This past Thursday and Saturday I was fortunate to spend my time paying tribute to the glorified wine of both Argentina and New Zealand. Thursday was the trade tasting and although spectacular, a bit of a sensory overload. I walked through the doors and before me were what seemed to be endless rows of tasting booths collectively showcasing over 700 wines! At first I found myself in a panic and wasn't exactly sure what my tactic of circulation would be. Moving in a clockwise direction from the outer most edge inward seemed to work best. But once my glass was in hand it was smooth sailing and I managed to cover quite a bit of ground.
I tasted some fantastic wines, some memorable Malbec, incredible Sauvignon Blanc, and a few randoms from elsewhere that were dispersed among the New Zealand and Argentinian tables.
On that note, one very memorable winery worth mentioning was Galil Mountain, located in Merom HaGalil Israel. I know...Israel! It is an understatement to say that I was utterly blown away by the red wines they were featuring. And why should I be surprised? They have the heat units to ripen and a mountainous sloping terrain with an extended warm and very dry growing season...a winemakers dream. There were 3 reds in particular that really pampered my papillae (forgive me, haha)
1) Yiron Cabernet Merlot (my fav). Consisting of 50% Cab, 40% Merlot, 4% Syrah, and 2% petit verdot. This beauty was aged 6 months in American oak and to me demonstrated a full, very well balanced, rounded and complex wine with overlapping layers of ripe blackberries and raspberries, accentuated by the spice of clove, vanilla and nutmeg. A great wine to drink right away but also showed excellent ageing potential for ateast 5 years. I'm going to call this wine Confident.
2) Yarden Cabernet Merlot. The smooth, luscious finish was what really captured my attention. The lingering of ripe cassis and damson plum flavors mingled just perfectly with the spicy, earthy, toast that was offered by french oak barrels. Almost a full minute later I was still enjoying this wine. I'm calling it Elegant.
3) Yarden Mount Hermon Red. 45% Merlot, 40% Cab Sauv, 15% Cab Franc. Talk about an explosion in your mouth...my taste buds were dancing after I had a swish-swash of this baby. Vibrant cherries, black berries and plums with nuances of fresh herbs and aromatic spices. I was left with a pleasantly nutty finish. It is a medium to full bodied wine with delicate tannins. I'm calling her "Lady in Red" because she embodies just that.
These are only a few of the many wines Galil Mountain Winery offers. I can't remember price points for the life of me but I remember thinking they were all pretty reasonable. Where can you get them? Visit their winery website www.galilmountain.co.il or else contact www.international-cellars.com and they're sure to steer you in the right direction. I highly recommend giving them a try! I don't think they know how good they really are...a very rare find in the industry! Ever heard of the Ugly Duckling Sydrome?
Saturday had a somewhat different feel to it. A much more intimate setting with about 25 tasting tables circled around a tiny stage where both the Tango and the Mauri war dance was performed. Lots of good eats as well but I must say I was in complete preoccupation with the wines.
I was absolutely gobsmacked when I came across my, with a doubt, most favorite producer of Sauvignon Blanc in all the world! Astrolabe is the winery's name, located in the Awatere Valley, and with it comes one of the greatest expressions of Sauvignon Blanc excellence.
I first discovered the wine in Toronto at Rodney's Oyster Bar and I have to say it changed my life. Trying to find the wine on the shelf in Ontario was almost impossible as it only came in about twice a year. I spoke to the winemaker's wife at the booth and she reassured me that it's only a matter of time before The Sauvignon Blanc makes it way to the B.C. liquor stores.
I was tickled pink when she went as far as inviting me to do a vintage at their family winery...how incredible! Although I didn't have the opportunity to reunite with the epic Sauv Blanc, I was able to try, for the first time, their Pinot Gris. It was beautifully complex with great acid...I don't think there's anything worse than a flabby Pinot Gris! The aroma exhibited soft notes of pear, ripe lemon, and mandarin orange zest. The wine itself was dry and medium bodied with an intrinsic minerality accompanied by dominant flavors of apricots and pear. I do know that the Pinot Gris is available now and you can find out more about it when you visit them online at www.astrolabewines.co.nz The more people that inquire and get on board the more likely they are to show up on our shelves, you'll be thankful you did.
I'm going to go ahead and list off some of the other wines I tasted, ones that I think are definitely worth mentioning sans the rediculous price.
1. Moncellier Sauvignon Blanc '08 - Not sure what it retails for but I believe it's around 20$. It's concentrated, complex, with aromas of passionfruit, grapefruit and citrus, intermingled with the typical Marlborough grassiness. I'm calling this YUMMY!
2. Tavel Beaurevoir Rose '08 - $24.99 Displays ripe fruit nuances of apricot and morello cherries. I found it to be a dry wine with a hint of red licorice with a well balanced finish.
3. Crozes-Hermitage Les Meysonniers Rouge '07 - $26.99 It's 100% Syrah, dominated by rich red fruits and cassis on the palate and nose. It is ever so silky with a hint of coco and vanilla and a slight lingering aftertaste and mouthfeel comparable to chocolate milk (haha, that's what I got anyway)
4. Maipo Alto Valley Winemaker's Reserve Red (can't remember the vintage) $52- I know a little pricey but worth every penny. It was rated within the top 50 at the festival. A velvety, vibrant blend owith an elegant persona. Hints of mocha cassis, mint and cigar box. An investment worth waiting for.
5. Spy Valley Riesling '08 - I know it's cheaper than Tantalus' and it's just as yummy, just a tad different, a little less acid and more residual sugar. They're located in Marlborough NZ and have produced a riesling with a concentrated, intense flavor and aroma profile that screams orange zest and key limes. It's around 20$ A scrumptuous find!
Ok that's all for tonight, I'll continue tomorrow.
cheers!
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Thursday, April 22, 2010
No Editing
I want to be clear from the get go, I started this blog with no intention of being P.C. These are my thoughts regurgitated on a screen for you to read and say what you will. Nothing is premeditated, filtered or revised for any reason. I love to write but I'm not particularly fond of english etiquette. What you see is what you get. I plan on telling like it is.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Village Intro
I should also mention that at the moment I'm working at a lil boutique wine store by the name of Village Wines, in Kitsilano. It's a cosy nook only a few blocks from where I live. It's convenience at its best I suppose and stocked full of some of the best VQA wines BC has to offer. We're consignment also so forget those hefty markups!
So why Village? Well I'll tell you. Besides the obvious logistics of the location, coming from Ontario, I felt it was ofcourse necessary to start getting familiar with some of the cult wineries out in BC. I was always exposed to the larger producers out East, you know Blasted Church, Inniskilin, N'kimip, Osoyoos Larose, Mission Hill, just to name a few, but it was the little guys making big waves whom I was more interested in getting to know. So what better way than to work in an all exclusive BC wine store. I had just returned from a summer over in Indonesia, visiting my parents and missed the beginning of the harvest recruitment. I had a shiny new mortgage and needed a paycheck pronto. The truth be known, I've fallen in love with Village and the close knit community that keeps coming back day after day. My regulars as I like to call them. The people that gaze aimlessly into my eyes, wondering what the hell they're going to pair with their proscuitto wrapped halibut or cherry braised lamb shank (my last two customers) It's sometimes hard to abstain from almost immediate salivation but I manage to compose myself and then I disapear for a few seconds while I imagine myself eating their beautiful meal at my own dinner table. Yes, I am a foodie. You see I have this theory and correct me if I'm wrong but I strongly believe that almost all, if not all people who are truly passionate about their wine are in turn as dualy passionate about their food. However, the reverse is not always the case. A foodie is not necessarily, nor may he or she ever have the desire to become a wino. Wino, I hate that word, so much pretention attached to it. I'm going to stop using it. Starting now!
So why Village? Well I'll tell you. Besides the obvious logistics of the location, coming from Ontario, I felt it was ofcourse necessary to start getting familiar with some of the cult wineries out in BC. I was always exposed to the larger producers out East, you know Blasted Church, Inniskilin, N'kimip, Osoyoos Larose, Mission Hill, just to name a few, but it was the little guys making big waves whom I was more interested in getting to know. So what better way than to work in an all exclusive BC wine store. I had just returned from a summer over in Indonesia, visiting my parents and missed the beginning of the harvest recruitment. I had a shiny new mortgage and needed a paycheck pronto. The truth be known, I've fallen in love with Village and the close knit community that keeps coming back day after day. My regulars as I like to call them. The people that gaze aimlessly into my eyes, wondering what the hell they're going to pair with their proscuitto wrapped halibut or cherry braised lamb shank (my last two customers) It's sometimes hard to abstain from almost immediate salivation but I manage to compose myself and then I disapear for a few seconds while I imagine myself eating their beautiful meal at my own dinner table. Yes, I am a foodie. You see I have this theory and correct me if I'm wrong but I strongly believe that almost all, if not all people who are truly passionate about their wine are in turn as dualy passionate about their food. However, the reverse is not always the case. A foodie is not necessarily, nor may he or she ever have the desire to become a wino. Wino, I hate that word, so much pretention attached to it. I'm going to stop using it. Starting now!
1st day of class
Monday night was my first day of the ISG Wine Fundamentals level 2, the start of being half way to becoming a sommelier. I have to say, I was a lil giddy at first. Not like in level one where most people are merely taking the course to fulfill a serving requirement in a fancy pants bar or restaurant. It was refreshing and almost exciting to be among fellow wino's, as cliche as that may sound. People who are genuinely passionate about wine.
I was astounded by the number of chefs, but the majority were in the service industry. There was one "state funded" artist who I found particularly intriguing. His claim to pursuing level 2 was his sheer enjoyment for alcohol, it had become his source of inspiration. He spoke as if wine was a living entity that he was attempting to explore and hopefully could use as a medium to which his inner thoughts could be transpired onto canvas. Perhaps a bit of wishful thinking but certainly an interesting vantage point to take. I'm sure others thought he was a little odd but I found him gripping. I can't even imagine having an intimate one on one conversation, it would fall far short of trite to say the least.
My instructor seems fabulous. An energetic, well knit lady, who is in the process of studying to become a Master of Wine! One of my very own distant dreams. It was a pleasant surprise to hear. We all know the sensory aptitude of women far exceeds most men. The solution...we simply need more women in this field. Now don't get me wrong. I'm not a feminist, I love men...and that too could be misconstrued. Let's just say I'm equally fond of both. However, I think it's important to address the crucial and valuable strengths among the two sexes. Don't you agree?
All in all, a successful first day at school. I don't know if it's because I've spent almost 22 years of my 25 yr. life span in an accademic setting but there's an eventual wave of ease that comes over me when I settle into a classroom. If I had to paint an analogy, it would be drinking sherry on a horribly frigid night. The first sip is soo bitterly astringent but as the tawny liquid makes its way down, it coats your insides with a warming sense of calm. It took some time for me to appreciate the complexity of sherry and the magnitude behind it's being, housed in the magnificent solera...
but that's a whole nother can of worms to be opened on another day.
Until next time,
ciao!
I was astounded by the number of chefs, but the majority were in the service industry. There was one "state funded" artist who I found particularly intriguing. His claim to pursuing level 2 was his sheer enjoyment for alcohol, it had become his source of inspiration. He spoke as if wine was a living entity that he was attempting to explore and hopefully could use as a medium to which his inner thoughts could be transpired onto canvas. Perhaps a bit of wishful thinking but certainly an interesting vantage point to take. I'm sure others thought he was a little odd but I found him gripping. I can't even imagine having an intimate one on one conversation, it would fall far short of trite to say the least.
My instructor seems fabulous. An energetic, well knit lady, who is in the process of studying to become a Master of Wine! One of my very own distant dreams. It was a pleasant surprise to hear. We all know the sensory aptitude of women far exceeds most men. The solution...we simply need more women in this field. Now don't get me wrong. I'm not a feminist, I love men...and that too could be misconstrued. Let's just say I'm equally fond of both. However, I think it's important to address the crucial and valuable strengths among the two sexes. Don't you agree?
All in all, a successful first day at school. I don't know if it's because I've spent almost 22 years of my 25 yr. life span in an accademic setting but there's an eventual wave of ease that comes over me when I settle into a classroom. If I had to paint an analogy, it would be drinking sherry on a horribly frigid night. The first sip is soo bitterly astringent but as the tawny liquid makes its way down, it coats your insides with a warming sense of calm. It took some time for me to appreciate the complexity of sherry and the magnitude behind it's being, housed in the magnificent solera...
but that's a whole nother can of worms to be opened on another day.
Until next time,
ciao!
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