As a continuation of this piece today we will cover those things that ranked second in CWG’s 2009.
Restaurant: Spuntini’s on Avenue Road in Toronto is probably better known as being the place upstairs from Soto Soto. One of the more intimate Italian restaurants in the city, Spuntini’s does not force itself on you. Nowhere will you get the sense of being overwhelmed by an overly complex menu or perturbed at plain old ‘mama’s’ italian ravioli. A solid menu is reinforced with a stronger wine selection. Top off that balance with a professional staff and attentive owner Fernando who remembers casual regulars by name, and you are getting a small gem in a very crowded ‘T.O.’ restaurant scene. Mrs. CWG heavily endorses this pick!
Inexpensive Wine: Cave Spring Cellars is one of those little vineyards in Niagara that often gets lost in the crowd. Located on the Beamsville Bench this winery has made a name for itself for it’s mastery of Riesling. From Icewines to Off-Dry table wines, odds are pretty good if you like Rieslings then you should be giving their full range a whirl, especially their CSV product which is worth the price. But this ‘award’, or designation, is for it’s 2007 Riesling. Mrs CWG’s favorite summer white has all that is required of it to take a place in the Inexpensive Wine category, excellent balance, good fruit, solid acidity and the hint of that Riesling-petrol. We have had several bottles throughout the year as the $14.95 price tag is hard to beat as well as reviewing it early in February. Overall I am time and again pleasantly surprised with every bottle we have had, not much more I can ask for.
Expensive Wine: This category was the hardest to choose three wines in as there was a solid list of 20 that came to my lips at the mere mention of a ‘best of’. As it is, I narrowed my list to 7, and from there was stuck, which truly was the best? Or which did I remember as a favorite. At the end of the day the choice that falls into the number two slot was on the final list of each re-write. 2000 Joseph Phelps’ Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is without a doubt one of the best of 2009’s. This Californian Bordeaux style blend (80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 6% Petite Verdot and 4% Malbec) hits home with all the right features that makes it’s price ($60-$70) seem inexpensive. Great body, good character and luscious flavours make this one special wine. Having drank many ‘expensive’ Californian Cabs this year I can honestly say I have not had better then this bottle. I know there are gems out there, but this Phelps offering was done brilliantly.
Desert/Port: Having honoured a port in the #3 spot, it is logical to jump into Icewines for the top two spots. Well, logical I am not. The #2 spot goes to the Château des Charmes 2007 Late Harvest Riesling. This wine won gold at the 2009 Ontario Wine Awards for Late Harvest and as many of the estate’s previous vintages it remains a perfect alternative to the pricier Icewine category. Amazing fruit, good acidity, nice sweetness (in the 10 range) and a reasonable price ($22) make this a must not miss. If you are craving a nice desert wine I highly recommend this Château des Charmes offering, Mrs CWG insists on keeping three bottles around at all times!
