This Sunday is Father’s Day and I was thinking that there is a lot of marketing of events and gift ideas focused around Mother’s Day than for us fathers. I do believe that there are some of us dads who help with the kids and contribute to handling the household as much as our spouses. While the wonderful cards and the occasional tie are greatly appreciated, there are a few high-budget options out there for the fathers who enjoy a good bottle of wine.

Premium wines from around the world

Like most countries in Europe the government regulates the type of grapes that can be grown in a certain region, similarly to how our coffee is regulated. Many years ago in Italy, a number of winemakers decided to break tradition and grow varietals that were grown in other countries and not be shackled by the government laws. As a result of this they could not put the official region names on their wines and hence had to be classified as vino da tavola – Italy’s lowest wine designation. These producers had to come up with interesting names for their products and they became unofficially known as “Super Tuscans”. Eventually the government modified the rules in an attempt to bring them back into some sort of regulation . sounds similar to some issues we have here in Jamaica.

The Antinori family was one of the first to create a “Chianti-style” wine that ignored the Italian regulations, releasing a Sangiovese-Cabernet Sauvignon blend known as Tignanello in 1978. Another of the great super Tuscans available in Jamaica is Sassicaia.

Similar to what happened in Italy, US winemakers did not want to be restricted by the government regulation which stipulates that a wine must contain at least 75% of a specific grape to be designated as that varietal on the label. They wanted to make wines like they do in Bordeaux, France which allows a blend of grapes, principally Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Malbec. To further this cause an association was formed and the name “Meritage” was adopted for the family of wines made in this style. “Meritage” is a combination of “merit” and “heritage”, and pronounced like “heritage”.’ A red Meritage must be made from at least two of these grapes. A number of these types of wines are available here in Jamaica of which Opus One might be the most famous. It was created as a joint venture between Baron Philippe de Rothschild of Château Mouton Rothschild and Robert Mondavi to create a single Bordeaux style blend.

Another wonderful Meritage wine available for your valentine enjoyment is Joseph Phelps Insignia. This wine was ranked number one on the Wine Spectator top 100 list a few years ago.

Concha y Toro Cabernet Sauvignon Puente Alto Don Melchor was hailed the best Cabernet Sauvignon from Chile by both the Wine Spectator and Robert Parker. This wine, named after the founder of the winery, has become a symbol of the best the land and the winemaker’s hand can produce in Chile.

Penfolds Grange is one of Australia’s most famous wines. Wine Spectator magazine named the 1990 vintage of Grange ‘The Best Red Wine in the World’. This wine is made from the Shiraz grape and is the most sought after Australian wine in the world.

Other Gift ideas

Other than those great bottles of expensive wines which can be bought from their importers, Kitch ‘N’ Thyme in Upper Manor Park Plaza should have a new set of Screw pull wine openers in time for Fathers day. Screwpull Lever Models ensure that every bottle of wine is opened quickly and effortlessly. Of special note is the Screwpull LM400. This amazing device is certainly not cheaply made, and is designed for the serious wine enthusiast. If you spend over J$700,000 on a bottle of wine, you’re not going to want to risk ruining the cork trying to open it! This device uses brand new rotation technology to remove the cork easily, and painlessly from the neck of the bottle, and leaves only the most fresh of passageways behind through which the wine may flow. Wine glasses always make great gifts.

What I had this week – 2003 E Guigal Chateauneuf du Pape

During my visit to the Formula One race in Montreal last weekend, we had dinner at some of the best restaurants in town and of course we sampled some of the best wines available. One of these wines, also available in Jamaica, is the 2003 E Guigal Chateauneuf du Pape. World re-nowned wine critic Robert Parker says, ” .. The 2003 Chateauneuf du Pape . has the potential to be the finest Chateauneuf Guigal has produced. It reveals more power, richness, and intensity than any previous vintage, including the highly regarded 2000 and 1998. The deep ruby-hued 2003 reveals a big, sweet bouquet of kirsch, black currants, exotic Asian spices, and pepper. Made in a full-bodied, unctuous style with high glycerin as well as alcohol, it should offer lovely drinking upon release.” It was drinking very well when we had it on Friday night.

Cheers! Now go forth and try a few new wines. Please send your wine stories, comments and questions to creckord@gmail.com. DeVine Wine Services is operated by Chris and Kerri-Anne Reckord and its mission is to improve wine appreciation through wine education and events.