Opimian Society – Offering C245

The Opimian Society’s most recent offering catalog is just out and reaching mailboxes around the country. As a long-time member of Opimian I have had some experience with many of the wines and suppliers, and even visited some of the wineries. Some current (or prospective) members might find my comments helpful in making their own selections – keeping in mind everyone has their own tastes and preferences! (Go to the end for more information about Opimian.)

Having just said I have some familiarity with Opimian wines, I now have to (partially) take it back! This Offering features a number of new suppliers – from South Africa, Champagne, and Lorraine which will be brand new to me too. Let’s get started:

South Africa

I visited the Western Cape wine districts in 2008 with an Opimian group and it was one of my most memorable experiences in both wine and travel. From our base in Cape Town we made excursions to the regions in the current offering – Darling, Stellenbosch, Elgin, and Paarl – as well as Constantia and Franschhoek. The Western Cape has a mainly Mediterranean climate which is well suited to wine production, but variations of elevation, exposure to sea breezes, and nearby mountains and ranges have significant effects on the varieties and styles produced.

Warwick is the Society’s prime suppler from South Africa and I have sampled pretty much all of their wines over several years. You simply can’t go wrong with any of the choices, right up to the expensive Vilafonte Series M (#8872). We regularly purchase the First Lady Unoaked Chardonnay (#8863) and Cabernet Sauvignon (#8864). I am a big fan of the Old Bush Vines Pinotage (#8866) and the Three Cape Ladies Cape Blend (#8867). We also enjoyed a Bonnievale last year, although not one of the varieties available this time.

Last year was the first time Richard Kershaw’s wines were offered and I picked up the Kershaw Elgin Chardonnay (#8876). I have only dared try one bottle yet, and it lived up to all the promise of the description in the offering. The other two suppliers, Groote Post and Marianne Wine Estate, have some interesting selections to consider! The Chenin Blanc (#8856) and Kapokberg Pinot Noir (#8859) caught my eye.

France

Hunawihr is one of Opimian’s long-standing suppliers, and I know they welcome visits from members. Over the years I must have tried just about every grape variety and style they produce – and it is very hard to pick favourites. Right now I know I need to stock some Pinot Gris (#8901) – this variety in Alsace is a food wine, with much more weight than a simple sipper. I will also be mulling over the Grand Cru Riesling Osterberg (#8903). Alsace is one of the few places you will find Muscat produced as a dry wine (#8897) – it’s worth the experience. Every home should have some Alsace wine on hand!

Bernard Perrin is a producer in Beaujolais but is also a négociant who brings Opimian together with small producers from across south-central France, including, in this offering, the Rhône. I find Opimian’s offerings from this region to be of exceptional value – delicious in their youth, but capable of aging for many years. I am currently finishing off the last of a 2002 Côtes du Rhône which is drinking wonderfully – smooth with sweet red fruit flavours.

The whole area is magnificent to visit with historical sites, ancient vines to the horizon, Roman ruins, and street front stores for wineries such as Domaine Pegau!

I have had these labels in the past and would recommend any and all of them: Domaine des Romarins (#8909), Domaine Berthet-Rayne Vieilles Vignes (#8912), Gilles Flacher, Les Reines (#8916), Domaine des Cigalons (#8917), and Stéphane Montez, Les Grandes Chaillees (#8918). I can’t resist old vines Carignan, so #8910 is high on my list.

Gardet has been supplying Champagne to Opimians for many years as well – my friends have been surprised to find it compares well with big name brands with which they are more familiar. The Brut Reserve (#8924) is the only one from this offering that I have had before, and it is good value in its price range.The vintage Champagne (#8928) is intriguing … you will mostly find non-vintage in the liquor store and the vintage, like this, is usually pricy (but excellent!). In my only visit to the region in 2000 we tasted at a small house, annual production of 40,000 bottles – an eye-opening experience to grower Champagne. If the new supplier Doyard-Mahé has anything like those wines …. well I have to find out I guess.

Paul Sapin

Another long-time supplier of Opimian, Sapin sources grapes from around the world for vinification in its state of the art facility in France. The result is both affordable and tasty. My favourites in this offering include Kloof-en-Berg Chenin Blanc (#8878), On the Billabong Shiraz Cabernet (#8884), and the Mount Vernon Sauvignon Blanc (#8888) which we purchase every year. We have previously enjoyed a Paulita Chardonnay and a Kloof-en-Berg Ruby Cabernet (neither offered this year) from Sapin as well. These are wines which you won’t hesitate to pop open to enjoy.

Whisky, Cognac, Calvados

Scotland has a tradition of small whisky labels in which the producer buys stocks of newly fermented spirits and matures and finishes the whisky in their own style. Pràban na Linne is one such label. We managed to find their tiny showroom on the Isle of Skye for a wee tasting last year. I don’t claim any special expertise in scotch whisky, but I can say that I have purchased all of these in the past and enjoyed them.

The mixed case of French whisky from Maison de la Mirabelle is new to me, and quite tempting! I wonder if I can find some folks to share ….

I think we first offered Domaine Elisabeth and Château Bellevue Cognacs and Calvados last year. I was not a buyer then, but I have heard some rave reviews about these selections.

With the holiday season upon us I am not certain when my next entry will be published, but most likely in a few days before New Years. I intend to open some special bottles over the twelve days of Christmas and I expect you will as well!

The Opimian Society is “Canada’s wine club” and offers some 500 wines to 15,000 members across the country each year. All wines are selected by Master of Wine, Jane Masters, and sourced from suppliers from all the major wine regions of the world. Wines are ordered and delivered to members via the liquor boards or equivalent in each provincial and territorial jurisdiction (except Nunavut). Disclosure: I am member of the board of directors of the Opimian Society and former area representative.