Winnipeg Free Press

Remember when I mentioned I had tried a truly legendary wine? I wasn’t messing around.

A couple of weeks ago I was fortunate to taste through a collection of Penfolds wines - many are availble on the market in Manitoba, and a couple were wines produced in limited quality and highly allocated.

One such wine is the Penfolds Grange. It’s the flagship luxury wine from this extremely consistent Aussie producer, and is next to impossible to find in the local market. For this tasting, I was lucky enough to try the 1998 vintage. Scores from wine critics don’t make it or break it for me, but when influential wine writer Robert Parker gives a wine a 99 out of 100, I pay attention. This particular bottle was added to the tasting from a private cellar. Here goes:

Penfolds 1998 Grange (Australia - $ hundreds or so, not available)
The nose on the Grange (97 per cent Shiraz, 3 per cent Cabernet Sauvignon) is subtle but complex, with aromas of leather, black cherry, cinnamon, and a hint of ash. The fruit component on the nose is bright and concentrated. It’s ultra-soft and velvety on the palate, with tannins that are still fairly pronounced but quite supple. There’s some great up-front juiciness to this wine, with beautiful cherry and plum flavours. It’s an extremely elegant wine - some wine geeks would call this a ‘feminine’ style, but I’ve never liked the feminine/masculine descriptors - and the finish is extremely long and smooth. Penfolds’ tasting notes suggest drinking between 2010 and 2040, but it didn’t seem like this bottled was opened too early. Not as big as some of the other wines we tried from more recent vintages, but a wine loaded with character and finesse. Were I to score it out of 100, I’d probably lean in the direction of about 97-98. It is the complete package.

For more thoughts on the ‘98 Grange, check out these reviews. I’ll try and think of some more legendary wines I’ve been lucky enough to try, if people are interested in hearing about ‘em. I’ll also try and compile some notes on all the 2007 Rieslings I tried in Germany.

Oh yes - I’ve almost finished writing up a review of Neil Rosenthal’s book, Reflections of a Wine Merchant. It’s been a somewhat onerous task, not unlike writing book reports in grade school. I hope I pass.

Having covered Wayne Gretzky wines in my last entry, today there’s news that Mike Weir’s wine affiliations will be changing soon.

In this Saturday’s dead-tree edition of the wine column, I tasted the Gretzky, Weir and Greg Norman wines. It appears future Weir wines will be substantially different - as in, possibly coming from the Okanagan Valley instead of the Niagara Peninsula. Weir’s current wines are made by Creekside Winery Group, but he and Creekside recently severed ties. Apparently, Weir (currently right in the thick of things at this year’s British Open) is looking to set up his own Niagara winery and/or partner with an Okanagan winery while creating a golf course in the BC winemaking region.

Anyhow, lots more to come in the next few days, including a book review and my notes from tasting one of wine’s best-known and majestic red wines. Hint: it comes from Greg Norman’s home country…

Apologies for the horrible pun in the title… my pathetic attempt at combining terroir and Weir. Again, this is why I don’t work writing headlines.

I just received the latest Sip ‘N’ Savour e-newsletter from Manitoba’s Liquor Marts, and it looks like The Great One is hitting the ‘Peg this summer in advance of his Phoenix Coyotes’ visit to the MTS Centre this fall.

Well, if you count his wine, that is. That’s right - Wayne Gretzky Estates wines (from the Niagara Peninsula) are now available in Manitoba. The red (a Meritage blend - that is to say, a Bordeaux-style blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot) will set you back $15.95 plus taxes, while the unoaked Chardonnay is fifty cents cheaper.

Gretzky is one of many celebs to lend their name to wine; in Canada there’s also Mike Weir and Dan Aykroyd, there’s Greg Norman, Nick Faldo and Olivia Newton-John from Australia, Ernie Els from South Africa, and many from the US, including Francis Ford Coppola, Motley Crue’s Vince Neil, and even Elvis Presley.

[note: I’m way too lazy to search for links to each of these wineries - a quick Google search should get you to the websites.]

In Manitoba, Gretzky’s wines are in the same price range as Aykroyd’s (and the Elvis wines), while Norman, Weir and Faldo are slightly more (the latter is available exclusively at Kenaston Wine Market, I believe). Coppola’s wines run the gamut in price, and he’s by far the most involved in the actual winemaking process - most of the rest simply give their approval or lend their name to wines.

Obviously, Elvis has little to say about or do with his wines… OR DOES HE?  I can just see the headlines at the grocery store:
“ELVIS SPOTTED PRUNING MERLOT IN CALIFORNIA!”

I think I see a celebrity wine blind tasting column in my near future…

Are wine-powered cars the way of the future? If the future King of England has anything to say about it… maybe.

As I mentioned in my last post, Prince Charles has converted an Aston Martin to run on wine. The science behind wine fuel is detailed here. Decanter reports that the English wine community (oh yes, there is one) is up in arms over a comment made by the Prince’s personal secretary that the wine was made with surplus English wine. In fact, it’s being made using wine that is no longer fit for consumption.

At the rate gas prices are rising, maybe it won’t be long before I’m filling up my Corolla with unleaded Zinfandel…

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I’ve just about finished Neal Rosenthal’s Reflections of a Wine Merchant, a charming tale of his adventures in France and Italy as a wine importer over the past thirty years. Rosenthal is one of many interviewed featured in Mondovino, a documentary about wine and globalization that came out a few years ago. I’d definitely recommend the book - it’s an easy, engaging read that pays homage to the hard-working small producers whose wines are (or were) imported to the US by Rosenthal. A more complete review to follow.

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Santa Margherita is once again a principal supporter of the AIDS - Walk for the Cure event. From July 21 to August 17, 50 cents from every bottle of Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio purchased will be donated to the National AIDS Walk for Life (the walk itself will take place in mid-September). Last year, national sales of Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio resulted in a donation of $65,000 to the cause.

Question: What will you be sipping on tomorrow?

If you’re looking to pick up some bevvies today to celebrate Canada’s birthday tomorrow, chances are you’ll stand in line. While Liquor Marts are closed tomorrow (unless you live in Gimli), don’t forget that some private wine stores and beer vendors will be open - your best bet is to call ahead.

As for me, I might pop a cork on some dry rosé or some bubbly. If I’m going to have a white wine, it might be a Portuguese Vinho Verde or an Italian Pinot Grigio - something crisp and refreshing.  If I opt for a red, it’ll be light and fruity - a Beaujolais, perhaps, or a New World Pinot Noir.

But if the mercury soars like it has been today, odds are I’ll opt for a Canuck microbrew.

**UPDATE** How could I not link to this story by the Telegraph: Prince Charles’s Aston Martin is wine powered

200 wines later, the finals tasting is done. My teeth are stained, my pants are stained (warning: never wear beige pants while tasting 15 Carmeneres), and my tongue feels like sandpaper. The results are already being tallied, and in six hours I’ll be curled up in my own bed. More to follow, including some pictures from the event, but suffice to say it’s been a great learning experience, and some great wines under $25 were tasted. I’ve got an arsenal of tasting notes for the next few months too, which will come in very handy.

I think the eleven Malbecs we tried in the last flight effectively wiped me out. Time for a beer to cleanse the palate…

Started at 9 AM with 12 Chardonnays, 14 Merlots, 14 Syrah/Shirazes, then 5 roses. Lunch was too brief, and now I’m staring down 16 Sauvignon Blancs, 20 (!) Cabernet Sauvignons, and 8 sparkling wines.

I can hear my dentist laughing already…

First off, best wishes and speedy recovery to WFP columnist Lindor Reynolds, the Grape Nut’s fallen comrade who was stricken (or struck) by a rogue Segway whilst wheeling about the Twin Cities. Read about it here. When I think of Segways, I can’t help but think of Will Arnett’s character (G.O.B.) from the too-quickly-canceled Fox series Arrested Development. I’d prescribe a big, ripe Aussie Shiraz for the aches and pains, but don’t call me in the morning.

I’m heading out to Calgary this afternoon for two days of non-stop tasting in conjunction with Wine Access‘ International Value Wine Awards. The goal is to find the best wines under $25; the wines are tasted in flights (groups) of about 15-18, and are tasted blind by the judging panels. This means we don’t know who the producers are or what country the wines are from, ensuring some form of objectivity (taste is obviously subjective, but at least craftsmanship and the like can be judged pretty fairly).

So tomorrow and Thursday I’ll be tasting (and spitting) about 100 wines per day. I participated last year, and found it was an extremely valuable (and fun) experience as a taster. Frankly, I’m looking forward to tasting anything other than Riesling - it seems like I’ve had very little else since returning from Germany.

Anyway, once the judging is over, we’re given all our tasting notes and scores (out of 100), and the wines we tasted are revealed. Seeing the nearly 1,000 bottles lined up in various groups is something else (I’ve remembered to pack my camera this time, and will be sure to try and capture the magnitude of the event). I’m hoping to get in a bit of wine shopping in while I’m there, but since I’m only bringing carry-on luggage, my options are somewhat limited. Besides, after picking up a box full of German wines after my last trip and finding three of them broken, I’m not encouraged to travel with wine at present.

Some quick notes about upcoming events on this Wednesday morning…

• De Luca Fine Wines is presenting “East Meets West” with a dinner tonight (June 18) at the Manitoba Club (194 Broadway). The four course event will feature wines from both Quails Gate Winery (BC) and Henry of Pelham Winery (Ontario). Cocktails are at 6 p.m., dinner at 7 p.m. Tickets are $99.95 and are available by calling 783-9463.
• Mona Lisa Ristorante Italiano (1697 Corydon) is the place to be tomorrow night, as they host the “Cut for the Cure” starting at 6 p.m. There will be live music, prizes, and a special buffet dinner. But the real draw is the hair cut/head shave available for willing participants (the event is a fundraiser for the Carol Shields Memorial Breast Cancer Research Fund). And if you’ve ever seen Mona Lisa’s owner, Joe Grande, you know that the $75 ticket price is a steal to see a guy with such long locks get his head buzzed. Two years ago, Joe had a full body shave at the event (yikes!), which raised nearly $3,000. Staff are also donating either their wage or tips for the night to the event as well. Call 488-3687 for tickets.
• Next Tuesday (June 24), Fude Inspired Cuisine and Wine Bar (303-99 Osborne) is hosting their first annual Beer n Dine Dinner, a five-course event featuring beer and food paired by Dave Rudge, brewmaster at Half Pints Brewery. Things get underway at 7 p.m. You can check out the menu here. Tickets are a paltry $59.99 (plus taxes and gratuity) and are available by calling 284-3833.

As you may have already heard, Statistics Canada released sales figures of alcoholic beverages in Canada for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2007. Wine continues to outpace beer and spirits in volume growth in almost every market, and while the sudsy stuff still dominates the market, beer better have a look over its shoulder - wine is on the rise.

In 1997, wine accounted for 21 per cent of dollar shares in the Canadian market; ten years on, that number has increased to 28 per cent. In the 2007 fiscal year, Manitobans bought nearly $105 million worth of wine (compared to $244+ million of beer and $205+ million of spirits). This is fifth among provinces (behind, in descending order, Quebec, Ontario, BC and Alberta, and around $8 million more than Nova Scotia).

Sales of the combined categories rose 5.9 per cent from the previous year, slightly higher than the national growth of 5.2 per cent. The full slate of information can be seen here. In total, Canadians spent an average of $667 per person (over the age of 15… an interesting age to choose) on alcohol.

Just throwing the numbers out there for now, but I’ll have more reflection on these new stats in the weeks to come, as well as news on some shake-ups at two of the world’s largest beverage conglomerates.