Cornucopia 2009 - Killer Values

I'm following up on a recent article for Vendor Magazine (http://www.vendormagazine.ca/) and posting my notes from the events I attended the 2009 Cornucopia wine fest in Whistler. Check out these Killer Values:

Killer Values

Yellow Tail Bubbles Rosé $14
Medium sweet with big bubbles and very pronounced ripe peach and strawberry. It’s very fresh and juicy, straight forward and simple with essentially no finish. There’s a lot of pressure to not like Yellowtail, nut this would be fine with waffles and strawberry sauce or with spicy Asian fare.

Crios de Susana Balbo, Torrontes, Argentina 2008 $19
Mmmmm… perfumed with floral notes of neroli and - but not sweet - with a rich almost oily or lanolin mouthfeel and great citrusy acidity.

Anakena Viognier, Chile 2008 $16
A bit of oaky spice, toast and vanilla compliments the mandarin orange and apricot notes. Notoriously hard to grow, you wait and wait until one day Viognier grapes just turn ugly and withered, and that’s when they’re ready. Kind of an uly duckling with poor timing, as far as grapes go, but aromatic and delicious as far as wines go!

Boutari, Moschofilero, Greece 2008 $19
Greek wine hasn’t always had a stellar reputation. During the Renaissance, the Italians used Greek wine and a crusty penny loaf to clean the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel – which should give you some indication of what its modern equivalent would have been. Ahhh, but it’s not so. This Moschofilero (pr. MoskoFEELero) is surprisingly complex for $19 with a mushroomy earthiness that’s balanced by light crisp apple and lemony acidity. It shows a stony minerality, herbaceous notes, and manages to be honeyed yet dry. Serve this to your wine snob friends who’ve tried it all. You’ll almost certainly stump them.

Rodney Strong, Chardonnay, USA 2008, $20
All the creamy butteriness that makes you either love or hate Chard. And you know what, if you hate it, it’s probably because it’s the only white you drank in the ‘90s. Time to get over yourself.

Thornhaven, Pinot Noir, 2007, $18
Spicy red raspberry and dried cherry, with greens like carrot top and garden herbs. Rather Burgundian in its low 11.45% alcohol, so drink up. Try your local VQA shop.

Vina Albali Reserva, Tempranillo, Spain, 2003 $20
Dried sweet fruit like dates and berries, it’s big but the tannins are well integrated. Loads of age on this and it’s only $20. You’re not going to find that anywhere else. Grab it and run home to your cupboard full of glasses. Run!

Boekenhoutskloof, The Wolf Trap, South Africa, 2008 $15
Full and smoky, earthy and spicy with black fruit and berries. Pretty smooth and ready to roll.

La Cetto, Petit Syrah, Mexico 2004 $16
With all that juicy blueberry goodness and medium tannins, I would have guessed Australia, not Mexico. But there’s a mesquite smokiness that makes you think twice. Another good one for your wine friends who think they’ve seen it all.