Pick of the week Finca Flichman Expresiones Reserve Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 ($15.95, No. 017111). There's a busload of flavour packed into this chewy, muscular red, brimming with flavours of juicy plum, dark-skinned berries, licorice and smoky pipe tobacco.
Ever been sorely disappointed by a wine you tried on the basis of another from the same producer? You loved the pinot noir, for example, but hated the cabernet sauvignon. Or you were smitten with the white, but thought the red was a dud.
It happens all the time with wine, more so, I think, than most other consumer products. Call it label letdown, the failure of a brand to deliver consistent quality across all members of the product line, sort of like the Barrymore family or Belushi brothers.
There are many reasons why this happens with wine. For one thing, if a producer is located in a cool region, ideal for early ripening pinot noir, he may not be able to turn out a similarly good cabernet, which needs warm sunshine late into the fall.
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But the main reason is that wine, or at least fine wine, doesn't take well to a lot of human intervention. You can't just mix in chemical additives and blend your way to success as though it were a mass-market consumer product, such as canned soup or Coke. Grapes are highly sensitive to soil and weather conditions, and winemaking is always a little bit unpredictable.
So I'm usually more surprised than not when three wines bearing similar-looking labels deliver exceptional quality. That's the case with a trio of full-bodied reds from Argentine producer Finca Flichman, which recently arrived in Ontario. I mentioned one a couple of weeks ago, Finca Flichman Malbec Reserva 2005, a few bottles of which may still be had around for $12.95 (product No. 746727). Another standout, just released this past week, is Finca Flichman Expresiones Reserve Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 ($15.95, No. 017111). There's a busload of flavour packed into this chewy, muscular red, brimming with flavours of juicy plum, dark-skinned berries, licorice and smoky pipe tobacco. It finishes with a tight, tannic grip and should cellar well for at least five years, though it would be a good match now with robust red-meat dishes, such as braised beef.
To complete the hat trick, a sister red from the same winery, a blend of malbec and cabernet rather than shiraz and cabernet, is being launched for the same price in Ontario next Saturday as part of a big South American feature. It's called Finca Flichman Expresiones Reserve Malbec Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 ($15.95, No. 507707). More on that next week.
Continuing with other recent Ontario releases, I'm a big fan of Inishowen Irish Whiskey ($33.95, No. 656017) . This out-of-the-ordinary spirit is blended from peated and unpeated malt whiskies as well as smooth-tasting grain whisky. The peat and malt impart some Scottish single-malt character, yet the core is sweet and fruity, and the overall effect remains delicate, the hallmark of the glorious Irish style.
The most impressive white of the release is one of California's benchmark chardonnays, the always ripe and compellingly oak-infused Beringer Private Reserve Chardonnay 2004 ($44.95, No. 026682). Full-bodied and creamy, it shows notes of butter, baked apple and lemon, with a soft finish. Maybe it could have used a smidgeon more acidity, but I'm sure many people will like it as-is. Much lighter in body but still powerful and exuberant is Babich Black Label Sauvignon Blanc 2005 from New Zealand ($17.97, No. 009142). Big notes of gooseberry, tropical fruit and herbs resolve with crisp acidity on the long finish.
For a good value in full-bodied reds, there's Cuttaway Hill Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 from Australia ($14.95, No. 004945), laced with blackberry-cassis fruit, a subtle note of sweet tobacco and crisp acidity. This is a crisp, easy-drinking cabernet that would pair nicely with pizza.
Another impressive easy-drinking cab is Tenuta Santa Anna Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 ($17.95, No. 617423). It hails from the northern Veneto region of Italy and is typical of the region's better reds, medium-bodied, bright and juicy, with fresh berry-like fruit and a crisp finish. If you like cabernet but are bothered by astringent tannins, you should like this wine. It's another great pizza or pasta cab.
On the much more delicate side, Malivoire Pinot Noir 2004 from Niagara ($27.95, No. 996777) offers up a nicely crafted, light-bodied pinot, with berry-like fruit and a crisp finish. Not big, but well-balanced -- a good red for fish.
One of the more impressive bargains in this past week's Vintages release is a white from Italy, the consistently good Zenato Lugana San Benedetto 2005 ($13.95, No. 707158). It's medium-bodied and silky, with hints of honeydew and melon, good acidity and a long finish. Very versatile. I last had a bottle with the famous roast chicken at Hamersley's Bistro, a top-ranked establishment in Boston. Restaurants should be all over this wine.
