All of these wines are around a $20 (CDN) price point and are our usual Saturday night favourites... except recently we have been trying a number of new wines but normally these wines are our staples.
"The Whites"
"The Reds"
I'll start with the 'whites'. I generally like to start a meal with a white wine and finish with a red wine. Now white wines are harder to pair with food than red wines... you miss a pairing with a red it will generally be OK, you miss with a white and it will be awful - think toothpaste and orange juice.
Our first white on the list is Robert Mondavi's Fume Blanc, which is just another name for Sauvignon Blanc. It is a straight forward crisp and refreshing wine that goes with a number of foods. I like this wine with Spicy Shrimp, Gorgonzola Dip, and Crab Dip. This will also work with powerful salads like Caesar and Greek.LCBO Information -
ROBERT MONDAVI FUMÉ BLANC
VINTAGES 221887
750 mL bottle
Price: $ 24.95
12.7% Alcohol
Sugar Content : D
Made in: California, United States
By: Robert Mondavi Winery
Release Date: Oct 13, 2007
Description - In 1966, Robert Mondavi originated his lightly-oaked Sauvignon Blanc and dubbed it Fumé Blanc. The aromas on stage here include apple, sweet grass, mineral and light toast notes. It has a crisp, refreshing, fruity core and a soft, yet spicy finish, that makes it a perfect partner for baked snapper or smoked salmon.
The description mentions it pairs well with smoked salmon; personally I think it is OK with smoked salmon. Go with Chardonnay instead, it is a much better pairing. At $24.99 it is the most pricey of all the wines. If $25 is out of your range, New Zealand is known for their Sauvignon Blancs and you can find a number of them for less than the $25. I prefer the Robert Mondavi as the light exposure to oak softens the acidity in the wine. South Africa does some very nice Sauvignon Blancs at very reasonable prices.
Our second white on the list is a Robert Mondavi Riesling - no I'm not getting paid to move Mondavi wines :), this is the last Mondavi on the list. Their Riesling is a semi-sweet riesling and it pairs very well with Curries, Chinese Food and spicy dishes. Riesling is a very diverse grape and this wine is very food friendly, especially for people who don't drink alot of wine. If in doubt on something that you think should pair with a white wine go Riesling.
LCBO Information -
03 RIESLING COASTAL PRIVATE SELECTION JOHANNISBERG - MONDAVI
VINTAGES 529685
750 mL bottle
Price: $ 14.95
10.5% Alcohol
Sugar Content : 3
Made in: California, United States
By: ROBERT MONDAVI WINERY
Release Date: N/A
Tasting Note - Light gold colour. Peach, bees wax & petrol aroma off- dry with peachy, citrusy flavours. Good balancing acidity
Serving Suggestion - Serve chilled with thai spring rolls, fruit-stuffed pork,etc.
This listing is funny as there is 1 bottle in stock in the whole province of Ontario and it doesn't exist, the LCBO can be very slow at times in removing dead items from inventory. The current release of the riesling is probably 2006. This is widely available in the US, if you are down there pick up a case (price is about $5.99-$7.99 US), you won't be disappointed.
Our last white is the grape that is the King of the Whites - Chardonnay. The Kendall-Jackson Chardonnay is one of my favourites - it and smoked salmon are to die for! Chardonnay will pair with most fish dishes, chicken, and and shell fish. It also goes very well with pasta and an Alfredo sauce. The only thing to watch for with fish or chicken is if there is a heavy sauce on them - if it is tomato based go with a red wine or if it is spicy lean towards the riesling.
LCBO information -
KENDALL-JACKSON VINTNER'S RESERVE CHARDONNAY 2005
VINTAGES 369686
750 mL bottle
Price: $ 19.95
12.5% Alcohol
Sugar Content : D
Made in: California, United States
By: Kendall-Jackson
Release Date: Nov 24, 2007
Tasting Note... 2005 continues their streak of top-notch wines. Loads of tropical fruit, surprisingly deep texture, medium body, and wonderful purity results in a crisp, elegant, dry Chardonnay. It is ideal for drinking over the next 1-2 years. Score - 89. (Robert Parker Jr., www.erobertparker.com, Dec. 2006)
A $20 wine and a 89 rating by Robert Parker not too bad! A smoke buddy in my building at work told me a story about his mother - every event like wedding receptions, office parties, or any other place where price is the main factor in choosing the wines, she smuggles in a bottle of KJ Chardonnay to drink with the food 'So she has something nice to drink with food'. Go Mom!
On to the Red wines - Merlot is one of the most diverse wines out there and if you are ever in doubt with what to serve with a meal go Merlot. It is a medium bodied red that is very food friendly. I really like it with most pasta and sauce (except for Alfredo as mention earlier). It is great with mixed grill and very good with BBQ'd sausage. Hearty soups and stews are also a wonderful match for this wine. The Beringer Merlot has been consistantly good year after year, though I have found that this is one wine that about 3 years of aging does make it even better.
LCBO Information -
BERINGER FOUNDER'S ESTATE MERLOT
LCBO 534255
750 mL bottle
Price: $ 19.95
13.5% Alcohol
Sugar Content : 1
Made in: California, United States
By: BERINGER VINEYARDS
Tasting Note - Ruby garnet colour; red berry aromas with light oak notes; dry, medium-bodied palate with fine tannins on the finish
Serving Suggestion -Beef stroganoff
The Beringer's Merlot is very good but if you have a few more dollars to spend the Rutherford Hill Merlot at about $29 a bottle is stunning which is how I found out about aging the Beringer's Merlot - a few years back I picked a case of the Beringer's 2000 Merlot as I thought it was really good, then a month later I found the Rutherford Hill Merlot and the Beringer's Merlot sat for a couple of years almost forgotten in the wine cellar. I re-discovered the Beringer's Merlot one night and was very surprised how good it was after sitting for that time. I almost shed a tear when we killed the last bottle of the 2000 Beringer's Merlot earlier this year!
Zinfandel is California's grape, only a few places outside of California grow Zinfandel and not in any great quantity. When most people hear Zinfandel they think of the pink Kool Aid stuff - that my friends is white Zinfandel. It's big brother Red Zindandel doesn't have much in common with it, other than lots of fruit. Red Zins are big bold ass wines that range in alcohol between 14% and 16% ... this puppy will get you drunk and shit! On a more serious note, Red Zinfandel goes great with BBQ's foods that are coated in BBQ sauce. Wings and Ribs are this wine's best friend, spicy foods are also killer with wine. When I think of Red Zinfandel to me one name comes to mind - Rosenblum. The Rosenblum Zinfandel is a giant alcoholic fruit bomb and I love it just the way it is - if I want smooth and subtle I'll call a Cab (ernet Sauvignon)!
LCBO Information -
ROSENBLUM ZINFANDEL
VINTAGES 284653
750 mL bottle
Price: $ 17.95
14.1% Alcohol/Vol.Sugar Content : D
Made in: California, United States
By: Rosenblum Cellars
Release Date: Oct 13, 2007
Description - Rosenblum is THE Zinfandel specialist serving up lively aromas of blackberry, raspberry, and mocha. Ripe berry fruit flavours are balanced by cedar tones and ripe tannin. Very nice berry spice finish. We prescribe it with roasted duck, venison, or spareribs.
I think the 14.1% alcohol is a misprint by the LCBO, Rosenblum's Zinfandel has consistantly been 15.7% alcohol for the last few years but I haven't picked up this year's vintage so I might be wrong.
For the two last ones, I'm doing them together as most things that a Cabernet Sauvignon will pair with Shiraz works as well. I prefer Cab. over Shiraz but as everyone these days seems to be having a lovefest with Austrailian wines I'll toss in a Shiraz. The Beringer's Cabernet is a replacement for a wine that started my love for wines - Robert Mondavi's Coastal Cabernet Sauvignon 1998, the 1999 was good as well and then it was like Robert Mondavi changed the style completely. We found the Beringer 2000 Cabernet Sauvignon was the closest replacement we could find, and for the last four to five years the Beringer's Cabernet Sauvignon has been the standard.
Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz are the wines you want to grab with Beef - NY Strips, Tenderloin, Prime Rib, Beef roasts all are great with either. I have found that Cabernet Sauvignon's edge over Shiraz is with dessert - more to the point chocolate-based desserts. The other edge that a California Cab has over an Austrailian Shiraz is with non-wine drinkers, it is much more fruit forward and easier to drink than a peppery Shiraz is.
LCBO Information -
BERINGER FOUNDERS ESTATE CAB SAUVIGNON
Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz are the wines you want to grab with Beef - NY Strips, Tenderloin, Prime Rib, Beef roasts all are great with either. I have found that Cabernet Sauvignon's edge over Shiraz is with dessert - more to the point chocolate-based desserts. The other edge that a California Cab has over an Austrailian Shiraz is with non-wine drinkers, it is much more fruit forward and easier to drink than a peppery Shiraz is.
LCBO Information -
BERINGER FOUNDERS ESTATE CAB SAUVIGNON
LCBO 534263
750 mL bottle
Price: $ 19.95
13.5% Alcohol
Sugar Content : 1
Made in: California, United States
By: BERINGER VINEYARDS
Tasting Note - Ruby red colour; forward cassis and spice in the nose that follows through to the palate; dry and medium-bodied with ripe fruit mid-palate and fruity, oaky vanillin notes in finish.
Serving Suggestion - Grilled or roasted red meats, spicy chicken dishes and medium cheese.
YALUMBA Y SERIES SHIRAZ
LCBO 624494
750 mL bottle
Price: $ 14.15
13.5% Alcohol
Made in: South Australia, Australia
By: NEGOCIANTS INTERNATIONAL
Tasting Note - Deep violet colour; blueberry, plum and currant aromas with a hint of anise; fresh, juicy palate with chocolate notes.Serving SuggestionGrilled bison burgers, lamb or firm cheese.
At $14 a bottle the Yalumba Shiraz is a heck of a deal so if you went Shiraz instead of Cab and saved the $6, I could agree with that. Note - the Beringer's Cab. is also better after a few years of aging.
So there are the six wines you need for a good range and a great start to a basic wine cellar. I'd suggest picking up 3 bottle of each as it is nice to have extra on hand on those nights when the wine is going down easy. This will also cover you if you are having a larger dinner party and one bottle isn't going to cut it.
Cheers!
Mark
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