The LCBO has been releasing phalanxes of wine tailored for summer sipping on the patio. This week, the Short Cellar brings you a survey of the best bottles for hot-weather rehydration:
St. Urbans-Hof 2008 Riesling, Germany ($15.95 [Ed. Note: 2008 no longer available], Vintages #995746)
German Riesling is my go-to summer drink: it’s refreshing, not too alcoholic, and — unlike some New World Rieslings — has a good balance between acidity and sweetness. The St. Urbans-Hof is a superb value in this sort of wine. It has a rich, idiosyncratic nose with lots of grass, herb, cantaloupe and celery root. The palate is mellow and mid-weight, with flavours of peach-in-syrup and apricot. It has a plump but attractive silhouette. Although it lacks complexity, it makes up for it in sheer drinkability. 88/100
Dr. Fischer 2003 Riesling Spätlese, Germany ($17.95 [Ed. Note: No longer available], Vintages # 146340)
The 2003 Dr. Fischer Riesling Spätlese is a pure delight: a well-made German Rielsing with seven years of precious maturity. Age has given its dense, fruity core a slightly baked quality, like a Dutch apple pie. But this rich fruit is invigorated with a youthful tartness which keeps the palate fresh. A very correct hit of petrol and wet stones comes off the nose. Delicious. 90/100
André & Edmond Figeat 2008 Les Chaumiennes, Pouilly-Fumé, Loire, France ($21.95 [Ed. Note: No longer available], Vintages #171470)
Pouilly-Fumé is an area in the Loire that is famous for producing flinty Sauvignon Blancs with great class. This beautry shows burnt herb and sweetgrass with some chalky minerality on the nose which is softened by a layer of fruity baby-fat. In the mouth, it’s mid-bodied, refreshing and sweet. There are notes of lemonade, steely minerality and a hint of tarragon to add complexity. A perfect pairing with grilled fish or seafood salad. No need to age. 89/100
Open 2009 Rosé, Ontario VQA ($10.95, LCBO #175349)
Some wines are fine wines, some wines are table wines, but some wines are so tasty and unpretentious that they are best described as under-the-table wines. The Open 2009 Rose fits nicely into the third category; it is not complex or architectural, but it is smooth, well-balanced and very, very drinkable. Fresh strawberries predominate on the nose, and the palate is round as a ripe peach. A streak of citrus tang makes it refreshing. It carries a distinct note of patio. 87/100
Matthew Sullivan is a civil litigator in Toronto. He blogs weekly here on lawandstyle.ca. The Short Cellar column also appears in the print edition of Precedent. Matthew can be reached at matthew@lawandstyle.beta-site.ca. Follow along on Twitter: @shortcellar.
Photo by hmerinomx