We are trying to cover more new world wines but, frankly, except for a few Canadian examples, they’ve been pretty dire.
The situation with the dollar is going to put Californian wines out of reach, which is no great loss as the NLC carries only middling examples from the Golden State. (fine, more balanced, food friendly wines are now being produced there.)
LA MASCOTA CABERNET FRANC ($16.02)
Find it in the Argentina Section
I made an effort with the La Mascota Cabernet Franc from Argentina because we love the best expressions of that cranky, crunchy grape and this effort won many “awards.” Calamity. Awful stuff, like someone put an overripe black current bush, leaves and all, into a chipper as a tire fire burned nearby. Undrinkable garbage. Gakkkk!
NLC used to carry the Boquel Cab Franc varietal and it wasn’t bad. Did an escaped Australian winemaker cook up this weirdo Ribena? Do any of the “legit” wine critics award zeros? Or does 50 represent zero like in Newfoundland schools? Shag it, this gets zero out of a thousand.
MICHEL TORINO DON DAVID TORRONTES RESERVE ($17.13)
Find it in the Argentina Section
Torrontés is an Argentinian white grape variety which tastes like it is has a distant relation to grapes of the Muscat family. It makes wines with a distinctive orange note, not precisely the flesh of the fruit but the perfume, something reminiscent of mock orange blooms at night.
The Michel Torino Don David Torrontes Reserve has well-judged aromatics, as well as the citrus (maybe some grapefruit) there’s also peach here and Turkish delight. Yes, really, Turkish Delight. There’s a touch of vanilla, which probably comes from exposure to oak, that I could do without. Torrontés usually smells like it’s going to be sweet, but this wine is off dry with a slightly unctuous mouth feel.
A unique drink to pair with spicy food from South East Asia, Thai or Vietnamese. It didn’t work with Cajun. Not something you’ll drink a lot of, it fatigues the palate, two glasses and you’re done, but a worthwhile new experience at this price.
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