Playhouse Wine Festival–Part II

Last week I discussed a few of the many BC wineries from which we sampled and discovered during the recent Playhouse International Wine Festival. A few more can be mentioned, although many more are worthy! At the beginning of the Festival Tasting night one imagines the huge variety of wines and wineries that can be enjoyed over the course of three hours, but it is supremely frustrating how quickly that time flies by! I didn’t even manage to visit the nineteen local wineries present at the festival, let alone explore the international component! Those wineries I did get to were pouring some of their top-tier wines and sampling brand new releases for the first time; we were able to compare and contrast at scales one can never hope for at home – one of the great benefits of the Playhouse Festival.

If any winery could be said to have brought their “A-game” to the festival it was Mission Hill: their table was pouring the entire Legacy series – and all the wines were being poured out of Magnum bottles! The ultimate wine in Mission Hill’s portfolio is Oculus, their signature red blend, on which no expense is spared after ten vintages. The new 2007 Oculus was being poured, which is still not for sale via Mission Hill’s website, although some private stores have recently begun carrying it (and it was of course for sale at the Festival shop). Tasting it this early in its development was a challenge, but we could already notice the ripe fruit within the embrace of age-worthy tannins. The Compendium and Quatrain red blends are more approachable now, but both could also dwell in the cellar for a few more years. Quatrain includes Syrah alongside Merlot and Cabernets Sauvignon and Franc, while the Sauvignon-heavy Compendium is a more traditional Meritage blend with a touch of Petit Verdot. The Quatrain had enjoyable aromas and warm flavours of cherry, while the Compendium was meatier on the palate (and produced in very low quantities for 2007 – it’s a “cellar exclusive” wine available only in person at Mission Hill). Fourth in the Legacy series is the 2008 Perpetua Chardonnay, a very elegant, beautifully balanced wine now in its third year of production. I have been lucky enough to obtain every vintage, and it just keeps getting better, with excellent integration of the oak and fresh, almost floral aromas; a very smooth and very “pretty” wine according to my companions!

Next door – at least in Festival geography – to relative giant Mission Hill was small lot single-vineyard winery Meyer Family Vineyards. With a focus on Burgundian wines Meyer produced only Chardonnay, and then Pinot Noir for their first couple of years, and only recently branched out into Gewurztraminer. The upcoming 2010 Gewurztraminer, from the McLean Creek Road Vineyard, was being sampled and was the second wine of the night to be labelled “pretty”; it was more floral in general than expected, I hope to try it again should I spot it in stores. Proprietor Jak Meyer was also showing two of his superb Chardonnays from the 2009 vintage – the Old Main Road Vineyard “Tribute”, and another from the McLean Creek Road Vineyard. The Tribute Chardonnay was the clear favourite, with a popcorn nose and buttery palate; it could still continue to age well and develop further, as is the case with nearly all Meyer wines. Finally, the McLean Creek Road Pinot Noir from 2008 was still quite young with greenish tannins that suggested it could handle several more years of aging; I wish I had picked up a bottle at the Festival shop while I had the chance.

Also present at the Festival was Jackson-Triggs, with a couple new releases from their prime SunRock Vineyard in Osoyoos. The labelling has been updated across most of Jackson-Triggs’ wines as of last year, although some wines that have been bottle-aging still bear the old SunRock label as opposed to the new “Gold Series” labels. One of those wines is the 2006 SunRock Merlot, a lovely example of the variety that recently won Gold at the Canadian Wine Awards, and is just now finding its way on to store shelves. It’s rare indeed to find a 2006 wine in widespread release, let alone one that is just appearing now! My begrudging commendations to Jackson-Triggs for so patiently bottle-aging their wines prior to release (even if it frustrates my shopping list): the 2006 SunRock Cabernet Sauvignon has yet to push aside the many bottles of 2005 still found in stores! Fortunately the SunRock Shiraz doesn’t struggle quite so much to get to consumers, and the 2008 vintage was being sampled and sold at the Festival. The 2006 and 2007 vintages both won Gold medals at the Canadian Wine Awards and high praise from many circles, so the 2008 has a lot to live up to this year!

One more winery I should mention is Tantalus, Riesling-producer extraordinaire, who have branched out into Pinot Noir in recent years, and now Chardonnay! Tantalus notes their vineyard as the oldest continuously producing site in the province, plus all the fruit is organically grown – some rare feats for which they deserve praise. All of those old vines result in what you would expect, a very classy Old Vines Riesling (2008), with notes of petrol and a relatively dry palate with good natural acidity – this is a cellar-worthy Riesling. The 2009 “regular” Riesling being sampled was sweeter, with less acidity and is said to have been crafted as a versatile food wine: I found there to be a slightly bitter finish that might resolve in time, or perhaps won’t be so evident with food. The 2009 Pinot Noir was fairly powerful – another ageable wine – and had a good quality of assorted fruit flavours. Lastly, the new Chardonnay from 2009 was present: it’s a small lot wine with only 110 cases produced and packs a punch at more than 14% alcohol! Despite the heat it is pleasing on the nose and palate, helped along no doubt by fermentation and maturation in 100% French oak.

Many of these wineries and others were present Saturday afternoon at the BC Food & Wine Lunch at O’Doul’s Restaurant on Robson Street. In between bites of delicious food of all kinds I did manage to jot down a few notes about some of the unique wines being sampled; I look forward to sharing them soon!

Playhouse Wine Festival–Part I

My wife and I and some friends attended the Friday night International Tasting Room at this year’s Playhouse International Wine Festival. Although I would have loved to attend the less-populated Thursday-night tasting, too many of us had work the next day: maybe next year I’ll take a couple vacation days and do the VPIWF right! Although the theme region this year was Spain, I still went in with a plan to visit many of the BC winery tables; one can only do so much with three hours, and BC wines are my personal focus. Our first stop was the on-site BC Liquor Store however, as I had a substantial shopping list and didn’t want to worry about my desired wines selling out over the course of the night. I hope to detail my many exciting purchases in a future post, once BC Liquor Stores figures out what happened to the Playhouse Wine: so far no one at my designated delivery store has any idea where it is.

Purchases safely checked I could relax and hopefully confirm my instincts and expectations by actually tasting some of these brand new wines! Our first stop was Cassini Cellars where we spoke with owner and winemaker Adrian Cassini about his wines, including the rare 2008 Nobilus Merlot, the 2007 Maximus, and the 2008 Syrah. The gold-medal-winning Maximus red blend is getting ready to drink (the 2008 is already out), but the similarly-gold Syrah is still fairly tart and tight. The Merlot was mellow, with ripe fruit and peppery notes – I was very pleased that I finally bought a bottle after many months of searching in stores!

Instead of continuing alphabetically – and encountering Similkameen-star Herder Vineyards – we skipped ahead to Painted Rock to chat with owner John Skinner while we still had all our faculties intact, and to try his new 2008 reds. I was very excited to try the new Red Icon, hot on the heels of last year’s Lt. Governor’s Award. The new Red Icon is unique in that it doesn’t include any of John’s well-regarded Cabernet Sauvignon, a very rare development for a Meritage blend! John was frank in pointing out the the Red Icon had enough complexity and backbone without Cab in the blend – hence more varietal Cabernet Sauvignon this year. However, the Red Icon production was cut in half overall: less than 500 cases exist and I suspect it will reach sold-out status in very short order. John was also pouring the new 2008 Merlot, a worthy successor to the award-winning 2007 vintage: it is still tight and will benefit from time in the cellar, but was already displaying some very pleasant cherry flavours. The focus on new reds does not diminish Painted Rock’s 2009 Chardonnay, a wonderfully tropical fresh, fruity wine that came about through some careful and deliberate canopy management amongst the Chardonnay clones on Painted Rock’s Skaha Bench property.

Just across the aisle from Painted Rock was respected Naramata boutique winery Poplar Grove, sampling their latest red blend, The Legacy (2006), as well as the 2009 Pinot Gris, 2007 Cabernet Franc, and 2007-stand-in 2006 Merlot. Apparently the new 2007 Merlot was supposed to be at the table, but the incorrect vintage was shipped to Vancouver for the festival (which I’ve seen happen before). Despite the mix-up, the 2006 Merlot was very enjoyable; elegant, fruity, and slightly sweeter than expected, I needn’t  hold mine for three years as Anthony Gismondi suggests. The new Cabernet Franc was drier than the Merlot, and also very easy to like, warm and smooth, with excellent fruit from the stellar 2007 vintage.

Continuing along alphabetically led us next door to Quails’ Gate, a perennial favourite of mine whose Chardonnay and Pinot Noir consistently grace my cellar. The latest 2008 Stewart Family Reserve versions of each varietal were being sampled at the table, and both the Chardonnay and the Pinot Noir have been raved about since their release last year. The Chardonnay in particular was memorable for us due to the full malolactic fermentation that yields a classic buttery, creamy smooth finish; it picked up silver medals at the All Canadian Wine Championships, Canadian Wine Awards, and BC Wine Awards over the course of 2010. The 2009 vintages of both Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are already scheduled for release next month. Also present was the new 2010 Chenin Blanc, always a treat from one of the handful of producers bottling varietal Chenin. On the nose it had terrific tropical pineapple notes, but I have to admit it stumbled on the palate; I think a month or two may help it get over those growing pains – I look forward to trying it again later this summer. Quails’ Gate also gets extra points for serving their Fortified Vintage Foch (2008) in the spirit of the Festival focus on fortified wine. Looking through the program it would appear that Quails’ Gate was the only BC winery presenting a fortified wine! The Fortified Foch is always a charmer, and it’s worth noting Quails’ Gate also produces a non-vintage (Gamay) Tawny and a Botrytis-affected Optima in addition to their Riesling Icewine.

Soon to come are my notes on some of the many excellent wines we sampled from several other BC producers including Jackson-Triggs, Meyer Vineyards, Mission Hill, and Tantalus, plus the wonderful lunch we attended on Saturday hosted by the BC Wine Institute. The BC Food & Wine lunch also provided the opportunity to sample additional wines not available at the Festival’s evening tastings, including what became our agreed-upon favourite wine of the Festival!

BC Wine Appreciation Society–Road 13 Tasting

At the same time as the Playhouse International Wine Festival taking place this week in Vancouver, BCWAS held a tasting of Road 13 wines on Wednesday. Normally tastings take place earlier in the month but the organizers couldn’t pass up the chance to achieve synchronicity with one of the biggest and best wine events in the world! Road 13 does not have a presence at the Playhouse Festival this year (many wineries attend in alternate years), which likely allowed for winery owners Mick and Pam Luckhurst to attend our tasting alongside new winemaker J-M Bouchard and General Manager Donna Faigaux: it was a packed head table! J-M only joined Road 13 this year, having replaced long-time winemaker Michael Bartier, who departed on good terms to pursue his own winery dreams.

Road 13 very graciously donated the wine for the event after carefully scouring the cellars for back vintages deemed worthwhile. A couple last minute changes to the tasting line-up even took place when certain wines didn’t make the cut. We still thoroughly enjoyed eleven excellent and interesting wines from the 2005 through 2010 vintages.

As attendees sat down to another packed house – the second sold-out event in a row – we were greeted by four white wines and seven reds. I think I speak for everyone when I say we were all very pleasantly surprised to see the (sold-out) 2007 Sparkling Chenin Blanc before us; one of the last minutes substitutions. Only the second vintage of Sparkling Chenin at Road 13, this masterpiece won a gold medal at the 2010 Okanagan Fall Wine Festival BC Wine Awards. Bottled under a fun and practical crown cap, this wine is a must-have every year: it’s extremely unique for one, and it tastes great, with fine mousse and honeyed pineapple flavours.

The other three whites we tasted included the 2010 Honest John’s White, an entry-level aromatic white blend of mostly Riesling that will be released later this summer. The 2009 is still widely available, and is just as refreshing; it makes for a good patio wine you can keep in your fridge ready for any occasion. (All of Road 13’s wines are sealed with screw-caps, which makes storage and refrigeration stress free: no need to lay them down, or worry about corks drying out.) Two of the reserve tier “Jackpot” wines rounded out the whites: Jackpot Riesling 2009, and Jackpot Chardonnay 2008. With only 181 cases made it’s hard to believe the outstanding Jackpot Riesling is still available! The Jackpot Chardonnay is well balanced and tart; it’s not made in the creamy buttery style of some other Chardonnays (not that there’s anything wrong with that). The Chardonnay received a gold medal at the 2010 Canadian Wine Awards, but does not appear to be for sale any longer via the winery (likely due in part to that gold).

A few cellar selections from Road 13’s red wine portfolio were next, along with hors d’oeuvres courtesy of Listel Hotel/O’Doul’s Restaurant Executive Chef Chris Whittaker. Because Road 13 donated the wine BCWAS was able to engage Chris to fashion some tasty treats for the attendees. My big thanks to the BCWAS Executive for their thoughtfulness and to Chris for seemingly effortlessly whipping up a delicious fully vegetarian selection for the small number of us present. The rest of the crowd enjoyed the original menu of Short Rib Sliders, Venison Carpaccio, Mushroom Tartlet, and Cured Salmon.

Included in the red selection was the 2005 Black Arts Pinot Noir. (When Road 13 was known as Golden Mile Vineyards “Black Arts” was the reserve tier.) J-M assessed this still-tasty Pinot as nearing the end of its life, and a number of attendees were impressed it was still quite approachable after nearly six years. Also from the 2005 vintage was the Fifth Element, Road 13’s big red blend. The name  plays off of wine being the supposed fifth element after earth, water, wind, and fire. Avoiding use of the Meritage name also means Road 13 is free to experiment with the blend each year, and some years it has included Syrah (not permitted under Meritage Alliance rules). The 2005 has aged very well and is showing nicely integrated tannins and pleasing savoury notes.

We also enjoyed three single varietal wines from the cellar, none of which are produced any longer, due to Road 13’s transition to blends. The 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon received the highest score in its category at the 2009 Canadian Wine Awards, and no doubt many fans were sad to see it go following the 2007 vintage, but if you have some it could still enjoy years in the cellar. The 2007 Merlot and 2007 Syrah were both tasting nicely as well: the Merlot is full-bodied with good acidity and fine tannins, it could last for a while longer no doubt. The Syrah was one of my favourites, and that of many others present: it smelled wonderfully fresh and fruity, with meaty, peppery flavours on the palate. Most of Road 13’s Syrah now goes into the excellent Rockpile blend, the second release of which (from 2009) is coming out this Summer. We even got a chance to try some in advance: it was definitely young and fresh, with tartness and tannins aplenty. It will likely have settled down a bit by June, but there is no rush to open it immediately: I’m aging some 2008 to see how it develops over time.

Finally, the most recent Fifth Element – from 2007 – was also tasted. It’s still young but aging well, with nice freshness and finish. The 2006 Fifth Element just won a gold medal at the 2010 Canadian Wine Awards, so I look forward to seeing how the this vintage fares in competition over the next year, as I’m led to believe 2007 was an even better year for reds.

At the end of the night we were given the rare chance to order some of the back vintages, pre-releases and sold-out wines we had tasted. Road 13 even offered complimentary shipping on case lots, so I hope more than a few attendees took advantage of this opportunity! I myself am looking forward to a 2005 Fifth Element to add to my vertical collection, plus a few Sparkling Chenin Blanc to enjoy while I excitedly await the next edition!

It’s Wine Week!

The upcoming week promises to be an extravaganza of wonderful wines, and I couldn’t be happier to be almost over my two-week-long cold! A stubbornly stuffy nose has made everything taste like, well, nothing for the past week, but it finally started to clear up today, just in time for some exciting upcoming events!

         

Wednesday: BC Wine Appreciation Society Road 13 Tasting

The owners of Road 13 and their new winemaker will be coming to Vancouver on Wednesday to guide a tasting of twelve different wines from five different vintages (2005-2009) for the BC Wine Appreciation Society. The line-up includes a half-dozen library wines including Meritage blends Fifth Element Red and the no-longer produced Fifth Element White. I’m also looking forward to trying a couple of “Black Arts” wines – the reserve tier from when Road 13 was Golden Mile Vineyards: the 2005 Pinot Noir and 2006 Sauvignon Blanc should be quite interesting. There will be two vintages of the Road 13’s well-respected – and sadly no longer produced – Cabernet Sauvignon (2006 & 2007) plus current releases of Merlot and Pinot Noir. The new Rockpile red blend will also be available, and it appears that we’ll be tasting the about-to-be-released 2009 vintage. I’ve enjoyed a few bottles of the 2008 Rockpile this past year, and I expect an equally creative and delicious blend for 2009. A couple of Jackpot (Reserve) whites round out the tasting menu: the 2008 Chardonnay and the 2009 Riesling. The Chardonnay received a Gold Medal at the Canadian Wine Awards, and the Riesling is receiving some very positive reviews as well. I was fortunate enough to obtain a bottle of each of these small lots wines but have yet to open them, so I’m very much looking forward to tasting them for myself. As a bonus, attendees will also be enjoying some delicious appetizers to go with the wines, courtesy of the chef at the Listel Hotel, where BCWAS holds their monthly events.

Friday: Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival Tasting

This is the third year I have attended the Festival Tasting Room at the Playhouse Wine Festival and I’m practically giddy with anticipation. I consider myself extremely lucky to live in Vancouver where one of the premier wine festivals in North America takes place every year! The entire festival plays out over a week of events ranging from small intimate winemaker’s dinner to the massive Festival Tasting Room that takes place over three nights at the end of the week. This year 176 wineries will be in attendance, pouring 760 different wines! Every year there is a regional focus and a varietal focus, with this year’s foci being Spain and Fortified Wines; yikes! Those who love Port, Sherry, Madeira and the like will be in fortified heaven: just remember to spit now and then!

Having seen the program/schedule online I plan on heading to the on-site BC Liquor Store first thing and picking up a few special bottles (there is an on-site bottle check). Most of the wines being poured are also available for purchase, and many local wineries release their new vintages at the Playhouse Wine Festival. A few local priorities on my radar include Cassini Cellars Nobilus Merlot 2008, Hester Creek The Judge 2007, Jackson-Triggs Sunrock Shiraz 2008, Meyer Vineyards McLean Creek Road Pinot Noir 2008, Nk’Mip Qwam Qwmt Chardonnay 2009 and Meritage 2008, Painted Rock Merlot 2008 and Red Icon 2008, and Sandhill Small Lots Viognier 2010, among others! Fortunately the on-site store will deliver one’s purchases to the nearest BC Liquor Store, or my arms might tear off on the way home judging by that preliminary shopping list!

Saturday: BC Food & Wine Lunch

One of many events taking place during the Playhouse Wine Festival is this “Grazing Lunch” taking place at O’Doul’s Restaurant & Bar (back to the Listel hotel!). The two hour event features eighteen BC wineries, each serving two wines, plus a plethora of delicious foods too numerous to list! Although all of the wineries present are also in the Festival Tasting Room, some of the wines being poured are not available during the evening tasting sessions. Unique wines I look forward to trying with lunch include Herder’s 2008 Meritage – considered one of the best value Meritage blends in BC, Mission Hill’s 2006 Select Lot Collection Merlot – nicely aged by now no doubt, and Painted Rock’s new 2008 Syrah – likely a worthy follow-up to the fantastic 2007 inaugural vintage. There are still tickets available for this event as of this writing, one of the few still open, and it is sure to provide for a more relaxed atmosphere to explore the incredible wines of British Columbia; just make sure you aren’t too hung-over from the night before!

March Wine Club with a Brandy Twist

Our wine club this month included a guest couple, bringing the total up to eight attendees, and I finally had the perfect excuse to serve my magnum of Gray Monk 2007 Odyssey Brut! I was on appetizer duty this month, and with so many potential options before me I sought some outside suggestions: an e-mail to Gray Monk produced a reply from none other than winemaker Roger Wong! Roger had the excellent idea to pair this Lt. Governor’s Award-winning sparkling wine with a hot artichoke and spinach dip. With no time to lose I set about mixing up a luxurious melange of cream cheese, Parmesan, Romano, garlic, and a touch of lemon juice. Chopped artichoke hearts and spinach were folded in and the dip baked for 30 minutes as we admired the giant bottle. The pairing was superb: the creamy texture and citrus notes of the Brut perfectly complemented similar flavours in the dip. Baked pitas and tortilla chips were useful for scooping, and some goat cheese-stuffed cherry tomatoes provided an extra touch of colour and tartness.

There isn’t much 2007 left on the market at this point, as the 2008 Brut is now available, but it too comes in Magnums for the amazing price of only $45. Nothing quite beats a magnum (except maybe a double-magnum) for dinner-party flair, and Gray Monk’s economical and high-quality take on it now has a permanent place in my heart!

Our entree of the evening came in the form of a duo of pot pies, in turkey and mushroom varieties. On my plate a crispy golden crust cradled a medley of vegetables and juicy mushroom chunks that exuded rich savoury aromas; my mouth is watering just thinking about it!   Nk’Mip’s most recently released reserve Pinot Noir – the 2008 Qwam Qwmt version – was the wine pairing, fresh off it’s Gold Medal performance at the Canadian Wine Awards. (Nk’Mip entered both their 2007 and 2008 Qwam Qwmt Pinots into the 2010 CWAs, and won Golds for both!) Nk’Mip’s vintage report for the 2008 season details myriad challenges to viticulture that year, including hailstorms, windstorms, record rainfall, and heavy frost; this Pinot Noir was clearly a labour of love! The perfumed nose had aromas of currants, cola, and earthy/leathery characteristics. There was a relatively thin mouthfeel and flavours of plum and red fruit; overall a very good complement for the pot pies.

With additional guests having joined us a second dinner wine was also “necessary”, and a bottle of Road 13 2008 Rockpile was very welcome. Rockpile is Road 13’s new Syrah-based blend, and in my experience it is a very welcome addition to the red-blend scene, being suitable for almost any occasion. We smelled raspberry and cedar, and tasted figs alongside well-balanced tannins and acidity. I would be pretty happy to drink Rockpile any day of the week, but I wish that $25 sticker price was a bit lower. If Road 13 intends this 4,500-case wine to be an everyday hero they need to get closer to $20, where some other great BC red blends and Cab-Merlots are hanging out.

For dessert we cheated a bit on the wine theme with Poire William from Okanagan Spirits; and at 40% alcohol it really was only a bit! Made from extra ripe Bartlett pears, Poire William Eau de Vie is one of several fruit brandies produced by this homegrown craft distillery, a rare gem we are lucky to have here in BC! The brandy went well with the superb apple cake that was deservedly raved about: so fresh and moist, drizzled with homemade caramel sauce and grated fresh apple shavings. I am not ashamed to say I went back for a generous second portion!

At the end of the night we continued a tradition pertaining to magnum bottles: everyone signed the bottle to remember the occasion. Earlier in the day we had all attended a shooting range in Port Coquitlam – a new experience for most of us – hence the text on the bottle, “A mag for the day of shooting mags.” It was totally unintentional to drink a magnum on the same day many of us handled a magnum, but quite poetic in the end!

Le Vieux Pin & LaStella Release New Wines

On Thursday evening Enotecca Wineries and Resorts hosted a Vancouver tasting of new releases from their South Okanagan wineries, and I was fortunate enough to attend and sample some excellent new wines. Although the new releases were primarily white and Rosé wines, some very lovely new reds and library samples were also available from Oliver-based Le Vieux Pin and Osoyoos-based LaStella.

We began by learning about LaStella’s new 2010 wines: Leggiero – an unoaked Chardonnay, Vivace – a Pinot Grigio, and LaStellina – a Merlot-based Rosé. All three wines will retail for about $25, and have been produced in relatively small lots – as are all of Enotecca’s wines. I tried both the 2009 Leggiero and LaStellina last year and enjoyed them, especially the Rosé; pure Merlot Rosé is fairly rare in these parts. The new releases of both wines continue the tradition of excellence: the Chardonnay has complex and intriguing tropical aromas and flavours; it is a really charming wine that we went back to at the end of the night to refresh our palates. The Pinot Grigio – with more acidity – had pleasant notes of pineapple and would make an excellent patio sipper, should summer ever arrive. The LaStellina Rosé is a bright red colour with significant residual sugar – be sure to serve well chilled – but a refreshing tart finish. Also available to sample was the delicious 2010 Moscato, a sweet effervescent aperitif-style wine (“inspired by the infamous Moscato d’Asti”). Not yet bottled, the Moscato will be available in 500ml bottles for $20, an increase in size from last year when it came in 375ml half-bottles.

On the Le Vieux Pin side of things, several wines were available to sample, including some 2008 reds. I can do little better than John Schreiner in his January review of the new reds, in which he covered the Pinot Noir, Merlot, and new Syrah. The “Adieu” Pinot Noir is the last Pinot from Le Vieux Pin, as they switch over production to Rhone varietals like Syrah. General Manager Rasoul Salehi explained that Le Vieux Pin aims to produce wines exclusively from Southern Okanagan grapes, and acquiring Pinot Noir from the northern end of the valley simply does not fit with that terroir-specific strategy. It is a bittersweet departure as Adieu is a wonderful wine with crisp, tart red fruit. Fortunately as one good thing comes to an end another is just beginning with the first vintage of Syrah about to be released. Le Vieux Pin’s mix of Black Sage and Golden Mile fruit provides for a ripe, meaty Syrah, but with a very smooth texture suitable for immediate consumption. At $45 it has a lot of competition from wineries like Burrowing Owl, Jackson-Triggs, and See Ya Later, all of which produce highly regarded Syrahs for $35 or less; so I’m looking forward to seeing how this new venture will play out over time.

In the same Rhone vein as Le Vieux Pin’s new Syrah comes an excellent Viognier-Roussanne with an interesting story: in addition to stainless steel and traditional oak barrels, a small amount was aged in acacia wood! The wine is aromatic with even stronger tropical flavours on the palate; but the soft, smooth texture and full mouthfeel is my favourite quality. Rasoul suggests serving this wine with sushi that includes fruits like mango or passionfruit, plus a fatty component to complement the wine’s weight – ripe avocado would certainly work well for vegetarians.

Other new releases from Le Vieux Pin include their 2010 Sauvignon Blanc and 2010 Pinot Noir Rosé. The Sauvignon Blanc – just bottled on Monday – is a powerhouse of aromas; one needn’t even lift the glass to smell notes of gooseberry and grapefruit wafting upwards from the table. If you like crisp, dry, aromatic Sauvignon Blanc this is definitely a bottle to get your hands on; it went well with some tangy goat cheese that was on hand for the tasting. The Rosé complements LaStella’s Merlot-based version, with the more common use of Pinot Noir: why not try them both to compare varietals! It is drier and paler than LaStellina, and has that well-known wet-pavement Pinot character. It would be quite suitable with food, and has pleasant aromas of strawberry and rhubarb.

To conclude the evening we were provided the chance to sample some library vintages from both wineries, including Pinot Noir and Merlot from 2005 and 2006. Le Vieux Pin’s 2005 “Bella” Pinot Noir has matured quite well and still had great red fruit and acidity, along with a surprisingly meaty texture. The “Apogee” (Reserve) Merlot from the same year is also – not surprisingly – aging very well, with a soft velvety texture as the tannins have mellowed, and bright acidity. LaStella’s Reserve Merlot “Maestoso” from 2006 had more tannins, but less acidity than the Apogee; it was quite illuminating to try both vintages and wineries alongside one another. The Maestoso was our favourite, with amazing dark fruit flavours and a rich finish; it was indeed “totally sensual” as John Schreiner describes it. In fact the 2007 Maestoso received 95 points and is still available in stores – with a $90 price tag it moves slowly but surely. I doubt you’ll get your hands on one of the 22 Magnums produced however, they are certainly long gone!

February Acquisitions

I picked some special wines for the cellar in February, and a few words about these gems are worth mentioning. I’m particularly pleased with the three Fairview Cellars bottles I got from Taylorwood. This year was the first time I have spotted Bill Eggert’s rare and popular wines in a VQA store – for winery pricing – so I was very excited to add a bottle of the excellent 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon to my collection. I also have the 2006 vintage, and the 2008 has been released, but may not show up in stores for a while (only 300 cases were produced). Bill’s Cabernet is his focus, and his blends incorporate it extensively, including the Two Hoots, an ageable wine which Anthony Gismondi suggests could teach other wineries a thing or two. The other red blend – Madcap Red – is Merlot-dominant, and bottled under screwcap to suggest intended near-term enjoyment.

Speaking of Merlot I was able to acquire a couple of prize single-varietal Merlots from 2006, one of which was only just released! The Jackson-Triggs Sunrock Merlot was awarded a gold medal at the 2010 Canadian Wine Awards but only just started showing up in stores. Jackson-Triggs seems to like bottle-aging their Sunrock wines for a long time: I’m still waiting for the 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, as even small BC Liquor Stores are still stocking the 2005. I can only assume they release these wines very slowly, as the Sunrock series is not produced in large volumes whatsoever, yet remains on store shelves far longer than the many accolades these wines receive should suggest.

I also added to my collection a slick-looking bottle from Ex Nihilo, on the advice of Georgia Straight columnist Jurgen Gothe. Jurgen’s description of the Okanagan Falls grapes yielding a “state-of-the-art” wine is compelling, as is the first vintage in 2005 having received the People’s Choice Award at the Okanagan Fall Wine Festival. I picked up the Ex Nihilo from Taylorwood, although I know Firefly Cambie has some of the 2005 in stock if you’re interested in trying the earlier vintage as well.

    

During my visit to Taylorwood for Fairview Cellars wines I also spotted the new release of Clos du Soleil’s icon red “Signature”. Clos du Soleil is a new winery in the Similkameen Valley, with a small but growing portfolio of fine wines. As John Schreiner writes, their 2007 red Meritage – called simply “Red” – was judged the best icon wine during a special tasting at the SIP VQA store in Richmond last fall. I was able to obtain a bottle of the 2007 Red – renamed Signature for 2008 – but the now Merlot-dominant blend is produced in even more limited quantities this year: only 275 cases of the 2008, down from 450 in 2007. The wine is described as having firm, ripe tannins suggestive of a long life: stick around and see how it tastes when I open it in a few years.