Cocktails and BC Wine Brunch

Our first brunch celebration of BC wine – after years of dinner parties – was a celebrated success, and led immediately to plans for another event a few weeks later. The four couples comprising our enlarged Wine Club gathered this time at our Vancouver condo, where we managed to shoehorn an additional table from the balcony in to our dining area, providing full seating for eight. That being said, we didn’t sit down right away, because I had taken the opportunity to gleefully prepare an over-the-top Caesar bar and Mimosa station. Although I and a couple others helped ourselves to Caesars, it was the Mimosas, made with Steller’s Jay Brut, that really got people talking. Sumac Ridge’s ever-reliable sparkling wine made for a perfect match with freshly squeezed CYONI organic orange juice – perhaps the best Mimosa I have ever enjoyed!

Famished and also sufficiently pre-lubricated, we sat down to our first appetizer course, a mouth-watering “Latin Bruschetta” on freshly toasted baguette. The mix of avocado, lemon juice, and fresh herbs was paired with two delicious BC Gewurztraminers. From Summerland’s Saxon Estate Winery we sampled the 2012 vintage, with a floral focus and clean, bright acidity. The 2011 Reserve-tier Naramata estate wine from Joie was a much bolder take on the varietal, with a fuller-bodied, creamy texture, and strong lychee flavours beyond the rose-petal aromas. The “fat, juicy” Joie, while impressive in scale, proved to be undone in this context however, as the drier Saxon was the ideal pairing for the tart bruschetta. Nothing stopped us from finishing both bottles with ease however!

Moving on to the second appetizer course we were presented with a beautifully assembled Buckwheat Heirloom Tomato Salad, boasting kale, mint, kaffir lime leaves, and some fresh micro greens on top. The fully ripened, exquisitely flavourful tomatoes were exciting enough on their own, but we also received two more bottles of wine to enjoy as well. Lightly-aged Pinot Gris from Platinum Bench (2011) and Averill Creek (2010) helped to remind us that white wine can preserve and mature nicely if given the chance. The Platinum Bench wine came from the young winery’s first white vintage, right after the property was acquired by new owners. Only 165 cases were produced and it is long-since sold out, but the peach flavours and minerality impressed, and the dry finish served nicely to bring out the lime flavours in the salad. From Vancouver Island’s Cowichan Valley, the older Averill Creek wine is actually still for sale at the winery (alongside a 2013 Pinot Grigio). A citrus focus on the nose and palate, plus a somewhat buttery texture made for another tasty pairing.

Something a little heavier was due next as my wife and I got to plate the duo of savoury bread puddings we’d been looking forward to serving with a couple of crisp sparkling wines. Some mixed greens helped to spruce up the plates of Sourdough Tomato Basil, and Whole Wheat Mushroom Leek bread puddings. Inspired by the bright tomatoes, earthy mushrooms, and chewy bread, we’d settled on a couple of sparkling rosés to keep our palates energized. First crack came from my last bottle of 2012 Bella Gamay, showing fresh berry flavours on a very dry, high mousse palate that conjured descriptions of raspberry biscuits. I’m glad the 2013 vintage is on its way to stores so I can replenish my stocks! The second superb sparkler was Blue Mountain’s 2009 Brut Rosé, composed of 84% Pinot Noir, and 16% Chardonnay, disgorged just last spring. A fine, mouth-filling mousse revealed flavours of pink grapefruit and sweet strawberry alongside more noticeable yeastiness than the Bella. The crisp acidity and fresh fruit helped wash down a few second helpings of bread pudding.

While sipping some superfluous sparkling, we watched the dessert team spring into action for our final course. They proceeded to whip the dickens out of some cream, generously decorating our kitchen in the process, to provide a rich topping for their Chocolate Mousse. A few fresh blackberries helped to integrate the luxurious treat with a couple of similarly-flavoured red wines. The 2012 Three Bear Ranch “B3” Merlot is one of Mission Hill’s many virtual brands, and light leather, tart berry, and hints of smoke and pepper made for an easy-drinking sipper. The best pairing came in the form of Sandhill’s 2011 (Similkameen Valley) Cabernet Merlot, which paralleled the mousse nicely with milk chocolate and, ideally, blackberry flavours. It’s not always easy to coordinate dessert with table wine, but the dark cocoa made for a mousse serious enough work with the well matched red.

It was altogether a delicious meal with many vibrant, complimentary BC wines; however we soon came to regret the lighter fare most of us had assembled. Our mutually tender states the following day called for more protein the next time around, and perhaps less enthusiastic embrace of the reception cocktails. Fortunately we still went away with fond memories of great food, wine, and laughter!

The Inaugural BC Wine Brunch

Regular readers will know that I’ve spent the last few years nurturing a monthly BC wine dinner club in partnership with my wife and several close friends. Although some members have come and gone over time as lives have grown and changed, we’ve maintained the focus on home-grown wine and homemade food. To better accommodate the myriad work schedules of the eight people now involved we decided last month to try a weekend brunch instead of the traditional dinner. It would provide for new food pairing opportunities and take advantage of the sunny days we’re starting to enjoy as spring takes hold in Vancouver. (I think most of us were thinking it might provide time to try out more wines too!)

Arriving at our hosts’ beautiful home, awash in the aforementioned spring sunshine, we greeted each other gleefully after a couple of months since our last great get-together. I wasted no time in sharing a bottle of brand new 2013 Fort Berens Riesling, having just welcomed it on to the shelves of Swirl Wine Store last week. Estate grapes from Lillooet have yielded another superb vintage bursting with zingy fruit salad and a fresh, honeyed palate – altogether reminiscent of an Ehrenfelser in fact. Off-dry, with 13 g/L of sugar, the wine is nonetheless well balanced by mouth-watering acidity. My wife and I liked last year’s version so much we ordered a case for summer enjoyment, and the superb value price of only $18 will ensure many more bottles make it through the door this year.

Our previous club configuration provided for three courses (appetizer, entree, dessert) by three couples, but with four couples now involved we made the simple decision to allow for a second pre-entree course. The first of these highly anticipated dishes was particularly ideal for the circumstances: homemade vanilla coconut granola had been lovingly layered with creamy, yogurt and similarly homemade raspberry-blackberry sauce. To pair with this fresh and light starter the chefs had pulled a unique bottle of Elephant Island Cherry wine from the cellar. The Reserve 2008 vintage from Naramata turned out to be an excellent companion, particularly to the toasty granola, having taken on some earthy, savoury hints over time. Tart cherry flavours and a long finish ensured the wine held its own against the unsweetened yogurt and berries, and provided for some great exposure to the excellent fruit wines of BC!

As everyone finished their cherry wine and the remaining Riesling my wife and I got to work on our contribution, frying up a few dozen perogies we had painstakingly assembled from scratch the night before. There is no doubt that handmade perogies are time-consuming – given the many steps involved – but they seemed like the perfect starter course, and I had some stellar wines with which to pair them. Along with the buttery Carrot & Brie and Potato & Smoked Cheddar dumplings we enjoyed another new release in the form of 50th Parallel’s 2012 Pinot Noir. This young winery north of Kelowna was joined last year by former Quails’ Gate winemaker Grant Stanley, who has been helping founders Curtis & Sheri-Lee Krouzel develop 50th Parallel for the past several years.

I couldn’t resist developing a theme by unearthing a bottle of Quails’ Gate 2008 Stewart Family Reserve Pinot Noir from my cellar for a little Stanley comparison. Although technically the 2012 vintage at 50th Parallel was initiated by inaugural winemaker Adrian Baker, it was bottled by Grant and only just released this month. We found the younger wine to be fresh and bright, with a nose of delicate smoke and cranberries, followed by a smooth and light berry-focused palate. It proved to be best with the Potato & Smoked Cheddar perogies, while the more subtle Carrot & Brie versions were on good terms with the older Quails’ Gate. The Stewart Reserve Pinot has aged well, retaining a nose of spice and cherries and a rich but soft palate with hints of red currant and clove.

Although a few more perogies were sorely tempting, we knew we had only just reached the halfway mark, and so stood back as our hosts leapt into action assembling a clearly complex entree course. Fortunately there was plenty of wine to sip on as we observed the chefs, including a bottle of Orofino 2012 Home Vineyard Old Vines Riesling, courtesy of our first-course contributors. The wine is the richest of Orofino’s three vineyard-specific Rieslings, coming from nearly 25-year-old vines on a small parcel under an acre in size. Winemaker John Weber uses the wine as a bit of an experimental undertaking, opening up the entire bag of tricks, including barrel fermentation (including Acacia wood), wild yeast, and lees stirring to enhance the texture. Twenty grams of residual sugar remain, and contribute to the round, full body and key lime pie flavours. We smelled and tasted a basket of citrus fruit – lemon, lime, grapefruit – and green apples to boot; it provided for a superb palate cleanser and discussion topic.

After our hosts had finished in the kitchen we were treated to a spectacular vegetarian breakfast plate of Sweet Potato Hash with Kale & Brussels Sprouts, Grilled Chickpea “Tofu” Patty, and Vegan Waffles – all homemade from scratch! It was all irresistibly scrumptious, garnished with plenty of real Maple Syrup, and the savoury Chickpea “Tofu” – made entirely from chickpea flour – garnered well-deserved praise. Versatile pairings came in the form of Arrowleaf 2012 Pinot Gris and Sumac Ridge 2011 Cabernet Merlot, both yielding some pleasant surprises. The Pinot Gris, from Lake Country vineyards north of Kelowna, was drier than expected, providing for zesty lemon and green apple flavours and food friendly acidity. The earthier Cabernet Merlot turned out to be ideal with the whole wheat waffles – definitely not something one would expect to find on the winery’s tasting notes! From the blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot we were particularly struck by the spicy cedar character contributed by the Cabernet Franc, with some hints of unobjectionable green pepper to finish.

Our dessert course turned out to include a bevy of beverages, from homemade 16-year-old Whiskey (source withheld, for obvious reasons), to some crisply floral and nutty homemade beer courtesy of our hosts. A couple of local dessert wines were included as well, all to pair with luxurious Chocolate Gingerbread Cake, with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce. As we paid tribute to the cake and continued socializing well into the afternoon we enjoyed Road 13’s 2011 Late Harvest Chenin Blanc, a very rare sighting considering only 223 cases were produced. Soft floral aromas and flavours of honeyed linen and apple basket garnered many contented smiles before the little bottle was empty. For additional enjoyment we also delved into Tinhorn Creek’s 2011 Kerner Icewine, superbly representing that traditional profile of honey, apricot, guava, and mouth-watering acidity. With so many delicious memories fresh in our palates it didn’t take long before we had scheduled the next brunch – this could become an exciting new tradition!

BC Sparkles at VanWineFest

There was no mistaking that France was the theme region at this year’s Vancouver International Wine Festival: dozens of spectacular Champagnes on offer provided for ideal synchronicity with the varietal focus on sparkling wine. I certainly enjoyed tasting through the wares of France, including delicious Champagne and Cremant, plus some spectacular gems from the Rhone in particular. My pass for all three days of the public Tasting Room allowed exploration of every international wine region represented, with special attention paid to the many wonderful wines from right here at home. With the focus on bubbly, at least nine of the twenty-seven BC wineries present in the Tasting Room had something to contribute in that respect – I tasted seventeen different sparkling wines in the BC section alone!

The fun started with one of BC’s most venerable sparkling wine producers: Blue Mountain Winery of Okanagan Falls makes four different bubbles as of their recent introduction of two new vintage wines to an already-impressive range. Sales & Marketing Manager Christie Mavety was excited to be pouring her family’s “Gold Label” (Non-Vintage) Brut to start. This bottle is a feature on wine lists across the province, and the bright flavours, yeasty mousse, and long finish make it food friendly in almost any context. The 2009 Rosé Brut particularly impressed, with a wonderfully fresh and clean strawberry palate. Lastly, for the afternoon Trade Tastings Christie shared the 2006 Blanc de Blancs, a softer, more mellow and thought-provoking wine showing layers of apple flavours and even further food-pairing opportunities. The complex 2005 Reserve Brut is already sold out, and hence unavailable at the Festival, but would complete the quartet – fortunately I have one precious bottle at home to enjoy in the future!

Moving down the alphabetically-sorted row of wineries I soon came upon the table of Gray Monk, another family-owned winery which has included sparkling wines in their broad portfolio for some time. Dawn Heiss was behind the table introducing guests to the new vintage of the winery’s Rosé Brut, a blend of Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier with additional Gamay Noir, produced in the traditional method. The 2010 Rosé comes across on the sweeter side, but still food-friendly with a creamy palate and a superb value price of only $20. Partner to the Rosé is the White Brut, a blend of Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay Musque, and Riesling, still produced in the traditional method using secondary bottle fermentation. Expecting a sweeter wine I was quite surprised at the dry, crisp character in the glass, with clear contributions from the Riesling in particular. Higher acidity and lower sugar than the Rosé make for a very versatile wine – and it’s often found in magnums!

Just around the corner Summerland’s Okanagan Crush Pad was represented by their house winery, Haywire, pouring samples of the slick, crown-capped, traditional-method bubbly “The Bub”. The brand new 2012 vintage was being flaunted by one of OCP’s consulting winemakers, Matt Dumayne, with whom I was quite pleased to catch up (since last fall’s BCWAS Perseus Tasting) and compliment the excellent wine he was pouring. In retrospect, this Pinot Noir & Chardonnay blend was the most fruit forward BC sparkler I tasted at the festival, and I look forward to enjoying more than a few bottles over the course of the next year! (A Rosé version made using red-wine dosage should be equally good, albeit harder to acquire, with only 100 cases produced.)

At the other end of the size spectrum was Jackson-Triggs, back at the Festival after a year off in 2013. Amongst other wines, the “Entourage” Sparkling Chardonnay was available for tasting, remaining consistent with my last experience tasting the 2008 vintage a couple of years ago. Although crisper than I expected given my bakery-fresh recollection, the newer 2009 vintage has retained the bready aromas and baked fruit flavours I enjoyed the last time.

The Naramata Bench was represented in the sparkling department by Lake Breeze, pouring their vibrantly-named “Zephyr” Blanc de Noir, a traditional method bubbly from the winery’s very good Pinot Noir grapes. A nose of sweet strawberries and a tart, lively palate made for an easy-drinking, enjoyable wine. Most guests would be forgiven for their surprise that Lake Breeze even makes a sparkling wine, given the small quantities produced, and the fact that it appears to be sold out at the winery! My compliments to Lake Breeze for dipping into their library in order to bring the wine to the Festival, and to make it available for sale in the on-site store.

From the other side of Okanagan Lake, back in Summerland, Sumac Ridge’s “Steller’s Jay” sparkling house was naturally present, with all three wines currently produced on offer. As corporate owner Constellation Brands did with Sumac’s Black Sage Vineyard line of wines, Steller’s Jay is now a seemingly independent brand, although lacking a web presence thus far. The reliable, thoroughly-awarded Brut maintained the traditional method wine’s solid reputation, with a clean, refreshing palate on the most recent 2008 vintage. Non-vintage Sparkling Gewurztraminer was an entertaining treat, showing soft fruit and a sweet finish – I’ve heard it suggested as a great sushi pairing. Finally, the 2005 “Pinnacle”, a Blanc de Noirs aged en tirage for four years came across as more of a complex, solo sipper. It struck me as lower in acid than the Brut, but drier as well to maintain a good balance, with generous brioche and apple flavours.

Steller’s Jay was joined in the big bubbly players category (alongside Blue Mountain and Gray Monk) by Summerhill, pouring no less than four different sparkling wines – and only sparkling – at the Festival. Although the Kelowna winery produces a full range of white and red table wines, they took the varietal focus quite seriously indeed and brought along non-vintage Cipes Brut (white and Rosé versions), an early-release 2008 vintage Blanc de Noirs, and the epic 1998 Cipes Ariel. The standard Cipes Brut is a blend of Riesling and Chardonnay, somewhat sweeter than Gray Monk’s similar wine, but just as refreshing. The Cipes Rosé, from 100% Pinot Noir, was recently named amongst the Top 10 wines at the 2013 Effervescents du Monde competition; I certainly enjoyed the juicy berry fruit flavours. The Blanc de Noirs is not yet formally released, and came bearing a temporary but straightforward label, plus a complex and mature flavour profile I look forward to enjoying again upon release. Lastly, I was very excited to try my first sip of Cipes Ariel, which at $85 after 15+ years of age is not too common, nor opened too often: a beautiful amber-gold straw colour revealed an intriguing nose and palate that seemed almost savoury in nature, but ultimately inspired me to liken it loosely to “sparkling Madeira”!

To cover every BC sparkling wine available I made sure to stop by two more tables. At the first, in between Steller’s Jay and Summerhill, Stoneboat Vineyards was pouring the second release of their “Piano” Brut, a unique Charmat-method wine produced from Pinot Blanc and Muller Thurgau grapes. I’ve tried the wine a few times since the first release at last year’s Wine Festival, and this bottling seemed drier from what I could recall. General Manager Tim Martiniuk assured me that it contains the same proportion of residual sugar, but this batch was aged a bit longer than the first, and hence the immediate fruit flavours are slightly tempered.

At the very end of the BC section was young Vancouver Island winery Unsworth Vineyards, established in the Cowichan Valley in 2009 by Tim and Colleen Turyk. It’s rare that such small (but growing) wineries as Unsworth formally attend the Festival, given the nearly prohibitive costs. As a result, I was excited to see them, particularly given the presence of their 2010 “Cuvée De L’Ile” traditional-method Blanc de Noirs. Only 355 cases have been produced of this Pinot Noir-based wine, aged on the lees for two years, and now ready to enjoy. I enjoyed the vibrant nose and yeasty palate, which seemed to lean towards an old-world French style (contrary to some of the lighter, more fruit-forward wines from elsewhere in BC). With so much great French Champagne in the room just steps away I’m sure Unsworth found themselves in great company!

Having enjoyed a delightful range of sparkling styles and flavours I couldn’t help but consider the wines and wineries missing from the Festival. Only a handful of local wineries attend consistently every year, as doing so represents a significant investment, so several notable BC sparkling wines were missing in action. Most immediately apparent was the lack of Road 13’s celebrated Sparkling Chenin; the Golden Mile winery had just attended last year and so quite fairly opted out this year. Blasted Church was also unable to attend, but their new traditional method “OMG” sparkler would have no doubt impressed the crowds. I also sorely missed some of my favourite frizzante-style wines, including Orofino’s Moscato, and the popular “Integrity” and “Confidence” from Summerland’s 8th Generation Vineyard. Ironically, while Kelowna’s Tantalus was in attendance, they simply didn’t have enough of their sold out Old Vines Riesling Brut to commit to the Festival. Fortunately, the Regional Tasting Station operated by the BC Wine Institute was pouring the Riesling Brut, along with other rarities from wineries unable to attend, including Backyard Vineyards’ Blanc de Noir, the finely-crafted Sparkling Chardonnay from Bella Wines in Naramata, Noble Ridge’s “The One”, and Sperling Vineyards’ vintage Brut from Kelowna.

I stopped by the BC Regional Station several times to enjoy the ‘bonus’ wines as they were rotated through. With two dozen BC sparkling wines available to sample throughout the Tasting Room and nearly one hundred more from across the world I was kept busy enlightening my palate. My thanks to the Festival management and to the very competent team at Heth PR for facilitating my media credentials and access to the Tasting Room. I’m already eagerly awaiting the 2015 Festival, which celebrates the wines of Australia and a focus on what should be some superb local and international Syrah!

BCWAS Bus Tour 2013: Summerland

Our Saturday night dinner at Local Lounge with Tom & Tari Di Bello and Robert Van Westen concluded with BC Wine Appreciation Society members locking in their wine orders and bidding adieu to our talented guests. Many guests turned in for the evening after dinner, grateful for Sunday’s later 9am muster call. Our first appointment that day was just minutes away at Sumac Ridge Winery. Winery Experience Manager Kristina was on hand to welcome us to one of BC’s oldest estate wineries, where we enjoyed our morning bubbly outside under the clearing skies.

For those who hadn’t already enjoyed sparkling wine with breakfast there was the quintessential 2008 Steller’s Jay, the non-vintage “Tribute” Blanc de Blancs, and the 2005 “Pinnacle” Reserve Sparkling, the most complex and elegant of the three. While we moved on to the Black Sage Vineyard 2010 Merlot, Kristina suggested we keep our eyes peeled for an upcoming sparkling Shiraz, and even a varietal Zinfandel. With the Sumac Ridge tasting room just around the corner many members took the opportunity to stock up on sparkling, and we even captured a group photo back outside, with newly refreshed glasses of Pinnacle in hand.

Magnums of Steller’s Jay and other treats safely ensconced in the bus we headed back through Summerland to 8th Generation Vineyards, on the south side of town. Winery Proprietors Bernd & Stefanie Schales were awaiting us in their beautifully decorated picnic area, with a slew of wines and mouth-watering baked goods from True Grain Bread. Each wine was paired with one of the many breads, pastries, and cookies from this highly successful, local organic bakery.

We enjoyed wines such as the 2012 Classic Riesling with ancient grain Emmer bread, the 2012 Integrity Frizzante with a classic French croissant, and 2011 Pinot Noir with gingerbread cookies. The chance to try the powerful 2011 Riesling “Selection” saw almost the entire remaining stock at the winery sold out during our visit! The enthusiastic crowd also descended upon the remaining Cheddar Twists, French Baguettes, Sourdough, and Chocolate Croissants brought along from True Grain, with a great many compliments to the baking team.

Having just filled up on breads we headed off to our lunch visit post-haste, where nearby Okanagan Crush Pad was hosting BCWAS favourite Joy Road Catering, and a festival style wine and food visit. OCP’s house brands Haywire and Bartier-Scholefield were being poured in earnest along with many gems from clients Perseus, Sage Hills, Bartier Brothers, and Harper’s Trail. After an introduction by Owner Christine Coletta, Chief Winemaker Michael Bartier brought us into the Switchback vineyard to describe his grape-growing and winemaking philosophies, while Joy Road’s servers circulated with trays of canapés.

Upon returning to the winery we found ourselves practically swimming in exquisite food and wine choices, including Heirloom Tomato Galette, Merguez Sausage & Homemade Pita, Grilled Striploin & Caponata, Wild Salmon Sliders, and Melon Carpaccio with Prosciutto. With dozens of wines on hand there was an ideal pairing for everything, which many members gladly explored!

To conclude our winery tours we spent the remainder of the afternoon after departing OCP enjoying the lively atmosphere and great company at Sonoran Winery. Proprietors Adrian and Sarah Smits provided for a seated tasting of their extensive portfolio, which focuses strongly on aromatic whites, including Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Oraniensteiner, and Ehrenfelser. That being said, sampling 2007 Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Malbec was also quite a treat, while several platters of baked brie with Cabernet-caramelized onions were passed around. The fun was amplified by the live music and bouts of karaoke that emerged, led with gusto by Sarah and our very own bus driver, plus courageous BCWAS members!

Our unexpected party at Sonoran led to a delay in returning to the Resort for dinner, but Local Lounge graciously accommodated our revised schedule. We certainly didn’t want anything getting in the way of our dinner with Harry McWatters! Harry had brought wines from his McWatters Collection and TIME Estate Winery portfolios, to pair with a four-course family style dinner led masterfully yet again by Chef Lee.

With the new TIME 2011 Chardonnay guests enjoyed Fraser Valley Rabbit Terrine while Harry discussed the great advances in BC wine culture over the years. Seared Scallops followed, with TIME’s smooth, tropical 2012 White Meritage. The entrée course included heaping trays of Roasted Ling Cod, as well as Grilled Beef Tenderloin, served with McWatters Collection 2011 Chardonnay and TIME 2011 Red Meritage.

An inventive and delicious dessert course included the McWatters Collection 2009 Red Meritage both in our glasses and in the chocolate cake served with poached blackberries and caramel espresso ice cream. Over and above the fantastic food and wine, listening to Harry’s decades of insights on the BC wine trade was a treat; his passion and integrity have helped build an entire industry, and he has no plans of slowing down!

Concluding our bus tour at the same superb venue in which it began seemed particularly apt; enjoying local food and wine is what the tour is all about. Celebrating BC’s best with a great group of passionate people left me energized and excited to do it all again next year!

Wine Bloggers Conference 2013 – Part I

After a great deal of lobbying by some very hardworking people in the local wine and hospitality industry, the North American Wine Bloggers Conference came to Canada this year for the first time, setting up shop in Penticton to be precise. For people in the know, this was a very big deal, and a valuable opportunity to provide our relatively small local industry with international exposure. I originally wasn’t going to attend the Conference myself, given that I was unlikely to discover any BC wines with which I wasn’t already familiar. I expected the focus of the conference would be to show off BC wine and wine tourism to those with next to no experience, and I was fine with that approach. However, after seeing how many other local bloggers and industry friends were to be attending I changed my mind. Upon reading the list of events and realizing I would be following all of the enthusiastic tweets from home it became clear I would probably sprain an ankle kicking myself if I didn’t attend.

With a room booked at the Penticton Lakeside Resort and an empty trunk begging for wine in our rental SUV, my wife and I set off for wine country last Thursday morning. My goal was to head north via the Coquihalla Highway, and enjoy lunch at Mission Hill’s Terrace Restaurant, which I had visited for the first time last fall, and was quite eager to share. Upon arrival in West Kelowna the excellent food and the stellar views did not disappoint, and we even bumped into a former staff member from Village Wines Kitsilano; now a Sommelier in the Mission Hill wine shop, she generously walked us through a short but exciting Oculus vertical.

Headed south towards Penticton I knew we had to make a couple of stops along the way. I’d recently been quite surprised to see Summerland’s Silkscarf Winery take home the award for Best Cabernet Sauvignon at the Okanagan Spring Wine Festival, and couldn’t pass up the opportunity to try it out in person. It being early afternoon on a Thursday we had the tasting room to ourselves for most of our visit, and Proprietor/Winemaker Roie Manoff was more than happy to show off his many wines. While virtually everything was excellent, we were particularly impressed by the reds, having previously perceived Silkscarf as a more white-wine-focused operation. Estate plantings of Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, and Syrah in Summerland must be few and far between, but the Manoff family is producing highly drinkable reds with ripe tannins and intense fruit focus. We left with plenty of wine and new appreciation for a previously lesser known winery – WBC was paying off already!

With the afternoon heating up rapidly and a desire to reach home base in Penticton growing, we elected on only one more stop, although it was already a given we would visit 8th Generation. We’ve both been big fans of 8th Generation’s Frizzante(s) since the very first Chardonnay Frizzante from 2009. Tasting both the 2012 Integrity (White) and Confidence (Rosé) Frizzante we knew it was a particularly good vintage, and a split-case quickly found its way into the car. The Frizzante was joined by several bottles of the 2012 Pinot Meunier Rosé, an annual favourite in our household that has continued to impress this year with mouth-watering fresh fruit flavours.

With more than two cases of wine already rattling around in the car we finally checked into the hotel and picked up our conference badges, settling into our lovely sixth floor, lake view room – very nice! While catching up with a great many friends at the tradeshow we also enjoyed samples of unique Uruguayan wines. The fact that Wines of Uruguay had gone to the trouble of attending – given what must have been mounds of paperwork – was impressive enough, yet the wines being poured were also noteworthy. I learned quite a bit about Uruguay itself, as well as the extremely prosperous and sustainable economy of this little South American dynamo! Just as our stomachs started to rumble everyone was herded onto buses for the trip to our first major event, the opening reception at See Ya Later Ranch in the hills above Okanagan Falls.

The crew from Constellation Brands, corporate owners of See Ya Later and several other local wineries, had obviously pulled out all the stops from their deep pockets to welcome the Conference attendees. Upon arrival after the precarious journey up winding mountain roads guests were invited to soothe their senses with crisp Sumac Ridge Steller’s Jay Brut (and freshly shucked oysters for good measure). Constellation made the very wise decision to hire Joy Road Catering to provide the food, distributed amongst several stations spread throughout the picturesque property. The extremely skilled veterans at Joy Road had prepared a bevy of spectacular food pairings for wines from Jackson-Triggs, Inniskillin, Nk’Mip Cellars, Osoyoos Larose, See Ya Later, and Sumac Ridge. Not only was the food incredibly creative and delicious, but each station included live entertainment, from the quaint accordion player at Osoyoos Larose, to the talented Aboriginal drummer and dancer at Nk’Mip’s table amongst the vines.

The party went long into the night, as guests devoured the seemingly never-ending food and enjoyed what, for many, was their first deep immersion into BC wine. The local classic car club had swung by to show off their lovingly restored vehicles, and even Tinhorn Creek President Sandra Oldfield had joined the fun with her beautiful 1957 Dodge De Soto. Upon discovering the De Soto’s trunk was large enough to hold an orchestra a few of us locals giddily staged a series of photo-shoots inside, to Sandra’s delight. Finally, full of wine, including Inniskillin icewine and sumptuous desserts from the final station, everyone slowly boarded buses in the dark for the ride back to Penticton. Constellation made sure no one left without a gift bag however, which surprisingly included a whole bottle of Sumac Ridge’s Black Sage Vineyard Pipe! I hope our international guests found room in their bags to bring home this tasty fortified wine, but I would guess more than a few bottles were enjoyed significantly sooner, for practical reasons if anything.

The next morning we slowly emerged from the bed, encouraged by the breakfast opportunities at the Resort’s waterfront restaurant, The Hooded Merganser. For guests who officially decline all housekeeping services, the hotel offers food vouchers that go a long way towards covering breakfast or lunch – an excellent value proposition that I would love to see more often! We enjoyed a tasty breakfast with a gorgeous view of the lake before going our separate ways for the day: my wife had work on which to catch up, and I was about to play hooky from the Conference for the morning! Although I’m sure author and keynote speaker James Conaway kept the crowd entertained, I was busy taking advantage of my presence in the midst of countless superb wineries I don’t visit nearly often enough.

My first stop that morning was actually the Penticton Wine Information Centre, a large VQA wine store which I surmised would carry some of the rarities not often seen in Vancouver. My suspicions were proven correct when I spotted exciting sparkling wines like Haywire’s “The Bub” and Covert Farms’ “Odie” plus a couple bottles of Desert Hill’s port-style wine “The Ambassador”. Unlike many VQA stores, which are often pressed for space, the Wine Info Centre has a wall of coolers from which to sell nicely chilled whites as well; quite an impressive setup overall. There are always a number of wines that don’t show up in VQA stores for various reasons, and so my next stops at Poplar Grove and La Frenz helped to tick quite a few bottles off my to-buy list as well, including several bottles of the latter’s divine Tawny, and Liqueur Muscat. Although many more wineries up the Naramata Bench beckoned, it was nearly noon and I retreated to the hotel for a tasty lunch sponsored by Wine Country Ontario.

Tempting as the local wineries were, I took the time to attend the afternoon sessions, including “Creating Compelling Content” with local writer Jeannette Montgomery, plus American contributors Michael Wangbickler and Marcy Gordon. It was an entertaining, informative, and inspiring discussion about blogging and writing in general. Following the afternoon content sessions there was an hour of “Live Wine Blogging” featuring local white wines, of which I regretfully missed out on a good portion. Eager to strike out without delay on the evening mystery excursions I was busy freshening up until halfway through the Live Blogging. Admittedly, I thought the format would involve the bloggers rotating amongst stations, but to my surprise the bloggers stayed put and the winemakers and wines rotated between two dozen tables every five minutes, speed-dating style. As a result I wasn’t able to catch up on the wines I missed when I finally arrived, but I still got the chance to enjoy several crisp summer whites, and watch some very hardworking wine-slingers in action!

At the conclusion of the Live Blogging, the Excursion melee began in earnest, as five buses headed to mystery destinations awaited riders.  Although I had already surmised precisely where each bus was travelling based on the provided itinerary hints and my local knowledge, many conference-goers hadn’t a clue, and once each bus filled up it departed post-haste! Fortunately my wife had finished work for the day and joined me on the bus headed to explore “Wine & Geology”, where we were about to relish a fun-filled evening and spectacular dinner in a wonderfully unique location. To be continued…

April Wine Club: New Releases and Old Favourites

Our group of wining and dining aficionados has been working on re-starting our monthly wine-pairing dinner series ever since the departure from Vancouver of one of the three founding couples. In March we enjoyed a fantastic meal with some other friends who just moved back to Vancouver, and for April a different couple joined us for yet another monthly celebration of BC wine and food. With so many new wines being released these days from the excellent 2012 vintage it was quite a challenge to settle on just a few bottles. I certainly wish we had the time for more than one shared dinner per month, but coordinating six people is surprisingly challenging – leaving barely enough time to decide on what wines to serve and tasty food to prepare!

Our new guests had elected to contribute the appetizer course, and since my wife and I had offered up hosting duties that put the second veteran couple on dessert. Since one can never be sure if the appetizer course will require on-site preparation it’s best to prepare a reception wine; and really it’s just an excuse to have another bottle of wine. Having tasted and picked up a bottle of Stoneboat Vineyards’ brand new sparkling wine at the Vancouver Wine Festival it seemed like just the time to crack it open. Since our entree course had required so many types of cheese I had plenty of leftover pieces that made for a great cheese tray to open the evening. A couple supplemental cheeses from Benton Brothers rounded things out with an amazingly creamy Délice de Bourgogne and a tart round of St. George goat cheese from Farm House.

The Martiniuk family at Stoneboat revealed their first sparkling wine earlier this spring, a blend of Pinot Blanc and Müller-Thurgau produced via the very rare Charmat method. Although relatively common elsewhere, Charmat-method sparkling wine hasn’t been seen in British Columbia for a generation, as John Schreiner detailed in early March. In short, tank fermenting and bottling the wine under continuous pressure via Charmat retains the finessed carbonation found in (bottle-fermented) traditional method sparkling, and gains the advantage of simplicity by avoiding riddling, disgorging, etc. Bottled in a classy, silk-screened bottle, the Piano Brut found quick converts amongst us, being described as clean and fruit-forward with fine bubbles. It was drier than expected given the fresh, fruity aromas, and received compliments for being “uncomplicated” – ideal for refreshing spring and summer sipping.

Our guests arrived with covered trays for the oven and a couple of bottles of a very exciting new release I had recently sampled: Clos du Soleil’s 2012 Rosé has been impressing me for at least a couple of years and the newest vintage is the best yet in my opinion. We prepared the oven to warm up some exciting stuffed acorn squash and opened the wine to admire the beautiful colour. The acorn squash had been stuffed with a mouth-watering mix of black quinoa, onions and mushrooms, chorizo (for those who desired it), and plenty of parmesan cheese. The wine paired very well given its underlying earthy flavours, brightened by plenty of strawberry, rhubarb, and hints of bubble-gum. When chilled it presented as low acid but a more appealing tartness developed as it warmed up a bit. Bringing two bottles was an excellent idea, as we had no trouble polishing them off before our entree course was served.

When you are cooking for six and don’t want to spend the whole time in the kitchen, lasagne is a chef’s best friend. In this case this versatile pasta dish made perfect sense, to ensure we would be able to enjoy the appetizer course in peace while our casserole baked in the oven. We’d elected on a creamy vegetable lasagne, with Bechamel sauce and lots of spring vegetables. Some modifications from the source recipe saw us adding roasted asparagus and plenty of sautéed brown mushrooms in addition to the sweet onion, leeks, zucchini, and peas. On top was a heavenly mix of Mozzarella, Fontina, Asiago, and Pecorino Romano cheeses; and on the side a beautiful fresh salad of frisee and Boston lettuces, watercress, and celery.

To enjoy alongside our admittedly fantastic lasagne I selected two very different bottles of 2009 Chardonnay. The JoieFarm Reserve came from Naramata Bench and Okanagan Falls fruit, fully malolactically fermented in oak, and then oak-aged for nine months with lees stirring. The Painted Rock on the other hand, from Skaha Lake Bench fruit, was only partially oak fermented, with no malolactic component, and then oak aged (sur lie) for four months. Ironically the Joie fruit book-ended Painted Rock in between Naramata and Okanagan Falls, but the two wines represent significantly different approaches to Chardonnay production.

We split up the bottles across the table, and I ended up tasting the Painted Rock first: it came across a bit toasty, with oak aromas present, but well integrated on the palate, and no woodiness apparent. There was plenty of fruit, with citrus and lots of apple flavours, plus lively acidity. The fresh flavours paired well with the lasagne, bringing out the fresh lemon zest I had mixed into the ricotta cheese.

The Joie Chardonnay was quite an about-face, as it featured a more subtle nose with an apple focus, while the oak influence became more apparent on the palate – the opposite of the Painted Rock. The creamy texture of the Joie was a major difference of course, due to the malolactic fermentation and lees stirring. Such a full texture was appreciated on its own; however, the cleaner, crisper finish from Painted Rock paired best with our particular meal. The 2009 vintage was only the second Chardonnay from Painted Rock, but it’s apparent that the winery has long been cultivating a very food-friendly style; more recent vintages have been equally advantageous and delicious!

We all managed to restrain ourselves from enjoying a second piece of lasagne in anticipation of the exciting dessert sure to come. All we knew in advance was that it had required the purchase of a number of specialized ingredients, and had necessitated the use of “every single item in the entire kitchen,” in the words of the chefs. Once we were presented with the reveal of Flourless Salted Chocolate Lavender Cake we were supremely impressed, and couldn’t wait to taste such an ambitious creation! To pair with the delectable dessert was a bottle of the first release of Burrowing Owl Coruja, a solera-style fortified Syrah, purchased at the winery last spring (right before it sold out). If that wasn’t enough, a bottle of 2006 Pipe from Sumac Ridge was also on hand!

The “cake” was more of a giant chocolate soufflé – something none of us had any problems with – and the addition of edible lavender sprinkled on top provided for a wonderfully floral hit following the super-smooth, salty chocolate explosion. It was definitely the sort of dish that we’ll be talking about for a long time to come, and garnered many compliments for the talented chefs! Even better, dessert was made all the more enjoyable by the beautifully-bottled Coruja, which showed off rich dark cherry and milk chocolate flavours, and delightfully enhanced the salt in the cake.

The Pipe made for an excellent follow-up once we finished the Coruja, as it is consistently a natural match for chocolate, with cocoa characteristics on the nose and palate. Compared to the somewhat yeasty nose on the Coruja, the Pipe – an equal parts blend of fortified Merlot and Cabernets Franc and Sauvignon – was much more chocolaty, and finished with a rich, creamy texture in concert with second helpings of cake. There were to be no leftovers from such a marvellous culinary creation! We’d managed to once again put the icing on the proverbial cake of another spectacular meal, thanks to great friends and plenty of superb BC wine.

VIWF 2013: BC Paired Luncheon

After three visits to the Wine Festival Tasting Room I had the opportunity to attend the BC Paired Luncheon the following day. Most of the BC wineries present for the Festival were at Provence Marinaside pouring selected wines as part of a grazing-style lunch organized by the BC Wine Institute. I discovered a few more gems, and tried some wines not present in the regular Tasting Room, alongside the delicious food of Chefs Jean-Francis & Alessandra Quaglia.

The menu was extensive, and reflected the seafood focus of Marinaside, with popular offerings such as Sockeye Gravlax, Dungeness Crab Cakes, Lobster Risotto Balls, and Seared Scallops with Truffle Beurre Blanc. Sawmill Bay oysters were on hand to pair with the sparkling wines in the room, and outside on the patio lamb lollipops and sausages were being grilled for those interested in an ideal red wine pairing. Fresh Tomato & Bocconcini Skewers, Tomato Basil Gnocchi, and some well stocked cheese trays were enough to keep strict vegetarians quite happy, while addictive lemon and chocolate tarts were in abundance to finish the meal. I attended a similar event at Provence during last year’s Festival and have to say the preparation and organization were noticeably improved this year, helped along by the additional space provided for in the restaurant’s new Wine Bar.

Having adored Rolf de Bruin’s 2012 Riesling so much in the Tasting Room I headed directly to the Fort Berens table to see what he was pouring alongside Winemaker James Cambridge. I was excited to see some new 2012 Pinot Noir Rosé, and marvelled at the gorgeous violet colour of the wine, which seemed to almost glow in the light. I resolved to pick up a bottle on the way home upon appreciating the delicate strawberry and pink grapefruit aromas and the dry palate with hints of earthiness. Rolf’s fruit-forward 2011 Chardonnay was further icing on the cake, with tropical flavours and nicely integrated oak – a great preview of the potential to be found in the winery’s reserve Chardonnay “White Gold” coming out in April.

A significantly different shift in Chardonnay style could be experienced steps away at the Sandhill table, where the 2011 Small Lots Chardonnay finally made an appearance, having been surprisingly absent from the Festival Tasting Room. The winery yields a full-bodied Chardonnay from selected parcels of their estate vineyard for this wine, of which typically only several barrels are produced. A very creamy texture and slightly sweet palate loaded with pie crust flavours provided for a memorable wine that I hope to enjoy again with something particularly well-paired, like baked Brie.

Across the room Okanagan Falls winery Noble Ridge was represented by Manager Tamsin Finnigan. The winery’s traditional method sparkling wine “The One” ($40) really caught my attention in the Festival Tasting Room, and I was quite pleased to enjoy it again at Provence. Made from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes, it continued to remind me specifically of fresh waffles and strawberries. Sadly the wine wasn’t for sale at the Festival’s Convention Centre BC Liquor Store, but I resolved to seek some out in short order after hearing from Tamsin that it should be available at private stores, including Legacy and Firefly.

Another two wineries were also pouring their sparkling wines to cleanse and refresh our palates. See Ya Later Ranch had their venerable non-vintage Brut, which is consistently enjoyable and relatively widely available as well. Produced via the Traditional Method it has pleasant baked bread aromas and a clean, crisp finish that I’ve enjoyed on many occasions. The other sparkling was the new Blanc de Noir Brut from Langley winery Backyard Vineyards: a good value at only $20 from Fraser Valley Pinot Noir, it was showing plenty of fruit, and lots of versatility with the myriad foods present.

Plenty of delicious red wine was also on offer despite the seafood-heavy menu, including the rare “CSM” blend from Poplar Grove. I was lucky enough to find the 2008 vintage last year, and am hopeful to get my hands on some of the smooth, juicy 2009 becoming available this year, despite it being targeted primarily at the winery’s Club members. About six hundred cases were produced, so there should be enough to stock the winery’s tasting room for a least a few months.

At the Nk’Mip Cellars table I continued my discussion with Assistant Winemaker Justin Hall as I sampled the 2009 Qwam Qwmt Meritage. I was sure to compliment him on the wine’s surprisingly bright, fresh red fruit flavours, and I mentioned the noticeable Merlot component obvious on the nose – Justin confirmed it’s often about two thirds Merlot. Even more 2009 reds could be found just inside the patio doors, where Black Hills Winemaker Graham Pierce was generously pouring ripe 2009 Nota Bene. The 2010 vintage is the current release (with the 2011 coming out in June), but the relatively young 2009 is already drinking quite well with plenty of dark fruit flavours.

At the very back of the Wine Bar annex I found the Wild Goose table manned by General Manager Roland Kruger and his brother, Winemaker Hagen Kruger. With the wineries in the venue organized alphabetically one would hope guests didn’t miss Wild Goose at the back, as Roland was pouring their delightful 2011 Blanc de Noirs and 2011 Autumn Gold white blend. The slightly off-dry, supremely fruity Autumn Gold is a legendary wine, having racked up loads of awards over the years, including a gold medal at last year’s Canadian Wine Awards for the 2011 vintage. I enjoyed both the Autumn Gold and the Blanc de Noirs, a blend of 30% Pinot Noir, 70% Merlot – both served as reminders that summer is approaching soon (and with it another excellent new vintage of Wild Goose wines)!

To conclude the luncheon there was really no better choice than a Chocolate Tartelette and the newly released (Sumac Ridge) Black Sage Vineyard 2007 “Pipe”. Having noticed the Pipe being poured earlier in the afternoon I heartily endorsed it when a fellow guest asked what he should pair with the Tartelette – no surprise it turned out to be the official suggested pairing in the printed program. The 2007 Pipe is the first vintage under the new Black Sage Vineyard label, which Sumac Ridge has spun off on its own to focus solely on red wines. The wine remains the same blend of one third each Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc, fermented into a Port-style wine with 85 grams/L of residual sugar and about 20% alcohol. It’s always an excellent match for chocolate, and lifted up the already spectacular Tartelette even more – leaving a long, rich finish to ponder on the way home.

Chefs Quaglia and the Provence team should be proud of another successful year partnering with the BC Wine Institute to show off their delicious food with more excellent BC VQA wines. I consider myself very lucky to have attended this sold-out event (and all the other Festival events as well), and offer my thanks to the Vancouver International Wine Festival Society, the Wine Institute, and Provence Marinaside for the invitation – see you next year!

Bottleneck Drive visits BCWAS

Last week the BC Wine Appreciation Society held a tasting to sample the Summerland-area wines of “Bottleneck Drive”. The dozen wineries of this region on the western shores of Okanagan Lake recently banded together to help promote their unique area in the greater BC winery industry. The Society was very grateful to have received samples of several lesser-known wines from which to sample, so we could all get to know these hard-working wineries a little bit better.

On arrival everyone was treated to two different sparkling wines to warm up our palates. Sips of Sumac Ridge’s “Tribute” revealed generous aromas apples and fresh bread, and flavours of orchard fruit amongst plenty of mousse. The wine is a traditional method sparkling Chardonnay released in 2011 to commemorate the winery’s thirtieth anniversary.

A significantly different sparkler came in the form of Bella 2011 Sparkling Gamay Noir, via Okanagan Crush Pad. OCP’s winemaker Michael Bartier has assisted Jay Drysdale and his wife in producing their two “Bella” sparkling wines (named in honour of a very special bulldog); the other wine being Chardonnay. Once again a pleasant mousse finish kept us refreshed following clean strawberry rhubarb flavours.

From Sleeping Giant we had the opportunity to taste their Black Currant Dessert Wine, a very bright and fruity honest representation that pulled no punches in puckering up lips with its tartness. Before the sparklers disappeared a number of guests discovered the joy of Black Currant cocktails when mixing with Tribute or Bella.

Some charming aromatic white wines were present as well, including Silkscarf’s 2011 Viognier, a mild and delicate take on the grape. While perhaps not as “intensely aromatic” as expected, it showed excellent balance and was a very easy sipper. The Viognier led into an additional white from Sonoran Estate, who provided their aromatic 2010 Pinot Gris/Pinot Blanc blend. The blend showed lower acidity than the other whites thus far, but a very enjoyable fruit salad bouquet.

Two impressive Gewurztraminers from Thornhaven and Heaven’s Gate were next up, and were thoroughly enjoyed by fans of the variety. Both 2011 wines showed very characteristic profiles, with the Thornhaven in excellent balance in particular. Heaven’s Gate’s iteration was the sole gold medal winner in the category at the recent 2012 Canadian Wine Awards, and showed off a rich lychee nose and a slightly sweeter palate with hints of yeast, vanilla, and sage.

Before moving on to the red wines guests were sure to try out the 2010 Bartier-Scholefield Rosé produced at Okanagan Crush Pad. This Gamay Noir from Oliver showed a candy-apple nose that led into a dry palate with hints of earth and wet pavement – easily and readily enjoyable.

Two Pinot Noirs were on offer, from Thornhaven and Haywire Winery, another Okanagan Crush Pad operation. Both showed the potential of Pinot Noir from the Okanagan Lake region, with plenty of juicy cranberry characteristics that got many guests thinking of traditional holiday meals no doubt!

Bonitas Winery sent along a bottle each of their Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Merlot, although I myself didn’t get a chance to try them. The reviews from other guests were mixed, favouring the reds, but this young winery still has plenty of time to find its feet in the years to come.

For those seeking somewhat obscure flavours we got the chance to try the uncommon hybrid Léon Millot grape from new player Saxon Estate Winery. Saxon’s 2011 Millot was fresh and fruity due to minimal oak influence, with hints of cocoa on the finish. This brand new winery was formerly Hollywood & Vine under previous owners before being sold and rebranded quite recently, as detailed by John Schreiner several weeks ago.

Considering the terroir it makes sense that we’d expect fewer richer red wines. However, Dirty Laundry Vineyards sent their Syrah, a very youthful bottle from the 2011 vintage. Dirty Laundry is perhaps better known for their well-crafted Gewurztraminer and other white wines. Although there’s no reason any of the Bottleneck Drive wineries could not own or lease vineyards in the southern Okanagan from which to produce big reds, estate fruit from the region seems to yield more successful lighter reds and whites.

Everyone certainly enjoyed learning more about the wineries and wines of this unique region, and I’m sure all are looking forward to visiting Summerland in person in the future!