Pick of the week
Château Roland La Garde Prestige 2003 ($26.95, product No. 029652) is a rich merlot-dominated claret. Velvety and warm, it shows a cassis-like core that gives way to a moderately tannic, dry finish.
The best wine in today's big tribute to France at LCBO Vintages stores will be revealed at the end of this column. I'm saving it for last because it's a sweet wine, and few people beside food-and-wine-pairing sticklers are in the market for sticky stuff these days. The irony is that this particular sweet wine would pair remarkably well with lots of savoury foods, notably foie gras and blue cheeses, but even spicy meats or, if you're a sauternes freak, grilled steak. Let's start, then, with one of the more attractive reds that would be a more conventional pairing for your first backyard steak. Château Roland La Garde Prestige 2003 ($26.95, product No. 029652) is an uncommonly fruit-driven Bordeaux. A rich, ripe merlot-dominated claret from the Côtes de Blaye, it weighs in at a formidable 14-per-cent alcohol. Velvety and warm, it shows a cassis-like core that gives way to minerals and a moderately tannic, dry finish. Drink it now or store it for two to four years.
Among other Bordeaux worth checking out are two cabernet-dominated reds. Les Fiefs de Lagrange 2001 ($37.95, No. 010504) is the baby wine from Château Lagrange, a classified third-growth in St. Julien. It shows a decidedly earthy, mineral-like edge supported by a base of ripe black cherry fruit. And very good for the money is Château Haut-Vigneau 2003 from Pessac-Léognan ($24.95, No. 029678), medium full-bodied, offering up plum and cassis and nice balancing acidity and spice.
I was not able to preview the promising Guigal Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2003 ($49.95), but there is another wine from the southern Rhône that's terrific at half the price, Yann Chave Crozes-Hermitage 2005 ($24.95, No. 018812). This 100-per-cent syrah is full-bodied, firm and bone-dry, with an underlying note of maraschino cherry, hints of new leather, licorice, spice and minerals. It should age for up to four years.
The red star at under $20 has got to be Château L'Hospitalet La Reserve 2005 ($18.95, No. 682492). A blend of syrah, grenache and mourvèdre from the southern Languedoc region, it's full-bodied, with a core of almost-sweet dark fruits, smoke, herbs, licorice and spice. It's a nicely robust red for hearty meat dishes like beef stew or marinated flank steak.
Among white wines, a standout is Réserve de Gassac Selection Guibert 2005 ($18.95, No. 608778). A fairly recent creation from one of southern France's most distinguished wineries, Mas de Daumas Gassac, this white is an offbeat blend of 40-per-cent chardonnay, 40-per-cent sauvignon blanc and clairette. Light and crisp, it shows an intriguing mélange of flavours, from pear to citrus to herbs to minerals. Great for grilled fish.
A good choice for Asian fare would be Vigeau-Chevreau Vouvray Cuvée Domaine 2005 ($21.95, No. 017665), a dry chenin blanc with a medium body, and notes of melon, pear, herbs and flowers.
From Burgundy, there's a nice choice from one of the region's best large producers: Louis Jadot Pouilly-Fuissé 2005 ($34.95, No. 732917). But the impressive value is the wine's little sister, Louis Jadot Bourgogne Chardonnay 2005 ($20.15, No. 933077), a permanent Vintages listing that has been lumped into the catalogue for today's release. Consistently good from year to year, the Bourgogne Chardonnay shows great balance, coming as it does from the fine 2005 vintage. Medium-bodied, creamy and deftly oaked, with hints of apple, citrus and pineapple and lively acidity, it's a versatile, classically French chardonnay at a very good price.
And now for that sweet wine: Château Suduiraut Castelnau de Suduiraut Sauternes 2003 ($24.95 for a half-bottle, No. 029694). Like all sauternes, it's the product of a benevolent fungus known as noble rot that has a tendency to infect grapes around the humid Sauternes district, piercing their skins until they become partly raisined. What's left is a supersweet syrup that becomes the world's most famous dessert wine. Unrivalled in their harmonious sugar-acid balance and complexity of flavour, the wines of Sauternes have an uncanny ability to pair well with lots of savoury foods in addition to desserts. This wine is a stunner, brimming with notes of caramelized sugar, peaches and apricots, with a silky texture and long finish that is as clean as it is sweet.
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