Summer Refreshments

 Have been going through some whites and rose as the temperature climbs.  But have also started to drink the Niagara wines we bought 2 years ago in case they don't last...would hate to keep them in the cellar for 5 years or more to find them turning into crap.  So started with a relative cheapo, assuming these would not last as long as the pricier wines.  The Konzelman Estate, Cab Sauvignon Reserve, Niagara-on-the-Lake 2008 rings in at about fifteen bucks.   On the nose it is movie theater popcorn butter (translation: fake butter) and green peppers.  To taste, it's full bodied and ALL about green peppers - definitely on the veggie side - closer to Cab Franc than CS??  Crunchy.  Not bad, actually a good food wine.  Worth checking out given it's cheapo price (for Ontario reds).

Back to the whites.  Bargain of the week is the La Puerta, Torrontes, 2011 from the Famantina Valley in Argentina.  Torrontes is an up an coming varietal championed in Argentina, is generally very floral and perfumed, and usually light and quaffable.  This stuff has a floral and lychee nose with bright tropical fruit on the palate.  Very refreshing, so easy to drink.  All for nine bucks - there are not many wines this price that taste so good...this is light years better than it's stable mate on the shelves, the similarily priced Fuzion, a blend of Chenin Blanc and Torrontes, which is pure garbage.  Another good cheapo is the Chilean Cono Sur, Chardonnay, "bicycle label", NV at about $11.  A little less enjoyable but very drinkable bargain is the South African Robertson Winery, Chenin Blanc, 2011 at $10. Even better is the Megalomaniac, 2011 Homegrown Riesling, Cellar 4379 - a good example of Niagara riesling and well worth the $13.
Cheers!!