It could be the title of a movie sequel, I suppose, but I'll bet it also describes more than a few hectic lives out there: The hunt for reds in November.
Given your choice of reading material at the moment, it's a fair assumption you have at least one wine aficionado on your holiday list. Who doesn't have one in 2007? There are many advantages to giving the gift of fermented grapes. It's luxurious. It's mentioned all over the
Bible and other inspirational texts. And, well, it's easy to wrap; just buy yourself one of those $2 wrapping-paper bags at the checkout and
insert.
But there's one drawback: Good wine is scarce and you must move quickly. Take it from a veteran procrastinator who waited until Nov. 24 to publish a shop-early column. If you dally until mid-December to shop for a good cabernet, shiraz or Barolo - the "oooh, ahhh" wines of these unsubtle times - you risk disappointment. Blue Nun, which you'll find in stock right up to Dec. 24, is not an option, notwithstanding its religious motif.
If you need a few suggestions, consider the wines below. And if you need more in coming weeks because you're a last-minute shopper like me, do come back to this space. I might not get around to another gift column until mid-December, but you can count on one more.
Let's start with a wine that's available in several provinces, including British Columbia. I know many readers have heard by now of Australian golfer Greg Norman's wine oeno-preneurial venture. He is a wine-celebrity pioneer, recently joined by the likes of Wayne Gretzky and Sam Neill (the latter, coincidentally, a star of the 1990 movie The Hunt for Red October).
I fear the novelty of the golf tie-in may have worn off. But it's a good thing Norman knows how to craft good drink (at least in Australia; some of us feel less enthusiastic about his more recent expansion into California).
Greg Norman Australian Estates Limestone Coast Shiraz 2005 ($23.95 in Ontario, product No. 575092; $27.99 in B.C.; $24.97 in Newfoundland) is well worth the money purely for what's in the bottle. It's a well-balanced shiraz that shows the richness you would expect from an Australian without weighing down the palate. Velvety and laced with notes of plum and dark berries, it gets a lift from savoury licorice and lively acidity.
Also offering plenty of golf appeal, and cheaper than a TaylorMade r7 sand wedge, is Mike Weir Cabernet Merlot 2006 ($18.95, No. 000109). It was recently added as a continuously available Vintages Essentials listing in Ontario and is an impressive Niagara red for the money. Trim and Bordeaux-like in style, this medium-bodied red reveals currant-like fruit with a savoury backbone of roasted coffee and herbs and a firm, dry finish.
Also from Mike Weir is the excellent Mike Weir Estate Vidal Icewine 2005 ($54.95 for 375 ml, No. 054981), intense and nicely balanced.
Ontarians looking for an impressive-value, gift-worthy red might want to consider Thorn-Clarke Shotfire Shiraz 2005 ($24.95, No. 018796).
Here's a deliciously fruity Australian shiraz with overtones of bitter chocolate, black pepper and earth and a long, warm finish.
Other good Aussies from the release include: Henschke Keyneton Estate Euphonium 2003 ($51.95, No. 720433) from one of Australia's most revered wineries; Penfolds Bin 128 Shiraz 2004 ($29.95, No. 509919), a great buy from another top Aussie label; and Hope Estate The Ripper Shiraz 2005 ($19.95, No. 686865).
For the Europhile, there are three terrific and expensive reds launched today through Vintages. From Bordeaux comes Château De Pez 2003 ($51.95, No. 717389), an overachieving cru Bourgeois from the cabernet-dominated St-Estèphe district that shows all the ripe, lusciousness of the warm 2003 vintage, yet with plenty of balancing dryness from tight acidity and a graphite-like mineral character. It should age nicely for 10 years.
The Italian star is Paolo Conterno Barolo Ginestra 2003 ($59.95, No. 734293). I love Italy for its shoes and I love Barolo for its shoe leather, a typical nuance of the nebbiolo grape on which the wine is based.
If that sounds off-putting, think of it like a new-car smell or stinky cheese. In the right context, it's appealing. Plus, there are plenty of
cherry-like and floral notes to round out the whole effect in this complex, firmly structured red, which finishes long and with a bite of acidity and tannin. Age it eight to 10 years if you can.
The star from Spain is Montecastro Llanahermosa 2004 ($34.95, No. 015016). Here's a powerful, new and therefore still-underpriced red from the fashionable and distinguished Ribera del Duero region. There's ample underlying fruit here, but the thrill is in the strong supporting roles played by pencil lead and black pepper and the warm, long, penetrating finish.
Substantial but fine, silt-like tannins in this wine should enable it to improve nicely for five to 10 years. This is a great gift for a wine aficionado who likes discovering emerging stars.
A rarity that has just made its way from the Ontario Classics Catalogue phone- and Internet-ordering catalogue to the store level is perfect for the Tuscan freak on your list. Il Palazzone Brunello di Montalcino 2000 ($65, No. 021105) is a romp through wild boar country, teeming with cherry-like fruit and cola and layers of leather, wood and forest floor. Excellent.
Pick of the week
Thorn-Clarke Shotfire Shiraz 2005 ($24.95, No. 018796).
Here's a deliciously fruity
Australian shiraz with overtones of bitter chocolate, black pepper and earth and a long, warm
finish.
