Japanese Cocktails Featuring Shochu and Sake

Another of my articles has been published in Vendor Magazine, this time featuring Japanese inspired cocktails I discovered in downtown Vancouver at Hapa Izakaya and Shiru-Bay.

Hester Creek Cabernet Franc 2003

This is what happens when you get three wine enthusiasts together with nothing better to do - ou get 900 million descriptors for a wine....

Once again Nigel's brought in stunning wine. The Hester Creek Cabernet Franc is sold out, and for good reason. Nigel, Kate and I tried some as a little treat for our team, and here's what we thought.

It's very a very complex and concentrated wine with a dark plum colour, and a spicy, deep, intense nose. There's a lot of sweetness that hits the tip of your tongue right away, after all this wine is 14.5% alcohol and so must have been made from some very ripe fruit (this was the year of all those forest fires in the Okanagan, so a hot year) but it's balanced by great acidity that hits the sides of the tongue next, and lots of spice. For fruit we tasted sweet dates, blackberries and overly ripe or stewed strawberry. There was a lot of spice, especially green peppercorn, and a hint of cinnamon sugar. There's a floral note her too, with dusty pot purri and rose petal. And don't forget the herbs. We found these hardest to pin point, finally settling on fresh lavender, eucalyptus and thyme.

Make friends at your local VQA shop and see if they can dig some up for you.

Jackson Triggs Grand Reserve 2004 Shiraz - Best Shiraz in the World

A little over a year ago this wine won the Rosemount Trophy for Best Shiraz Worldwide at the International Wine & Spirit Competition in London. Oddly enough, it only got a Silver at the Okanagan Wine Festival in Penticton. Either way, it's a steal at about $30-35... if you can find it in your local private liquor store. I did, and bought my allocation of two bottles.

Here's what I thought of it:

Deep ruby in colour, the first thing that pulled me in was spicy orange zest. It's meaty and peppery, with sweet spices and chocolate. There's plenty of cassis, and just about every other dark and red berry. The finish is very long. So long, in fact, that we termed it the "Energizer bunny finish".

So, is it the best in the world? Sure, maybe - a bunch of people in London certainly thought so. But what I care most about is that it's incredibly complex and delicious, while being very reasonably priced. If you can find it, buy as much of it as you can, and share it with your wine loving friends. It'll blow you away.

Mission Hill Reserve Merlot 2000

Thanks again to Nigel for sharing his personal stash with the gang and me yet again. This is another he picked up from the library on his last visit to the Mission Hill winery. Consensus is that this wine has just peaked, but it's still on the right side of delicious. It's tinged with brick, and bursting with flavours of stewed cherries, dried blueberries, and spicy sweet cinnamon hearts. There's even a bit of a meaty flavour, too. Drink this one right away... and toast Nigel while you're at it.

WSET Intermediate Certificate

When you arrive home from vacation you're supposed to have a mailbox full of bills, but instead I came back to my WSET results. Incredibly, I achieved the score I was hoping for, Pass with Distinction, the highest level awarded. It was an intense course, with all nine weeks of work and tastings compressed into just three full-day classes. Whew.

Now for the Advanced Certificate....

Wine of the Week 1994 Mission Hill Grand Reserve Riesling

Praise be to Nigel for picking up a bottle of this fantastic Riesling from the Mission Hill winery library. Deep golden in colour, it zips with crisp citric acidity. So much so, in fact, that you could cellar this for several more years. On the nose we found petrol, lemon zest, lemon meringue pie filling, and honeysuckle. After decanting, there was a touch of cotton candy, too. If you're planning a trip to Kelowna this summer, it's worth a stop in Westbank to ask the Somellier to open up the vault.

Township 7 Winery Event

Bradley Cooper, Township 7's Winemaker, has invited us (that means - you!) to a big anniversary event he's hosting at their Langley location this Saturday, July 7th. There will be entertainment, food and lots of wine. My favourites are their Viognier and their Merlot, so make sure you get a taste of each. While you're there say hi to Bradley, he's super friendly, and will go out of his way to talk with you about his wines if he sees you are genuinely interested. Township 7's owner, Mike Raffin, will also be there. http://www.township7.com/

Directions from Vancouver: Take Highway #1 eastward to the Highway 15 (176th St) exit south. Follow the signs to Seattle. Turn left at 16th Avenue travelling east to the winery.

See you on Saturday!

Two New Articles

I'm thrilled! The new issue of Vendor Magazine is out, including my cover story on Averill Creek, and my interview with Natalie McLean, author of "Red, White and Drunk All Over". Full copies will be posted here in the next few days. In the meantime, you can read them on the Vendor site...

Averill Creek cover story: http://www.vendormagazine.ca/2007/averill_creek.html

Interview with Natalie McLean: http://www.vendormagazine.ca/2007/natalie_maclean.html

Champagne or Plain Jane?

It's morning time, and a girl's thoughts naturally drift to Champagne. Ok, I confess that I'm drinking coffee this morning, but I definitely have Champagne on the brain. It's the perfect thing to serve in case friends drop by on their way home from Whistler. Should I go all out with the Bollinger, or go casual with an Australian Chardonnay/Pinot Noir? Have a look through my notes, and you can help me choose.

Bollinger Special Cuvee Champagne, France $74
James Bond's favourite is medium gold colour with tiny bubbles that hardly show in the glass. It is intense and complex with aromas of bread, toast and nuts, and flavours of baked pear and apple, toasted brioche, mushrooms, ginger, citrus and some minerality. It has a long finish, where you might even pick up a little strawberry flavour. Click for availability http://www.bcliquorstores.com/en/products/384529

Jacob's Creek Sparkling Chardonnay/Pinot Noir, Australia $17
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are two of the three major grape varieties that Champagne is traditionally made from, so we're off to a great start in terms of raw material. This sparkling is medium gold colour, with lots of big, fast moving bubbles. In this respect it doesn't have the creamy elegance of the Bollinger, but for the same price as one bottle of Bollinger, you can have 4 bottles of this and still have change left over for some basic appies. It is dry with high acidity, and a touch of high alcohol. There are aromas of lemon, green fruit, melon and candy apple, and flavours of green tart fruit, lemon, apples, and a bit of toast or caramel. It's refreshing, and a very good value. Click for availability http://www.bcliquorstores.com/en/products/562991

How Very Sherry

This is starting to feel like a radio station with a request line - how cool! I've had a request to write a post about Sherry, so that should serve as proof enough that I'll take up your request too, should you wish to make one. Bring it on.

If you love an underdog, then Sherry is right up your alley. And it's damn good value, too.

Sherry gets a bad rap, and it's not entirely fair. If you're like most people, Sherry conjures memories of grandma's house where she served you Cream Sherry (a Fino Sherry sweetened with concentrated grape juice) before dinner, but as you'd probably expect there's a lot more to Sherry than that. I'm not a fan of Cream Sherries, and consider them proof that concentrated grape juice should be mixed with water and served to kids with their after school snack. I used to have a flatmate who drank Cream Sherry, and I just couldn't understand what ever possessed the Spanish to bastardize wine that way. Little did I know.

How Sherry is Made:
Sherry is blended in an exceptionally interesting way, called the Solera System. The base wine is lightly fortified by adding alcohol before aging in butts, which are old oak casks that (unlike new toasted oak used to age wine) don't add a lot of flavour. In the Solera System new wine is fractionally blended with many older wines to achieve consistency. Imagine a pyramid of wine casks with the newest wine on top, and the older wines underneath. A bit of the new wine is blended with wines in the older casks, and the following year that cask is moved down the pyramid.

Major Styles:
Fino and Mazanilla Sherry - Dry, pale, briny and crisp, a layer of yeast called Flor floats on top of the wine inside the cask and keeps it from oxidizing too quickly as it ages in the Solera System. Fascinating. These wines are the perfect accompaniment to olives, which means I'll probably be drinking more of them this summer. They have flavours of citrus, bitter almonds and bread. For those of you who like whites with lots of approachable fruity flavours, be warned that these are an entirely different style, and many people don't like them. If you're in this camp, I'd urge to try them with some green olives before you pass judgement. You might like them enough that way to give them chance.

Amontillado Sherry - These start off as a Fino or Mnazanillo, and then alcohol is added to kill the Flor. Consequently, they oxidize to a deep amber colour. Some are sweetened.

Oloroso Sherry - These have slightly higher alcohol than Finos, about 18%, and are fortified after fermentation. Flor doesn't grow with that much alcohol, so they age through oxidation. They are deep brown and full bodied with nutty flavours. Some are sweetened.

Try These:
Gonzalez Byass, Tio Pepe Fino, Spain $19
Dry, medium-high acidity and medium body. Aromas of green apple, green olives, orange, and bitter almond. Briny with flavours of cashews, bitter almond, and iodine. It may sound strange, and it is going to be a very different experience for fruity wine drinkers, but it is well made, and trust me on the pairing with green olives.

Gonzalez Byass, Nutty Solera Oloroso, Spain $16
Dark amber with medium sweetness that dries off quickly. Aromas of orange zest, nuts and toffee or nut brittle, Christmas cake, figs, dates, raisin, and a hint of iodine. Considering the medium level of sweetness, there's medium-high acidity, and some light tannins. Flavours of pepper, spice, nuts, oaks, orange, and meat. This would pair well with hard cheeses.

Any Vintage Port in a Storm

It's true. I've been neglecting the blog, but I hope you'll forgive me when I tell you it's been because of my WSET course. And that means I have all kinds of new wines to tell you about, and my friend Jon has requested that I start with Port. We tried three ports, but the LBV was corked, so you're in for a Tawny and a Vintage today.

First, a bit of basic background on Port production and styles:

Port is made from a base wine fermented from a blend of several varietals grown in poor, rocky soil on steep, terraced vineyards in the upper Duoro in Portugal. The summers are very hot and dry, and the winters are cold and rainy. Grape spirit is added to interrupt fermentation, and the resulting higher level of alcohol kills off the yeast that feeds on the sugars, meaning that some unfermented sugars remain.

Ruby and Reserve Ruby- These are young, simple Ports made from wines that are 2-5 years old. They have about 20% abv, and are usually dark, fruity and sweet. The Reserves have some more complexity to their flavours, and better integration of alcohol from longer aging.

Tawny and Reserve Tawny- Tawny is an inexpensive style that mixes red and white Ports. White Port exists on its own, but it's pretty hard to find. A Reserve Tawny is aged 7-8 years, oxidizing slowly over the aging process to produce soft, nutty flavours and tannins. Look for a Reserve Tawny with an indication of age, and serve it slightly chilled. You can expect walnut and caramel flavours, in general.

Vintage - This is the really good stuff. It comes from a single excellent year, and is aged 2 years in the cask. The consumer is expected to age it further in the bottle, so buy a few to give you the option of opening it year after year to enjoy its development. The amount produced is controlled, and you'll absolutely need to decant it since it will throw a deposit. You can expect a lot of everything in these ports - lots of tannins, lots of sweetness, lots of fruit, and lots of alcohol. Age it well, and the fruit and spice will evolve into jam and leather.

Late Bottle Vintage (LBV) - These are aged 4-6 years in the cask, and are ready to drink now; you may or may not need to decant.

Here's what I tried:

Niepoort, Tawny Port, 10 years old $50
Aromas of walnuts, spiced orange and strawberry; intense flavours of dried fruit, spices, figs, walnuts and oak. Medium sweetness, medium-high acidity, low tannins and full bodied. It was balanced, with medium-high complexity, high concentration of flavours, and a long finish. A very decent value here. Click for availability http://www.bcliquorstores.com/en/products/428482

Quinta do Portal, Vintage Port, 2000 $70
You can tell the difference between this and an LBV before you smell or taste it. Mine wasn't decanted, so I could see the deposit, and it was low-medium clarity, and an opaque ruby colour bordering on garnet. That bit of garnet really gives it away that there's some age on this Port. The flavours were better than the nose on this Port, though I expect that would change if you decanted it. There were animal and vegetal aromas, as well as dark dried fruit like prune and raisin. The flavours were of sweet spice, pepper, blueberry, oak, raisin, dark fruit, and a long cherry finish.

I know it may sound cliche or trite, but with a Vintage Port the year really does make a difference. There's no need to memorize a vintage chart, heck, the fact that they only produce vintage ports during exceptional years means you just don't need to delve that deep... unless you really have a passion for historic weather details. At $70 this Vintage Port is considerably lower than many others out there, and so I say it's good value. Click for availability http://www.bcliquorstores.com/en/products/153593

Domaine Pinnacle Ice Cider - How do ya like them apples?

I like them just fine, thank you very much.

This afternoon I attended an ice cider tasting with the sales and marketing people from Quebec's Domaine Pinnacle. This was my first time trying an ice cider, though I've had other fruit wines before. As consumers' wine knowledge and confidence grows, I believe people will become increasingly willing - and even eager - to branch out to products like fruit wines and ice cider.

The flavours of apple and spice are highly concentrated, and over 80 apples are used for each 375ml bottle. It has a nice bite to cut through the sweetness, and a long, clean, golden apple finish. DP harvests their apples after the frost, and uses a blend of six varieties to balance sweetness and acidity. The apples are fermented for a long time (7-9 months) and it takes a year to produce the cider. Over 20% of the apples used are MacIntosh, which helps give this cider some acidity. They make two versions: a sparkling and a still.

We tried both versions with appple tarte tatin and three aged cheddars. The cheddars made a great pairing with the cider, as would pate or fois gras. Rhonda May, Editor of City Food Magazine, suggested deglazing the pan with it when making pork tenderloin, which sounds incredible. Frederic Boucher, DP's Sales Manager, recommended trying it with chevre noir http://www.seacrestfoods.com/cheese/descriptions/cachevrenoir.html, or adding it and some apples to pan seared fois gras. I'm told the sparkling pairs surprisingly well with sushi.

If you find yourself in Montreal it's worth it to make a trip out to the cidery, which has an amazing history. Located about an hour south east of Montreal it sits right on the border of Vermont, and was used as a slave crossing on the underground railroad during the US Civil War. During Prohibition it was a rum running business, and the tower on the farmhouse was used to send and receive signals across the border.

At $30 this is a very affordable dessert wine, and if you buy the still version you can keep it about a month after opening it. Keep an eye out next year for their Crème de Pommes, a blend of ice cider, apple brandy and cream.

Click here for local availability: http://www.bcliquorstores.com/en/products/7674?region=5

For more on cider, check out this Time Magazine article: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1101324,00.html

How to REALLY buy Wine by the Label

A few people I've met in the past couple of weeks have asked me to write a post about how to buy wine by the label. They're already making their choices based on their attraction to label art, and there's more very basic info that you can find on the label to hint at what's inside. To heck with snobby connoisseurs, I'll give you some down to earth tips that are actually helpful.

In an ideal world there would be such knowledgeable, approachable, and helpful staff at our local stores that we'd all have established friendly relationships with them. They'd understand our budgets and tastes, and we'd rely (at least partly) on their recommendations. At the very least they'd have some displays that would be helpful, or a well-written newsletter rather than cards with scores on them. Let's face it, have you ever seen a wine score under 80 something? I think there's a limit to how helpful those scores can be - can you imagine Safeway giving strawberries a 92, and raspberries an 88? Would you base your purchase on that? How about the art gallery giving Picasso a 98 and Monet a 90? Laughable. Alas, many of us are on our own when it comes to choosing a new wine, and sometimes you have to go by the label.

There are a number of things to look for on the label: country of origin, alcohol content, grape varietal, art, vintage, region, etc. Rather than get too deeply into vintage and region, which can get complex quickly, let's just talk about some very general and fairly effortless tips for looking at the first four - country, alcohol, grape and art/name.

The country can give you a few hints about what the wine might be like. The first thing to look for is whether it's a hot or cool country. You'd expect fruit to be really ripe when it comes from somewhere hot, right? Kind of like how we get really juicy, flavourful fruit from the hot Okanagan in the summer. You can generally expect that grapes grown in a hot country, like Australia, will produce a wine with lots of big fruit flavours. I'm trying to keep this simple, so this is just a very general tip, as there are cooler regions of Australia, too (like the Yarra Valley). Still, you've probably tasted an Australian Shiraz with lots of fruit. It's not unusual to find some tropical flavours in white wines from hot countries, after all you'd expect to find tropical fruit growing there. By contrast, cooler regions can produce reds like Pinot Noir that are often minerally and earthy, and whites like Sauvignon Blanc that can have refreshing flavours like gooseberry, and aromas of freshly cut grass.

Alcohol content is another piece of information you can get from the label that hints at what's inside. Ripe fruit is sweet, and in the winemaking process sugar converts alcohol, so the more sugar in the fruit, the more alcohol in the wine. 14% or 15% is going to suggest you have a fuller bodied wine with lots of fruit. 11% or 12% generally means the fruit wasn't as sweet, which is often a good thing. If you're looking for a crisp white to serve on a hot day, definitely look for one with slightly lower alcohol; it'll probably have some refreshing acidity to it. This is an especially handy trick when you're looking at wines like Rieslings which can be a little sweet. If you want acidity that will cut through the sweetness, try one with a lower alcohol percentage, and you're likely to have a balance you'll enjoy. Try Cave Spring Off Dry Riesling with 12% alcohol for $19 to taste this balance in action http://www.bcliquorstores.com/en/products/234583?region=5.

Most people have a style of wine they are in the mood for when they're shopping, so have a look at the grape varietal, and get to know your favourites. Here's a quick and very basic reference guide to some popular varietals: http://www.portaliswines.com/varietals.php. Have a look at some you already know you like, and try to find a few others with some similar characteristics - or different ones - so you can start to branch out. For example, if you like Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, odds are you'll like Malbec. Most New World wines (those from outside Europe) show the varietal on the front of the label, and a lot of blends will list them on the back, usually with the percentage of each one. If the front of the label just says "white wine", don't be put off; it doesn't mean that it's inferior quality, just that you have to turn it around to see the details. Having some general knowledge of different varietals can help you guess what your blend will taste like, because you'll know which grapes add which characteristics. French wines present a real exception when it comes to label reading, because their old laws usually don't allow them to put the grape on the label, just the region. Certain regions are well known for producing certain grapes, so unless you know what's produced where it can be tough to glean this detail from the label.

I recently bought Black Hills' Nota Bene that's labeled as simply "red wine". On the back the percentages of 43% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc are listed, so I can guess that I have a medium-full bodied wine with cassis and some stronger tannins from the Cab Sauv, plum and maybe some softer tannins from the Merlot, and lighter red fruit and spice from the Cab Franc. On the front I see 14.6% alcohol, so I know the fruit was really ripe and will come through in the flavours of the wine. It's from Oliver, which I know is a particularly hot area of BC, so all my information is coming together and making sense. I can't wait to open it!

Finally, a word on label art. It perfectly ok to buy wine based on the label art, especially if you're putting a little extra thought into it. Bonny Doon has some gorgeous labels on their consistently fantastic wines, and you can tell they put a lot of effort into designing a label that expresses what's inside the bottle... all while having way too much fun. Their labels have so much personality, that you get a good gut feel about what must be inside. I always think they must have enjoyed a case of their own product before becoming so creative. Please, please, please visit their web site www.bonneydoonvineyard.com . It's an experience, I promise you. It's the thought that counts when you're buying for others, and it's fine to buy wine with a label or name that particularly suits a friend. Austin's Six Foot Six Pinot Noir is the perfect gift for a very tall friend http://www.bcliquorstores.com/en/products/299917?region=5 , and Bonny Doon's Big House Red is just right for watching reruns of Prison Break - at the very least you'll get a smile and appreciation for your extra effort. This is entirely different from the magpie strategy of picking a wine simply because the label is shiny and bright, which you won't have to resort to now that you have these tips (unless you just plain want to).

So there you have it - four tips for buying by the label based on country, alcohol, varietal and art.
- Is it from a cool or hot country or region?
- Higher alcohol equals big ripe fruit, and lower alcohol equals refreshing or balanced acidity.
- What can the grapes in a blend tell you about what it might taste like? Try some new varietals you think you might like.
- Finally, is there something special about the label art or name that your guests will appreciate?
Wine can be a ridiculously complex product, and I know that takes the fun out of it for some people, so these are really pared down generalities to get you started. I hope they've been helpful, and I look forward to receiving your comments on what you've tried.

Bloom - VQA Spring Release event

This past Tuesday I attended the VQA new releases event at The Fish House. It was a gorgeous day, but packed and hot inside. Right away I wanted something to cool me off (Remind me not to wear suits to any more of these summery events.)

I found myself at Church and State trying their Sauvignon Blanc which was full of honeydew and other green fruit flavours. Next was Gehringer Brothers' floral Dry Ehrenfelser which

A big winner was Paradise Ranch's 1999 Chardonnay Ice Wine. How wonderful to find an ice wine with such lingering acidity. It went on and on, and tasted of caramel, bananas and nuts - imagine candied banana bread. If you can't find the 1999, it won't be quite the same but you can try the 2000 for $60 http://www.bcliquorstores.com/en/products/587006?region=5

Tinhorn Creek's Oldfield's Collection Merlot tasted of rich ripe dark fruit, spice, and was smoky without being sour. Another very good find. If you like their Gewurztraminer, you'd best be buying it up now, because they just replaced those vines with Muscat.

My favourite of the day was a custom blend courtesy of David Scholefield. He poured me a taste of the Rigamarole Red , a blend of Gamay, Pinot Noir and Merlot that was full of berry flavours and a little spice ($16 http://www.bcliquorstores.com/en/products/77156?region=5). A good find on its own, but then David went to town and splashed a bit of See Ya Later Ranch Riesling into my red (about $20 at VQA stores). Why not? After all, Shiraz and Viognier work well together. As David put it, BC wines are all about fresh fresh fresh, and the Rielsing accentuates the characteristics you love in the Rigamarole Red. Buy a bottle of each and try this trick at your next BBQ.

Free Fun Tasting Alert - May Long Weekend

Staying in town this weekend? You may as well, since there's a slew of free tastings lined up, including one with appies and wine picks by John Bishop.

Thursday, May 17th
- BBQ wines at Taylorwood in Yaletown 4:30-6:30
- Big Rock beers at Cambie & 39th 3:00-6:00

Friday, May 18th
- Pascual Toso wines from Argentina at Cambie & 39th 4:00-7:00

Saturday, May 19th
- Appies and wine picks by John Bishop at Cambie & 39th 2:00
- Corona event at Thurlow & Alberni 3:00-5:00
- Johnnie Walker at Ironwood in Richmond 2:00-5:00

Sunday, May 20th
- Pinot Gris and Pinot Grigio at Taylorwood 3:00-5:00

TIP: Cambie & 39th serves their tasters in teeny little plastic cups, and I find it hard to get much sense of the aromas and flavours of the wines that way. Bring along your own glass, and give it a little rinse with water for the drive home.

By the time Monday rolls around I'm sure you'll have found a few wines, beers and spirits to bring home and enjoy.

Free Fun Tasting Alert - Rose Wines

Spring has sprung, so think pink and head to Taylorwood to try rose wines from BC on Thursday 4:30-6:30. Life's way too short to limit your wine buying to only two colours.

Don't be scared off. There are some good roses out there, and they aren't all the sicky sweet white zinfandels known in some circles as cougar juice. Some roses, especially those from places like the South of France are quite dry. There's such a range of roses available (try a goverment store for a selection that includes the Old World) that it's worthwhile to pick up 3 or 4 different styles and compare/contrast them with a bunch of friends. It makes for a perfect girls' night.

Guys, if you think you're never going to buy a pink wine, let me ask you this: Do you ever get Thai take-out? Yes? I thought so. I just picked up the Jackson Triggs Cab Franc Rose, and I expect it to be a great pairing. How about this: Do you know any girls who might appreciate a bottle of rose as a gift? I rest my case.

An especially interesting one to try that is just hitting the BC Market in June or July is Oyster Bay's Merlot Rose for $18. I wasn't overwhelmed by the standard berry flavours when I tried it, and instead tasted tomato! Well, I guess that's a fruit, so why not? It's a great example of the range of roses available.

Stirrings Cocktail Mixers & Rimmers

I found a great brand of cocktail mixers and rimmers called Stirrings, at the Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Awards a few weeks ago. I tried three of their flavours: Mango Margarita, Lemon Drop and Green Apple. My favourite was the green apple, which was dead simple to make - just add vodka and shake with ice. The Lemon Drop was nice and tart, and would work really well with gin if you're looking for a break from vodka.

Checking out their web site http://www.stirrings.com/ I saw they also offer floral and herbal essences, which look amazing. There's a lavender one that I'd really like to try. They have some creative recipes posted, too.

I saw some of these products available at Gourmet Warehouse on Hastings in Vancouver a few weeks ago, and expect you can find them in other specialty food stores.

Cheers!

Wine of the Week - Allan Scott Sauvignon Blanc, 2005

Allan Scott Sauvingnon Blanc 2005 $23

After writing about so many New Zealand Pinots this week, it's only fair that I give one of their Sauvignon Blancs a little love. The weather is supposed to be gorgeous next week, and this is a great pick for a hot day.

This is a crisp, dry, medium bodied wine with lots of refreshing acidity. Swirl it around to open up the intense bouquet of green fruit, honey, and green grass. This gives way to a medium-high concentration of flavours of granny smith apple, lemon and bell pepper.

Wanna have some fun with it? Have a sip of wine, and then cut a wedge of lemon and taste it before you try the wine again. The super high acidity of the lemon will make the wine taste less acidic in comparison. If you're new to pairing wine with food, this is a great way to experiment with how the flavours you taste in a wine can change depending on what you serve it with.

Widely available. Check here for stock at your neighbourhood liquor store http://www.bcliquorstores.com/en/products/922740?region=5

Sign Up for Wine Store Mailing Lists

If you're anything like me, you're probably hesitant to sign up for newsletters and emails, even when they come from stores you like. Sometimes I just don't trust them not to overload my inbox. However, many wine stores will only email you about events, so you probably aren't in for too many.

Recently, I signed up for emails from a shop in Dundarave in West Vancouver, and this morning it's paid off. They sent an email offering me (and everyone else on the list) first crack at several great wines that are usually only available at the winery, or in restaurants where I'd pay double. Demand is so high that there are limits on the number of bottles you can purchase, and they won't reserve any for you. Get there early so you don't have to elbow other enthusiasts out of the way. It's definitely worth it to sign up for some store mailings to get insider info like this.

If you got up early today, head out to West Van to pick these up:

Black Hills Nota Bene, one of the best wine BC produces, if not THE best http://www.blackhillswinery.com/wines/index.html

Burrowing Owl Chardonnay, Cab Franc and Pinot Noir http://www.bovwine.ca/purchasingwine.htm

Jackson Triggs Grand Reserve Shiraz, world's best http://www.jacksontriggswinery.com/en/pdf/IWSCSF_2006_%20Best_Shiraz.pdf

Fasten Your Seatbelts for Stellar New Zealand Pinot Noirs

If you liked New Zealand for her Sauvignon Blancs, get ready to fall in love with her Pinot Noirs.

The New Zealand Consulate hosted a fantastic Pinot Noir seminar highlighting New Zealand's regional diversity, and showcasing some incredible wines, most in the $35 range. David Scholefield, Senior Buyer at the BCLDB, and Winemaker Allan Scott, were our tour guides. As it turns out, New Zealand is prime Pinot Noir terrior, because narrowness of the islands means you're never more than 80km from the sea, which is great for heat hating Pinot Noir. This should give you an idea of why parts of Vancouver Island are considered better for Pinot Noir than the Okanagan.

Scholefield was given samples of the wines to try over the weekend, and put them to the test. He believes that "the ability to take abuse is the hallmark of a good wine," and so he opened them on Friday, and left them out on the window sill to see how they held up. They did, keeping the integrity of their fruit, and even intensifying. As good as these are to drink now, he predicts that they have great potential for aging, noting that they are so well balanced and drinkable now that most people could overlook this.

He also noted the ephemeral quality of these wines, saying that as soon as you identify a characteristic it's gone, and replaced with something else. These wines are very much alive, and evolved even over the course of our two hour tasting. Many were quite closed on the nose before vigorous swirling awakened their flavours. If you buy any of these for home try decanting them an hour or two before you serve them.

Here's what we tried, and my notes. These are showcase wines, so it's not shocking that I enjoyed all of them. They are all good value, especially when compared with France, with those under $40 offering particularly fine bang for your buck. If you step up to a $50 bottle you won't be disappointed, but after your first glass go back an hour or two later to see how it's changed. Have a look through the notes, and see which descriptions most appeal to you, and then I hope you will take the time to seek them out at your favourite private wine shop. I certainly will be on the hunt for these. The Wine Spectator recently gave a number of New Zealand Pinots 90+ ratings, so they are about to become scarce and more expensive, so be quick.

Allan Scott, Pinot Noir, 2005, Marlborough region $32
- Red cherry colour with a tinge of plum. Lots of fruit flavours of raspberry jam and plum, with just a hint of spice and wood. Balanced tannins with a long peppery, cherry finish. Scholefield said this grew even fruitier after being open for four days.

Pegasus Bay (Peg Bay for short), Pinot Noir, 2004, Waipara region $50
- Red cherry colour, with much less fruit on the nose than that Allan Scott. Instead there's more oak, vanilla, strawberry, and nutmeg making this a complex wine with a long finish. Scholefield said that after four days this transformed into full fruit and berries. Going back to this after another 2 hours its transformative powers were already evident in that it gave off a warm campfire smokiness.

Waimea, Pinot Noir, 2005, Nelson region $30
- Dark red cherry colour, with spearmint on the nose. Earth, mineral, and strawberry.

Gravitas, Pinot Noir, 2005, Marlborough region $33
- Sandalwood jumped out at me right away. This one really opened up after swirling, presenting vanilla, cranberry and a bit of pepper. Firm, balanced tannins. This is one of the two wines today sealed with natural cork, and after four days was slightly oxidized, though still enjoyable according to Scholefield.

Quartz Reef, Pinot Noir, Central Otago region $38
- This is the darkest wine we tried today, showing a black cherry colour that's quite dark for a Pinot. Consequently, the big fruit isn't a surprise. It's gamey and earthy, with pepper and wood, yet has a very floral nose. A lot of complexity for $38, Scholefield said this wine has everything he loves about Pinot Noir - high praise from the man who picks the wines sold in BC.

Palliser Estate, Pinot Noir, 2005, Marlborough region $34.50
- I absolutely loved the exotic spices of this wine. Right away I got dry sandalwood, and then tasted cloves and a hint of orange zest. Wow! I'm going to Marquis and Liberty tomorrow to look for this one.

Carrick, Pinot Noir, 2003, Central Otago region $54
- This region is very rocky, and thyme grows wild throughout it. It's not native to the area; it was planted by Chinese workers, and has taken over to the extent that you can smell it everywhere. A great Pinot Noir is a reflection of its terroir, or the earth and area it was grown in, and you can taste the thyme in this wine. It's also jammy with great fruit, balanced tannins, vanilla, and a long finish.

Te Kairanga Reserve, Pinot Noir, 2003, Marlborough region $50
- This is a spicy, earthy wine. I thought this wine showed just a tinge of brick age on its outer edge, but it still had some fruit left. This is the other wine sealed with real cork, which may explain the aged characteristics.

Wine Makes Customs Interrogation All Good - Wyndham's Bin 555 Shiraz

Wyndham's Bin 555 Shiraz saved the day.

I enjoy wine and cocktails, but there are rarely times when I "need" a drink. Yesterday qualified in a big way. I drove across the border a couple of times on my way to and from a friend's cottage in Birch Bay, and, on my second time across, the US border guards had a little (90 minute) chat with me about my vacation to Cuba last year. As a dual citizen, the Canadian in me is allowed to go, but the American in me isn't. Really isn't. As in it's illegal. Or it's a grey area, depending on which border guard you talk to. In the end they were decent, and after much questioning and explaining they were willing to call it an honest mistake. Still, it was a tense hour and a half, during which they took possession of both my passports, and refused to let me use my cell phone. I could feel my shoulders tensing from the start; these guys carry guns. So, yes, I needed a drink.

We had a bottle of Black Opal Shiraz with dinner, but its medium body didn't do much for me. I'm sure it's a nice wine, but I needed serious comfort - the kind only a good friend can give.

God bless America, at the very least for selling wine at the gas station (and Costco). This blog is read by so many Europeans, South Americans, Asians, Australians, and Africans, that I need to explain that in Canada we have some archaic liquor laws. Where I live you can only buy wine in government run stores, a handful of regulated yet privately run wine shops, and at the wineries themselves which are several hours away. We can't buy wine in grocery stores, or corner markets. When Canadians go to the US we are always thrilled by being able to buy beer and wine practically anywhere, and even when it's overpriced it's still cheaper than at home.

In an effort to redeem myself to my friends, whom I had kept waiting for dinner until nearly 10pm, I stopped at the gas station to pick up a couple of bottles of Wyndham's Bin 555 Shiraz, or simply "Bin" as I've come to call it. Big sigh. It was just what I needed. A fuller bodied, dark, spicy wine I've been drinking for well over a decade. I know its characteristics like I know a good friend's quirks. Its ripe black cherry, slightly high alcohol and spicy pepper (it packs heat in a much friendlier way than the border guards) warmed me up from inside, and settled me down. Most people have a comfort food; it turns out that I have a comfort wine.

I'm headed back to Birch Bay many more times this summer, and I'm a little apprehensive as to whether I'll have a smooth crossing, but I'm relieved to know that there are bottles of red and white to wash away the border blues.

Wine of the Week - Finca Los Primos Malbec

As I'm sitting here watching the game, I'm sipping a wine that I just realized hasn't made it as a Wine of the Week yet. I've mentioned the Finca Los Primos 2006 Malbec a few times, but haven't properly written it up. Shame on me.

This is a hot climate wine with slightly high alcohol at 14% from very ripe fruit. It's a dark purple colour, there's a lot of ripe plum flavour, and some black pepper on the nose. The tannins are soft - this is for drinking now. While there aren't layers and layers of complexity, this is a smooth, easy drinking wine, and a tremendous value at $9.95. Buy it by the case and keep it on hand as your standard Tuesday wine. It'll also work well when you need a wine for stews, braising or sangria, and you want to use something good while not breaking the bank.

Free Fun Tasting - Follow Ups

Last Sunday my mom, my friend, Mallora (trailed by her two young kids) and I tried these wines on the weekend. Here's what we thought.

Mission Hill - Five Vineyards Pinot Grigio, $17
Starts with a light fruity nose, and ends with a long finish. This is nicely tart, and would be refreshing on a hot day, and a great accompaniment to seafood.

Quail's Gate - Chenin Blanc, 2006, $19
I really enjoyed the subtle complexity of this wine. There was a hint of warm toast from the oak, very bright citrus flavours, sweet honey, and balanced acidity. A winner.

Gehringer Brothers - Dry Rock Sauvignon Blanc, 2006, $16
Honeysuckle and nectarine nose that gave way cleaner, greener, more mineral flavours.

Summerhill - Gewurtraminer, 2006, $19
The very young CJ, and the even younger Maia got a little restless at this point, and we had to leave before trying this. Try this wine at Sip on Saturday. (See the Free Fun Tasting Alert posted today)

Yesterday, a friend and I tried Saturna Island wines.

Pinot Gris - 2005, $14
I enjoyed this wine with its honey and green melon flavours, and think it's a good value for the price. There are other BC Pinot Gris that I prefer, but they're all $8-$10 more. Available at Taylorwood and Liberty.

Un-oaked Chardonnay - 2005, $15
More good value here. There's a light toast to this wine, and plenty of fresh tangy flavours. For those who aren't fans of Chardonnay, or aren't into a lot of oak, this is a great one to try.

Pinot Noir - 2004 and 2005 $17
I really didn't enjoy either of these wines, but many other people have very good things to say about them. How boring would the world be if we all enjoyed the same wines? These Pinots are very light, and almost look rose due to the cool climate they're grown in. I found them sour and lacking in complexity, though they might pair well with a rich, fatty, chargrilled farmed salmon.

Check your local VQA store or specialty store (Liberty, Marquis) or click here to search for availability of these wines: http://www.bcliquorstores.com/en/customerservice/productsearch

Free Fun Tastings - Saturday Triple Header

If you arrange a designated driver, or if you spit, you could hit all three of these tastings, and end with dinner and an early movie out at Silver City. You were just checking for wine info, and I've planned your Saturday. Enjoy!

New Product Salon - Marquis Wine Cellar on Davie Street

New wines from all over the world

12-4pm

Maibu Rum - who knew they had three flavours??

Cambie & 39th

1-5pm

Summerhill Wines at Sip
Ironwood Plaza on Steveston Highway, Richmond
3-6pm

When in Seattle...

The next time you're in Seattle check out the cocktails at Vessel on 5th Ave. Bar manager, Jamie Boudreau, left the bar at Lumiere to mix and shake south of the border, and was recently named Best Bartender by Seattle Magazine. One local wine diva swears by the bourbon-based concoction she had that was topped with maple foam. Yum! He even has one called The Frick, which is also the name of my favourite museum in New York. Blending creativity and the traditional, Boudreau changes the cocktail list every few months, so be sure to make more than one stop. www.vesselseattle.com

Fore! Heads up for this Charity Event

It's time to help our own.

If you've spent any time in the hospitality business (and 1/3 of working adults have) you likely didnt't have any health coverage. Maybe you were young enough to be covered under a university or parental plan, or maybe you were healthy enough not to give it much thought.

For those who aren't that fortunate, there's the BC Hospitality Foundation, which raises funds to help industry members in need. Their next event is the BCHF Classic golf tournament on Monday, April 30th at the UBC Golf Club.

While this year's tournament is sold out, they're always on the lookout for volunteers, donations of product, samples on the course, silent auction items, sponsors and, of course, golfers. For more information visit www.bchospitalityfoundation.com.

Wine of the Week - Colli Trevigliani Prosecco Secchetto -

This Proseccho is a terrific, affordable alternative to the champagne I picked earlier this week, though an extremely different flavour profile. You'll find none of the warm, toasty, baked apple flavours of the Bollinger here. Instead, it's full of crisp, green granny smith freshness, which is just perfect for spring. About $20 at Liberty Wines.

I've been enjoying this a lot lately at FigMint www.figmintrestaurant.com where they have a wine list that's been picked with obvious care, knowledge, and attention to pricing. Manager, Jason Maher, used to be a wine rep, so if you're looking for suggestions you'll be in capable hands. $9 glass, $39 bottle.

New Zealand Wines

Lucky me! The New Zealand Consulate has invited me to their Pinot Noir seminar and trade tasting event on May 1st. It's open to the public from 7-9:30 for $50.

Here's a list of wines you can expect notes on next week. None of them are available in government stores yet, and I will check with the organizers about their status. As much as I relish the opportunity to try special wines for my own interest, it's just plain mean to tempt you with great wines you can't buy. But if they're that good, I might do it anyway!

Allan Scott Marlborough Pinot Noir 2005
Pegasus Bay Waipara Pinot Noir 2004
Waimea Nelson Pinot Noir 2005
Gravitas Marlborough Pinot Noir 2005
Quartz Reef Central Otago Pinot Noir 2005
Palliser Estate Martinborough Pinot Noir 2005
Carrick Central Otago Pinot Noir 2003
Te Kairanga Reserve Martinborough Pinot Noir 2003

Free Fun Tasting Alert - Saturna Island

Check out this Gulf Islands winery at Taylorwood in Yaletown on Thursday 4:30-6:30pm. They're even growing their own grapes on the island. It's worth it to try their Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris to see what you think of this widely available, non-Okanagan winery.

Australian Wines to Become More Expensive

We've been blessed with some great values from Australia, but that's not going to last much longer.

Australia's Herald Sun newspaper reports, "It's official; the long-standing grape glut that has eroded the wine industry's profits is nearing an end."

It's a simple supply and demand issue. They had huge harvests 2003-2005, but this year's crop was small, next year's crop is expected to be even smaller, and more small crops are predicted in 2009 and 2010. The Herald Sun cited environmental problems as a factor contributing to this year's small crops, and anyone who saw "An Inconvenient Truth" knows that those problems are only getting worse. Just ask the people who are buying up the chalky regions in the southern UK where they're planning to plant after the anticipated environmental changes take place in the Champagne region.

The good news is that the Australians think that the smaller crops will translate to increased quality of their wines, so the higher prices they're expecting from their export markets (like us) may be worth it - at least for premium products. Unfortunately, the value we've come to know in entry-mid range Australian wines is going to evaporate. Enjoy the Aussie while while you can, and start getting familiar with regions like Chile, Argentina, Spain and Portugal, all of which offer good value.

Businessmen Stressed Out by Wine

Check this out: 84% of Korean businessmen polled reported being stressed out by their lack of wine knowledge, presumably at a business lunch/dinner. Korea is embracing wine more and more, and since many Koreans didn't grow up with it, there's a big market for wine education. How do you say "cheers" in Korean?

Wine of the Week - Mark West Pinot Noir

We tried the Mark West Pinot Noir last night, and it turned out to be fruity and approachable. It's very versatile, and worked surprisingly well with halibut and tuna. Not surprisingly, it went perfectly with duck. Definitely give this a try if you're new to Pinot Noir, or trying to choose a wine when everyone's ordering different types of entrees.

Housewarming Wines

My boyfriend just bought a condo, and asked for wine as his housewarming present. He enjoys wine, but is starting to look at it a little more in depth these days, and I looked forward to picking a good selection. I decided to stick with New World wines, mainly due to budget, although it would have been fun to put together a selection of New and Old World versions of the same varietals for someone who’s learning about wine. I didn’t pick examples of every kind of wine to give the broadest range; I bought some BC wines he doesn’t know, and some wines that’ll pair well with the new condo. Yes, pairing wine with the condo – read on and you’ll see what I mean. 2 whites, 3 red, and a rose:

- Jackson Triggs Cabernet Franc Rose because I just know he will never buy a pink wine for himself, but he’ll definitely order in Thai food, and this will go well. Not available in government stores, so check your neighbourhood VQA store. $15

- Finca Los Primos Malbec because everyone needs a decent $10 Tuesday wine. Who cares about pairing it. Who cares if you open it by yourself, don’t finish it, and it goes off. Who cares about special occasions – just open it and drink up. Check availability: http://www.bcliquorstores.com/en/products/632919?region=5

- Quail’s Gate Limited Release Chasselas-Pinot Blanc to go with light food, or as a refreshing sipper on his new south-facing patio $16 Check availability: http://www.bcliquorstores.com/en/products/585737?region=5

- D’Arenberg’s “The Stump Jump” (red) to go with all the manly BBQ’ing he’ll be doing. Check availability: http://www.bcliquorstores.com/en/products/607085

- Casa Viva Pinot Noir also good with smoky lighter BBQ meats $13.50 Check availability: http://www.bcliquorstores.com/en/products/207670?region=5

- See Ya Later “Jimmy My Pal” to show a white with a little more body, plus part proceeds go to the SPCA so how could I resist? Not available in government stores, so check your neighbourhood VQA store. $16

Wine of the Week - Bollinger Special Cuvee Champagne

Champers. There's nothing better, and while sparklers from all over are always a treat (I'm a big Prosecco fan) nothing beats the real thing for special occasions. After all, someone always asks if it's actually "champagne".

The Bollinger Special Cuvee Champagne $74 is well balanced and golden, with very small bubbles, and an extremely long finish. It has all the warm flavours of an apple crumble - baked apple, nuts, toast and biscuits. After checking the link for availability, it's become clear that those of you in White Rock, Richmond and Pitt Meadows have already been enjoying this a lot. There's hardly any left! http://www.bcliquorstores.com/en/products/384529?region=5

Weekend Triple Header - Free Fun Tasting Alert!

You gotta love these weekend triple headers.

Saturday: The Cambie & 39th Specialty Store has been stepping it up with some cool in-store tastings. Saturday's features McWilliam's Hanwood wines and - get this - live didgeridoo music. The intersection of Cambie & 41st is still a mess from construction, so take Oak, and enter the parking lot from behind the store. 2-5pm

Sunday: Head back to Cambie & 39th to sample Lichi Li liqueur with cocktails mixed by the bartender from West Van's Ocean Club. Nibblies courtesy of Watermark restaurant. OMG these are some serious cool restaurants. It doesn't get better than this! 3-5pm

Sunday: Taylorwood is pouring four BC new releases. Be the first to try them! 3-5pm

Four BC Pinot Noirs

Just a quick post before running off to the airport to pick up Mom for what's sure to be a wine-soaked weekend.

Yesterday I tried some BC Pinots at Taylorwood Wines in Yaletown. It was interesting, but there was only one that I really liked. However, since we all enjoy different things, maybe these are more to your taste.

Arrowleaf 2004 $16
Light cherry colour. Fruity, light, not much complexity but refreshing. Fine considering its entry level price.

Church & State 2005 Hollenbach Family Reserve $21
A little more complexity here, with earthy and cherry flavours. I'd step up to this one from the Arrowleaf.

See Ya Later Ranch 2004 $20
Medium cherry colour. I found the tannins a little much for the light body.

Quail's Gate 2005 Family Reserve $40
This has more body than the others (light-medium), well balanced, with fruit and sage flavors. This is the most interesting of the bunch, for sure, but for $40 you can choose from a lot of BC wines.

Wine of the Week - Chateau de Ferrand

Chateau de Ferrand 1998 Saint-Emilion Grand Cru (Cab blend)

Finally, another old world Wine of the Week pick. For $38 this Bordeaux is very complex and interesting with medium-full intensity. It's lost a bit of its purple colour and shows a touch of brick from age, so the nose has pronounced mineral characteristics, with no fruit to speak of. It has big tannins that have softened over time, and gamey barnyard flavour characteristics.

Wines to pair with Thai and Sushi

Generally, you can pair spicy wines with Thai and Indian dishes, and they'll work well. Try new world Cab Franc with heartier Indian curries. Try Gewurztraminer with lighter Thai dishes, and sushi.

Here are two BC wines to pair with sushi and Thai, or just sip on your patio when the weather gets warm. Both are available at VQA stores which are listed at http://www.winebc.com/vqastores.php

Jackson Triggs Proprietors' Reserve Cabernet Franc Rose. How interesting to find a rose made from the spicy Cab Franc grape.

Arrowleaf Gewurztraminer goes well with sushi or Thai. http://www.arrowleafcellars.com/gewurz.htm

Bombay Sapphire Martini - Ginger Mango Martini

The Bombay Sapphire team sampled terrific gin martinis at Vancouver Magazine's Restaurant Awards this past Monday. If you've been stuck in a vodka rut for the past few years, it's time to make a move.

Spicy and sweet, this is a sophisticated drink. If you love fresh ginger, this one's for you.

Ginger Mango Martini
- Bombay Sapphire Gin
- Fresh lime juice
- lots of crushed ginger
- mango puree (use Ceres brand juice)
Garnish with mango and mint skewer, or simple mint sprig

Bombay Sapphire Gin Martini - Mumbai Breeze

The Bombay Sapphire team sampled terrific gin martinis at Vancouver Magazine's Restaurant Awards this past Monday. If you've been stuck in a vodka rut for the past few years, it's time to make a move. This drink was designed by Robyn Gray, winner of the 2007 Bombay Sapphire Cocktails by Design Competition. It's sweet from the lychee, but the gin gives it depth and a little bitterness that you don't get with vodka.

Mumbai Breeze
- Bombay Sapphire gin
- Lychee juice (Ceres brand is best, or sub with Rubicon lychee cocktail)
- Muddled pomegranate (substitute with Pom brand juice)
- Lemon Peel
Shake ingredients with ice
Garnish with lychee fruit

For more information on Bombay Sapphire Martinis, please contact Laura Balsor at laura.balsor@cossette.com

Township 7 Wines

This is a follow up to the Free and Fun Tasting last week at Taylorwood, where we tried 6 of Township 7's wines.

Viognier 2006 $20- Taylorwood doesn't sell this (try the winery's shop in Langley) but they poured some for the tasting. This is the winner of the bunch. Apricot, blossoms, and well balanced. They only made 55 cases, so good luck getting some. (Sorry)

Semillon 2006 $17 - Honey and floral notes on the nose, with nice acidity.

Merlot 2004 $25 - I really enjoyed this wine. Juicy, spicy, just a little bit smoky.

Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 $26 - Rich and full bodied with lots of red cherry.

Sauvignon Blanc 2006 $17 - Crisp crisp crisp. Lots of tart citrus and refreshing acidity here. This wine isn't for everyone (ask me again on a hot summer day), but if you paired it with something tart it would seem more mellow in comparison.

Rose 2006 $16 - Lots of red cherry, and some good acidity helps the sweetness.

Japanese Cocktails, Shochu, Sake

This summer's issue of Vendor will feature an article I wrote about Japanese cocktails. If you haven't explored the exotic flavours featured at izakayas like Shiru-Bay in Yaletown, and Hapa Izakaya on Robson Street, then get in there and try them out. Hikaru, the bartender at Hapa will be happy to tell you all about Shochu, a Japanese liquor that's distilled like vodka, and made from ingredients like barley, or shiso, or chestnuts. They even have a Caesar made with wasabi instead of tabasco. Charlotte, the manager at Shiru-Bay will walk you through a flight of three Sakes, so you can compare them side by side. They make an amazing Uno-tini with lychee - delish.

Free, Fun Tasting Alert! Pinot Noir

Taylorwood Wines in Yaletown is pouring BC Pinot Noirs this Thursday, April 19th 4:30-6:30pm. Drop in and check out the tricky-to-produce "heartbreak grape" and judge for yourself how well BC's doing... for free. C'mon, it just doesn't get better than that. What a great way to try new wines, and hopefully discover a new favourite.

More fun free tastings coming this weekend. Details soon!

Wine of the Week - Casa Viva Pinot Noir 2004, Chile

I was going to write about a Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand today, but we'll save that for a warmer day that's not so rainy. Instead, how about a Chilean Pinot Noir? Fruity and a bit earthy on the nose, it's well balanced, with smoky, spicy, cherry flavours. I really enjoy this wine, and for $13.50 it's a great value. It's versatile, and goes surprisingly well with smoked salmon.

Check availability at http://www.bcliquorstores.com/en/products/207670?region=5

Wine of the Week - Pfaffenheim Grand Cru Gewurztraminer 2002

This is a fantastic value! It's $32, and drinks like it's $50. It's well developed and intense, with a deep lemon colour, and aromas of honey, rose, and lychee. It's sweetness is balanced with good acidity. It's medium-full bodied, spicy, rich and full. This is a complex, concentrated Gewurz with a long finish. Remember, you're looking for the 2002 Grand Cru.

Check availability at http://www.bcliquorstores.com/en/products/615898?region=5

Also try their Pinot Gris $19 http://www.bcliquorstores.com/en/products/616144?region=5

Wines - 6 Reds & Whites under $35

These picks were requested by Leana, a mom who's too busy to check the blog, and just wants something she can buy by the case and have it over with. Here are a couple of quick picks that give good value under $35, and work well as sippers or with food. Check the next post for my picks for Leana under $20 Reviews to follow - first things first, this girl needs wine picks!

Averill Creek, Pinot Noir $25 (only buy the 2005 - be sure to check) Available only at Liberty on Granville Island: http://www.libertywinemerchants.com/locations.html

Saxenburg, Private Collection Shiraz, $32 (about to hit BC market) Keep checking this search http://www.bcliquorstores.com/en/products?keyword=saxenburg&gKey=All&cKey=All&pp=20&pr=Any&bc_region=Any&by=name&asc=1&pg=1

See Ya Later Ranch/Hawthorne Mountain, Pinot Gris, $20 (good expression of the varietal) http://www.bcliquorstores.com/en/products/75739?region=5

Skillogalee, Riesling. Australia $25 (just hit BC market) http://www.bcliquorstores.com/en/products/579169?region=5

Pfaffenheim, Grand Cru Gewurztraminer 2002, France $32 (Drinks like it's $50)
http://www.bcliquorstores.com/en/products/615898?region=5

Mondavi, Fume Blanc, Napa $30 http://www.bcliquorstores.com/en/products/221887?region=5

Wines - 4 Reds and Whites under $20

These picks were requested by Leana, a mom who's too busy to check the blog, and just wants something she can buy by the case and have it over with. Here are a couple of quick picks that give good value under $20, and work well as sippers or with food. Check the next post for my picks for Leana under $35.

Under $20

Finca Los Primos, Malbec, Argentina $9.95 (great for the price)
http://www.bcliquorstores.com/en/products/632919?region=5

Casa Viva, Pinot Noir, Chile $13.50 (incredible value!!)
http://www.bcliquorstores.com/en/products/207670?region=5

Wynn's, Riesling, Australia, $15 (tropical fruit, great sipper)
http://www.bcliquorstores.com/en/products/528216?region=5

Quail's Gate, Chasselas-Pinot Blanc, $16
http://www.bcliquorstores.com/en/products/585737?region=5

Chocolate Mousse Martini

If you want to cheat on this one, it's ok. Just omit the mousse and add an extra 1/2 oz of vanilla vodka and garnish with whipped cream and serve it like a drink. But if you really want a special martini that doubles as a dessert, this is killer.

Make the drinks, top with the chocolate mousse, and refrigerate until set. Serves 4, or double the booze and serve 8.

Step 1:
2-4 oz Godiva chocolate liqueur
2-4 oz Vanilla vodka
Shake with ice, strain into martini glasses, refrigerate.

Step 1: make the mousse
Chocolate Mousse
2T unsalted butter
4oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped
3 eggs, separated
1/4C sugar
1/2C heavy cream
1/2t vanilla extract

Melt the butter and chocolate in a double boiler over low heat until smooth. Beat in egg yolks., and refrigerate. Beat egg whites with half the sugar until stiff but not dry, set aside. Beat cream, remaining sugar and vanilla. Fold eggs whites into chocolate mixture, fold in cream.

Step 3: Carefully top the drinks with the mousse and refrigerate until set. Garnish with whipped cream, and a long skinny chocolate (e.g. Ovations, Pocky).

Limoncello Amalfi-tini

Lemon trees cling to the cliffs of Italy's Amalfi coast, where they produce Limoncello, a fragrant lemon liqueur that tastes more of zest than juice. It's also the drink that George Clooney got Danny DeVito loaded on before he had to go on The View. http://www.tmz.com/2006/11/29/danny-devito-hammered-on-the-view/

1.5 oz Limoncello
1 oz Absolute Vanilla
1 oz Grey Goose L'Orange
Squeeze of fresh orange juice
Shake with ice and serve in a martini glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.

For a lower alcohol version add soda, substitue lemon or lime for the orange juice, and serve over ice.

Wine of the Week - Wolf Blass Bilyara... Repackaged and Cheaper

Bilyara is Aboriginal for "eagle hawk", the Wolf Blass icon that hearkens back to the founder's German roots. The Reserve Cab $17 and Reserve Chardonnay $16 are essentially repackaged versions of the well known existing products (the Bilyara Cab is the same as the Yellow Label Cab)... but get this, they're $1 cheaper. Love it.

The bottles are plastic, and because the material is thinner than glass, they are smaller than I'm used to, and still hold 750ml. They weigh less, and so are more cost effective to ship, and easier for staff to handle in stores. Pick up a bottle for your next party, and freak out your friends by knocking it over - it won't break. Personally, I think these small, light-weight bottles are ideal for picnics, beach bbq's and camping.

Cabernet availability http://www.bcliquorstores.com/en/products/948273
Chardonnay http://www.bcliquorstores.com/en/products/515411

Name that... Winery!

A winery in Washinton is looking for a name, and the prizes are fantastic! Enter here: http://www.washingtonwinecompany.com/

Wine of the Week - Glorioso Rioja Crianza

Playoffs came in like a lion last night, with the Canuck's game going into quadruple OT. I started off with a bottle of Granville Island Pale Ale, but quickly noticed an open bottle of Glorioso Rioja Crianza in the kitchen. Very smooth, easy tannins, juicy cherries, and some tobacco... but how would it go with the bowl of Munchies (Cheetos, Doritos, pretzels, and Sun Chips mixed together)? Surprisingly well! It's probably even better when the pairing doesn't include nuclear orange cheese powder, and for just $17 I'll definitely be buying this.
Check availability at your neighbourhood store: http://www.bcliquorstores.com/en/products/361469