting