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WINE COLUMN

BEST NEW WINES

By Carolyn Evans Hammond, published in Outreach Connection and distributed privately on 05/22/09

Why do people go to coffee shops, buy muffins and things, and eat them out of little paper bags—hunk by hunk, hand to mouth—without a single, distracted-moment’s notice to the appearance of what they’re consuming.

Oh, this? I don’t know. Was I eating? I didn’t even realize.

Am I the only one who finds this to be grossly Neanderthal-like behaviour? Why, oh why, can’t people stop and eat things from plates—even paper plates? Is the pace of life such that we can't even take time to eat properly? And does the visual appeal of foodstuff no longer matter?

People who share these concerns started a slow food movement a while back. Slow Food is actually “a non-profit, eco-gastronomic, member-supported organization that was founded in 1989 to counteract fast food and fast life, the disappearance of local food traditions and people’s dwindling interest in the food they eat, where it comes from, how it tastes, and how our food choices affect the rest of the world”, according to the website. But ever notice how slow wine sounds curiously redundant.

Wine is like a final testament to civilized eating and drinking. It’s hard to imagine wine from a paper cup or guzzled mid-day in a frantic rush of frenetic, frenzied feeding so often seen in public. We still slow down for wine, take it in sips, and put it in glassware. We even use plastic stemware if we’re picnicking or something. Invariably, we think of it as an accompaniment to meals or something to relax over, unwind with, and kick back for. I’ll raise a glass to that.

With this in mind, here are seven bottled reasons to slow down—from Ontario’s May 23 release.

CHABLIS DOMAINE DES MALANDES 2007 (LCBO 111658 $24.95) Classic wet stone nose followed by the same on the palate with subtle smoke and lemon-mineral fruit. Classic, old-school Chablis. Seriously restrained with a cool, steely feel and a firm rattle of stones on the finish. 12.5% alcohol. Medium body.

CONCHA Y TORO MARQUES DE CASA CONCHA CHARDONNAY 2007, MAIPO VALLEY, CHILE (342857 $17.95) Rich nose of stewed stone fruit and fresh oranges followed by a vibrant tongue-attack of oranges and lemons. Quite refreshing but with enough weight and concentration to stand up to a range of foods from oily fish like salmon or trout to more complex flavours such as Indian butter chicken or Caesar salad. Alcohol is on the high side at 14% but it’s well hidden beneath dense extract. Delicious stuff with astounding length—long, long orange oil. Wicked value.

VINCENT GIRARDIN LES VERGELESSES SAVIGNY-LES-BEAUNES 1ER CRU 2006, BURGUNDY, FRANCE (LCBO 110353 $44.95) Okay, this is why I love great red Burgundy. I could say it smells and tastes of violets and black raspberry and earth and minerals with the suggestion of smoke, which it does, but it’s so much more. It seems to flit from aroma to fragrant aroma, flavour to shadowy flavour. Then back again. For me, it puts me in the south of France with a long slow sip. Resonating, soul-probing stuff.

CONCHA Y TORO MARQUES DE CASA CONCHA MERLOT 2006, RAPEL VALLEY, CHILE (939827 $19.95) Powerful nose of powdery cocoa and ultra-ripe black cherry. Bone dry palate with an attractive grip. Buyer beware: this is a wine made for those who prefer the austerity of earthy Old World wines like Bordeaux and Northern Italy rather than the fruit-forward berrybombs from Australia and California. But those who like this style will like this bottle a lot. Full-bodied wine with high alcohol tipping the scales at 14.5%. Seriously over-delivers for the price.

LIBERTY SCHOOL SYRAH 2005 CALIFORNIA, USA (942383 $17.95) Speaking of berrybombs, here’s one right here. Silky, saturated Californian fruit bomb with all the hallmarks of the variety and the region. Fleshy, lush wine with lots of clean fruit and sweet oak. Clean, round and peppery. Soft. Supple. Seductive texture. And well-balanced. 13.5% alc.

J. LOHR SEVEN OAKS CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2007, California, USA (656561 $20.95) Just feels like it wraps the tongue in crushed velvet saturated with the most sumptuous flavours of cassis, cedar, vanilla and dark chocolate. Medium-bodied (13% alcohol), and well-balanced. Great value from a reliable producer.

CHÂTEAU NAIRAC 2005 BARSAC, FRANCE (500777 $49.00) Looking for a marvelous dessert wine? Here’s your answer—drink with fresh peaches this summer when they’re in season and be prepared to marvel. Marmalade nose with some candied lemon and a creaminess on the finish. Incredible length of lemon curd. Heady stuff. Outstanding value for something this rich. Will only improve with up to 25 years bottle age so buy a few extra bottles for peach seasons to come.

If these bottles don’t give you reason to take pause, you might as well head to the coffee shop for a slice of banana loaf to munch out of the paper bag.

To find an LCBO near you that stocks a particular bottle, visit http://www.lcbo.com and search by the product name or number.

This column is distributed privately, appears in Outreach Connection weekly, and is posted at www.wine-tribune.com. Seasoned journalist and qualified sommelier Carolyn Evans-Hammond has written for several major publications including Decanter Magazine, The Times newspaper, and Wine & Spirit International magazine in the U.K., as well as Maclean’s magazine, Taste magazine, Tidings magazine, The Toronto Star and The Province in Canada. Her bestselling book, 1000 Best Wine Secrets, is available at most major bookstores, and signed copies are available through her website. Carolyn’s next book is due out in March 2010.