Boyz en Blanc - Tripping the White Fantastic

Launched in Paris 27 years ago, Dîner en Blanc has now expanded to 50-plus cities on five continents and, this evening, it's celebrating its fourth anniversary in Vancouver. Boo and I missed the inaugural event but, including tonight, we've now made the last three shows.

The simplest description of DEB is that guests "flash-gather" in a high-profile, public location and set up a chic dinner party, revelling in the iconic setting. With all the participants decked out in their sharpest white outfits and all the tables decorated completely in white, it's become one of the hardest tickets in the city to get.

With the ability of past guests to invite friends, Boo and I have been able to increase our table from the original two to four to this year's eight. Following our meeting the other week, the courses and table details were divvied up and, despite some rather annoying logistical issues with finding our designated location and collecting our wine, we finally managed to pop the cork on our bubbly and settle in for a six course extravaganza.

1987.  N.V. Moët et Chandon Brut Imperial (Champagne AOC - France)

Knowing that this blog's task of reaching wine #2001 was nearing its climax, I started the gang off with the premium choice among the sparkling wines available for the evening. After all our initial frustrations, the classic bubble with a quartet of caviars was exactly what we needed to get re-grounded and re-set the mood for the evening.

Unfortunately, we were late to the table and didn't get a chance to wander or explore the venue. This year's secret location was the "deck" below the sails of the old Trade and Convention Centre. So, unlike previous years, the narrow deck location meant that we couldn't see all of our 4,500 dining companions. That was the biggest disappointment of the evening for Boo and I. Despite its spectacular view, this year's location just didn't seem to have same group cachet as before.

Good thing our menu was equal to - or surpassed - that of any of the other tables in our vicinity.

1988.  2014 Chartron La Fleur Sauvignon Blanc (Bordeaux AOC - France)

The Sauv Blanc doesn't sport quite the pedigree as the Moët does but it matched nicely with the Tuna and Scallop Ceviche accented with fresh peaches, lime, basil and cayenne. By the time we were on this second course, a number of the tables around us were already finishing up with their meals. They must have been newbies. Some of these millennials might have more energy than us old folk, but they still need to learn that slow and easy can still win the odd race.

1989.  2014 La Vieille Ferme Rouge (Ventoux AOC - Rhône - France)

Our next course of a trio of pâtés was paired with the Rhône blend. Duck with Fig, Duck with Black Truffle and Venison with Cranberry were served along with Cornichons, Prosciutto di Parma, Dijon and baguette. This course alone would have out-paced many of the main plates around us - but we, of course, made it clear that we were still on the appies.

Our extensive menu and leisurely pace did mean that we still had a good portion of our dinner to go when the traditional lighting of the sparklers was announced. Ah well, we needed a bit of a stretch before we sat down for the main course anyhow.

1990.  2012 Terrazas de los Andes - Reserva Malbec (Mendoza - Argentina)

As the evening was getting a little long in the tooth, we picked up the pace a bit though.  A few of our dining companions were starting to close up shop and call it a night. That just meant they had to leave with their mouths watering as they passed our Barbecued Duck with Red Plum Compote, Saffron Basmati Rice and Buttered Peas & Corn Niblets.

By the time we started serving up the desserts, we were offering tastes to neighbouring tables - particularly since we had another trio: Crème Brûlée, Prosecco Raspberry Gelée and Macarons.

Not to mention the cheese course that followed. By then, we were carrying our platter to various tables to offer a little night cap to the neighbours. To be nice - and to allow Mr. D. and Soolu to slyly check out some of the other diners.

 

As tasty as the dinner was and as fine as the company was, this year's DEB didn't seem as special as years past. In retrospect, we might have been a little over-ambitious with our menu. We were definitely one of the very last tables - of a couple thousand - with food going strong at the end of the evening. Moreover, though, I think it was the large degree of separation we felt from all the other participants. The sense of community - that was so evident in previous years - just seemed to be lacking.

Of course, how can you go wrong with a dinner view like we had?

I'm sure we'll return next year - even if the blog's wine countdown will be well behind me. Our planning may need a little re-jigging but the reality of it all is when else will we be able to sport all of these white duds that we've assembled?

Revisiting a Beverage on the Bridge

Unfortunately, we've already hit Monday and it's Boo's and my last day of our naughty weekend in New York. Luckily, it was another sun-filled day, allowing us the chance to accomplish one more standout activity - taking in the Manhattan skyline and walking over the Brooklyn Bridge. Funny, with only forty bottles to go on this Odyssey of mine, heading back to the Brooklyn Bridge was almost like coming full circle on this blogging experience.

I was only a couple of months into the blog the last time Boo and I visited Berra Yogi in NYC. And, as was becoming a tradition when visiting the Big Apple, we made a quick tour of the DUMBO area (Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass) and took a bit of a wine break while walking the bridge on our way back to Manhattan. That post was six years ago and back at the #88 wine on The List.

Once again, we'd have been better off grabbing a wine back around the hotel because it was surprisingly hard to find a bottle while wandering around DUMBO. There was supposed to be a wine shop in the area but we couldn't find it - even after waiting half an hour for the scheduled opening time. Thankfully, we finally found an upscale corner store that stocked a handful of wines. Probably less than a dozen wines - mostly commercial bottles that weren't befitting such an august occasion as we had in mind - but there was one bottle that at least had a bit of promise.

1970.  2011 Restivo Malbec Reserve (Patagonia - Argentina)

In retrospect, it's surprising that a shop with only a sprinkling of labels would feature a wine from Patagonia as one of it offerings. I can see Malbec as being a popular, crowd-pleasing choice but I would have expected a more commercial, general release wine to be from Mendoza. I don't partake in Patagonia that often. So, I didn't mind running across this bottle at all. I just wish it hadn't been such a task to find it.

As might be expected from an Argentine Malbec, there was plenty of body and dark fruit but there was a bit more nuance and depth to the wine than I had expected considering I found it in a corner grocer.

Admittedly, it's the walk over the bridge and not a stop, sit and sip on the bridge that's the allure of this landmark. So, we quickly toasted our return to the bridge and to the almost 1900 bottles that we've finished off in between visits.

That's a lot of wine under the bridge.

We had two more scheduled stops to make today: the obligatory shopping spree at Century 21 and a visit to the World Trade Centre memorial. Given the historical background to 9/11 and a common tendency to hyperbolize the tragedy, I found the 9/11 Memorial Plaza to be incredibly understated and restrained. The two waterfalls, set within the footprints of the original Twin Towers, were both incredibly contemplative and emotive. Boo and I both found it to be a superb commemoration.

There were too many people and security guards to refill our wine glasses and soak in the atmosphere but there was no escaping the deep sense of loss that the memorial stirred.

We weren't able to take in the actual Museum but, perhaps, that just means that we'll have to visit the city yet one more time - whether it be for a naughty weekend or something a little more substantial. Either way works for me.

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.

Wandering Whistler

I think I'll blame our early demise last night on a busy week and the altitude here in the mountains. I couldn't possibly fathom any other reason for why we all headed off to bed around 10 pm. After all, no one else - other than old people - goes to bed at 10 pm while spending a weekend in a resort noted for après ski and always-ready-to-party Aussies?

I'm afraid our basic demeanour didn't automatically jump into a higher gear come the morning either. We did, however, take a grand walking tour around the resort, noting of course that Boo fit right in with the whole bear country vibe.

Our little tour - and our major stop and pig out at Pure Bread Whistler (can there possibly be a tastier bakery in BC?) - required a little side trip to the liquor store. We'd brought along a good selection of wine for the weekend, but I'd discovered, during some morning surfing, that it was Internation Gin Day.

How could we pass on that?! This may be a wine blog but Boo and I are equal opportunity drinkers and martinis are very much a part of our neighbourhood diet.

While perusing the Gin selection in the Whistler bottle shop, I ran across Boodles Gin - one that I've never seen before and I've seen a fair share of Gin in my life. We hunted down some olives and a lime and thanked our lucky stars that I happened to have a set of olive picks in my knapsack.

I guess those "Always Be Prepared" days as a Scout may just have paid off.

Cocktails morphed into wine and cheese and our little balcony proved to be quite handy.

1935.  2011 Familia Zuccardi - Tito (Uco Valley - Mendoza - Argentina)

Little did we know when we grabbed this bottle for the weekend that it was going to be as darn right tasty as it was. Big and juicy, the Tito is a blend of two-thirds Malbec with the balance pretty much split between Cab Sauv and Ancellotta. The last of the three is a grape that originated in the Emilia Romagna region of Italy where its deep, dark colour is popularly used to add colour to lighter blends. I didn't find any information online talking about what the winery believes the Ancellotta brings to the table, but I'm going to keep my eye open for more wines with Ancellotta if they all taste like this one. If you're one for dark, rich fruit with soft tannins, this may just just the wine for you.

It might not be too much of a surprise that we all liked this wine as much as we did. The Zuccardi family - now in its third generation at the winery - makes the wine, as part of its Icon range, to honour the winery's patriarch, Alberto (known to everyone as Tito). I tend to find that, when a winemaker names a wine after a grandparent, there's usually something special to that wine.

We were glad to have the opportunity to enjoy it as much as we did with Miss Jaq - because she's about as tasty a friend as we have.

Unfortunately, that bottle of Tito disappeared far too quickly. The mood was set though. The four of us headed over to one of Boo's and my favourite spots in Whistler - The Mallard Bar at the Chateau Whistler - and we all lounged over the view and our cocktails long enough that we rather forgot about dinner until Miss Jaq and Tanta Luce decided they were too far past needing anything further.

There just happened to be some bakery treats still leftover from Pure Bread back in the suite and they were just as delicious as they looked when we couldn't decide which items to buy over the others.

We may well have still been tired and maybe went to bed almost as early as last night but, at least, we'd put a good day of drinking behind us today.

And, to top things off, I get to add another grape variety to my Wine Century Club tally. Ancellota takes me up to #194. And that'll bring a smile to any day for me.

Now to find some another couple bottles of Tito.

Pruning Our Little Ones

It's pruning time for us Red Rooster Adopt-A-Row types. Boo and I have been part of this early-adopter version of a wine club for Okanagan wineries. As more and more wineries started to appear on the BC wine scene, there weren't many ways for customers to enjoy an "intimate" connection with the wineries. Red Rooster introduced the Adopt-A-Row program where "parents" do exactly that - they "adopt" a row of the Malbec vines that are planted right outside the Red Rooster winery. There may be a number of unique opportunities nowadays but I think Red Rooster might have been the very first to try something like this.

It's not like the program gives you any control over the management of the vines or in the making of the wine, but you can find your name on a row, you receive wine (naturally) and the winery throws two parties each year for the parents: a harvest party in the Fall and a pruning party, like the one at hand, in the Spring.

Boo and I haven't been able to make the last couple of celebratory weekends. So, I was happy to see that I could make the drive to the Naramata Bench this time around - sans Boo, unfortunately - but at least our vines got a little lovin' from one of their adopted daddies.

The weekend kicked into gear with a winery reception on the Friday night and, this year, they hosted a parlour game where they served up eight wines blind - a pair each of four varietal wines - where one wine was made by Karen Gillis and the Red Rooster team and the other was an international wine from a region well-versed in the particular grape variety. There were also four cheeses paired to the varietal wines. It was our job to identify the grapes AND which of the two was the Red Rooster wine and to name the type of cheese (from a list of four choices).

There were some clues to the grape varieties. So, I'll admit that I found naming the varietal wines - Riesling, Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer and Pinot Noir - to be easy enough. Picking which one was the Red Rooster wine was a bit tougher but I figure I've quaffed enough Red Rooster over the years that I had a pretty good handle on Karen's stylistic traits. Picking the cheeses was a crap shoot.

The good news was that I was the grand prize winner and, furthermore, they announced that, for the first time when they've played this game, the winner had gotten all of the answers correct. Humble, as always, I had to admit that the cheeses were pure guesses for the most part. It was nice to know that it can pay off to drink all that wine that I have over the years.

Being solo Friday night, I was able to make an early evening of it and was even able to get up the next morning with enough time to complete a short run to fit in some training for the Half Corked Half Marathon. The race takes place through the vineyards of the Oliver-Osooyoos area and was coming up at the end of May. The region might be a half-hour down Highway 97, but it's the closest I'd be able to train on the race course.

After the run, it was time to get those pruning juices flowing. The first time we attended a pruning party, the winery actually trusted us to decide where to make the initial cut on the vines. I think they must have learned that might not have been the smartest move for the ensured longevity of the vines. Nowadays, the vineyard staff have pre-cut the vines and we parents are tasked more with clearing out the cut vines. There was plenty of cutting and carting to be accomplished though as you can see by the pile of cut vines.

Karen and vineyard manager, Rolf, also talk some about how the winery operates and why certain steps are taken. I found it interesting that, this year, the cuttings were all going to be burned - as opposed to being mulched for compost - because they felt that there were some traces of a black mould that had appeared on some vines that had been damaged by a particularly cold winter spell the previous season. They wanted to ensure that the mould wasn't introduced to any future compost.

After our efforts in the vineyard, everyone is treated to a lunch and wine tasting in the winery. A pretty good payoff for maybe an hour's work in the vineyard.

It's become a bit of tradition that the Adopt-A-Row weekend is ended with a winery dinner for those who can attend. Luckily for me, Bella Gianna was able to play "plus-one" for me in Boo's absence. She drove down from Lake Country and we had a grand afternoon touring the Naramata Bench before we headed off to the dinner.

1880.  2012 Red Rooster Reserve Malbec (VQA Okanagan Valley)

As with most wine dinners, there was a wide selection of wines served. However, since our Adopt-A-Row vines are all Malbec, it seems like a good idea to add the newest vintage to be released to The List.  With only 194 cases having been made, the Malbec is rather rare and is initially released only to Adopt-A-Row members. There isn't a lot of the wine made because Malbec isn't one of the more common grapes grown for varietal wines in the Okanagan. Rather, it is generally grown as a component of BC Bordeaux or Meritage blends.

Being a blending component was the intent for Red Rooster's Malbec vines as well; however, back in 2006, the winery team decided that the Malbec fruit and resulting wine was good enough to bottle as a varietal wine even if it might limit the Meritage production a bit. The winery has released a varietal Malbec ever since.

Bella Gianna and I were particularly blessed in our table mates that night in that winery manager (and all-around good guy and goof), Blair Dufty, joined us and, to top that off, winemaker, Karen, joined us for the main course since there was an empty seat at our table. Both Blair and Karen are always good for particularly insightful stories about the Red Rooster in particular - and the BC wine industry, as a whole, in general. Information doesn't come much more directly than that.

By the look of the count on with this bottle, this may well be the last Adopt-A-Row visit that I'll make before I hit bottle number 2001 on this little Odyssey. I'm pretty sure that it won't be the last Red Rooster wine to make The List, but I'll just have to see how I continue with the blog once that landmark goal is reached. Something tells me this won't be the last Adopt-A-Row venture that I'll write about.

Until then, it's back to The List at hand.

Swedish Mussels and Wine Picks

It's not too often that I go out for dinner and someone else takes full control of the wine list and for ordering the evening's fare. Given my wine indulgences, most dining partners don't want to have anything to do with choosing a wine. They just leave it up to me. As such, it was interesting to see Bergmann just take charge when I joined him and my old neighbour, Red, for dinner on The Drive.

Bergmann was down to his last days in Vancouver before he returned to his native Sweden for the summer. His winter on the Whistler slopes and in Red's arms was bout to end and Red hoped that we could all get together. Red called up La Gondoliera to join in and the setting was there for an engrossing dinner. It would seem that Red still misses the old hood because we could have gone anywhere for dinner - and there are some new, happening restaurants near her new digs - but she quickly opted for the moules-frites at Carthage, maybe two blocks from the old home. She says that Carthage remains a favourite of her's and Bergmann's and that they've shared many a bowl of mussels there.

I mean, who doesn't love muscles? Oops, that's "mussels," right?

1871.  2013 Humberto Canale - Diego Murillo Malbec (Rio Negro - Patagonia - Argentina)

In any event, I was happy to let Bergmann assume the role of wine director - particularly since he had a rapport and history with our waiter. They bantered back and forth for a bit and settled on a Malbec. I must say that I might not have gone that direction with mussels (and La Gondoliera opted to stick with her much beloved Prosecco) but it was an easy drinking, fruity Malbec and it paired better than I might have expected.

I've certainly seen the Diego Murillo label sitting on local shelves but I can't recall ever having tried it before. Like many wineries in Argentina, Humberto Canale has been around for many years - long before the arrival of Argentine Malbec on the global wine scene. The founder and namesake of the winery established the company in 1909 and the fourth generation of the family is currently manning the operations.

I found it interesting that this is a Malbec from Patagonia and not the more ubiquitous Mendoza region. Patagonia, in general, sees a cooler climate than Mendoza; so, that might have lent itself to a bit lighter structure in the wine. That being said, however, this is truly an entry level wine. There aren't all that many bottles in our market that come in at under $10. So, I'm not sure this is the best example to use when forming an opinion on wines from the region.

Regardless of the wine's pedigree, the bottle was empty soon enough and we needed a second.

1872.  2011 3 Mile Estate - Cabernet Merlot (Okanagan Valley VQA)

Bergmann's second choice was even more of a surprise. In part because I couldn't recall having seen it before and I figure I have a pretty good handle on BC wineries. At first, I thought it might be one of the virtual wineries producing bulk wines that may or may not be made of local fruit but I then saw that it was an Okanagan Valley VQA wine - meaning that it not only has to be made from local fruit but that the wine has to pass inspection by a tasting panel that qualifies wines as meeting minimum quality requirements.

In thinking back (after the fact), I recall that Luke Smith, of Howling Bluff, has previously referred to a 3 Mile vineyard on some of his labels. So, I don't know if the folks behind that vineyard have opted to produce some of their own wines now rather than sell all their fruit or if it's a totally different operation but I do see that there is a 3 Mile Road that runs along the Naramata Bench.  I guess that just gives me even more to look into next time I'm up visiting the Bench.

The Cab Merlot didn't blow my socks off but that might have been because, by now, we were drinking it with no further accompaniment than our conversations. Our entrées were long finished and the wine was a bit big for the desserts on offer. There was nothing left in the bottle upon our departure though; so, it was hardly a flawed wine.

And, as I often say in this blog, I always like to see what other folks pick when it comes to choosing wine. So, to have Bergmann so readily step up to the plate was intriguing. We didn't discuss what the wine culture is like in Sweden but that too will just have to be a topic for me to look into further in the days to come. I don't think Boo and I will make it to Scandinavia any time soon but Bergmann's scheduled to return to Whistler - and Red, naturally - this Fall. We'll just have to make plans for more mussels.

Malbec and Mid-Week

1855.  2008 Bodega Sur de los Andes Malbec (Argentina)

Sur de los Andes is a relatively new name on the Argentine wine scene. The winery was established in 2005 by Guillermo Banfi, an Argentine banker who left the financial world to pursue his business interests and taste for wine in 2002. The grapes are sourced from a number of long-term contract growers in some of the prime areas of Mendoza.

The winery offers four ranges of wines and this bottle is the Malbec from the entry level Clasico series. Along with the Cab Sauv, Bonarda, Torrontés and Chardonnay varietal wines produced as Clasico wines, the Malbec is delivered as a fruit forward, easy drinking sip that still sees a bit of oak as it aims to deliver more than you'd expect at an entry level price. Sur de los Andes is often cited as a top brand value winery and, if memory serves, I picked this wine out as a fave at an Argentine tasting that presented a range of around 16 different Malbecs.

I don't know that Sur de los Andes can readily be found in our market. But Malbec and mid-week are a great combo in our household and, being a guy that likes some great fruit in his glass, I'll definitely keep an eye open for another bottle from these guys.

Pink Broom. Red Wine.

Good thing Elzee and I behaved ourselves last night and simply made our ways home after the East Van Culture Crawl ended last night because getting up early enough to head out to the Pink Broom Bonspiel in the morning was enough of a task for me as it was. Arrive on time, I did, however, and it was a full day on the ice - with everything from regular play games thru doubles and on to skins games.

The thing about bonspiels - particularly funspiels like the Pink Broom - is that there's bound to be a bit of down time. Or, perhaps that should be noted as "drinking time."

I think it's safe to say that curling is generally associated with beer far more than wine and, true to form, our Raising Red team never seemed to be short of a live pitcher - not to mention the shots that seemed to appear far more often than an old codger like me is used to dealing with.  It's a miracle there weren't any spills on the ice.

Seeing as I'd been paired up with the red team, it only seemed natural to use the Pink Broom as an opportunity to add a bottle of red wine to The List. Now the Vancouver Curling Club isn't exactly known for its extensive wine list but even a limited list can, hopefully, offer up a simple sipper to warm you up after a jaunt on the ice. How about a little Malbec to the rescue?

1804.  2013 Pascual Toso Malbec (Mendoza - Argentina)

I'm guessing that, in addition to having a limited list, our club doesn't revise the wines all that often either since I added the 2011 vintage of Pascual Toso to The List while curling last season at our league's feature bonspiel the Pac Rim Cup.

Like last night's Malbec, I usually figure you can count on Malbec to offer up some fruit and drinkability in social situations where food isn't going to be featured prominently. This is Pascual Toso's entry level Malbec and it's been a stalwart on BC shelves for years now. The winery's association with Paul Hobbs, as consulting winemaker, has likely played a big part in their steady presence in the North American market.

I didn't really know any of my teammates on Team Red and five of the eight were either first- or second-year curlers. We did surprisingly well, finishing second over all. Granted, we saw a big jump in the standings when our team took all sorts of points in the final round of skins curling. There were all sorts of points up for grabs and we were on fire - one foursome took three of fours skins and the foursome I played with saved our best curling of the day for that round and we took all four skins.

I'll leave it up to you to figure out the emphasis on bonus points that can be available in a gay curling league when your team takes all four skins.

Suffice it to say, the day was a big success and I look forward to seeing how much closer I'll be to reaching the 2001st bottle on this Odyssey by the time this season's Pac Rim Cup comes along. I'll just have to watch that I don't grab another bottle of the Pascual Toso - unless the 2014 vintage is out by then.

We Crawl v.2014

One of my favourite events in our neighbourhood is the East Side Culture Crawl - the annual visual arts festival that sees hundreds of artists on Vancouver's east side open their studios to the public over an extended weekend. This is the 17th year of the Crawl and over 450 artists are scheduled to participate over the weekend.

I always find that the Friday night is the best night to wander around the main venues - like Parker Place and ARC - because Saturday and Sunday can get downright overwhelming with the crowds (which has to be seen as a good thing), but Boo had to work. Over the years, Mr. D. has been a regular partner but he wasn't available either this year. Luckily, Elzee was free and was game. Turns out that she'd never attended the Crawl before; so, introducing her to the fun was going to be a neat way to take in the event this year.

Being an artist driven event, the Crawl certainly boasts a bohemian feel but even they can't pull off an occasion that allows you to buy a glass a wine and wander around the various studios with it. As such, we just had to bring our own to-go mug.

1803.  2011 Bodega Renacer - Punto Final Reserva Malbec (Mendoza - Argentina)

I figured an easy drinking, cocktail kind of wine would be the way to go and, since it was a dark and wet kind of night, I went with a bolder bottle. I was introduced to Renacer at the Vancouver International Wine Festival four or five years ago and I was quite glad to see them attend again this year as it allowed me to pick up their Reserve Malbec. Their regular Malbec is regularly found on our government liquor store shelves but the Reserva isn't seen so often.

This was a big mouthful of dark fruit and it was quite structured; so, it wasn't like Elzee and I were chugging it back - despite the size of our coffee mugs cum wine glasses. Chances are our glasses didn't offer up the best nuances that the nose might normally offer but it definitely helped with the flow of the evening.

Good thing that we only had the one bottle. Who knows what I might have been tempted to buy had the pursestrings been lubricated that little bit more. I quite liked the blue and black piece by @Carla_Tak in the bottom left of the collage above but it was a fairly large piece and Boo and I have run out of wall space. It was interesting that the wine photo was taken with another, smaller piece by Carla that I'd picked up a few years back on the Crawl.

Elzee quite enjoyed herself and said that she'd be more than willing to attend in the years to come - regardless of whether I bring the wine or not.

Malbec

1667.  2009 Bodega Santa Julia - Magna (Mendoza - Argentina)

Once again, I can't seem to find a shot of this wine except the one that I took for a Delectable entry. Good thing I get as many wines onto that site as I do.

I don't know much about Santa Julia but a quick online search show that it was established in early 1990's and is one of the labels produced by the Zuccardi Family - owners of one of Argentina's largest family-owned wineries. Now, the Zuccardi name I'm more familiar with. I know that you can find at least a couple of their wines in this blog and on The List.

The Magna is a blend of Cab Sauv (50%), Malbec (40%) and Syrah (10%) and is a step above the great assortment of Argentine brand wines that can be found in our Vancouver market. Around $16 to $20, it's a few bucks more than some of its entry level competitors but this is a big, fruit forward blend that's got the heft to knock out some of brand name Malbecs on our shelves.

Glad I had the Delectable entry to recall the wine and bottle.

Pura Sangre

Another World Cup Game. Another wine from one of the teams playing. The only thing is that today's games featured Iran, Ghana, Nigeria, Bosnia and Herzegovina - not exactly hotbeds of wine production, at least not such that their wines are available in the Vancouver market. Luckily, Germany and Argentina were also playing games.

Seeing as how I've already opened a German Riesling for an earlier game, I think it's fair to drink Argentina this time around - particularly since they won their game over Iran by a 1-0 score.

1639.  2005 Domaine St. Diego - Pura Sangre (Mendoza - Argentina)

I'd been holding onto this bottle for the "right" occasion. It's not that the wine is incredibly expensive or over the top with production values - it's simply a "rare" bottle that I may never have another opportunity to try. Domaine St. Diego was one of our favourite winery visits when Boo and I enjoyed a brief tour of Mendoza in 2010. A "garagiste" winery in the truest of senses, the winery is the small family-run operation that Angel Mendoza (what a great name for a winemaker in Argentina) set up for the years following his retirement from Trapiche - one of Argentina's best known wine brands - after 25 years there.

Rather than repeat notes I've already relayed on Domaine St. Diego, I'll just add a link to that earlier post for anyone who'd like a little more information on the winery and our experience there.

Pura Sangre is a big blend of 80% Malbec/20% Cab Sauv and Angel Mendoza, in concert with his wife, sons and daughter, looks to capture his "privileged terroir" in a bottle. While there's no denying that this is a big wine with a New World profile, Mendoza strives to avoid the globalization of wine and its attendant "contemporary defects such as over ripened grapes, excess alcohol, low acidity, excess of oak and oxidation." The wine may be big but there's plenty of finesse and balance evident in the glass as well.

The wine is a deep, dark red and that may well play into the wine's name, "Pura Sangre" which translates as pure blood. The naming of the wine isn't that simplistic though. The name is also translated as meaning "thoroughbred" and I suppose it's fitting to drink a thoroughbred of wine when toasting Argentina's prowess on the soccer pitch.

I only wish I had more of it! This was the only bottle that we could bring back with us. I guess we'll just have to try and make our way down there one more time.

Traditions In the Hood

Gatu Bela is back in town. And that calls for a drink (like I need an excuse).

Gatu Bela was our neighbour for decade and the number of conversations we had over the fence or through the kitchen window are legion. It's always an occasion when she returns to Vancouver and the Lower Mainland from her new seasonal home in Mexico. Gatu Bela has declared that, after ten years, there will be no Mexican Cat Dance fundraiser this year but it might just have been replaced with another tradition, lawn sushi.

What started out as an impromptu gathering last summer when Gatu Bela was visiting the old hood seems to have morphed into an annual event - on a slightly grander scale to boot. Last year's six-some grew to all of the regular neighbourhood gang who were free on a Tuesday night. Okay, so the weather wasn't as sunny as it was last year and not many actually ate outside on the lawn, it was still a fun opportunity to catch up, eat a little raw, dead fish and add another couple of bottles to The List.

1635.  2013 River Stone Malbec Rosé (VQA Okanagan Valley)

River Stone Estate was a pleasant surprise from the Half Corked Half that Mr. Cool and I ran back in May. I was lucky to get one of the last pours of Cornerstone, River Stone's premium Meritage wine, at the pasta party the night before the race and the winery was manning one of the later "water" stations during the race. By that point of the race, I was welcoming any excuse for a bit of rest/sip.

I can't recall having run across their wines previously; so, Mr. Cool, Mimster and I stopped in for a tasting before we made our way home from the race. I picked up a handful of River Stone wines and this is the first that I'm adding to The List - after all, don't Rosé and summer nights go hand in hand?

We don't really see Malbec Rosé coming out of the Okanagan. It might be a common pour in Argentina but not so much here. You can add this to the more food friendly side of the BC Rosé spectrum - as opposed to the simple patio sippers. The wine was bold in its acidity and its tendency towards rhubarb than to the strawberries and sweet plums that often show in BC Rosé. I'm more than happy to go the food route with my Rosé though. And, I'll look forward to pulling the cork on the other River Stone wines that we picked up.

1636.  N.V. Maison L. Traminer & Fils - Roncier (France)

I'm not sure which of the neighbours brought this non-vintage red but it garnered a bit of a buzz amongst some of the crowd. I dare say, however, that the earthiness of the wine was better on its own than it ever would have been with the sushi. I'm also a little surprised that the gang was as enamoured with an Old World vin de table Pinot Noir. Maybe it was the fact that it was fleshed out a bit with some Syrah that tipped the palate for the general populace.

Again, another producer that I was unaware of, but that's what I like about seeing what other folks bring to the table. It's a great way to try new wines and new producers.

My favourite part of the evening though may not have been the wine but the great laugh we all had as a discussion topic moved on to Twitter. Gatu Bela does not tweet - although life in Mexico could be an interesting starting point - and she asked what "hagtashing" means. Baby Mama (who has quite a following under her real name) tweeted that out amidst the laughter and she received a great response, "BE HER FRIEND. They have been immersed in more useful things."

Words to take to heart. Perhaps I need to spend more time on blog entries than trying to build a Twitter following. Or, maybe more to the point, I need to limit my blog posts to 140 characters. It'd be a whole lot easier to keep up if I were to try that. 

Food for thought.

And on that happy note, I'll hagtash it out of here. 

Miami Walkabout

What a difference the day makes!

Having run the gauntlet of Ocean Boulevard on a Friday night during Spring Break (which wasn't nearly as outrageous as you might expect - mind you we did head home by midnight), South Beach seemed downright tame today.

After a leisurely start to the day, we joined up with Esperanza and Cruncher for an art deco walk around the neighbourhood and along the beach promenade. The evening lights definitely add a whole different level to the feel of the city but the daylight views of the architecture offer an element of excitement all their own.

We battled a few showers through the afternoon and thought better of taking a guided tour of historical South Beach since the showers were at their heaviest just as we were scheduled to depart for the tour. The alternative was to hit Whole Paycheque and pick up a little poolside picnic. We'd gorged on a rather hefty lunch of Cuban fare earlier on and figured we'd all benefit from some lighter fare. Lighter fare and more wine, that is.

1569.  2011 Apothic Red - Winemaker's Blend (California)

After yesterday's "reveal" that Esperanza loves her value wines, it only made sense that we serve up a bottle of Apothic Red to whet her whistle. This was the one bottle that travelled back with us from Antigua. English Doc had left the bottle behind at our villa but, as I mentioned in the posts from there, the weather and food weren't all that conducive to red wine. Plus, I think Doc felt a tad tweaked when I mentioned that Apothic appears to be heir apparent to the [yellow tail] crown in the States as a big selling, easily approachable wine. It wasn't meant as a diss. I may not drink a lot of either Apothic or [yellow tail] but I think they're both keying in on what the general public enjoys in wine - and I'm all for anything that gets people drinking wine.

Esperanza and I picked up the other two bottles specifically with Cruncher in mind.

1570.  2010 Zenato Ripasso (Valpolicella Ripasso DOC - Italy)

While we we perusing the wine aisle, Esperanza said that Cruncher's favourite wine was Amarone - but added that they rarely grab a bottle as it's not generally available at bargain prices. Girl needs a little Ripasso in her life. I told her that, more often than not, my jones for Amarone needs to be satisfied by its "baby brother."

"Ripasso" is pretty much exactly what it means - "repassed." In an effort to impart additional colour, flavour and body to the lighter red of the Veneto, Valpolicella wine is "repassed" with the skins and lees (spent yeast cells) from fermented Amarone wines. In terms of Italian wine history, it's a relatively recent product but it has quickly become popular as a reasonably priced alternative to Amarone.

I'm always on the look out for a good Ripasso and I remembered having enjoyed this one some years back. I do believe that Cruncher is going to be searching out some bottles of his own down the road as well.

1571.  2013 Bodega La Flor - Malbec (Mendoza - Argentina)

The Ripasso was obviously picked because we thought it would be right up Cruncher's alley. The Malbec? Not so much. Cruncher's palate just has no affinity whatsoever for Malbec. He says that he just doesn't like anything about it - especially in that he finds it has a distinctive bouquet that he can't abide. I bought the Bodega La Flor because I thought I might be able to pull a fast one on him. You know, serve up an unannounced Malbec, see what he thinks and, then, tell him it's a Malbec after he says, "Boy, that's nice."

I haven't seen Bodega La Flor wines in the market back home in Vancouver but I knew the producer because Boo and I visited Pulenta Estate when we were in Argentina. La Flor is the entry level label for Pulenta and I knew that we'd have no problem finishing off the bottle even if Cruncher didn't want to have anything to do with it.

I didn't fool him. He said he knew it was Malbec before he'd even taken a sip and that, even if this was a fine expression of the varietal wine, it wasn't his cup of tea. As such, we left Cruncher to the Ripasso and we sipped back on other vacation memories.

Much to our surprise, Esperanza decided to call it an early night. She'd had enough of the "gauntlet" for the time being and not even the possibility of a dance or two could keep her from her bed.

Boo and I didn't have that option. We'd planned our flights to give us a Saturday night in South Beach and we knew we had to at least hit Ocean Boulevard for a perfunctory cruise. Luckily, our timing was such that we lucked into a street-side drag show at one of the bars along the strip. A beer or so later, the show was over and we could say that we hit the town. At least, we sort of "hit the town" - in a middle aged, milquetoast kind of way.

Next morning, we found out just how middle aged we'd become. We learned that, on our way home after the show, we'd walked right by one of the hottest gay bars in Miami and we hadn't noticed a thing. Apparently, things don't heat up until well after midnight and, predictably, we'd long gone to bed by then.

Good thing we were keeping ourselves busy during the day and starting our cocktails long before the young'uns had likely even gotten up from the night before.