Our Top 20 Picks from the April 2 Vintages Release

One of the most popular wine tastings we offer is “New World vs. Old World,” a comparison of the same varietals produced in two different areas – one in Europe (Old World) and one outside (New World). It’s been immensely well received and, as mentioned, one of our most requested.

Vintages is playing on that same theme this week, taking a look at Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling and Chardonnay amongst others. Of course, the wines are not sold in pairs for easy shopping, but, if you’re tempted to create the tasting experiment for yourself you could easily pick up a selection of wines a taste through them to note the differences of viticulture, viniculture and terroir.

We didn’t really focus on the Vintages Old World, New World theme per se during this week’s tasting, but we did taste through the latest round of offerings to see what stood out to us for value and quality. The following are our Top 20 picks of the week, but we’re always interested to see if your choices match ours, so let us know what wines are in your glass.

AUSTRALIA

D’Arenberg “The Hermit Crab” Viognier/Marsanne McLaren Vale, South Australia 2014
$17.95 662775
Rich, smooth and supple with light, white floral, lemon and green fruit notes. The creamy palate is countered by vibrant acid. A pretty summer sipper to go with Thai Coconut Chicken soup, vegetarian curry … Or crab. 88 points.

CANADA

Burrowing Owl Syrah, VQA Okanagan Valley, BC 2013
$40.95 730072
Syrah is arguably one of the top performing grapes of the Okanagan, offering elegant, spicy and focused red wines of wonderful power and depth. And Burrowing Owl, for its part, has been among the pioneers of that effort, consistently creating age-worthy and complex Syrahs. The 2013 shows aromas of black pepper, ripe dark cherry, cassis and cedar, with a silky, medium to full bodied palate that balances juicy, ripe black fruits with spice and earthy tobacco and leather notes. Try with mushroom stuffed pork tenderloin, roast Cornish hen or braised beef short ribs. 90 points.

FRANCE

Château Haut Philippon, Entre-Deux-Mers, Bordeaux 2014
$14.95 445171
Fresh herbs, slight flint and a touch of citrus all mix on the nose, while the palate showcases green fruits and melon backed by a subtle herbal note. Creamy in texture with fresh acidity, this easy going white will have you thinking spring. Pair with pasta with peas and proscuitto. 89 points.

Henri de Villamont “La Canée” Aux-Duresses, Burgundy 2012
$39.95 445270
Fleshy and full with aromas and flavours of poached pear and apple, mango and a lightly floral note with some baking spice, the creamy richness is brightened by a tart green apple finish. Pair with French onion soup or white fish in creamy sauce. 88 points.

Grand Fief de la Cormeraie Muscadet Sèvre et Maine, Loire 2014
$16.95 81745
Here’s a nice, fresh and bright lightly fruity white wine that welcomes spring time shellfish and ceviches with vibrant acid tamed by a slightly creamy mouthfeel. Terrific price. 88 points.

Hiver “Gourmand” Morgon, Beaujolais 2014
$17.95 383778
Juicy and jammy with aromas of rhubarb pie filling, raspberry jam and black pepper flakes on the nose. Light bodied with ripe red fruits, cedar, spice and slightly bitter tannin on the palate, this is fruit forward and lively. Lightly chill and serve with roast beef sandwiches, roast duck or grilled sausages. 88 points.

Château Beau-Site, Saint Estèphe, Bordeaux 2009
$47.95 967844
Dusty red fruits, cured meat show and rich, macerated cherry bonbon filling and a pleasing hint of bell pepper show on the nose of this classy Bordeaux. Medium bodied on the palate with ripe black cherry, salty meat and woodsy spice flavours. Elegant and focused with nice length. 91 points.

Château Lamartre, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru, Bordeaux 200
$32.95 444265
A gorgeous red blend of 59% Merlot and 41% Cabernet Franc, that offers a ton of interest with coffee, meat, smoked, plum/prune, blackberry and dusty herbs in both aromas and flavours. Full bodied with chunky tannin, excellent density and length. 91 points.

Gérard Bertrand “Grand Terroir” Syrah/Carignan/Mourvèdre, La Clape, Languedoc 2011
$18.85 370262
This rustic red blend stood out as one of the top wines of the lot, offering exceptional value for money with its depth and substance. A powerful wine that leans more to the savoury side with meat and spice notes dominating over the dark berry fruit, the palate is rich yet supple with a centre of ripe black fruits wrapped in salted meat and fresh, resinous herbs. This is perfect for backyard grilling. Worth picking up a few bottles to keep for sipping over the summer. 90 points.

Dauvergne Ranvier “Grand Vin” Cotes du Rhône-Village, Rhône 2013
$18.95 436907
Toasty with firm tannin and generous flavours of juicy blackberry, crushed black peppercorn and Black Forest cake. Terrific price. 90 points.

Mas des Bressades “Cuvée Tradition,” Costières de Nîmes, Rhône 2014
$16.95 143099
Costières de Nîmes is an appellation at the southernmost part of the Rhône, right beside the Languedoc. A blend of Syrah and Grenache, white and black pepper come through on the spice-dominated nose along with cedar and black fruit. Rich and ripe on the palate with loads of juicy fruit by way fresh raspberry and red cherry plus moderate dried earth and black pepper spice. With fine-firm tannins leading to a smooth texture and an excellent price-point, there’s lots of crowd appeal here. 88 point.

GERMANY

Königsschaffhauser Vulkanfelsen Trocken Pinot Gris, Baden 2014
$16.95 450726
Round and rich with aromatic peach and yellow apple flavours with a pleasing bitter citrus pith finish. Lively acidity offers some energetic lift. Pair with baked ham, pasta carbonara, or mild curries.

GREECE

Tsantali Reserve Rapsani, 2011
$20.95 734855
We always really like this rustic red blend of native Greek varietals Xinomavro, Krassato and Stavroto. With a mix of black fruits and spices on the nose, the palate is juicy and generous with well integrated tannins and a supple, polished texture. 88 points.

ITALY

Ormanni  “Borro del Diavolo” Chianti Classico Riserva, Tuscany 2010
$42.95 435149
Masculine, smoky and dense with lots of intrigue. Leather, dark chocolate, brandied black cherries, and toasty notes with plump tannin and a plush mouthfeel. This would be dynamite with stews and braised meats. 91 points.

Rocca delle Macìe Chianti Classico Riserva, Tuscany 2012
$22.95 930966
The hot, dry summer of 2012 helped create some marvellous wines of exceptional quality. Here we have a round and supple red with well integrated tannin, and generous flavours of black forest cake, ripe, dark cherry, campfire smoke and spice. Really nice. 90 points.

Ruffino “Modus,” Tuscany 2012
$29.95 912956
A red blend made of 50% Sangiovese with remaining 50% divided between Merlot and Cab Sauv. Pouring deep cherry-garnet, the nose shows meaty, earthy aromas mixed with dusty herbs and fresh red cherry. Full bodied with fiercely firm tannins at this point, and flavours of leather, dark fruits and resinous herbs. Pair with grilled steak, pastas with meat sauces or rack of lamb. 88 points.

PORTUGAL

Deu la Deu Alvarinho, Vinho Verde 2014
$19.95 40642
We were recently reintroduced to this classic Alvarinho at a true blue Portuguese restaurant we went to with friends – and downed three bottles over lunch. Aromas of tinned fruit cup – white cherry, peach and pear on the nose echo through to the palate adding a tangy pink grapefruit note on the finish. We had it with spicy piri-piri prawns and seared grouper filet and it was fabulous. 88 points.

SPAIN

Aroa Jauna Crianza, Navarra 2011
$14.95 353524
A red blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Tempranillo this is a crowd pleasing wine for lovers of big, chewy wines at a great price. There’s a nice nose of rich, dark berries and tobacco and the palate is firm and dense with ripe, macerated black cherry, fresh rosemary and fat tannin. 88 points.

Torres “Salmos,” Priorat 2012
$30.95 450734
Lots on offer on this generous wine that has creme brûlée topping, black raspberry, dark chocolate and toast on the nose. Full bodied, rich and silky with fine tannin and upfront flavours of black cherry, chocolate and toasted spice. A slugger of a wine that puts it all out there. If it were $10 less it would rank in the 90’s but $30 seems a bit steep and therefore lowers the score for us a touch. 89 points.

USA

Ravenswood “Old Vine” Zinfandel, Lodi, California 2014
$19.95 942599
Zin lovers can never go wrong with King of Zinfandel, Ravenswood. This shows violet, fresh raspberry and blackberry pie filling with light baking spice. Medium bodied, juicy and fresh with fine-firm tannins and lively acid, there’s a smooth and supply mouthfeel. Get ready for BBQ season. 89 points.