WINE ALL THE TIME: Quick! Drink that wine

Just this Thursday past, sootoday.com reported on the Impressive accomplishment of a local man, 36-year-old Andy Haidar, who, after training just two years ran the Boston Marathon in 3 hours and one minute, finishing in the top 12 per cent. Very, very, impressive!

Impressive in its own way is the accomplishment of a British runner, Tom Gilbey. Marley Dickinson, in Canadian Running, reports that Gilbey ran the London marathon, finishing in the bottom third with a time of 4 hours and 41 minutes.

While the time and placing might not be particularly astounding, the fact that he blind-tasted 25 wines along the way, one for each mile, and correctly identified 21 of them is rather astonishing. Gilbey, an internet wine connoisseur, also had a glass of champagne waiting for him at the finish.

From the accompanying videos, he certainly seemed to be enjoying himself. At the same time, though, he was raising money for an Oxfordshire Hospice in honour of his mother. People are still donating, and currently, the sum has surpassed $32,000, Canadian.

While we might expect that he would have been falling-down drunk long before the end of the race, it appears from the Videos that he could well have been swirling and spitting, rather than chug-a-lugging. You can see, too, that while he is holding a glass of wine in one hand, he has a bottle of water in the other.

After all this, it is apparent that while his training for running the race was adequate his preparation for the wine-tasting was superb!

While much in the world of wine is enjoyable, controversies continue to emerge. In France, growers have been protesting against a supermarket chain, Carrefour, selling Bordeaux for as little as 1.66 Euros, or $2.44 Canadian.

At a time when consumption of wine in France is falling, and Bordeaux producers are ripping out vines, this has become a very contentious situation. The supermarket contests the claim that farmers are getting nothing for the wine when it is being sold at such a low price, and farmers in protest have replaced the wine on the shelves with uprooted vines.

While prices for higher-end bottles continue to be strong, there is no end in sight currently for what is happening with wines that are normally modestly priced. This reflects again, on the experience in Australia, where acres and acres of vines are being ripped out because of low prices.

In Italy’s Piedmont, global warming has precipitated another conflict. Gambero Rosso Italian Delights reported on March 26 that some producers of Barolo want to expand the designated area of production to include slopes that in the past were considered inappropriate – such as northern-facing slopes. With global warming, some believe that these slopes would now be appropriate sites, moderating the adverse effects of too much sun and heat.

Many are hesitant, as production areas have been carefully regulated for good reason. They are also concerned about the environmental impact of expansion, such as deforestation.

On the other hand, one producer in favour of expansion just says, “We’ll move the forests.” Right

Nevertheless, the issues and problems will pass, and we still have ample reason - and opportunity - to share and enjoy good wine with good food, and to be thankful for all our blessings.

Wines

With the hope for warmer weather to come, I have been exploring some Italian whites. The options are plentiful with many grapes that are particular to Italy.

One wine we wouldn’t expect to find on Sicily is Chardonnay; however, the co-operative Columba Bianca produces an organic example, Vitese. The winery rightfully asserts that it has ‘great expressive fidelity’ – it is definitely true to the character we expect of the chardonnay grape. It has a good, fulsome mouthfeel and carries apple and citrus notes. Vintages calls it “floral and herbaceous” and suggests that there is a lingering minerality on the finish. At $14.95, it is a ‘must try’ wine.

De Angelis Campo di Marte Offida Pecorino 2022, $16.95, from Marche, is impressive – bright and lifted on the palate with an immediate impression of fruit on entry. It is dry, balanced, delicious and long. An organic wine, it is overall clean and tasty.

There are still a few bottles left of the Cantina San Paolo Fiano 2022, $15.95, from Campania near Naples. It is sleek with lovely flavour and body, along with significant fruit. Significant value here.

Mastroberardino Falanghina del Sannio 2022, $23.95, hails from one of the most noted producers in the area. Here the grapes are grown in a hilly region north of Naples. The wine is fresh, the impressions subtle. It has a lingering finish with definite citrus and mineral notes, as well as a final suggestion of bitter almond. While well-made, it doesn’t carry the same level of open and immediate flavour as the preceding wines.

Some Reds

Casa di Luigi Pinot Noir KPM, from Chile is just $10.95 through the weekend… but then goes all the up to $11.95! A Kosher wine, this pinot noir is light and fairly simple but tasty nonetheless. It could be served with chicken dishes or even salmon.

Nero Carbone Basilicata Rosso 2019, $16.95, is an Aglianico from the Monte Vulture hills in Basilicata in southern Italy. John Szabo of winealign.com tells us that we can expect it to be “fragrant, herbal, spicy, leathery and dried black fruit-inflected in the regal regional idiom”, with a complexity that is ‘off the charts’ – 91

San Alejandro Evodia 2021, $16.95, is a beautiful Garnacha (Grenache) from Spain, said to be “a fruit-driven and juicy effort with super fine tannins and a balanced mouthfeel.” Luis Gutiérrez, robertparker.com - 91+

H J. Fabre Barrel Selection Malbec 2021, $18.95, from the Patagonia region of Argentina promises to reveal “understated wood spices, green and white pepper undertones, racy acidity and plum and black cherry fruit flavours.” timatkin.com -