Last Nights and Hot Molten Glass

It's our final night at the 2015 Wine Bloggers Conference and, traditionally, there's a banquet where the Wine Blogger Award are presented. WBC15 is no different. 

Of course, as with any proper "gala gala do" (as Vancouver bon vivant and social correspondent, Fred Lee, would call them), before-dinner cocktails were de rigueur. I couldn't really call her my drinking buddy this time around (since she was pregnant and wasn't drinking) but, once again, April from Sacred Drop Channel was attending WBC in all her glory and she was lucky enough to be representing Hyland Estates and Soléna wineries and her sumptuous suite just happened to be available for refreshments.

1978.  N.V. Fox Run Hedonia (Finger Lakes - New York State)

I ran across Fox Run Vineyards' Hedonia (a noun meaning the "ability to experience extreme pleasure") during the Pre-Conference Excursion. It's a fortified dessert or cocktail wine that the winery promotes as being great with a slice of orange on the rocks. I simply added the rocks and used vodka instead of an orange slice. Seemed to work just fine. Actually, I was fashioning it after some of the Icewine martinis that we see at home in Vancouver. - mostly because I still had the better part of a bottle of Grey Goose that I'd picked up at the airport in Duty Free and I wasn't going to be able to take it home with me.

I don't know if fortified Traminette (the grape used to make the wine) is produced by more wineries than just Fox Run - or if anyone's ever blended it with vodka before - but it proved to be a lovely segue into our evening. Whether or not it played any part in our exuberant "participation" in the glass blowing demonstration that the Corning Museum of Glass held before the dinner, I suppose we'll never know.

What I do know, however, is that it is insanely easy for a slightly lubricated crowd of wine bloggers to find every possible double entendre you might imagine during a presentation on glass blowing. Who would ever have thought that such an artistic and ancient art could cause so many howls of silent laughter. Fortunately, our naughty banter was all on the down low with a group Direct Message stream flashing across our phones. 

I will definitely try to keep this thread on my phone for posterity because I'm convinced it will deliver joyful memories and tears of laughter for years to come. Just a handful of the (not-as-naughty) comments:

- "We arrived just as the glass was all 'hot and drippy like honey.'"

- "Because who wouldn't love a good, matching rim wrap."

- "I like it thick and chunky at the rim."

- "Don't stop blowing." "Sage Advice."

The show and demonstration was summed up by "You are all naughty and I love you!"

There were more than a few comments about needing to head out for a cigarette before joining up for the banquet. Let's just say that any cool downs didn't stop the insanity. It was certainly as lively a banquet as I've ever attended (save one fraternity event many years back that ended in an all-out, flip the tables bun throw - but that was another lifetime) with table after table vying for attention. 

Could it have had anything to do with all the wine?

We did manage to get through our meals and the awards, however. Each course was accompanied by two Finger Lakes wines, together with a few assorted surprises. As is my tradition with this blog, I won't add every wine from the dinner to The List but I will add a couple that I found particularly enjoyable.

1979.  2012 Fox Run Lemberger (Finger Lakes - New York State)

1980.  2010 Wagner Meritage (Finger Lakes - New York State)

Of course, I was familiar with Fox Run since (as noted above) we'd visited the winery the other day. I'd concentrated on the Rieslings while at the winery - no surprise there - but Lemberger is becoming a bit of a "go to" red grape in the Finger Lakes. It's characteristically bright, red fruit and good acidity helps pair it with food. Selling it as a varietal wine - under the name Lemberger - might be its biggest hurdle. It sounds like someone's serving you stinky cheese.

Get past the name and it can be a tasty, lighter red with all sorts of serving options. Fox Run doesn't make a lot of the wine but they're having trouble keeping what they make in stock. Not a bad problem for a winery to have.

The Wagner Meritage also paired with our main course and provided quite the contrast with the Lemberger. Bigger and bolder, it is a true Meritage or Bordeaux blend of predominantly Cab Sauv and Cab Franc with a healthy dollop of Merlot thrown if for good measure. Growing Bordeaux grapes, especially Cab Sauv, can see uneven results. Consequently, Wagner only makes its Meritage in years that they find exceptional. Prior to 2010, they'd only made a Meritage in 2001 and 2007. They also skipped 2011, but they plan to release a 2012. The 2010 proved to be popular with more folks than just our table as it won Double Gold at the New York State Fair in both 2013 and 2014.

The Meritage won't challenge a big Napa Cab or Aussie Shiraz but it was a nicely nuanced wine that had more structure to it than I likely would have expected from a Finger Lakes wine coming into WBC15.

Conference organizers weren't done with us yet however. Dinner was followed by a festival tasting in one of the Museum of Glass's courtyard foyers. The tasting provided a final opportunity to visit a few wineries that I'd come to recognize and discover a further few. Knowing that the tasting was following dinner, many of wineries brought sparkling or dessert wines. Paired with a full array of desserts, the evening party would easily have been considered a worthy success even if it had been a solitary event being held independently of a chock-full evening. I could have easily spent twice as much time visiting this last assortment of Finger Lakes wineries.

But, last call came quickly and, heavy sigh, there were still after parties yet to come.

A Little Planning en Blanc

It may cause all sorts of controversy and it even spawned an alternatively themed protest but, like it or despise it, Dîner en Blanc has established itself on the Vancouver social calendar over the last three years. It doesn't appear to be slowing down either as this year's fourth edition is set to light up the night in white with its largest gathering yet.

Knowing that there would have to be incredible energy and supreme inventiveness put into this year's plans, we figured we should have a gathering of the clan to puts some plans to paper. Naturally, Soolu brought along a Vodka punch to get those creative juices flowing.

Boo and I learned of the Parisian off-shoot too late to make it to the year one show but we've decked ourselves out in white for the last two years and done what we could to brighten up the scene. Once you've attended one of the grand affairs, you have the opportunity to invite two guests the following year. Boo and I grew to a foursome with Mr. D.  and Soolu last year and, this year, we're up to eight.

With our gaggle of gays being that large, we're hoping for more than a little fabulous and "Je ne sais quoi" at our table. After all, if Boo and I are, once again, going to be among the oldest folks in attendance, we have to bring just a little bit more to the table to show all those Millennials that being long in the tooth doesn't mean that you don't know your way around a soirée. We may no longer party until dawn with the post-dinner bash, but I'm going to argue that it's only because we're so stuffed after eating our extravagant meal.

The wine selection at Dîner en Blanc is limited - and uninspiring - at the lower end of the price range. So, we made up for lacklustre wines at the actual party by pulling the corks on some interesting wines tonight.

1961.  2012 Henry LaGarde Malbec (Mendoza - Argentina)

Despite my jones for all things Argentine, I can't recall having previously run across a Henry LaGarde wine. I don't know what kind of a presence they have in the Vancouver market but I don't think they even attended the Vancouver International Wine Festival the year that Argentina was one of the featured regions. That was in 2010 and we saw more Argentine wines that year than probably any other, ever.

Ah well, their Malbec is now on The List and the bottle didn't last long at all with this group. That should be no surprise, however, Malbec and dining al fresco just go hand-in-hand. The easy fruit just seems to slide out of the glass - much like how some of our group will be gunning to slide the pants off some of the bounty of strapping diners at the party.

1962.  2010 Les Halos de Jupiter - Rasteau (Côtes du Rhône Villages AOC - France)

1963.  2006 Black Hills - Nota Bene (Okanagan Valley VQA)

2008 Red Rooster Meritage

Once the BBQ was out of the way, I seem to have gotten more caught up in our planning session than I was in taking photos for the blog. I know. What's wrong with that picture? Well, the answer is that there is no picture of two of the evening's wines. I suppose you'll just have to take me at my word that the Nota Bene and Red Rooster empties were there during the next morning's clean-up.

Les Halos de Jupiter and its selection of Rhônes is gaining a bit of a following locally. I'm more familiar with their Châteauneuf-du-Pape but this Côtes du Rhône Villages is a welcome additional to the fold. I remember - from many, many years ago when I was just being introduced to wine - that I regularly reached for a Côtes-du-Rhône for picnics and the like. Funny how I'm still a fan.

I don't need to go into Black Hills much here since this is the sixth vintage of Nota Bene to be added to The List. Bottles from 2001 through 2005 are already listed. As one of the Okanagan Valley's icon wines, it seemed a natural to bring it out for some iconic Dîner planning.

The Red Rooster Meritage isn't as heralded as the Nota Bene but this wine did win a 2011 Lieutenant Governor's Award as one of the province's top wines and the winery certainly has as many of its wines mentioned on The List as any other because of Boo's and my long-time association with Red Rooster's Adopt-A-Row program. The 2008 Meritage has actually been added to The List in two formats since we've polished off a regular bottle and it was the wine that filled Boo's 3-Litre, 50th birthday bottle that we recently added at #1939. Hence, it doesn't get added again tonight.

1964.  2005 Château Rieussec 1er Grand Cru Classée (Sauternes AOC - France)

Once we'd divvied up the various courses and decided who was bringing what plates and service items, we settled into Boo's peach pie and a treat to toast this night and the big evening to come.

I don't pretend to know much about the First Growth wines of Bordeaux - at least not from a tasting standpoint. The price tag attached to a Château Margaux or Lafite Rothschild doesn't quite fit my budget - whether for Tuesday night or a special occasion. I think it's safe to say that I haven't met a Sauternes that I didn't like though and this one happens to be a Premier Cru (meaning that the winery was identified as one of the top wines in the Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855). Château Rieussec is still around today; however, it has changed hands a number of times since the 19th Century. The most recent sale, in 1984, saw Rieussec purchased by the Domaines Barons de Rothschild, owners of Château Lafite Rothschild. Different owners or not, it would seem that the "premier" classification is still being earned as the 2001 Château Rieussec was named Wine Spectator's Wine of the Year in 2004. Luckily, we picked this one up when Marquis, perhaps the city's top private wine shop, had some on sale.

If we can't drink such a bottle on the actual big night, we might as well do so when making our plans for the dinner.

Now, we just need to get all our ducks in a row. That is BBQ Duck and a row of cheeses for a final course.

A Valentine's Day Treat

Valentine's Day. Saturday night. How often does that come along? Thing is, Boo won't get home from work until about 8pm; so, we decided to just stay at home and take it easy. Guess we've seen enough Valentine's Days over the years that simplicity can work just as well as a big night on the town - particularly if I spend a good portion of the day prepping things in the kitchen and make sure that the martini was ready to pour as soon as my sweetie walks through the door with his standard, "Honey, I'm home."

Finding some heart-shaped pasta at Cioffi's was a great start. Adding in some fresh scallops, asparagus and vodka cream sauce would certainly be a way straight to my heart. The hope was that it'd work on Boo as well.

1862.  2013 Sea Star Blanc de Noir Rosé (Pender Island - BC)

Thinking a Rosé would suit the occasion, I grabbed a bottle of Sea Star's Blanc de Noir. Seeing as how 2013 was the first vintage of wines produced by Pender Island's Sea Star, I'm thinking it must say something that this is the third bottle that I've added to The List - especially when I believe they've only released five wines for a grand total of 1400 cases (only 312 cases of this Rosé). Luckily, we visited the winery last Thanksgiving and managed to coax some wines out of owner, David Goudge, even though the winery was sold out of almost everything except the Ortega. I guess those years of bumping into David at various fundraising events paid off big time.

I know that David and winemaker, Ian Baker, were justifiably proud of the Rosé. It was made entirely from island grown Pinot Noir and it was awarded a "Best Rosé in Show" at last year's Northwest Wine Summit. Perhaps reminiscent of Southern France more than what we'd associate with South Pender, there was a lovely acidity that balanced out the tart fruit on the palate.

I can't wait to get my hands on some of the vintages to come. I can just see making those bottles a bit of Valentine's present to myself.

1863.  2008 Sonoran Estate Ehrenfelser Icewine (Okanagan Valley VQA)

No Valentine's Day is complete without some sweets as well and - for my money - a crème brûlée paired with Icewine is about as good as things can get. I'm not all that familiar with Sonoran Estate's wines. It's been around a decade longer than Sea Star but I just don't seem to find my way to many of the so-called Bottleneck Drive wineries outside Summerland. I picked up this bottle at the winery during a visit with the BC Wine Appreciation Society on its annual Bus Tour a couple of years back.

Made from Ehrenfelser grapes, this bottle had a bit of a pedigree of its own in that it won a Silver medal at the 2012 Northwest Wine Summit. With tropical fruits abounding, it truly was a marvellous pairing with the creme brûlée.

Even if the menu plan might have been totally in sync with some of my favourite tastes, I think it's fair to say that it hit the mark for Boo as well - but decency mandates that I defer on discussing how he showed his appreciation. Suffice it to say that he can be pretty sweet in his own way.

An Antipodean Landmark

Except for that one vacation when he was on the "Merlot Boy No Merlot Diet," there's never been a shortage of party or booze present whenever we find ourselves with Merlot Boy. Whether it's in VanCity, Oz, Vegas or the Big Easy, it's always been 5 o'clock somewhere. Then, there's Margarita, that lovely little addition to the travelling entourage, and her nom-de-blog is likely enough of an indication as to the influence she has on the collective decision-making process. So, we were somewhat taken aback when our favourite Aussie wanted nothing more than a small dinner party to celebrate his 50th birthday - even though we'd offered to throw a rave of a bash for him.

Despite the fact that there may have only been a tight cadre of nearest and dearest, that didn't mean that Merlot Boy was putting the kibosh on a smorgasbord of wine. Indeed, I'm adding a full ten bottles to The List - and the count would have been higher except that there were a couple of duplicates.

1677.  N.V. Josef Chromy (Tasmania)

Every landmark birthday calls for a sparkling kick-off and, given our birthday boy's Aussie heritage, we popped the cork on a bottle of Tassie bubble. Luckily the weather was everything a boy could ask for. So, we took advantage of the garden setting. Merlot Boy hadn't even heard of Josef Chromy before; however, one must realize that you can pretty well bet on the fact that MB will be draining the brewskis most of his time in Tasmania. After all, almost all of his visits there coincide with footy games when his beloved Hawks play a "home away from home" game.

1678.  2013 Folonari Pinot Grigio (Italy)

As much as I try to get Merlot Boy to drink BC wine when he's visiting, he still gravitates to his Aussie reds or to bargain buys that he recognizes from home. Trying to tell him that BC makes some of the best Pinot Gris in the world is like trying to convince an Aussie that there actually are some lovely Kiwi wines in the market. Yeah mate, as if.

1679.  2013 Paul Hobbs - CrossBarn Rosé of Pinot Noir (Sonoma Coast - California)

I don't generally look to California for my Rosés either. Memories of California and White Zinfandel can be hard to get rid of - especially when the Okanagan is becoming a bit of a hotbed for Rosé. From the shot, it looks like there couldn't have been a better choice of wine for the BBQ'd salmon though - at least from a colour coordination standpoint. Good thing the wine tasted as good as it looked.

1680.  2010 Eau Vivre Pinot Noir (Okanagan Valley VQA)

I needed to throw at least one BC wine into the mix. Given that salmon was the main course and we were definitely a red-leaning group, I figured a perennial critic's fave would be a good pour for the table. Not sure that I did anything to convert Merlot Boy's buying habits, but the wine was certainly well-received.

And from that point on, the photos of wine bottles was a forgotten task. There were plenty of photos taken - just not of the wine bottles. There's the one at the end of the post of all the dead soldiers but you'll just have to take me at my word that the wine kept flowing long after the salmon was cleared from the table.

2012 Wirra Wirra - Scrubby Rise (not added to The List as we've already downed this vintage)

1681.  2013 Lindeman's Cawarra Shiraz-Cabernet (South Eastern Australia)

1682.  2012 Tommasi - Le Prunée (Merlot della Venezie IGT - Italy)

I think this bottle was someone's way of telling Merlot Boy that he's getting old and wrinkled - like a prune - but in a classy way, hence "Le Prunée." 

1683.  2011 Hess Select Cabernet Sauvignon (North Coast - California)

1684.  2011 Long Flat Cabernet Shiraz (Australia)

As luck would have it, Miss Jaq's 50th was only a week or so apart from Merlot Boy's. He may live in Melbourne but it often feels like we see more of him than we do of Miss Jaq since she's usually off somewhere teaching in exotic locales like Abu Dhabi or China. Luckily, she was spending the summer in Vancouver and was able to celebrate right along with Merlot Boy.

And celebrate we did. Maybe not to the same extent as we did for Daveyboi's 50th, but that's likely a good thing. I think there were a few too many martinis poured at that birthday bash. Perhaps having Miss Jaq and Elzee in attendance just kept the boys a tad more in line than is often the case.

1685.  2008 De Bortoli Noble One Botrytis Semillon (New South Wales - Australia)

This wine was not chosen as a dig at Merlot Boy's advancing age. Botrytis may be known as "noble rot" but not even we would joke that MB is in an advanced stage of rot. Rather, I chose this lovely because, like him, it's iconic and Australian. Noble One is one of those bottles that you feel you have to keep for a special occasion. There aren't many events that are more special than a landmark birthday with equally monumental friends.

Thing is, there were one or two (at most...as if) that were still going strong after the dessert wine. Accordingly, a quick reach into the cellar was needed. However, I will have you know that I, personally, only had enough of a pour to legitimately add it to The List.

1686.  2009 Henry's Drive - Dead Letter Shiraz (Padthaway - South Australia)

In the spirit of the evening, it was Aussie and it was big and bold.

It might be a good thing that we don't have 50th birthdays to celebrate every week. I'd get through this Odyssey count a lot faster but the old liver might have a bit of comment to make.

Happy happy bud!

A Day to Take It Easy

It would seem that we successfully saw Vixen and Big Trucker married yesterday and I think we all needed a bit of a rest day. We made it home in the early afternoon which was perfectly timed for a late lunch on The Drive and an afternoon nap. Vacation or not, our #2Kangaroos (as they'd taken to calling themselves on Twitter) were just as pooped as Boo and I. Boy was I glad that I'd managed to get the day off of work.

Our evening ended up being just as laid back. It's amazing what a little al fresco and a night of TV can do to revitalize a tired puppy.

1659.  2012 Tantalus Rosé (VQA Okanagan Valley)

Rosé in the garden patio comes pretty darn close to my idea of summer perfection - particularly when it's a glass of Tantalus that you're sipping on. I have to admit that my mind immediately goes to Riesling when I hear Tantalus mentioned - and that's likely followed by their bubbly. Given the stellar reputation (well earned I might add) those wines have, it might be understandable that I sometimes need a gentle reminder that there's even more Tantalus wine out there to be sipped.

The Rosé is a blend of Pinot Meunier and Pinot Noir. I can't think of many wineries growing Pinot Meunier in the Okanagan. My first thought, on hearing that Tantalus has some older vines (planted in 1985) still producing, is that they'd be using them in their sparkling program. That's not the case, however, at least not presently. The winery's bubbly is all Riesling. The Meunier is dedicated to the Rosé. Okanagan producers can be full of surprises; that's for sure.

I took the picture in front of our raspberry vines because it was a great reminder of the fruity acidity that is so abundant with the wine.

Following last night's banquet and our hefty lunch earlier in the day, our guests let me off easy for kitchen duty. They swore a little pappardelle and a simple tomato, basil and prosciutto sauce would be more than enough. So long as there was plenty of wine flowing as well.

I mean, duh.

Our next bottle wasn't exactly Italian, but I figured a Portuguese red can fill in on the odd occasion. I'd pulled this bottle out earlier in expectation of opening it for one of the World Cup games. Indeed, I'd expected to open a few Portuguese wines during this year's competition but their team was knocked out much earlier than expected - and I felt that I needed to open at least one bottle.

1660.  2006 Quinta do Crasto - Crasto (Douro D.O.C. - Portugal)

The Crasto is made from grapes that are well know in Portugal but they're largely unrecognized elsewhere in the world: Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca, Touriga Franca and Touriga Nacional don't flow off the tongue nearly as easily as Merlot, Cab Sauv or Pinot Noir.

Having advised Merlot Boy and Margarita that Quinta do Crasto is a perennial favourite at the Vancouver International Wine Festival - particularly when Miguel Roquette is manning the tasting booth. A quick viewing of Miguel's picture had Merlot Boy ready to swear off Merlot and fly off straight to Portugal. Margarita said that he'd have to somehow manage to get there before her first.

The wine wasn't a hard sell.

I may have gotten off easy with kitchen duty but Boo decided to make his trademark pecan pie for our Aussie guests. Not that I'd ever try to dissuade him from making a pie.

1661.  2010 d'Arenberg - The Stump Jump Sticky (Adelaide Hills/McLaren Vale - Australia)

That pie is one sweet mother; so, any further wine would have to be just as lush. I'd run across a bottle of The Stump Jump Sticky and grabbed it. I'm an easy sell on stickies but I don't think even the Aussies had run across this one before. We were all intimately familiar with The Stump Jump as an every day bottle to be reckoned with, but a sticky from d'Arenberg was another thing.

The wine is a blend of botrytis affected Chardonnay, Riesling, Semillon and Pinot Gris and is a relative bargain compared to Sauternes or to BC's icewines. It was tough to hold up to Boo's pie but it was a great finish to the evening as we did a bit of a binge viewing of more Archer episodes. Not only was the wine a sweet finish but we could only imagine how much fun Archer could have with a "sticky" wine. For those who are familiar with the show - "phrasing."

Good thing we had a relatively easy day though because we were scheduled to be back on the full ride with prepping for the neighbourhood Canada Day picnic now mere hours away. Heavy sigh.

La Docle Vita - Bentornata Elzee

Elzee, one of our more regular - and favourite - drinking buddies though out this "odyssey," had recently returned from a vacation to Italy and Croatia and we were long overdue for a catch up and drink. Luckily for us, she threw in dinner - it might be all those Italian genes she has, but the girl's one heckuva cook.

This shouldn't be much of a surprise but one of the first things I asked her was, "So, what wines did you bring back with you?" I wouldn't have thought it humanly possible but her answer was that she didn't bring any wine back. I mean WTF? Apparently, she used her customs exemptions for fashion, not wine.

Like, I mean, what is it with women and shoes? It certainly seems clear to me that you'll get far more pleasure from a couple bottles of vino than you could ever get from Ferragamo or Zegna. As far as I know, four inch heels only lead to back pain - and where's the pleasure in that?

While Elzee may not have had any new finds from the recent voyage, there were still treats to be had.

1463. N.V. Domaine de la Favière - Apéritif aux Oranges (France)

The first bottle might not be a classic wine - being more of an apéritif - but it says wine based on it and there's no way I'll run across this bottle again - unless we head over to Europe ourselves - so I'm going to exercise a little licence and add it to The List.

Unfortunately, I couldn't find out much information about the producer or the bottle online. A couple of online sellers advise that it is produced from Provence Rosé wine, Marc de Provence, spices and sugar and has been macerated for several months with bitter oranges.

I found it to be quite similar to Aperol - which is definitely a good thing.

1464.  2008 Tedeschi Amarone (Amarone della Valpolicella D.O.C. - Italy)

Thinking that Elzee would likely still be in an Italian frame of mind, we brought along an Amarone for dinner. Now, some folks might think that Amarone is a bit big for a pumpkin soup and might question our choice. Silly people. Velvety, with slight nuances of raisin (from the semi-dried fruit used to make the wine), I'm hard pressed to think of anything that wouldn't go with a nice Amarone.  Okay, I might be stretching it a bit there but we didn't know what Elzee was serving in advance and, to be honest, the wine was fine with the soup as it wasn't the biggest of Amarones.

If it's any indication of the quality, there wasn't any wine left in the bottle by the time Elzee was ready to serve up the main course.  As such, I'm thinking the wine must have worked for more than just my palate.

1465.  2006 Bolla Amarone Classico (Amarone della Valpolicella D.O.C. - Italy)

Although the total volume of and the number of wineries producing Amarone has increased many fold in the last 30 years, Bolla claims to be the first winery to commercially market this particular style wine when they released an Amarone in 1953 - in part to celebrate patriarch, Alberto Bolla's, 80th birthday. Apparently, the wine wasn't really known outside of Italy prior to that time as the wine was only produced for private consumption.

Our second bottle was favoured a little more by all present. We found it to be a little richer and bolder - with a greater depth of the flavours shining through.

I know that I'm certainly glad that Bolla delivered Amarone to the world because it's a fave of mine. I just can't afford to drink it very often.

So, two Amarone in one night is a real treat. I suppose I need to forgive Elzee for not bringing back any wines after all.

1466.  N.V.  Piera Dolza Torchiato di Fregona (Colli di Conegliano D.O.C.G. - Italy)

There never was anything to be forgiven for, but the girl cemented her exoneration from any further chastising when she brought out a special bottle of dessert wine to go with Boo's apple pie. The Torchiato di Fregona is a wine specific to the town of Fregona in the region where Elzee's father grew up. Her Dad's cousin brought a bottle back for Elzee after one of his trips to Italy.

Once again, I couldn't find much information about this wine online. I'm not even sure that there's a specific winery involved. From what little I could find online and from the story that Elzee learned from her Dad, it appears that the wine stems from a centuries old tradition where grapes are hung to dry after harvest and left to evaporate to the extent that the grapes start to raisinate - ironically, this is somewhat similar to the end result and procedure seen with the production of Amarone - it just takes the evaporation process that much further.

It would also seem that the wine is produced in a collective manner by the winemakers and growers in the town. The grapes are apparently left to dry until close to Easter when the best and plumpest grapes are hand selected and pressed to create an unctuous and richly fruity dessert wine. It's anything but an Icewine; however, Icewine is probably the closest sip that might be familiar to BC consumers.

I did find out that traditional Torchiato di Fregona is made from three grapes Glera, Verdiso and Boschera. At first, I thought I was going to get to add three new grapes to my Wine Century Club tally. None of the three are ones that I'm familiar with - especially not by these local names. Unfortunately for me though, Glera is another name for the Prosecco grape and Boschera is what the locals call Verdicchio Bianco - and both of those grapes have already been counted on my list. That still leaves Verdiso though and it turns out to be a bit of a rarity. Jancis Robinson's (et al) tome, Wine Grapes, says that the grape had almost disappeared - until there was a bit of a recovery in the 1960's. By 1980, however, those plantings of the grape were back down to around 200 acres in all of Italy. Verdiso is still not a widely grown variety and, where it is grown, it is generally used for specialty dessert wines like this Torchiato di Fregona and is used in small amounts for some higher end Prosecco's.

Indeed, a special treat - to cap a wonderful evening - from a special friend.

Personally, I still would have brought back wine over shoes though. In her defence, Elzee said that the shoes would last her longer though and she figured that Boo and I would just have to accompany her the next time she heads back to Italy. Because there will be a next time. I can't wait.

A Makeshift (Hardly) Dinner Club

As if they hadn't had enough planning on their plates. Fast on the heels of last month's stylin' wedding, Tyrant and Panda Guy stepped up to the mantle - or the kitchen counter to be more specific - to host the next round of the Dinner Club.

I think everyone in the Dinner Club would have been more than agreeable to returning to Salt Spring Island and simply taking in the beauty of the happy couple's home while eating leftovers from the wedding. That wouldn't do for Tyrant, the consummate host, however. Indeed, Tyrant didn't want to subject everyone to another round of long ferry rides; so, he arranged a guest location for Dinner Club at Axel and the English Doc's gracious home back in Vancouver.

2007 Monmousseau Cuvée J.M. Brut (AOC Touraine - Loire - France)

We started off the evening with what turned out to be the only leftover from the wedding - a little bubbly. It would seem that, despite the incredible amount of wine that was downed at the wedding, folks managed to leave just enough of the Monmousseau uncorked to toast the boys' two week anniversary. As a leftover, the evening's bubbles don't make it to The List since the 2007 is already there. I think I can live with that though. Particularly since there'd be more than enough bottles added as the evening progressed.

1437.  2009 Charles Krug Cabernet Sauvignon (Yountville - Napa Valley - California)

From bubbles, we ventured straight into a big gun. I don't generally think of a Cali Cab as a cocktail wine and, interestingly enough, the girls seemed to like the heft of the wine even more than the guys but there were no complaints on any front. Charles Krug is part of the Mondavi wine universe and the '09 vintage was fleshed out with small percentages of Petit Verdot, Merlot, Cab Franc, Syrah and Malbec. Boo and I didn't take in Charles Krug when we passed through Yountville and Napa this Spring. We might need to consider another road trip.

As much as I could have just lounged around in the boys' comfy living room or wandered downstairs to watch the Canucks' game on the giant projection screen, it took no coaxing on Tyrant's part to make our way to the table and settle in for the evening's repast. Tyrant had announced that he was dialling things back a notch and subscribing to a "less is more" mantra this time around. After you take a look at the evening's fare, you'll wonder what might have hit our plates if this was toning things down.

1438.  2010 St. Urbans-Hof Riesling (Mosel - Germany)

1439.  2010 Wild Goose - Stoney Slope Riesling (VQA Okanagan Valley)

A duo of Rieslings were matched to the first course of Roasted Sweet Pumpkin Soup. You'll note that a good portion of the soup was already gone before I took a picture of the wines. Sometimes, the food can be so tasty that I forget my primary aspiration should be to document the wines over all thoughts of enjoying a meal. Silly me.

The pairing of the two Rieslings provided an interesting comparison between a couple of wines that, I think, are pretty representative of classic stylings of Riesling from both Mosel and the Okanagan. As much as I love the bright acidity and citrus of Okanagan Rieslings, I think the more honeyed German wine paired a little bit better with the evening's soup. I'll have to remember this St. Urbans-Hof. Riesling might be my favourite white varietal but I don't know much about German producers. I guess that's just another task to consider moving forward.

1440.  2009 Soter Vineyards - North Valley Pinot Noir (Willamette Valley - Oregon)

1441.  2010 Evesham Wood - Illahe Vineyard Pinot Noir (Willamette Valley - Oregon)

Next up was a duo of Willamette Pinots matched to a Seared Duck Carpaccio with Fennel and Hazelnuts. I'd be willing to order this up every night of the week and pay a pretty penny for it. I guess there's some method behind the madness when it comes to perennially pairing Pinot with duck.

Since attending the Wine Bloggers' Conference in Portland, there's been more Oregon Pinot on my horizon recently than ever before. I wasn't yet familiar with these two, however. I recall having run across the Soter name previously but I wouldn't have been able to tell you anything about them. I don't think I've even heard of Evesham Wood before. I am quite happy to be cognizant of them now though. Both wines were a pleasure to drink but I noted that the Evesham Wood won the "Pinot Round." I see that the Illahe Vineyard is a warmer site in the Willamette and that may lend the wines from that source to exhibit a bit more fruit on the palate - and that's generally not a bad profile for this guy. I have no memory of who brought the wine or where they found it locally but I'm saddened to learn that there wasn't much of it made. The current 2011 vintage was only 250 cases big.

If this was to be my only foreseeable chance to try these Willamette babies, we luckily had a bit of time to sit back and savour the Pinots. Tyrant and Panda Guy gave us a bit of break before the next course and a refill of the Evesham Wood was welcome indeed - as was the opportunity to head back downstairs to the theatre room and discover that the Canucks had managed to pull the game out of the fire. That favourable result was more than a worthy of a toast at the dinner table.

1442.  1998 Château de Beaucastel - Châteauneuf-du-Pâpe (AOC Châteauneuf-du-Pâpe - Rhône - France)

1443.  2010 Grant Burge - The Holy Trinity (Barossa - Australia)

One of the side benefits of having Tyrant as part of the Dinner Club is that he has a healthy cellar - and some of his collection is starting to reach its "best before" date. A decided perk for all of us is that Tyrant often likes to us the Dinner Club as an "excuse" to bring out one of his aged beauties. Tonight's offering was the '98 Beaucastel. Beaucastel is one of the most celebrated red wines of Châteauneuf-du-Pape and the 1998 vintage is apparently considered to be one of the best of recent decades for the region.

Who wouldn't be up for helping Tyrant out of his predicament of having to drink this wine?

The Châteauneuf-du-Pape was paired up with one of the better known Aussie versions of the classic Rhône blend - Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre or GSM in Australian. The '98 Beaucastel was "heavy" on the Grenache and it contains all thirteen varieties permitted in C-d-P and, being a decade older, it might not be all that comparable to the Burge Holy Trinity but, once again, it was an interesting exercise in tasting similar but contrasting wines. The newer Aussie was the more powerful and fruit forward of two - as might be expected - but the Beaucastel was still surprisingly lively for a '98. The latter was the more elegant of the pairing but the Holy Trinity was a popular pour - and is likely far more accessible nowadays.

Since the Beaucastel incorporated all thirteen grapes that are allowed by AOC regulations, I think this is an appropriate time to add the remaining varieties from this baker's dozen that haven't been added to my Wine Century Club tally. Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Cinsault and Picpoul were already counted in my first 100 but I'm taking the opportunity to increase the total by seven - please welcome Muscardin, Counoise, Clairette, Bourbelenc, Terret Noir, Picardin and Vacarèse. They may be minor components to the final blend but they're in there and I'm not likely to find varietal wines that feature any of these grapes. Certainly not in our BC market - and, if I'm ever going to make it to 200, I'm going to take advantage of any opportunity that presents itself.

Oh, and by the way, the Asian Spiced and Braised Beef Short Ribs wasn't too shabby either.

1444.  2003 M. Chapoutier - Cigala (Vin de Pays d'Oc - France)

We might have been well into our dinner by now but it didn't take long for the last two wines to disappear. Tyrant just happened to have another Syrah blend for trying though. This Syrah/Grenache based blend is from the well known - and well regarded - M. Chapoutier but I'm not sure if the wine is still be produced under this name. I couldn't find any recent or easy references to Cigala online. As a Vin de Pays wine from Southern France, it rather paled to the previous two GSMs. I quite enjoy some of Chapoutier's wines but I don't know that I'd search this one out. It might have shown better had it not followed the line up of fine wines that it did tonight.

1445.  2012 Mission Hill Late Harvest Vidal Reserve (VQA Okanagan Valley)

The final treat for the night was a Baked Yoghurt with Candied Lime and Ginger paired with the Late Harvest Vidal. This was a lucky find from our pre-amble to this Fall's BC Wine Appreciation Society's Bus Tour
collection. While visiting Mission Hill, we were advised that the stellar dessert wine could only be called a Late Harvest wine because the grapes were picked and pressed at only -8.5°C instead of the minimum -9°C required to qualify as an Icewine. The variance of 0.5° in temperature may make little difference in the resulting wine but it leads to a huge difference in price - that extra 0.5° would have more than doubled the price of this bottle. Sad news for the winery's bottom line but it means we can buy twice as much - and I'm all in favour of that.

As the evening closed out, Tyrant and Panda Guy were heartily praised for another stellar repast - and the "negotiations" started to try and figure out a date for the next Dinner Club. The task was to find a date amenable to all before Jeaux and Matinder were scheduled to take off for their annual winter in the Caribbean. Here's hoping that we can work it out. Lady Di and She Who Must Be Obeyed are no slouches on the entertainment front themselves. Do I foresee some Thanksgiving or Christmas turkey on my dinner plate? One can only hope.

Turkey or not, I always look forward to the array of wines that the gang manage to dredge up for these little affairs. With wine lists like we had tonight, who needs food?

The 2013 Annual AWAS Gala Dinner

Amongst its variety of tastings, Vancouver's Australian Wine Appreciation Society hosts an annual Gala Dinner and for the last five years, it's been building on a tradition of raiding the society's cellar and creating the dinner around 10-year old wines that have been salted away by our cellar master. The evening's assortment of wines included some promising treats - despite the fact that the dinner started with a caution that 2003 was a difficult vintage for most of Australia.

2003 might have been a year of rains and short growing seasons but you wouldn't have known it from the wines that we were poured. I guess it just goes to show that the best winemakers can still pull off good wines in challenging vintages. Production levels might be down and 100-point scores might be missing, but the best wines still manage to make a statement.

The dinner was held at Tramonto Restaurant at the River Rock Casino and the evening's menu had some treats to match the wines. Plate-wise, a favourite of Boo's and mine was the parsnip velouté with duck confit and balsamic pear chutney. The '03 Rockford Semillon and Vasse Felix Chardonnay weren't my favourite pours of the night - as the whites showed a little more age than I tend to appreciate - but the soup more than made up for it. I held back from licking the bowl clean but I was sorely tempted. The Grosset Polish Hill Riesling (from an earlier course) fared a bit better for me. Even so, the minerality that showed prominently with its age made it a difficult match for the sweet shellfish that it was served with.

The reds hit a much better note for me - and they weren't even being paired with lamb. I'm not sure that I remember the last Aussie-themed dinner I attended that didn't feature a bit of lamb on the menu. Smoked sablefish and stuffed chicken leg filled in for the lamb tonight and we were none-the-worse for it (and that's coming from a great lover of lamb). Another surprise - beyond the lack of lamb - was the fact that a Samuel's Gorge Shiraz from McLaren Vale was poured. I'd never heard of Samuel's Gorge until last Spring when Boo and I spent a couple days in the region and Samuel's Gorge was the winery right down the road from where we were staying at Chapel Hill. Here, I thought we'd cottoned on to a hidden gem and AWAS has had some of their wine in the cellar for years.

The Samuel's Gorge was paired with a Shiraz from Heartland. This is a project of well known Aussie winemaker Ben Glaetzer and this Shiraz hails from the lesser known Limestone Coast and Fleurieu Peninsula that is a little further south of McLaren Vale. It was interesting that neither Shiraz was from the Barossa. Indeed, it was the Rockford Cab Sauv that hailed from the Barossa and it was matched with a Coonawarra St. Hugo's Cab from Jacob's Creek.

1249.  2003 Elderton Botrytis Semillon (Riverina - Australia)

All the reds delivered nicely and I'd be hard pressed to pick a favourite from them. The one bottle that I'm going to add to The List from the Gala, however, is an Aussie take on classic Sauternes. Tramonto's chef took the promised tropical notes and luscious richness of this Elderton treat to heart and served it with a first for me: deep fried crème brûlée and pineapple carpaccio.

Yup. Anyone. Anytime. Anywhere. If you're going to end my dinner with crème brûlée and dessert wine, you're likely sending me home a happy Bob. That was definitely the case tonight. I'm not sure how one deep fries crème brûlée but I'm more than willing to risk the additional calories to try it out again.

For the moment though, we'll just have to wait to see what surprises will be in store for next year's dinner and the selection of the 2004 vintage wines.

A Final Gathering for the Season

The Christmas tree was destined to come down this weekend. That left us one final opportunity to entertain with a bit of seasonal cheer in the air. Luckily, Elzee and Daveyboi were both free to pay a visit. We didn't have a chance to see either of them over the holidays; so, we counted ourselves particularly lucky to get both of them on the same night.

1338. 2007 Venturi Schulze - Brut Naturel (Vancouver Island)

Elzee hails from Vancouver Island. So, I thought it would be the perfect time to pop the cork on an Island bubbly made in the traditional Champagne method (even if it doesn't feature traditional Champagne grapes). Venturi Schulze is one of those names that I've heard about far more than I've ever been exposed to or had an opportunity to try. Being an Island winery - that produces fewer than 2000 cases (of all their wines) a year - we don't tend to see their wines in Vancouver very often.

If the Brut is representative of the quality all of their wines, I really need to try and find some more. This sparkler is made from Pinot Auxerrois, Pinot Gris and Kerner grapes and shows those baked bread notes reminiscent of classic Champagne - the notes coming from time spent ageing on yeast lees (or dead yeast cells).  The wine isn't finished with a sweetened dosage - and is, therefore, bright with acidity - but it matched up nicely with the occasion at hand.  I don't often serve a bubbly as a primary wine with dinner but I thought it might just work tonight.  And it did.

Boo and I decided to serve raclette for dinner. The variety of foods and the emphasis on cheese throughout the dinner seemed to lend itself to a sparkling wine. Raclette's a novel way to sit and eat - and chat - for hours and the bubbles just added to the festive atmosphere.

I should point out that Venturi Schulze is also known for its traditional balsamic vinegar - where a 250ml bottle starts at $50. The vinegar is made from estate grown grapes as well and is aged for years in oak before it is bottled.  The owners figure they have over $1 million worth of balsamic currently in barrel. I've yet to try the balsamic, but I'm dying to get a bottle as a gift. If not mistaken, I even read about one year when they produced an icewine balsamic.  That went for a pretty penny I'm sure, but I doubt you could get much more "one-of-a-kind" than that.

1339. 2011 Woodbridge Merlot (California)

Daveyboi brought along the Woodbridge and it was a good thing since we definitely needed that second bottle of wine during dinner. Woodbridge is a second label and winery for Robert Mondavi. According to the website, after he had established his famous Napa Valley winery, Mondavi "pursued his second vision of creating delicious wines for everyday enjoyment." The region around his childhood home in Lodi fit the bill for growing grapes that could produce quality wines at more affordable price points. Coming in at under $15 in the BC government stores, "affordable" is a definite catch-word.

Mixing Elzee and Daveyboi with Merlot, talk ultimately drifted to our mutual - and much beloved - Aussie bud, Merlot Boy. We worked it out to be early afternoon in Melbourne. So, out came the phone and 20 minutes later, we needed another bottle of wine. And some dessert.

1340. N.V. Lang Vineyards - Canadian Maple Wine (BC)

Boo had made a pecan pie for the kids. So, I pulled out a dessert wine that we'd picked up some years back. Being a bit of a "novelty," we hadn't quite happened on the opportunity to open it previously. A maple syrup infused dessert wine seemed as natural a fit as there might be for pecan pie though.

Gunther Lang and his namesake Lang Vineyards was one of the first wineries to locate on the Naramata Bench and he was the first in North America to make a wine with maple syrup. Novelty or not, this is a serious wine and, at the time we visited the winery, they were making both a red and a white version of this wine. It's difficult to find exact information about our white but the best notes I could find suggest that it is a blend of Pinot Auxerrois, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc and Riesling.

This wine was largely exported to overseas markets and was often seen front and centre in touristy souvenir shops at the Vancouver Airport. The difficulty in finding information about this older version of the wine stems primarily from the somewhat tumultuous ownership the winery has seen over the last decade. The Lang family initially sold the winery to Keith Holman in 2005 and it played a central part in the rather short-lived Holman Lang empire of seven Okanagan wineries. The Holman Lang group was placed in receivership in November 2010 and the Lang Vineyard assets were purchased by Chinese interests. In an attempt to rebuild the Lang brand, Gunther Lang was hired as a consultant and his nephew, Mike Lang, came on board as General Manager. I'll be interested to see how the winery is viewed in the years to come.

I'm sure that many a purist would turn their nose up at a wine infused with maple syrup but it suited our pie nicely. It won't become a regular tipple at our table but there could always be a suitable occasion - like the next time Merlot Boy visits from Down Under and Boo makes him a pie.

All in all, a grand evening. Quite the mix of laughs, food groups and wines. But now I need to make time to put away all the decorations. I have to admit that I'd rather sit back and open up another bottle though.

Turkey Wines

Of course, the title "Turkey Wines" refers to the wine we drank with our Christmas turkey - not wines that were made in Turkey, although I would like to try some of those one day.  But, I digress.

Forgetting one's camera at home on a big family event day like Christmas isn't supposed to happen.  But, I suppose sh*t really does happen - at least it did to us today.  Hence, there won't be any "idyllic family by the tree" shots or extravagant "Grampa slicing the roast turkey" photos this year.  Just a couple of blurry iPhone clicks that are hardly worth the effort.

Ah well, we shall persevere.

As tradition would have it, my sis, Vixen, hosted dinner.  She's got the kids; so, the day's largely about them anyhow - even though those kids are rather grown up now.  The oldest, Stargirl, is 18 and our start to dinner was delayed this year because she was the one working during the day.  Generally, it's Boo's hospital shifts that mess us up but he actually had the day off this year and. luckily so, because it turned out he was particularly happy to be there to open his presents from Vixen and the kids.  It's funny how much they've come to know his little sic-fi leanings, but he was tickled pink with his VIP pass to The Hobbit and his USS Enterprise pizza cutter.  To the extent that he quickly announced that the Enterprise was so special, it was never going to cut an actual pizza.

Sci-Fi geek or not, I suppose I have to allow him his Star Trek nerdiness.  After all, he lets me obsess about wine, as much as I do, without complaint - that is, except when he goes on about how I regularly get carried away with the purchasing of said wine.

I just have to be quick to respond to any of his whines by pointing out that all that purchasing helps put us in a position of always having bottles ready to bring along for dinner when needed.

1327.  2008 Red Rooster Reserve Gewürztraminer (VQA Okanagan Valley)

I'm not generally the biggest Gewurz fan around but I have no problem wrapping my tongue around Red Rooster's Reserve - particularly with pre-dinner cheeses and with Christmas turkey and its myriad of trimmings.  We got to enjoy the wine with food, but this has been a palate pleaser with or without an accompanying nibble.  I doubt that the Vancouver Magazine judges were enjoying it with roast gobbler and they still named this Gewurz as one of 2010's Best BC Wines.

Beyond Gewurz, I always think of Pinot Noir as another "go to" wine for matching with turkey and fond memories forced me to grab this next bottle when I saw it on a local shelf.  Only problem is that I forgot to take a picture of the bottle during dinner.  Too much seasonal excitement I suppose.

1328.  2009 Del Fin del Mundo Reserva Pinot Noir (Patagonia - Argentina)

I was quite pleased to find the Del Fin del Mundo Pinot locally because Boo and I quite enjoyed quaffing some back on our final night in Buenos Aires a few years back.  I'd discovered the winery during the 2010 Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival (as it then was) but we weren't going to be able to make our way down to Patagonia to visit the winery.  Del Fin del Mundo, however, had opened a happening restaurant in B.A. to highlight their wines and the region's cuisine. The folks at Experiencia Del Fin del Mundo treated us royally and we had one of our most enjoyable meals during the whole trip. Unfortunately, we were well past being able to fit a couple more bottles into our luggage for the trip home.  So we couldn't bring any more of their wines home with us.  This was the first time I'd run across the Pinot Noir in Vancouver.

Patagonia is hardly the wine region that immediately pops into most people's heads when they think of Argentine wines, but Del Fin del Mundo is one of the wineries leading the way to try and make just those thoughts more de rigeur.  Being located much more to the cooler climes of the South, Patagonia is gaining a particular reputation for Pinot Noir.  It's definitely on the New World end of the Pinot scale - bigger and bolder than many Pinots in our market, but the bottle quickly disappeared into glass after glass.

Turned out that we had an extra Christmas "treat" and a Guest Alcohol to the blog when Big Trucker brought out a specialty cask of Jim Beam Bourbon Whiskey that he and Vixen had run across during their wanderings in Washington State.  That "beautiful" golden bottle is one of Jim Beam's specialty decanters that were first introduced in 1955.  This particular beauty was purchased by the original buyer (and was recently discovered as part of an estate) in 1972 for $21.  These liquor decanters became an popular limited edition item for Jim Beam and the concept actually became quite popular with other liquor producers as well.  By the 70's, up to 20 distillers were producing similar decanters.  Jim Beam was one of the few companies that owned their own china factory however.  All in all, over a thousand different decanters have been made over the years in all styles - from classic cars and wildlife to sport and politics - and there are all sorts of web pages and sales dedicated to them.

Big Trucker's bottle featured 172-month old bourbon back in '72; so, add the 40 years since then and this was some fairly well-aged hooch.  Not my regular cuppa, but I figured I'd best take advantage of a pretty rare opportunity.

1329.  2008 Rustic Roots Iced Orin (Similkameen Valley)

Our last bottle of the evening was served up with Boo's pies.  He'd made his Mom's trademark pecan pie, as well as an apple pie (for the benefit of the kids).  As Southern' as it may sound, bourbon and pecan pie isn't necessarily everyone's first choice for dessert; so, I'd planned ahead and brought along the Iced Orin apple wine, thinking it would be a perfect match to Boo's apple pie.

Having had the Forbidden Fruit Bliss fortified white cherry last night, we figured why not continue with a Similkameen fruit wines and moved on to a wine from just a few miles down Hwy 3.

Now operating a fifth generation farm, the Harker family helped settle the Similkameen Valley back in 1888 and the family has been selling produce from their 30 acres of organic farmland for many a year.  Finally Troy and Sara Harker decided it was time to make some wine with some of all that fruit they'd been growing and had at their disposal.  The Iced Orin has turned out to be a highly commended wine for them.  Indeed, Radio & TV personality and wine show host, Terry David Mulligan, has sung the wine's praises many a time over the air.

Made from certified organic Sweet Orin apples, there isn't a lot of it.  Only 200 cases was made of the 2008 vintage and I was happy to see some of it in Rustic Roots' tasting room awhile back when I had stopped in on the way back from the Okanagan.  There was no doubt that it was about the best match imaginable for homemade apple pie.

After a day of prepping and fussing, it was also a sweet and tasty way to bring a close to another Christmas.  Hopefully, here's to many more.