For the most part, the wine world is
conveniently carved into two parts: the Old World and the New World. Europe is
considered Old World while North and South America, Australia, Chile, Argentina
and South Africa fall under the New World moniker.
It’s not so much aged-based but more about the
philosophy of winemaking and the style of the wine. It doesn’t matter that the
Chileans planted grapes as early as the mid-1550s but only that their wines are
predominately varietal (named after a single grape variety) and that the
country’s prominence as an important world exporter is less than 30 years old.
On the other hand, France, Italy, Spain and
Germany, to name but a few Old World producers, have been growing grapes,
making wine and exporting it for centuries. In the Old World, much is made of
the wine’s origin.
Despite the fact many wines are made with
well-known grapes, the European tendency is to associate the wine with its
appellation or the place that it comes from rather than any single grape name.
Hence, varietal wine like chardonnay, cabernet sauvignon and merlot gives way
to names such as Bordeaux, Rioja, Burgundy, Barolo and many more.
Both consumers and retailers in the New World
have to work a bit harder to understand the wines of Europe, but the rewards
are many. Perhaps the single greatest difference is the structure and style of
European wine. Normally, higher acids and a leaner structure make it eminently
more drinkable with food, as does its lower alcohol rate.
So where do you begin to explore Europe?
White wines can be particularly rewarding when
they are food-friendly. Given the mix of seafood and Asian dishes available in
British Columbia, riesling (German or Austrian) is a great place to start. And,
as we’ve mentioned in previous columns, albariño (Spain), viognier (France) and
grüner veltliner (Austria) are also good starting points. Each has spicy Asian
food written all over the taste.
Northern Italian white wine or verdelho from
Spain’s Rueda region are equally charming and easy to appreciate with light
seafood dishes, grilled chicken and pastas. The bonus is few will break your
budget.
The red wines of Europe are plentiful and for
the bored-out-of-your-mind merlot or cabernet sauvignon drinker, they can be a
much-needed tonic.
Portugal’s Douro Valley is a great place to
start. Dry Douro reds are often a blend of five or six grapes. In some cases,
the wine is made from a field blend of 50 or 60 different grape varieties.
Names like Quinta do Crasto, Quinta do Vallado, Ramos Pintos Duas Quintas, and
Quinta de Chocapalha are easy to find. Each is a rich savoury introduction into
dry Douro reds and many are among the best barbecue reds you won’t soon forget.
From Spain the soft easy-sipping monastrell
(mourvèdre) is all the rage with young people, and why not? The price is right
and the fruit is even better.
The south of France is on a roll. Since the
late 1990s the Languedoc has experienced a string of superlative harvests most
other regions can only dream of. Couple that with affordable prices, and you
have an appellation that is gaining widespread consumer recognition.
Italy is a treasure trove of red wine
especially for the adventurous drinker who heads south to the likes of Apulia
and Sicily. Each region produces warm generous reds that over the last decade
have shown a refinement that makes them reliable, everyday, go-to wines that
consumers love.
Now to the best part. Here’s a short list of
tasty wines that allow you to tour Europe for less than $25 a bottle. Any of
them make an excellent starting point for your own “fam” tour of the Old World
that will only expand the more you get to know them.
Burgans Albariño Rías Baixas 2005 Rías Baixas,
Galicia, Spain, $20
A delicious mix of honey, nectarine and melon
fruit with a touch of almond that can match just about any food type.
Balthasar Ress Rheingau Riesling QBA 2005,
Rheingau, Germany, $16
Sweet entry with mineral, smoky, slate, green
apple skin, lime rind flavours with a floral grassy finish. Perfect for
take-out Thai.
Jurtschitsch Sonnhof Steinhaus Grüner
Veltliner 2005 Kamptal, Austria, $18
Love the white peach, mineral, spicy, floral,
green apple, lime and passion fruit flavours, and its slick, Vino-loc, glass
stopper, closure. Seafood friendly.
Rabl Grüner Veltliner Spiegel 2005 Kamptal,
Austria, $18
Groovy grüner that is crisp but elegant with
passion fruit, granny smith, butter, chalky, Vaseline flavours. Good intensity
and finesse. Fine seafood or cheese wine.
Cuatro Pasos (Four Steps) Bierzo 2004
Bierzo, Spain, $18
Bright cherry, pruny, peppery, cardamom notes
mixed with mineral, leather, smoky, coffee flavours. Serve with grilled meats
or poultry.
Castaño Hécula 2004, Yecla, Valencia and
Murcia, Spain, $16
Love this soft warm ripe smoky, spicy,
boysenberry-flavoured red. One hundred per cent older vine monastrell at a fair
price.
Scurati Nero d'Avola 2005, Sicily, Italy,
$24
Chunky rustic style red with chocolate,
peppery, black cherry jam, tobacco, tea and licorice flavours. Try with lamb
shanks.
Masia M Roussillon Red Wine 2004, Roussillon, South of France, $17
Look for a solid core of fruit in a slightly
chunky style; great for winter meals.
Domaine La Garrigue Cuvée Romaine 2004 Côtes
du Rhône, France, $19
Big mineral, black cherry, spicy, floral,
licorice, chocolate, prune flavours. Good concentration and intensity. Serve
with duck confit or lamb roast.
Flor de Crasto Tinto 2004, Douro Valley,
Northern Portugal, $14
The tannins are softer, the fruit a bit more
forward but it's still a dusty, earthy medium-bodied red wine with refreshing
acidity. Enjoy all winter with grilled meats or stews.
Anthony Gismondi is a globetrotting wine
writer who makes his home in West Vancouver, British Columbia. For more of his
thoughts on wine log onto www.gismondionwine.com