7°c Clear
20°c Sunny
Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION
Nice work if you can get it
Canadian author travelled the world seeking out bargain wines for her new book
Wine writer Natalie McLean (MICHELLE VALBERG PHOTO)
INNISKILLIN 2010 PINOT NOIR (Niagara Peninsula, Ontario -- $14.99, Liquor Marts and beyond)
Mint, earth, tart cherry, perfume and a soapy minerality make for quite the interesting nose on this Niagara pinot. The Inniskillin delivers cranberry, tart cherry, raspberry, light caramel and spice flavours on the light-bodied, juicy palate -- the tannins are light and the acidity is fresh. Fifteen minutes in the fridge might do this wine some good. 86/100
BOEKENHOUTSKLOOF 2010 THE WOLFTRAP RED (Swartland, South Africa -- $13.56, Liquor Marts and beyond)
Consistently among the best performers at Wine Access' International Value Wine Awards, the red Wolftrap blend (two-thirds Shiraz and the rest Mourvèdre and Viognier) delivers blueberry, perfume, plum, vanilla and spice on the nose. Medium-plus bodied and jammy, the blueberry and spice notes come through unencumbered by that notorious South African rubbery/tarry note on either the nose or the palate. 87/100
BURGE FAMILY WINEMAKERS 2005 GARNACHA (Barossa Valley, Australia -- around $40, private wine stores)
Made from 85-year-old vines, this dry-grown (meaning the vines aren't irrigated) Grenache/Garnacha shows a complex nose of raspberry, cherry, anise, mint, light ash, earth and vanilla notes. It's a medium-plus bodied red that delivers ripe cherry, raspberry and subtle bubble gum notes without getting sweet. Secondary flavours show white pepper, chocolate and grapey notes with light acidity and tannins. Drinking well now -- track it down at Banville & Jones. 89/100
Related Items
Natalie MacLean has made a name for herself as one of Canada's best-known wine writers. Her first book, Red, White and Drunk All Over, was a decidedly no-nonsense affair that took readers around the world in a lighthearted attempt to shed light on the world of wine.
Her new book, Unquenchable: A Tipsy Quest for the World's Best Bargain Wines, continues the journey, albeit with a focus on getting the most bang for your buck when it comes to buying wine. MacLean is on a promotional book tour right now, and will hit Winnipeg on Tuesday as part of her trek across Western Canada.
MacLean was to have hosted Prairie Ink Café's regular Wine and Dine event at McNally Robinson Grant Park on Tuesday next week, but the event has been cancelled.
Now, about the book itself. Unquenchable is split into eight chapters, each representing a day of the week (Sunday's in there twice). Each day/chapter sees the author in a different country, tasting wine with area winemakers in a variety of settings. (Cleverly, Tuesday's Wine and Dine courses are paired with wines from seven of the eight regions covered in the book.) From the Barossa Valley and the Mosel Valley to the Niagara Peninsula and beyond, MacLean notes that her journey took her to "eight countries, 312 wineries and 15,267 wines," and her ability to weave a story around each of these visits is impressive.
Each chapter closes with a useful list of tips, winery websites, best-value wines and producers, meals enjoyed in the region (recipes are available on Maclean's website, www.nataliemaclean.com), suggested pairings, resources and more. Suggestions aren't vintage-specific, but rather highlight consistent values from the regions she covers.
As someone who has, ahem, endured whirlwind trips to wine-producing regions, it's tempting (advisable, even) to roll into bed and crash after a day of tasting wines, talking to winemakers, touring wineries and eating fancy, calorie-rich food (with wine a-plenty, of course). Somehow MacLean was able to set aside some time to collect her thoughts about each stop while each was still fresh. I don't think I'd be able to do it -- more power to her.
Like Red, White, and Drunk All Over, MacLean's new book brings valuable information stripped away of the pretense and/or technical minutiae of more encyclopedic wine-related volumes. Instead of dry, data-heavy writing, MacLean infuses the book with luscious prose that walks a fine line between poetry and cliché/Harlequin romance. In many cases it works well; like some of the best-value wines she describes, her writing brings a lushness that's well-balanced and structured. In other instances her oenological poetry treads fearfully close to the literary equivalent of an overripe, overoaked Aussie Shiraz.
Unquenchable is certainly a book worth picking up. For more info on MacLean see www.nataliemacliean.com
uncorked@mts.net twitter.com/thegrapenut
Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition November 12, 2011 E4
History
Updated on Saturday, November 12, 2011 at 11:33 AM CST: formatys text, adds fact box, adds link to blog
2:17 PM: Amends text to reflect book event cancellation
More Columnists
- Back to Top
- Return to Columnists
More Columnists
(1 of 41 articles for this week)
Big Blue will have one helluva punter
05/21/2013 1:00 AM 0
Poll
Most Popular Columnists
- A new mom's booze-fuelled hell
- Political opportunity knocks to abolish Senate
- Big Blue will have one helluva punter
- Tick season means pets at risk of Lyme disease
- Tell your dad what you think
- He's been taking funny seriously for 60 years
- Katz bogeys again
- Doc's memoir portrays ERs as frantic, funny, frightening ... but never dull
- Ex-Jets MacLean, Carlyle on Sochi coaching list
- Invite your wife along on your nudist outings
- A new mom's booze-fuelled hell
- Katz bogeys again
- 'It's a beautiful story': There's not always a tomorrow to say you're sorry or make things right
- Tell husband you're not talking to her... maybe tell him why
- Political opportunity knocks to abolish Senate
- Big Blue will have one helluva punter
- Burke will be back; he's just that good
- Mount Carmel Clinic: An oasis of acceptance in a judgmental world
- New Blue stadium lives up to the hype; now it's up to you
- Cancer doesn't care who it may kill
- Goodbye, Susan; a privilege to know you
- Twins are theirs, but province doesn't agree
- Bun Brouhaha: Kitchen staff's snap firing worthy of reality TV
- Beloved piece of Winnipeg's music history deserves better
- A new mom's booze-fuelled hell
- Facebook pokes Manitoba
- Katz bogeys again
- Dugouts could change the game
- Winter is coming
- White sucker right for Manitoba
- A new mom's booze-fuelled hell
- Tick season means pets at risk of Lyme disease
- Tapping sweetness from birch trees
- More than a new boss
- Political opportunity knocks to abolish Senate
- 'It's a beautiful story': There's not always a tomorrow to say you're sorry or make things right
- New Blue stadium lives up to the hype; now it's up to you
- Late deal in workplace sex-harassment case
- A new mom's booze-fuelled hell
- Explore Desire seminars to 'push the boundaries'
- Going gluten-free doesn't mean giving up foods you love
- Cancer doesn't care who it may kill
- Tapping sweetness from birch trees
- Mount Carmel Clinic: An oasis of acceptance in a judgmental world
- Katz bogeys again
- Twins are theirs, but province doesn't agree
- 'It's a beautiful story': There's not always a tomorrow to say you're sorry or make things right
- Bun Brouhaha: Kitchen staff's snap firing worthy of reality TV
- Dugouts could change the game
- Happily selling shoes at age 89
- Facebook pokes Manitoba
- White sucker right for Manitoba
- New Blue stadium lives up to the hype; now it's up to you
- Selinger's ability to sell case weak link in tax-hike plan
- Emotional roller-coaster
Ads by Google
You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback.
Have Your Say
New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.
The Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010.