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Pick of the week

Pond Paddock Hawks Flight Pinot Noir 2004 ($31.95, No. 034173). This beautiful pinot has classic varietal characters of jammy berries and spice, accented by smoky cigar tobacco. It is medium-bodied but flavourful, and held together against a nice acid backbone.

Summer must be nearly over. The days are shorter. I just ate a tomato that tasted like a tomato. And Vintages, the fine wine and spirits division of the Liquor Control Board of Ontario, is getting all serious again after a summer of cheap and cheerful rosés and sauvignon blancs.

Yes, I'm talking about the pinot noir release. Next week's provincewide launch of new products features an array of pinots from around the world as well one very notable Austrian white for adventurous imbibers who dare to be different. I'll get to next Saturday's highlights in a minute, so that readers outside major centres can order by Tuesday to ensure local stores reserve order stock of the mentioned wines. But, first, some currently available highlights of recent releases that have been flying under the radar.

The knockout bargain of the week has got to be Don Miguel Gascon Merlot 2005 ($14.95, No. 037309). It's a juicy, luscious merlot from Argentina that was slated for a July release but only recently made its way into stores because of an administrative delay (400 cases for the whole province). From a producer called Bodegas Escorihuela Gascon, owned by the family behind Argentina's prominent Catena winery, it is packed with flavour and brimming with style. It's full-bodied, rich and modern, with fresh, voluptuous, cherry-like fruit supported by nuances of tobacco and cedar. The balance and finish are impressive for the money, with the flavours wrapped in a smooth layer of fine-grained tannins and anchored by bright, juicy acidity. Note: It's listed under Chile on the LCBO's website, but it's very Argentine and totally lacking in that eucalyptus note that can muddle an otherwise lovely Chilean merlot.

Another fabulous Argentine buy, this one white, is Alta Vista Premium Torrontes 2006 ($12.95, No. 037127). It's light-bodied but oozing with pronounced flavours of white table grape and citrus-like tang. Superb for lots of Indian food.

Don't miss two nice reds from Italy. Umberto Cesari Liano Sangiovese Cabernet Sauvignon 2003 ($32.95, No. 660530). Full-bodied and velvety, this rich, smooth red is a deft blend of two very different grapes, showing concentrated, cabernet-like berry flavour and a bracing, almost salt-like tang on the finish coming from the sangiovese. Also good is Mazzei Belguardo Serrata 2004 ($21.95, No. 594887), a similar blend of mostly sangiovese with 35-per-cent cabernet sauvignon. It's bracing and astringent, with notes of licorice and earth and a mouthwatering finish.

Another recent below-the-radar release is the excellent Pond Paddock Hawks Flight Pinot Noir 2004 from New Zealand ($31.95, No. 034173). Made by former Montrealer Jeff Barber and his New Zealand wife, Christine, it's a marvel given that the vines are only a few years old. This beautiful pinot has classic varietal characters of jammy berries and spice, accented by smoky cigar tobacco. Medium-bodied, it's flavourful and held together against a nice acid backbone.

From last week's vintages release (and also available in other provinces) is the very good Gallo Family Laguna Vineyard Chardonnay 2004 ($29.95, No. 544981). Proudly Californian, this full-bodied white delivers plenty of rich, ripe fruit and smoky oak in a nicely balanced package. Even better, though, I think, is another Gallo effort being released next week in Ontario (as are all the other wines that follow), Ernest & Julio Gallo Two Rock Vineyard Chardonnay 2004 ($29.95, No. 938035). From a cool location in Sonoma County, this chard is rich and fruity but deliciously crisp, with nuances of sweet lemon and peach framed by brilliant acidity. Excellent.

And now for next week's pinots. The finest, by a long shot, is also the most expensive. Bouchard Pere & Fils Volnay Caillerets Ancienne Cuvée Carnot 2005 ($86.95, No. 043240). The cherry-like core in this aromatic red Burgundy is warm and almost liqueur-like, evolving into nuances of earth and flowers and an ultra-long, mellow finish.

The other Burgundian standout is Parent Pommard Les Chanlins 2005 ($64.95, No. 042069), offering up dark-skinned fruit flavour, hints of mineral and violet, and a finish marked by spicy oak and earth. The tannins are fine and chewy, and this one could deliver big dividends in four to six years.

For pinot bargain hunters, there's the impressive Cono Sur Vision Single Vineyard Pinot Noir 2006 ($15.95, No. 689992). From Chile's largest pinot specialist by far, it shows a good cherry-like core accented by herbs and spicy oak. It's not often one comes across such a compelling pinot for this kind of money. Remarkable value.

Niagara watchers should be impressed with Flat Rock Pinot Noir 2005 ($19.95, No. 001545), an impressively ripe and focused, slightly jammy pinot with good balancing acidity and a touch of sour-cherry bitterness on the finish. Quite good.

And, finally, to that Austrian white, Moorhof Muskat Ottonel 2006 ($15.95, No. 728667). The muscat grape always has a prominent and uncanny flavour of white table grapes, and that's evident here. But this wine is stunningly well balanced, boisterously fruity, yet light and bone-dry, with gorgeous floral notes and spice. Amazing. Want to prolong the summer? Stick a bottle of this into an ice bucket.

bcrosariol@globeandmail.com