Earlier this year I had the opportunity to meet Aurelio Montes the winemaker at Montes wines in Chile. He is also making wines at Kaiken in Argentina. A Caiquen is a bird that migrates between Chile and Argentina by passing over the Andes. The wines I tasted in the spring were fantastic across the board and you can read about my view here — https://andrewinereview.ca/2015/03/17/montes-wines/ . It’s clear that Aurelio paints with a large palette with Sauvignon Blanc being the only crossover in the two portfolios I tasted this year.
I’m not going to go on and on about Sauvignon Blanc but I have to say that in 2015 it has really grown on me. If you are new to wine and you’re looking to learn about the differences in terroir Sauvignon Blanc is a great place to start. Everyone is drinking New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc these days. I don’t blame them. New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc is stunning, exciting and unique. I have also tasted Sauvignon Blanc from California, Ontario, France, Chile and Argentina … all these regions offer a wine that tastes like Sauvignon Blanc but offers slight differences in texture, and flavour. I think the easiest way to make a comparison would be to look at a photo with a different Instagram filter.
NV Brut – $25.00 approx – **** – This is a very solid Champagne style Sparkling wine made with 70% Pinot Noir and 30% Chardonnay. This is not available in the LCBO but it’s worth a mention because this is easily on par with anything being made in Niagara at this price point. There is lots of Citrus and Vanilla with refreshing bubbles and perfect acidity on the finish. I do hope that this makes it’s way onto the shelves. With a wine like this we can continue drinking sparkling wine any day of the week and not just at special occasions.
2015 Terroir Series Sauvignon Blanc – **** – There is fantastic structure to this wine the nose has mineral and grassy notes over lime. The flavours match the nose with a satisfying creaminess that comes in on the mid palate. This wine is perfectly balanced with your mouth getting a little bit of everything whether it’s mineral, grassy notes, citrus flavours, creamy texture and satisfying acidity on the finish. It’s hard not to gulp this wine.
2015 Terroir Series Torrontes – **** – I don’t have much experience with Torrontes but the ones I have tasted have always been a little flabby and off-dry … this was not the case here. This wine was bone dry. The nose was bright, vibrant and floral … it was very much like Gewurztraminer or Chardonnay Musqué. The floral properties were intense but not Rose like they would be in Gewurztraminer. The flavours of the wine were very much like pink grapefruit with tropical elements poking through on the finish. I couldn’t take my nose out of this glass though. It just smelled too good.
2013 Terroir Series Malbec – ***1/2+ – The tannin is firm, you notice it right away when sipping on this wine. So open this for a little bit before serving it to take the edge off. The flavours are dark fruit – Black Currant, Black Plum, Cocoa and a nice smokiness on the finish.
2013 Ultra Malbec – $19.95 – LCBO 50849 – ****+ – The nose is nice and smoky with just slight hints of green under lots of black currant and blackberry. There is a nice complexity to this wine without over promising on what’s in the bottle as it’s priced perfectly at twenty dollars. This would be a perfect wine for someone looking to start a collection because it will age for another 3-5 years. Definitely worth drinking now and picking up a bottle to hold onto.
2012 Ultra Cabernet Sauvignon – ****+ – The nose is less black fruit and more red fruit compared to the malbec. You will find more Raspberry, Cherry and even Strawberry in your glass with hints of wood smoke on the finish. Simply put this wine is delicious and easy drinking. As with the Ultra Malbec something you can pick up and enjoy right now or hold onto for 3-5 years.
