deVine Thoughts

Author: Dirk Chan

The popular American Wine publication, The Wine Spectator, unveils its Top 100 Wines of the Year at this time of the year. Upon reviewing 17,000 in 2010, this list sends wine afficionados into a frenzy searching for the wines that made the grade. There is a panel of writers from the magazine that get together to decide on this list, so it emcompasses the palates and influences of not one person, but many critics and thus is eclectic.

The theme again this year is American domination with 14 wines in the top 20 and 25 wines in the top 40. While I agree there are fine wines coming out of the States, especially from the superb 2007 vintage, it is not the only country making good wines and the measly representation from Portugal, Chile and South Africa is sad to see. The American economy needs all the help it can get and this is evident to me here.

The pricing trend in the list appears to be valued driven wines at one end, and ultra-premium expensive wines at the other. Unfortunately, most of the American highend wines are of small production and not readily available here. I’m disappointed again there is not a single Canadian wine in the list, we produce some lovely inexpensive whites that certainly qualify for the value-driven category, no? My griping is done…

What is available from this year’s list is the smallest since deVine’s inception and some wines are the wrong vintages. What is available for purchase is limited and selling very fast, so please grab yours early. Click the link below to see the available wines here..

Also, please don’t forget to sign up for our Wine Spectator Top 100 tasting scheduled for January 15th, 2011, we are holding two or three wines just for that tasting and you will only be able to purchase those if you are in attendance that evening.

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Author: Dirk Chan

As is tradition, on the 3rd thursday of November, the world awaits in anticipation the arrival of Beaujolais Nouveau. deVine’s shipment will arrive on Thursday, November 18 after 12pm. deVine will be receiving the 2010 Georges DuBoeuf Villages Beaujolais Nouveau – $21.99 this year.

For the price, the Villages is a much better bottling than the regular Nouveau. The Gamay grapes were picked just three weeks ago, and after a very short fermentation, it is bottled for its freshness while offerinig beautiful strawberry, black currant, bannana and some hints of cedar with a nice backbone that gives off bright, lively flavors of morello cherry confiture and finishing with hints of allspice and cloves. Nice smooth mouthfeel and virtually tannin free due to the short exposure to the skins. So, for your Beaujolais Nouveau party, serve this slightly chilled with some poultry or spicy meatballs and for something ambitious and over the top, a roast duck with a reduced cherry sauce.

Some interesting Nouveau tidbits:

1) The region of Beaujolais is 34 miles long from north to south and 7 to 9 miles wide north of Lyon in southeastern France

2) there are nearly 4000 growers in the region

3) Gamay is the only grape permitted for Beaujolais and only grapes grown in Beaujolais or Beaujolais Villages is permitted in Beaujolais Nouveau, there are no grapes from the Cru vineyards allowed

4) Beaujolais Nouveau must be drank sooner than later and served slightly cool at about 13C.

5) Beaujolais Nouveau is a marvel of modern day advertising, with the marketing engine in full force, arriving just in time for the American thanksgiving, and 70 million bottles overall. How they manage to ship everything in a timely manner boggles the mind.

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Author: Dirk Chan

The Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia is the original Super Tuscan, produced from Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc vine plantings obtained from the famed First Growth Bordeaux Chateau Lafite of Pauillac fame. The early vintages were kept for private consumption, but in 1968, the first commercial release to the international world signified the arrival of the Super Tuscan, and it has never looked back since. Located in the Bolgheri coastal region of Tuscany in Central Italy, it commands the respect and admiration the world over, and along with Solaia and Ornellaia are regarded amongst the best wines from Tuscany.

Sassicaia, which in the Tuscan dialect means ‘stony ground’ was the lightning rod that signal the viability of Bordeaux based reds in Tuscany. It’s success was immediate and influential in Italy being regarded as a top wine producing region. One of the first cult wines, the legendary 1985 has been lauded as amongst the ten greatest wines made in the last century. While Ornellaia has been generally acknowledged as the most consistent over the last 20 years, when Sassicaia does it well, it hits it out of the park, and the 2007 is such a wine, ranking alongside 2006 as the greatest Sassicaia made since the 1990, 1988 and of course, the 1985.

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