WCOW: Germany VS. Argentina

To celebrate the 2010 World Cup of Soccer in South Africa we are hosting a few nation VS. nation competitions of our own whenever two major wine producing countries meet.

Match 6 has Germany facing Argentina in a classic Quarterfinals battle on the pitch and a war of aromatic whites off the field. Native to Argentina, the Torrontés grape produces lovely white wines that have refreshing acidity and thrive in cold, dry conditions - similar to Riesling grown in Germany. Both wines are under $25 and both are new to us at Icon Wines.

Germany's Wine: Schloss Reinhartshausen 2008 Riesling
Region: Rheingau
Cost: $19.99
Alcohol: 12%
Notes: Dry but fruity with the slightest hint of residual sugar coming from the concentrated fruit flavours. Tangy citrus palate with lemon sorbet and grapefruit peel. Youthful aromas of lime zest and slate. Good quality and well balanced.

Argentina's Wine: Crios de Susana Balbo 2009 Torrontés
Region: Cafayate
Cost: $17.99
Alcohol: 13.5%
Notes: Dry with just the slightest residual sugar. Aromas of honey, spring flowers, apricots, tangerines and light minerals notes. Flavours of citrus fruit and bitter steel with vibrant acidity. Good quality and well balanced. Good typicity for a Torrontés.

The Conclusion:

Complexity (Nose): Crios de Susana Balbo
Complexity (Palate): Schloss Reinhartshausen
Food Friendly: Schloss Reinhartshausen
Concentration: Schloss Reinhartshausen
Expression of Terroir: Crios de Susana Balbo
Value: Crios de Susana Balbo
Winner: Crios de Susana Balbo

The off-field match-up was very tight (as was the battle on the pitch). The Torrontés wins the battle for its expression of terroir and vibrancy. If you have yet to try an Argentina Torrontés do so soon! It makes a unique alternative to traditional Riesling.
- Liam Carrier

Next Match: TBA - If Spain goes through we'll have a Semi-Final match with two world wine powers facing off.

Wines for Canada Day

July 1st marks Canada’s “birthday” which means many of us have the day off and an excuse to celebrate. Sadly, Canada Day doesn’t always equate to good weather, therefore, we at IconWines.ca have compiled a list of wines for you to enjoy no matter what Mother Nature sends your direction, whichever part of the country you find yourself in.

Sunny:

If it’s nice and hot where you are – and ideally that will be the case for most of us – then we have some heat-quenching wine suggestions for you to enjoy of a hot patio, deck or dock.

BC: CedarCreek 2009 Ehrenfelser - $18
Notes: A perfect complement to a hot day. Great acidity and tropical fruit. Sometimes this wine is hard to get so consider the Lake Breeze 2009 Pinot Blanc as a worthy alternative.

Ontario: Tawse 2009 Sketches of Niagara Riesling - $18
Notes: Happily available in both Ontario and BC. One of Niagara’s signature grapes. Ripe fruit and refreshing acidity.

USA: Pieropan 2009 Soave Classico - $12 (US)
Notes: This is a tasty Italian, light-to-medium bodied, food-friendly wine that displays citrus and mineral notes on the nose and palate. Full Review

Cloudy:

If it’s cloudy where you are, well, look on the bright side – at least it isn’t raining. Cloudy weather (assuming it’s also a bit cool) calls for something with a bit more presence as your senses aren’t being overloaded with sun and heat. A good Chardonnay in the cure.

BC: JoieFarm 2009 Un-Oaked Chardonnay - $24
Notes: As some of your fellow celebrators may be A-B-C folks, I suggest confusing them with this excellent un-oaked Chard from Naramata. Loaded with fruit and mineral flavours. Full Review

Ontario: Le Clos Jordanne 2007 Village Chardonnay - $25
Notes: This is the entry level Le Clos Jordanne which is a lovely blend of fruit from their various vineyards. Chardonnay is fast becoming a rival to the excellent Riesling found on the Niagara Peninsula.

USA: La Crema 2008 Sonoma Chardonnay - $15 (US)
Notes: For Canadians celebrating down in the US, do yourself a favor and pick this gem of a Chardonnay up at Costco immediately! It runs $40 CDN back home. Maybe the best $15(ish) you ever spend (on wine).

Rainy:

If it’s raining where you are – as it’s forecasted to do in Vancouver – then you may be spending a large portion of your Canada Day indoors. This calls for a soothing and cheerful red wine to lift your spirits.

BC: See-Ya-Later Ranch 2007 Rover - $25
Notes: Very well-priced Shiraz-Viognier blend. Full-bodied, warming spice and bright fruit wrapped within a bold, but structured frame of tannins. Full Review

Ontario: Inniskillin 2007 Reserve Cabernet Franc - $19
Notes: The Niagara Peninsula makes excellent Cabernet Francs, especially when the fruit ripens properly. 2007 was a good year for ripeness.

USA: Edge 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon - $16 (US)
Notes: This big California Cabernet will warm your soul on a dreary day. Look for it at your local Costco and laugh at Canada’s ridiculous import mark-ups (The Edge sells for $33 CDN in BC). Full Review

Have a wonderful and safe Canada Day celebration – wherever you are!
 - Liam Carrier

Value Wines

Our Value Wines section is designed to be an on-going, ever-changing reference to the best valued wines available to purchasers in BC and Ontario. Many of the wines are available in the other Provinces and in the United States as well, but the "value" reflects the price one pays here. The wines are from all regions and countries and all styles and varietals.

As "value", like beauty, is very subjective, this is far from a definitive list - just our opinion. We hope to showcase a few wines you may not yet have tried that should fit into (nearly) everyone's budget. Next time you're in your local wine shop with the goal of only spending a little, keep our list of Value Wines handy.

$10 and below

$15 and below

$20 and below

If you have a suggestion for the list, please email us at iconwines@shaw.ca