Aug 31 2010

gateway wines for microbrew lovers

Category: Wine tasting — winepost @ 2:58 am

 

I love a good beer.

Yes, I adore wine. But I also like beer – especially after a weekend of wine-ing. Not because it’s easier; in fact, I’m often struck by how wonderfully full and complex our BC microbrews are.

As good Canadians, there’s a strong chance we each have a beer lover (or two) in our lives. I have one: my fella’s a beer lover, and fortunately for me he also loves wine. But it got me thinking about craft brew beers and how easy it is to slip back and forth between the two worlds.

So, for the microbrew lovers out there – or the one in your life – here’s a conversation piece to open the gates between the world of great beer and great wine. Enjoy. Explore. Try something new – just make sure your designated driver is lined up well in advance.

Beer: Tree Brewing Hop Head. It’s a love-it-or-leave-it kind of beer; those who love it say it’s for true craft brew fans. Refreshing might not be the word for this one, but if you’re an IPA fan this is for you. Wine: how about something with a grass-roots-feel to it; kind of earthy and herbal (think tall grasses, not the other kind of BC ‘herb’). Try Tinhorn Creek Oldfield Series Cabernet Franc.

Beer: Mt. Begbie Cream Ale. Golden honey, silky smooth – this is very good craft brew. Wine drinkers talk about wine structure; this baby can hold its own just fine. Wine: think rich, layered with a little bit of honey. Try Joie’s A Noble Blend.

Beer: Crannog Back Hand of God stout. Deep and complex, rich and tasty with a touch of sweetness– that’s the ticket. If this is blasphemy, let me burn; Crannog stout isn’t for the feint of heart. Wine: this calls for something with a little more punch. Try a port-style wine, like Quail’s Gate Fortified Foch or Granite Creek Fortified Merlot.

Beer: Cannery Brewing Naramata Nut Brown. It’s a little bit smokey-rich, a tad sweet and has a good heft to it; your basically perfect brown ale. Wine: for the lover of the classic brown, you should try a classic red. Sample Rollingdale“La Gauche” Cabernet Sauvignon or Seven Stones Syrah.

Beer: Storm Brewing anything. It’s not a kind of beer – I really mean anything from Storm. Super small microbrew at Commercial and Hastings in Vancouver, Storm not only has damn good beer…they’ve got recipes, too. At least, they did when my fella and I lived in that neck of the urban woods. Rent a keg for your next bash and see what I mean. Wine: if it’s an anything beer, it’s got to be an anything wine. Try La Frenz.

Whether you’re going to un*wine*d with glass or a pint, do it with friends – whatever you’re drinking will always taste just that much better.

Cheers!

Jeannette

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Aug 21 2010

BC in AB

Category: Wine tasting — winepost @ 1:12 am

 

un*wine*d is going on vacation. For a whole week.

I’m not going far – just across the invisible border that separates BC from our friendly AB neighbours. So many of their fine residents travel our way in the summer that I thought it appropriate to pop over for a look-see. That, and I’ve never been to Calgary. Sadness.

While AB isn’t quite the wine capital that we proclaim ourselves to be (and if you’ve drank a BC wine lately, you’ll have to agree that it’s damn tasty), I’m looking forward to doing a little national and international wine-purchasing…for research purposes, of course.

I recently met the engaging Claire and entertaining Tom of Wine Access at a winery dinner event, and both had retail wine store recommendations to visit while in CowTown. Among the art gallery visits and dining explorations I feel obligated to do a little wine-ing, Calgary style. And apparently that means checking out Willow Park, Metrovino and perhaps the Cellar Wine Shop.

I’ll do a little cost-comparison, see what’s on the shelves and bring home a sample – or two – if only for educational purposes. It takes a certain dedication to keep you informed, dear reader. Trust that I’m up to the task.

Meanwhile, please joine me in saying a rowdy – er, yeah, well…rowdy works – welcome some new BC wineries to The Wine Festivals family. Newly acquired into the fold are Spierhead Winery in Kelowna and Fort Berens Estate Winery in Lillooet. Stop in and say hi – show them some love.

Summer is still here, so get out and enjoy it. While you’re at it, pour yourself a glass of BC wine and un*wine*d during these beautiful August days. And nights. And mornings. Heck…just have a glass.

Cheers!

Jeannette

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Aug 15 2010

coffee and wine? hell yeah.

Category: Wine tasting — winepost @ 10:23 pm

 

You know it’s going to be a good day when at 10:00 you’ve got bubble in your glass. Don’t judge me - I know you’re jealous.

While we – well, most of us – can’t start every day with a glass of bubble, I was fortunate to do just that at the Okanagan Summer Wine Festival this weekend at Silver Star. It’s the last year this event will be hosted among alpine wonderous goodness. Sad, but don’t fret: next year we’ll see a virtual explosion of events hosted throughout the valley, with Penticton shining as the predominant host city. I’ll be there, glass in hand.

Back to the mid-morning bubble. Over two days, events this year included Wine and Cheese, the decadent Cadbury’s Chocolate and wine tasting (can I hear a big ‘yum’?) and a Progressive Tasting on the Saturday afternoon to cap things off. But what really got my curiosity was something a little different: coffee and wine.

Starbucks introduced a pairing like no other. This is where we got to sip delicious BC bubble at 10am and five other BC wines – all matched with a coffee partner. Initially I was sceptical; hell, I still am. But the enthusiasm of the coffee folks have me looking at the brewed beverage in an entirely different light.

Acidity. Aroma. Floral. Earthy. Spicy. Do you think these are just reserved for wine? Not according to the people at the ‘Bucks. All are descriptors of coffee and are included in a handy little Coffee Passport – given to new partners when they start on the job. And there was no drip coffee-making done here. Oh no. These were brewed french-press style, and spoken about with such love and attention to detail that I could see the road we were headed down a bit clearer than when I signed up for the seminar.

They poured and paired while we swirled, sniffed and drank (slurped, in the case of the coffee). A good time was most definitely had by all – including those who answered skill-testing questions to be rewarded with prizes and hugs. It was that kinda crowd, and that’s alright by me.

Wine/Coffee #1: Summerhill Cipes Brut / Breakfast Blend. I’m a big fan of what Summerhill does with bubble – especially the Cipes Brut. The Breakfast Blend didn’t get the full workout or appreciation as we were in our coffee tasting infancy. All I can say is that it woke me up quite nicely.

Wine/Coffee #2: Mission Hill Reserve Chardonnay 2008 / Italian Roast. Admittedly, I hadn’t tried a chard from Mission Hill yet – there’s just too much damn good stuff around the Okanagan. And this was quite pleasant. Think brunch wine as your nibbling on a bagel and lox. The Italian Roast had that woodsy aroma going for it, complete with memories of maple syrup smokehouses.

Wine/Coffee #3: Tantalus Riesling 2009 / Kenya Blend. Tantalus makes a damn good riesling – initially crisp with bright fruit (think grapefruit on its best day) and a wee bit of oily-goodness, yet it can hang out in the bottle to develop into the kerosene/petrol beauty that I know lurks beneath the surface. Yum. The Kenya Blend is often used for iced coffees – it’s got that citrus thing going for it which I couldn’t discern but am willing to go back for another try. Or two.

Wine/Coffee #4: Ex Nihilo Night 2006 / Pike Place Roast. This was my introduction to an Ex Nihilo red, and I’m still not sure what to think. Night is a blend of equal parts cab sauv, merlot and cab franc – and supposed to be a Bordeaux-style. Whatever the reason, it wasn’t working for me. I tasted stuff at the start (fruit) and the end (tannin), but nothing in the middle. The Pike Place Roast, however, made me swear off putting anything in my coffee ever again. And if you’ve ever seen me doctor up a coffee, you’ll know just what a big deal that is.

Wine/Coffee #5: RollingdaleIverson Merlot 2008 / Organic Yukon Blend. The grapes for this merlot come from Rollingdale’s growing partners along the Golden Mile (Oliver area), and they only make 200 cases of the stuff. Hot damn, them’s good grapes. There’s a whole lotta stuff going on when you take a sip of this merlot, and it’s all in happy unison. As for the Organic Yukon Blend…think dark, bitter chocolate. Yep.

Wine/Coffee #6: Quail’s GateFortified Foch 2007 / Komodo Dragon Blend. Bring me a fortified wine, and I’m in a happy place. There’s a wee ‘but’ in here, as I haven’t been a foch fan in the past – except for their Old Vines Foch, which is gorgeous. Sweetness hides a high (but typical) alcohol content in this fortified, yet the foch varietal does something my taste buds don’t like. My fella liked it just fine. Instead, I concentrated on the Komodo Dragon. In the world of wine, there are big wines….and this is a helluva big coffee. Also my favourite of the morning, as it turns out. Yeah, that surprised me too.

Just when you think you’ve been there, done that with wine tasting, change things up a little. I’d never think to put these things together – and I’m sure there are people out there who may think these aren’t natural partners. They might not be. But the folks behind this event sure did their homework because I can honestly say it was an absolute blast – and something I’d do again in a heartbeat.

Go ahead – un*wine*d with a glass of bubble before noon…then chase it with a lively, vibrant coffee. Whatever you do, have fun. That’s what this is all about.

Cheers!

Jeannette

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Aug 06 2010

read this, drink that: CanLit & BC wine

Category: Wine tasting — winepost @ 12:51 am

 

Yes, I’m about to inundate you with wine-and-reading selections. But I’m not very traditional; you should know that by now, dear reader. So what does that mean when it comes to a reading and wine-ing list presented by yours truly? Allow me to explain.

I’m dragging out the hasn’t-been-published-in-ages books; ones you need to hunt down in your local used book store treasure trove or thrift store. And I’m choosing some newer releases – those published in the last ten years. Maybe there will be something in here that you’ve never heard of.

Good reads should challenge us and our expectations – kind of like good wine does. Both are sensory and seductive, and both can take you a world away.

Enjoy.

Read: Robertson Davies, Leaven of Malice. This guy shoves us into a world of academics, tenure and compound sentences. His characters drink wine. I like that. This is one dude who doesn’t lead you around by the nose: he’s got witty, layered characters that keep surprising you, and he has an expectation you’ve a decent head on your shoulders. 

Drink: This says bubble all over it. Try Blue Mountain, Sumac Ridge’s Stellar’s Jay (after sleeping for a couple of years, it’s one mighty good bottle) or Gray Monk Odyssey White Brut. Not a bubble fan? Shame. But you can play along – with a bottle of Twisted Tree Syrah, or a Pinot Noir from Meyer Family Vineyards.

Read: Margaret Atwood, The Edible Woman. Ahead of her time in so many ways. This is foodie Can-lit for foodies before there were foodies. Of course, there’s a glass or two of wine in here. I read this only recently, having put it off in a covet kind of way. I’m glad I did.

Drink: Margaret says unusual yet beautiful structure, and so must the wine. Think Mount Boucherie Ehrenfelser,  Inniskillin Dark Horse Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, Lake Breeze Pinot Blanc or Road 13 Vineyards Jackpot Pinot Noir.

Read: Douglas Coupland, J Pod. I love him; he’s magnificent at loading a sentence with so much stuff. Plus, I want to meet Ethan’s mom. Think easy street meets the wrong side of the tracks, in a very Rice-Krispie-square kind of way.

Drink: More than meets the eye, this one. Makes me want Rollingdale’s Cabernet Sauvignon “La Gauche”, Township 7’s Chardonnay (not the reserve, but not the un-oaked for this one), Cedar Creek’s Platinum Reserve Chardonnay or Tinhorn Creek’s Oldfield Series Merlot – because there’s more going on than you would expect.

Read: Mordecai Richler, Barney’s Version. The guy writes a good story, hands down. These are characters that I not only want to drink with, but also want to go to Europe with. That’s good character development.

Drink: I recall the protagonist as a scotch drinker, but also one who enjoyed a bottle of wine. That being said – try something from Osoyoos Larose, or maybe Laughing Stock’s Portfolio. Perhaps followed by a nice fortified, like Sumac Ridge Pipe or Granite Creek Merlot.

Read: Zoe Whittall, Bottle Rocket Hearts. Maybe it’s because I met her brother in the parking lot of an Okanagan winery (true story), or maybe it’s because I had a summer of unemployed drunken fun in Montreal in the early 90’s (slightly hazy true story). It could be both, but also because this is one brilliant author. Storytelling stream-of-consciousness. I miss Eve.

Drink: Memories of misspent youth, character-building events that at the time are rip-your-heart-out experiences you don’t think you’ll ever recover from and the unmistakable sweetness of firsts. Try La Frenz Cabernet Sauvignon, Orofino Pinot Noir, Cassini Cellars Reserve Chardonnay or Desert Hills Gamay. 

The point is this: wine, like literature, is highly dependent on situation. I truly believe that. Reading the same book at different points in your life will bring out different qualities of that book – just like drinking wine with different people, or in different situations, will show you something new.

Mix it up. Experiment. Un*wine*d a little. Now excuse me while I go back to Timothy Findley’s Spadework and my glass of…well, I’m not going to tell you all my secrets – read it and tell me what you’d drink with it.

Cheers!

Jeannette

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Aug 02 2010

secrets of great summer wine-ing: part II

Category: Wine tasting — winepost @ 9:40 pm

 

By now, many of you have swirled, sniffed, sipped and maybe gulped your way through some Okanagan wine tasting rooms. Good for you. If not – get on it. Seriously. Our winemakers and growers work really, really hard. Show them some love.

There are few things more frustrating than not getting what you wanted out of your wine-touring weekend. All year you plan, plot and devise ways to a) rent a bigger car than the one you have – if you have one, b) cram as many bathing suits, shorts and t-shirts as you can into the smallest piece of luggage possible so you can c) buy a schwack of wine and cajole boxes (and individual bottles, when you run out of cubic inches) into a vehicle that you swear isn’t big enough after all.

You want to have a good wine touring experience. We want you to have one, too. So after our entry-level, secrets-of-great-summer-wine-touring post I thought I’d up the ante and get into the technicalities of what can make a good vacation in the Okanagan even better.

Be cool. That goes for your wine, too. Twice-baked is good for potatoes, bad for wine. You wouldn’t leave your dog or your kids in the car, would you? I didn’t think so. Remember – wine cellars are cool for a reason, not just because someone forgot to pay the heating bill. Get a cheap cooler if you have to, or take the wine out of the car and bring it into your hotel room. You’ll get a workout and save your wine at the same time. Travelling from The Rise in Vernon to Sumac Ridge in Summerland? Two words: air conditioning.

Buy in threes (at least). It always happens: you buy a bottle of wine, tell yourself you’re going to save it for a special occasion, sit on it for a few years…whatever. Guess what? You get into some wine with friends on a Friday night and before you know it, that ’special’ bottle is sitting empty on the counter. Oh, crap. This is why you must at least buy in threes: one for now (because you can’t wait), one for when you cave a little while from now (because it will happen, trust me) and one to forget about until you really intended to drink it. I did that with Noble Ridge. Best idea ever.

Write shit down. I don’t mean ‘essence of rose petal’ or that other stuff I keep telling you I know nothing about. I mean write down where you are, what time it is, who you’re with and what it makes you think of. This is going to help you figure out when you should drink it – and who you should drink it with. When you get home, that notepad with words like ’springtime’, ‘waterfalls’ and ‘the day I woke up in Laredo, Texas’ will actually help guide your memory through the wine-soaked journey of those few golden days in the Okanagan. Or they’ll just make one heck of a story.

Ask questions. There’s a story behind everything, and many of the staff in the tasting rooms are a) knowledgeable as all hell, b) people who really like what they do and c) have something to share with you. Some – in fact, many – don’t work these gigs year round. They’ve got a life outside of the quaint tasting room you’ve (at times, literally) stumbled into. Guess what: they want to share the good stuff with you, stories and all. Listen. Learn. Laugh. Find out where to go next.

I could spend all day recommending places to visit, people to see and winery dogs to take pictures of. The Okanagan is full of great wine people. It’s summer. Take it from me – there’s no better place to un*wine*d than right here, right now.

Cheers!

Jeannette

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Jul 24 2010

secrets of great summer wine-ing: part I

Category: Wine tasting — winepost @ 3:53 pm

 

It’s easy to have a good time in the Okanagan, especially when it’s summer. I should know – I live here. Go ahead, be jealous. It’s okay. After all, living in vacationland could have the same tag line as that credit card commercial: membership has its privileges.

But in the summer, anyone can be a member of the Okanagan and we like it that way. This is what summer vacations are made of: floating along the channel in Penticton, renting a boat and ripping it up wake-board-style in Osoyoos, golfing at one of the dozens of greenways.

And, of course – there’s wine touring. You wouldn’t be here (I mean here, on this site) if it wasn’t for your love of Okanagan wine. Good for you.

I already said it’s easy to have a good time here, and it’s true. But that doesn’t mean we don’t have our secrets, tips and tricksto make summer wine touring – and Okanagan visiting – even better. You can get a ton of information from the Tourism BC website to help navigate your way from Salmon Arm to Osoyoos, but we all know what the real secret to great travel is: getting the goods from a local.

I’m a local. Okay – so I haven’t lived here my whole life and by small town rules that means I’m not a local yet. But I’ll bet I drink way more wine than many of the locals do, so if you’re in for a wine-ing good time, then I’m your gal to listen to.

There’s too much information to give to you in just one post, so this will be spread out a bit. Consider it my gift to you – it’s the stuff I wish I knew heading in to this wine-touring gig years ago. You might know some (or all) of this already; if so, think of it as a summer-school refresher course. A really, really fun one.

wine touring 101

Bring snacks. It sounds silly, and something your mom might have said before you went off to your first day-trip without her, but it’s vital for surviving wine touring and tasting. Sure, tasting rooms might have little palate cleansers – even a bit of cheese, perhaps. That just won’t cut it. Grab a baguette – or two – and some of our great local cheeses to munch on as you go about your day.

Hydrate yourself. Whether you’re wakeboarding, sunbathing, golfing or wine-touring, you’ll need H2O. It’s a freakin’ desert, people. Dryness like you may not have experienced before. Water. Lots of it.

Book ahead. Accommodations get snapped up in a jiffy around these parts come summer, even tenting. Do the online reservation thing or pick up the phone. That works for a few of our wineries, too, which leads us into…

Do your research. If you have a favourite winery you want to visit, be sure to check out their website or give them a call before you make the trek from wherever you’re from. A few spots require an appointment, usually to give you extra-special attention while you’re visiting them. Love the Carmenere by Black Hills? Call ‘em up ahead of time and book a seat for their ultra-lounge wine tasting uber-experience. Got a weakness for Blue Mountain bubble? You’re not alone – but get in touch with them early so they can make an appointment for a tasting.

Take the road less travelled. This might seem to fly in the face of the recommendation above, but no – quite the opposite. It’s by going down the road you didn’t know was there that you can often find that little gem buried in the wilderness – or just along a side street. That’s how I first found Blue Mountain. No, we didn’t get in for a tasting that day…but I found them, which I think is the bigger gain.

Try something new. You’re doing wine tasting, after all. Don’t just stick with the “I-like-big-reds-so-just-pour-me-the-cab-sauv-and-if-you-don’t-have-any-of-that-then-I’ll-wait-outside” line. You’re in a tasting room. Only drink aromatic whites? Who cares! Try that pinot noir you’ve heard about. Isn’t tasting exactly why you’re here? Live a little. You might surprise yourself.

Mix it up. Just because you’re wine touring doesn’t mean you can’t take in a festival or event while you’re in the area – and stumble upon it. Houseboating in the Shuswap? Get thee to a winery, like Granite Creek (their fortified merlot is dee-lish). These things don’t need to be mutually exclusive. Have fun. You’re on vacation.

We’re just scratching the surface of what can help take your Okanagan summer from great to fantabulous. This is the entry-level stuff, a kind of introductory course for those unfamiliar with our area – or an easy refresher for those seasoned Okanagan travel veterans.  Stay tuned for more, including some secrets that only locals know about and share with good friends. You’re our good friend, right?

Happy summer, wherever you are. It’s a great time to un*wine*d with a bottle of BC wine. Get over here and get some.

Cheers!

Jeannette

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Jul 06 2010

like this? try that!

Category: Wine tasting — winepost @ 4:15 am

 

So… I recently went to a wine  conference, and got really drunk, um, well I drank a lot of wine, er… okay, I tasted a bunch of great wine. And it was easy, because there were dozens of wineries pouring their wares. I didn’t have to choose anything other than move from this bottle, to that bottle, then spit cup.

The whole experience got me thinking about travelling and buying wine. Us wine lovers have our local – and sometimes international – favourites. The tried and true. But what happens to all the wine you don’t know a damn thing about? Other than finding a local wine bar / boutique / wine-o-phile to interrogate, how are we supposed to make a relatively informed wine decision when travelling?

Simple: it’s time for a game of ‘like this? try that’, courtesy yours truly. Please don’t let my hours of wine drinking go to waste. 

The glorious Okanagan is a hop, skip and jump-through-the-border-hoops away from our US neighbours. We welcome visitors of all kinds; especially those who can haul away cases of our delicious wines in their cars / SUVs / trucks / motorhomes.  Got a favourite Washington wine? Something in California make you say naughty words? Chances are we’ve got a BC wine for you. After all, we’ve shared our soil for eons and eons. Literally.

Play along at home or take a really, really long road trip.

The Like This? Try That! wine game

Like: Parduci 2008 Sustainable White 

Light and crisp, this organic and sustainable vineyard puts out a fabulous white blend. It’s a right-after-mowing-the-lawn-on-a-hot-summer-day wine. Try: Tinhorn Creek Pinot Gris or Rollingdale Pinot Blanc.

Like: Pithy Little Wine Co. 2009 Sangiovese Rosé

My first experience with sangiovese, and a rosĂ© to boot. Hot damn. This little beauty has a surprise for you – just when you think it’s done, out comes a hint of roses. It’s a playing-hookey-from-work-on-a-sunny-day wine. Try: Le Vieux Pin Viala or Twisted Tree Marsanne Rousanne.

Like: Ortman Family Wines 2007 Chardonnay

Taste explosion of honey-nut-butter-caramel. This is dinner-party-when-you-don’t-know-who’s-going-to-be-there-but-you-want-to-make-a-good-impression wine. Try: Cassini Cellars Reserve Chardonnay or Wild Goose God’s Mountain Riesling.

Like: Long Shadows 2009 Poet’s Leap Riesling

A tarty little thing, and pleasantly so. Poet’s Leap is learning-to-whistle-by-blowing-over-a-blade-of-grass-pinned-between-your-thumbs kind of wine. Inhale. Try: Orofino Riesling or Little Straw Tapestry.

Like: Buty 2008 Semillion/Sauvignon Blanc/Muscadelle

The only way to describe this wine is as a gift that keeps on giving. And giving. Wait…it’s not done yet. Know what I mean? Try: Painted Rock Chardonnay or Orofino Malbec for a similar gift-giving experience.

Like: DeLille Cellars 2008 Chaleur Estate Blanc

Complex is an understatement. Nutmeg, almond and caramel tangled with smokey cigar – all wrapped up in fruit salad. Yeah, it’s like that. This is getting-into-your-parents-good-wine-stash wine. It’s exactly where you know you’re supposed to be. Try: La Frenz Tempranillo or Fairview Cellars Sauvignon Blanc.

To all the wines I loved over three days – and three very late nights – in Walla Walla, Washington, I’d like to say a hearty thank you. And to all the wines I don’t have room to drool over here, my deepest apologies – but know that you will forever remain in my heart, nestled beside some great wine memories.

Summer is about exploring new places – even if it’s only through the taste that a great glass of wine places you in. Because you know I’m not about “complex acidity” or “hints of gooseberry leaf on the nose”. I’ll leave that to the wine professionals. No; I’m about where-does-this-wine-take-you, and what-do-you-want-to-be-doing-when-you-drink-it. (descriptions totally PG13, of course)

Regardless your method of travel this summer, be sure to un*wine*d with a glass of somewhere great.

Cheers!

Jeannette

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Jun 21 2010

wine therapy

Category: Wine tasting — winepost @ 12:11 am

My fella and I moved to BC wine country about three years ago, leaving the big city of Vancouver – and surrounding urban areas – behind. Living in wine country kicks ass. I’m minutes away from some of the best BC wine there is, and that’s a very good thing. Especially with a hammock in the yard. Wine + hammock = happy.

But, as with every great departure…something gets left behind. In this case it was a great circle of remarkable friends. And sometimes I need a little of that crazy-friend-thing that happens when a particular group of us are within twenty feet of each other. You know what I mean. Most people have those friends; if not, get them.

This past Friday I ventured out on the road, cooler (and car) stuffed with Okanagan wine to share with my gal pals. A trip to The City is reason enough to prompt a social gathering of my lovelies. Thankfully, there’s very little that a bunch of good friends drinking good wine can’t remedy.

Here are a few of the situations we tackled, and the wine that helped:

The “what-am-I-passionate-about?” debacle

While discussing the merits of finding your passion versus knowing your passion but being unable to do much about it because of a mortgage, car payment and student debt (still), we sipped the 2008 Sauvignon Blanc from Little Straw Vineyards. This ain’t your usual sauv blanc. It’s honey and clover and grapefruit, crisp and buttery at the same time. A of a mix of things, kind of like finding out – or trying to develop – what you’re passionate about. Think and, not or.

The “is-it-asking-too-much-to-meet-a-nice-guy-who-likes-that-I’m-a-smart-and-confident-lady?” challenge

As several of my lovelies are in a similar predicament, I can safely say that this is a fairly serious issue – and one which requires a bit of finesse, delicate manoeuvering and strong character. Fortunately, we had a bottle of Reserve Pinot Noir from Mission Hill, and I poured generously. Classic pinot noir (to me) is sandy beach with a basket of strawberries and a soft, lingering touch. Yeah, this little number was a perfect companion to our discussion of how to find your perfect companion – or just someone who finds it sexy that you have a thing for literature.

The “it’s-a-few-hours-in-and-things-are-getting-out-of-hand-in-a-good-way” medley

You know you’ve been there, so don’t even try to deny it – especially because it’s often the best part of the night. Hopefully, you can remember most (or at least part) of it. I’m talking about the time of night when you reach for that next glass of whatever and realize ‘I’m having so much fun!’. Our hostess has a weakness for one particular BC winery, so I thought it perfect timing to bring out the Burrowing Owl 2006 Syrah. Hello, nurse. Big, dark and rich with a whole lotta stuff goin’ on, this beauty is the take-things-up-a-notch element you’re looking for when you don’t want the night to end.

But every night must end. And as we stumbled our way home (safely, and with designated drivers) I know we each got a little something more from those few hours than a belly full of good food and wine. We were overdue for our un*wine*d session; at least, I know I was.

Cheers,

Jeannette

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Jun 02 2010

it’s a pinot thing

Category: Wine tasting — admin @ 8:41 pm

If you’ve drank a few wines in your time, then there’s a good chance you know what some of your favourites are – and what some of your never agains are. That’s the beauty of wine; if you don’t particularly like a wine you need not make a big deal out of it (unless you want to). You merely say something witty like “it’s not to my taste”, or “this is plonk”.

Well, maybe this-is-plonk isn’t so witty. But you catch my drift.

I’ve had a few favourites of the years, but I’m not usually one to chase a grape variety or a particular winery. That wouldn’t be fair to all the other wines I haven’t tasted yet, and I’m all about equity – fair opportunity for all to participate, and such.

One of the grapes I’ve loved and lost is the sometimes elusive, often underestimated and occasionally mistreated Pinot Noir. I’ve seen it used, abused and mass-produced. But I’ve also seen it handled gingerly, delicately and with the revere that it asks for.

Pinot Noir is (at times) a difficult child. It can be temperamental in the vineyard, frustrating in the cellar and uncertain in the bottle. No amount of cajoling, bribery or threats can coax it to where you want it. Sound familiar?

At the same time, this little grape can really surprise you – usually when you least expect it. And where I least expect it to shine is in the parched desert of the Okanagan. But we’ve got lots of good things going on around here.

Whatever else yummy there is going on at Road 13 Vineyards (and there’s plenty), there’s one delectable Jackpot Pinot Noir hanging around. Damn. The judges at the Okanagan Wine Festival agreed: they awarded it best of varietal at this year’s spring competition. (hey – why wasn’t I on that panel?)

Don’t expect a big, fruity bomb with the Road 13 Jackpot; that’s not what this grape is about. Some may argue that (fine, go ahead – I know who you are). This is a bricky, layered, cherry-and-leather little number that starts the night quiet but finishes it loud – in all the right ways. Drink it with friends – like I did – or drink it by yourself and don’t feel the least bit guilty about it.

And now for something completely different.

Look up – look waaaaay up (any Friendly Giant fans out there?). High above the valley floor is See Ya Later Ranch, and they’ve had some good stuff growing up there for a while. Back in the day they were Hawthorne Mountain, which was a mini training ground for those who are part of the who’s who in Okanagan wine making. Now it’s See Ya Later, part of the Vincor umbrella. They still grow – and make – good stuff.

One of those good stuffs is their pinot noir. This is strawberries and cherries and fruit, oh my. And all in a very good way. Not the fruit-bomb style, but in a soft, lingering style. Delightful and easy, this pinot noir is summer evening drinking with grilled salmon on the bar-b-que. That’s right. I said salmon. Preferably grilled by someone else, so make sure you invite the cooking-type friends over.

Put up the hammock, drag out the grille and invite those nearest and dearest to enjoy a glass of good BC Pinot Noir. They’re around. And I’ve only brought out two of them. There are so many more to un*wine*d with; I haven’t even started on Orofino
 but that’s a whole other post.

Cheers!

Jeannette

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May 18 2010

wine, canapés and four-inch heels

Category: Wine tasting — admin @ 8:25 am

When one thinks of ‘wine tasting’, one may imagine nice stemware, quiet music mingled with laughter and the clink of cutlery – perhaps even some hipster friends you can discuss obscure music with.

Got that picture in front of you? Good. Now scrap it.

I’m talking Spring Wine Festival grand hoopla, big finale time. The this-ain’t-your-mother’s-wine-club kind of stuff. Unless, of course, your mother wears four-inch heels, can tweet / facebook / myspace simultaneously and balance a wine glass, designer purse and mobile communication device in one hand. All while noshing on canapĂ©s.

The WestJet Wine Tasting at the Delta Okanagan hosted over 50 wineries with more than 160 wines to sample, spit, or swallow – depending on how you were getting home. By the looks of things there would be a few people making use of the safe ride home program offered by sponsor Johnston Meier Insurance. Thanks for that, kind sponsor.

I can’t begin to list the wineries in attendance, partly because a) there were so many, b) the room was packed and I’m sure I didn’t get all the way around and c) I didn’t spit as often as I could have so things are slightly hazy. But I do remember a few of my stand-outs. Pay attention; memory recall may not last.

Stag’s Hollow 2009 Sauvignon Blanc: bright, friendly and fun. This new release is taking BC sauv blanc to a whole other playing field – and you need to be there. Get some.

Orofino 2009 Riesling: hot damn. I don’t know what else to say, other than deliciousness – which can be said of pretty much everything they do. This is a remarkably crafted wine in limited production. Don’t take my bottle.

La Frenz 2008 Malbec: I can’t believe it keeps getting better. Beautiful layers of tastes and all sorts of good wine stuff in my mouth. This is what happens when your best friend is the person you fall in love with.

Fairview Cellars anything: it’s criminal that I haven’t been to visit Bill before now. Whatever he put in my glass, I drank and went to a very good place. It doesn’t even matter what wine I mention because it’s all ridiculously stellar. Find it. (uh, Bill – you’d better save me some
)

The Best Line of the Night also goes to Bill at Fairview. I tasted – something – and stared at him, speechless. Whatever my face showed, he liked it. Bill laughed and said, “I love my job”.

I love your job too, Bill. I’ll be visiting you soon to un*wine*d with more of the fruits of your labours. Just let me first pack my tent


Cheers!

~ Jeannette

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