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Lawrason On Wine

October Archive

Ten Killer Values Under $25

Posted on October 2, 2007

Wine of the Week
Farnese 2005 Sangiovese Daunia, Italy ($7.45, 87 points, 512327)
A major winemaking achievement from the south of Italy for this price, with clean, ripe berry-redcurrant fruit, leather and marzipan typical of sangiovese without any hint of acetic problems common in this area. It is almost satiny smooth and has an easy-drinking sweetness followed by a dry, sour cherry finish. Not great length but surely good enough at the price. Will grace any casual meal from pizza and pasta to wings, ribs and Mexican fare. It ranked ninth in the Top 25 Killer Values at the International Value Wine Awards.

Into the Northumberland Hills

Posted on October 9, 2007

Wine of the Week
Oak Heights 2006 Cabernet Franc, Ontario ($19.95, 88 points)
While there are vineyards at this impressive new winery in the Northumberland Hills, winemaker Mike Traynor has sourced cab franc (80 per cent) and cab sauvignon from the excellent Watson Vineyard in Niagara-on-the-Lake for this label. (Southbrook Vineyards has made great Watson cab franc in the past.) Traynor has done a great job making Ontario cabernet franc the way it should be—without over-oaking or heavy extraction. I tasted it three times over the weekend, charmed by its bright raspberry-currant fruit, gentle tobacco, spice and overall ease. But it has substance too; it handled Thanksgiving turkey. Drink now to 2011. Available only via www.oakheights.ca.

Canada’s Largest Fine-Wine Auction

Posted on October 12, 2007

Wine of the Week
Chateau La Lagune 1982 Third Growth Bordeaux (97 points)
This grand cru classé Bordeaux was perhaps the best value among over 60 legendary wines tasted Thursday in advance of the LCBO’s Fine Wine Auction running from October 12 to 15 in Toronto. At 25 years old, it is not so much a fountain of youth as it is an incredibly well-toned, lean and fit, middle-aged long-distance runner. Amazing energy, vibrancy and balance. Likely to live another decade or more. Read on for other awesome auction wines still very much alive and on the block this weekend.

Lawrason’s Best New Releases

Posted on October 23, 2007

Wine of the Week
Domaine des Aubuisières 2006 Vouvray Cuvée de Silex, Loire Valley, France ($16.95, 89 points, 57042)
A real steal for fans of Loire chenin blanc or anyone wanting something a little different to open a classy wine-focused dinner. This is tender, delicate and a touch sweet, so it won’t impress as a bracing acid-driven thirst quencher. It does, however, have subtlety and a satiny elegance, with poached pear (quince), honey and a touch of damp hay. Very good length. Lovely wine. Largest stock (96 bottles) at Bayview and Sheppard. Vintages.

15 Top Releases

Posted on October 31, 2007

Wine of the Week
Obikwa 2007 Shiraz, Western Cape, South Africa ($9.65, 87 points, 527499)
Huge value for less than 10 bucks. This brand new vintage shows an exuberant nose of blackberry, lilac, campfire smoke and clove. Mid-weight, slim and a touch sweet with soft tannin; it’s ready to drink. Very good density, acidity and length for the money, with lingering bacon and vanilla flavours. Watch for the 2007 vintage when shopping; the 2006 bottles, which are not as good, may be on shelf.

David Lawrason

David Lawrason

David Lawrason has worked full time as one of Canada's leading, independent wine writers and educators for over 20 years. He was the founder of Wine Access magazine and Globe and Mail wine columnist for 13 years before becoming resident wine guy at Toronto Life, where he pens a monthly column and writes an exhaustive review of LCBO general listings for the annual Food and Wine Guide. As a wine educator he has taught sommelier programs at George Brown, Humber and Niagara Colleges, and has run popular public courses in Toronto since 1988. He has visited every major wine major producing country in the world, while focusing recently on the booming Canadian wine scene, as founder of the Canadian Wine Awards program, and Canadian wine columnist for Wine Access.

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