The 2001st Bottle - Quite the Odyssey

Six and a half years later and here we are: time to add the 2001st - and, therefore, final - wine to The List. As the journey behind this blog has always been to celebrate the places and the people that we sipped away at and with, I think it's fitting that we reach our goal with a very special gathering of our Dinner Club.

I've personally been in a dinner club of one sort or another since university days - and that's over 30 years ago. However, our current gang (with a few changes along the way as significant others appeared and one couple retired from the club) is coming up on twenty years. Indeed, one of my earliest posts on this Odyssey was at a Dinner Club gathering at Chez Tyrant.

And the memory of that dinner and others makes tonight's feast and post all the more special. Not only am I able to pull the cork on the "last" bottle but I get to share it with friends who have been with me all along the journey. Further, we all got to raise our glasses in a heartfelt toast to Tyrant - our dear friend who passed away a couple of weeks ago. I know Tyrant was looking forward to the 2001st bottle almost as much I was because we'd been talking about pulling a few special treats from his cellar. And I do mean "cellar" in Tyrant's case. As a little example, he'd generously brought along a bottle of 1982 Grange to my 50th birthday party and it remains one of the most memorable wines I've been fortunate enough to enjoy. Unfortunately, that bottle was before I'd started the blog and, therefore, not on The List.

I'll never know the wine Tyrant had tentatively earmarked for tonight's dinner but we all managed to find a few noteworthy bottles for the occasion to knock back with him in mind.

N.V. Lanson Black Label Brut (Champagne AOC - France)

2014 Domaine L'Ostal Cazes Rosé (Pays d'Oc IGP - France)

It turns out that we had more than enough wines this evening to reach bottle number 2001. So, it was of no concern that our first two wines were ones that had already been added to The List. One of the "rules" that I had set out for myself at the start of the blog was that I couldn't add the same vintage of the same bottle more than once to The List. Lanson Black is one of my favourite Champagnes and, being a non-vintage wine, the first bottle of this baby made it to the blog long ago.

The Rosé was a recent discovery but a pleasant one all the same. The wine had been recommended at a local government liquor store when I was picking up wines for this year's Giro di Burnaby viewing party. It was a hit then and I'm more than happy to join in on a glass whenever it shows up. I often tried to avoid revisiting a bottle that I'd previously enjoyed simply because I wouldn't be able to add it to The List. Guess that won't be so much of a concern anymore.

Tonight's Dinner Club was being hosted by Lady Di and She Who Must Be Obeyed and the menu was classically inspired as Lady Di was looking to put some of the skills she'd been picking up at various cooking classes to good use.

On any normal evening, I could have easily been sated with the bubbly, the Rosé and the fresh burata served with the tastiest of heirloom tomatoes. As if that was ever going to be the full extent of a Dinner Club though.

1997.  2013 William Fevre - Petit Chablis (Petit Chablis AOC - Burgundy - France)

Unoaked Chardonnay and Oysters Motoyaki. I don't think anything else needs to be said. Seafood, acidity, cream.

I mentioned Lady Di was going after some classic dishes and pairings tonight. Two for two so far in my book.

1998.  2007 Rolf Binder - Heinrich Shiraz Mataro Grenache (Barossa Valley - Australia)

1999.  2008 Langmeil Orphan Bank Shiraz (Barossa Valley - Australia)

It turned out that our wine choices were a little more red-centric than the menu was but that can happen when we all take such pleasure in not disclosing the Dinner Club's bill of fare in advance. The Gazpacho wouldn't normally scream big, juicy reds, but there wasn't a single complaint to be heard until there was no more wine to be poured. I suppose it goes to show that sometimes an unforeseen pairing can work out far more favourably than you might expect.

Then again, it's entirely possible that these two wines could have been paired with a slice of toast and some Vegemite and we still would have raved. Langmeil is another favourite of mine - although we don't usually splurge on the more premium Orphan Bank Shiraz. If I had to pick an Aussie house wine (and was only allowed to spend $30), the Langmeil Valley Floor Shiraz would very likely be my first choice. The Orphan Bank is just that much more layered and nuanced.

I don't think I'd tried the Heinrich before but this is a GSM (or SMG) blend that brother and sister winemakers, Rolf and Christa Binder, named in memory of their father. I don't know if Jeaux and Matinder were aware of that fact when they chose this wine but it seems uniquely appropriate for a Dinner club in Tyrant's memory.

With these two wines, there was no doubt that we were partying like it was 1999 - because, indeed, this course served up bottle #1999 on The List.

2000.  2003 Baron Philippe de Rothschild - Cabernet Sauvignon (Vin de Pays d'Oc - France)

The next step to happiness was beef tenderloin - cooked to order - served with baked kale and mushrooms in a wine reduction. The girls definitely had a challenging go of it with the timing on the cook of the beef since they had to juggle Jeaux and Matinder's penchant for blue steak through to Boo's more pedestrian medium cook.  But, of course, they were more than up to the task and my rare-medium-rare arrived spot on.

The tenderloin was paired (by happenstance) with two Rothschild wines - albeit from slightly different ends of the spectrum. It's a rare occasion that I get to try a $15 bottle side-by-side with its more well-heeled "cousin."  While Tyrant likely had some actual Mouton Rothschild in his cellar, a bottle of Le Petit Mouton was the best that I could come up with for the occasion.

2001.  2006 Mouton Rothschild - Le Petit Mouton (Pauillac AOC - Bordeaux - France)

As I knew this bottle would officially be number 2001 on The List, I was hoping for a bit of "knock 'em out of the park" sip. The Wine Advocate declared that "the 2006 Le Petit Mouton is the finest example of this cuvée I have tasted." The winemaker noted, "Aromas of berry fruit, vanilla and spice reflect its great complexity. Round, lush, full-bodied and supported by fine tannins, it is long and ample on the palate."

Not too bad as far as pedigrees and reviews go. Amen to that. Sounds like just the wine to hit the blog's final target and goal with.

Funny thing is that, the Petit Mouton didn't really speak to anyone at our table - even when paired with the tenderloin. The wine might be right on point for the pros but, as much as we might have wanted it to, it didn't titillate our palates - at least not to the extent that many of the other wines gracing our table did.

I suppose that's part of the joy of trying wines of every stripe. The best way to discover a wine that moves you is the try as many as you can.

2001+  2012 Tenuta Sette Ponti - Crognolo Toscana (Toscana IGT -Tuscany - Italy)

2001+  2010 Fontanafredda - Serralunga D'Alba Barolo (Barolo DOCG - Piedmont - Italy)

As previously mentioned in this post, some of the night's pairings weren't what you'd call classic. By the time our dessert of Meyer Lemon Panna Cotta with chocolate pebbles arrived, we were down to a couple of big Italian reds - a Supertuscan and a Barolo. I suppose that the unorthodox pairing was of no concern though. By now, we were simply taking in the evening and these beauties were bonus wines for The List anyhow.

Noticing that the wines had been poured as a trio of national pairings, we held a little poll of the table. The Aussies came out on top as our favourite wines of the evening, followed by the Italians and then the French. Not that there was any grand international tasting or bragging rights at stake. After all, there were (surprisingly) no Okanagan wines poured with dinner.

So, the latest round of the Dinner Club came to a close - as has the formal task of this blog. Having added the 2001st wine to The List, I now get to take some time and decide the direction the blog might take in the future. It's been quite the Odyssey. No doubt about it.

The wines. The people. The events.

It's made for an incredible adventure and, to be honest, a whole lot more work than I'd ever envisioned when I decided to upload that very first post. Drinking the wine was easy. No doubt about that. Writing the posts was a whole other exercise. Boo has called himself a "blog widow" for years - and there's a lot a truth to that.

And so, as I happily brace myself to hit the "Publish" and finish The List and my formal Wine Odyssey, I figure this won't be the end of the blog. It will definitely take a different - and not so demanding - structure but I'm hardly done with my love of wine. And that indulgence and amusement is something that will still drive me to put finger to keyboard now and then.

In the meantime, I need to send out big bouquets of gratitude to everyone who's encouraged, commented on, participated in - and endured (right Boo?) - my indulgence. It's been the most extraordinary learning experience.

I toast all of you.

And, as a final act of appreciation, I raise my glass to Tyrant. Having shared his humour, his generousity, his friendship and many a fine wine, it's a joy to share the 2001st bottle with you in mind. I wish you'd been there in person but you were definitely there in our hearts and minds. Skoal, dear friend.

The High Line & Wine

You might say that one benefit of being well behaved - some might say boring - upon the arrival of our naughty weekend in Manhattan, is that we actually got up early enough to grab coffee and a bit of a wander before our scheduled rendezvous with old friend, Berra Yogi. Ms Yogi had to teach a class first thing and we arranged to meet at Eataly around 11.

Boo and I recalled the Union Square Greenmarket as a major find during our last foray to NYC. My sense of direction wasn't as sharp as it should have been but we eventually found it. I know that I'd be a regular if I lived here. Even if the foods weren't as enticing as they were, the people watching alone was worth the effort.

Of course, we had what turned out to be one of the biggest laughs of the entire trip. We'd paid some hefty American dollars for last night's grilled duck hearts. Well, sure enough, we found a booth at the market that was dedicated to all things Hudson Valley duck. The sign that caught our attention most, however, was "Why not try some Duck Hearts as a treat for your cat or dog." Seems like there isn't much difference between haute cuisine for yourself and your pet in NYC.

I don't know anyone who feeds duck rillette to their pets though. So, Boo and I got right back on the duck and grabbed some for our pending picnic lunch with Berra Yogi.

If we found the Union Square Greenmarket to be exciting, Eataly was downright orgasmic. I'd never heard of Eataly before but it's a veritable love letter to Italian cuisine. It's as if my favourite Italian deli in Vancouver and Whole Foods had a love child - and then doubled or tripled the size. Mamma Mia!

We grabbed some smart coffees and wandered aisle after aisle, desperately trying to limit the number of items we threw into our basket. This was going to be one helluva picnic.

Despite all the fun we had cruising the aisles, we were running late and had to mosey on. But, not before we hit the adjacent - all Italian - wine shop.

It was now Saturday afternoon in Manhattan and the High Line - an elevated and abandoned spur of the old New York Central Railroad that's been converted into a linear park through the Meatpacking District and Chelsea - was packed. Surprisingly, the least used section of the park seemed to be the only grassy section. We took up residence and ripped into our treasures from Eataly.

Oh, and opened a couple of bottles of wine.

1968.  2013 La Spinetta - Toscana Vermentino (Toscana Fermentino IGT - Tuscany - Italy)

There was no hesitation before I grabbed this bottle for the picnic. La Spinetta is one of my favourite Italian wineries - ever since Boo and I visited it during our visit to Italy in 2008. Problem is, no one in the Vancouver market seems to carry their wines at all. Seeing that this was a Tuscan wine was also a little surprising in that we visited La Spinetta in Piedmont where the winery was established. If I'd previously been told that there was also a Tuscan operation, I'd forgotten.

We know La Spinetta more for their Barbarescos and other reds but I figured a picnic in Manhattan's summer heat called for a cooled white. I'm not really familiar with the Vermentino grape - particularly as a varietal wine - and I have no idea if this bottle was a good, bad or indifferent representation of the grape. There was a richness to the body but not a lot of fruit on either the nose or the palate. Herbal notes were perhaps a little more noticeable. All I know is that paired with prosciutto, cheese, olives and incredible bread - not to forget the duck rillette - and I was a happy camper.

1969.  Villa Sparina Gavi (Gavi DOCG - Italy)

I knew nothing about this wine; however, it was in the wine shop cooler, it had a interesting bottle and I'm always up for trying out something new.

Gavi is the region. Cortese is the grape. Turned out that it didn't do too much for any of us. It came across as tamer than the Vermentino and the acidity, that might have brought the overall reception up a notch or two, was decidedly missing. In looking up the grape in Jancis Robinson (et al)'s tome, Wine Grapes, even the sub-heading for Cortese is "generally rather bland northern-Italian white that shows its best varietal face in Gavi." Like the La Spinetta, I don't know if this was a favourable take on the varietal wine but it didn't do anything to make me swear allegiance to the grape for time memorial.

Once we eaten our fill of Italian fare and re-corked the balance of the Gavi, we wandered some more along the High Line and bid "adieu" to Berra Yogi. Unfortunately, she was off to work. As for our plans, cocktails and Broadway sounded like worthy strategy.

A Little Cork Taint with that Chianti?

I've got to admit that, throughout this Odyssey and its 1900+ bottles so far, I've been very lucky in that I haven't run across many bottles that I'd considered spoiled. Due to my lack of control when it comes to buying the odd bottle here and there (hence the now infamous "No Buy Leash"), Boo and I have amassed a rather substantial cellar (or shall I say collection of wine fridges, closets, crawl spaces and bathtub - yes, bathtub - since we don't have an actual cellar).

With all those bottles, we know that some of them are somewhat past their "best before" date - particularly when you consider that most wines aren't made for ageing nowadays.

Even if some of our wines might have shown bigger fruit or oomph a few years before we opened them, I can't remember many bottles that were actually corked. Until we opened this one.

1931.  2007 Rocca delle Macie - Chianti Classico Riserva (Chianti Classico DOCG - Tuscany - Italy)

I don't buy a whole lot of Chianti. As I've written many a time on this Odyssey, for me, most of the Chianti that I commonly find in our market is rather insipid, commercial wine that doesn't give me much of a thrill. With that starting point, I was quite looking forward to this bottle. I'd run across it at one of the Vancouver International Wine Festivals and I grabbed it as it was far bigger and more flavourful than most of its cousins that I'm more familiar with.

There was no doubt - even after one sip - that the bottle was corked. The nose was definitely off to my preference but I was prepared to give a benefit of the doubt. It was always possible that this was some weird Tuscan earthiness that was being expressed as terroir. Even if that was the case with the nose, the wine tasted of a terroir that I wanted nothing to do with. More of a note of landfill or mouldy jockstrap - not that I really know what either of those taste like.

Normally, when at a restaurant or event, I quite like being the one to identify a corked wine. Not at home though, especially with an older wine. There's no chance of taking the bottle back to the wine shop or winery when it was a one off in the market so many years back. There's not a lot of pleasure or pat on the back in that scenario.

If there's to be a silver lining to this bottle, it would have to be that Italy is going to be the theme region for next year's Vancouver Wine Festival. Maybe Rocca delle Macie will participate again and I can see what the wine was really supposed to taste like.

Until then...

Melmo Does (Book of) Mormon

Our evening on the town may have been late by many a month but our big night out to celebrate my youngest niece, Melmo's, 16th birthday finally arrived. Melmo's passion in school is theatre. So, I figured tickets to the touring company's production of The Book of Mormon would be right up her alley.

And, boy, was it!

Of course, it didn't hurt that I've been dying to see the show for years as well.

Melmo's present included dinner out as well and she chose (wisely, I might add) to partake in some designer, Neapolitan pizza at one of our favourite hangouts - Via Tevere. To augment our festivities, I brought along a celebratory Chianti - not that Melmo partook in that. She was, however, particularly pleased that the waitress asked if she'd be joining us in a glass of wine. What 16 year old doesn't like to think that she or he might be able to pass for the legal drinking age.

1893.  2001 Castello di Monsanto - Il Poggio (Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG - Tuscany - Italy)

I can't say that I knew much about Castello di Monsanto but this bottle somehow made it into our cellar - and I gathered it was on the higher end of Chianti. Little did I know that the winery "is widely considered one of the top dozen Chianti Classico estates of today" according to a number of sites online. Rather than recite information that others have researched far more extensively than I have, I'll just set up a link to an article where noted reviewer of Italian wines, Antonio Galloni, recounts some of the winery's history.

Il Poggio is Castello di Monsanto's flagship wine and, as a classic Chianti, it is predominantly made from the Sangiovese grape. The Sangiovese, however, is blended - to a small extent - with two other local grapes that are permitted to be added to Chianti wines: Canaiolo and Colorino. I've never been the biggest fan of Chianti - maybe because the lower end bottlings that tend to proliferate in our market don't tend to turn my crank - but this was definitely a bigger, earthier and more intense version than I'm used to. With my predilection for robust fruit, I still don't think this would be my go to wine for higher end Italian fare but it was a nice addition to our special evening.

There was no question or hesitation about our enjoyment of The Book of Mormon though. Melmo, Boo and I all laughed uproariously and thoroughly loved the musical. Of course, I shouldn't have expected anything less considering the sacrilegious content came from the warped minds behind South Park. Funnily enough, we ran into Baby Mama and Nature Boy at the theatre and they were equally enthralled with the show. I wish the show hadn't taken so long to finally arrive in Vancouver but I can't wait for it to come back again.

In retrospect, I suppose it would have been better for me to know what that "Hasa Diga Eebowai" t-shirt I bought for Melmo meant before I added it to her birthday present. At least I could say though, after learning of its F-bomb connotations during the show, that it was a joyful tune.

Chianti Classico, gourmet pizza and Broadway. Pretty darned decent, if I do say so myself.

Office Holiday Party Time

I know that the holiday season is in full swing when I have to miss a big BC Wine Appreciation Society tasting because it's being held on the same night as my office holiday party. Only to have just enough time to recover and finish preparing for THE annual social event in our neighbourhood the next night - which would only lead into our curling league's Ugly Christmas Sweater party the next day.

Yes, it's one of those weekends and, as such, I was hoping to stay on a pretty even keel at our office dinner - even though it was R-Bone's last day with the firm and that was as good of an excuse as any to repeatedly raise our glasses to toast this and that.

Considering we'd returned to Ciao Bello for an Italian repast, it shouldn't be much of a surprise that I'm adding a couple of Italian wines to The List tonight. It's far more surprising - to me at least - that I'm only adding two bottles. The Boss likes throwing out a good selection of wines at the start of the evening - a couple of this and two or three of that - but I didn't start on the wine until we sat down to dinner. I'd joined Boo in a Gin & Dubonnet cocktail and that kept me going for quite awhile.

1820.  2012 Barone Ricasoli - Campo Ceni (Toscano IGT - Italy)

There were a couple of wines - both red and white - at our table when I joined R-Bone and gang but I jumped right into a red. I'm not sure how I got to share R-Bone's table with him on his final night but he said that Boo and I were a special request of his wife's. It was an offer that I couldn't refuse, particularly since there was no mistaking the fact that the table was well on its way to a fun evening.

I think it's safe to say that none of us was paying much attention to the wine being poured but this entry level Super-Tuscan seemed to be the pour of choice. Easy drinking - and fruit forward - for an Italian wine, I just noted that I'd had the previous vintage at last year's C&C holiday do. The bottle proved more popular tonight than it did last year though.

1821.  2012 Fontanafredda Briccotondo - Barbera (Piemonte DOC - Italy)

The Barbera was a bit simpler in profile but seemed to go down easily enough. Considering how much Briccotondo was being quaffed back by the gang, I'm surprised that I don't have a picture of the bottle - except for one of our table with an unfocused bottle calling out to folks. What can I say? I must have been enjoying the chat and banter that happens outside of the office setting because it would have to take something major to get my mind off the blog. I should know those priorities by now.

Indeed, if I'd really been thinking, I could have taken a picture and included a Guest Alcohol to this entry as well. The Boss sent along a round of Limoncello to cap off the evening but that addition to the blog just wasn't to be. That sip was enough to cap off my evening as it was. Despite my calling it a night, I understand a healthy number of couples simply moved the party on to a neighbouring hotel and kept the holiday spirits flowing until well into the morning. There was talk of Boo and I taking a few interested (though straight-laced) folk to a leather bar not far away but my guess is that there hadn't been enough wine to fully fuel that folly.

Thankfully.

There are definite benefits to be had by bidding one's "adieus" and getting out while the going is good - particularly when you want to live to write about it.

Pizza and Penelope

We found ourselves heading down the street tonight to watch Penelope - the play "re-telling" the efforts of courtship from the final four suitors of Queen Penelope's hand while her King, Odysseus, is off fighting in the Trojan War and trying to make his way back to her.  The play is kicking off the Vancouver East Cultural Centre's 40th anniversary season and I figured it was time that Boo and I made the short walk to take in a show. Considering how close we live to the Cultch, it's a shame that we don't patronize it more often.

Since Via Tevere is right on the way, we took a chance that we might be able to get in - even though that can be next to impossible without an interminable wait on a Friday night. As suspected, there were no tables available but, luckily, we were able to grab a couple of seats at the bar.

1436.  2011 Barone Ricasoli - Brolio (DOCG Chianti Classico - Tuscany - Italy)

Via Tevere has a decidedly limited wine list; so, I generally like to bring a BYO bottle (despite their relatively onerous $25 corkage fee). We weren't sure that we'd get in tonight though and, accordingly, we decided to simply choose a bottle off the restaurant list rather than tote one around with us all night should we not be able to get in. (I'm sure that would have been a great explanation at the theatre as to why we had a bottle of wine with us. "Truly, ma'am, we're not trying to sneak a bottle into the performance with us.")

I wasn't familiar with the Ricasoli bottle that we picked but the winery website says that Ricasoli is the oldest winery in Italy, the fourth longest-lived family business in the world and the second longest-lived in the wine sector.

With the Ricasoli name having been linked to wine since 1141, I think they just might have had a bit of time to master the art of winemaking. Indeed, the site claims that "Chianti was born" in 1872 when "after more than thirty years of research and experiments, Baron Bettino Ricasoli wrote down the formula in a famous letter addressed to Professor Cesare Studiati at the University of Pisa: '...I verified the results of the early experiments, that is, that the wine receives most of its aroma from the Sangioveto (which is my particular aim) as well as a certain vigour in taste; the Canjuolo gives it a sweetness which tempers the harshness of the former without taking away any of its aroma, though it has an aroma all of its own; the Malvasia, which could probably be omitted for wines for laying down, tends to dilute the wine made from the first two grapes, but increases the taste and makes the wine lighter and more readily suitable for daily consumption..." Chianti production rules have since been modified as Malvasia is no longer used but Sangiovese remains the primary grape - with other red grapes only permitted to be added to the wine to a maximum of 20%.

Although labeled as a Chianti Classico, this could almost be seen as a Super Tuscan in that the wine consists of 80% Sangiovese with 15% Merlot and 5% Cab Sauv.

We thought the Sangiovese certainly showed through on the palate. I'm not necessarily the biggest fan of Chianti as a wine at cocktail parties and this one didn't wow either Boo or I. We both agreed, however, that the wine was far tastier once our pizza arrived. (Mind you I'm pretty sure that Via Tevere's pizza can't help but make everything taste better.) No doubt the wine would have been more enjoyable if we'd had a little action on the nose as well. For me, it's unfortunate that the restaurant has opted to serve their wines in tumblers rather than wine glasses. Tumblers may be a long-standing tradition in Italian trattorias but I tend to think that might be based on those trattorias serving a humble village wine rather than the more modern - and expensive - wines being produced nowadays.

Tumbler or not, we finished our 'za and our Chianti and moved on the The Cultch. Penelope is largely centred around men behaving badly - in between each of the four suitors having an opportunity to woo the Queen - but I have to say that the scene of the alpha male suitor performing the five greatest love stories of all time was enormously entertaining. Who knew "re-enactments" of Napoleon & Josephine, Rhett & Scarlett, Romeo & Juliet and JFK & Jacquie could be so sidesplittingly funny? You say, "but that's only five great romances?" The fifth was going to be our protagonist and Penelope. Smart guy.

Pizza. Chianti. Cultch. Laughs. I definitely need more nights like this.

L'Ufficio

Between Boo's work schedule being all over the map and Beamer's parental duties and child delivery services, getting together can be somewhat problematic. When the opportunity arose to catch up with Beamer and The Divine Miss M over dinner, we snagged it. Miss M came up with another winning suggestion for the locale, L'Ufficio - the little brother or wine bar as the owners refer to it of La Quercia (Vancouver Magazine's 2011Restaurant of the Year) - and we were set.

It was a first time to the restaurant for all of us, but The Divine Miss M was under the impression that you could order either the wine bar's offerings or the dishes from La Quercia next door. Turned out that we could only order dishes from L'Ufficio but that was no problem. We started with a large platter of mixed charcuterie, cheeses and condiments that went down as easily as the Tuscan red that we chose.

1271.  2011 Pertimali Sassetti Livio - Rosso di Montalcino (Rosso di Montalcino DOC - Tuscany - Italy)

The wine list was completely Italian (except for a couple of high end Champagnes) and, at our waiter's suggestion, we went with a producer that I hadn't run across before. The Rosso di Montalcino was 100% Sangiovese Grosso and the Sassetti family has been making wine in Montalcino for three generations. The Pertimali vineyards and estate are located on the Montosoli hill, outside of Montalcino, in one of the most favourable locales for growing Sangiovese. The family is noted for producing traditionally styled wines that are meant to go with food and Livio Sassetti was one of the founders of the Brunello di Montalcino consortium in 1967. Indeed, an oft-quoted excerpt from The Wine Advocate stated that "If I had only one Brunello to drink, it would be Pertimali. This producer has been making spectacular wines since 1982."

We didn't go with the bigger Brunello, but the Rosso di Montalcino was very approachable and much lusher than the Tuscan Chiantis that we see so regularly as the Italian entries on local wine lists. The bottle was long gone before our main course arrived. So, we really had no choice but to order another bottle to go with our beef. Boo was apprehensive about ordering the family style entrée and he made sure that he told the story of our dinner in Cortona where we let the restaurant choose our menu for us and the shared plate of bistecca alla fiorentina had a sticker price far beyond anything any of us had imagined - more like the cost of a side of beef back home.

We didn't have to face that issue here, however, and the far more reasonable price prompted us to splurge a little on our second bottle. One that I'm a little more familiar with.

1272.  2009 La Spinetta Langhe Nebbiolo (Langhe DOC - Piedmont - Italy)

We don't tend to see many entry level Spinetta wines in our market but I've yet to meet a Spinetta wine that I didn't like. La Spinetta hasn't been around nearly as long as the Sassetti family but their wines immediately grabbed the attention of wine writers, critics and consumers when they arrived on the scene. Even the premium Barbarescos and Barolo are known for being approachable upon release, but this entry level Nebbiolo is particularly ready to be quaffed. The winery website notes that the Langhe Nebbiolo is made from the younger vines from one of their vineyards (Starderi) but by "younger," the winery means 12-14 years of age. The fruit from more established vines is reserved for La Spinetta's noted Barbarescos and Barolo.

By the time we'd finished the beef and the Nebbiolo, we could have easily called it a night, but Boo was tempted by a specialty of the house - a pine cone infused grappa. We were told that they add the pine cone to the grappa and leave it on the roof of the building to fully impregnate the flavours. As far as "guest alcohols" go for this blog, this was one of the more intriguing ones - and, once Boo had ordered it, we succumbed to our urge to order canolis and zeppoles (Italian doughnuts) to go with it. It was a good thing that we had a bit of walk as part of our journey home after everything.

As mentioned, we don't tend to have many chances to connect with Beamer and The Divine Miss M but, without fail, you can be pretty much guaranteed that they'll be full of food, wine and stories. Just like tonight was. Here's hoping that the next occasion won't be too far off into the future.

A Most Seasonal Dinner Club

For the second year running, our little Dinner Club gang has arranged to go with a holiday season dinner.  I guess last year's turkey confit was enough of a serve that everyone wasn't scared off by another Christmas dinner.  This year's feast falls to Lady Di and She Who Must Be Obeyed and, rather than stuff another turkey to throw our way, they decided to stuff us à la your fictional Italian grandmother instead.

As usual, there are so many wines and culinary treats involved that I won't be able to do justice to either.  I can start by saying that I'm not saying that we all must be getting older, but every one of us left overly stuffed and we didn't come close to finishing off all the wine.  There were at least two bottles that weren't even opened.  It wasn't all that long ago that such a finish to the evening wouldn't have been fathomable - well, at least not unopened wine bottles.

1309.  N.V. Emotivo Prosecco (Prosecco D.O.C. - Italy)

I've got to love the fact that, every time I turn around, there seems to be a new Prosecco appearing on the local shelves.  Since all the Proseccos I run across are non-vintage, I only get to add an individual brand label once to The List - even if the same bottles are starting to show up more regularly at friends' places.  This is a first time for the Emotivo and it was served up with the girls' selection of crostini - Sherry Marinated Sardines, Sweet Pea Pesto and Olive Tapenade.

I can't say that this is my favourite Prosecco.  I prefer a touch of sweet on this type of wine and this one was pretty much bone dry.  I think it matched nicely with the sardine but I think I'd add some Aperol and turn it into a Spritz if I were to run across it again.

1310.  2010 Azienda Vitivinicola Marianna - Dedicato a Marianna - Greco di Tufo (Greco di Tufo DOCG - Campania - Italy) 

The ladies delivered Stracciatella soup as Il Primo and it was served up with our only still white wine of the evening.  The Marianna wine hails from the town of Irpinia, found at the base of the Apennine Mountains in the Campania region of Italy, not far from Naples.  Greco di Tufo isn't the most commonly found varietal on local shelves; so, kudos to the ladies for finding an interesting match for their tasty soup.

I have to give props to Lady Di for religiously checking the blog before she picks up wines to serve when she knows that I'm coming over.  But, I'm going to praise her even more for making a homemade pasta course of Butternut Squash Ravioli with a Mushroom Ragout and Shaved Black Truffle.  I've never tried making pasta myself and I'm not so sure that I ever will when it's so easy to pick up freshly made pasta in our neighbourhood.  But, I'm ever so willing to chow down on someone else's efforts - especially when laden with mushrooms, a personal fave.

By the time the pasta was before us, we'd dived, full bore, into the first of the reds - and started with a threesome of lighter wines that were full Sangiovese wines or blends that prominently featured the Sangiovese varietal.

1311.  2008 Grifone Riserva (Chianti DOCG - Tuscany - Italy)

1312.  2005 Consorzio Produttori Vini di Velletri - Terre dei Volsci Riserva (Velletri D.O.P. - Lazio/Latium - Italy)

I'm not sure which of the Dinner Club members brought the Velletri but I'm thanking them for the early Christmas present.  It's a blend of Merlot, Sangiovese, Cesanese d'Affile and Montepulciano - and I haven't added the Cesanese grape to my Wine Century Club varietal tally yet.  Merry Merry to me.

1313.  2009 Vigne a Porrona - Montecucco Sangiovese (Montecucco D.O.C. - Tuscany - Italy)

After a bit of a break on the feast, it was time to move on to a little more bombast - both on the plate and in the glass.

1314.  1992 Renato Ratti - Rocche Marcenasco Barolo (Barolo DOCG - Piedmont - Italy)

If there was a "star" wine for the evening, it had to be this one.  Tyrant heard that we were in for the Italian theme and he figured there had to be something in that cellar of his that would befit the occasion.  He managed to find a little old Barolo that he thought might be suitable.  He was clear to say that he couldn't guarantee the provenance of the 20 year old wine but we were all highly anticipating the opportunity to try a bottle that only Tyrant likely could have delivered.  Admittedly, there was some concern when the cork started to disintegrate before it was halfway out of the bottle but, luckily, the wine itself was fully intact.

Tyrant is likely the only member of the Dinner Club that has the ability to regularly open older vintage wines like this.  Accordingly, the subtleties of the ageing and the layers of notes that are more characteristic of older wines might have been lost somewhat on palates more attuned to modern fruit forward wines but we were all grateful for Tyrant's largesse.

The Barolo was saved for the girls' main course of Osso Buco with Asiago Garlic Polenta and it was poured along with a couple other heavy hitters.

1315.  2006 La Spinetta - Langhe Nebbiolo (Langhe Nebbiolo D.O.C. - Piedmont - Italy)

1316.  2007 Tenuta De Angelis - Anghelos (Marche Rosso IGT - Italy)

Funnily enough, even Tyrant proclaimed that the La Spinetta might have been his favourite wine of the evening.  A simpler version of the Barolo, the Langhe Nebbiolo is made from the same grape in the same Italian province but the vines are younger and the ageing process is much shorter as this wine is released 16 months after harvest instead of four years later like with the Barolo.  Boo and I were lucky enough to visit the La Spinetta winery back in 2008.  We weren't able to bring home nearly as many wines as we would have like to; so, we're happy to run across opportunities to find and enjoy the occasional drop of Spinetta's typically high end wines.

The Anghelos was no slouch of a wine either.  A blend of Cab Sauv, Montelpulciano and Sangiovese, the wine hails from Marche and was called a "velvety bombshell...(from) on the back-of-the-knee of Italy's boot" when Vancouver Magazine named it as 2011's Top Red Wine in its annual Wine Awards.

Not a bad collection of wines for the evening, I'd say.

I'm not exactly sure why but I note that we didn't have any pictures Lady Di's Il Dolce course.  The lack of pics must have been that there weren't any new wines served up because it sure wasn't because of the dessert itself.  The duo of Meyers Lemon Panna Cotta and Chocolate Barrolla Crème Cup were delicious and over the top.  Stuffed or not, I could have kept eating that Panna Cotta until Christmas had come and gone.

Ultimately, the evening, like all good things, needed to come to an end.  We waddled out into the night, all a-twinkle with Christmas lights, and bid "Buon Natale" to our hostesses and Dinner Club buds.  The next dinner date isn't scheduled until May and Boo and I are up.  That gives us some months to come up with a menu and to lose some of the pounds that we put on tonight.  Something tells me that I'm going to have to play the "I think it's time to pull things back a bit again" card.  Lord knows I don't want to have to try and top tonight's trip to Little Italy.  But, on that happy note, it's time to get some more of my own seasonal preparations into gear.

The Old Alumni Christmas Dinner

This is going to feel like such a naked post.  I was in such a rush to get out the door that I forgot to take my camera along to the evening's par-tay and I couldn't get a shot worth keeping on my phone (I really need an upgrade).  A couple of the guys took some shots on their phones but none of the shots got forwarded to me and darned if I have the slightest idea who's phone they were taken on.  Oh well. I'll just have to paint a vivid enough picture of the night that actual photos won't be necessary.

My days at the Deke House are well behind me now but I still try to make it to the alumni night at the House and to the Christmas Dinner - although it was more like a cocktail party this year.  This year's meet was arranged for Rogue Kitchen & Wetbar in Gastown.  There was a sizeable bunch of the bro's in attendance and it allowed for plenty of wining - whether or not you were heavy on the dining.

1296.  2009 Michael David - Seven Deadly Zins Zinfandel (Lodi - California)

Not fully knowing what was in store for us, I ordered a bottle of stand up easy drinking, but Deadly, Zin to keep at the ready on the bar.

1297.  2009 Cycles Gladiator Cabernet Sauvignon (Central Coast - California)

The Zin was soon joined by Tyrant's Gladiator Cab. (I couldn't help but be a tad concerned that the crowd around me might break into one of the old rugby tunes of yore if they only knew what was being poured.  I know it was the first thing I thought of.  How the hell did we ever get away with songs like that?  Maybe we didn't really after all.)

Beamer pretty much kept to beer; so, these two bottles were equal to the task of keeping me occupied for the evening.

That is, until both bottles had been emptied and there were enough of the boys left - that hadn't moved on to the next bar or run home to wives - to tackle another bottle.  It might have been a mistake to order what was arguably the nicest bottle of the evening right at the end.  The fact was that Rogue has a standard policy of only adding $20 to the base price of every bottle of wine on their list.  So, the end price for the wine wasn't bad at all for restaurant/bar prices.

And what's a seasonal get together with the old gang if it isn't an excuse for a little splurging on the wine?

1298.  2008 Antinori Tenuta Guado al Tasso - Il Bruciato (Bolgheri DOC - Tuscany - Italy)

This is a Super Tuscan blend of Cab Sauv, Merlot and Syrah and I only wished that I'd ordered it earlier in the evening - when we might have actually made some decent mental notes about the wine.  It just means that I'll have to find a bottle for a more gentile evening.

It didn't take too long to finish off that last bottle and, for the second year in a row, we headed straight to a street vendor for a late night smokie.   And, then, I discovered the night had again slipped right by and Skytrain transit had already shut down for the night.  I must have walked a couple of rain-soaking miles before I finally came across an available cab.  I'd seriously thought about calling to wake up Boo to beg him to come and get me but I thought better of it when I realized that he was going to have to get up in about three hours to get ready for work.  Best not push anyone's patience this close to Christmas.

Except for the walk, it was a great little night.  Looking back on the evening, maybe it's a good thing that there aren't any photos around.  If any incriminating evidence manages to surface, it just won't have been me posting it this time around.  Not that I think there is any.  Really.  At least not by the time I headed home.  And I'll leave it there.

Via Tevere

I got the call from my Dad that my Aunt Belle and Uncle Lyle had arrived in town for a short visit prior to their heading South of the border for Black Friday.  We had the one night that we could get together for dinner; so, I talked them into coming to our neck of the woods and a trip to Via Tevere.  Naturally, our timing wasn't the best and our group of six had to wait a good 45 minutes before we got seated.  Good thing they liked the pizza - and, just as importantly, the wine.

I knew that Via Tevere participates in the "new-ish" Bring Your Own Wine program that's been introduced in BC.  This is only the second time that Boo and I have taken advantage of the opportunity - and the first occasion was here as well.  After an initial flurry of press, I haven't heard much about BYOW at all and I don't know of many restaurants that are participating - not that we get out all that much.  It's a nice option though and I hope to be able to participate a lot down the road.

1290.  2004 Avignonesi - Vino Nobile di Montepulciano (D.O.C.G. Vino Nobile di Montepulciano - Tuscany - Italy)

I can't say that I know much about Avignonesi; however, I clearly remember that I was advised to keep an eye out for their wines while Boo and I were in Italy a couple of years back.  If memory serves, we were particularly tipped off about one of the winery's Super Tuscans: 50 & 50.  We never found that wine, nor did we even get to try an Avignonesi wine before time constraints forced us to leave Italy and return home.  Although the Vino Nobile is a traditional Tuscan wine (as opposed to a new fangled Super Tuscan),I was glad to run across this bottle in a local bottle shop.

The winery is named after the Avignonese family - founders of the original estate.  It was purchased in 2009, however, by a retired Belgian lawyer.  While the new owner's intent was to build on the winery's reputation, one of her first steps was to look to switch vineyards over to organic viticultural practices.  Being a 2004, our vintage had, obviously, been bottled long before the change in ownership but I can only hope that quality levels stay the same - if not improve - because I quite enjoyed it and I'm hardly a big fan of Chianti - the region's prime wine.

The Vino Nobile di Montepulciano is more localized than Chianti; however, the wine is still primarily based on the Sangiovese grape, although producers generally use a local clone known as Prugnolo Gentile.  That varietal provides the majority of the wine's fruit - but there's an added bonus for me in that small quantities of Canaiolo Nero and Mammolino are used as well.  Neither of those varietals have been added to my Wine Century Club tally.

Got to love that fact that I get to add to new varietals - while dining with the relatives and enjoying a wine to boot.

1291.  2011 ViVi - Falanghina (IGT Campania - Italy)

It was clear from the outset that we were going to need more than one bottle.  I didn't know whether we could bring two of our own bottles; so, we bought the Falanghina off the wine list.  I'd say that we were more of a red crowd - except for Aunt Belle - but there was no worry about leaving any of the white in the bottle.

The ViVi website doesn't actually provide a whole lot of information about the winery but I'm guessing that Vivi is more of a bulk, brand producer than Avignonesi.  That may well be the only way that a Falanghina varietal vine could be marketed in Vancouver though.  Falanghina is hardly going to be a grape that most people could go into a liquor store and rattle off as being the wine they want to pick up.  Marketed as a well-priced white wine might be a whole lot more sensible from a winery standpoint.

Italian whites aren't usually high on my list of faves - and this one didn't reach favourite status either - but it was well made with a nicer acidity to it than I often find with Italian whites.  The fruit was lacking (when compared to the local Okanagan wines) but the bottle was picked primarily for Aunt Belle's palate and she quite liked the wine.  So, the bottle definitely lived up to its task.

We called it quits after our wine and pizza because Boo had put one of the leftover Halloween pumpkins to use and made us a pie that wasn't pizza pie.  Homemade pie a tempting thought - especially when I remembered there was another bottle waiting at home.

1292.  2007 Pacific Rim - Vin de Glacière Riesling (Columbia Valley - Washington State)

Pumpkin pie and a Washington dessert wine seemed like an appropriate way to cap off our early start to American Thanksgiving.  I don't think Belle and Lyle were going to take in Costco for Black Friday, but I'm pretty sure I picked up the Vin de Glacière awhile back during a States-side visit to Costco ourselves.  I gather that the wine is a take on Canadian icewines.  

The big difference between this wine and a true icewine is that these grapes are harvested when they've reached high enough sugar levels and, then, they are frozen.  While the grapes are, indeed, pressed while frozen, the winery doesn't have to take the risks involved with waiting until the grapes have frozen outside in the vineyard before they can be picked and pressed.

The end result is still tasty though.  There was still plenty of honey and ripe tree fruit on the palate but I think it could have used a bit more acidity to balance out the sweet.  The cost was nowhere near as precious as an icewine would cost and that's hardly a bad thing.

All in all, I'd say things went well.  Everyone was still chatting away in our dining room when I called it quits.  Being the only one of the crowd that had to get up first thing in the morning, it was time to hit the sack.  And that had nothing to do with the fact that we'd finished off the evening's wines.  Truly.

BYOW - Via Tevere

Our first foray into the exciting new era of Bring Your Own Wine to the Vancouver restaurant scene.

1213.  2006 La Spinetta - Il Colorino di Casanova (Toscana IGT - Italy)

Looks like I have yet another post to make a big effort to get back to quickly.  I didn't even realize - until after the fact - that Colorino is a grape varietal.  Cheers to another addition to the Wine Century Club tally.

Brunello & Chop

1184. 2003 Altesino - Montosoli Brunello di Montalcino (Brunello di Montalcino DOCG - Tuscany - Italy)

Daveyboi. Mr. D. Dinner

I'm all over invitations to dinner, especially when I'm the invitee and not the cook. Daveyboi called up to say he missed our smiling faces ever so and that we absolutely had to come over to his place so that he could lavish us wildly with gourmet fare. Okay, maybe that's not the exact wording, but there was a dinner invite in there and he did say that it'd had been too long - and that we were as good an excuse as any to start up the BBQ for the season.

Mr. D. got the call as well and was able to join us. It might have been the day after Valentine's and there might not have been any romance in the air, but there was plenty of wine and vodka and I figure that makes us a foursome to be reckoned with.

As is often the case, I didn't know much about the wines that were opened until I looked them up after they had been polished off. Turns out we had a couple of "little brothers" tonight. Both bottles are from wineries with some serious cred or bragging rights.

1064. 2004 Shingleback Cabernet Sauvignon (McLaren Vale - Australia)

I grabbed the Shingleback because I thought it'd be a good lead up to Boo's and my impending trip to Oz. We've got a quick visit planned to the McLaren Vale, south of Adelaide, and I don't really know much about the area except for the name. I have to admit that I was a tad apprehensive about Shingleback's label. A first glance comes awfully close to the whole "critter wine" dilemma - the range of wines that many claim are trying to capitalize on the popularity of [yellow tail] wines. They generally feature cute animals on the label, are widely available, inexpensive and are filled with an easy drinking wine that is approachable to consumers that might not otherwise know their way around the bottle shop. Critter wines are not always taken that seriously by folks that fancy themselves wine connoisseurs.

Good thing I got past any critter scare because this is far from a wine that is simply seeking out international branding. Indeed, the 2005 D Block Cab Sauv, the next level up of Shingleback wines, won the 2006 Jimmy Watson Trophy - perhaps the most coveted Aussie wine award. The Jimmy Watson is awarded to what is deemed the best one-year old red wine in Australia and its list of winners is legion when it comes to iconic Aussie wines.

Tonight's wine may not have been that big winner for Shingleback - different vintage and approach to what makes the wine - but it is the same varietal, from the same vineyards and should be a good indication of the direct the winery likes to take. And, most importantly for us, it matched up wonderfully with Daveyboi's steaks. I have to admit that the man has a way with meat.

A relatively new winery, Shingleback released its first vintage in 1998, it now produces 100,000 cases annually, with a good proportion being sold in export markets. I don't know if their more premium wines make it to Vancouver shores; however, I know their more entry level label, Red Knot, is available in our market and seems to be well received. Red Knot might be more on the level of a critter wine, but I think I'll have to give it a whirl - and we'll have to keep an eye open for the winery when we hit McLaren Vale.

1065. 2009 Tenuta San Guido - Le Difese (IGT Tuscany - Italy)

Mr. D. brought our second bottle and it's a little brother to Sassicaia, one of Italy's most iconic wines. Le Difese is the third (and newest) wine from Tenuta San Guido - the winery that many feel created the whole concept of the Super Tuscan wine when the 1968 vintage of Sassicaia was first sold in the open market.

Although Rochetta family roots go back to the Medieval and Renaissance periods of Italian history, the estate's history as a winery really only started in the late 1940's. Situated in Bolgheri, a coastal region of Tuscany, there was no history of Cab Sauv as a local wine as Tuscan tradition means Sangiovese. When Mario Rochetta looked at the family vineyards, he felt that the lay of the land and the soils bore a great similarity to the vineyards of Bordeaux and he dreamed of creating a quality wine based on the ideals of a great Bordeaux. Bolgheri, and Tenuta San Guido in particular, is now considered to be the cradle of Italian Cabernet.

Through the 50's and 60's, Rochetta's Cab-based wines were considered inferior and estate wines were limited for family consumption. The family began to see that the wines benefitted from ageing and they began bringing in renowned consultants to improve production standards and the quality of the wine. When the wine was finally deemed worthy of sale on the open market, the new Cabernet wine had to be sold as "table wine" as the non-use of Sangiovese meant that the wine didn't fall within the rules and regulations of local winemaking authorities. When the Cab-based wines started outshining many of the traditional Sangiovese wines, both in international acclaim and price, Italian authorities had to come up with a new classification - IGT or wines displaying typical characteristics of a geographic region - for the newly named Super Tuscans.

Le Difese isn't meant to challenge Sassicaia (or its $190 price tag in government stores), but its being a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Sangiovese qualifies it as a prime example of what the whole Super Tuscan movement was - and remains - about. The winery looks at Le Defise as being a softer, smoother alternative to Sassicaia - one that is meant to be enjoyed without any need for ageing. I can't say that I recall ever having had an opportunity to try Sassicaia but I'm certainly glad that Mr. D. (and his contacts at Marquis Wines) introduced us to the younger brother. It didn't have the degree of fruit that the Aussie Cab had but I wouldn't turn a bottle away from our dinner table.

Being a school night, I needed to bow out on the evening but "Cheers" to a great dinner, little brother wines, and my brothers in booze, Daveyboi and Mr. D.

Wine Boyz - A New Year's Eve Edition

Poor Boo. He got scheduled to work New Year's Eve - after having to work Christmas Day as well. And for the second year running, I'd have work a little to find a means to a kiss at midnight. Luckily, Skipper stepped into the breach and suggested that he host a special edition of Wine Boyz - Ringing in the New Year. GQ was going to be in town and they needed an excuse to show off the new dining room light fixture.

Our concept for Wine Boyz is that everyone brings a wine according to a pre-announced theme but they keep the wine literally under wrap (in a paper bag) so that we can have an innocent bystander pour the wines into a carafe and no one knows what wine they're tasting. Some of our regular attendees were going to be out of town but it's been almost a year since our last Wine Boyz tasting, so we decided to go with it anyhow. To top it off, Skipper thought that New Year's Eve called for a lifting of the traditional $25 cap on the bottle price. A "big" night called for even bigger wines.

Seeing as how Skipper and GQ had a Italian treat hanging around from their visit a couple years back, he thought Tuscan Reds would make for a great theme. We ran into a bit of problem in that one of intended guests only drinks white wine. So, the compromise was five Tuscan reds and three BC whites.

N.V. Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin (AOC Champagne - France)

Is there any better way to start off New Year's Eve off than with a bit of bubble? Skipper wisely decided to open the real Champagne while we were still sober enough to truly enjoy it. The Veuve was non-vintage and it had already been added to The List (at #385) when we were celebrating the Canadian Men's Hockey Team's 2010 Olympic win; so. we started the evening off with a wine that doesn't even make The List. But, celebrations like gold medals and new years are few and far between, so I think this pointed us in the right direction for a pretty decent evening of our own.

After blind tasting each of the wines - with and without nibblies - the Wine Boyz (and Grrrlz) all rank the wines from favourite to least. Then we count up the points and low score wins. Although all three of our whites went in different directions, there was very little to choose between them. After one sip, you'd like #2. With another, you'd move on to #3. I think the fact that all three wines scored within 2 points of the others confirms that.

1031. 2010 Ganton & Larson Prospect Winery - Ogopogo's Lair Pinot Grigio (VQA Okanagan Valley)(13 points)

1032. 2010 Road 13 Stemwinder (VQA Okanagan Valley)(14 points)

1033. 2010 Orofino Riesling (Similkameen Valley - BC)(15 points)

Ganton & Larson walked away with the win, but I think it'd be easy to call this a statistical tie - given a margin of error for the number of glasses consumed. If memory serves (which might be a questionable issue), each of the three wines got at least one first place vote.

There's more of a variance in the scores for the red wines. I find myself at a bit of disadvantage when writing this entry. By the end of the evening's fun, it didn't even dawn on me to bring my tasting notes home with me. Skipper, being the fastidious cleaner that he is, had tossed the notes by the next morning. So, I can't elucidate on how I responded to each of the wines - except that I know my favourite of the evening went completely against the grain of all the other Wineboyz.

1034. 2008 Gianni Brunelli Rosso di Montalcino (DOC Rossi di Montalcino - Tuscany - Italy)(13 points)

1035. 2005 Fanti Tenuta San Filippo - Rosso di Montalcino (DOC Rosso di Montalcino - Tuscany - Italy)(14 points)

Another statistical tie if you ask me. One different vote and the order could be completely askew. I'd brought along the Fanti Tenuta so it's in my best interest to push that position - not that I knew anything about the wine or the producer beforehand, but bragging rights for the top pick go a long way with this crew.

I enjoyed the fact that there was a bit of variance in the type of wines that were tasted. All of the reds were Tuscan but there were four different styles and sub-regions represented. It's even more interesting to me that the two Rosso di Montalcino's - or Baby Brunello's - were the general favourites.

1036. 2007 Ruffino Riserva Ducale Riserva (DOC Chianti Classico - Tuscany - Italy)(18 points)

1037. 2008 Tenuta Sette Ponti - Crognolo (IGT - Tuscany - Italy)(21 points)

1038. 2007 Poliziano Mandrone di Lohsa Rosso (IGT Maremma - Tuscany - Italy)(26 points)

I also find it interesting that the two Super Tuscans were the gang's least favourite wines. The Tenuta Sette Ponti and the Poliziano were the two wines that made use of grapes that were not traditionally allowed in Tuscan wines (hence the IGT designation). The Crognolo is Sangiovese/Merlot blend and the Mandrone di Lohsa is predominantly Cab Sauv with additions of Alicante, Petit Verdot and Carignan.

My personal pick of the night was the Poliziano; however, every other person ranked it as their least favourite. I find that somewhat ironic that Skipper announced that it was the most expensive wine of the night (by at least $20). Just goes to show - no, not that I have the most sophisticated palate - that price doesn't mean everything when it comes to pleasing the masses. The good news for me was that I got to drink as much of the bottle as I liked. While the others scrambled for the other wines, I got to sip away on the big gun all to myself.

The fact that I get to add the Alicante varietal to my Wine Century Club list is an added bonus. Perhaps I subconsciously knew that the wine was blended with a new grape and, as a result, my pleasure zone was just tweaked into a higher gear.

NV. Bastianich Flor Prosecco (Veneto - Italy)

When midnight finally rolled around, the cork was popped on another bottle of bubbly. Again, it was a non-vintage bottle that has already been added to The List (#409). So, we ended the evening's wines like we started - with a bottle that doesn't help me get any further to my goal of 2001 different bottles.

That might have been the end of opening new bottles but it certainly wasn't an end to the evening's festivities. And, despite what you might think about the accompanying picture, things didn't get nearly as out of hand as it might appear. The picture was staged, honestly - whether you care to believe it or not - indeed, GQ doesn't even really like white wine that much. So, he'd never guzzle it like that.

Skipper's home has a sizeable deck with a lovely view of False Creek and the downtown Vancouver core - and it became an impromptu dancefloor that beckoned two different sets of neighbours. A bloody freezing dancefloor, no doubt, but a dancefloor all the same. And what's a little chill on New Year's Eve? I will point out that there were some pictures of the skyline without the squiggly lines. I just chose this shot for artistic merit - as we tried to determine how to get a shot without a tripod. It wasn't just the wine. Scout's honour.

All in all, it was a thoroughly enjoyable start to 2012. New Year's Day was perhaps a little more challenging, but I just have to face it that there are going to be a few occasions where I'll have to sacrifice myself a bit to ensure that this little Wine Odyssey reaches a conclusion. Big thanks to Skipper and GQ for playing such a big part in helping out with that quest.

I suppose it's a no-brainer that I should set a resolution to keep more up-to-date with my postings. I'll give that a whirl - but it's a good thing I don't actually make resolutions anymore.

Happy Happy for the upcoming year! Here's to an abundance of great wines in 2012!