tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5400718413116030122024-03-12T17:16:37.122-07:00Vine LivingFor those who love all things wine...Chardonnayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06596093400779501622noreply@blogger.comBlogger51125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540071841311603012.post-79967597307576942802009-07-29T11:29:00.000-07:002009-07-29T11:29:00.266-07:00Summer is Time to Do the Twist<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggSBM-sSVrjlPbVlJZU8ctJNViX7q2VFiItUYFAe0nbleArRUqyFIpTKYsoKHHzap1cswPW7IM-M0n0xKi7335Bllg6epYc4ff7GJBFuP4nOxEtBRoNRckA7UdOLh0tt-ZfJ2olg_bcOpW/s1600-h/IMG_1306.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363585268156571058" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 179px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggSBM-sSVrjlPbVlJZU8ctJNViX7q2VFiItUYFAe0nbleArRUqyFIpTKYsoKHHzap1cswPW7IM-M0n0xKi7335Bllg6epYc4ff7GJBFuP4nOxEtBRoNRckA7UdOLh0tt-ZfJ2olg_bcOpW/s320/IMG_1306.JPG" border="0" /></a>By Julianna Hayes<br /><div><strong>July has all but come and gone and the weather remains smoking hot, which demands fresh and racy for me in the wine department.<br /></strong><br />A summer sipper, in my opinion, starts with a screw-cap, is affordable and is usually white or the palest shade of red.<br /><br />Light, bright whites or rosés are a no brainer as they are cool and refreshing – ideal during the typical Okanagan summer. And you shouldn’t have to pay a lot for a late afternoon patio quaffer. But why screwcaps, you ask?<br /><br />They’re convenient, for one – a simple twist and you’re off to the races. Summertime is all about living easy and who needs the extra fuss that goes along with a cork and the contraptions required to remove them?<br /><br />Secondly, summer wines must be kept cool – not an easy task in 30-plus degree weather. Screwcaps make re-sealing a snap so they can be popped back into the fridge or cooler for continued chilling without worry. The seal is usually pretty tight, so there’s little risk of leakage or getting that nasty cooler water in your bottle. Take it from someone who has had a glass or two of watered-down wine – the cork, just doesn’t cut it.<br /><br />But most of all, screwcaps are the best at preserving young, fresh wines, so they don’t lose their appealing zip like those under a cork can.<br /><br />More and more wineries in British Columbia are making high-style wines under the closure that used to be associated with products the calibre of Lonesome Charlie. Still there are sceptics who argue they cheapen the look of wines and lack the romance of a cork and that is preventing a full-on conversion.<br /><br />Wine Access Magazine recently scolded naysayers and reluctant wine producers in an issue in praise of twist-offs.<br /><br />“If you are making an aromatic summer sipper or a rosé and it is not under screwcap, you can forget about selling it in any progressive Canadian markets. We don't want any white wine or rosé that is made to be drunk fresh and young to be cork-finished.”<br /><br />Amen.<br /><br />So, get off your high horse, stash the corkscrew for a rainy day and source out some summer sippers under this simple seal. I’ve compiled a list of some of pocket-friendly, quaffable twist offs that will compliment any hot-weather table.<br /><br /><strong>Wine Notes</strong></div><br /><div></div><br /><div><strong>Arrowleaf 2007 Pinot Gris<br /></strong>Green apple, orange rind, pear, some floral notes, mineral aromas with some fresh apple flavours with citrus, grapefruit and pear on the palate.<br />Body and Finish: Slightly sweet entry with plenty of zippy character and fresh finish<br />Would I Buy It? Yes<br />Cellaring Potential: Drink now<br />Score: B *Cheeky and bright at a cheap and cheerful price<br />Price: $15<br />Availability: Winery, VQA shops, private retailers<br /><br /><strong>Ganton & Larsen Prospect Winery 2008 Pinot Grigio</strong><br />Tropical fruit, peach, mineral, nectarine bouquet followed by a fresh palate full of citrus, peach, mineral.<br />Body and Finish: Good acidity on the palate and finish<br />Would I Buy It? Yes<br />Cellaring Potential: Drink now<br />Score: B *Quaffable, bright patio pal<br />Price: $15<br />Availability: VQA shops, BC LDBs, private retailers<br /><br /><strong>Tinhorn Creek 2008 Gewurztraminer</strong><br />A new classy label greets you on a bottle that has been among the first under twist off in B.C. Aromas of sweet apples, ripe peach, lychee, ginger and rose water which come through on palate.<br />Body and Finish: A touch sweet but has nice acidity to balance it.<br />Would I Buy It? Yes<br />Cellaring Potential: Drink now, well chilled<br />Score: B+ *A perennial favourite among B.C. Gewurzs and priced right<br />Price: $16.50<br />Availability: VQA shops, BC LDBs, private retailers<br /><br /><strong>JoieFarm 2008 Rose</strong><br />Bright ruby colour, very spicy nose and palate with rose petal, strawberry extract, cranberry, rhubarb and pink grapefruit. Lovely dry food style.<br />Body and Finish: Bright fruit entry with a zippy palate, and dry finish<br />Would I Buy It? Yes<br />Cellaring Potential: Drink now<br />Score: A- *Made in the Old World style roses were meant to be<br />Price: $18.90<br />Availability: Private retailers, restaurants<br /><br /><strong>Quails’ Gate 2008 Rose</strong><br />Think pink with this wine full of strawberry, rhubarb, blood orange, mineral and slight hints of spice.<br />Body and Finish: Fresh fruit and bracing acidity.<br />Would I Buy It? Yes<br />Cellaring Potential: Drink now<br />Score: A- *Dry, crisp and dirt cheap – all the things I like in a summer rose<br />Price: $13<br />Availability: Winery, VQA shops, BC LDBS, private retailers<br /><br /><strong>Road 13 2008 Old Vines Chenin Blanc</strong><br />Green apple, mineral, honey, peach aromas and flavours, this variety is overlooked by many but performs exceedingly well here. Loads of character from the older vines.<br />Body and Finish: A hint of sweetness that is well balanced by loads of fresh acidity.<br />Would I Buy It? Definitely<br />Cellaring Potential: Drink now<br />Score: A *Seafood anyone?<br />Price: $19<br />Availability: Winery, VQA shops, BC LDBS, private retailers<br /><br /><strong>St. Hubertus 2008 Pinot Blanc</strong><br />Pear, peach, green apple with some lemon-lime character. Simple, quaffable patio style<br />Body and Finish: A touch of sweetness on entry, fresh lemon-lime palate and simple finish<br />Would I Buy It? Once in a while<br />Cellaring Potential: Drink now<br />Score: B- *Priced right for summertime sipping<br />Price: $14<br />Availability: Winery, VQA shops, BC LDBS, private retailers<br /><br /><strong>See Ya Later Ranch 2008 Nelly</strong><br />Echoes of “whoa, Nelly!” are being sung – but aside from the cliché, this is a concentrated rose more reminiscent of a light bodied red. Aromas and flavours of sour cherries, raspberries, watermelon and even a hint of spice and smoke.<br />Body and Finish: Heavier than your average rose, there’s a hint of sweetness on entry, but finishes quite dry and slightly hot.<br />Would I Buy It? Once in a while<br />Cellaring Potential: Drink now<br />Score: B *For red wine lovers looking for something a little brighter and chillable<br />Price: $17.50<br />Availability: Winery, VQA shops, BC LDBS, private retailers</div>Chardonnayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06596093400779501622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540071841311603012.post-91908913539470527202009-07-28T11:23:00.000-07:002009-07-28T11:26:00.106-07:00Of Fire and Wine<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBvEuHGD8oLMn1pdTYUiHCMtY2x1Z-o0qx-h4CJk60pFA_zWSlE33p4CReN56QfciTw9krMs-tlsB4aw0FKI0rAWcMWgTe_BFcGuRCbs8lEQr3MN9bUcHl29gF0ypNxoe1adjEpVVQGW6v/s1600-h/forest+fire.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363578722778902354" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 238px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBvEuHGD8oLMn1pdTYUiHCMtY2x1Z-o0qx-h4CJk60pFA_zWSlE33p4CReN56QfciTw9krMs-tlsB4aw0FKI0rAWcMWgTe_BFcGuRCbs8lEQr3MN9bUcHl29gF0ypNxoe1adjEpVVQGW6v/s320/forest+fire.jpg" border="0" /></a>By Julianna Hayes<br /><div><strong>Some friends and I were sitting on my deck when we noticed the orange glow of the Rose Valley fire across the lake in West Kelowna.<br /></strong><br />Already wired after an afternoon of media drama over the Glenrosa blaze, which broke out earlier that day, this new and unrelated natural disaster developing before us was pretty much impossible to tear our eyes from.<br /><br />We sat mesmerized by the spreading flames until the wee hours of the morning. Our collective weariness and mental turmoil, combined with the effects of an endless stream of wine, eventually compelled us to contemplate our own actions should we ever be faced by a fate similar to that of the West Kelowna evacuees.<br /><br />One of my friends asked if my home was threatened by a forest fire and I was forced to flee what I would choose to save from the flames. The situation is unlikely considering I live a block from downtown - any fire would most probably originate in the house itself and there would be no time to consider rescuing any belongings other than live bodies.<br /><br />Nonetheless, I humoured her and thought carefully about my answer. “My dogs, of course,” I said, “but the rest is just ‘stuff’ and can be replaced.” (Granted, I suspected even then that this was merely bravado bolstered by booze talking.<br /><br />“What about all your wine?” she persisted. “Wouldn’t you want to take that?”<br /><br />“Maybe some,” I replied, “but not to save it… to drink it.”<br /><br />We all chortled over that, but the fact is I was deadly serious. After my recent move, I know I couldn’t face schlepping all those bottles again, even for a fire. But I reasoned that some liquid balm would be required to soothe tattered nerves amidst all hassle, haste and hysteria.<br /><br />The next day found me in my little cellar turning over the wines, studying the labels and making a perfunctory note of what wines would be scoped up for medicinal purposes and which ones would be sacrificed to the fire gods. It occurred to me that not only would the remaining bottles not survive the embers, but would very likely feed the flames.<br /><br />I decided that since there was a risk that I might return home to any empty shell following a hurried exit it made no sense to leave the best behind. So the bottles I chose to accompany me on my fantasy evacuation were treasured. They guaranteed that even if I ended up herded like cattle into some public school gymnasium, I’d be enjoying something pretty sweet out my paper cup.<br /><br />Of course, my disaster plan also meant that should my house be unscathed, I’d have pillaged my collection for nothing, and have only uncelebrated dregs facing me in the aftermath.<br /><br />I recall reading stories about wine collectors in areas at high-jeopardy of wildfires fitting their homes with flame-resistant storage systems - ideally rooms built out of concrete and ranging in price from $15,000 for a tiny closet to a cool quarter million for a the flood-proof, earthquake-proof, bomb-proof model. My own sad assembly hardly justifies such an expense.<br /><br />Other at-risk homeowners with less disposable income have opted for the off-site secure storage route, where they stash their precious cargo in a climate-controlled warehouse - a sort of oversized safety deposit box. While this will keep your collection protected from harm, it also bars you from easy access to it. That’s a bonus for those not capable of keeping their mitts off their wine, for me the convenience of having bottles at the ready is half the pleasure of a cellar - kind of like having a wine shop in your home.<br /><br />Still, practical matters are something local interface residents with a penchant for wine might start wanting to consider, given that we’re experiencing the second major fire season in six years. While many belongings can be packed into a storage van and left indefinitely, wines will perish in 30+ degree heat in rather short order.<br /><br />And friends you’ve arranged to camp out with might not be enthused if you show up with your kids, dogs and 1,000 bottles at their door - or, at least, not without a corkscrew.<br /><br /><strong>Wine Notes</strong><br /><br /><strong>Blue Mountain Brut (NV)</strong><br />Talk about value in this crisp, dry bubble. Features delightful effervescence and a clean nose of green apple, lime, mineral and just a touch of yeast. Dances on your tongue deliver tree-free freshness, apple skin, lime zest, mineral and snappy finish. Pair with anything!<br />Would I Buy It? It’s already a household staple<br />Cellaring Potential: Drink now<br />Score: A *Awesome value for bubbly fun<br />Price: $23.90<br />Availability: Winery, select private retailers<br /><br /><strong>Stoneboat 2008 Pinot Blanc</strong><br />Peach, pear, honey, spice, apple, mineral and grapefruit aromas. Bright entry of tree fruit and citrus and a bit of creaminess. Nice minerality on the finish. Perfect for a lovely white fish dish.<br />Would I Buy It? Definitely<br />Cellaring Potential: Drink now<br />Score: A- *Underrated varietal that really delivers on quality and price<br />Price: $17<br />Availability: Winery, select private retailers<br /><br /><strong>Mt. Boucherie 2006 Summit Reserve Syrah</strong><br />Nice surprise from this under-the-radar West Kelowna winery. A Syrah that packs a punch with blackberry, black cherry, plum, savoury components of soya, pepper and some vanilla and sweet spice. Luscious fruit on the palate, spice and savoury flavours and a hint of black pepper. A finalist in the Lieutenant Governor of B.C. Awards of Excellence in British Columbia Wine.<br />Would I Buy It? Yes<br />Cellaring Potential: Drink over the next five years<br />Score: A- *Everything you seek in a scrumptious Syrah<br />Price: $25<br />Availability: Winery, VQA shops, select private retailers<br /><br /><strong>Blasted Church 2007 Merlot</strong><br />Black cherry, chocolate, pepper, resin, cedar, black olive, earthy and slight Madeira-like notes. The palate is full and round with intense dark fruit flavours, earthy, spicy and Porty. Shows some aged character. A finalist in the Lieutenant Governor of B.C. Awards of Excellence in British Columbia Wine.<br />Would I Buy It? Once in a while<br />Cellaring Potential: Drink over the next couple years<br />Score: B+ *No mediocre Merlot here<br />Price: $25.90<br />Availability: Check with winery </div>Chardonnayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06596093400779501622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540071841311603012.post-82283205653925792172009-07-23T12:00:00.000-07:002009-07-25T17:54:30.486-07:00BC Lieutenant Governor's Top 12 Wines<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixgmC07foGdA9b49ozF9HPUyI57SCQhWiKjVdObUZoLbN3uInKDE2FgIIde3vPNtHilPOuvjWt_23hHtKrfj_VegKOloMbOhd3lWm0-29xV7F14-vObjX7BJPAnTemGs2Xsj9e0riDVdlG/s1600-h/SB_pinotage.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361406714518719778" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 87px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixgmC07foGdA9b49ozF9HPUyI57SCQhWiKjVdObUZoLbN3uInKDE2FgIIde3vPNtHilPOuvjWt_23hHtKrfj_VegKOloMbOhd3lWm0-29xV7F14-vObjX7BJPAnTemGs2Xsj9e0riDVdlG/s320/SB_pinotage.jpg" border="0" /></a>By Julianna Hayes<br /><strong>After eight years as a judge for the Lieutenant Governor of B.C. Awards of Excellence in British Columbia Wine, I now know one thing for certain - this province makes some awfully good wine.<br /></strong><br />When it comes to finding ones that have that ‘wow factor,’ each year there are only a select number worthy of one of the LG’s elusive medals. But the bar keeps getting set higher and it becomes tougher to narrow down the lot.<br /><br />This competition is unique in a number of ways. It celebrates the province’s industry exclusively and is open to every winery in British Columbia, as long as the wines submitted are made with 100 per cent B.C. fruit. No more than 12 medals are awarded each year, which means the winners have to be la crème de la crème among the hundreds of entries. And virtually the same judges are at the table year after year - establishing a consistency in evaluation not often found in competitions.<br /><br />After eight years, I can say we have gelled as a group and are pretty clear on what we’re looking for. That’s not to say we always agree - not by a long shot. In fact, each of us brings a certain level of expertise, has a certain criteria we adhere to, as well as our own personal preference. In the end, I think the results are well balanced.<br /><br />When our picks are finally unveiled after a gruelling marathon of tasting, there are always a number of winners that are repeats, which speaks the consistency in the quality and excellence of their products. But there are also usually a few first-timers - some of them surprises and always in a good way, particularly when small, lesser known wineries receive this impressive accolade.<br /><br />This year’s new winners includes: Howling Bluff of Naramata; Bounty Cellars of Kelowna; Peller Estates of Kelowna and Church and State of Victoria.<br /><br />Here are some of the highlights from this year’s competition:<br /><br />* JoieFarm of Naramata was a double winner with the 2007 Reserve Chardonnay and 2008 Riesling.<br />* Seven of the 12 medals went to red wines, including two Pinot Noirs and two Syrahs.<br />* No sparkling or dessert wines won this year.<br />* A medal was awarded to a Vancouver Island-based winery for the first time ever - Church & State. However, the wine in question is made from Okanagan-grown grapes.<br />* Jackson-Triggs and Sumac Ridge - consistent winners over the years - were both shutout this year.<br />* The winning wines range in price from $16.90 to $40.10.<br /><br /><br />Here’s the winning list:<br /><br /><strong>Bounty Cellars 2007 Pinot Blanc</strong> $16.90<br />Fabulous value presents itself in this charming PB with peach, pear, pineapple, honey, almond oil and citrus character. Lovely fresh style and zippy finish.<br /><br /><strong>CedarCreek 2006 Platinum Reserve Merlot</strong> $40.10<br />Intense black fruit aromas with coffee bean, vanilla, chocolate and menthol plus some spicy and smoky notes. Quite luscious and round with a weighty mid-palate. Black cherry, blackberry, coffee and cocoa flavours.<br /><br /><strong>Church & State Wines 2006 Syrah</strong> $26<br />Intense magenta colour with spicy, peppery, gamey aromas with brambleberry and very savoury notes. Luscious on the palate with intensity of black fruit flavours, some menthol and savouryness.<br /><br /><strong>Howling Bluff 2006 Pinot Noir</strong> $29.60<br />A wine with wow factor, it features cherry, chocolate, dark vanilla, raspberry and baking spice. Lovely aromas of sweet red fruits, dark petaled florals, cocoa and vanilla. The palate is super silky with moderately soft tannins at the end.<br /><br /><strong>JoieFarm 2007 Reserve Chardonnay</strong> $34.90<br />Buttered toast, pineapple, honey, melon, peach and spice in the bouquet. Soft, round, butter palate with bright golden tropical fruit flavours. Some toastyness on the mid-palate and just enough clean acidity on the finish.<br /><br /><strong>JoieFarm 2008 Riesling</strong> $27<br />Green apple, pink grapefruit, peach, blossoms and honey aromas. Flavours of peaches, apple skin and lime. Bright and fresh with snappy acidity on the finish. Very drinkable style.<br /><br /><strong>Pellar Estates 2007 Private Reserve Pinot Noir</strong> $18<br />Another solid effort from Peller. This is soft round accessible pinot with a strawberry floral undertone flecked with cedar and earth. The flavours mix a hint of cocoa with cedar, strawberry and vanilla all in a warm soft finish. Simple well made pinot.<br /><br /><strong>Road 13 2006 Fifth Element</strong> $35.99<br />Leather, cocoa, smoke, earth aromas with luscious black cherry, plum character. This is a complex, yet elegant Bordeaux-style blend. Features lots of jammy black fruits on the palate with some smoke, dark vanilla and pepper.<br /><br /><strong>Sandhill 2007 Small Lots Syrah</strong> $35<br />A big, bold effort with concentrated black cherry, brambleberry and savoury soya, coffee bean, dillweed accents. A jammy black fruits palate with savoury spice and lifted freshness. Deep, dark and intense.<br /><br /><strong>See Ya Later Ranch 2008 Gewurztraminer</strong> $18<br />Pale rose petal aromas with lychee fruit, pink grapefruit, citrus peel. Bright fruit entry with loads of racy acidity on the finish.Stoneboat Vineyards 2007 Pinotage $24.90Intense magenta colour with plum, black cherry, dark vanilla, chocolate, spice, pepper and cedar. Has plenty of ripe luscious fruit on the palate with loads of spice, pepper, chocolate, menthol and earthy character. Firm tannins for structure and longevity.<br /><br /><strong>Wild Goose 2008 Pinot Gris</strong> $19<br />Honey, pear, citrus peel, lemon oil, peach with some floral and mineral notes. Dry but fresh palate. One of the most consistently good PGs in the valley from a producer that knows how to bring the best out of this grape.Chardonnayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06596093400779501622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540071841311603012.post-389204613765799762009-05-27T20:14:00.000-07:002009-05-27T20:25:33.015-07:00Of Wine and Dirt<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgajNrT9uE-rm0Y9nulLPxfrBLHJ-6JG5Vtud-y4JQ7_S5pt4Tt3L25H6dhnLpfbeCINA7FANZubwIlKbAmofLL2wMf1Z4JriO-yZns059xbuGtX_Wx7b6WXW9pxGR79x4oqiCa238vZAbI/s1600-h/042.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340709863713280482" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 224px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgajNrT9uE-rm0Y9nulLPxfrBLHJ-6JG5Vtud-y4JQ7_S5pt4Tt3L25H6dhnLpfbeCINA7FANZubwIlKbAmofLL2wMf1Z4JriO-yZns059xbuGtX_Wx7b6WXW9pxGR79x4oqiCa238vZAbI/s400/042.JPG" border="0" /></a> <div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicfZqlavXj0Zjor5WMUJ6RiQ4GaDbiijMqdL8dBR74_uQYGFJzEPVoZCM5xagIpHOYB5T5heyNExDA2a-DjgGH9iNee89yWTBmwKH4mF-fH34iqJ4j6FQbH7UbBVLs30WXOXvYaXDr3wGC/s1600-h/050.JPG"></a><strong>By Julianna Hayes</strong><br /><div>The next time someone yaps on about how glamorous my job is, I'm going to tell him about the day I spent staring at dirt.<br /><br />I was on a media tour focusing on the geology of the Oliver/Osoyoos region, where we studied the soil and the lay of the land. Thanks to a rather brisk April wind, I think I tasted about as much dirt as I did wine that day. So if I describe a wine as being “earthy” you can bet I know what I’m talking about.<br /><br />Truthfully, this is the part of my gig I like best - digging deep, literally, into what makes B.C. wines unique. The varied landscape of the Okanagan, in particular, often means no two wines will be alike, even when made with identical varieties planted on the same plot.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigc3CAAlEdL_ON7X679Zf1cMcFg8VZIFWbBvDMWKFdnjBeUed0i7oe8ZPkBf5aFwDG6UVVxv_e0PF1AYqS73mNJ1gcWolqexkar9UR11jrJ2McGS1xmaBEBdSENM6_PPjs6qqZ8uWJ7vgC/s1600-h/049.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340710520727203378" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 179px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigc3CAAlEdL_ON7X679Zf1cMcFg8VZIFWbBvDMWKFdnjBeUed0i7oe8ZPkBf5aFwDG6UVVxv_e0PF1AYqS73mNJ1gcWolqexkar9UR11jrJ2McGS1xmaBEBdSENM6_PPjs6qqZ8uWJ7vgC/s320/049.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />At Oliver’s Covert Farm, for example, we stood on a breathtaking bench where 30 acres of organic grapes are grown for Dunham & Froese Winery. If you were to scratch beneath the surface, you’d find sections of gravel, sand and dense loam, all which lend different characteristics to the fruit that will ultimately end up in the glass.<br /><br />Across the highway at Quinta Ferreira Winery, the terrain there can only be described as beach-like. Excavation work being done on a building project the day we visited revealed metres deep of soft, astonishingly white sand. And to add to the mix was the discovery of an ancient fossilized tree and a second believed to be still living, according to an archeologist consulted by owner John Ferreira.<br /><br />Just a stone’s throw away, metaphorically, we scoped out the rocky vineyards of Gehringer Brothers. Proprietor Walter Gehringer described clearing operations that took the better part of a year to complete in order to simply prep his land for planting.<br /><br />“Some places are like the Great Wall of China,” he quipped.<br /><br />Some people might file all this dirt in the “who cares?” category. But in my humble opinion anyway, great wines are grown, not made. Understanding the land – the “terroir” – enables me to relate better to what is in my glass. And it also seems to improve the taste of the wines I drink.<br /><br />Not everyone is as inclined as I am to traipsing through the vineyards, turning over rocks and sifting through the dirt. In fact, most would probably argue that every appellation boasts a unique mix of soil types that sets them apart. And they wouldn’t be wrong.<br /><br />But aside from what’s underfoot, the Okanagan Valley’s varied elevations and exposures as winds its way around lakes and mountains has also created individual micro-climates. Thus, the same site not only can feature mixed pockets of stones, clay and sand, but could also be several degrees hotter or cooler from one end to the other.<br /><br />How the plots are managed is another factor. Gehringer prefers a manicured operation. His rows are straight and neatly planted with no weeds between the vineyards. That’s fairly old-school, but Gehringer argued that vegetative growth encourages insect activity and raises humidity levels which can lead to mildew and other diseases.<br /><br />“We tried using straw but had a problem with mice which ate chewed the vines underneath,” he said. So he sticks to the tried and true formula of weed killer.<br /><br />Meanwhile, vineyards for Dunham & Froese are less pretty to look at, but the latter system is tantamount to blasphemy at Covert Farms, where organic growing practices forbid the use of weed sprays.<br /><br />Gene Covert said the family relies on mechanical weeding and some bio-dynamic practices and have no problem with humidity.<br /><br />“It’s about developing an eco-system that works for you, such as planting wild roses or using ladybugs which do most of our pest control.”<br /><br />Some growers choose to keep vegetation between vines on the long side, saying that pests, like the dreaded leafhopper, will take the “path of least resistance” and won’t climb or hop on the vines, if they can feed on the weeds below.<br /><br />Even if you don’t care about any of this – the terroir, vineyard maintenance or blight and disease control - the vineyards in the Okanagan are worth exploring if only for the scenery.<br /><br />They are easily amongst the most stunning of spaces as they are often set on plateaus, with unparalleled views of lakes and mountains, the grids of green vineyards magnifying every dip and roll. I’ve stood in many vineyards over the years and felt almost dizzy by their topsy-turvy sightlines.<br /><br />I have yet to snap a photograph that does winery lands justice. It’s one of those “you-just-have-to-be-there” situations.<br /><br /><strong>Poplar Grove 2007 Chardonnay</strong><br />The price tag belies the elegance and quality of this yummy Chardonnay. French oak lends itself to a toasty nose full of baked apple, butterscotch, white blossoms and orange peel. Tree fruit flavours and citrus with butterscotch<br />Body and Finish: Lovely butter on the palate without being overdone and a good balance of acidity on the finish.<br />Would I Buy It? Definitely<br />Cellaring Potential: Drink now<br />Score: A – Like finding a designer outfit at a knock-off price<br />Price: $22<br />Availability: Winery, private retailers<br /><br /><strong>Dunham & Froese 2007 Merlot<br /></strong>Aromas of blueberry, mocha, plum, licorice, some meaty notes and a touch of pepper. On the palate there are ripe blue fruits, dusty chocolate, white pepper and some smoky flavours<br />Body and Finish: Ripe entry with some chewy tannins and a bit of a drying finish but no bitterness.<br />Would I Buy It? Yes, to cellar<br />Cellaring Potential: Let it age a year or so to soften the tannins<br />Score: B – Nice solid effort with good varietal character<br />Price: $22.90<br />Availability: Winery, VQA shops, private retailers<br /><br /><strong><em>B.C. Buy of the Week</em><br /></strong><br /><strong>Thornhaven 2008 Rose</strong><br />Sippable style full of fresh wild strawberries, herbaceous and floral notes, sweet cherries and hint of spice. Some citrus on the palate with some residual sugar for easy drinking, but I would like it drier. Add a splash of sparkling soda for patio parties.<br />Body and Finish: Light- body, crisp palate and clean finish.<br />Would I Buy It? Once in a while<br />Cellaring Potential: Drink up<br />Score: B- - Would be a much better buy at $14.90<br />Price: $16.90<br />Availability: Winery, VQA shops, private retailers<br /><br /><strong><em>Import of the Week</em><br /><br />Domaine Roc des Anges Segna de Cor 2006 (France)</strong><br />This blend of Syrah, Mouvedre and Grenache features all those earthy barnyard and savoury aromas that many consumers seek in an Old-World red. Pepper, some dark red fruits and acid on the palate with a touch of smoke.<br />Body and Finish: Mouthfilling but not overly weighty and some freshness on the finish.<br />Would I Buy It? For a special occasion<br />Cellaring Potential: Drink over the next several years<br />Score: A- - If you like savoury over juicy fruit, this will fit the bill.<br />Price: $35<br />Availability: Private retailers</div></div></div>Chardonnayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06596093400779501622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540071841311603012.post-20692214874459385182009-03-13T11:47:00.000-07:002009-03-13T11:47:00.782-07:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSU9Eb2b2AoqEw9uCUE_hJW56SPL0EyjXpu0fwEHMWnfXbdcLV8t15sOu0kwlZ2ccCM-Qyf7sAblxoTIgztcU9HlJ_fSm6oJafusZmOk1gWkggRD-Plsn8tY_dGQECCWvorVlXOopzy7k7/s1600-h/IMG_9596.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5312006862896239314" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 275px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 183px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSU9Eb2b2AoqEw9uCUE_hJW56SPL0EyjXpu0fwEHMWnfXbdcLV8t15sOu0kwlZ2ccCM-Qyf7sAblxoTIgztcU9HlJ_fSm6oJafusZmOk1gWkggRD-Plsn8tY_dGQECCWvorVlXOopzy7k7/s320/IMG_9596.jpg" border="0" /></a>By Julianna Hayes<br /><strong>What do you get when you throw two acclaimed chefs into a kitchen and challenge them to create a meal around a selection of wines? You get a cook-off, a heck of a meal and a fair amount of chest pounding.<br /></strong><br />That scenario played itself out recently at Cabana Grille Restaurant when co-owner/head chef Ned Bell faced off against Mission Hill Family Estate Winery executive chef Michael Allemeier in what could easy be construed as Kelowna’s version of Iron Chef.<br /><br />The two men are long-time friends and even co-hosted the show Cook Like a Chef on the Food Network. Their kitchen reunion was nothing short of a culinary showdown in front of a formidable crowd of 110 hungry patrons.<br /><br />The inspiration for the evening was a selection of Mission Hill wines and each chef was challenged to make a dish to pair with each using a specified ingredient. For example, the ingredient in question for the 2007 Five Vineyards Pinot Grigio was shellfish, but beyond that the menu was script free.<br /><br />Allemeier explained that each chef would give his “interpretation of the wines” in his choice of the final ingredients and their preparation and presentation.<br /><br />For the shellfish course, Allemeier opted to use B.C. spot prawns and scallops from which he made a ceviche. The cold dish featured basil, yogurt, parsnip, micro greens and tiny “verjus” pearls made from the wine itself.<br /><br />Bell, meanwhile, served up a roasted Ocean Wise – meaning it comes from sustainable seafood sources – jumbo scallop with organic walnuts, golden raisins soaked in the Pinot Grigio, curried lobster emulsion and eggplant puree.<br /><br />Both dishes delivered big in the flavour department, but Allemeier was the clear winner when it came to the wine pairing component. The lemony bright citrus and mineral character of the wine mirrored the freshness of the ceviche, which tasted like it was plucked fresh from the sea. Bell’s version, while scrumptious, overpowered the lightness of the wine, which, despite its abundant acidity, failed at cutting through the richness of the colossal scallop and its robust accents. A better match would have been a crisp and aromatic Riesling.<br /><br />Wine number two was the 2006 Perpetua, a Chardonnay from the winery’s new luxury line of products know as the Legacy Series. The secret ingredient was rabbit and this time it was Bell who served up a cold dish featuring a “finger sandwich” of rabbit brioche, brassica mustard crème fraiche and a galantine of rabbit with hazelnuts. Allemeier opted to make a rabbit Sheppard’s Pie.<br /><br />In my view, both chefs executed their dishes beautifully, but came up a tad short in the pairing. I thought the elegance and refinement of the Perpetua – a wine to be treasured for its full palate yet delicate balance between fruit and oak – was somehow lost next to these culinary offerings.<br /><br />The third course featured the another Legacy wine, the 2005 Quatrain – a blend featuring Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon – matched with venison. Allemeier elected to run with venison loin served with mushrooms and mint bread pudding. Bell produced braised venison shank on stoneground polenta with roasted carrots and plum.<br /><br />Both dishes were incredible and picking a winner was a challenge as each had merits. Bell’s option was rich, flavourful and the meat melted in your mouth, mirroring the wine’s velvety texture. But Allemeier triumphed slightly with his rare loin cut and wild mushrooms, which picked up on the wine’s underlying earthiness.<br /><br />Not to be outdone, Bell conquered in the next round when the men squared off with aged cheese for the 2005 Oculus, a Bordeaux-style blend also from the Legacy series. His dish of blue cheese shortbread and Camembert was simply yummy. Blue and hard cheeses have an underlying saltiness and their proteins cut through young, bold, tannic wines like the Oculus and soften all their hard edges. Bell accomplished this masterfully. Allemeier tackled a soufflé made from Salt Spring Island’s Moonstruck White Grace cheese and hazelnuts on beetroot with a side of cherries soaked in Oculus. In theory, it should have worked, but the dish was a little fussy and was easily manhandled by the big wine.<br /><br />The last course was dessert featuring some kind of citrus to be paired with the 2007 Reserve Riesling Icewine. Dessert and the sweetest of dessert wines are always uneasy co-pilots. Both chefs got the pairing bang on though by balancing the sugary component of their dishes with healthy hits of citrus that picked up on similar characteristics in the wine without giving diners too much of a good thing.<br /><br />If I had to pick a winner though, it would be Bell, and this is purely a case of personal preference. I’m not a fan of chai thus Allemeier’s orange and cardamon-scented chocolate chai didn’t appeal to me. I also struggle with foods that have semi-firm textures like tofu and Allemeier had two of those components in his dish – a cold lemon madeleine “cake” that sat in the chai and a lime gelatin “marshmallow.” But others loved the dessert and got a kick out of the presentation.<br /><br />Bell’s dessert was a simple lemon and white chocolate cream with a honey pistachio baklava that was refreshing, light with a lovely sweet-sour component.<br /><br />In the end, most people – including myself – thought the battle came to a draw, certainly if you tallied the votes in this could. But I thought people reading this might think that was a cop-out, so I came up with two tie breakers – best overall wine pairing and best overall dish. Here’s how that played out:<br /><br /><strong>Best Wine Pairing Overall</strong> - Ned Bell for the aged cheese and Oculus course<br />He nailed the 2005 Oculus, an earthy, robust, Old-World style blend with his blue cheese shortbreads. The savoury, salty flavours were simply ideal with the wine. If this were a round of golf, this pairing would have represented that pleasing “ping” you hear when you connect with the ball in just the right way.<br /><br /><strong>Best Dish Overall –</strong> Michael Allemeier for his rabbit Sheppard’s Pie<br />I don’t even care for rabbit, but I could not stop eating this dish and that was something I heard from many other diners that evening. While it may not have gone perfectly with the wine for which it was intended, Allemeier rocked the ultimate in comfort foods and brought it up to a whole new level.<br /><br />So after the bonus round, we still have a draw. Hey, it even happens on Iron Chef from time to time.<br /><br /><strong>Wine Notes</strong><br /><br /><strong>Pentâge 2005 Pentage</strong><br />Aromas: Leafy tobacco, meaty, compost, mushroom, herbaceous, cherry, coffee bean, pepper<br />Flavours: Coffee, cedar, pepper, cherry, dusty cocoa, cranberry, tea, mentho<br />Body and Finish: Dry, earthy palate with moderate tannin and a slightly hot finish<br />Overall Impression: More Old-World and earthy in style than the fruit bombs we typically see in the Okanagan – not to everyone’s taste<br />Would I Buy It? For something different.<br />Cellaring Potential: Hang onto it for a couple years<br />Score: 89/100<br />Price: $29<br />Availability: Winery directly, private retailers<br /><br /><strong>Mission Hill 2007 Five Vineyards Rose<br /></strong>Aromas: Orange blossoms, cranberry, strawberry extract, pomegranite, citrus<br />Flavours: Pomegranite, strawberry, orange zest, vanilla<br />Body and Finish: Bright fresh entry, nice acidity at the mid-plate, lots of zip on the finish<br />Overall Impression: A tasty little rose blend of Merlot, Pinot Noir, Shiraz and Cab Sauv made in a lively, quaffable style.<br />Would I Buy It? Sure<br />Cellaring Potential: Drink Now<br />Score: 89/100<br />Price: $14.99<br />Availability: Winery Only<br /><br /><br /><strong>BC Buy of the Week</strong><br /><br /><strong>St Hubertus Estate Chasselas 2007</strong> $15.99<br />Light bright wine of fresh green apple, a hint of peach, citrus and lemon. Easy sipping wine. Think cheese fondue.<br />88/100<br /><br /><strong>Import of the Week</strong><br /><br /><strong>Sileni Cellar Selection 2007 Pinot Noir (New Zealand) $</strong>20.99<br />Forward bright fruit expression with aromas of fresh ripe Bing cherries, strawberries, and a touch dillweed. A graceful wine with juicy red berry flavours, menthol and mouthwatering acidity. Easy to drink.<br />90/100Chardonnayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06596093400779501622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540071841311603012.post-82816753992155676752009-03-12T11:35:00.000-07:002009-03-12T11:35:00.541-07:00Wine Q&A: Which Wines Are Best for the Cellar?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUBKU0tsusuH53A4Rnn5hyGZhPbcHZZBe8dWuKxspS20CmkyTa7hHzkj6r8Ko16Owyxk7d0eD2rBFX35IOYMlFrqOCMd0MTuMP5jWOB0n-QviZ_slV9eRtJcXJFH_9zo6feUs4FVYATfjL/s1600-h/wine_racks2_small.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5312003154944804994" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 283px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 294px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUBKU0tsusuH53A4Rnn5hyGZhPbcHZZBe8dWuKxspS20CmkyTa7hHzkj6r8Ko16Owyxk7d0eD2rBFX35IOYMlFrqOCMd0MTuMP5jWOB0n-QviZ_slV9eRtJcXJFH_9zo6feUs4FVYATfjL/s320/wine_racks2_small.jpg" border="0" /></a><strong>Q:</strong> Recently I’ve been inspired to start collecting wines and have accumulated a couple of cases. That may not seem like much, but it has been tough to resist drinking those wines. I’d like to get more serious about collecting, but am curious about a few things. What criteria do you use when selecting wines you think are suitable for cellaring? And how do you know when a wine is ready to drink?<br /><strong>- Roger</strong><br /><div><br /><strong>A.</strong> Tucking wines away for future drinking can be a rewarding experience. To wine geeks like me, there is nothing quite like sipping a fine wine that has been aged to perfection. All the bite is gone and what greets you in the glass is luscious and smooth liquid gold – at least that’s what you envision. </div><div><br />But there’s a risk. You can make reasonable guesstimates as to the future prospects of a wine, but such as it is with an item often referred to as a “living thing,” many factors come into play that can spoil your fun.</div><div><br />There is a lot of bottle variation with wines kept over time. Even the same wines stored under identical conditions will sometimes not age and taste the same when opened side by side and these differences cannot easily be explained. A bum cork often assumes the blame, but it is sometimes not as simple as that.</div><div><br />There is also no exact science when it comes to assessing when the wine is ready for consumption. It is disappointing to open a wine you’ve invested some time in and discover you’ve jumped the gun. But it’s even more distasteful to wait too long and end up with a wine that has gone off and is virtually undrinkable.</div><div><br />That being said, I recently attended a tasting of 12 Okanagan wines that had been stored at least a decade and most of them were still quite lovely, which was a delightful and encouraging discovery. </div><div><br />When deciding how much time to put into a bottle, consider that as wines age, they lose their freshness. Dominant fruit flavours begin to melt away and are replaced by secondary flavours – more earthy, mineral or flinty, spicy and nutty characteristics. Sweetness also fades, while acid and alcohol become more noticeable. So if you like your wines zippy and bright with fruit-forward character, drink them sooner rather than later. I recommend buying a bottle to taste immediately before investing in more to put away. A wine that ages well should taste good on release, meaning you should also be able to drink it young. Unsavoury characteristics will not improve over time. </div><br /><div>Wines shouldn’t taste better or worse with aging, just different.I personally seek out wines that exhibit good fruit character and complexity both in the nose and on the palate. I prefer those without a great deal of alcohol and aren’t excessively oaked. In reds, some tannin is desirable but the wine should not be bitter, which suggests unripe fruit.</div><div><br />Experts suggest that you can evaluate the wine’s age-ability by opening and decanting and tasting it at different intervals over several hours. While this method won’t mimic true aging, it will give you some idea how a wine may develop over time. Aerating the wine will open it up some and reveal some of the various layers that may be hidden in a tightly wound young wine. </div><div><br />Keep in mind that your cellaring conditions will affect the wines you store. Ideally, you want a climate-controlled environment if you’re putting serious money and time into your collection. Apart from that, chose a cool, dark, quiet, dust- and odour-free location in your home and store the bottles which have corks on their sides (this is not necessary for wines sealed with screwcaps). It is preferable that you take them out of the box. </div><div><br />Examine bottles before purchase for signs of any leakage. Bottles that appear to be seeping should be avoided, but if you notice this in ones you’ve already acquired, drink them immediately – hopefully they’ll still be good. </div><div><br />Wines kept for extended periods may have to be professionally re-sealed as corks can shrink and disintegrate over time.</div><div><br />Look for literature on the wines you invest in for clues on recommended aging periods and make note of when you think they should be opened. Have some fun by setting dates for the “big reveal” and invite your friends over if you’re willing to share. </div><div><br /><strong>In Focus: Disgorgement and Dosage</strong><br />These two elements are involved in making of traditional sparkling wine. At the end of the process, a plug of yeast has to be removed from the bottle and this is called disgorgement. The neck of the bottle is isolated and frozen allowing the plug to be easily kicked out. Following that a "dosage" of sparkling wine is used to top up the bottle, and it is corked. The dosage is often blended with sucrose which will determine the sparkling wine’s overall sweetness.<br /></div>Chardonnayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06596093400779501622noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540071841311603012.post-37903613617810586652009-03-11T11:25:00.000-07:002009-03-11T11:35:01.781-07:00BC Wines at Yellow Tail Prices<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHgL8ssX2ob1Nn0T1Es-T2I46b49mokENxWXIYscrw9y_lzAMXC7xJD1ZoWbr6Kdq_xxPZvTz25MimRkS6i8BYvIDIotfGvlpvC-hrnObnPE_x3mV7nF_NywG4xMv6_WIexH82Bsd6uRNn/s1600-h/07-PinotGris.gif"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5312000409555862626" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 172px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHgL8ssX2ob1Nn0T1Es-T2I46b49mokENxWXIYscrw9y_lzAMXC7xJD1ZoWbr6Kdq_xxPZvTz25MimRkS6i8BYvIDIotfGvlpvC-hrnObnPE_x3mV7nF_NywG4xMv6_WIexH82Bsd6uRNn/s320/07-PinotGris.gif" border="0" /></a> <div><div>By Julianna Hayes</div><div><strong>I recently wrote about a study, which showed overall Canadian consumption of wine was escalating dramatically but complained that the report failed to provide specific details explaining why. I wanted to know why foreign wine sales were far surpassing local ones and what people were spending on average were per bottle. Well, several readers were more than pleased to provide me with the answers.<br /></strong><br />"B.C. wines are substantially pricier than imports,” wrote John. “If I’m looking for good value I head to the Chilean and Australian shelves.”<br /><br />"I'm not ashamed to admit I buy a lot of Yellow Tail," wrote Hugh, referencing my cheeky suggestion that Canadians are now merely blowing their beer budget on this wildly popular Australian wine brand that has saturated the market. "It's reliable and affordable."<br /><br />"I may be drinking a bit more wine than I was five years ago, but I'm trying to cut back on what I pay per bottle, especially now," said Karen. "Consequently, I don't buy a lot of local wine."<br /><br />Ironically, nobody saw fit to provide me with an exact dollar figure, range or ceiling on which they base their spending.<br /><br />But using Yellow Tail products as the benchmark, it appears the magic number lies between $13 and $18. Which makes me wonder where people do their shopping.<br /><br />I did a little simple sleuthing and discovered that B.C. VQA stores list some 180 wines under $18. Let me repeat that – 180. Meanwhile, government stores list 120 local wines under that price point. And they don’t include all the bulk plonk from fruit of questionable origin that is made by the truckload in this province. Now if you can’t find something local you like and can afford in this lot, I’m at a loss.<br /><br />I’m not going to get all preachy about how you should drink only local wine. I’m every bit in favour of people doing a little global trotting when it comes to their wine purchases.<br />But when people make blanket statements about the lack of value in B.C. product, it drives me to distraction.<br /><br />Granted, there are indeed $25-plus wines aplenty in the marketplace. But the same holds true for products from Australia, Chile, Argentina and the like. Isn’t it time you give homegrown wines a fair shake?<br /><br />O.K., I’m stepping off my soapbox now. I think the numbers speak for themselves. But since price is such an issue to consumers, I’m introducing a new feature – a tasting note called “B.C. Value Wine of the Week,” which will focus on products in the under $18 category.<br /><br />And I’m kicking it off with a bang with an introductory list of value wines to get the party started.<br /><br /><strong>18 Under $18<br /></strong><br /><em>* Please note – availability of these wines at these price points are either through VQA stores or BC LDBS. Some may be available through private retailers, but expect a price mark-up.<br /></em><br /><strong>Arrowleaf Red Feather 2007</strong> $11.99<br />A blush that is earthy and full of red berries, fruit leather, mineral, spice. A touch of residual sugar but finish with a fresh, clean snap. Think hot tub for now and patio in the summer. Great deal.<br />89/100<br /><br /><strong>Blasted Church Hatfield's Fuse</strong> 2007 $16.99<br />Fresh approachable white blend featuring green apple, citrus rind and flinty aromas. Has a fresh bright fruit entry with sweet-sour character and clean finish. Value and great packaging too, plus a twist off.<br />88/100<br /><br /><strong>Cedar Creek Estate Pinot Gris Classic</strong> 2007 $16.99<br />If you like bone-dry, food friendly gris, this represents great value in a stylish version that features green apple, orange peel, mineral, and lime. Bright fruit on the palate with a lemon-lime slightly sour finish.<br />88/100<br /><br /><strong>Gehringer Brothers Cuvee Noire 2007</strong> $12.99<br />Surprisingly complex nose and palate of smoked meat, pepper, dark berries, mocha, earth and tobacco. Supple, silky and easy to quaff and at this price point, there should be no complaint.<br />85/100<br /><br /><strong>Granite Cellars Ehrenfelser 2006</strong> $17.90<br />Great value in a intensely aromatic wine featuring a bouquet of peach, orange peel, floral notes, spice and mineral. Sweet entry on the palate balanced by intense citrus fruit, peach flavours.<br />89/100<br /><br /><strong>Inniskillin Merlot Reserve 2005</strong> $17.99<br />This is not the fruit bomb you’d expect from Merlot, but if you like savoury reds, this peppery, earthy, leafy, black olive, resiny, smoky cedarbox is your kind. Think big, fat juicy steak.<br />87/100<br /><br /><strong>Jackson Triggs Merlot Proprietor's Reserve 2006</strong> $15<br />Yearly consistency with this wine, it features ripe, round black fruit aromas, licorice, spice and a touch of smoke. Juicy intensity in the mouth. Killer value.<br />89/100<br /><br /><strong>Little Straw Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc 2007</strong> $16.90<br />Classic SB aromas of gooseberry, fresh cut grass, green apple and grapefruit. Bright, lean, crisp palate with a pleasant saltiness – for those who like a fresh personality. Pair up with oysters or other shellfish.<br />88/100<br /><br /><strong>Mission Hill Five Vineyards Cabernet Merlot 2006</strong> $15.99<br />Nice, fruity, easy drinking style with supple texture and great freshness on the finish. Loads of cherry, cassis, cranberry, herbal notes in its blended character.<br />87/100<br /><br /><strong>Peller Estates Family Series Merlot 2007</strong> $14.49<br />Another savoury merlot featuring aromas of cedar, smoke, black cherry, plum and pepper spice. Nice weight on the palate, a bit of a dry finish, but tannins are moderate.<br />87/100<br /><br /><strong>Prospect Winery Riesling 2007</strong> $12.99<br />Apple, apricot, candied citrus peel, lemon-lime and a hint of floral in the nose. Fresh on the palate with a lingering acidity on the finish. A great buy.<br />88/100<br /><br /><strong>Quails’ Gate Dry Riesling 2007</strong> $16.99<br />This winery has done up dry riesling right with loads of green apple, floral, grapefruit and a touch of lemon character. Lemon oil, mineral, apple skin and grapefruit on the palate. Very stylish.<br />90/100<br /><br /><strong>Road 13 Honest John’s White 2007</strong> $17<br />Green jujubes, apple skin, orange peel, floral, pear, spice, grass and pink grapefruit with hints of honey. This is a complex blend made for foodies. Delicious.<br />89/100<br /><br /><strong>Sandhill King Family Vineyard Pinot Gris 2007</strong> $17.99<br />A perennial favourite among critics and consumers alike, this is always full of green apple, orange peel, mineral, yellow grapefruit, floral notes with a nutty hint. Bright acidity with mineral, lemon lime, apple skin and a clean finish. Could double the price.<br />90/100<br /><br /><strong>St Hubertus Estate Chasselas 2007</strong> $15.99<br />Light bright wine of fresh green apple, a hint of peach, citrus and lemon. Easy sipping wine. Think cheese fondue.<br />88/100<br /><br /><strong>Sumac Ridge Estate Merlot Private Reserve 2005</strong> $16<br />Deep.dark, aromas of black cherry, pepper, chocolate, coffee beantobacco leaf, spice, vanilla. Has all the lusciousness you’d expect in a ripe merlot. Long, slightly hot finish.<br />88/10<br /><br /><strong>Tinhorn Creek Estate Cabernet Franc 2005</strong> $17.99<br />Herbaceous, tobacco, pepper, black cherry, meaty, smoky, leather and vanilla notes. Features black berry, tobacco, bell pepper, herbs and a hint of orange peel on the palate. Terrific cab franc.<br />89/100<br /><br /><strong>Township 7 Chardonnay Unoaked 2007</strong> $17.99<br />Orange blossom, tropical fruit, marmalade, spice in the nose and on the palate. It features crisp acidity along with its lusciousness. A delight to drink.<br />89/100</div></div>Chardonnayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06596093400779501622noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540071841311603012.post-42996435502184359372009-02-19T19:36:00.001-08:002009-02-19T19:48:31.808-08:00Study Suggests Canadians Becoming Major Winos<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga1EfzqGznevTiXJizNeT53Z5nJ-fITO5dKYaU75nk0l-bOvJmIOe3DqJySFbkvcS_4l5Bul_UGB5_AgSv56AUGTHmrK0MmxSwo8jJQM2_Zw6mDlmCvbx_66RtDczIKB_tJbkbh3n9dP0H/s1600-h/IMG_1261.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304720986034169650" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga1EfzqGznevTiXJizNeT53Z5nJ-fITO5dKYaU75nk0l-bOvJmIOe3DqJySFbkvcS_4l5Bul_UGB5_AgSv56AUGTHmrK0MmxSwo8jJQM2_Zw6mDlmCvbx_66RtDczIKB_tJbkbh3n9dP0H/s320/IMG_1261.JPG" border="0" /></a>By Julianna Hayes <div></div><div><strong>Canadians may consume beer and maple syrup by the gallon, but it appears we’ve also got a hearty appetite for wine.<br /><br /></strong>According to research conducted on behalf of VinExpo, France’s huge international wine fair, Canadian consumption of wine increased by almost 27 percent between 2003 and 2007. During that time, we polished off more than 454 million bottles. And we’re apparently unstoppable. The report predicts we’ll have guzzled another 595 million bottles by 2012.<br /><br />In fact, the Canadian wine market is growing at a rate three times the world-wide average.<br /><br />Perhaps we’ve been draining the barrels and tanks to see us through the harsh winters. Or maybe it’s an indication of a looming social problem. Whatever it is, our humble native land is now to be reckoned with when it comes to global wine buying power.<br /><br />It’s the one bright spot in an otherwise bleak economy – at least for the world’s wine producers, including those at home. They’ve no doubt been sweating the consumer-wide belt-tightening, particularly given that wine – while it might help get you through a tough day – isn’t exactly a necessity.<br /><br />The study, titled Current Trends in the International Wine and Spirits Market and Outlook to 2012, contained some interesting observations. For example, importers were the big winners when it came to our insatiable thirst. Foreign wine sales soared by almost 30 per percent with consumers soaking up 32 million cases in 2007.<br /><br />That makes little old Canada the sixth largest importer of wine in the world – and that’s nothing to sniff at. Plus we’re expected to knock have knocked back another 37 million cases by 2012.<br /><br />France remains the number one supplier Canada-wide, but just narrowly edges out Italy. This isn’t the trend, however, in B.C., where Australian imports lead the sales, but its hold is slipping slightly. Next in line on our soil are U.S. wines, mostly from California, then Italy and Chile. French wines are in a distant fourth place.<br /><br />While these figures might be discouraging to local enthusiasts, domestic wines are no slouches either. Sales of home-grown products shot up almost 17 per cent and in B.C., our locally made wines have a pretty strong hold on buyers. That’s excellent news for regional producers. And though an official from VinExpo admits the organization doesn’t have a crystal ball given the volatility of the current economy, the forecast is bright.<br /><br />The condensed version of the study supplied to us media types raises more questions than provides answers, at least for me. It doesn’t say why Canadians are thirsting more for wine and what exactly it is that they crave. It doesn’t provide average price points or outline emerging consumption trends based on wine styles or varietals.<br /><br />For example, it would be of interest to me to know if a good chunk of those 454 million bottles we recycled were simply [yellow tail] or if consumers were showing more imagination with their buying habits. I’d be curious to see which varietals wine enthusiasts are beginning to embrace and if they are willing to spend more to try them.<br /><br />I’m also wondering if the slower growth in terms of domestic wine sales is due to lack of availability or if buyers continue to believe anything imported is superior as a rule.<br /><br />The full report – at almost 300 pages and includes a CD-ROM – could contain some of those questions. But I’m not willing to fork over the 1,000 Euros to find out. One thing is certain though, plenty of market-hungry importers will cough up the cash in hopes of flooding our shelves with product that will find its way into to the Canadian consumer’s selective heart.<br /><br />Incidentally, VinExpo runs June 21-25 this year in Bordeaux, France. Check out <a href="http://www.vinexpo.com/">http://www.vinexpo.com/</a> for details.<br /><br />And speaking of upcoming events, check out the Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival <a href="http://www.playhousewinefest.com/">http://www.playhousewinefest.com/</a>, which this year celebrates British Columbia as the feature wine region for the first time – in anticipation of 2010. Tickets for signature events sell out fast, so if you intend to go, you’ll want to book early. In the coming weeks, I’ll spotlight some of the go-to events that shouldn’t be missed.<br /><br /><strong>Wine Notes<br /></strong><br /><strong>Mission Hill 2006 Reserve Shiraz<br /></strong>Aromas: Chocolate, black cherry, white peppercorn, smoked meat, herbaceous, flinty chalk, coffee bean<br />Flavours: Savoury, herbal, black cherry, pepper, chalk, smoked meat, cocoa bean, expresso<br />Body and Finish: A savoury, racy fresh palate with good mid-palate weight, peppery, slight hot finish<br />Overall Impression: Elegant for its price point, more European in style. Not a fruit bomb<br />Would I Buy It? Yes<br />Cellaring Potential: Drinkable now with food, cellar up to five years<br />Score: 89<br />Price: $22<br />Availability: BC LDBS, VQA shops, private retailers<br /><br /><strong>Sumac Ridge 2007 Pinnacle (White)<br /></strong>Aromas: Honey, butter, spice, orange rind, mineral, grapefruit, tropical fruit, ginger and floral notes<br />Flavours: Citrus, apple, spice, mineral, ginger, butter, herbal, olive, floral, lemon oil<br />Body and Finish: Fresh entry with mouthfilling and butter texture on the palate and some zip on the finish<br />Overall Impression: Quite complex, robust, yet has some zip. Drink well chilled<br />Would I Buy It? Yes<br />Cellaring Potential: Drink now<br />Score: 89<br />Price: $25<br />Availability: VQA shops, private retailers<br /><br /><strong>Fairview Cellars 2007 Sauvignon Blanc</strong><br />Aromas: Gooseberry, fresh grass, lemon peel, grapefruit rind, mineral, green apple skin<br />Flavours: Cut grass, mineral, white grapefruit, lemon, spice, herbal, apple skin and a touch of salt Body and Finish: Racy, lemony, zippy entry that dances on the tongue…finish is fresh and lingering with a hit of saltiness that makes this wine sing<br />Overall Impression: Quintessential version, loads of racy acidity, all that you want front this variety. And this was just a barrel sample<br />Would I Buy It? Absolutely<br />Cellaring Potential: Drink when its released<br />Score: 91<br />Price: $TBA<br />Availability: Winery, private retailers<br /><br /></div>Chardonnayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06596093400779501622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540071841311603012.post-29658769350547207882009-02-17T08:45:00.000-08:002009-02-17T08:49:08.205-08:00Wine Q&A: Can My Diet Include Wine?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdEaX7QI7_3s7n_UikTHTioX7GypH688dOlg579kr4aM8mHzXd_AJc6ZiZF9O4fQ2z7WVbnTQVaiZ5R8i8SYGIWRd92I_0WFiCipvoIFSKY0SHAswwhAL8fQXgVymFk4Sbq6LjiiRgO9vd/s1600-h/wine_weight.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303809112970140226" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 143px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdEaX7QI7_3s7n_UikTHTioX7GypH688dOlg579kr4aM8mHzXd_AJc6ZiZF9O4fQ2z7WVbnTQVaiZ5R8i8SYGIWRd92I_0WFiCipvoIFSKY0SHAswwhAL8fQXgVymFk4Sbq6LjiiRgO9vd/s320/wine_weight.jpg" border="0" /></a><strong>Q:</strong> Going on a diet may be clichéd when it comes to New Year’s resolutions, but I am committed to losing 20-30 pounds in 2009. I plan to do it by eating sensibly and exercising, instead of following an expensive program or some fad diet. The trouble is I LOVE wine and would hate to give it up. But everything I have read indicates that clear liquors are ok but wine is a no-no when it comes to dieting. Why is that? Is there such a thing as a low-calorie wine? Do you have any suggestions on how I can include wine in my weight-loss program?<br /><strong>- Jennifer</strong><br /><br /><strong>A:</strong> Most dieticians would say that anything in moderation is acceptable, but if you’re like me you probably find that advice hollow and unsatisfactory.<br /><br />Actually I can totally relate to your dilemma. A broken foot brought my otherwise active lifestyle to an abrupt halt a number of years ago. While it healed I became lazy so even after I was fully on my feet again it took months to shake the lethargy. That resulted in a shocking weight gain. For the record, I managed to shed my extra pounds without giving up wine – more on that later. Let’s address some of your questions first.<br /><br />Booze in any way, shape or form is a weight watcher's nemesis. They don’t call it “bellying up to the bar” for nothing. While “clear liquors” like vodka or gin may have relatively fewer calories than wine, the minute you add a mixer like cranberry juice or tonic water, all bets are off – unless you choose diet pop or soda water, in which case, why bother at all?<br /><br />A lot of people who monitor their waistline don't factor alcohol into the equation. Unfortunately, all booze (clear liquors included) contains extra calories that our bodies don't typically use for energy. The calories from alcohol are easily stored as body fat, which then cause weight gain.<br /><br />When it comes to wine, there are a couple things to consider when dieting: alcohol content and sugar. You might be surprised to know that robust Australian Shiraz may contain as many calories as a luscious Icewine. That’s because all the sugar that was in the grapes grown for the Shiraz was fermented into alcohol which will drive up the calorie count. The Icewine may be far sweeter, but it is typically much lower in alcohol.<br /><br />Therein lies the real rub.<br /><br />Another caveat when it comes to wine consumption is using a generic calorie-counting formula. Most basic dietary information pegs an average glass of wine at about 80 calories.<br /><br />That doesn't sound so bad, right? But it’s time for a rude awakening. “Average” according to this formula is three to five ounces of wine at 10-12 per cent alcohol.<br /><br />I don't know about you, but I don't know anyone who considers three to five ounces a “glass.” Most people will pour about eight ounces. Heck, I own stemware that can hold half a bottle.<br /><br />And 10 per cent alcohol may have been common when bell bottoms were first in fashion, but today the demand for fuller, richer wines has driven up the average to 14-15 per cent.<br /><br /><strong>The proper formula in the real world for calculating the calories in a glass of dry wine is this: 1.6 multiplied by percentage of alcohol multiplied by number of ounces. So if you drink eight ounces at 14 per cent alcohol, the calorie count is 180.</strong><br /><br />If you've got a penchant for big reds, which can tip the scales at 16 per cent alcohol, you're sipping 204 calories. Drink a whole bottle -- which a lot of people have been known to do -- and you're in the 610 to 665 calorie range. That, my friends, is more than in a Big Mac.<br /><br />There's something else to consider -- booze gives us the munchies. Alcohol increases your appetite and the more you drink, the more your resolve will dissolve. That's OK if you reach for the carrot sticks, but most people tend to snack on foods higher in fat. The truth is, it's not just a beer gut you're packing, it's a nacho chips and cheese gut.<br /><br />If you're a wine weenie like me, the danger zone is with those wine receptions, themed dinners and festivals where platters of triple cream brie, crustinis and fois gras are the norm.<br /><br />So how did I do it? Since sampling wine is part of my work, avoiding it altogether simply wasn’t practical. So anything I tried for review purposes I spit out. I restricted actual consumption to two days a week and factored it into my diet plan as an actual food. On days I indulged in a glass or two of wine, I gave up a high-calorie carb to compensate such as potatoes, rice or pasta. And I assumed each glass was the equivalent to 250 calories to err on the side of caution. Another thing that worked for me was matching each sip of wine with a healthy gulp of water. It helped me drink my wine slower and filled me up so I craved less. It wasn’t easy, but I managed to pull it off with monumental self-control.<br /><br />One final tip: read the label and stick to dry wines with moderate levels of alcohol such as Riesling, Chasselas, Chenin Blanc in the case of whites, and Pinot Noir and Gamay Noir in the case of reds.<br /><br />Good luck!<br /><br /><strong>In Focus: Midpalate<br /></strong><br />I am often asked to explain this tasting term used by critics. The “entry” is that initial impression you get when you first sip the wine, while the “finish” is the aftertaste and length when you swallow or spit. The “midpalate” is in between those two elements and simply refers a sense of the wine “unfolding” in your mouth. Typically, this is when you notice secondary, more complex or understated flavours that should form the most lasting impression on you as the drinker. Unfortunately, a high percentage of wine consumers skip this important step by drinking their wine too quickly. It’s crucial to savour the wine at the midpalate in order to fully appreciate it.Chardonnayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06596093400779501622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540071841311603012.post-1250869296604665572009-02-12T13:04:00.000-08:002009-02-12T13:10:51.368-08:00Valentine's Wines from the Heart<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghlBwHVEDD8wNuQWjlVVxIbwHFOhZf8-bDT_muw3wESR-BD4RbZ7Hbw07S1Iz2jLaQrU48naijoBrTY1cKK1bDOwDvMfH5qGEVXl5Cs0whNF11xl3y2klJtrSvE2ac1mHBs89bhw3PsyoR/s1600-h/wine_couple_300x193.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5302021298901496034" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 129px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghlBwHVEDD8wNuQWjlVVxIbwHFOhZf8-bDT_muw3wESR-BD4RbZ7Hbw07S1Iz2jLaQrU48naijoBrTY1cKK1bDOwDvMfH5qGEVXl5Cs0whNF11xl3y2klJtrSvE2ac1mHBs89bhw3PsyoR/s200/wine_couple_300x193.jpg" border="0" /></a>By Julianna Hayes<br /><div><strong>There’s little dispute that among the people I know wine plays a supporting role when it comes to romance and seduction.<br /></strong><br />In fact, I’m willing to bet a good number of them hooked up after a glass or four of wine. It sets the mood and lowers inhibitions in a way other romantic task masters – such as roses, candlelight and chocolate – never could.<br /><br />Even the language of wine is sensual with words like body and legs, soft and silky, racy and spicy, robust and voluptuous often peppering in its descriptions.<br /><br />Thus it stands to reason that wine would be a key component when it comes to wooing a significant other or potential one on Valentine’s Day.<br /><br />By virtue of its colour, people are typically drawn to red wine. Indeed that hue is Valentine’s Day’s signature shade. In the weeks leading up February 14th, one can’t walk into a shopping mall without being bombarded visually by red heart-shaped boxes, ribbons and bows.<br /><br />Sales (and prices) of red roses go through the roof – in fact, they make up more than 50 per cent of floral purchases by star-struck lovers. I suspect that percentage would be higher if the supply of healthy, full crimson blooms was plentiful. But last-minute courters are typically greeted by sickly, spent petals at $100 a dozen.<br /><br />Statistics bear out that red wine – of which there is an endless supply – is also preferred by more than half of V-Day imbibers. And why not? Its luscious aromas and warm, rich flavours and mouth-filling texture are practically x-rated. Plus it’s likely to be a good match with those rich, dark chocolates you also purchased or received. But should you and your honey share a whole bottle of Cabernet, you’ll both be sporting ghastly purple teeth and breath to match, which might bring the whole seduction to a screeching halt.<br /><br />My advice? Keep it light. That doesn’t mean you have to forgo red entirely, but consider brighter, fresher options with less tannin to avoid the “Dracula Effect.”<br /><br />Depending on who you’re courting, and the mood you want to invoke, here are some options for romancing with wine this Valentine’s.<br /><br /><strong>If your date is curvy, vibrant, sensual with a spicy personality:</strong><br /><br />Inniskillin 2007 Discovery Series Marsanne Roussanne $17<br />Apple sauce and baked pear, orange marmalade, butter, cardamom, baking spice, mineral. Slightly sweet palate of pear, apple sauce, spice and some nice acidity on the finish. 86/100<br /><br />Quinta Ferreira 2007 Viognier $20<br />Butterscotch candy, baked apple, nutmeg, candied lemon peel, ginger, coconut. Fleshy palate with some buttery oak, lemon rind, ginger, apple. 86/100<br /><br />Herder 2007 Chardonnay $20<br />Barlett pear, apple, bees wax, pineapple, orange peel, luscious with a touch of butter, candied tropical fruit and citrus peel. 87/100<br /><br />Oliver Twist 2007 Chardonnay $20<br />Apple skin, peaches, cream, caramel, butter, tropical fruit. Slight sweet entry, mouthcoating balanced by nice acidity. 88/100<br /><br />Summerhill 2007 Ehrenfelser $20<br />Mango, spice, honeyed citrus, peaches and cream aromas. On the palate the texture is luscious and tropical accented by pink grapefruit and spice. 89/100<br /><br /><br /><strong>For classy, reserved, well-read, sophisticated lovers<br /></strong><br />Nk’Mip 2007 Pinot Noir $18<br />Bright red fruits, some toast, leafy aromas, coffee bean, herbal, fruit leather. Quite silky on the palate with some bright red fruit and a touch of lifted citrus. Finishing clean. 85/100<br /><br />Mission Hill 2007 Reserve Pinot Gris $22<br />Nectarine, apricot, floral notes with citrus peel and granny smith apple, plus a hint of spice. Fresh and lively on the palate with lemon oil, bright tree flavours and clean acidity on the finish. 88/100<br /><br />Sumac Ridge 2001 Pinnacle Sparkling $35<br />Red berries, peaches, mineral, citrus zest, floral, yeast and lemon in the nose. Lovely effervescence and a nice aged quality plus plenty of citrus, tree fruit and yeasty flavours. 90/100<br /><br /><strong><br />For fresh-faced, cheeky and outdoorsy dates who have a rebellious spirit</strong><br /><br />Dunham and Froese 2007 Rose $17<br />Red berries, earthy, mossy, savoury notes, citrus zest, spice. Lots of racy acidity on the palate with sour cherries, wild strawberries, snappy tart apple, spice. 88/100<br /><br />Domaine de Chaberton 2007 Canoe North Bluff Pink $14<br />Bright sour cherries, cranberry, sweet strawberry and lifted citrus character. Zesty red berry flavours, nice acidity, clean finish. 85/100<br /><br /><strong><br />For dark and brooding types for whom only the richest, heaviest reds will do:</strong><br /><br />Jackson Triggs 2006 Grand Reserve Shiraz $26<br />Chocolate, savoury notes, soya sauce, blueberry, black cherry, cassis, peppercorn, leather. Earthy, extracted dark fruit flavours, smoky notes, bittersweet chocolate, soya, pepper and heat on the finish. 91/100<br /><br />CedarCreek 2006 Platinum Reserve Merlot $40<br />Plum, blackcherry, blueberry, coffee bean, cedar, spice, mocha, dark vanilla and marmalade. Luscious, mouthfilling and rich on the palate, with lifted acidity and a long finish. 92/100<br /><br /><br /><strong>For sweet-natured, perpetually happy types:<br /></strong><br />Mission Hill 2005 Late Harvest Riesling $30<br />Baked apple, spice, honey, apricots, lemon oil, butterscotch. Bright, luscious flavours balanced by good acidity. A dessert wine that’s not so cloying. 88/100<br /><br />Tinhorn Creek 2007 Kerner Ice Wine $25<br />Apricots, marmalade, butterscotch, candied citrus peel, and some tropical fruit aromas. Luscious but not overly sticky on the palate. Finger-licking good. 89/100<br /></div>Chardonnayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06596093400779501622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540071841311603012.post-57040643434854980752009-02-05T08:35:00.000-08:002009-02-05T08:45:52.711-08:00Do Wine Judges and Critics Lack Consistency?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLQ6Qric51otEMywc5uW6fkeWiKQNQZrMeDrF4ORg6awvefFoO9ITHkN6ymSVxMaw2aAp0Yx2hKjtNZRrtcca-Unj0h6Yl47ehQs3a61QY9BXEilFj0LI0qlfWGqfn8Zt6EOlvtcic9t76/s1600-h/smelling.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299355425867338642" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 215px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLQ6Qric51otEMywc5uW6fkeWiKQNQZrMeDrF4ORg6awvefFoO9ITHkN6ymSVxMaw2aAp0Yx2hKjtNZRrtcca-Unj0h6Yl47ehQs3a61QY9BXEilFj0LI0qlfWGqfn8Zt6EOlvtcic9t76/s320/smelling.jpg" border="0" /></a> By Julianna Hayes<br /><strong>If you’re the kind of wine consumer who relies on critical reviews or gold medals to decide what to drink, consider this: apparently, so-called experts like me can’t always tell when they’re sipping the same wine over and over again.<br /></strong><br />A four-year study published last week in the Journal of Wine Economics revealed that only 10 per cent of judges were able to consistently give the same rating, or something very close, to the identical wine sampled multiple times in a large blind tasting.<br /><br />Even more unsettling is the fact that another 10 per cent of judges at the California State Fair gave the very same wine far different ratings, ranging from deserving of a gold medal to meriting no medal at all.<br /><br />Now you might think that the small percentage who gave consistent scores would be considered “super judges” and would be the “go-to” people for future competitions and ratings, but you’d be wrong. The study also found that these judges didn’t maintain their consistency from year to year.<br /><br />Yikes.<br /><br />In the wine-soaked movie, Sideways, the character Maya spoke about wine being a “living thing” that is constantly changing. “I love how wine continues to evolve, how every time I open a bottle it's going to taste different than if I had opened it on any other day. Because a bottle of wine is actually alive.”<br /><br />Though Maya may have been a fictional person, what she said is, in fact, true. And it accounts for how judges in one competition could assess a wine differently months later in another. But it can’t easily explain away how a wine can be so profoundly different to the same taster on the same day.<br /><br />"Consumers should have a healthy skepticism about the medals awarded to wines from the various competitions," said Roberts Hodgson, a retired Humboldt State professor, who conducted the study.<br /><br />He also said he doesn't have any more faith in the 100-point-scale ratings of wines in magazines, newspapers and newsletters, like the ones published in this column.<br /><br />I have always said consumers shouldn’t be distracted by shiny hardware or allow reviews to dictate their buying patterns. That’s because I want them to have the confidence to trust their own palates and decide for themselves what they like. But I realize the findings of this study are troublesome.<br /><br />There are, however, some explanations. Despite its glamorous image, if you’ve ever had the opportunity to observe a wine judging, or better yet, serve as a “ghost judge,” you’d understand how gruelling an ordeal it is. It’s not uncommon for a taster to sample in excess of 100 wines in a sitting. Over time our once fresh palates will become weary and battered, even though we’re spitting and cleansing with water regularly. I leave the judges’ chambers with teeth befitting a ghoul and a tongue that tastes like my gym socks.<br /><br />I’ve noticed throughout the exercise that my taste buds start to get numb, but my sense of smell gets more heightened. Thus I suspect if a wine I tasted earlier in the competition appeared again before me later in the day, I might notice less on the palate but more in the nose and those differences may or may not do the wine justice.<br /><br />And like how food will change how a wine tastes, sampling other wines will affect our perspective of a given wine’s characteristics.<br /><br />Consumers may be alarmed by these factors but they should consider a few things before dismissing the worthiness of all those gold medal wines they’ve invested in over the years. First of all, no wine wins or loses on the say so of a single judge. There has to be a majority consensus of the panel – usually consisting of a half dozen or more judges – for a bottle to score gold.<br /><br />The second consideration is that most wines aren’t awarded the top prizes based on just one taste. Typically, wines that show well get pushed forward for a second tasting, usually the next day when the judges’ palates will be refreshed and they’ll also be trying a new bottle.<br /><br />Is the situation ideal? No, but wine, and one’s perspective of it, is subjective – I’ve never pretended otherwise.<br /><br />The study has prompted California State Fair officials to consider changes in the way they operate future wine competitions.<br /><br />They plan to reduce the number of wines sampled per day -- currently is 150 or more -- to around 75 to in hopes of avoiding palate fatigue. They also want to start weeding out judges who demonstrate a lack of consistency year after year.<br /><br />Hodgson, who taught oceanography and statistics at the university, now owns Fieldbrook Winery in Humboldt County. He designed the study because he didn't understand why "we would have wines that we sent off and would get gold medals in some competitions and in others would get poop. It seemed like a gold medal was just a matter of luck."<br /><br />But the study’s findings have created a bit of a quandary for Hodgson, who has been using medals to sell his wines.<br /><br />“And now I have written this paper saying the wine competition system that awards those medals isn't perfect."<br /><br /><br /><strong>Wine Notes</strong><br /><br /><strong>Township 7 2006 Chardonnay</strong><br />Aromas: Butter, orange rind, vanilla, tropical fruit, peaches, lemon oil, some mineral<br />Flavours: Fresh tropical fruit, citrus rind, butter, spice, caramel<br />Body and Finish: Bright ripe fruit entry, soft and round with a layer of butter on the palate, clean finish<br />Overall Impression: Consistently well made year after year. Definitely for those who like some oak that is not overdone<br />Would I Buy It? Yes<br />Cellaring Potential: Drink now<br />Score: 88<br />Price: $20<br />Availability: BC LDBS, VQA shops, private retailers<br /><br /><br /><strong>Mission Hill Five Vineyards 2006 Cabernet Merlot</strong><br />Aromas: Chocolate covered cherries, cassis, menthol, earth, pepper, coffee bean<br />Flavours: Bright, jammy fruit, pepper, spice, black cherry, dusty chocolate, herbaceous notes<br />Body and Finish: Bold entry with nice weighty texture on the palate, moderate tannins, slightly spicy finish<br />Overall Impression: Budget-friendly wine is stylish and shows good depth<br />Would I Buy It? Once in a while<br />Cellaring Potential: Drinkable now, cellar up to five years<br />Score: 88<br />Price: $19<br />Availability: BC LDBS, VQA shops, private retailers<br /><br /><br /><strong>Zero Balance 2007 Project</strong><br />Aromas: Quite aromatic with peach, nectarine, marmalade, floral and spicy notes<br />Flavours: Peach, apricot, nectarine, spice, some mineral<br />Body and Finish: Racy entry with luscious fruit and good mid-palate acidity<br />Overall Impression: A bright, easy to drink wine with some residual sugar making it a good choice for Asian fare – Another Holman Lang enterprise on the Naramata Bench<br />Would I Buy It? Occasionally<br />Cellaring Potential: Drink now<br />Score: 86<br />Price: $18<br />Availability: BC LDBS, VQA shops, private retailersChardonnayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06596093400779501622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540071841311603012.post-40079449816488232992009-01-27T21:49:00.000-08:002009-01-27T21:59:32.890-08:00Is That the Sound of Prices Falling?By Julianna Hayes<br /><br /><strong>Last January when the first rumblings of an economic slowdown were making themselves heard, I recall real estate purveyors trying to soothe frayed nerves with reports suggesting the market had “slowed but was holding steady</strong>.”<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBludnVmcKZ_laSfn96LdN5c-9CceVvV7QjN4WcSjm7EM1wAgm8nkT6pBxgPZWHyFbHPC7Z_0OrAlcyxtTPEnNLGVFKNEdjOqiaM9MHmmSA9Z-3ljM79m3LQzNtyTL2NyN4DJ64HdIkCXf/s1600-h/20080114_wine.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296220010042240258" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 262px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBludnVmcKZ_laSfn96LdN5c-9CceVvV7QjN4WcSjm7EM1wAgm8nkT6pBxgPZWHyFbHPC7Z_0OrAlcyxtTPEnNLGVFKNEdjOqiaM9MHmmSA9Z-3ljM79m3LQzNtyTL2NyN4DJ64HdIkCXf/s320/20080114_wine.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Despite the fact the real estate crisis south of the border was beginning to creep north of the 39th, there was this sense in the Okanagan that we were immune, untouchable even. After all, this is a highly desirable place to live – we certainly couldn’t anticipate the same challenges as Pilot Butte, Saskatchewan, or Wawa, Ontario.<br /><br />I was well acquainted with the hopeful sentiments as we were preparing to list our home. We simply couldn’t imagine the white hot real estate market in our area could turn stone cold in short order.<br /><br />Yet, now a year later, the average price of a family home in Kelowna has been dropping at an alarming rate and people in need of selling are helpless as their precious equity circles the drain. Our house still isn’t sold and it’s now listed for almost $100,000 less than realtors originally suggested we ask for it.<br /><br />Where am I going with this – aside from lamenting my own sad story? Well, I’m now wondering what the future holds for the wine industry, particularly on the local front.<br /><br />Much has been written on the subject in recent months – but the reports have been contradictory. Studies indicate that wine consumption in most parts of the world, including Canada, is actually up, but others suggest that wine sales are down, which doesn’t seem to jive.<br /><br />It all made sense when I came across some numbers from Wine.com – an online U.S. retailer that moves a tremendous amount of product. It reported that the number of bottles it sold in December 2008 was 15 per cent higher than what was peddled the same month last year. But – and it’s a big one – the average price of a bottle of wine sold in December 2008 was 17 per cent below the average price of one sold in December 2007.<br /><br />So Americans seem to be drinking more, but what they’re drinking is quite a bit cheaper.<br /><br />If this same trend also spreads north, that unfortunately doesn’t bode well for the B.C. wine industry. Since 1992, the average cost of a bottle of VQA wine has virtually tripled. It will now cost you $17.83 for a wine that typically retailed for $6.86 17 years ago.<br /><br />Those consumers with loyalty to all things local may simply opt step down a tier and buy more wallet friendly B.C. products – perhaps driving prices down. That would be the best case scenario. The worst case would be if wine enthusiasts looking to save a buck simply switch to cheap and cheerful imports without giving the domestic market a chance to correct itself.<br /><br />There has already been a softening of the once incredibly buoyant local wine market. The dollar value of VQA wine sales rose four per cent in 2007/08, but that was entirely due to price changes. The volume of sales actually dropped by three per cent. This is following double digit volume growth in six of the seven years leading up to this period.<br /><br />In an industry where owning a winery seemed like a license to print money, this slowdown may come as a shock to local producers, especially if we haven’t seen the worst of it. Many of the more exclusive vintners have become accustomed to their wines being in high demand, selling out long before most people get a taste. There’s a certain headiness to that power. But enthusiasm seems to be dwindling. Indeed, I’ve noticed more and more elusive bottles lurking on retail shelves – selection is better than ever.<br /><br />Despite all the doom and gloom, two major events are coming up that will thrust B.C. wines into the spotlight. The Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival, one of the world’s oldest and most respected wine events, has selected B.C. as this year’s theme region. The event, scheduled March 23-29, is expected to attract some 25,000 consumers and trades people globally. These are individuals with substantial buying power and, assuming the wines show well, sales should be brisk.<br /><br />B.C.’s selection as the theme region is to whet appetites for local wine in anticipation of the other event I want to mention – the 2010 Olympics. I expect visitors for the games will snap up B.C. bottles simply out of curiosity, given that the local industry is largely unknown in other parts of the world.<br /><br />Speaking of the Playhouse Festival, consumer tickets go on sale Tuesday and are known to sell out fast, particularly for signature and key events related to the theme region. Call 604-873-3311 for more information or visit <a href="http://www.playhousewinefest.com/">http://www.playhousewinefest.com/</a>.<br /><br /><strong>Wine Notes</strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong>Burrowing Owl 2007 Chardonnay</strong><br />Aromas: Baked apple, vanilla, butter, orange peel, mineral, spice<br />Flavours: Apple, nutmeg, vanilla, citrus, butter, peach, mineral, lime<br />Body and Finish: Quite luscious on the entry with good weight on the midpalate, mouthcoating but clean on the finish<br />Overall Impression: Lovely effort without the overkill of oak.<br />Would I Buy It? Yes<br />Cellaring Potential: Drink now, but could cellar a couple years<br />Score: 88/100<br />Price: $25<br />Availability: Winery, some VQA shops, private retailers<br /><br /><strong>Twist Tree 2006 Syrah<br /></strong>Aromas: Black fruits, meaty, pepper, orange rind, black vanilla, earth<br />Flavours: Earth, ripe black fruits, citrus peel, pepper and vanilla<br />Body and Finish: Ripe fruit entry with a weighty palate and a long slightly hot finish and good acidity<br />Overall Impression: Nicely done and a reasonable price for Syrah.<br />Would I Buy It? Once in a while<br />Cellaring Potential: 2-5 years<br />Score: 87/100<br />Price: $25<br />Availability: Winery, private retailersChardonnayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06596093400779501622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540071841311603012.post-495431945650579162009-01-14T11:20:00.000-08:002009-01-14T11:37:29.435-08:00Top Drops of 2008By Julianna Hayes<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgMoe5mg2caWwNe-kLb85buZ2mEaL2nFxecz1yf1GqCNbL75-T9RuR5tWnejOEo3i0tObdx_RD56TB2UQjPkun1u-wmtTY5_7K4bPkMlT_9lylj0roqkOeLm9OAF8mSi34gitxUEbufgPO/s1600-h/Perpetua+750ml+_0001F2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5291233921417820674" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 103px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgMoe5mg2caWwNe-kLb85buZ2mEaL2nFxecz1yf1GqCNbL75-T9RuR5tWnejOEo3i0tObdx_RD56TB2UQjPkun1u-wmtTY5_7K4bPkMlT_9lylj0roqkOeLm9OAF8mSi34gitxUEbufgPO/s320/Perpetua+750ml+_0001F2.jpg" border="0" /></a><strong>From the mail I get, the article identifying my top 25 wines of the previous year seems to be my most anticipated column.<br /></strong><br />While I try to impress upon people to trust their own palates, I understand the appeal a list of this nature has to the consumer. I also clip recommendations of this type written by other critics. I enjoy discovering new wines and I want to taste anything a critic raves about that I haven’t tried yet.<br /><br />I was asked last year how I selected the wines for this list. I can tell you it isn’t easy. It’s not a matter of simply selecting the wines that got the highest scores, but also about the wines which made the best impression on me. Certain wines seem to leave their mark and typically they are ones I choose to fill my own cellar – assuming I can even find them again.<br /><br />Here are my 25 picks from the past year. I’m including brief tasting notes.<br /><br />My Top 25 Drops of 2008<br /><br /><strong>1. Mission Hill Perpetua 2006 Chardonnay $33<br /></strong>Orange, green apple, hints of lime, some buttery notes, a touch of toast and mineral and lovely vanilla. Very fresh on the palate with just enough roundness and creamy character without being overly woody. Citrus, apple skin, tree fruit flavours, a hint of nuttiness and a clean elegant finish.<br /><br /><strong>2. Lang 2007 Farm Reserve Riesling $20</strong><br />Fabulously bright, green apple, white peach, mineral, spice, lime and the slightest hint of petrol. Loads of mouth watering acidity and a snappy finish that lingers.<br /><br /><strong>3. Black Hills Nota Bene 2006 $43<br /></strong>Black cherry, cassis, black plum, smoke, tobacco, menthol, leather, earth, toast, blueberry and violets. Big entry, firm tannins and elongated finish<br />Overall Impression: A yummy wine with a lot big fruit and surprisingly easy to drink for its youth.<br /><br /><strong>4. Sandhill 2006 Phantom Creek Vineyard Small Lots Syrah $35</strong><br />Black cherry, cassis, black pepper, jam, violet, chocolate, herbal notes, toast. Luscious entry with a great deal of complexity on the palate, moderate tannins, slightly hot, elongated finish.<br /><br /><strong>5. Burrowing Owl Cabernet Franc 2006 $33</strong><br /><div>Cedar, savoury, earthy, chocolate, dried cherries, bell pepper, orange rind, cigar box, black pepper. Hard tannins require some time in the bottle.</div><div><br /><strong>6. Sumac Ridge 2005 Pinnacle (Red) $50</strong><br />Blackberry, tobacco, leather, plum, jammy black fruits, nuts, baking spice, olive. Ripe, luscious entry, velvety texture, rich, warm and mouthfilling, extended finish, moderate tannins<br /><strong><br />7. La Frenz 2005 Shiraz $29</strong><br /></div><div>Earthy, cherry, plum, pepper, a bit of smoke and savoury meatyness. Spicy, plum, blueberries, cherries, sweet oak on the palate. Elegant and silky texture, medium weight, supple tannins and elongated finish.<br /><br /><strong>8. CedarCreek 2006 Platinum Reserve Merlot $40<br /></strong>Spice, plum, black cherry, blueberry fruit, chocolate, orange peel, vanilla, mineral and some savoury notes. Luscious big fruit on the palate with a long finish. Needs some age.<br /><br /><strong>9. Jackson-Triggs 2006 SunRock Vineyard Shiraz $35</strong><br />Peppery, meaty, savoury, earthy notes with black fruits, a touch of smoke, and chocolate. Quite firm tannins, and a slightly hot finish that will soften up over time.</div><div><br /><strong>10. Laughing Stock Portfolio 2006 $39</strong><br />Black fruits, dried cherries, chocolate, mint, dark vanilla, leather, violets, coffee bean, leather, meaty notes with ripe luscious black fruits on the palate. Savoury finish, lovely effort. </div><div><br /><strong>11. Quails’ Gate 2006 Family Reserve Chardonnay $30<br /></strong>Apple, pear, vanilla, citrus, buttery leesy notes with nutty, spicy, baked apple character in flavours. Mouth-coating and buttery on the finish. </div><div><br /><strong>12. Stoneboat Vineyards 2006 Pinot Noir $22<br /></strong>Nice complexity on the nose with bright fruit aromas of Bing cherry, straw.berry and a touch of rhubarb accented by tobacco, vanilla, white pepper and a bit of smoke. upple mouthfeel with bright fruit flavours, pepper and good length on the finish.<br /><br /><strong>13. Sumac Ridge 2004 Steller’s Brut $27</strong><br />Displaying a fine mousse with long lasting bubbles and a slightly peachy hue. This sparkling wine offers up a crisp nose, aromas of apples, yeasty notes and mineral. Nice, clean effervescence on the palate with loads of crisp acidity on the finish.<br /><br /><strong>14. Wild Goose 2007 Autumn Gold $19</strong><br />A delightful blend that includes Riesling, Pinot Blanc and Gewurztraminer, it features baked apple, rose petal, apricot and spicy notes. Bright and fresh fruit character on the palate with some mineral and lime on the finish.<br /><br /><strong>15. Road 13 2007 Old Vines Chenin Blanc $18</strong><br />Floral, grass, green jujubes, green apple, mineral, yellow grapefruit, lime, gooseberry. Clean, crisp entry, touch of spritz on the palate, zippy finish. Fabulous price.<br /><br /><strong>16. Blasted Church 2006 Syrah $27<br /></strong>Perfumy aromas of blueberry, plum, violets, blackberry jam, pie crust, vanilla and spice. Luscious on the plate with black fruit flavours, lots of elegance and a smooth, round and slightly spicy finish.<br /><br /><strong>17. Red Rooster Winery 2006 Malbec $23<br /></strong>Complex nose of crushed violets, plum, blueberry, leather, pepper spice, smoky oak, vanilla. A big, weighty mouth feel with good fruit concentration, toasty oak, coffee bean, earth and moderate to firm tannins.<br /><br /><strong>18. Tinhorn Creek 2005 Oldfield’s Collection Merlot $28</strong><br />Excellent effort – gets better each year. Features jammy blackberry, black cherry, herbaceous, savoury flavours, some menthol. Robust on the palate with a long peppery finish.<br /><br /><strong>19. Osoyoos Larose 2006 Le Grand Vin $45</strong><br />Black cherry, pepper, savoury, leather, black vanilla, coffee, meaty, smoke, herbaceous notes, licorice, black olive. Has flavours of black cherry, herbal, leather, spice, earthy, coffee bean, meaty, vanilla. Elegant and multi-layered.<br /><br /><strong>20. Peller Estates 2006 Private Reserve Pinot Noir $18</strong></div><div>One of this winery’s four gold medal winners from the Okanagan Fall Wine Festival, this is a stunning wine at an affordable price. Lovely cherry, chocolate characteristics with some earthy herbaceous notes. Silky texture. A best buy and widely available.<br /><br /><strong>21. Church & State 2006 Syrah $26</strong><br />Black cherry, mocha, pepper, some savoury notes, licorice, vanilla. Black fruit flavours, mocha, smooth tannins, orange peel. Quite pleasant to drink even young.<br /><br /><strong>22. Inniskillin 2005 Discovery Series Zinfandel $30</strong><br />Bing cherry, blackberry, jam, chocolate, perfume, coffee, toast, earth. Licorice, pepper, vanilla. Super ripe and luscious, full bodied wine. Well made.<br /><br /><strong>23. Quinta Ferreira 2006 Obru-Prima $35</strong></div><div>Blackberry jam, plum, pie crust, smoke, violets, cedar, coffee, vanilla, spice. Luscious ripe fruit, big mouthfeel, dryness on the mid-palate with some tannin and a long peppery finish.<br /><br /><strong>24. Nk’Mip Cellars Qwam Qwmt Chardonnay 2006 $25</strong></div><div>Aromas of baked apple, honey, spice with leesy and oily notes. Flavours of pear, apple, honey, spice and a creamy, fat, sweet, nutty texture in the mouth. One of the bigger, creamier B.C. chards with. Appealing to those who like fat, juicy wines a touch on the sweet side.<br /><br /><strong>25. Van Westen 2007 Viognier $25</strong></div><div>Distinct spicy, ginger, butter, floral, peach and lemony character. Apple and lemon peel, some floral, orange flavours. Crisp citrusy finish. </div>Chardonnayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06596093400779501622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540071841311603012.post-84558705595577455542008-12-17T16:06:00.000-08:002008-12-17T16:29:26.629-08:00Cold Is Gold for Icewine Makers<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMuDKTbRvFr7pZU70YeI5sHpTHlgexEBhdXZsDj6MPA2mT6u4Iz-64cRpM0Q7wgiPZkNIqJgznyHlC7iC0DoSV8ET5hsQwV6WMlgT8GoKDWImZoVwPnZiuAf2OcqMRBwXDmVUjpENpY-_W/s1600-h/icegrapes1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280916267313401394" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMuDKTbRvFr7pZU70YeI5sHpTHlgexEBhdXZsDj6MPA2mT6u4Iz-64cRpM0Q7wgiPZkNIqJgznyHlC7iC0DoSV8ET5hsQwV6WMlgT8GoKDWImZoVwPnZiuAf2OcqMRBwXDmVUjpENpY-_W/s320/icegrapes1.jpg" border="0" /></a>By Julianna Hayes<br /><br /><div><strong></strong></div><div><strong>Christmas came early for Okanagan winemakers when an unseasonal cold snap sent temperatures plummeting over the weekend allowing for the harvest of the region's priceless icewine grapes.</strong></div><div> </div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikZk_Izi34TT8MWDDFszHAyyPjNkFGdf8wga3DsL3I8cBOBfmdaaZveIkOT5LkGUygbrM7PGhp0l_3kBq6vDChOIbGUJVUBJspKcOqiVoeH5FKHwDC56-ynhJBvLCoIyRwandaadcFoH3u/s1600-h/missionicewine2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280918781741946178" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 134px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikZk_Izi34TT8MWDDFszHAyyPjNkFGdf8wga3DsL3I8cBOBfmdaaZveIkOT5LkGUygbrM7PGhp0l_3kBq6vDChOIbGUJVUBJspKcOqiVoeH5FKHwDC56-ynhJBvLCoIyRwandaadcFoH3u/s200/missionicewine2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Vintners from north to south in the Valley were able to bring in a large quantity of the crop, which needs consistent temperatures of -8 C or less to get the Vintner's Quality Alliance stamp of approval.</div><div></div><br /><div>Mission Hill Family Estate's chief winemaker John Simes noted that the winter blast this early has been fairly unusual this decade and that it is more common to have to wait until January/February for it to reach sufficiently cold levels to pick the icewine grapes. </div><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcn1NUnOikek97P9eYsPJAGJOWqmD0QBVUjsEkqomczvgqP6XP7fLUf8M9SzRZIhXg7r0e_87l0QG8DKjfV0IcH-0mn-oYXzoZwPg-n8nm0waWAd2EG2i7hdvyienlZtZoGZ7N5B6nLu_e/s1600-h/Missionicewine.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280919346080545874" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 134px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcn1NUnOikek97P9eYsPJAGJOWqmD0QBVUjsEkqomczvgqP6XP7fLUf8M9SzRZIhXg7r0e_87l0QG8DKjfV0IcH-0mn-oYXzoZwPg-n8nm0waWAd2EG2i7hdvyienlZtZoGZ7N5B6nLu_e/s200/Missionicewine.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><div></div><div>He said the earliness of the harvest has resulted in fruit that is in excellent condition. Of note, a recent similar early harvest was in November 2006, which also produced superior Icewine grapes, as exemplified in the honour bestowed on Mission Hill’s 2006 Riesling Icewine that was awarded the International Wine Challenge (IWC) Trophy for the World’s Top Icewine at Europe’s major wine competition this fall. </div>Chardonnayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06596093400779501622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540071841311603012.post-64686912892758384132008-12-16T15:55:00.000-08:002008-12-16T16:07:43.387-08:00B.C. In the Grand Scheme of All Things Wine<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOXg80W3a9mrUKOIfLfL0utdhnwIGwRD-yg1bY7janoQdyxg1_By3TXmevmP9vW4QCxcIi8Keajx3mbWSH5lYBHGogv0x4Ore2O3QRZW3UeveK7y2NwUmeX3hFCD9Gv04m_nJ8WFlR_SCR/s1600-h/IMG_0114.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280543679082934258" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOXg80W3a9mrUKOIfLfL0utdhnwIGwRD-yg1bY7janoQdyxg1_By3TXmevmP9vW4QCxcIi8Keajx3mbWSH5lYBHGogv0x4Ore2O3QRZW3UeveK7y2NwUmeX3hFCD9Gv04m_nJ8WFlR_SCR/s320/IMG_0114.JPG" border="0" /></a> <div>By Julianna Hayes</div><div></div><div><strong>Have you ever sipped a wine from the Finger Lakes, Nebraska, Idaho, Texas or Mexico?<br /><br />Most people I know haven’t. These are not wine-growing regions with which most British Columbia. consumers are familiar. Indeed, anything from North America that ends up in our glass is either locally produced or hails from California’s Napa or Sonoma regions, or maybe Oregon and Washington states.<br /></strong><br />In fact, I’d venture a guess that a majority of people would consider those aforementioned regions as insignificant in the grand scheme of all things wine. Thus it would surprise them that the B.C. industry, despite its staggering growth, is considered slightly more or less trifling to most in the world of wine.<br /><br />Acclaimed critic Jancis Robinson certainly made this apparent as her point of view in an article in the London Financial Times a couple years ago and lambasted us for our Canadian pride.<br /><br />“In my experience no nation is more defensive about their own wines than the Canadians, perhaps because they have so little vineyard, less than, say, Slovenia or Japan. Every time I go there to launch a book, usually a reference book about the wines of the world, I am berated for not having devoted more space to the land of maple syrup. I suspect this is partly because Canadians tend to be fed stories which rather overstate Canadian wine’s place in the world of wine.”<br /><br />Just to put Robinson’s comments into perspective, let’s consider some stats: There are currently 154 grape wineries in British Columbia and the total vineyard planted is 9,100 acres. We produce just over 13 million litres annually.<br /><br />By comparison, Nebraska is about where B.C. was about 15 years ago with 23 wineries and under 1,000 acres under grapes, while Idaho has 32 wineries and 1,200 acres – about what B.C. had in 1995. Mexico’s Baja California region is home to about 50 producers and is experiencing unprecedented growth<br /><br />The Texas industry closer in size with 163 wineries, but smaller in overall scale than B.C., having less than half the vineyard with 3,700 acres.<br /><br />The Finger Lakes region of New York State has about the same number of wineries and vineyards as we do, yet somehow produces more than double the amount of wine as B.C. Still, little of what it makes seems to trickle our way and thus the region still seems obscure.<br /><br />Now let’s take a look at some world’s largest producers:<br /><br />California has more than 1,200 wineries and about 480,000 acres under vine – more than 50 times what is grown in B.C. Meanwhile, Argentina is the largest producer in South America and the fifth largest in the world, making some 1.5 billion litres of wine annual of its 520,000 acres of vineyard.</div><div><br />France and Italy are two largest producers of wine in the world. Both have more than two million acres of grapes in the ground and each produce more than five billion litres annually.<br /><br />We make fine wines in B.C., but we’re a drop in the barrel…no, not even half a drop. Does this make us unworthy? No, but it makes it difficult to achieve worldwide recognition and appreciation mainly because we’re just “not out there.” There isn’t enough wine made here to find its way into the glasses of thirsty wine consumers worldwide.<br /><br />Recently, a considerable milestone was reached by a winery on this side of the border. For the first time ever, a Canadian wine made it into <em>Wine Spectator’s</em> Top 100 Wines of the year. Albeit, the wine was from Niagara, Ontario, not B.C., and was 100th on the 2008 list released earlier this month – but it was a significant achievement on the list.<br /><br />So much so that it created quite a buzz on <em>Wine Spectator’s</em> online forum. A poster from Toronto started the thread and it lead to some discussion about the lack of recognition for Canadian wines. One individual from Edmonton expressed disappointment that the successful Canuck product – Konzalmann’s 2006 Vidal Icewine – was a dessert wine.<br /><br />“I just wish that <em>WS</em> would rate more dry white and red wines from Canada. I'm not sure if that is the magazine's choice or that not enough Canadian producers send samples to New York.”<br /><br />That prompted a reply by <em>Wine Spectator</em> Senior Editor James Molesworth, who pointed out the supply problem concerning Canadian wines.<br /><br />“We don't really 'choose' to review wines. What we review is a reflection of what is submitted, and to a greater extent, what is available in the marketplace. We make every effort to review everything that we can, and that we think our readers would be interested in knowing about...Many Canadian wines are simply not available here.”<br /><br /><em>Wine Spectator</em> did review some 80 Canadian wines within the pages of the magazine throughout 2008, but that’s a puny amount when you consider the sheer volume of wines it writes about.<br /><br />Still Molesworth comments must be reassuring for local producers that the lack of recognition for their products doesn’t necessarily reflect the quality and value, but rather an issue of scale.<br /><br /><strong>Wine Notes</strong><br /><br /><strong>Van Westen 2007 Vivacious</strong><br />Aromas: Floral, mineral, green apple skin, lime, spice, vanilla, lees<br />Flavours: Apple, mineral, citrus, spice, lees<br />Body and Finish: Crisp entry, bright flavours and medium-light weight, racy finish<br />Overall Impression: A bright, fresh wine that goes down easy but would make a lovely food wine (think roast pork loin) – Made with Pinot Blanc and a hint of Pinot Gris<br />Cellaring Potential: Drink now<br />Would I Buy It: Yes, price is right<br />Points: 89<br />Price: $18.90<br />Availability: Winery, Private Retailers, VQA Shops<br /><br /><br /><strong>Burrowing Owl 2006 Syrah</strong><br />Aromas: Black berry jam, smoke, pepper, earthy, coffee bean, dark vanilla, spice<br />Flavours: Black fruits, pepper, tobacco, herbal, vanilla, earthy<br />Body and Finish: Very weighty on the palate, ripe fruit with some drying tannins and a hot, elongated finish<br />Overall Impression: This is a bit of a monster and rather alcoholic tasting, but shows some finesse<br />Cellaring Potential: Hang on to it for a couple more years<br />Would I Buy It: Occasionally<br />Points: 89<br />Price: $38<br />Availability: Winery, Private Retailers</div>Chardonnayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06596093400779501622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540071841311603012.post-54280935346834748262008-12-15T09:00:00.000-08:002008-12-15T09:00:01.298-08:00Xmas 2008: Give Wine Not Wine GadgetsBy Julianna Hayes<br /><br /><div><div><strong>For Christmas last year, I received a pair of fuzzy red socks, a cheese plate, reindeer patterned flannel pyjamas, and hand towels with a Noel motif.<br /></strong><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1XMpqkCcd-2eK6e_xdChC53_QBTykSjdcEdCkDmGtdpYeSOcRozc2OKjX47sNLb59UxAl6t4LbWh5lZ1IoEmR81Z8Y_KSyTjXN_7ng3Pb-RzxXCTnycHgSTo0dmW6ctZ4kKvEYaajm9qm/s1600-h/oldfields.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5279053829553857826" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 68px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1XMpqkCcd-2eK6e_xdChC53_QBTykSjdcEdCkDmGtdpYeSOcRozc2OKjX47sNLb59UxAl6t4LbWh5lZ1IoEmR81Z8Y_KSyTjXN_7ng3Pb-RzxXCTnycHgSTo0dmW6ctZ4kKvEYaajm9qm/s200/oldfields.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />I never got around to hanging the calendar and tucked the pjs and socks away unworn. The cheese plate sits in a cabinet unused and I ditched the towels on sight.<br /><br />Some say I’m difficult to shop for. But as an obsessed oenophile, I think the ideal gift is obvious. You can’t go wrong with a bottle of wine.<br /><br />Now, I know what you’re thinking. Many people are panicked at the idea of having to choose a wine for someone they perceive as an “enthusiast.” They don’t feel they have the knowledge to make the right selection to suit the more sophisticated palate of the receiver.<br /><br />So if they do embrace a wine theme for their gift-giving, more often than not it consists of a collection of gadgets, most of which only serve to clutter up a junk drawer. For instance, in addition to the aforementioned goodies, I also received floral-shaped foam wine glass charms, grape-shaped oven mitts and an antique-style corkscrew.<br /><br />Unless the wine geek on your list enjoys re-gifting, don’t waste your money.<br /><br />Which brings me back to wine itself – it’s the preferred option for aficionados. Here’s four good reasons why:<br /><br />- As serious wine enthusiasts, we are also serious wine consumers, thus we go through a lot of bottles.<br /><br />- Even if we aren’t agog with the wine you’ve selected, I can assure you it won’t go to waste. Someone we know will enjoy it – either a visitor or host of a party we attend. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Q-cnWoGOkyqq1Q6hR_vyr_OIqNJOdaMNKmySbHjYC6c3VpfiUKpVZmPk0r5C_zndmhqDIgNdOKfSVa2fkBysmZF2U_ArLRWPPOMhJSp8Qv5OxX7WXRTnOqYUQ-8ShyaSQBIDmVMQtWNQ/s1600-h/VanWestenviognier.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5279053834817328498" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 110px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Q-cnWoGOkyqq1Q6hR_vyr_OIqNJOdaMNKmySbHjYC6c3VpfiUKpVZmPk0r5C_zndmhqDIgNdOKfSVa2fkBysmZF2U_ArLRWPPOMhJSp8Qv5OxX7WXRTnOqYUQ-8ShyaSQBIDmVMQtWNQ/s200/VanWestenviognier.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />- We always need wine for cooking. A halfway decent bottle will fit the bill in most cases.<br /><br />- We can always dump the wine into a holiday punch, make mulled wine or sangria.<br /><br />As the giver, the gift of wine is a no brainer. You’re probably going to the liquor store/wine shop anyway to stock up on festive refreshment, so picking up a few bottles for your wine weenie recipients eliminates a stop in what is likely already a hectic holiday schedule. Plus, presentation is inexpensive and a snap. Just drop the bottle into a dollar-store wine bag – which will likely be recycled by the receiver, so it’s eco-friendly too.<br /><br />Plus shopping for wine for someone else will compel you to think about your own vinous purchases – so many of us tend to go back to the same bottles time and time again. In your hunt, you might be inspired to try something new yourself.<br /><br />Having said that, don’t get caught up in trying to find the perfect wine for your connoisseur. And for heaven’s sake, don’t worry about spending too much and whether the wine got 90 points from Wine Spectator Magazine. It’s a myth that enthusiasts only drink award-winning, pricey wines. Like most people, we can’t afford to tuck into a $100, $50 or even $25 bottles every Friday night. I, for one, have plenty of favourites in the $15 to $20 range.<br /><br />It’s certainly swell if you want to splurge on a fabulous bottle of Bordeaux or rare vintage Port. But many wine weenies would be just as happy with an affordable quaffable wine. Collectors, in particular, likely have plenty of cellar dwellers and don’t really need to add to their stash of untouchable-until-2015 wines. What they want are wines they can drink now – without the guilt that they’ve opened a vintage long before its prime.<br /><br />When choosing a wine – whether it’s for a serious connoisseur or a fledgling enthusiast – first set a budget and then look for recommendations on wines in your price range. Many stores have what are referred to as “shelf talkers” which are hand-written by qualified staff. They’ll often include tasting notes and critical scores. VQA shops, private retailers with solid wine programs and Signature Liquor Stores often have knowledgeable personnel who can provide one-on-one consultation.<br /><br />If you know what type of wine the person you’re shopping for enjoys, then look for something different in the same style or varietal. For example, if the individual typically drinks French Burgundy or British Columbia Pinot Gris, then consider similar wines from alternate regions. In the case of the Burgundy, look for a New World Pinot Noir from California or B.C. Choose an Alsatian Pinot Gris or Italian Pinot Grigio in place of the local Pinot Gris. Write a note to accompany the bottle explaining your selection.<br /><br />If the above task seems too daunting, how about looking for something fun, like bottles with crazy names, unusual shapes or striking colours? Even if the wine itself isn’t up to snuff, you’ll guarantee the recipient a conversation starter.<br /><br />How about a fruit wine? Many people dismiss this option and don’t take this category seriously, but many locally-produced fruit wines, such as those from Elephant Island or Raven Ridge Cidery, are a real treat.<br /><br />One of your best bets is sparking wine. I can’t think of any enthusiast who doesn’t like bubble and there are plenty of very good wines of this style for under $30. And nothing is more festive.<br /><br /><strong>Here are 10 hot wines for gifting:<br /><br />Tinhorn Creek 2005 Oldfield’s Collection Merlot $28</strong><br />Recently awarded 90 points by Wine Access magazine – denoting a wine of excellent quality. Features jammy black fruit, earthy flavours, some menthol. Robust on the palate with a long finish.<br /><br /><strong>Peller Estates 2006 Private Reserve Pinot Noir $18</strong><br />One of this winery’s four gold medal winners from the Okanagan Fall Wine Festival, this is a stunning wine at an affordable price. Lovely cherry, chocolate characteristics with some earthy herbaceous notes. Silky texture. A best buy and widely available.<br /><br /><strong>CedarCreek 2006 Merlot $20</strong><br />This quaffable value wine is a real crowd pleaser, yet will appeal to even the most discerning palate. Concentrated red fruit characteristics, nice weight and silky tannins. Fill’er up!<br /><br /><strong>Road 13 2007 Old Vines Chenin Blanc $19</strong><br />Honestly, this winery could get away with adding another five bucks on this price and it would be well worth it – but we’re not complaining. Aromas of smashed lime jujubes, green apple, mineral, and tropical fruit notes in the bouquet and loads of racy acidity on the palate. Yum<br /><br /><strong>Ganton & Larson Prospect Winery 2006 Shiraz $16 </strong><br />Few B.C. Shirazes/Syrahs come in under $20, so when you see one of this quality at this prices, grab it. Earthy tobacco notes, vanilla bean, black cherry and menthol. Smooth and easy to drink.<br /><br /><strong>Quinta Ferreira 2006 Syrah $22<br /></strong>A truly stunning wine with aromas of violets, blueberries, jammy blackberries, vanilla and a distinct pepperyness. Quite savoury but with loads of ripe fruit. A bold effort worth double the price<br /><br /><strong>Van Westen 2007 Viognier $25<br /></strong>One of the up and coming varietals in the valley and this one is a beauty with peach, floral notes, ginger spice, lemon, butter characteristics. Lots going for it.<br /><br /><strong>Arrowleaf 2007 Snow Tropics Vidal $16<br /></strong>You don’t often see this variety in this drier style (it’s a 02), so an aficionado will certainly appreciate it. Quite perfumey and nutty with distinct stone fruit and floral notes, some citrus on the finish.<br /><br /><strong>La Frenz 2007 Viognier $20</strong><br />If you can locate a bottle of this stunner, the wine enthusiast on your list will be forever grateful. Selected Best White Wine in Show at the Northwest Wine Summit, among other accolades, this wine features super ripe character of dried apricot, peach and tropical fruits, plus some floral notes. It literally coats your palate and makes your mouth water. And can we talk about the price?<br /><br />If you have your heart set on a non-wine wine gift, then think practical and choose something you know will be put to good use. Here are some ideas:<br /><br /><strong>Wine Skins</strong><br />In response to the banishing of wines in airplane cabins, the industry came up with these bags made of strong plastic and lined with bubble wrap and dual adhesive closures, sealing and cushioning individual bottles of wines so they can be safely tucked in your luggage. Perfect for the traveling oenophile on your list. $4 at the B.C. Wine Museum<br /><br /><strong>Intelliscanner</strong><br />If you have a wine collector on your list, this little gadget makes organization a snap. You use it to simply scan the barcode on a bottle of wine for automatic identification of the name, varietal, winery, country, region, type, and price. The information can then be downloaded to your Mac or PC for electronic storage. Saves inputting all the information by hand. <a href="http://www.intelliscanner.com/">http://www.intelliscanner.com/</a><br /><br /><strong>White Wine Decanter</strong><br />Most serious enthusiasts have a decanter for their red wines, but what about their whites? There’s a cool one available for $80 at the B.C Wine Museum, and I mean “cool” literally. The decanter sits on a glass reservoir that holds ice so the wine stays cold. So there’s no reason for your whites not to be just as pretty on the table.<br /><br /><strong>Gift Basket</strong><br />If you want to give wine, but want to dress it up a little more, then a wine gift basket is a logical, practical, yet beautiful option. A BC wine and artisan food basket from Discover Wines celebrates local foods and wines. For $80, staff will tuck bottles of Arrowleaf 2006 Merlot and Gehringer Brothers 2007 Pinot Auxerrois in with olive oil and cracked pepper Gone Crackers, Sea Change Ice Wine glazed smoked salmon, Aunty Penny's vegetarian antipasto, Bernard Callebaut dark chocolate, Okanagan Lavender jelly and Langford Petals Layered Fieldberry shortbread. Other selections and prices are available.<br /><br /><strong>Books<br /></strong>Most enthusiasts I know appreciate a good wine-related book, particularly a buyer’s guide. Unfortunately, many of the internationally-produced ones from the likes of Hugh Johnson and Oz Clarke contain bottles that can’t be found on our soil. Which is why I love the ones written by Canadian writers, particularly those from B.C., such as The Province wine critics Kenji Hodgson and James Nevison. <em>Had A Glass: Top 100 Wines for 2009 under $20</em> appeals to the local and frugal consumer. This is their third edition. <a href="http://www.halfaglass.com/">http://www.halfaglass.com/</a> </div><div><br />And if you’re looking for a stocking stuffer, my own pocketbook, <em>Okanagan Wine: A Guide to Valley Wines</em>, contains tasting notes on 80-plus local wines, and retails for $10. <a href="http://www.theokanagan.net/">http://www.theokanagan.net/</a></div></div>Chardonnayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06596093400779501622noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540071841311603012.post-39904658350371338952008-12-12T09:00:00.000-08:002008-12-12T09:00:00.879-08:00How Well Do B.C. Wines Age?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijJyd8nksFsiD_jH05SBQYeciFdpow26XPRlaZxBxzQ-LhBA1qMOqPqw7EmDPBVMHXIWrH6DofQhclvxmufE13F_k9vbx9e3-n0XgMqZlVbPoDO9zaqz5tS5WVewNbdrwGGki0Q-VQiPti/s1600-h/Gray+Monk.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278241982795051730" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 187px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijJyd8nksFsiD_jH05SBQYeciFdpow26XPRlaZxBxzQ-LhBA1qMOqPqw7EmDPBVMHXIWrH6DofQhclvxmufE13F_k9vbx9e3-n0XgMqZlVbPoDO9zaqz5tS5WVewNbdrwGGki0Q-VQiPti/s200/Gray+Monk.jpg" border="0" /></a> <div>By Julianna Hayes<br /><br /><strong>Since 95 per cent of wines are consumed within 24 hours of purchase, you wouldn’t think many people would get all worked up about the age-ability of their bottles.<br /></strong><br />Yet I get scads of queries from enthusiasts who want to know how long they can reasonably cellar a wine and how well they can expect it to age, should they ever have the urge. Typically the questions come from individuals who want to hold onto a special wine to enjoy on a momentous occasion in the distance future – such as a significant wedding anniversary, child’s 21st birthday or graduation.<br /><br />I do my best to provide the information based on my own experience with aging wines, how the wines are made, and recommendations from vintners. But when it comes to B.C. wines, for the most part it’s been a crap shoot.<br /><br />Old World wineries have centuries of making age-worthy wines under their belts. It’s fair to say that a proper Bordeaux from France can safely be tucked away for 10-plus years – but what about an Okanagan Meritage?<br /><br />That’s what Rhys Pender of Wine Plus Consulting set out to resolve with a unique seminar last week studying how well local wines mature. Ten Years of Okanagan Wine featured a tasting of 12 B.C. bottles, all at least a decade old.<br /><br />As someone with a few dusty local relics lurking in my wine rack, this seminar could potentially reveal whether I had a number of gems tucked safely away, or if simply I was in possession of some well-fermented vinegar.<br /><br />Looking at Pender’s list, I suspected a number of the wines to be well past their prime. Included was a 1987 Gray Monk Riesling – complete with the garish red and black label that was the bottle’s uniform of the day.<br /><br />There was also one of B.C.’s most famous wines – the 1992 Mission Hill Grand Reserve Chardonnay, which won the industry’s most talked about wine award: Best Chardonnay in the world at the 1994 International Wine and Spirits Competition. But at 16 years of age, I didn’t have much hope of it having held up.<br /><br />Yet those wines and all the others surprised me – and pleasantly, I might add. While they might not be to everyone’s taste and a couple had certainly seen better days, none of them had deteriorated to the point of being undrinkable. In fact, many of them were quite delicious, which pains me to think of the potential lost in all those bottles I’ve opened and downed.<br /><br />Pender, with the help of two skillful panelists – Sommelier Mark Filatow and Road 13 Winemaker Michael Bartier, facilitated the tasting, which included three Rieslings, two Chardonnays, two Cabernet Sauvignons, four Bordeaux-style red blends and one sparkling wine. Having multiples of most of these styles or varieties was terrific for comparison purposes.<br /><br />Here are some of the more interesting points made during the seminar that you should consider of if you plan to age wines, local or otherwise:<br /><br />There is a lot of bottle variation with older wines. Even bottles stored under identical conditions will sometimes not age and taste the same when opened even side by side. For example, one of two bottles of a wine we tried had a dusty, woody aroma that we assumed came from the cork. The cork wasn’t tainted, but somehow imparted some of its own characteristics into the wine. The other bottle was fine and both came from Pender’s cellar. That’s why it’s always a good idea to stock more than one bottle of a wine you plan to keep for a while.<br /><br />As wines age, dominant fruit flavours begin to fade and are replaced by secondary flavours – more earthy, mineral or flinty, spicy and nutty characteristics. If you like them fresh and fruity, then drink them young. Sweetness also fades, acid and alcohol become more noticeable.<br /><br />A wine that ages well should taste good on release, meaning you should also be able to drink it young. Unsavoury characteristics will not improve over time, said Bartier. Wines shouldn’t taste better or worse with aging, just different.<br /><br />Cellaring wine may actually save you money – the average bottle of B.C. wine in 1992 was just over $6. By 1998, the price had risen to around $12. Now the average bottle retails for $17-plus.<br /><br />It’s an accepted fact that the more mature the vines are, the better the age-ability of the wine. The Okanagan’s vineyards are considered quite youthful, so if wines made from such young vines are showing well after 10 years, the future should be very bright, remarked Filatow.<br /><br />Alcohol content has risen significantly in the last decade, noted Pender. Most of the whites sampled in this tasting were under 12 per cent and the reds under 14 per cent. Now 13-14 per cent and more is the norm.<br /><br />Check out Pender's website for information on his education programs – <a href="http://www.wineplus.ca/">http://www.wineplus.ca/</a><br /><br /><strong>Wine Notes</strong><br /><br />Here are some brief notes from the 10 Years of Okanagan Wine tasting:<br /><br /><strong>Sumac Ridge 1997 Blanc de Noirs Brut<br /></strong>Still bright and fresh with fresh apple aromas and more pronounced yeasty, nutty character than would have been apparent when first released. Mineral and petrol hints, common to more aged sparkling wines.<br /><br /><strong>Hainle 1997 Riesling</strong><br />Most of the fruit character has given way to aromas and flavours of petrol, spice and mineral. Wine has searing acidity and alcohol is evident even at the relative low percentage. Would make a stylish food wine – Filatow recommends something like a cream of celery soup.<br /><br /><strong>Wild Goose 1996 Riesling</strong><br />Still fresh honeyed apricot, orange muscat aromas that are almost late-harvest or boytritis-affected in style. Pleasant sweet and sour on the palate with quite a lot of zip on the finish<br /><br /><strong>Gray Monk 1987 Riesling</strong><br />Some apple, honey, mineral, nutty and spicy character and lots of acidity. That aged petrol character is also evident. Impressive for a 21-year-old wine.<br /><br /><strong>Mission Hill 1992 Grand Reserve Chardonnay</strong><br />This big medal winner still shows peach, honey, with some petrol and a hint of aged sherry character. Comments were made that it tasted like a fine “Old World Chardonnay.”<br /><br /><strong>Quails' Gate 1994 Family Reserve Chardonnay</strong><br />This wine made an indelible impression on me when it was released and I was surprised to find just how much it still tasted the same after 14 years. Smoky bacon fat, baked apple, lime, nuttiness, spice and plenty of acidity.<br /><br /><strong>Kettle Valley 1995 Cabernet-Merlot</strong><br />Quite a lot still going on with cherry cough syrup, floral, olive, black cherry, orange zest characteristics. Quite a lot of acidity and some tannin remain.<br /><br /><strong>Sumac Ridge 1998 Black Sage Meritage</strong><br />Cherry, violet, blackberry, licorice and pie crust aromas. Velvety texture and still fresh and lively. Still has age-ability – has loads of finesse.<br /><br /><strong>Mission Hill 1998 Oculus</strong><br />Barnyard, earthy aromas with leather, soya sauce and coffee bean. More fruit is apparent on the palate with some white pepper, orange zest, spice and some tannin. Some people might find this too funky, but others love the style.<br /><br /><strong>Poplar Grove 1998 Legacy</strong><br />Cherry, chocolate, herbal, orange zest, kirsch and floral aromas. Texture is quite silky with some remaining tannin. Quite a yummy wine and still has further ability to age.<br /><br /><strong>La Frenz 1997 Cabernet Sauvignon</strong><br />Smoky, meaty, spicy aromas with coffee bean, black cherry and a touch of green bell pepper. Ripe black fruit and meaty, smoky flavours and a hint of herbaceousness.<br /><br /><strong>Burrowing Owl 1998 Cabernet Sauvignon</strong><br />Coffee, chocolate, cherry, olive juice, canned tomato paste and some herbal notes in the bouquet. Concentrated flavours of soya sauce, chocolate, dark fruits and spice.</div>Chardonnayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06596093400779501622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540071841311603012.post-49256891501522096182008-12-11T09:00:00.000-08:002008-12-11T09:00:01.806-08:00Wine Planning for Parties<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8vtN781djq2S4SQhFTLRrFSUr0efYJC-0_ROraa8sAOle3eVDZKt9i3-JUnVtgx61MSOg8X7VZDB17LpVqu9xMTkBeUW1rxPa92cVkyaTSz0-Io3py-kNxJHihaF3G1MCEq1dB2H0g6dY/s1600-h/Christmas%20wine.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278240146356805682" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8vtN781djq2S4SQhFTLRrFSUr0efYJC-0_ROraa8sAOle3eVDZKt9i3-JUnVtgx61MSOg8X7VZDB17LpVqu9xMTkBeUW1rxPa92cVkyaTSz0-Io3py-kNxJHihaF3G1MCEq1dB2H0g6dY/s200/Christmas%2520wine.jpg" border="0" /></a><strong>Q:</strong> I am planning a holiday wine party for about 20 people. I have yet to finalize the menu, but rather than a sit-down dinner (I don’t have the table space or place settings anyway), I want easy finger foods that I can serve at different intervals that will allow my guests to nibble on at their leisure and encourage them to mingle. I’m open to your suggestions. I can’t afford to buy all the wine for the evening, thus they’ll be bringing their own, but I would like to have a selection of bottles on hand that will go with the food. What advice do you have?<br /><strong>- Shelley</strong><br /><br /><strong>A:</strong> Wine parties are popular this time of year. And I certainly appreciate that in these challenging economic times, it isn’t feasible for most but the truly wealthy to offer up a endless supply of booze – thus BYOB is the norm in most situations.<br />To this end, might I offer a suggestion? Rather than having your guests bring a bunch of random bottles, why not consider a “wine club” format?<br /><br />Wine clubs are becoming very popular and the idea behind them is that the host sets a theme and purchases a variety of wines that suit the menu. The guests then pitch in some cash - $20 to $40 a piece (depending on the caliber of the wines) to assist with the cost.<br /><br />This is advantageous for a number of reasons:<br />1. It simplifies things for your guests. They can attend without worrying about what and how much to bring.<br />2. You can ensure that the wines served will best showcase the food and vice versa.<br />3. You can select the order in which the wines are poured so that they will go side by side with the appropriate foods.<br />4. You can control the amount of wine poured – if you serve one- to two-ounce tastes your guests can sample more wines and you can limit the amount you and your guests drink. 5. You can select a range of price points enabling you and your guests to sample bargain bottles – perhaps finding a few new affordable favourites – and experience higher-end, rare and/or revered wines you might not normally have the opportunity to enjoy.<br /><br />Let’s consider the food. Start with platters of gourmet cheeses, meats, smoked fish, olives, nuts and dried and fresh fruit. These are lovely in terms of presentation, flavour and texture and can be left out most of the evening for people to snack on at their leisure. But because there is so much variety, wine pairing is often difficult. This is when to break out the sparkling wine because it will act as a palate cleanser and refresher.<br /><br />Many people think of bubbly only for special occasions, but it is an ideal food wine because it can stand up to just about anything – sweet, salty, briny etc. B.C. makes a number of sparkling wines in the traditional Champagne style (only bubbly from the Champagne region of France can be called Champagne) and most are under $30. Comparable sparkling wines from France would be twice that at least.<br /><br />Any other wines you serve with these foods should be light and refreshing. Think aromatic whites in an off-dry style like Ehrenfelser, Riesling or Gewurztraminer for goat and blue cheese and spiced nuts or a prepared appetizer like prosciutto-wrapped melon. Rosé wine would be lovely with smoked salmon or spicy salami. Lemony Chenin Blanc or Pinot Gris are naturals with fresh shucked oysters. Super dry Sauvignon Blanc or Semillon are great with olives.<br /><br />Supplement these platters with a few well presented “amuse bouche” which you can bring out at various intervals and wow your guests. Consider chicken “lollipops” which are bite-size pieces of flattened chicken, skewered and either grilled or broiled and served with a variety of sweet/spicy dipping sauces – serve up an off-dry white such as Bacchus or Auxerrois. Lime and chili marinated shrimp or scallops served on a Chinese soup spoon make for a delightful presentation – dry whites or sparkling wine pairs best.<br /><br />One of my favourite recipes is grilling or roasting a mustard and herb-crusted rack of lamb, then cutting it up and serving the individual rib chops as an appetizer – no utensils are necessary, guests simply hold the meat by the bone. This is when you break out the big reds such as Syrah or Bordeaux-style blends.<br /><br />I know you said “finger foods,” but the truth is most people attend parties with an empty belly so they’ll need something fairly substantial to metabolize the alcohol they drink. How about considering a couple of one-pot dishes like Coq Au Vin, Beef Bourginon or Lamb Stew? These are easy, can be made well ahead and left to simmer in a slow cooker so they’ll be ready when your guests arrive. All you’ll need in terms of serving are some small bowls, cutlery and a ladle. What’s more these dishes tend to be very wine friendly as wine is often a key ingredient in the recipe itself. Wine selection is easy as you can simply serve the same wine you used in the dish.<br /><br /><strong>Other tips</strong><br /><br />1. There are roughly five medium-size glasses in a bottle and you can count on at least two glasses per person. That means if you have 10 guests, you should have at least five bottles. (Or if you’re one of my friends 10 bottles).<br />2. For “tasting” size portions you can squeeze out about 10 pours.<br />3. Pour the wine for your guests rather than having them serve themselves. It’s the responsible approach because they will drink less that way. If you are confident enough, talk about the wine and why you chose it for the occasion.<br />4. Be sure that you have different glasses for the whites, reds and sparkling wines. Consider renting them if you don’t or asking guests to bring their own.<br />5. As for serving temperatures, I tend to like my wines on the chilly side for parties as the temperature in the room goes up a notch with added bodies. I find the whites will taste fresher and fruitier when good and cold. Light bodied reds would benefit from 20 minutes in the refrigerator before serving. Open fuller bodied reds, pour into a decanter and leave in cool place to aerate for at least an hour prior to serving.Chardonnayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06596093400779501622noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540071841311603012.post-83229663154261537742008-12-10T10:53:00.000-08:002008-12-10T11:03:22.916-08:00Luxury Lines of Wines<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-mGXtE4oaKmqu-Tc9BvwzNu3aGgj9OhbEsKtX6_FhESfPv7uJMzjaTyUuLjG7sKbJNIMzvWZuyk3f8tpreh3Www9A772XtAhO04IdcDLO54b5qRFCRqeFyjOl8_twyVXb2yxmUjdFeM-r/s1600-h/Perpetua+FC+035.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278238771562055634" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 149px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-mGXtE4oaKmqu-Tc9BvwzNu3aGgj9OhbEsKtX6_FhESfPv7uJMzjaTyUuLjG7sKbJNIMzvWZuyk3f8tpreh3Www9A772XtAhO04IdcDLO54b5qRFCRqeFyjOl8_twyVXb2yxmUjdFeM-r/s200/Perpetua+FC+035.jpg" border="0" /></a>By Julianna Hayes<br /><div><br /><div><strong>The packaging of a new Mission Hill Family Estate Chardonnay is minimalist yet undeniably upscale. </strong><br /><br /><strong>The Burgundy-style bottle is unadorned save for a band of real pewter on which the wine’s name – Perpetua – is embossed. Even without tasting it, you have the immediate impression that the wine must certainly be delicious. </strong></div><div><br />Perpetua is part of a luxury line of wines called the Legacy Series introduced by the Westbank producer last week. Winemaker John Simes said the wine “gets the best of everything we can possibly do with a Chardonnay.” This includes coveted grapes from 10-year-old vines found in a single vineyard that is thinned aggressively to maximize ripeness and flavour. The wine spent about 10 months in “the best barrels that we know of.”<br /><br />“I think this is close to being the best Chardonnay we’ve made. I’m really pleased with it,” said Simes. That bar was already impossibly high – the winery walked away one year with the trophy for the best Chardonnay in the world at a prestigious competition in the UK. </div><div><br />Perpetua is a beauty indeed – full and lush, loaded with ripe fruit, but without being annoyingly oaky. It’s the kind of wine that ruins you for all others unable to measure up.</div><div><br />But developing a taste for it will cost you. At $33 a pop, it’s by no means the priciest wine on the market, but it puts it out of reach for everyday quaffing. </div><div><br />Perpetua’s cellar mates in the Legacy Series are equally as rich in the glass and on the pocketbook. Quatrain, a four-grape red blend, is savoury, spicy and jammy and retails for $48. Oculus, a Bordeaux-style red blend – which has been part of the Mission Hill portfolio for some time, but will now be part of this line – is elegant and complex and sells for $70.</div><div><br />In today’s economy, when everyone seems to be clawing back spending on the non-necessities, it may not seem foolish to launch such top-of-the-line products. Simes acknowledged the timing might not be perfect, but the series was hardly a spur of the moment project.</div><div><br />“We’ve been working on it for quite a while,” he said, pointing out that the Quatrain and Oculus releases are both 2005 vintages. “We’ve been sitting on Quatrain for awhile. It’s nice to finally be able to talk about it.”</div><div><br />Even though the marketplace may seem volatile, Simes said the series has been well received at other launches in Vancouver and Calgary. And the wines are getting rave reviews – all three were awarded more than 90 points by renowned Canadian wine write Anthony Gismondi, a critic notoriously stingy with his marks.</div><div><br />And Mission Hill certainly isn’t the only B.C. producer targeting the high-end market. While a decade ago, a local wine selling for more than $25 was almost unthinkable – now that price-point is close to being average and “luxury lines” of wines are becoming more commonplace.</div><div><br />Some of the smaller Okanagan wineries don’t even bother to cater to the low- to mid-range consumer. The cheapest wine at Le Vieux Pin, for example, is a rosé for $25, while its priciest bottle is $65. Likewise, Black Hills Winery routinely sells out its wines in days, if not mere hours, even though nothing comes cheaper than $24.</div><div><br />Larger wineries like Mission Hill, CedarCreek and Jackson Triggs don’t really have that option, as they need broader consumer appeal to move their volumes of wines. Which is why their top of the line products must truly stand out.</div><div><br />Sandhill Estate, a spin-off of the Calona Vineyards portfolio, is marketed as a producer of “single vineyard” wines which come from carefully tended sites in the Okanagan. The Small Lots Program under the label goes even further by isolating “unique and distinctive barrels that deserve very special attention.” These bottlings are usually limited to a few hundred cases and are considered “finely crafted creations.”</div><div><br />At Quails’ Gate, the luxury line is the Stewart Family Reserve wines, which are produced from the “very best blocks of fruit the Quails' Gate vineyards have to offer.” The winery makes the series rare and exclusive by producing Reserve wines from vintages where the quality is exceptional – meaning some years the wines might not be available at all.</div><div><br />Jackson-Triggs already had Proprietor’s Reserve and Proprietor’s Grand Reserve lines when it launched its Sunrock Vineyard series three years ago. These wines narrowed the focus down to just one key vineyard in the very south, and arguable hottest, part of the Okanagan Valley. The emphasis is heavily on viticulture and wines made in limited quantities.</div><div><br />Among other wineries with specialty high-end bottlings are CedarCreek (Platinum Reserve), Road 13 ( Jackpot), Tinhorn Creek (Oldfield’s Collection), Summerhill Pyramid (Platinum Series), Sumac Ridge (Pinnacle) and Gray Monk (Odyssey).</div><div><br />Here are some notes on Mission Hill’s Legacy Series wines:</div><div><br /><strong>Mission Hill Perpetua 2006 Chardonnay</strong> $33</div><div>Luscious fruit aromas of orange, green apple, hints of lime, some buttery notes, a touch of toast and mineral and lovely vanilla. Very fresh on the palate with just enough roundness and creamy character without being overly woody. Citrus, apple skin, tree fruit flavours, a hint of nuttiness and a clean elegant finish. 91 points</div><br /><div><br /><strong>Mission Hill Quatrain 2005</strong> $48</div><div>Very jammy, blackberry pie aromas, fresh red berry fruit, black cherry, chocolate, spice and peppery notes with hints of tobacco and cedar. There is a distinct fresh dark fruit and earthy character on the palate, spice, pepper and a silky texture. Tannins are moderate, but the dryness on the finish will disappear with a bit more time in the bottle. This is a four-grape blend of Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. 90 points</div></div>Chardonnayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06596093400779501622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540071841311603012.post-77994402706356315922008-11-12T14:29:00.000-08:002008-11-12T14:34:40.577-08:00Waste Not Want Not: Cooking With Leftover Wine<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp4zh0VzQWoqhFD5ApXHe51fjpiR93wgcLdQMdAHByn3L18_SCVFnzhOy2_56vfAekoRZs8YT_06i3QX53uV5k7jwa-PQdMIfoKyOas0ndqod4OYIfQPpdq_fB2qzFMu18PojI5X3GJEDb/s1600-h/clamswithwine.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267903069305578994" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 215px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp4zh0VzQWoqhFD5ApXHe51fjpiR93wgcLdQMdAHByn3L18_SCVFnzhOy2_56vfAekoRZs8YT_06i3QX53uV5k7jwa-PQdMIfoKyOas0ndqod4OYIfQPpdq_fB2qzFMu18PojI5X3GJEDb/s320/clamswithwine.jpg" border="0" /></a><strong>Q:</strong> I keep a decanter on my kitchen counter in which I pour all my leftover wine for use when I am cooking. I much prefer this to the stuff they sell in the supermarket. But a friend recently told me that mixing the wines is a bad idea and I could potentially ruin a recipe by using the stuff in my decanter. What do you think?<br /><strong>- Wendy</strong><br /><br /><strong>A:</strong> Cooking with wine is a great way to add flavour to foods. You are wise to avoid so-called grocery store “cooking wines.” They are typically overly sweet and tend to be high in acid and sodium. Not only will these characteristics be heightened during cooking, you'll want to be extra careful using these if you're on a low-salt diet.<br /><br />That being said, the number one pitfall when it comes to using wine in recipes is most people think any wine will suffice. Your friend is right that dumping a bunch of different wines together could be a problem. Also, wine has a shelf life – a decanter of remnant left to sit for extended periods on a counter, or worse, a stove-top will eventually turn into vinegar.<br /><br />If your recipes call for only a dash or two of liquid, you're probably not doing too much damage. But quality makes a difference when quantities start to add up. While I encourage you to keep leftover wines for later use, anything that has been uncorked for more than a few days -- especially if it is stored at room temperature -- just won't do.<br /><br />Here are a couple good rules of thumb:<br /><br />· Taste your wine before you add it to your dish. If you wouldn't drink it, don't cook with it. This is especially important if the wine is oxidized -- it will add bitter, harsh flavours to your food.<br /><br />· When it comes to white wine, stay away from sweet and acidic wines. Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Gris are good choices.<br /><br />· Low tannin, fruity wines are best when it comes to red – unwooded or slightly oaked Gamay or Pinot Noir, for example, are great bets. Stay away from super heavy reds, which can overpower a dish.<br /><br />· Store all leftover wine in a refrigerator – the colder temperature will slow the aging process. Transfer the wine to a smaller container with an air-tight seal, if possible – this will prevent further oxygen from getting into the wine and oxidizing it.<br /><br />· Consider serving the same wine at the table that you cooked with. It's a guaranteed match and will bring out the flavours of your dish.<br /><br />· Cooking wines don't have to be expensive -- you can usually find them in the $12-15 range. In fact, when a recipe calls for a port or sherry, lower-end bottles tend to be preferable because their fruity qualities are more desirable in cooking.<br /><br />· Do not thin a sauce or stew by simply adding wine -- it will leave it with a hard, raw taste.<br /><br />If you want to get a little more adventurous, try looking for wines that exhibit characteristics that match ingredients in your recipe. For example, if the dish has mint or mushrooms, look for herbal or earthy descriptors on the wine label such as what you might find in an Old World Pinot Noir or Merlot. Sauvignon Blanc is well known for its herbaceous character, which would work in a recipe in which herbs are prominently figured.<br /><br />Wine is frequently a key ingredient in basting liquids for roasting, as a marinade, in dressings and dips, fondues and a wide array of desserts. It is also used in reduction and deglazing.<br /><br />Reduction is when you add a liquid and then allow it to simmer in order to concentrate and thicken it. When you use wine, this method will intensify its flavours, but also reduce most of the alcohol content, which can overpower the dish, not to mention the diners.<br /><br />As a rule, you should aim for a 50 per cent reduction -- meaning you want half the liquid you started with.<br /><br />Deglazing is another good way to bring the flavours of wine into your cooking. You simply add wine to dissolve bits stuck to a pan after food has been roasted or sautéed. For example, if you've roasted a turkey, you can substitute wine for water to scrape up the food particles in the roasting pan and use it as a base for a delectable sauce. Try this also after you've sautéed wild mushrooms and herbs, carmelized onions or broiled root vegetables.<br /><br /><strong>In Focus: Grenache</strong><br />This is considered a workhorse of a grape, which is used a lot for blending. Grenache’s light and sweet berry character, makes it a great candidate for rosé wines, in fact, the French appellations of Tavel and Lirac make some delightful products in this style. The wines made with this grape are typically fruity, spicy and quaffable. Grown in Spain, California and other warm-weather regions, it is finding its way in small planting in Okanagan vineyards where it will likely be a challenge given that it is late ripening and favours very arid, hot climates. Local producers are eyeing it for rosé wines and blending.Chardonnayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06596093400779501622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540071841311603012.post-19737751602903975812008-10-29T13:50:00.000-07:002008-10-29T13:56:32.645-07:00Winning by a Nose: A Look at Wine Judging<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib0uDZwCIkjvNsP2VllgNRzFJcjhv8gIeFC-624wnXBunyePGg5lW5d5HbeMgCuiCARjEbRJGxged7hENMRuRdzfXQdxYjj1iOkMswvOTv1kED1wSS4DETC8oxETRlnFP7OYbtscmEZN4c/s1600-h/IMG_1312.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262682044979583506" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 179px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib0uDZwCIkjvNsP2VllgNRzFJcjhv8gIeFC-624wnXBunyePGg5lW5d5HbeMgCuiCARjEbRJGxged7hENMRuRdzfXQdxYjj1iOkMswvOTv1kED1wSS4DETC8oxETRlnFP7OYbtscmEZN4c/s320/IMG_1312.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>By Julianna Hayes</div><div> </div><div><strong>Drinking out of a brown paper bag at nine in the morning would be unthinkable for most people – at least those without serious social issues.<br /><br />Yet an elite group of individuals do so frequently and aren’t ashamed to admit it. I am speaking of wine judges – the people responsible for putting all that shiny hardware on bottles that the industry loves to brag about.</strong></div><div> </div><div>You might think this to be a sweet gig, but I assure you, there is nothing glamorous about it. Unless, of course, you enjoy spitting into a stryofoam cup and having purple teeth.<br />While you get to taste some pretty nice wines, you have to slog your way through plenty of dogs as well. Certain flights will test a judge’s stamina – just try making it through 38 icewines without weeping. </div><div><br />And though several people have quipped about trading “jobs” with me when I talk about it being a grueling exercise – judging can’t really be classified as work, as that would imply a pay cheque. Aside from getting reimbursed for basic travel expenses – one organization gave me a daily meal allowance of 20 bucks and expected me to get around on city transit – judges are largely volunteers. </div><div><br />Wine judging always leaps into the forefront during the Okanagan Fall Wine Festival when the buying public looks to the results of the annual competition for benchmark bottles. Each year dozens of wineries are decorated with some serious jewels and this year was no exception. There were a record 425-plus entries and medals were handed out to 281 wines including an astonishing 38 gold – one of the biggest yields in the competition ever.</div><div><br />Were the judges overly generous or are B.C. wines really that good? </div><div><br />Let me explain how the competition works. Though I’ve been on a number of wine judging panels, I have never tasted in this particular competition. I did observe this year and discovered that it uses the same basic premise as most. </div><div><br />The eight judges were divided into two panels of four and each group tasted half of the wines – standard practise for competitions of this size. The sheer enormity of the entries makes it impractical, not to mention inhuman, for the judges to taste them all.</div><div><br />All wines were tasted blind – this is one of the most important bits. Flights of wine were presented according to variety or style and divided by vintage, but the judges had no idea of the producer or price so there is no opportunity for bias They were given a scoring sheet on which they could jot down comments and provide a numerical score if desired, but they usually only do this for their own information. For the purposes of the competition, they were asked to tick a box recommending each wine for either a gold, silver, bronze or nothing at all. </div><div><br />Wines that received an average silver or bronze rating automatically received those medals and the competition was over for them. Wines with a majority gold recommendation were set aside for a second round of tasting involving all the judges. </div><div><br />Unlike the Lieutenant Governor Awards of Excellence in B.C. Wine, for which I judge, where only up to 12 wines are recognized, there is no limit to the number of medals that can be handed out during the Okanagan Fall Wine Festival. Thus the competition has a bit of a reputation for being charitable. The silver and bronze medals are sometimes seen to be default honours for wines incapable of scoring golds – they in essence give judges an out. What has happened as a result is that the luster has faded on the latter two medals and only those that won gold seem to capture the interests of consumers. </div><div><br />The debate actually came up during the session I sat in on. Coke Roth, a wine critic from Tri-Cities, Washington, who is one of the top judges in America, said the competition shouldn’t be concerned of awarding huge numbers of medals. If the wines are worthy – and he thought the ones in the competition were – then why should the numbers matter? A huge haul of medals should be considered a great thing for the local industry and the wineries should wear them proudly. It’s a valid point. </div><div><br />One new element in this year’s competition. In addition to awarding gold, silver and bronze, the judges were also asked to select the best white and red wine overall, as well as the best new winery. The top red honours went to Sandhill 2006 Phantom Creek Vineyard Small Lots Syrah, while the top white was Lang Vineyards 2007 Farm Reserve Riesling. The tiny Oliver winery of Dunham and Froese was selected best new winery. </div><div><br />Jackson-Triggs repeated history once again by winning the most golds with a total of five. But a surprise to all was the impressive showing by Peller Estates, which has never done well before. It took home four golds for the Pinot Noir, Merlot, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon in its Private Reserve line. Road 13 Vineyards picked up three golds. </div><div><br /><strong>Wine Notes</strong></div><div><br /><strong>Kalala 2007 Pinot Gris (Organic)</strong></div><div>Appearance: Clear, pale straw colourAromas: Mineral, citrus peel, yellow peach, green apple, spice<br />Flavours: Green apple, lemon-lime, mineral, hints of herbal spice<br />Body and Finish: A fresh, dry entry with lots of zest on the palate, finishing clean<br />Overall Impression: Those who like a steely dry Pinot Gris, lovely and refreshing – a bronze medal winner<br />Cellaring Potential: Drink now </div><div>Would I Buy It?: Yes</div><div>Score: 88</div><div>Price: $16</div><div>Availability: VQA shops, private retailers<br /><br /><strong>Sandhill 2006 Phantom Creek Vineyard Small Lots Syrah</strong></div><div>Appearance: Opaque black cherry colour<br />Aromas: Black cherry, cassis, black pepper, jam, violet, chocolate, herbal notes, toast<br />Flavours: Intense black fruits, pepper, mocha, toast, herbal<br />Body and Finish: Luscious entry with a great deal of complexity on the palate, moderate tannins, slightly hot, elongated finish<br />Overall Impression: Yummy – not much else to say<br />Cellaring Potential: Best cellared a couple years </div><div>Would I Buy It?: Yes</div><div>Score: 92</div><div>Price: $35</div><div>Availability: VQA shops, private retailers<br /><br /><strong>Road 13 2006 Merlot</strong></div><div>Appearance: Dark magenta, ruby tones<br />Aromas: Red plum, cassis, caramel, prune, toast, chocolate, floral, herbaceous notes<br />Flavours: Jammy red fruits, spice, chocolate, smoke, mint<br />Body and Finish: Ripe red fruit entry, fresh on the palate, silky tannins, smooth long finish<br />Overall Impression: A delightfully concentrated effort that also represents great value. Gold medal winner<br />Cellaring Potential: Drink now and for five years </div><div>Would I Buy It?: Yes</div><div>Score: 91</div><div>Price: $24</div><div>Availability: VQA shops, private retailers</div>Chardonnayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06596093400779501622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540071841311603012.post-54070708510212687642008-10-15T11:10:00.000-07:002008-10-15T11:13:57.741-07:00BC Wine Lists Wow Judges<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXoyPkMTY0SQwIBTf0t1NO5aD1G1XQZo7LObi1FdjqszB_VGzWTrbd9jNo1XiJ0eiNtQ16pkIyOtUZdRv7nIiNqsnxsWArvPzWgwyLmXPWcBfDDD78tKojScXBpKM4k-QMQ8qxRuW-Qlwf/s1600-h/dsc_4432.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257445206579915874" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXoyPkMTY0SQwIBTf0t1NO5aD1G1XQZo7LObi1FdjqszB_VGzWTrbd9jNo1XiJ0eiNtQ16pkIyOtUZdRv7nIiNqsnxsWArvPzWgwyLmXPWcBfDDD78tKojScXBpKM4k-QMQ8qxRuW-Qlwf/s400/dsc_4432.jpg" border="0" /></a><strong>A restaurant from the tiny coastal island of Galiano won two gold medals and a bronze in the British Columbia Wine List Competition held during the Okanagan Fall Wine Festival.<br /><br /></strong>Atrevida Restaurant, part of the Galiano Inn, took the top honours in the Small Restaurant and Best BC Wines by the Glass category. It also won a bronze in the Best First Time Entry division.<br /><br />Cobblestones Wine Bar in Naramata, the gold winner in the Best All BC Wine List category, was the Grand Prize Winner of the competition and received a prize package courtesy of EAT Magazine and WestJet, the official airline of the Okanagan Wine Festivals. EAT Magazine is a food and drink publication based out of Victoria and will feature Cobblestones Wine Bar in its winter issue. (<a href="http://www.eatmagazine.ca/">http://www.eatmagazine.ca/</a>)<br /><br />The Best Overall Wine List gold went to Kelowna’s La Bussola.<br /><br />Eleven restaurants in total from across the province received medals in the competition. There were ninety entries in total, evaluated by a panel of judges - Dennis Dwernychuk, Senior Product Consultant for the Orchard Park Signature Liquor Store in Kelowna; Julianna Hayes, an Okanagan Valley-based wine writer; and Suzanne Mick, co-founder and co-owner of Discover Wines in Kelowna.<br /><br />Awards were handed out in five different categories. The complete set of winners are:<br /><br /><strong>Best First Time Entry<br /></strong><br /><strong>GOLD<br /></strong>Cin Cin Restaurant (Vancouver)<br /><br /><strong>SILVER<br /></strong>The Pointe Restaurant at Wickaninnish Inn (Tofino)<br /><br /><strong>BRONZE</strong><br />Atrevida Restaurant (Galiano Island)<br /><div><br /><strong><br />Best Small Restaurant Wine List<br /></strong><br /><strong>GOLD</strong><br />Atrevida Restaurant (Galiano Island)<br /><br /><strong>SILVER</strong><br />Haus Uropa Restaurant (Gibsons)<br /><br /><strong>BRONZE</strong><br />The Mark at the Hotel Grand Pacific (Victoria)<br /><br /><br /><strong>Best BC Wines-by-the-Glass<br /><br />GOLD</strong><br />Atrevida Restaurant (Galiano Island)<br /><br /><strong>SILVER<br /></strong>Aurora Bistro (Vancouver)<br /><br /><strong>BRONZE</strong><br />Hotel Eldorado (Kelowna)<br /><br /><strong><br />Best Overall Wine List</strong><br /><br /><strong>GOLD</strong></div><br /><div>La Bussola (Kelowna)<br /><br /><strong>SILVER</strong><br />C Restaurant (Vancouver)<br /><br /><strong>BRONZE</strong><br />Front Street Bar & Bistro (Penticton)<br /><br /><br /><strong>Best All BC Wine List<br /></strong><br /><strong>GOLD</strong><br />Cobblestones Wine Bar (Naramata)<br /><br /><strong>SILVER</strong><br />Aurora Bistro (Vancouver)<br /><br /><strong>BRONZE</strong></div><div>Front Street Bar & Bistro (Penticton)<br /><br />The BC Wine List Competition is presented by the BC Wine Museum & VQA Wine Shop in partnership with the British Columbia Restaurant & Foodservices Association and the Okanagan Wine Festivals Society. This provincial competition, which was founded in 1997, will run biennially, with the BC Wine Label Awards occurring on alternate years. Registration for the 2009 BC Wine Label Awards will begin in August of next year.<br /><br />The BC Wine Museum and its partners gratefully acknowledge event sponsors EAT Magazine and WestJet and extend their congratulations to all the winners.<br /><br />For more information on the BC Wine Museum & VQA Wine Shop and its programs, please visit <a href="http://www.kelownamuseums.ca/">http://www.kelownamuseums.ca/</a>. </div>Chardonnayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06596093400779501622noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540071841311603012.post-35361053193294937382008-10-15T10:42:00.000-07:002008-10-15T10:56:58.071-07:00Okanagan Fall Wine Fest: Shiny Happy Medals<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcJ4hN9DIM2-ci76Smg7vhyphenhyphen31i7Kbjg6r6nLisAuAZ4hdjL37E2jpqiy5McsmLMxCH5IDq-XBMNMNAbyMS6kKkDkr10OfnEpHtRzUmNFZyF3ue1WKsXVx3DiqQhXD1IAKUPAQHoHuzOwSn/s1600-h/mainpic.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257441143157649986" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcJ4hN9DIM2-ci76Smg7vhyphenhyphen31i7Kbjg6r6nLisAuAZ4hdjL37E2jpqiy5McsmLMxCH5IDq-XBMNMNAbyMS6kKkDkr10OfnEpHtRzUmNFZyF3ue1WKsXVx3DiqQhXD1IAKUPAQHoHuzOwSn/s400/mainpic.jpg" border="0" /></a><strong>If you traditionally go for the gold, you won't have a shortage of options to choose from </strong><strong>Okanagan Fall Wine Festival. A stunning 38 wines were awarded the shiny yellow hardware, while dozens of others won silver and bronze.</strong><br /><strong></strong><br />And for the first time, the festival awarded three prestigious medals - best white wine, best red and best new winery. Those honours went to Lang Vineyards 2007 Farm Reserve Riesling (white); Sandhill Vineyards 2006 Phantom Creek Vineyards Small Lots Syrah (red); and Dunham and Froese (new winery).<br /><br />Here's a list of the gold medal wines:<br /><br />* Burrowing Owl Estate Winery Cabernet Sauvignon 2005<br />* CedarCreek Estate Winery Ehrenfelser 2007<br />* CedarCreek Estate Winery Estate Select Meritage 2006<br />* Church and State Wines Merlot Coyote Bowl Vineyard 2006<br />* Church and State Wines Syrah 2006<br />* Desert Hills Winery Gewürztraminer 2007<br />* Ganton & Larson Prospect Winery “Ogopogo’s Lair” Pinot Grigio 2007<br />* Ganton & Larson Prospect Winery “Census Count” Chardonnay 2007<br />* Gray Monk Estate Winery Gewürztraminer 2007<br />* Hester Creek Estate Winery Pinot Gris 2007<br />* Inniskillin Okanagan Malbec Discovery Series 2006<br />* Inniskillin Okanagan Dark Horse Vineyard Riesling Icewine 2007<br />* Jackson-Triggs Okanagan Proprietors’ Grand Reserve White Meritage 2007<br />* Jackson-Triggs Okanagan Proprietors’ Reserve Shiraz 2006<br />* Jackson-Triggs Okanagan Proprietors’ Grand Reserve Shiraz 2006<br />* Jackson-Triggs Okanagan Proprietors’ Grand Reserve Sparkling Riesling Icewine 2007<br />* Jackson-Triggs Okanagan Proprietors’ Grand Reserve Riesling Icewine 2007<br />* Lang Vineyards Riesling Farm Reserve 2007<br />* Nk’Mip Cellars Qwam Qwmt Riesling Icewine 2007<br />* Peller Estates Winery Private Reserve Pinot Noir 2006<br />* Peller Estates Winery Private Reserve Merlot 2006<br />* Peller Estates Winery Private Reserve Syrah 2006<br />* Peller Estates Winery Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2006<br />* Red Rooster Winery Reserve Merlot 2006<br />* Road 13 Vineyards Old Vines Chenin Blanc 2007<br />* Road 13 Vineyards Merlot 2006<br />* Road 13 Vineyards 5th Element Red 2006<br />* Sandhill Wines Small Lots Syrah Phantom Creek Vineyard 2006<br />* Sandhill Wines Cabernet Franc Sandhill Estate Vineyard 2006<br />* See Ya Later Ranch Chardonnay 2007<br />* See Ya Later Ranch Riesling 2007<br />* Soaring Eagle Gewürztraminer Icewine 2007<br />* Sumac Ridge Estate Winery Pinnacle 2005<br />* Summerhill Pyramid Winery Cipes Gabriel Blanc de Blanc NV<br />* Therapy Chardonnay 2007<br />* Tinhorn Creek Vineyards Cabernet Franc 2006<br />* Wild Goose Vineyards Mystic River Pinot Blanc 2007<br />* Wild Goose Vineyards Mystic River Gewürztraminer 2007<br /><br />For a list of the silver and bronze recipients visit: <a href="http://www.owfs.com/festivals/Judging%20Awards.pdf">http://www.owfs.com/festivals/Judging%20Awards.pdf</a>Chardonnayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06596093400779501622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540071841311603012.post-10091317408635853282008-10-10T09:16:00.000-07:002008-10-10T09:20:30.087-07:00Gobble Gobble - Thanksgiving Wines<div>By Julianna Hayes</div><br /><div><strong></strong></div><div><strong>Let’s talk turkey.</strong></div><div><br /><strong>Despite the trend toward more avant garde foods, good ol’ fashioned turkey remains the crowning glory on just about every Thanksgiving table. Forget the mustard-seed rubbed sashimi or garganelli and grain fed veal cheeks – the bird is still the word.</strong></div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI7VoKoS6xyiXEisB2jKUts7g5G-W1o6pyqRrLihyphenhyphenQ15_3PIpwMkYl4WpV2jBrq0sdugwbB7Et24vyHQ3sb1kLDren5zWUWCLH31sY5aM1TX8c8iGqCfh-s6l7ZEmHg8ugWDDGLTzYCTjv/s1600-h/10-31-2007.NF_31WineTurkey.GJ128UTEO.1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5255560728056254130" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI7VoKoS6xyiXEisB2jKUts7g5G-W1o6pyqRrLihyphenhyphenQ15_3PIpwMkYl4WpV2jBrq0sdugwbB7Et24vyHQ3sb1kLDren5zWUWCLH31sY5aM1TX8c8iGqCfh-s6l7ZEmHg8ugWDDGLTzYCTjv/s320/10-31-2007.NF_31WineTurkey.GJ128UTEO.1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />So every year, I get the same question many times over: What wine should be served with holiday turkey? </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>That’s a tricky one, because it is not the bird that poses the problem with most festive feasts. It’s everything else you’ve cooked up that presents the challenge – the stuffing, candied yams, brussel sprouts, cranberries, gravy, jellied salad, marshmallow potatoes and so on.</div><br /><div><br />Take the jellies and dressed up yams for example. They’ll make dry wines taste sour and sweeter wines taste dull. Don’t get me started on the cranberries. Bitter berries, combined with heaps of sugar, make most wine pairing experts want to weep.</div><br /><div><br />If you can modify your recipes a little so they aren’t as sugary, the food will be much more wine friendly. Skip the marshmallows and make garlic mashed potatoes instead. Opt for buttered squash instead of candied yams. Forget the jellied salad altogether – I never understood the attraction in the first place. But if you’re heart is set on the sweet stuff, just keep it away from the Chardonnay – or anything else you pour. </div><br /><div><br />When choosing a wine, think low-tannin, young and racy reds and fresh and fruity whites. You want the wines flavourful, but not too complicated. You want them to have good body but not be heavily oaked. Big California Chardonnays or Australian Shirazes just don’t work. The sweeter foods will heighten the bitterness of the tannins in those wines. And their heaviness will coat your palate and leave you feeling droopy when combined with all that food.</div><br /><div><br />The good news is the wines that go best with Thanksgiving dinner are usually pretty affordable.<br />As a rule, you can’t go wrong with a New World Gewurztraminer or Riesling. They tend to be off-dry and fruity in style, which means they can hold their own with the sweeter stuff. They work nicely as a refreshing cleanser between bites, particularly if they’re well chilled.</div><br /><div><br />If your heart is set on red, lighter wines like Beaujolais, Gamay Noir, Pinot Noir, Grenache, Lemberger and Pinot Meunier are good selections.</div><br /><div><br />One of my favourite holiday pairings, is a blush or rose wine. Many of the ones made here in B.C. have distinct cranberry characteristics and, well, what could be a better match for your bird? And the colour of the wine is decidedly festive, don’t you think? If you go this route, look for a wine that is dry or semi-dry. You don’t want anything too sweet. </div><br /><div><br />Some foodies insist that the way you dress your turkey should dictate what kind of wine you should serve. It’s a pretty safe bet if you’re unsure of what choice to make. Here are some suggestions:</div><br /><div><br />* Sausage and apple stuffing – Gewurztraminer, Beaujolais<br />* Wild mushroom stuffing – Pinot Noir, Grenache<br />* Fruit and nut stuffing – Gamay Noir and Pinot Meunier (better for dried fruit recipes), Pinot Blanc or Viognier (better for fresh fruit)<br />* Corn bread stuffing – Riesling<br />* Oyster stuffing – Unoaked Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Chenin Blanc Bread and herb stuffing -- Sauvignon Blanc</div>Chardonnayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06596093400779501622noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540071841311603012.post-18725145470027772532008-10-03T14:50:00.001-07:002008-10-03T14:56:45.070-07:00Okanagan Fall Wine Festival: More Than Close Contact Wine TastingBy Julianna Hayes<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhysEc7DiqVJYN05QitMc9HY9-IzHTQyx2YXUoS3aBbgVQep_z8pQjsXNFq7kSvIa-3OIJWqWmpN-20CGbO6Zpc8qRJ6JKFXtBVjXNDCzuDHWQZfOFE7MHlJZPAUhbEbNvGOrEBPyAZJN-t/s1600-h/winetasting.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253048492981420322" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhysEc7DiqVJYN05QitMc9HY9-IzHTQyx2YXUoS3aBbgVQep_z8pQjsXNFq7kSvIa-3OIJWqWmpN-20CGbO6Zpc8qRJ6JKFXtBVjXNDCzuDHWQZfOFE7MHlJZPAUhbEbNvGOrEBPyAZJN-t/s320/winetasting.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><strong>Elaine Fraser doesn’t drink. Yet for the past four years, the Calgary resident and her husband Tom have been making the pilgrimage to the Okanagan for its celebrated Fall Wine Festival.</strong><br /><br />“Tom is really into the wine,” she says. “I go for the food, the scenery and the entertainment.”<br /><br />Fraser has never been disappointed. Indeed, the annual vinous event, which kicked off October 2, is no one-trick pony. There’s as much going on outside the glass to seduce teetotalers like Fraser, as well as those who fully appreciate wine.<br /><br />It could easily be re-packaged as a culinary extravaganza or promoted for its art and music components. There are events to appeal to moms and dads with kids in tow, outdoorsy types, even dog lovers.<br /><br />Perhaps that is why the Okanagan Fall Wine Festival, now in its 28th year, is consistently voted one of the top 100 destinations in the continent by the American Bus Association.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2PEjjRR_ONemhw60cFjs0ctx3olXcbZ2P2h-RfE9NfX3bGKcU48LeUHQZpPCo3IQlsEMCx5Sn3Z6KkCkbK20FqtdU-7oaSXjPPxFqLRScxuW8FVS6M9xz8UvrJHx3gMMjyRRmOTHILZ5l/s1600-h/IMG_0125.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253048870513292658" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2PEjjRR_ONemhw60cFjs0ctx3olXcbZ2P2h-RfE9NfX3bGKcU48LeUHQZpPCo3IQlsEMCx5Sn3Z6KkCkbK20FqtdU-7oaSXjPPxFqLRScxuW8FVS6M9xz8UvrJHx3gMMjyRRmOTHILZ5l/s320/IMG_0125.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />But as the festival’s popularity has grown, so have the choices on how you can spend your time over the next 10 days. That may seem like a good thing – variety being the spice of life and all that – but the sheer volume of wine-soaked options, 180 at last count, is enough to make one’s head spin before ingesting a single drop.<br /><br />Even people like Fraser are overwhelmed. “I don’t even drink the wine. Yet every year it gets tougher to decide what events we want to go to. There are so many attractive options.”<br /><br />A good place to start is with the official Okanagan Fall Wine Festival guide, which is available at wineries, tourist information centres, liquor retailers, as well as online in PDF format by clicking the link to the right of this page or by visiting <a href="http://www.thewinefestivals.com/">http://www.thewinefestivals.com/</a>.<br /><br />It’s a good idea to flip through it and circle the events that fall on the dates you plan to attend, then eliminate them one by one, depending on your criteria – price, location, available time, interest.<br /><br />To help you out with your last-minute planning, here are a few picks based on theme. This is by no means an exhaustive list, so check out the guide for additional dinner options, seminars, tours and more. Events, dates and times are subject to change, so please contact the organizers before finalizing your plans:<br /><br /><strong>Wine on the cheap<br /></strong><br /><em>Free….</em><br /><br />I hear a lot of whining about the expense of wine fest. But there are plenty of pocketbook friendly events for the more frugal enthusiast – even free stuff. First of all, most wineries are hosting open houses so there is absolutely no excuse not to participate in some way. There may be a nominal charge for tastings at some wineries, but most will reimburse you if you purchase.<br /><br />Rootstock ’08: Two Days of Wine & Entertainment Naramata Style features the Bench wineries throwing open their doors for an eclectic blend of wine and the performing arts. At each venue you’ll find an interesting array of musicians, belly dancers, roving minstrels, mimes and magicians. Oct. 4 and 11. All Free. Visit <a href="http://www.naramatabench.com/">http://www.naramatabench.com/</a> for more details.<br /><br />Five art galleries in Kelowna offer an annual Progressive Tasting, Oct. 4 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., where you can view art and taste the ware from a local winery stationed at each venue. It’s all free and no reservations are necessary. You can start at any one of the galleries – Turtle Island, Art Ark, Picture Perfect, The Evans Gallery and Hambleton Galleries – and make your way to each at your leisure.<br /><br /><br /><em>Next best thing to free…</em><br /><br />Test your sensory evaluation skills with a Blind Barrel Tour at Rollingdale Winery located on Kelowna’s Westside. Participants will get a chance to guess varietals, compare wines made from single vineyards or how they present themselves with certain pairings or in different glasses. All this for $8! Offered daily. Call 250-769-9224<br /><br />For a little more money you can throw a Shrimp on the Bar-by’-eh! at Greata Ranch October 4. The winery, located between Peachland and Summerland, will offer up a tasty barbecued snack with its wine to drop-ins willing to drop $15. No reservations necessary, but weather permitting.<br /><br /><em>Not exactly free but great value…</em><br /><br />Icewine Discovery Tours – Inniskillin’s specialized tour focusing on Icewine, running daily through October 7 for $10; Nk’Mip Cellars – Cooing With Wine seminar, Oct. 1-5, $25; Harvest lunch at St. Hubertus, Oct. 3-4 and 10-11 – you won’t go away hungry, thirsty or starved for ambience, $27.99; Tinhorn Creek’s Vineyard and Habitat Walking Tour and Lunch, Oct 1-3, $25; Autumn Patio BBQ at Wild Goose, Oct. 4, $20.<br /><br /><br /><strong>Early Risers<br /></strong><br />If you must have a drink before noon, consider one of the festival brunches or breakfasts. Join the Nk’Mip Cellars Breakfast Club at 9:30 a.m. daily through Oct. 5 for a tutored tasting of wines. The idea is a clean morning palate is the best to taste with – well, that’s their theory and they’re sticking to it. Or you can choose from one of several brunches: The Thanksgiving Brunch at Manteo, which gets under way at 9:30 a.m., Oct. 12; Summerhill’s Wild and Organic Brunch, 11 a.m., Oct. 5; Tiny Bubbles Brunch at Gray Monk, 11 a.m., Oct. 5; Quails’ Gates’ Harvest Brunch, 11:30 a.m., Oct. 5 and 12.<br /><br /><strong>Wine-O-Rama</strong><br /><br />If a bottomless glass is all you're after, you’ve got a few options including the WestJet Wine Tasting, Oct. 3 (Oct. 4 is sold out), at the Laurel Packinghouse in Kelowna, $55, and the Grand Finale Consumer Tastings at the Penticton Trade and Convention Centre, Oct. 10-11, $50. Each give you a choice of hundreds of wines to sample representing dozens of B.C. producers. Plus you get to keep a souvenir wine glass and get a free cab ride home. Phone 250-860-1470. There’s also the People’s Choice Awards, Oct. 2, at the Coast Capri Hotel in Kelowna, where you get to decide who wins the medals. Cost is $50, call 250-860-6060.<br /><br />For a bit more money, you’ll see a bit more action along with your overflowing glass of wine at the Going Once…Going Twice Benefit Wine Auction, Oct. 4, at the Ramada Inn in Penticton. The cost is $78.75, 250-770-3272 x 4412. Careful how much you tipple or you might find yourself bidding on a barrel of wine.<br /><br />If you love a winner, consider the Medal Winners Tasting, Oct. 10, at the Penticton Trade and Convention Centre. What sets this event apart is being able to taste only those wines awarded medals in the Okanagan Fall Judging Competition, $65. There’s also Lunch With a Winemaker option for $60. Call 250-860-1470 for details.<br /><br /><strong>Art and Music Buffs<br /></strong><br />Going along with the adage that wine aficionados also seem to appreciate fine art and music, several events combine these elements into one big cultural package. Organizers Wine Occasions have put together Art & Wine – A Perfect Pairing, a progressive tour of private artist studios in Kelowna, where participants can nosh on canapés and wine as they view the art, Oct. 5 and 9, 250-215-1368.<br /><br />WAM! Wine, Art and Music, is an evening of the three in Kelowna’s downtown Cultural District, Oct. 11. It features live music and an open house of the resident galleries and studios within the Cawston Avenue block. The cost is $50 and includes 50 WAM dollars towards the purchase of art from participating venues. 250-860-1470.<br /><br />Calling Art and Wine Enthusiasts features a tutored wine tasting and a seminar on the fundamentals of collecting art, Oct. 7, at Hambleton Gallery in Kelowna. Cost is $80. 250-860-2498.<br /><br /><strong>For Flesh and Fur Families<br /></strong><br />The Oliver Festival of the Grape, Oct. 5, is one of the few family-friendly events where the young ones are kept busy by the Oliver Cubs & Scouts in the Kidzone, while adults savour wines poured by more than 30 Okanagan wineries. All this for $19 for advance tickets or $22 at the gate. 250-498-6321.<br /><br />Rover gets some loving too at the Dog Days of Summer, an annual event welcoming canine companions at See Ya Later Ranch in Okanagan Falls, Oct. 4. Furbabies get eatable treats while their flesh parents partake in treats of the liquid persuasion. The cost is free, but a donation to the BC SPCA is encouraged. 240-494-0451.<br /><br /><strong>Brain Candy</strong><br /><br />If you’re only here to drink, fine. But if you’re here to learn, then consider one of several terrific seminars being offered during the festival. Several blind tastings are featured that will test you palate in a light and friendly atmosphere. Among them are the Wine Fest Warm-Up offered by the B.C. Wine Museum in the Laurel Packinghouse, Oct. 2, which will pit men against women in a battle of the sexes. The evening also features an educational overview of the tremendous growth of the Okanagan wine industry. Cost is $40 – 250-868-0441.<br /><br />Mission Hill’s Blind Wine Tasting, Oct. 12, will include a “double blind” component where wines will be poured in an opaque black tasting glass so you can’t see the colour. $40 – 250-768-7611.<br /><br />What’s in the Bag? at the Keg in Kelowna, Oct. 8, features is six mystery wines paired with six mystery cheeses. $40 – 250-860-1470.<br /><br />And for people concerned about their carbon footprint, the 100-Mile Diet Wine Pairing, Oct. 5, at the Rotary Centre for the Arts, aims to address the issue of sourcing out local produced foods with samples paired with local wines being served. $40 – 250-878-8050.<br /><br /><strong>Foodies’ Choice<br /></strong><br />Once the signature of the Okanagan Spring Wine Festival, The Masters of Food and Wine: Cooking with Terasen Gas, Oct. 5, is a delightful mid-day event that’s a no-brainer for a fall Sunday when festival goers are seeking a low-key but intelligent event to fill their time. Located in Kelowna’s Laurel Packinghouse, it features an interesting mix of restaurateurs serving everything from lamb burgers and kangaroo loin carpaccio to dark chocolate and double cream brie. $55. Call 250-860-1470.<br /><br />Don’t forget to check out the numerous luncheons and dinners offered throughout the festival.<br /><br /><strong>And now for something completely different….</strong><br /><br />If you are looking for something with an original spin, look no further than Blasted Church’s Midnight Service events, where attendees will flock to the venue that inspired the winery’s name and hear the Gospel Experience Choir on Oct. 10 or the Ruthie Foster on Oct. 11. Food will be served by Memphis Blues. Courtesy bus service is offered from the Grand Finale Tasting in Penticton. Cost is $90. 888-222-6608<br /><br />Or how about Savour the Shuswap, a progressive winery dinner/wine tour of North America’s northern most wineries? You start at Larch Hills with appetizers, wine and autumnal views of the northern part of the valley, plus witness a live chain saw carving (only in the north) before moving on to dinner, wine and music at Recline Ridge. The evening concludes with dessert and dessert wine at Granite Creek. The event is offered on October 4 and 11 and the cost is $119. Call 1-866-632-3456 for info.<br /><br />Think wine can be paired with just about anything? Wine not? That’s certainly the thoughts of the organizers of Taste the Aromas of Coffee and Wine with Starbucks, Oct. 5 at Manteo Resort. Participants will get a chance to sample six different roasts with six different wines. $40. 250-860-1470<br /><br />Not to be outdone, Manteo Resort offers an intriguing World Tapas Tour Oct. 9. You’ll get to stroll around the resort’s villas where you partake in the culinary delights of Canada, Italy, India and Korea, all paired with B.C. wines. The cost is $89. Call 250-860-1031.</div></div>Chardonnayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06596093400779501622noreply@blogger.com1