MyWinePal: Celebrating 10 Years of Wines and Friendship With World Wine Synergy

Kristie Or speaking at the 10th Anniversary of World Wine Synergy

I enjoy working with wine agents. They gather wines from around the world and offer the wines to us for our enjoyment. This year is the 10th Anniversary of World Wine Synergy (WWS), and I was fortunate, along with other wine trade people to celebrate this anniversary at La Quercia restaurant. Over those 10 years I’ve been invited to meet and interview with some of their winery principals as well as attend educational seminars, and review many of the wines in their portfolio.

WWS, founded in 2014 with “just two wines in its portfolio”, starting with Maison Idiart in the Loire Valley in 2014, and progressively adding wineries from various European regions. Casale del Giglio from Lazio, Italy was the next winery to be brought in 2016. By their 10th anniversary in 2024, they now represent over 300 carefully curated wines from 40 European wineries. A central tenet of WWS’s mission is a dedication to authentic European wines, emphasizing the stories behind the grapes and highlighting unique terroirs.

Education is a cornerstone of WWS’s philosophy. They aim to deepen wine knowledge in a province thirsty for authentic experiences. For example, I was invited to taste and learn about the wines made by Cristiana Tiberio at a lunch seminar held at Pepino’s Spaghetti House on Commercial Drive. I also attended a seminar about the wines made by Bodega Los Bermejos located on the volcanic soils of the Canary Islands. A fascinating area in Europe to make wine.

Grace Li with the new WWS logo

On this 10th anniversary lunch celebration, World Wine Synergy, decided it was time for a rebranding, as WWS, along with a brand new, classy, logo. They also have a brand new website, which you should check out.

As we sat down together at La Quercia, WWS owners, Grace Li and Richard Loo, along with Kristie Or, spoke about their agency’s history, the wineries they visited, the wines and winemakers they brought to BC, and much more. Grace, Richard, and Kristie, noted how they treat each winery principal as a friend and build a relationship with them both at the winery and back in Vancouver, taking them to meals and highlight events, like Canucks’ hockey games.

As Grace, Richard, and Kristie spoke to us, flights of wines from their portfolio were brought out along with paired dishes, for us to enjoy. Being wine trade people, we of course swirled, sniffed, sipped, and made notes about the wines, the dishes, and our favourite pairings. As Grace mentioned during our lunch, we all have different experiences, likes and dislikes, so we were not surprised when we discussed the wines and the food parings at our tables. We did not know, ahead of time, how many wines would be poured and how many dishes we would be served. In the end, we tasted 14 different wines from their portfolio, along with six different dishes. Plus a Prosecco as our reception wine before we sat down to formally get the party underway.

Our Food & Wine Pairings

– Reception –
Sorelle Bronca ‘Particella 232’ Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore Rive di Farro
Extra Brut, Veneto, Italy 2022
paired with ~ Ascolana Olives ~

– 1st Course –
Domaine Dirler-Cadé Alsace Grand Cru ‘Kessler’ Riesling, Alsace, France 2018
Bodega Los Bermejos Malvasia Volcánica Seco Lanzarote, Canary Islands, Spain 2023
Tiberio, ‘Fonte Canale’ Trebbiano d’Abruzzo, Abruzzo, Italy 2019
paired with ~ Seared Scallop, Lardo, Cauliflower ~
and ~ Charcuterie ~

– 2nd Course –
Domaine Louis Chenu & Filles ‘Les Lavieres’ Savigny-lès-Beaune Premier Cru, Burgundy, France 2022
Domaine Baron de L’Ecluse ‘Les Garances’ Côte de Brouilly, Beaujolais, France 2022
Kir-Yianni ‘Kali Riza’ Amyndeon, Macedonia, Greece 2021
paired with ~ Sausage-Stuffed Morels, Polenta ~
and ~ Porcini Mushroom Strudel, Parmigiano Fonduta ~

– 3rd Course –
Domaine Duseigneur ‘Yamakasi’ Vin de France, Rhone, France 2022
Domaine La Barroche ‘Julien Barrot’ Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Rhone, France 2021
paired with ~ Spruce Tip Risotto ~

– 4th Course –
Chiara Condello Romagna Sangiovese Predappio, Emilia-Romagna, Italy 2022
Casale del Giglio Cesanese Lazio Rosso, Lazio, Italy 2022
paired with ~ Stinging Nettle Rotolo, Brown Butter ~

– 5th Course –
L’Erta di Radda Chianti Classico Riserva, Tuscany, Italy 2020
Baricci Brunello di Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy 1.5L 2018
Domaine Capelanel ‘Amphút’ Cahors Malbec, Cahors, France 2017
Eugenio Rosi Cabernet Franc, Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy 2017/2018/2019
paired with ~ Elk Sirloin, Currant Sugo ~
~ Cheese Board ~

Top Left to Lower Right we have Seared scallop, Sausage-Stuffed Morels with polenta and the Porcini Mushroom Strudel with Parmigiano Fonduta, Spruce Tip Risotto, Stinging Nettle Rotolo in Brown Butter, and Elk Sirloin with — Top Left to Lower Right we have Seared Scallop, Sausage-Stuffed Morels with polenta and the Porcini Mushroom Strudel with Parmigiano Fonduta, Spruce Tip Risotto, Stinging Nettle Rotolo in Brown Butter, and Elk Sirloin

This was truly a magnificent lunch with interesting food and wine pairings. All of the wines were top quality and the matter of the food pairings was again personal preference. I have a few of my notes below of the wines, sans rating, with food pairings as we were there to celebrate the history of WWS together.

The flight of wines at our 10th Anniversary of World Wine Synergy lunch celebration

1st Pairing

Domaine Dirler-Cadé Alsace Grand Cru ‘Kessler’ Riesling, Bodega Los Bermejos Malvasia Volcánica Seco Lanzarote, and Tiberio, ‘Fonte Canale’ Trebbiano d'Abruzzo wines — Domaine Dirler-Cadé Alsace Grand Cru ‘Kessler’ Riesling, Bodega Los Bermejos Malvasia Volcánica Seco Lanzarote, and Tiberio, ‘Fonte Canale’ Trebbiano d’Abruzzo wines

Domaine Dirler-Cadé Alsace Grand Cru ‘Kessler’ Riesling, Alsace, France 2018 – Bright, medium lemon colour. Petrol and lemon aromas, continues to the palate. Off-dry, light body, with high acidity. Honey and butterscotch flavour really comes out with time in the glass. A delicate wine.

Bodega Los Bermejos Malvasia Volcánica Seco Lanzarote, Canary Islands, Spain 2023 – Medium lemon colour. Light, stony, honey, stone fruit aromas. Dry, light body. Lemon and lanolin or straw flavours. Higher acidity, leaves a light prickle on your tongue.

Tiberio, ‘Fonte Canale’ Trebbiano d’Abruzzo, Abruzzo, Italy 2019 – Has a deep lemon colour. Deep citrus aromas. Dry, fuller body. High acidity with tart citrus fruit flavours.

The seared scallop was nicely tender and had a delightful touch of grill flavour. The scallop meat had some sweetness. My favourite pairing to the scallop was the was Bodega Los Bermejos Malvasia Volcánica Seco Lanzarote, Canary Islands, Spain 2023 as I thought its higher acidity worked well with the dish.

2nd Pairing

Domaine Louis Chenu & Filles ‘Les Lavieres’ Savigny-lès-Beaune Premier Cru, Domaine Baron de L'Ecluse ‘Les Garances’ Côte de Brouilly, and Kir-Yianni ‘Kali Riza’ Amyndeon wines — Domaine Louis Chenu & Filles ‘Les Lavieres’ Savigny-lès-Beaune Premier Cru, Domaine Baron de L’Ecluse ‘Les Garances’ Côte de Brouilly, and Kir-Yianni ‘Kali Riza’ Amyndeon wines

Domaine Baron de L’Ecluse ‘Les Garances’ Côte de Brouilly, Beaujolais, France 2022 – A clear, bright ruby colour. Bright crisp cherry nose. Dry, medium body with a smooth, lighter mouthfeel. Medium acidity and light intensity, fine-grained tannins. Tart and juicy cherry flavours along with a touch of pepperiness on the finish. Medium length.

Domaine Louis Chenu & Filles ‘Les Lavieres’ Savigny-lès-Beaune Premier Cru, Burgundy, France 2022 – A deep garnet colour. Light intensity, sweet ripe cherries and red fruit nose. Dry, medium-plus body with a smooth soft, fuller mouthfeel. Juicy berries, raspberries and a touch of pepperiness. Light tannins and medium acidity. Medium length.

Kir-Yianni ‘Kali Riza’ Amyndeon, Macedonia, Greece 2021 – Vibrant clear garnet and ruby mixed colour in the glass. Very light, crunchy, red berry nose with more on the palate. Dry, with a medium-minus body and lean mouthfeel. Cherry flavour. Medium-plus acidity and tannins.

The Sausage-Stuffed Morels with polenta were delicious. The mushroom is very buttery with subtle sausage flavour and then the texture from the polenta. The Porcini Mushroom Strudel with Parmigiano Fonduta had nice savoury pork flavour, some chewiness and breadiness, plus earthy flavours. I enjoyed the Domaine Baron de L’Ecluse ‘Les Garances’ Côte de Brouilly, Beaujolais, France 2022 and the Domaine Louis Chenu & Filles ‘Les Lavieres’ Savigny-lès-Beaune Premier Cru, Burgundy, France 2022 equally well for both dishes.

3rd Pairing

Domaine Duseigneur ‘Yamakasi’ Vin de France and Domaine La Barroche ‘Julien Barrot’ Châteauneuf-du-Pape wines

Domaine Duseigneur ‘Yamakasi’ Vin de France, Rhone, France 2022 – A medium-plus, dull garnet and ruby tint. Expressive nose with minty, berries aromas and more on the palate. Juicy and tart red berries on the plate, plus pepperiness. Some tart raspberries. Fresh fruit favours. Medium-body with a light mouthfeel.

Domaine La Barroche ‘Julien Barrot’ Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Rhone, France 2021 – A deep clear garnet colour. Light ripe dark berries and a touch of meatiness on the nose. Medium-minus body with a lean, light mouthfeel. Raspberries and pepperiness on the palate. Medium-plus acidity and medium tannins. Medium length.

Spruce Tip Risotto sounds like a simple dish, but it took more than just that morning to prepare. Chef had to hand harvest newly sprouted, spring spruce tips and dry them before being used in this dish. He used Arborio rice for the risotto, which still had a crunch to it. He added mascarpone cheese which added flavour and texture. The spruce tips flavour was subtle, not overpowering the dish. The acidity and fruit flavours from both wines made a complimentary pairing to this dish. Two delicious taste experiences.

4th Pairing

Chiara Condello Romagna Sangiovese Predappio and Casale del Giglio Cesanese Lazio Rosso wines

Chiara Condello Romagna Sangiovese Predappio, Emilia-Romagna, Italy 2022 – Medium intensity clear garnet colour. Light intensity red cherry nose. Dry, medium-minus body with a lean mouthfeel. Tart red fruit and a touch of leather on the palate, plus a touch of pepperiness. Medium-plus acidity and medium tannins. Medium-plus length.

Casale del Giglio Cesanese Lazio Rosso, Lazio, Italy 2022 – Almost opaque ruby in the glass. Ripe dark fruit nose. Dry, medium-plus body with a lean mouthfeel. Medium acidity and tannins. Raspberries along with light pepperiness and black cherry flavours.

I enjoyed the Stinging Nettle Rotolo (pasta) in Brown Butter, in particular as I love creamy cheese and brown butter. The Rotolo was well-cooked. I preferred the Casale del Giglio Cesanese Lazio Rosso, Lazio, Italy 2022 with its fuller body and cherry flavour, plus lower acidity, making a nicer pairing.

5th Pairing

L'Erta di Radda Chianti Classico Riserva, Baricci Brunello di Montalcino, Eugenio Rosi Cabernet Franc, and Domaine Capelanel ‘Amphút’ Cahors Malbec wines — L’Erta di Radda Chianti Classico Riserva, Baricci Brunello di Montalcino, Eugenio Rosi Cabernet Franc, and Domaine Capelanel ‘Amphút’ Cahors Malbec wines

L’Erta di Radda Chianti Classico Riserva, Tuscany, Italy 2020 – A clear, medium-plus garnet colour. Light intensity, dark fruit and tar on the nose. Dry, medium body. Medium acidity and tannins. Juicy berries and raspberries and pepperiness. Lean mouthfeel. Some tart red fruits and red fruit flavours on the finish. Medium-plus length.

Baricci Brunello di Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy 1.5L 2018 – A medium-minus intensity clear garnet colour. Light, fresh cherry aromas. Dry, medium body with a lean mouthfeel. Red cherries o the palate. Medium acidity and acidity. Medium length.

Eugenio Rosi Cabernet Franc, Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy 2017/2018/2019 – A medium intensity, dull garnet colour. Dusty red fruits and a touch of capsicum aromas. Medium-plus body with a soft, smooth mouthfeel. Prominent capsicum on the palate along with red cherries. Medium acidity and tannins.

Domaine Capelanel ‘Amphút’ Cahors Malbec, Cahors, France 2017 – Opaque garnet and ruby colour. Nice, light ripe and candied cherries nose. Smooth and soft mouthfeel. Fruity red cherries and touches of floral and pepperiness on the palate. Light acidity and tannins. A soft and elegant red wine.

The Elk Sirloin with Currant Sugo was cooked rare and has a soft texture. Sweet sauce with some herbaceousness. The elk has wildness to its flavour. It is distinctive, if you have not tried elk before. The first two wines made nice pairings, but the third and fourth wines let the flavour and texture of the elk sirloin stand out more while adding soft fruit flavours from the wines.

Thank you to WWS for inviting me to celebrate their 10th anniversary. Congratulations on your success over these ten years and I wish you continued success for the next ten or more years as you enjoy bringing new wineries into your family.

The WWS’s wines were of great quality, and the food pairings by La Quercia were delicious. If you find any of these wines in your local bottle shop, do not hesitate to give them a try if my notes match up to the types of wines you enjoy, and try out La Querica if you have not visited them out near Alma and 4th Ave.