John Szabo’s Vintage’s Preview April 27th: Best of Vintages, Oregon and Spain

By John Szabo MS, with notes from David Lawrason, Sara d’Amato and Michael Godel

This week we bring you an assortment of smart buys from the Vintages April 27^th release (with much alignment), including the crü’s top picks from the Pacific Northwest, which is in the spotlight this week. In a separate, special report, Michael Godel takes us a little deeper into Oregon, thanks to a recent masterclass and trade tasting, as well as a private sit-down interview with the thoughtful David Adelsheim of Adelsheim Vineyards. This pioneering Oregon vintner claims that, “For pinot noir, there’s probably more variation in winemaking in Burgundy today than in the Willamette Valley”. That’s a big statement, intending to highlight the maturing industry’s cohesive focus on terroir rather than technique. Has Oregon got it all figured out? Click on.

Elsewhere, awareness and popularity of Spanish wines in Canada lags desperately behind the US market (and many others), so it was a real pleasure to see the country featured in Toronto earlier this month with two significant tastings. The inaugural visit of winery association Grandes Pagos de España presented to a house packed with top trade, while a joint portfolio tasting put on by two of the provinces most serious Spanish wine importing agencies, Derek Kranenborg’s All The right Grapes and Jason Axsmith’s Cosecha opened yet more eyes to the quality and diversity now on offer from España. Check out my special “Next Gen” Spanish Wine report, including many available wines not to be missed.

Vintage’s Buyer’s Guide April 27^th: Pacific North West White

Domaine Drouhin Oregon Roserock Chardonnay 2016, Eola-Amity Hills, Willamette Valley, Oregon ($41.95)
John Szabo – A wine from an excellent site in the Eola-Amity-Hills, one of my favourite from the Drouhin portfolio. The palate really shows the pedigree of the place, and the careful, low yielding farming that results in the exceptionally rich texture and appealing salinity.
Michael Godel – Roserock by Domaine Drouhin Oregon is a harbinger for the new Willamette Valley in terms of chardonnay direction. I would imagine tasted blind in a crü of 70 local examples it would stand out for its elegance, focus and balance.
Sara d’Amato – Domaine Drouhin knocks it out of the park with this 2016 Roserock chardonnay, an undeniable standout given its refinement and rich complexity. Notably layered with surprising intensity with flavours of caramel, peach, pear and honey accompanied by a toasty leesiness. The palate is round, briny and balanced with sweetness from fruit. Its compelling texture and notable length show off the pedigree of the site.

Mission Hill Reserve Pinot Gris 2017, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia ($22.95)
John Szabo – A terrific release from Mission Hill, filling that all-important spot in the lineup for a fleshy, round, full-bodied white without oak.
Michael Godel – A better pinot gris from 2017 that goes deeper and beats what came before so kudos to Mission Hill for the work and for making the term Reserve really stick.

Vintage’s Buyer’s Guide April 27^th: Pacific North West Red

Sokol Blosser Pinot Noir 2015, Dundee Hills, Willamette Valley, Oregon ($37.95)
John Szabo – Textbook Dundee Hills pinot noir, from the deep red, weathered Jory basalt soils. I like the earthiness and underbrush character, the truffles and savoury dried fruit.
Michael Godel – Sokol Blosser’s ’15 is a rich Dundee Hills specimen, full fruit tractive and making most of extraction meeting the fineness of its needful acidity. The limits of excitement are pressed and pushed through to a place where all comes together at precisely this time.

Burrowing Owl Merlot 2015, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia ($39.95)
John Szabo – A bold and ripe wine in the Burrowing Owl house style, but contained and impressive, densely packed with flavour and solidly structured.
Michael Godel – Next level merlot from what just strikes as an obvious merlot vintage. Terrific persistence and presence. Another new benchmark for B.C.

Vintage’s Buyer’s Guide April 27^th: Other White

Larry Charubino Pedestal Chardonnay 2017, Margaret River, Western Australia ($24.95)
John Szabo – This low intervention wine from Charubino sourced from the cooler southern part of Margaret River features the vibrancy and freshness that makes the region such an excellent source of chardonnay, over delivering in the world of premium chardonnay.
Michael Godel – Quite reductive and cracking chardonnay here from the Margaret River, alive, kicking, vibrant and long. The sub-region is Kerridale and the work by the hands of Larry Cherubino. Not to be missed.

Sanpaolo Fiano Di Avellino 2017, Campania, Italy ($19.95)
John Szabo – Get your smoky-flinty-savoury volcanic fix in this typical Fiano, offering lots of character for the money, and with the stuffing to improve over another 2-3 years in the cellar.
Michael Godel – Viscous and a salty vein that cuts through the texture. It’s quite something this sensation created by volcanic soil and place, recognizable as such and all the better for it.

L’ami Des Crustacés Classique Pinot Blanc 2016, Alsace, France ($17.95)
John Szabo – Quirky name, with crustacean-encrusted label to match, but the association is more than appropriate for this seafood-friendly, smoky-leesy, mineral-tinged pinot blanc.
Michael Godel – Get some oysters and match up this tidy Alsatian gris. Can we argue that? Crustacés?

Redstone Limestone Vineyard South Riesling 2016, Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario ($19.95)
David Lawrason – This is a re-release of a very racy, crisp, tart-edged, warm weather quencher that transmits the limestone soils of the Niagara Escarpment on a laser beam.

Domaine La Haute Févrie Sur Lie Muscadet Sèvre Et Maine 2017, Loire Valley, France ($15.95)
David Lawrason – Muscadet is often rather simple, but this bargain over-delivers with far more character, richness and complexity than expected, without losing its central tension.

Paco & Lola Albariño 2017, Rías Baixas, Galicia, Spain ($19.95)
David Lawrason – Re-released, from the verdant maritime north of Spain, this is an ideal springtime sipper with pretty, pristine blossom and peachy notes. Fresh and lemony on the palate.

Kunde Chardonnay 2016, Sonoma County, California ($24.95)
David Lawrason – Re-released, this is good value within the pricy world of good California chardonnay, from a large unsung producer. Ripe, complex and lightly toasty with Sonoma freshness.

Bellingham Homestead Sauvignon Blanc 2017, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa ($17.95)
Sara d’Amato – Great value! Even if sauvignon blanc is not a frequent go-to, this honey laced version offering fleshy stone fruit and a lovely resinous character has something for everyone. Beautifully ripened yet still preserving a tense level of acidity. Fleshy, flavourful and distinctly South African.

Vintage’s Buyer’s Guide April 27^th: Other Red

Château Sociando Mallet 2012, Haut-Médoc, Bordeaux, France ($67.95)
John Szabo – Your best option this release for classy and composed red Bordeaux, just hitting an ideal drinking window (but no rush, either). A triumph for the vintage.
Michael Godel – This from a grippy vintage is a perfectly fine and earthy Left Bank Bordeaux with cabernet sauvignon leading and merlot its near-equal for quality and character. You can’t get this in Bordeaux for $68 anymore so “highly recommended” is the understatement here.

Colab And Bloom Shiraz 2016, Barossa, South Australia ($18.95)
John Szabo – Textbook bold and ripe Barossa shiraz, delivering much, and more, for the price.

Sister’s Run Old Testament Cabernet Sauvignon 2017, Coonawarra, South Australia ($17.95)
John Szabo – Enjoy the fruity-herbal character of Coonawarra cabernet, in a balanced, and fresh, lively style. Few oak trees were harmed for its production.

Château Baracan 2015, Côtes de Bordeaux, France ($16.95)
Michael Godel – There can be no value found at less than the cost of this Côtes de Bordeaux. Pleasant and present acids make this a food specialty. Simple, correct and balanced in play.
Sara d’Amato – A fine example of the riper 2015 vintage – ample, fleshy and potent but made with sensible restraint and from a perfectly timed harvest. Fruit is sourced from the Cadillac region of Bordeaux’s right bank and offers surprisingly firm tannins, a notably clean profile and great concentration. Very good value – don’t miss out!

Grosset Création Cairanne Côtes Du Rhône Villages 2016 , Rhône Valley, France ($17.95)
Michael Godel – True “Villages” red here, perfectly ripe and righteous entry into the rustic charm of modern day Cairanne.
Sara d’Amato – The region of Cairanne was given “cru” status very recently in 2016, an acknowledgement of the pedigree of the intensely flavoured and primarily grenache noir driven reds. This first incarnation of Cairanne bereft of its “Côtes-du-Rhône” tagged labelling is rich, fleshy and notably ripe. Laced with perfectly balanced oak spice, this inviting crowd pleaser is brimming with plum, cherry, cedar and black pepper.

Lavau Rasteau 2015, Cotes du Rhone-Villages, France ($20.95)
David Lawrason – Another spiffy 2015 that captures classic grenache-syrah plummy, pepper character and delivers it smoothly, even elegantly.

Domaine du Grand Tinel 2015, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Rhône, France ($52.95)
Sara d’Amato – A wonderfully satisfying Châteauneuf-du-Pape ready to be enjoyed at the table after a short decant. Richly layered and very traditional style with a bit of old-world dustiness and a chalky, mineral saltiness that gives a vibrancy akin to acidity to the very sensual palate.

Barone Ricasoli Rocca Guicciarda Riserva Chianti Classico 2015, Tuscany, Italy ($24.95)
David Lawrason – From the label inward, this oozes traditional Chianti character – fragrant redcurrant, fresh herbs and gentle vanillin, pleasant tartness and juiciness.

Chakana Estate Selection Malbec 2016, Uco Valley, Mendoza ($19.95)
David Lawrason – Less ponderous and more fragrant than many Argentine malbecs, this shows its Uco Valley roots very well, right down to the wild thyme notes. Full bodied yet nicely energized.

Jim Barry The Lodge Hill Shiraz 2016, Clare Valley, South Australia ($21.95)
David Lawrason – Jim Barry is one of the most solid, reliable family wineries in Australia. This is authentic higher altitude Clare shiraz, rich yet firm with blueberry pie, pepper and mint.

Vintage’s Buyer’s Guide April 27^th: Rosé

Saint Aix Rosé 2018, Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence, France ($22.95)
David Lawrason – Here come the 2018 pinkies. This is very pale, lively yet serious and dry rosé with fine aromas of strawberry, cherry blossom and currant fruit.