Remembering the creator of the world's tastiest jug wine

From time to time, we come across people who simply stand out. In the world of wine, one such was Sean Thackrey. Thackrey passed away at the age of 79 in California on May 30. He was an original. A former art dealer, he began making wine in the late ’70s. 

The first “On-Line Exclusive Release” by the LCBO on May 12 included his Pleiades, a wine I had tried only once before and enjoyed thoroughly. The current example is labelled XXVIII, as it is the 28^th release of what is a non-vintage wine, one that would be assembled from wines made in more than one year. Thackrey once called Pleiades “the world’s tastiest jug wine.” 

Pleiades accounted for half Thackrey’s production, about 2500 cases. By leaving his grapes exposed after harvest, it allowed different microbial flora to impact on the wine. When it did it successfully, it made what Thackrey felt was something unique. If it didn’t measure up, it would ultimately find its way to the Pleiades, which he referred to as his “disobedient wine”. Disobedient, perhaps, but delicious, definitely. 

In 2019, The Pleiades Wine Company was established to continue his legacy and to support the work of Sean and his team, bearing in mind what Thackrey believed when he said “my only purpose in the entire universe as a winemaker is to produce pleasure.”  

In his winemaking, Thackrey said that he relied on intuition, his palate, and tips from his collection of ancient texts. Today, the production of natural wines is becoming more popular with more of a ‘non-interventionist’ approach, but Thackrey had always made wine that way. He would let his grapes rest for at least 24 hours in open-topped vessels under the stars, just as the Greek poet, Hesiod advised back around 700 B.C. 

A month before his death, Thackrey’s collection of antiquarian books sold for 2 million dollars. 

All Thackrey’s wines have names referring to Constellations…Andromeda, Orion, Cassiopeia, Sirius. Of them, Thackrey said in an article by Blake Gray on the SFGate website in October 2004,  "My wines are like a person. They talk, they change, they tell you something different every sip. They taste different from one day to the next, from one hour to the next. That kind of complexity is what makes wine interesting." 

"The absence of defects is not the presence of virtues," he says. "That's why there's so much boring wine out there."

"It pays no attention to winemaking rules," he said of Pleiades. "I use fruit that's incomplete. Some has good flavour and not much mouthfeel. Some has good mouthfeel and not much flavour." 

He intentionally made his wines to evolve, believing that they will be interesting at every stage of their lives. In a 2016 article in the Bohemian, he told James Knight “It’s not necessarily that they’re getting better, although they often do, but they’re just like people – you can be a charming 10-year-old but you can still be pretty interesting at 70; you’re just different.”  

That description certainly applied to Sean Thackrey himself. An intriguing man, and an exceptional winemaker. He has left a wonderful legacy.  

Of the Pleiades XXVIII, Wilfred Wong of Wine.com wrote, “delicious, unique, a wine I drink without asking any questions about it, where it is from—its place, mindset, only Mr. Thackrey knows. I do know that Sean made it. TASTING NOTES: This wine brings enchanting aromas and flavours of brisk red fruit, bold black fruit, and hints of minerality to the table. Sit down with a friend and enjoy this wine."-92. 

On the LCBO website, you can still find this wine as Sean Thackrey XXVIII Old Vines Red (#22595) at $29.95. It can only be ordered online, but it is worth the effort. 

Other Wines 

At the Wine Rack in the Metro store – and soon at Rome’s, you will find the excellent Inniskillin Montague Vineyard Chardonnay, $25.95. It had previously been released through Vintages, but never made its way to Sault Ste. Marie. 

This is classic, balanced and smooth, carrying delicate orchard fruit flavours on a creamy palate, with lingering flavours on the finish suggestive of vanilla and nutmeg. 

Kim Crawford ‘Illuminate’ Sauvignon Blanc 2021, $19.95, was crafted for those looking for a lighter wine. With only 7 per cent alcohol and 70 calories in a 5-ounce serving, this hits the target. Customer reviews are overwhelmingly favourable; however, those who are big fans of most New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs will notice a difference. The taste is certainly there, but the wine is not as tight and does not have the bright charge of its heftier counterparts. That said, it clearly appeals to those who believe “less is more.” 

June 18 Vintages Release  

White 

Cuatro Rayas Vendmio Nocturna Verdejo 2021, $13.95, from Spain’s Rueda region is a winner. “Pale straw in the glass, this wine has aromas of grapefruit and chopped green herbs. It offers flavours of white peach, lemon-lime, dried hillside herbs and orange zest. It is bright on the palate from first sip through the vivid finish.” Wine Enthusiast - 90.   

Tre Monti Vigna Rocca Romagna Albana Secco 2020, $16.95, earned a 92 from the Wine Enthusiast, which explained that “on the smooth, rounded palate, tangy vibrant acidity lifts ripe yellow peach, pineapple juice and hazelnut flavours before a savoury almost salty finish.”  

Les Hauts de Lagarde Blanc 202, $17.95, from Bordeaux, offers intense asparagus, green bean, green apple and pear in a bright and juicy fashion, according to Vintages. Compare it to the Skuttlebutt below. 

Skuttlebutt Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon 2020, $18.95, from Western Australia, is the classic blend you would expect from Bordeaux. It is deemed a “Special Value” by winecompanion.com, which suggests flavours of lime, peach and passionfruit presented in a balanced and crisply fresh style – 94. 

Kim Crawford Extra Dry Prosecco, $22.95, is terrific. A bit more expensive than many others, it has an incredibly creamy and full mouthfeel, introducing flavours of lemon/lime and peach. The mousse (bubbles!) is more than sufficient, and the taste lingers dramatically. Buy, buy, buy. 

Red 

Basares Tempranillo 2019, $15.95, from Ribera del Duero in Spain, presents “ripe and dried berries with hints of sandalwood and cedar on the nose. Medium to full body, savoury fruit and a flavorful finish. Tangy acidity highlights the wine.” – 93 jamessuckling.com.  

Rucahue Family Reserve Red Blend 2018, $16.95, is a wine from Chile new to the LCBO. It is a 70/30 blend of Cabernet Sauvignon/Cabernet Franc, with a 95 from the Decanter World Wine Awards which tells us it has a “pure and racy palate with structured tannin and sour cherry flavours. Concentrated and fresh on the finish.” 

3 Rings Shiraz 2019, $17.95, from Australia’s Barossa Valley is appealing. “The flavours are all deep, dark and brooding: there is plenty of concentrated plumminess, dark chocolate and enough grippy tannin to balance the wine out very nicely. Seriously good value for money.” Drink through 2031. therealreview.com - 90 

Bertani Catullo Valpolicella Ripasso Classico Superiore 2017, $24.95, is described by falstaff.com as having “ripe cherry on the nose, fresh rose, rich blackberries at the end. Shows as dry and exciting, salty and precise, clear and elegant with firm drive on the finish.” Score – 92.