Vin Greco's weekend wine: Vintage Sale

Vin Greco is well known locally for his wine expertise.

His interest in wine has been life-long.

Currently he conducts tastings, formal or informal, upon request, and twice a year partners in a tasting with Chef Ian Thomlinson Upstairs at Rome’s.

This week Vin schools us on "de-listings" and how to get in on some great deals.

He also spreads the news about the Old Mission Peninsula Wine Tour just around the corner

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Vintages Sale

Every once in a while, Vintages undergoes a “de-listing”. 

This Monday, items from the July 22 undertaking were put out for sale at about 25% off at our Great Northern Road store.

Here are some worth seeking out, with sufficient quantities at time of writing.

Port

Quintas das Carvalhas Reserva Tawny Port, $13.25  ( - $4.70)

Ready to drink, with flavours of caramel, fig and vanilla spice, it will work well with fruit, strong cheeses and chocolate.

Fonseca Terra Prima Reserve Port, $18.25  (-$6.70)

Cocoa, pepper and dark cherry, also ready to drink, this earned a 90 from the Wine Spectator magazine.

White

Jean Geiler Reserve Particulière Chasselas 2011, Alsace, $10.25 (- $3.70)

Usually a blending wine, this is easy sipping with mild acidity, and light citrus and peach flavours.

Sols & Sens Laudun Côtes-du-Rhone Villages Blanc 2011 $ 10.75 (- $4.20)

A blend of Grenache Blanc, Viognier, and Rousanne, it should provide good intensity of tropical fruit and pear flavours and fine value at this price.

Terraprima [ massis del garraf], 2011, Spain, $ 13.25, ( - $4.70)

A distinctive blend of Xarel-lo, a native Spanish grape often used in sparkling wine, and Riesling, it is refreshing with a full mouth-feel, stone fruit (peach and apricot) notes, and some spritz on the finish – 91, from erobertparker.com

Red

Tenuta Rocca Ornate Langhe 2006, Piedmont $ 16.25, (- $5.70 )

This blend of Nebbiolo, Barbera, and Cabernet Sauvignon can still take some time in the cellar.

It is well- made, with lots of fruit and intensity, and will pair with good Italian fare and tomato- based sauces.

Masserie Pisari Primitivo 2010, Puglia, $10.75, ( - $4.20)

This southern Italian red shares the same Croatian parent as California’s Zinfandel. 

It combines dark cherry and concentrated plum notes with some smoke and bright acidity. 

Well reviewed, it retails for over $20 Canadian in Australia.

Domaine de Longue Toque Gigondas 2010, Rhone, $22.75 (-$7.70)

An excellent wine from a top vintage, this has gobs of dark fruit and terrific length, and it will keep for several years.

Maison Roche de Bellene Vielles Vignes Volnay 2010, Burgundy, $29.75

(-$ 10.20)

Here’s an opportunity to try a good Burgundy at a more affordable price. 

Still young, it is made from vines in the 50 to70 year range. 

They are often pulled out at a much younger age as the production level falls off, though fruit quality intensifies. 

Chateauneuf-du-Pape

There are 3 examples of this storied red from the southern Rhone. 

It is a blend of several different grapes, and the wines are relatively expensive. 

The three here, though are of high quality, each in turn, with scores in the 90’s from various reviewers.

They all will have big fruit, with Domaine de Fontavin Terre d’Ancêtres 2010, $28.25, (- 9.70) probably the most massive in style.

Domaine de Vieux Télégraphe Télégramme 2010, $34.75, (- $12.20) is the most approachable. 

This is a second wine of the Vieux Télégraphe estate, one of the most renowned of Chateauneuf-du-Pape, and less than half the price of the main edition.

Domaine La Roquête 2009, $34.75, (- $12.20) may show more finesse at this point, with some blackberry notes and earthiness.

Bordeaux

Chateau Fort-Lignac 2009, $13.25, (-$ 4.70) is approachable now, but will hold.  It has good fruit with black currant or cassis notes.

Chateau Cailleteau Bergeron 2010, $13.25, (- $4.70) From another fine vintage year, it took gold at a prestigious Paris show. 

The ripe fruit shows through with some cedar and tobacco highlights. 

There are several other wines in the sale, with just a few bottles of each still available at time of writing (August 1), but it’s worth taking a peak to see if something else appeals.

If you’re a fan of Cirò, Calabria’s signature red made from the ancient Gaglioppo grape, the Librandi Duca SanFelice Riserva Rosso 2009, which apparently has had some oak aging, will be going on sale after the first week of August for $13.95, a $2 saving. 

Expect a fairly dry wine with good grip.

Happy hunting.

Old Mission Peninsula Wine Tour

Charlevoix Cab is offering a 4- person wine tour of the Old Mission Peninsula by Traverse City for $200 – regularly $400. 

Transportation is provided from Charlevoix, and 4 wineries are visited. 

The offer expires at noon on August 13.  For more information, or to book, call 231-547-9700. 

You can also visit the website at www.migreatdeals.com.

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