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Posts with category ‘Spain’

Tio Pepe and Opimian Society

Posted on June 5, 2006

Last Wednesday evening, I was in the courtyard at Bodega Gonzales Byass in Jerez, Spain, enjoying copious copitas (small glasses designed for fino sherry) of Tio Pepe, the company’s landmark brand, and world’s largest selling fino sherry. I was amazed at its continuous ability to refresh the palate through two hours of assorted hot and cold tapas. I was also ruminating on the incredulous news that the folks who run the LCBO's General List back home had de-listed this iconic wine. Importer Russell Woodman was informed of this in early May, with a curt fax saying that Tio Pepe had not made quota. Woodman claims a three-month out-of-stock situation had hurt the sales numbers, and has appealed. Meanwhile he is also taking steps to get Tio Pepe moving through Vintages stores where he feels it will be better handled by product consultants who have some idea of what this wine is all about. Obviously, given the General List’s thoughtless (computer-generated?) action, the folks there do not understand this wine. Certainly, the fortunes of sherry continue to fall globally, so the industry in Jerez must look itself in the eye and figure out a way to stop the slide. Ironically, Tio Pepe had already tried just that—recently reconfiguring the contents to make it one of the fruitiest, gentlest of fino sherries, then re-packaging it in a new white wine-looking bottle that even included the grape name—palomino—on the label.

Value Wines, Calgary Dining, Portuguese Whites

Posted on June 26, 2006

Howdy, from the Hotel Arts in Calgary—site of the first International Value Wine Awards. There are 800 wines entered from 18 countries, all available somewhere in Canada for less than $25. As far as I know, this is the world’s first international judging for less-expensive wines, and I suspect there will be big world wide interest in this process. Results will determine a best red and best white under $25, then provide “top ten values” in each major varietal category—for example, the ten best shiraz in Canada under $25. They will also break out winners regionally or by country. By rough count, about 300 of the wines entered are found on Ontario’s general list or as Vintages Essentials, wines that I will be reviewing in the Toronto Life Eating and Drinking Guide this fall. The competition is being held in Calgary because Alberta, with a privatized market and over 700 stores, has the largest number of brands on store shelves of any province in Canada, over 10,000 at any one time compared to about 4,000 in Ontario.

Cellar-Starting Portuguese Reds

Posted on August 14, 2006

Mid-August may seem an odd time to talk about cellaring inexpensive Portugese reds, but the character of this genre has been something of a revelation. I've tasted virtually the entire LCBO general list for the Toronto Life Eating and Drinking Guide (out in October) and December's Food and Wine CityGuide, and I’ve just finished the section on Spain and Portugal. Here's a sneak preview of what’s coming, plus four picks demonstrating the age-worthiness of Portugal’s reds.

The Merchant Vintner

Posted on September 12, 2006

The small, leafy backyard patio in the Upper Beach Gerrard/Coxwell home of wine importer Tony Hirons, The Merchant Vintner, bristled with sunlit wine bottles. The Italians over there, the French under the umbrella mixed with the Australians, the Iberians on that table. There were just a few tasters and all kinds of time to rummage through a portfolio of consignment and future Vintages releases from small family producers around the world. What made this all the more interesting was Hirons’ personal stories about each producer. Now passing the family business into the hands of son Nick after 25 years, The Merchant Vintner is a true artisan importer, and an outspoken advocate for family, fairness and fun in the wine business. This is a man—and there are others in Toronto like him—who deserves the chance to be a real wine merchant, in his own store and in his own neighbourhood, passing on wines and stories to friends and strangers who walk through his door every day. Instead he must hold near-clandestine tastings for a few wine writers in the hope they can get the word out about wines that can only be ordered by the case, or which will be coming out six months from now. (Hopefully the writers won’t forget). But that’s the way selling fine wine works in our world class city.

Wine of the Week & Michel Rolland in Toronto

Posted on January 30, 2007

Chateau Fontenil 2004 Fronsac ****
Bordeaux, France ($49, Vintages 35907)
This property near Libourne in Bordeaux’s right bank is the domicile of winemaker Michel Rolland, the subject of this week’s feature. The Fronsac appellation is famous (or infamous) for having a strong mineral flavour and austere tannin; it’s interesting, but hardly mouth-watering merlot. Fontenil shows that minerality too, but embroidered by the perfectly ripened berry fruit and fine tannin—a lovely wine with poise, purity and nuance. I’ve not tasted a Fronsac like this before, but I did recognize its place. It's part of a special Vintages offering (see below).

Sushi Time

Posted on April 11, 2007

Wine of the Week
Oroya 2005
Spain, $13.95, Vintages April 14, #25775
(score 86)
Created by Spanish giant Freixnet, this seemingly simple dry white was put together from native Spanish varieties —airen (60%), macabeo (30%) and muscat (10%)—specifically to match with sushi, as spelled out on the label both in English and Japanese. It's rather innocuous when sipped solo, with vague floral, melon and citrus flavours set in a slim, dry yet harmonious frame. Well integrated acidity and alcohol forms the bedrock of the wine and the switch that turns it on is sushi, as discovered below. It really works.

Blooming Whites

Posted on May 12, 2008

If you have never dedicated your wine budget to exploring the world’s aromatic whites, I suggest that now might be an opportune moment—when May is blossoming with fragrance, and some terrific bottles are selling for a song. The June issue of Toronto Life features reviews of 10 great aromatic whites from some of the world’s more obscure wine regions. Several others were tasted in researching the article, so I’ve reviewed them here. Plus, I’ve added a few classic selections from Germany and Niagara also released at Vintages on May 10.

David Lawrason

David Lawrason

David Lawrason has worked full time as one of Canada's leading, independent wine writers and educators for over 20 years. He was the founder of Wine Access magazine and Globe and Mail wine columnist for 13 years before becoming resident wine guy at Toronto Life, where he pens a monthly column and writes an exhaustive review of LCBO general listings for the annual Food and Wine Guide. As a wine educator he has taught sommelier programs at George Brown, Humber and Niagara Colleges, and has run popular public courses in Toronto since 1988. He has visited every major wine major producing country in the world, while focusing recently on the booming Canadian wine scene, as founder of the Canadian Wine Awards program, and Canadian wine columnist for Wine Access.

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