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What is Terroir

Chile is a fascinating country, with climate and terrain that vary from the Atacama desert in the north to glaciers in Patagonia to the south, and everything in between!  From Wikipedia I learned that by surface 80% of South America’s glaciers lie in Chile.  Then there are the Andes Mountains, which controls/modifies the weather coming in from the Pacific Ocean.  With all this complex geology, temperature, and weather patterns, you can say that Chile has a wide range of terroir for grape growing and wine production.

I was recently invited to a Wines of Chile – Terroir Seminar in Vancouver, with the guest speaker Pedro Parra, a Chilean agronomist and geologist who has a nose for rocks, terroir, and wine.  According to Pedro, if you map your soils and sub-soil carefully, you can choose the best varieties of grapes to grow there.  I learned for example that Cabernet Sauvignon does not like to grow in granitic soil, and that Syrah likes schist.  Granite provides width to the wine, while schist gives vertical, targeted power in the wine.

Pedro Parra speaking with David Scholefield hosting

In 1997 Pedro received a grant from the French Embassy in Chile to go to Montpellier University to do a Master’s degree. For 18 months he studied agronomy and soil types, and combined that with his growing love of wine.  Some of his clients include Ventisquero, Undurraga, Errázuriz, Perez Cruz, Koyle and MontGras in Chile, as well as locally in BC, Okanagan Crush Pad.

Pedro had for us a selection of 14 wines to sample from across Chile, north to south.  He talked about the “old” Chile and the “new” Chile, which represents the old ways of selecting and growing grapes, and the newer way (which takes into account terroir much more and the wines express their place of origin).   Many of the wines we tasted come from granitic soil.

Limestone, Gravel, Schist, and Granite soil profiles

Our Wines Tasted

• Falernia Pedro Jimenez, Elqui Valley, 2012 – This was a very interesting wine as it is made from the white grape Pedro Ximénez. PX as it is commonly known is usually distilled for Pisco in Chile, and is used for sweet wine production in Spain. This wine had a light citrus with vanilla and lees on the nose. Very high in acidity, dry with a light plus body.  Some floweriness on the palate followed by citrus and vanilla. A long, mineral finish.
• Koyle Paredones Sauvignon Blanc, Colchagua Valley, 2011 – The grapes for this wine come from a single vineyard with a granitic soil, but as it is not close to the coast, the soil is not so decomposed, which reduces the effect of the granite influence.  A very grassy, herbal, lime nose to this wine.  Medium body with lots of salty minerality, grassy and herbal flavours.  Dry with a long length.  Leaves you with lime on the back corners of your tongue.
• Casas del Bosque Pequenas Producciones Sauvignon Blanc, Casablanca Valley, 2012 – This Valley is close to the coast, resulting in a very humid climate which really decomposes the granite making the soil super fertile.  A very intense nose, full of asparagus and herbal aromas. High acidity with an acidic prickle to the tongue underlain with minerality.  Lots of asparagus flavour, with a peppery finish.  This wine is too intense in flavour to drink on it’s own; enjoy with a meal.
• Cono Sur Ocio Pinot Noir, Casablanca Valley, 2009 – Did you know that Cono Sur is owned by Concha y Toro?  Neither did I until the seminar.  Again the grapes for this wine come from a granitic soil.  I liked the nose on this wine; with it’s smoky, vanilla, ripe cherries and sweet spice aromas. A very fragrant wine.  Medium body with sour cherries and some leafiness and licorice.  Sweet cherry and vanilla on the  finish.  An enjoyable wine.
• Undurraga Terroir Hunter Carignan, Maule Valley, 2010 – The grapes for this wine are from 100 year old vines growing on granitic soil. Soft dark fruit, vanilla and some licorice on the nose, and after a bit of breathing I noticed some chocolate too. Full body and very round mouth feel.  Minerality on the palate, followed by dark ripe bright cherries, violets and vanilla flavours, and then by spice.  Medium length that falls off quickly.  Dry tannins on the finish.
• Errazuriz Single Vineyard Syrah, Aconcagua Valley, 2011 – The first wine we tasted where the grapes were grown on a schist-based soil, not granite.  As I mentioned earlier, Syrah loves to grow on schist.  The Cote Rotie in France, famous for Syrah, has a schist soil. A deep ruby colour that coats your glass when swirled.  Lots of black pepper and purple fruit aromas. Full body, dry, with lots of mineral, black pepper and spiciness, followed by blueberries and purple fruit.  Medium length. A very nice wine.

Cono Sur Ocio, Undurraga TH Carignan, and Errazuriz Syrah

• Santa Carolina Herencia Carmenere, Colchagua Valley, 2008 – This wine comes from grapes grown on volcanic soil.  The wine was deep garnet in colour.  Some capsicum, red fruit and vanilla aromas.  Medium body, round, with mineral, graphite, dark cherries and vanilla on the palate.  Later comes the capsicum and spice.  An interesting, complex wine.
• San Pedro Tierras Moradas, Maule Valley, 2008 – These grapes ( 96% Carmenere and 4% Petit Verdot) also come from volcanic soil. The difference with the previous wine is the wine maker, in this case a Napa Valley wine maker called Paul Hobbes.  The wine has a light intensity nose with light vanilla and dark fruit aromas. Full body, dry and round with dark fruit and vanilla flavours.  Not as complex as the previous Carmenere.
• Concha y Toro Terrunyo Cabernet Sauvignon, Maipo Valley, 2009 – For this wine we are getting grapes that come from closer to the Andes Mountain range, with a soil made from gravels.  Light intensity aromas with nutmeg, oranges and dustiness.  A very unique combination of aromas for a Cabernet Sauvignon. Medium plus body, soft and sort of floats on your tongue. Soft red cherries and cassis fruit flavours.  A short finish with tannic kick.  An integrated wine.

Santa Carolina Carmenere, San Pedro Tierras Moradas, and Concha y Toro Terrunyo Cabernet Sauvignon

• Ventisquero GCM Blend, Colchagua Valley, 2012 – Granite soil for the grapes (Grenache, Carignan and Mataro) for this wine.  The grapes come from the Apalta sub-region of Colchagua.  Pedro noted that this is one of the “new” Chile wines. It is medium translucent garnet in colour with a light intensity nose, with black pepper and cherries. Medium body, soft, with higher acidity.  Cherries and some violets on the palate followed by light spiciness.
• Clos des Fous Cauquenina Blend, Maule Valley, 2011 – This is a winery where Pedro is one of the owners.  This blend consists of old vine Malbec, Carignan, Syrah, Pais, and Carmenere growing on granitic soil.  Pedro noted that Carmenere provides spiciness to wine.  This wine was very deep ruby in colour.  Dark fruit, with some vanilla (or banana?) as well as dark fruit on the nose. Nice flavour with medium plus body.  Lots of minerality, purple & black fruit and blueberry flavours, followed by spiciness. Very little tannins.  it has quite a peppery character.  Tannins kick in on the finish.  Very good.
• Emiliana Coyam, Colchagua Valley, 2010 – Another winery I found out that is owned by Concha y Toro, and in addition was the first winery in Chile to be certified biodynamic. The grapes for this blend include 38% Syrah, 27% Carmenere, 21% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1% Mourvedre, and 1% Petit Verdot. Some capsicum, ripe purple fruit and vanilla aromas, and a hint of cocoa.  Full body, round with sweet ripe fruit flavours and blueberries.  Mid-palate black pepper spice becomes noticeable and vanilla gets more prominent.  Long length.  Dry, astringent finish.  I think this is my favourite wine of the tasting.

Ventisquero GCM, Clos des Fous Cauquenina, and Emiliana Coyam

• Santa Rita Triple C Blend, Maipo Valley, 2007 – Santa Rita is one of my favourite wineries in Chile. I have met their head wine maker, Andrés Ilabaca, several times.  He is a very down to earth and interesting person. We were told by Pedro that Triple C is not produced every year.  When it is, it is a blend of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Carménère. This wine was deep ruby with an opaque core.  Ripe dark fruit, cooked apples, red cherries, tea leaves and vanilla aromas. Quite complex nose.  Lighter body, spicy with ripe purple fruit flavours.  Vanilla shows up later followed by tannins on the finish. A very balanced wine.
• Montes Folly Syrah, Colchagua Valley, 2010 – Aurelio Montes is one of the wine making pioneers in Chile, producing iconic wines that make the world notice.  He was the first to plant Syrah in the Apalta sub-region of the Colchagua Valley.  Other grape growers thought it was “folly” to plant this grape and it would never ripen, but they were wrong, and Aurelio was right.   This wine had aromas of vanilla, dark fruit and some dustiness.  Medium plus body, light mouthfeel with blueberry and purple fruit flavours, followed with spiciness / black pepper on the mid palate then oak.  Long finish with firm tannins.  A very good wine.

Santa Rita Triple C and Montes Folly Syrah

Based on Pedro’s experience with soil types and grapes, he had some predictions, such as Cabernet Sauvignon being pulled from granite soils for other better suited grape varieties to be planted. He noted that there is still much to explore in Chile and further refine which grape varieties are planted where across the country. A country with a long history in wine making, but in some sense is starting off like a New World wine region.  I think this is exciting for Chile and I look forward to see how their wines evolve over time.  Enjoy!

Tags: Aconcagua Valley, cabernet sauvignon, Carignan, carmenere, Casablanca Valley, casas del bosque, chile, Clos des Fous, Colchagua Valley, Concha y Toro, Cono Sur, Cote-Rotie, Coyam, Elqui Valley, Emiliana, Errazuriz, Falernia, Folly, granite, gravel, Koyle, Maipo Valley, Maule Valley, Montes, Ocio, Okanagan Crush Pad, Pedro Parra, Pedro Ximenez, pinot noir, Pisco, San Pedro, Santa Carolina, santa rita, Savuginon Blanc, schist, syrah, terroir, Terroir Hunter, Triple C, undurraga, Ventisquero, WoC_CanadaWest

Recently I received an invitation to experience the food, wine, and music of Vancouver FanClub in downtown Vancouver.  Loving all three things, I readily accepted.  My guest attending with me was Dianne Chow, who is well known in the tweeting and blogging sphere here in Vancouver.  Walking into Vancouver FanClub, I was transported to New Orleans, with the interior brick walls and the wrought iron railing around the 2nd floor of this venue, overlooking the stage.  It reminded me of many of the buildings and venues I saw when I was on Bourbon Street in New Orleans.

What is Vancouver FanClub?

Vancouver FanClub opened its doors in August 2012, catering to adults of all ages. This is a performance venue offering live and electronic music, dining and dancing.  Waide and Joe Luciak, owners of Vancouver FanClub, found inspiration for this venue during their trips to The Big Easy, New Orleans.

Vancouver FanClub blends New Orleans French Quarter and contemporary West Coast design. It features 6,500 square foot over 2 levels. It has one performance stage, a DJ booth, satellite dance locations, and a Bourbon Lounge tasting room.

What Kinds of Music Can I Hear?

Vivace – Tiffany and Marc

Vancouver FanClub’s eclectic roster of local and international talent covering the best of live blues, funk, soul, rock, jazz, world music, and more.  On this evening we enjoyed the singing of a primarily Vancouver-based pop-classical crossover group called Vivace. Vivace’s group consists of four singers; Melody Mercredi, Tiffany Desrosiers, Marc Devigne and DJ Calhoun , plus 2 musicians.  I really enjoyed listening to this group with their varied repertoire of songs.

Vivace  was formed in 2010, and has toured through the US and Canada and performed at such events as the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. They recently released their debut EP which is available on iTunes and other retailers.

Vivace – Melody and DJ

There was no sotto voce this evening with Vivace, but plenty of gran voce, which was quite uplifting.  There were many songs that you may know that they sang, such as Unchained Melody and The Prayer.  Below are some links to their songs, which I thought you may enjoy.

Senza Catene (Unchained Melody)

The World to Me

Wine List

This evening I sampled the 4 wines that Vancouver FanClub has on tap; two whites and two reds.  The move to wine on tap is growing in Vancouver.  With the wines in sealed tanks, you get fresh wine from the beginning to the end of the tank.  Our wines were:

• Roaring Twenties Sauvignon Blanc (New Zealand) – light herbal nose.  Soft and dry on the palate with more herbal flavours.
• Blasted Church Hatfield’s Fuse (BC) – a fuller bodied, round white that was quite herbal, but as well had some spice and cinnamon on the palate.
• Roaring Twenties Malbec (Argentina) – Dark fruit nose.  Full bodied with lots of dark fruit flavours.  Cassis and vanilla become more prominent as you let the wine breath in your glass. Fine tannins with a bit of an acidic prickle on your tongue.
• Hester Creek Merlot (BC) – Nice nose with aromas of plums and vanilla. Medium plus body, with flavours of bitter blackberry leaf, dark fruit, cocoa, and vanilla.  Quite high in acid with medium minus tannins.

I appreciate seeing BC wine by the glass, as well as International wines.  To me, the two BC wines stood out and really complemented the food we selected.

The Menu

The food menu is varied with both New Orleans inspired food as well as regular pub type fare, such as burgers and sandwiches. For our meal we shared a:

• Slider Trio appetizer
• Jambalaya Quinoa Lettuce Wrap appetizer
• Smoked pork ribs with yam fries entree
• Prawn Po’Boy with spicy hand-cut potato chips entree

To the appetizers, we tried our two white wines. The Slider Trio were 3 mini burgers, with each one having a different filling.  We tried all 3 fillings, which were smoked beef brisket, smoked chicken, and pulled pork. Of the 3 sliders, I think I liked the pulled pork the best.  I liked the hickory smoke flavour.  The pork was not too dry, and not dripping with sauce or coleslaw in the bun.  The Roaring Twenties Sauvignon Blanc was a nice accompaniment to the sliders.

Slider trio with brisket pulled pork and smoked chicken

The Jambalaya Quinoa Lettuce Wrap had all the parts you would expect from Jambalaya; shrimps, sausage, and chicken, but did not have the spice I expected.  I liked the crunchiness of the lettuce with the Jambalaya.  The quinoa added a bit of chewy, grainy texture to the appetizer.

Jambalaya quinoa lettuce wrap

The Smoked Pork Ribs were tender and again not too much sauce.  You could also taste and smell the hickory smoke.  The fruitiness of the Hester Creek Merlot went very well with the smokiness of the ribs.

Smoked pork ribs with yam fries

Finally the Prawn Po’Boy came battered and deep fried, on a bun, and topped with a creamy herb (dill?) sauce.  The prawns were fat and juicy and not overdone.  I enjoyed the flavour of the creamy herb sauce with the prawns.  A note of caution though about the hand-cut potato chips; they are quite spicy.  So if you do not like spicy food, do not get the potato chips as a side, otherwise, please do order them.  I am a spice lover.

Prawn Po Boy

More Info on Vancouver FanClub

Vancouver FanClub is located at 1050 Granville Street between Nelson and Helmcken in downtown Vancouver.  Please visit their website at this link for more details.  Enjoy!

Tags: Blasted Church, food and wine pairing, Hatfield's Fuse, Hester Creek, Jambalaya, malbec, merlot, music, New Orleans, prawn po'boy, Roaring Twenties, sauvignon blanc, slider, smoked pork ribs, vancouver, Vancouver FanClub, Vivace

This past week, the Seacove Group, a wine agency located in Vancouver, brought over 5 winery principals from Europe to show us a range of their wines.  Strolling through the cobbled Gastown streets, between restaurants, one could imagine you were in Europe.  The winery principals and the participating restaurants, hosting the principals are:

• Champagne de Vonage, Epernay, France,  Mr. Gilles de la Bassetiere. Hosted by Cork & Fin
• Domaine Louis Moreau, Chablis, France, Mr. Louis Moreau. Hosted by L’Abattoir
• Azienda Agricola Gulfi, Sicily, Mr. Mattteo Catania. Hosted by Salt Tasting Room
• Van Zeller & Co and Vale Dona Maria, Douro Valley, Portugal, Mr. Christiano Van Zeller. Hosted by Salt Tasting Room
• Bodegas Hidalgo La Gitana, Sanlucar & Jerez, Spain, Mr. Javier Hidalgo. Hosted by Sardine Can.

Champagne de Vonage

Gilles de la Bassetier pouring his Champagne de Venoge

Founded in 1837, the House of de Venoge is situated on the world famous Avenue de Champagne in Épernay, France.  They produce all nine styles of champagne: Brut, Brut Millésime, Extra Brut Millésime, Rosé, Blanc de Blancs Millésime, Blanc de Noirs, Cuvée Dry, Demi-Sec, Tête de Cuvée Blanc de Blancs Millésime and Tête de Cuvée Rosé Millésime.  Champagnes de Venoge are produced with Premier and/or Grand Cru Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes and the finest Pinot Meunier grapes, of which only the cuvée (the first soft pressing) is used. The blue sash on the label was introduced by King Henry III as a symbol of the order of the Holy Spirit and became tradition to wear in Royal Court and for royal celebrations.

I thought all 4 champagnes I tasted today were of excellent quality, with some for sipping on their own, while others I thought paired very nicely with the food served at Cork & Fin.

• Cordon Bleu Brut Select N/V ($60) – A blend of 50% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay and 25% Pinot Meunier. Medium intensity aromas with citrus, yeast an oak.  High acidity with tiny aggressive bubbles.  Lots of red delicious apple flavour followed by light oak and ending with flowers and citrus.  A very complex flavour progression.
• Rose Brut N/V (SPEC $73) – A blend of 50% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay and 25% Pinot Meunier. To make this rose a little red wine is added to the base white wine, that results in it’s orange-copper colour. Light strawberry and oak aromas.  Tiny bubbles, almost creamy on the palate. High acidity, bring red cherries and candied cherries flavour followed by oak and red apples.  I really liked this champagne with the oysters on the half shell from Cork & Fin.
• Blanc de Noirs N/V (SPEC $75) – A blend of two red grapes 80% Pinot Noir and 20% Pinot Meunier. A deeper golden colour in the glass.  Yeast and nuttiness on the nose. Full body, dry with medium sized bubbles, slightly creamy.  On the palate up front was citrus and yeast, followed by flowers and oak.  Very good quality!
• Blanc de Blancs 2000 (SPEC $90) – This wine is pure Chardonnay, with 80% of the grapes coming from Grand Cru vineyards. Pale lemon in the glass with watery edge and a more intense colour at the core. Elegant nose of lees, citrus and apple. High acid, medium body, dry with small aggressive bubble. Light apple with hints of citrus, strawberry, and oak on the palate.  This champagne also went very nicely with the oysters.

A selection of Champagne de Venoge on ice

Domaine Louis Moreau

Jean-Jacques Moreau with his Grand Cru Valmur 2008

Domaine Louis Moreau is a family estate under the direction of Louis Moreau, son of Jean-Jacques. The Domaine owns its vineyards in five Grand Cru (and one monopole), many of the Première Cru, and in Chablis and Petit Chablis. All 14 properties are managed through natural sustainability.  For those unfamiliar with Chablis, the primary grape is Chardonnay.

• AOC Petit Chablis 2011 (SPEC $26) – A very nice flowery nose with some citrus.  Light body, dry with medium plus acidity. Some citrus, apple and grapefruit rind on the palate. A wine that should pair very nicely with food.
• AOC Chablis 2011 (SPEC $20) – An interesting nose with aromas of oak, citrus and flint. The flintiness continues to the palate.  Medium body, good acidity, dry, with a creamy mouth feel and citrus flavour.
• Premier Cru Les Fourneaux 2010 (SPEC $40) – This wine had a rich stone fruit and honey aromas in the glass.  Medium body, very balanced fruit to acidity.  Light citrus flavour with a hint of oak. Very elegant.
• Grand Cru Valmur 2008 (SPEC $73) – Very light citrus and vanilla aromas. Light plus body, with vanilla and citrus flavour followed by oak and nutmeg spice.  Dry with higher acidity. Mouthwatering finish.

Domaine Louis Moreau flight of Chablis

Azienda Agricola Gulfi

The wines from Azienda Agricola Gulfi in Sicily, Italy are produced from the fruit of traditional and bio-organic wine growing and non-invasive vinification. No irrigation and handpicking of the grapes are undertaken. The legend of Eros (Love) and Psyche (Beauty) that are envied by Venus, are obliged to hide their love and meet one another in the dark. From this passion gives rise to Voluptuousness and pleasure. This is a metaphor where Eros is Gulfi, and its love to his wonderful land (Psyche), gives rise to his wines that are pure expression of Pleasure (Voluptuousness).

What I enjoy is trying wines made from grapes other than the common vines from Europe. In this case I tried wines from the Nero d’Avola and the Frappato grapes.

• Nero d’Avola “Rossojbleo” 2011 (SPEC $25) – An interesting nose of sour cherry, fino sherry (or balsamic vinegar) and oak. Dry with a light body. Spicy with cherries, red fruits, and oak on the palate and finishing with some bitter leafiness. 
• Nero d’Avola “Nerojbleo” 2009 (SPEC $35) – Lots of aroma from this wine of vanilla and ripe red cherries.  Medium plus body, quite spicy up front, followed with lots of cherry fruit and some vanilla.  Dry with medium tannic finish.
• Cerasuolo di Vittoria 2011 (SPEC $30) –  This wine is a blend of the Frappato and the Nero d’Avola grapes. Another interesting bouquet; this time of flowers and cherries.  Similar floweriness on the palate.  Light body.

Gulfi organic wines

Van Zeller & Co and Vale Dona Maria

Christiano Van Zeller

Following a long family tradition of over 230 years (the original Van Zeller & Co. was founded in 1780 even though the commercial aspect virtually disappeared after 1930s)  Cristiano van Zeller has been making Port Wines in the Douro region since 1982.

Former proprietor of Quinta do Noval, Cristiano van Zeller has always believed that the Douro has more to offer the world than port wine. He encouraged small wine makers and helped them showcase their wines’ unique character and develop a niche. He joined in the adventure himself in the mid-1990s and can now take credit for some of Quinta do Vale Dona Maria’s finest Portuguese reds. The wines are from a single south-facing vineyard owned by Cristiano van Zeller and his wife Joanna Lemos in the famous Rio Torto valley in the heart of the Douro.

• Van Zeller Branco VZ 2010 (Special order $40) – I really enjoyed this wine.  It had a light pear aroma.  Lighter body, but very round and fruity, with roasted apples, pears, and cinnamon spice on the palate.
• Rufo 2010 (SPEC $19) – A blend of Touriga Franca and Touriga Nacional, two indigenous grapes to Portugal. Light cherry vanilla nose.  Medium body, dry with medium tannins. Red cherries, candied fruit, flowers and vanilla flavours. Medium length. Not bad.
• Quinta do Vale Dona Maria Douro Tinto 2008 ($40) – Deep ruby in colour with ripe dark fruit and vanilla aromas. Full body, dry and soft mouth feel, with dark chocolate, dark cherries and vanilla, with some floweriness on the palate later.  Dry astringent finish. Another wine I really enjoyed.
• Reserve Port Lot 10 (SPEC $30) – I believe Cristiano said that there were approximately 41 different grape varieties that went into this port.  Deep ruby in colour with sweet spices, cherries and candied fruit aromas. Medium minus body, off dry, spicy with red cherry flavours.  The spice builds as you sip on this wine and let it aerate in your mouth.  Medium minus tannins on the finish.

Van Zeller Branco VZ 2010

Vale Dona Maria wine flight

Charcuterie at Salt

Bodegas Hidalgo La Gitana

Flight of Bodegas Hidalgo sherries

Bodegas Hidalgo is a long-established bodega in Sanlúcar, with its origins in the 18th Century. The Hidalgo family moved from northern Spain to Andalucía at that time and established a salina for the production of salt.  The family entered the sherry business in 1792, when José Pantaleón Hidalgo acquired a bodega from his father-in-law. Since that time, the business has remained a family concern, passed through six generations. La Gitana “The Gypsy” Manzanilla is Hidalgo’s flagship wine, a product of a family solera established in the early 19th century.

Today I tasted some fantastic sherries with Sr. Javier Hidalgo and would be happy to recommend any of them to you.  I also made a youtube video with Sr. Hidalgo talking about his two Manzanilla sherries.

• Fino Clasica (SPEC $25) –  Pale lemon, very bright citrus and salty aromas.  Dry, light body with lower acidity. Citrus, yeast and apples, with some smoky oak on the finish.
• Manzanilla La Gitana ($15) – Pale lemon in colour with some nuttiness on the nose.  Dry, light body with nuttiness, yeast, oak and apple flavours.  A very refreshing taste in your mouth.  Leaves you with a mouth watering finish.
• Manzanilla Pastrana (SPEC $30) – Apple juice colour in the glass.  Light intensity aromas of apples and yeast.  Miedium minus body, round and dry.  Very smooth with citrus, oak and nuttiness on the palate.
• Heredade Hidalgo Medium (SPEC $26) – Deeper golden brown colour.  Nutty, caramel sweet nose.  Medium plus body, off-dry, soft with apple flavour up front and caramel following later.

Tapas of tomato and green olives topped with Manchego cheese at Sardine Can

My Favourite Wines

As I mentioned above, all the sherries from Bodegas Hidalgo La Gitana are a hit with me.

From Van Zeller & Co and Vale Dona Maria, I really liked the Van Zeller Branco VZ 2010 and Quinta do Vale Dona Maria Douro Tinto 2008.

From Azienda Agricola Gulfi, I recommend their Nero d’Avola “Nerojbleo” 2009.

From Domaine Louis Moreau, I enjoyed their AOC Petit Chablis 2011 and Grand Cru Valmur 2008.

Finally, from Champagne de Vonage my picks are Rose Brut N/V and Blanc de Blancs 2000, although all the champagnes were very good.

Thank you to Seacove for the background material on the wineries.

Tags: Bodegas Hidalgo, chablis, champagne, Champagne de Vonage, Cork & Fin, Domaine Louis Moreau, france, Grand Cru, L'Abbatoir, La Gitana, Manzanilla, portugal, Quinta do Vale Dona Maria, Salt, Sardine Can, Seacove, sherry, spain, Valmur, Van Zeller

Did you know that SpierHead Winery from South East Kelowna won the “Best New Winery” at the 2012 BC Wine Awards, and that their Pinot Noir was ranked #1 by the judges at the 2012 Canadian Wine Awards?  Well now you know.  I’ve been in contact with SpierHead for a year now, tasting their wines and telling people about their wines.  Recently SpierHead Winery sent me the latest releases of 3 white wines:

• SpierHead Chardonnay 2011
• SpierHead Pinot Gris 2012
• SpierHead Riesling 2012

Something interesting I noted is that this is the first time I believe I’ve seen their Pinot Gris.  On their website, and from previous tastings, I have only tried their Riesling and Chardonnay.  I’m a fan of BC Pinot Gris and eagerly looked forward to opening the Pinot Gris to see SpierHead’s style.

My Tasting Notes

Doing this review, I tasted the wines twice over a two day period.  I do this to see if the wines have changed in aromatics and/or flavour, or maybe softened in tannins (for red wines), due to oxygen contact over the past 24 hours.  In some wines there is a notable difference with much more aroma and flavour.  So if you have the chance, and self-control, try a bottle of wine after you open it, but save some of the wine in the bottle, put a cork in it, so it doesn’t get contaminated, then wait 24 hours before re-tasting the wine.

For the 3 wines below I tasted them in the order of amount of residual sugar in the wine.  The Chardonnay had 1.7 g/L, Pinot Gris 4.5 g/L, and Riesling 8.0 g/L.

SpierHead Chardonnay 2011

SpierHead Chardonnay 2011

The grapes for this chardonnay come from SpeirHead’s Gentleman Farmer Vineyard. The wine is 20% barrel aged for 10 months in 100% new French oak barrels. FYI, 2011 was one of the coolest and wettest summers on record, in BC with harvest starting mid September in the south Okanagan, after 3 weeks of warm weather at the end of August and early September. A challenging year in BC.

The Chardonnay was medium lemon colour in the glass.  It had a medium intensity, youthful aroma. I picked up citrus, stone fruit, pear in particular, apple, and some vanilla. It was dry on the palate with a bit less acidity.  Medium body, but quite soft and round mouth feel.  Flavours of citrus, stone fruit, and almonds or marzipan  and light oak on the palate.  On the finish I noted some bitter blackcurrant leaf and some spiciness.  Besides the fruit flavours I also did pick up on some stoniness to the wine also.  Medium length.  This is a light and elegant wine that is good to drink right now, but you could cellar it for a while.  It shouldn’t age much as it is sealed with a screw cap, so enjoy it when you have a chance.  I would pair this wine with a crab & avocado salad, or maybe an oven roasted pork.

SpierHead Pinot Gris 2012

SpierHead Pinot Gris 2012

The SpierHead Pinot Gris grapes come from the Golden Retreat Vineyard in Summerland, BC, and are aged for 5 months in stainless steel. No oak on this wine.   2012 was not as challenging a harvest as 2011.  There was some rain in June during flowering, but the rest of the summer was sunny, with hot temperatures in August in September and there was no rain until the fall during some of the red grape harvest.

This wine was medium lemon in colour with a light, youthful nose.  There was both a bit of lemon and lime aromas, along with stone fruit, and some yeast.  The lime aroma became more pronounced after the wine was exposed to air for a while. It is dry with medium body and medium plus acidity.  Accompanied with the nice acidity on the tongue I also picked up on some minerality. This wine has layers of fruit flavours, with green fruit and citrus up front, followed by stone fruit, particularly peach.  There was also some blossom and honey. On my second day of tasting this wine,  lime, pineapple, and red delicious apple flavours popped.  Medium plus length with a lifted citrus finish. My favourite wine of the three I tasted. This wine should win medals. Buy it before it sells out.  I might want to enjoy this wine with an Indian biryani, or roasted nugget ham.

SpierHead Riesling 2012

SpierHead Riesling 2012

The SpierHead Riesling grapes come from the Gentleman Farmer Vineyard, the SpierHead Winery and the View Winery.  Another 100% stainless steel fermented wine, aged for 5 months in tank. This wine has the most residual sugar of the three white wines, but tasted nearly dry.

This wine was a bit deeper lemon in colour compared to the other two wines.  Light and youthful aromas of mainly stone fruit (apricot), with lesser amounts of tropical fruit, citrus and blossom. Dry to off-dry in sweetness with medium plus acidity.  A bit more body and mouth filling, I think in part to the higher residual sugar.  I enjoyed the slight acidic prickle on my tongue, balanced with the off dry fruitiness.  Flavours I picked up with Citrus and stone fruit, blossom, with and almond or peach pit on the finish. On Day 2 of my tasting, I noticed apricot, lime, and honeydew melon flavours on the palate. Medium plus length with a dry finish.  Another really nice wine, which I’d rank as my 2nd favourite of the 3 wines tasted.  To this wine, I did pair an Alsatian styled dish I cooked; pan fried pork chops, with fried cabbage, onions, and carrots, which were then slowly roasted in the oven.

The Back Label Story

For those of you who enjoy reading the back label of wine bottles, I’ve included these labels for you to find out a bit more about these wines.

SpierHead Chardonnay 2011 back label

SpierHead Pinot Gris 2012 back label

SpierHead Riesling 2012 back label

Links to My Previous SpierHead Winery Reviews

Here are the links to my past 2 tasting articles on SpierHead’s wines.  Enjoy!

SpierHead Winery and their Latest Red Wine Blends

Tasting the Latest Wine Releases from SpierHead Winery

Tags: back label, bc, chardonnay, Gentleman Farmer Vineyard, Golden Retreat Vineyard, Kelowna, okanagan, pinot gris, riesling, Spierhead, Summerland

Living on the west coast, we get spoiled with the mild weather, access to beaches, nearby mountains, sailing, enjoying the beach, and more.  One of our more recent perks has been access to wineries, and on a recent trip to Washington state, I ventured to Whidbey Island, and sampled wines from some of the wineries situated there.

Where is Whidbey Island?

Whidbey Island is located along the west coast of Washington state, and can be access on the north end of the island by a bridge from nearby Anacortes, and on the south end via ferry.  I caught the ferry from Clinton to Mukilteo.

View Larger Map

You won’t find tall skyscrapers and massive malls with fast food joints on the Island.  Rather, you will enjoy smaller shops, cafes and restaurants, large areas for agriculture and lots of green trees, and beautiful views.

The Wineries I Visited

On this trip I visited 3 Whidbey Island wineries:

• Blooms Winery
• Spoiled Dog Winery
• Comforts of Whidbey

It was a comfortable drive between the 3 wineries that were situated in the southern end of the Island.  The owners at all 3 wineries made me feel at ease and relaxed, just like it should be on a sunny weekend, sipping wine.

Blooms Winery is owned by Ken and Virginia Bloom, who started making wine in 1998. I spent my time chatting with Ken about their wines and experiences on the Island.  Their tasting room has art from local artists on the wall, and they also have local musicians play on Sunday’s during the summer season. Their grapes come from Whidbey Island when possible, with the majority from eastern Washington, and some from California.  The California grapes, Cabernet Sauvignon, come from Ken’s brother’s vineyards, so they are keeping the grapes and wine production in the family.

Spoiled Dog Blue

Spoiled Dog Winery is owned by Jack and Karen Krug, and they are managed by their spoiled Austalian shepards, Blue and Sami.  I met Blue at the tasting room, where he greeted everyone, but Sami was out with Jack.  Karen poured the wines for me to taste and to tell me about their winery.  They source biodynamically grown grapes, as well as have vineyards of their own.  They are best known for their Pinot Noir, which grows well in the cool maritime climate of Whidbey Island.

Comforts of Whidbey is a winery and vineyard owned by Carl and Rita Comfort. They purchased their current vineyard & farm in 2003. It was planted with grapevines in the 1990′s but needed encouragement to produce quality wine.  Carl and Rita had that dedication.  The tended the Siegerrebe, Madeline Angevine, Madeleine Sylvaner, and Pinot Noir grapes, and in 2009 produced their first vintage.

Rita Comfort, Ken Bloom, and Karen Krug

My Wine Picks

• 

  Comforts of Whidbey Sweet Donna 2009 and 2010

  Comforts of Whidbey Sweet Donna 2009. This is a white blend of Siegerrebe and Madeleine Sylvaner. The wine had a light dried stone fruit aroma with a whiff of pine needles.  Light bodied, soft, off-dry with dried fruit and pine needle flavour. Nice.

• Comforts of Whidbey Sweet Donna 2010. This wine, using the same grapes as the 2009 vintage, differs in that the grape skins stayed in contact with the juice for a while, imparts a deeper peach skin colour to the wine. It had a soft citrus and dried stone fruit nose.  Higher acidity, dry with citrus, grapefruit rind, dried fruits, and pine needles on the palate.
• Comforts of Whidbey Sangiovese 2010. Vanilla and ripe red fruit aromas.  Medium plus body, soft tannins, medium acidity, with flavours of ripe cherries, red apples and some vanilla.  Dry tannic finish.
• Blooms Winery Whidbey Blend 2010. Locally grown Madeline Angevine, Sylvaner and Sieggerebe from Whidbey Island go into this white blend. It had a nice pine needle with floral aromas. Very aromatic.  Medium minus body, dry with lychee, flowers, citrus, grapefruit and pine needle flavours. Very nice. Sold out, at the winery, but still could be sourced from a few local stores on Whidbey Island.
• 

  Blooms Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Melange wines

  Blooms Winery Melange 2010. This wine is a Bordeaux style blend of Merlot, Petit Verdot, and Malbec. Ripe purple fruit with some violets on the nose. Ripe black fruit with light vanilla flaours.  Medium plus body, round and soft in your mouth with fine tannins.

• Blooms Winery Syrah 2010. This wine is a blend of 95% Syrah and 5% Viognier from the Rattlesnake Hills in Eastern Washington. Light aromas of ripe black fruit in the glass. Full body, heavy mouth feel, with ripe fruit, violets, and sweet spices. Soft tannins.  Nice.
• 

  Spoiled Dog Winery Pinot Noir 2011

  Spoiled Dog Winery Pinot Gris. Med body, higher acidity. Apple and citrus aromas and flavours.

• Spoiled Dog Winery Estate Rose of Pinot Noir 2012. Light cherry nose. Light body, soft tannins.  Strawberries, tropical fruit flavours a bit of floweriness, with apples on the finish. Dry and soft. Nice.
• Spoiled Dog Winery Malbec 2011. Nice nose with black fruit, oak and smoke aromas. Dry, medium plus body, black fruit, cocoa and tea leaf flavours.

Tags: Blooms WInery, Comforts of Whidbey, Madeline Angevine, malbec, merlot, Petit Verdot, pinot noir, rose, Sangiovese, Sieggerebe, Spoiled Dog Winery, Sweet Donna, Sylvaner, syrah, viognier, Washington, Whidbey Island

With every season, there is either grape growing, harvesting, vinification, aging, or bottling of wine. Recently I was happy to do some tasting in Vancouver of recently bottled wines from Le Vieux Pin and La Stella wineries.  These two wineries from South Okanagan offer different styles of wines; Le Vieux Pin being produced in a more restrained French style, while La Stella in a more fruity and exuberant Italian style.  But both done with upmost care to quality.  In addition to tasting some of the latest bottles, media were also offered a comparison of syrahs from around the world, including from Le Vieux Pin.  So let’s start with my review of Le Vieux Pin and La Stella’s wines.

My Reviews of Le Vieux Pin’s Wines

• 

  GM Rasoul Salehi presenting the Le Vieux Pin Syrah Violette

  Le Vieux Pin Ava 2011. Primarily Viognier with some Roussanne and Marsanne (a Rhone Valley blend) from vines around the winery. A nice baking spice aroma with some floweriness, pine needles, and oranges. Medium minus body, orange and pine needle flavours. Medium acidity, dry with a mouth watering finish.

• Le Vieux Pin Sauvignon Blanc 2012. Comes from 3 separate vineyards, with a portion of the wine being oak aged.  Light pine needle nose with a hint of vanilla. Light body, dry with pine needle flavour which changes to citrus on the finish.
• Le Vieux Pin Vaila Rose 2012. Grapes are from 4 different vineyards. Very light nose of candied cherries and some strawberries. Soft, round and dry, with more candied cherries and strawberry flavours. Behind those flavours, there is some citrus fruit.
• Le Vieux Pin Violette Syrah 2011. It has a very pronounced nose with violets, nutmeg, allspice, and red fruit. Medium plus body, with flavours of blueberries, red fruit, red cherries, and violets. Soft tannins with a medium plus length. A very nice, very flavourful wine.

My Reviews of La Stella’s Wines

• 

  Wine maker Severine Pinte with her La Stella Leggiero 2012

  La Stella LaStellina Rosato 2012. Merlot, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Franc blend for this rose. Very light aromas of strawberries. Medium minus body, off-dry, with strawberry flavour. Behind the strawberry there is some sweet cherry flavour.  This is an easy sipper.

• La Stella Leggiero Un-Oaked Chardonnay 2012. Light citrus nose with some tropical fruit too. Slightly off dry, medium body with a bit of roundness on the palate. Light stone fruit flavours and medium length.
• La Stella Maestoso ‘Solo’ Merlot 2010. This wine is 100% Merlot aged in a  blend of 85% large neutral oak barrels, 10% in new French oak, and 5% in 2nd fill French oak barrels. Medium ruby colour. Licorice on the nose with dark fruit and vanilla too.  Very tasty, full bodied, round and dry.  Very mouth filling.  Lots of really ripe purple fruit, plum, cherries, some bitter blackberry leaf, long length with cinnamon spice on the finish. An excellent wine.
• La Stella Moscato d’Osyoos 2012. 85% Moscato Bianco and 15% Moscato Ottonell. Definitely has an orange bouquet combined with some floweriness. Sweet on the palate, quite mouth filling, syrupy feel upfront, followed by an acidic prickle on your tongue. Orange and citrus flavours, with a herbal edge to the wine.  A fun, nice balanced wine.
• La Stella Vivace Pinot Grigio 2012. It has a herbal, citrus, and grapefruit skin aromas. Medium minus body, with lots of grapefruit flavour.  Good acidity and dry on the palate.  I really like this wine.

A Global Syrah Comparison

Why would you want to compare your wines to other wines from around the world? Why not? What makes a comparison like this interesting is how the difference in climate and terroir affects the same grape, syrah in this case.  It is up to you to choose which you prefer; fruity, exuberant, restrained, dark and brooding.  The syrahs we sampled:

• Nichol Syrah 2010 (BC) 
• Le Vieux Pin Syrah 2010 (BC)
• Le Vieux Pin Syrah 2008 (BC)
• Le Vieux Pin Equinoxe Syrah 2010 (BC)
• Church & State Winery Syrah 2006 (BC)
• Jackson-Triggs Cabernet Sauvignon – Syrah – Viognier 2007 (BC)
• The Ojai Vineyards Syrah 2003 (Santa Barbara, California)
• Domaine Joël Champet Côte-Rôtie La Viallière 2005 (Rhone Valley, France)
• Burrowing Owl Syrah 2002 (BC)
• Okahu Estate Kaz Shiraz 1998 (New Zealand)

The majority of the wines were from BC.  From my notes, I noted that the BC wines were typically medium bodied.  There were aromas and/or flavours primarily of violets, coffee, smokiness, and dark fruit.   I noted blueberries on the California Ojai Vineyards as well as the Le Vieux Pin Equinoxe Syrah.  Lastly I noticed that some of the BC syrahs did show some minerality on the palate which I did not get on the other wines. The wines in this flight ranged from 1998 to 2010. The most aged, from New Zealand, still was very pleasant to drink, and probably at it’s peak.  I think the BC syrahs showed up quite well against the other syrahs in this flight and we should be proud of our BC wines.

Global syrah lineup 1

Global syrah lineup 2

Tags: AVA, bc, burrowing owl, california, chardonnay, church & state, d'Osoyoos, Domaine Joel Champet, france, Jackson-Triggs, La Stella, LaStellina, Le Vieux Pin, Leggiero, Maestoso, Marsanne, merlot, Moscato, new zealand, Nichol, Ojai, Okahu Estate, pinot grigio, Rasoul Salehi, Rosato, rose, Roussanne, sauvignon blanc, Severine Pinte, Solo, syrah, un-oaked, Vaila, viognier, Violette, Vivace

New Zealand, a land with maritime and mountain plateau climates nearby, each producing wines from the same grapes with different styles, flavours, and aromas.  Unique terroir.    For such a small island, they produce a significant amount of wine.  The vineyards cover 34,270 hectares in 2012; growing at least 25 different varieties of grapes (more than Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc); and producing 194 million litres of wine in 2012.  I checked up on some BC stats, and read that in 2011 we produced 14.8 million litres of wine, so NZ produces more than a factor of 10 more wine than us. Wow!

This week was the 2013 New Zealand Wine Fair here in Vancouver, held at the Roundhouse in Yaletown.  There were 24 wineries present, each pouring around 4 wines.  I tried valiantly to sample each wine, but there is just not enough time to really sample the wine, write notes, talk to the winery principals, etc.  So below are my recommended wines from this event.  If you attended the New Zealand Wine Fair, please chime in with a comment.  Did you like the same wines as me, or did you find a gem that I missed?  Let me know!

My Wine Picks

• 

  Forrest The Doctors Sauvignon Blanc 2011

  Astrolabe Province Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, 2012 ($23.99) – Astrolabe is one of the wineries I recommend yearly.  This wine has a very gooseberry / herbal nose.  Dry, high acidity yet is quite mouth filling.  Lots of herbal flavours leading to jalapeno peppers.

• Babich Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, 2012 ($19.99 SPEC) – Light gooseberry aroma.  Light body, high acidity, dry on the palate.  Light gooseberry flavour.
• Forrest The Doctors’ Sauvignon Blanc 2011 ($19.99 SPEC) – This one was quite interesting.  I was told that the winery owners wanted a lower alcohol wine that still had Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc character.  To me, I call this Sauvignon Blanc the one that Sauv Blanc haters would even like. It had a light stone fruit nose.  Light body, soft with lower acidity on the palate.  Stone fruit flavours.
• Elephant Island Chardonnay, Hawke’s Bay, 2010 (29.99 SPEC) – Light vanilla, sweet spices, and tropical fruit aromas in the glass.  Medium body, round, with light spice, smoke and tropical fruit flavours.  A very balanced wine.
• 

  Elephant Hill Hieronymus 2012

  Elephant Hill Hieronymus, Hawke’s Bay, 2011 ($34.99 SPEC) – This was a real tasty wine; a blend of Merlot, Malbec, and Syrah. Light blueberry and red fruit aromas. Medium minus body, soft and light in the mouth.  Cloves, cherries, tea leaves, and white pepper on the palate.

• Matua Squealing Pig Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, 2012 ($23.99 SPEC) – I didn’t ask why this wine was called Squealing Pig, but should have. Light gooseberry and green pea aromas. Dry with high acidity.  Herbal, green fruit, and jalapeno pepper flavours.  A very nice quality wine.
• Seresin Estate MOMO Pinot Noir, Marlborough, 2011 ($22.95) – MOMO I was told is Maori for “offspring”.  I didn’t ask, but with this, it could mean this is the 2nd line from Seresin, or something about their family and passing along wine heritage.  This wine had a bright, ripe cherry nose.  Light body with cherry and bright fruit flavours.  It also had a nice mineral streak running through it.  Dry with soft tannins.  I quite enjoyed this wine.
• 

  Waimea Estates Sauvignon Blanc and Spinyback Pinot Gris

  Waimea Estates Sauvignon Blanc, Nelson, 2012 ($23.99 SPEC) – My favourite wine of the NZ Wine Fest, this wine had asparagus aromas in the glass.  The first thing that hit me when I took a sip was so much minerality. Wonderful. Dry, medium body with asparagus and herbal flavours.

• Waimea Estates Pinot Noir, Nelson, 2009 ($32.99 SPEC) – Light aromas of cherry, oak and cloves. Lighter bodied, dry with soft tannins. Smoky cherries and strawberry flavours.  Tasty.
• Whitehaven Pinot Noir, Marlborough, 2010 ($23.99) – Nice aromas of violets, red cherries and cloves.  Light body, dry with red cherries and smoke, with a hint of strawberries and sweet spice on the mid palate.
• Yealands Estate Single Block Series S1 Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, 2012 ($23.95 SPEC) – Very aromatic, with a herbal and gooseberry nose.  Dry, light body, with gooseberry and herbal flavours, and a streak of minerality. An elegant wine.

While many of these wines a SPEC, specialty, listings, it doesn’t mean you cannot get them.  Try private wine shops, such as Everything Wine, Liberty, or Legacy.

Tags: Astrolabe, Babich, elephant hill, Forrest, hawkes bay, marlborough, Matua, nelson, new zealand, Seresin, Waimea, Whitehaven, Yealands

Starting a restaurant is hard.  Running a restaurant is hard. Whether you are the owner, chef, wait staff, or any combination of these, you are dedicated, you love food, and what you do.  This week was the Vancouver Magazine 24th Annual Restaurant Awards in Vancouver, celebrating our restaurants, chefs, and staff who have been tantalizing our tastebuds over the past year, or years.

Before the winners were announced, media, and the restaurant trade were in full force sampling some of the varied creations, sweet and savoury, of these restaurants, and complementing them with some BC wines, and wines from around the world.  It was truly a whirlwind event.

Our Gold Medal Winners

Fiona Forbes presenting awards

Michael Eckford and Fiona Forbes were our hosts for the awards presentations.  It was quite fun, with many things I cannot repeat in print.

Best Coffee House – Revolver

Best Food Cart – Tacofino

Best Design – Wildebeest

Best Korean – Sura

Best Seafood – Blue Water Cafe + Raw Bar

Best Pizzeria – Nicli Antica Pizzeria

Best Noodle House – Hokkaido Ramen Santouka

Best of the Americas – La Taqueria

Best Upscale Japanese – Tojo’s

Best Casual Italian – La Quercia

Best Indian – Vij’s

Best Vietnamese – Phnom Penh

Best Upscale Italian – Cioppino’s Mediterranean Grill and Enoteca (also longest restaurant name. My comment.)

Best Upscale French – Le Crocodile

Best Thai – Maenam

Best Steakhouse – Hy’s Encore

Best Casual Chinese – Alvin Garden (yaay Burnaby!)

Best Other Asian – Spice Islands (Did you know the Spice Islands are the eastern islands of Indonesia?)

Best North Shore – La Regalade

Best Other Vancouver Island – The Pointe at the Wickaninnish Inn

Best Okanagan – Waterfront Restaurant & Wine Bar

Best Victoria – Ulla

Best Winery / Vineyard Dining – Miradoro at Tinhorn Creek

Best Whistler – Araxi

Best Upscale Chinese – Hoi Tong

Best Dim Sum – Dynasty Seafood

Best Casual French – Tableau Bar Bistro

Best Casual Chain – Cactus Club Cafe

Best Casual Japanese – Kingyo

Producer / Supplier of the Year – Jonathan Chovancek and Lauren Mote from Kale & Nori Culinary Arts

Green Award – Forage

Premier Crew – Romano Costillo fromL’Abattoir, Miki Ellis from Minami, Jamie Lauder from CinCin,and Ike Seaman from The Pointe at the Wickaninnish Inn

Mentorship Award – John Bishop (Congratulations John.  I am proud to know you.)

Lifetime Achievement – Alain Raye

Bartender of the Year – Robert “H” Holl-Allen

Sommelier of the Year – Samantha Rahn, Araxi

Pastry Chef of the Year – Thomas Haas

Chef of the Year – David Hawksworth

Best New Restaurant – Wildebeest

Best Casual – La Quercia

Best Upscale – Hawksworth

Restaurant of the Year – Hawksworth

Both Hawksworth and Wildebeest were multi-award winners.  Congratulations to them, the other Gold Medal winners, and all the nominated restaurants.

Vij and Meeru accepting award for Best Indian Restaurant

Alain Raye accepting award for Best North Shore restaurant

John Bishop and Vikram Vij

A Sampling of Delicious Food and Drink

As I mentioned, we all enjoyed our fill of delicious food and wine at this event, prepared by the participating restaurants, wineries and wine agencies.

We also need to thank the Presenting Sponsor, Capilano Audi, and the Host Sponsor, Sheraton Vancouver Wall Center Hotel, for hosting this event.

A variety of Tinhorn Creek wine on ice

Kulinarya Chicken adobo with chicken liver sauce

La Pentola della Quercia Venison Bresola

Christine and Alana happy to pour Haywire and Bartier Scholefield wines

Espana Spanish Gilda

Mini sour cream filled donuts

Tags: Alain Raye, Alvin Garden, award, Blue Water, Cactus Club, Cioppino, David Hawksworth, Fiona Forbes, Forage, Hawksworth, Hokkaido, John Bishop, Kingyo, La Quercia, La Regalade, Le Crocodile, Maenam, Michael Eckford, Nicli, Phnom Penh, restaurant, Sura, Tableau, Thomas Haas, Tojo, vancouver, Vancouver Magazine, Vikram Vij, Wickaninnish Inn, Wildebeest

Bartier Scholefield‘s slogan is “Wine is Narrative“, which I agree it is, at least maybe for boutique wineries, sourcing grapes from a small region.  In my previous article, BC Has a Wine Story, I talked about the story that wine tells through the terroir that the vines were planted and the grapes ripened. Bartier Scholefield’s story comes from the Summerland and Oliver areas in the Okanagan.  They produce a Red Blend, a White Blend, and a Rose.  I recently received a bottle of their latest release of their Red Blend and their White Blend.  Both are VQA wines.  Let’s find out more.

Bartier Scholefield White Table Wine 2010

Bartier Scholefield White Table Wine 2010

The Bartier Scholefield White Table Wine 2010 is a blend of Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc. I believe the grapes come from the Secrest Mountain Vineyards in Oliver, BC. The wine underwent minimal human intervention, letting the grapes tell their story. Fermentation was followed with short lees contact, followed by blending and bottling.  I am not sure of the percentages of each of the grapes, but from the flavour profile, I guess that the order of the grapes listed above represents the largest to smallest amounts of the different grape varieties.

The wine was a medium lemony gold colour in the glass. Medium intensity aromas of citrus, tropical and dried fruits, pear, lemon, a whiff of lime, and a bit of lees.  Quite a complex nose. Dry, medium body with medium acidity right upfront. Flavours of citrus, tropical fruit, dried fruit and pear, with hints of apricot, flowers and lees.  Bitter peach pit with a steely finish. Medium length.  A well made wine, in a screw cap, so buy and enjoy on it’s own or with food.  Maybe pair with a seafood chowder, mussels mariniere, or stir fried cashew chicken. (I did review this wine 1.5 years ago.  Read my notes here to see how the wine has changed.)

Bartier Scholefield Red Table Wine 2008

Bartier Scholefield Red Table Wine 2008

The Red Table Wine is a red Bordeaux blend of primarily Merlot, with lesser amounts of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, and Petit Verdot. Again, following minimal intervention, punchdowns were used during the fermentation process followed by two years of neutral barrel aging.

The wine was a translucent medium ruby colour from rim to core. Light plus developing aromas, with red fruit, plums, sweet spices, and vanilla, with hints of perfume, cedar and chocolate.  I did try this wine over two days.  I noted in the second day that there was also some tomato and some vegetal component to the nose. Dry with a lighter mouthfeel. It doesn’t coat your mouth, but it is soft with fine tannins.  Primary flavours of red and purple fruit, specifically blueberries popped for me, with secondary flavours of cedar, sweet spices, black currant leaf, vanilla/oak, and a hint of perfume (which I think is from the Petit Verdot). Medium plus length.  The finish was fairly astringent with bitter blackcurrant leaf and sour cherries.  Not a bad wine, but not one to sip on it’s own.  I think it would be best enjoyed with a fatty meat, such as duck breast to take off that astringent edge.

Where Can You Buy These Wines?

You can buy these wines online through Okanagan Crush Pad Winery where they vinify their wines or Everything Wine.  You can also visit one of the Everything Wine wine shops across the Vancouver lower mainland.  Enjoy!

Tags: Bartier, bc, cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay, Everything Wine, malbec, merlot, OCP, okanagan, Okanagan Crush Pad, Oliver, Petit Verdot, pinot blanc, pinot gris, sauvignon blanc, Scholefield, Summerland

04.16.2013.  That’s the date that the Okanagan Falls Winery Association (OFWA) launched their Inaugural “The Heart of Wine Country Comes to Vancouver” event to show their wines to the wine trade, which includes wine writers like me, but as well wine shop and restaurant owners and staff.  If you ask someone in Vancouver where is the Naramata Bench, they could probably tell you and name at least one winery. But if you ask them about Okanagan Falls, they may be stumped.  But they shouldn’t be because the Okanagan Falls area produces some delightful wines.

Where is Okanagan Falls?

Vineyards in the Okanagan Falls area (Image courtesy ofwa.ca)

Okanagan Falls is about midway between Penticton to the North and Oliver to the South, located at the south tip of Skaha Lake.  According to the OFWA’s website, they quote Blue Mountain founder Ian Mavety, who has been growing grapes at Okanagan Falls since 1972, about the terroir: “The most important features of the Okanagan are the warm days and cool nights,” he says. “Not many areas of the world have that combination. It creates a uniqueness to the wines. The warm days with the bright sunshine result in ripe fruit characters. The cool nights retain the acidity in the grapes, which just accentuates the fruit flavours.” The OFWA also notes “One of the most important geological features is McIntyre Bluff, at the south end of the Okanagan Falls growing region and on the west side of the valley. This feature, together with McIntyre Canyon on the east side of the valley, is big enough to change wind and weather patterns.“

View Larger Map

Which Wineries are in the OFWA?

You have probably tried wines from many of these wineries before but never knew where they are located. The 12 wineries in the association are:

• Blasted Church Vineyards
• Blue Mountain Vineyards
• Kraze Legz
• Liquidity
• Meyer Family Vineyards
• Noble Ridge Vineyard and Winery
• Painted Rock Estate Winery
• See Ya Later Ranch
• Stag’s Hollow Winery & Vineyard
• Synchromesh Wines
• Top Shelf Winery
• Wild Goose Vineyards

My Wine Picks

• 

  Blue Mountain Brut NV sparkling

  Blue Mountain Brut NV sparkling ($23.90). This sparkler is a favourite for many BC residents. Always quality that you can count on. This wine had a nice citrusy, yeasty nose.  High acidity, with nice bright lemony flavour and some yeasty notes.  Small aggressive bubbles and some bitter peach pit on the finish.

• Blue Mountain Pinot Noir 2011 ($24.90). Nice aromas in the glass of smoky cherries and raspberries.  Light body, dry with sour red cherries, some vanilla/oak/sweet spices.  Good quality.
• Kraze Legz The Black Bottom Stomp 2009 ($28.95). This is Kraze Legz Reserve level wine, made from Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Nice dark fruit and cherry aromas in the glass. Full body, very ripe dark fruit flavours  Round mouth feel.  Tannins in the mid palate followed with vanilla, cherry and cocoa.
• Meyer Family Vineyards Gewurztraminer 2011. I only had a chance to try Meyer Family’s Gewurztraminer this day, but their Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are very good quality. Here is a previous review of their wines by me. The Gewurztraminer had light aromas of lychee and stone fruit.   Off dry, round with light body.  Lychee with a herbal edge on the palate followed with some baking spices.
• Noble Ridge Vineyard & Winery Chardonnay 2010 ($23.90). A nice light sweet spice nose.  Light plus body, medium acidity, nice tropical fruit and vanilla, with some sweet spices behind. Tasty.
• 

  Kraze Legz line up of wines

  Noble Ridge Vineyard & Winery Pinot Noir 2009 ($24.90). An interesting dark garnet colour in the glass.  Nice cherry and cinnamon aromas. Light body, dry, with cherries, dark fruit, vanilla and sweet spices on the palate.  A mineral streak throughout the wine.

• Painted Rock Estate Winery Syrah 2010 ($40). Plum, blueberries and vanilla aromas. Full body with fine tannins.  Very ripe dark cherries, plums, and blueberry flavours.  Vanilla there to enhance the fruit flavours. Round mouth feel. Very tasty.
• Stag’s Hollow Winery Heritage Block 2010 ($24.99). This is a Bordeaux blend of 60% Merlot, 23% Cabernet Franc, and 17% Cabernet Sauvignon. The 2010 Heritage Block marks the first vintage to be packaged under a screw cap. This wine had a toasty, ripe dark fruit nose.  Full body, round and soft.  Nice ripe black fruit, soft tannins and medium acidity.  Some vanilla too. Very nice.
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  Wild Goose Vineyards Riesling 2011 and Gewurztraminer 2012

  Stag’s Hollow Winery Renaissance Merlot 2010 ($29.99). The Renaissance level is their Premium label. It is 95% Merlot, with 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. It has very nice aromas of ripe plums, vanilla, and spice.  Full body, very plush mouth feel, dry with medium minus tannins and medium acidity.  Ripe plum fruit flavour.  A very balanced wine.

• Synchromesh Wines Thorny Vines Riesling 2012 ($19). This Riesling has a nice flowery honey nose. Off dry, high acidity and very tart on the palate.  Citrus and green apple flavours, with a crab apple finish. Very good, but be prepared for the tartness.
• Wild Goose Vineyards Mystic River Gewurztraminer 2012 ($23). Lots of lychee and flowers on the nose with a hint of oranges. Light body, off dry with a  round mouth feel. Stone fruit, lychee, and honey flavours. Tasty.  This is their BRAND new vintage release.
• Wild Goose Vineyards Merlot Reserve 2010 ($25). Ripe cherry, plum, and vanilla aromas. Full body, lots of ripe cherries, plums and black fruit with vanilla to support.  Medium-fine tannins giving a smooth mouth feel.

Thank you to Brix Restaurant in Yaletown for hosting this event.

Tags: bc, Blue Mountain, Brix Restaurant, brut, chardonnay, Gewurztraminer, Kraze Legz, merlot, Noble Ridge, ofwa, okanagan falls, pinot noir, Renaissance, riesling, sparkling, Stag's Hollow, Synchromesh, syrah, Wild Goose