Fair warning: The prices of a few bottles below will insult most rational people; discretion and an appreciation for absurdity are advised.
Readers tend to write in asking for lavish holiday suggestions, so I'm obliging with a few of the best reds I sampled in recent weeks. But as a man of finite means I take heart that some of the vaunted three-digit bottles that crossed my lips were far short of memorable. In fact, they were laughably overpriced when compared with a liquid only slightly more expensive in dollar-per-ounce terms, molten silver.
It's why I'm leading the selections below with three outstanding and relatively moderate whites from New Zealand (released only in Ontario, alas): Cloudy Bay chardonnay, Spy Valley Envoy sauvignon blanc and Trinity Hill Gimblett Gravels chardonnay. They're comparable to French whites from Burgundy and the Loire valued at much more, elegant and subtle rather than heavy and obvious. Then I'm going to feature a fine $34 red from Bordeaux called L'Expression de Margaux, which most trophy hunters would quickly overlook. It's hiding a wonderful little secret. Just promise not to tell anybody about it?
Trinity Hill Gimblett Gravels Chardonnay 2013 (New Zealand)
SCORE: 94 PRICE: $33.95
Trinity Hill crafts arresting wines with great structure, earning a reputation that caught the attention of one of the wine world's smartest investors. The estate's new co-owner is an American named Charles Banks, best known to collectors as the former co-owner (with mega-billionaire Stanley Kroenke) of California's greatest cult wine, Screaming Eagle. Trinity Hill's syrahs are sublime, and so is this Meursault-styled chardonnay. Medium-full-bodied, it displays seductive flesh without tiring weight. Luscious grilled pineapple and peach-like fruit mingle with suggestions of smooth vanilla and roasted cashew. The oak – imparted by 500-litre puncheons over 12 months – is beautifully integrated, standing back far enough to share the stage with zippy herbs and minerals.
Spy Valley Envoy Sauvignon Blanc 2013 (New Zealand)
SCORE: 93 PRICE: $29.95
This is not your typical New Zealand sauvignon blanc, with that sassy, brassy blast of grass and tropical fruit. Oh, no. This is something more subtle but also, in a way, more daring. Unlike the vast majority of sauvignon blancs, which rely on refrigerated steel tanks to preserve vibrancy, it opts for an old-school approach. Fermented in oak barrels for a softer, mellower profile, it strikes gold. The texture is creamy, seamless and luscious for an otherwise crisp white, carrying loads of tangy fruit complemented by lively herbs and heady smoke. Great wine from an excellent winery.
Cloudy Bay Chardonnay 2012 (New Zealand)
SCORE: 92 PRICE: $35.95
Cloudy Bay is New Zealand's most famous wine brand, well-supported for 12 years by the deep pockets of French-based luxury conglomerate LVMH, which makes Veuve Clicquot Champagne, among other things. It's best known for its sauvignon blanc, a white instrumental in putting the country's industry on the map decades ago, but there are other fine offerings in the mix. The 2012 chardonnay is deftly balanced and complex, with plump pineapple and peaches and cream framed by tangy acidity, one of its better efforts in recent years.
L'Expression de Margaux 2010 (France)
SCORE: 92 PRICE: $33.95
Shhhh. This excellent red made from a special vineyard has been sworn to secrecy. The label is not permitted to divulge where the wine was made because the château presumably doesn't want the world rushing to buy this factory outlet-mall version at a fraction of the normal price. But let's scan the clues. The back label reads: "Vinified by a famous estate of the appellation." That appellation would be Margaux, one of Bordeaux's best neighbourhoods. L'Expression de Margaux happens to be a brand marketed by a company called Ulysse Cazabonne, based in Margaux and owned by the luxury fashion house Chanel. Guess which famous Margaux estate Chanel also owns? Château Rauzan-Ségla, an elite "second-growth" property on Bordeaux's Left Bank, producer of one of France's most sought-after reds, whose 2010 vintage sells for about $200.
Before young vines have reached the advanced maturity demanded by elite châteaux, grapes tend to be either sold generically to outside buyers or vinified at the estate and bottled as secondary wines (think of Prada's Miu Miu). This one falls somewhere in between – a baby château wine without the château's explicit identity. Full-bodied and brimming with intense currant-like fruit along with sweet tannins, spicy oak and classic Margaux-style pencil shavings, this is a cellar bargain, approachable now but worth cellaring for up to a decade.
Ornellaia 2012 (Italy)
SCORE: 96 PRICE: $195.95
My favourite of the super Tuscan parade so far this year, Ornellaia's 2012 is, in keeping with the great winery's house style, firm and built for the cellar rather than for impatient collectors. There's a thick essence of cassis and dark chocolate here as well as background notes of earthy mushroom and spice, all pulled in tight by dense, astringent tannins. Open it now with rare steak or let it improve with up to 25 years in a good, cool cellar. $174.99 in British Columbia, various prices in Alberta, $195.25 in Quebec.
Joseph Phelps Insignia 2012 (California)
SCORE: 96 PRICE: $299.95
A celebrated Bordeaux-inspired Napa red blend, Insignia delivered the goods in 2012, led by intense cassis- and plum-like fruit set against firm tannins, black tea and spices. A treat now, it would benefit from a decade or two in the cellar. Worth the money? If you have to ask, you probably have your answer. $318.99 in British Columbia, various prices in Alberta.
Masi Serego Alighieri Vaio Armaron Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 2008 (Italy)
SCORE: 95 PRICE: $69.95
Priced at roughly $85 (U.S.) in the United States, this 2008 vintage of a star Italian red just ranked No. 8 on influential American magazine Wine Spectator's top-100 list of 2015. Big, at 15.5-per-cent alcohol, it's rich but impressively nimble for its size, with smooth chocolate, plum, tobacco and baking-spice notes hugged by tannins and warmth. Various prices in Alberta.
Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2013 (France)
SCORE: 94 PRICE: $89.95
The most prominent name in the southern Rhone Valley's Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation has been wearing a fresher face in recent years. Past vintages have been noted for a funky, earthy profile, but this 2013 is relatively fresh and elegant. It tastes lighter than its stated 14.5-per-cent alcohol, with sweet cherry jam set against fresh acidity and notes of lavender, thyme and licorice. Available in Ontario.
Barossa Valley Estate E&E Black Pepper Shiraz 2008 (Australia)
SCORE: 94 PRICE: $89.95
A certifiable Aussie cult label, E&E Black Pepper managed great balance for its big weight in 2008, with a sweet core of jammy plum answered by peppery spice, licorice and soothing eucalyptus. $78.99 in British Columbia, various prices in Alberta, $89.98 in Newfoundland.