My Picks: Vintages Release -- May 1

Here’s my shopping list for the Vintages Release on May 1.

What am I looking for? Three things.
Organic: wines certified biodynamic or organic
Off the Beaten Track: lesser-known or underappreciated traditional varietals, unusual blends, or underappreciated regions
Value: good wines at less than $30

And I try to keep the list to a dozen.

Organic

BONTERRA SAUVIGNON BLANC 2008, Lake & Mendocino Counties (California); #86249; Price: $17.95; 13.1% ABV
Organic since 1987. Sauvignon Blancs from California tend to run the spectrum from citrus to tropical fruit, although the touch of Muscat (3%) and Chardonnay (1%) helps bring out the tropical fruit here. No oak.

BRICCO ROSSO DOLCETTO DI DOGLIANI 2007, DOC Dolcetto di Dogliani (Italy); #705699; Price: $15.95; 13.0% ABV
Haven’t yet tried the Dolcetto varietal from Piedmont? Here’s your chance! Typically light in acidity, it’s ready to drink young and it’s very versatile in year-round food matching. Aged 6 months in oak.

CEDRO CHIANTI RUFINA 2006, DOCG Chianti Rufina (Italy); #164723; Price: $16.95; 13.5% ABV
I prefer Chianti Rufina to Chianti Classico because it’s more assertive. A blend of Sangiovese (90%), Black Canaiolo (5%), and Ciliegiolo (5%), aged 14 months in French oak. Tends to need more aging, but worth the wait.

Off the Beaten Track

SIGALAS SANTORINI 2008, AOHQ Santorini; #74781; Price: $21.95; 14.4% ABV
100% Assyrtiko (a white varietal) from the volcanic soil on the hot, dry, and windy island of Santorini. Known for its minerality.

SEGHESIO ZINFANDEL 2008, Sonoma County (California); #942151; Price: $29.95; 15.5% ABV
I LOVE Zin and this one is my pick of the Zins in this release. The Seghesio family first planted zinfandel in Sonoma County in 1895. A blend from sites in Dry Creek Valley and Alexander Valley. Seghesio focuses on Zins and (other?) Italian varietals.

PICHIERRI TRADIZIONE DEL NONNO PRIMITIVO DI MANDURIA 2007, DOC Primitivo; #718130; Price: $23.95; 16.0% ABV
And here’s my pick of the Primitivo, from way down south in Puglia. You like Zin? You’ll like this (DNA testing shows it’s the same grape.) Whoa, 16% Alcohol! Grandpa liked a BIG wine. Put this one away for next winter.

DOMAINE PUIG-PARAHY GEORGES 2007, AC Cotes du Roussillon (France); #171025; Price: $13.95; 13.5% ABV
One-third Carignan, one-third old-vine Grenache, one-third Syrah, harvested by hand. Aged 12 months in concrete tanks. Looks like a bargain to me. From Roussillon, the French part of Catalonia. The Parahy family has owned the vineyard since 1446.

CHÀTEAU DE NAGES JT COSTIÉRES DE NÎMES 2006, AC Costières de Nîmes (France); #736876; Price: $21.95; 14.5% ABV
JT stands for José Torrès, founder of the vineyard, located in south-west Rhone, just on the border with Languedoc. A blend of Syrah (95%) and Mourvèdre (5%). Aged in French oak (1/3 first-use, 1/3 second-use, 1/3 third use) for 12 months

LAURUS GIGONDAS 2006, AC Gigondas (France); #163113; Price: $24.95; 14.5% ABV
A blend of Grenache and Syrah. The Syrah is aged in special barrels with a capacity of 275 litres (about 20 percent larger than the standard Rhone barrel, giving less exposure to oak) for 14 months, and then blended with the Grenache.

BURGO VIEJO RESERVA 2001, DOCa Rioja (Spain); #168823; Price: $19.95; 13.5% ABV
From Rioja Baja, a producer in the traditional style. A blend of Tempranillo (85%), Graciano (10%) and Carignan (5%), aged in 50% American oak and 50% French oak barrels for 18 months, then 2 years in the bottle before release.

MUSTIGUILLO MESTIZAJE 2007, Vino de la Tierra el Terrerazo (Spain); #168302; Price: $16.95; 14.0% ABV
This one comes from Utiel-Requena, just west of Valencia. A blend of the native varietal Bobal (70%) with Tempranillo (10%), Garnacha Tintorera (10%) and that import Cabernet Sauvignon (10%) thrown in. Aged in oak for 6 months. Unfiltered. Mustiguillo specializes in making great red wines from Bobal, another Rodney Dangerfield varietal.

The rosés are coming! The rosés are coming!  Here's my first pick for summer:

CHÂTEAU CAHUZAC ROSÉ 2009, AC Fronton (France); #117317; Price: $13.95; 13.0% ABV
I like my rosés dry, very dry. Here’s one from France’s southwest that’s a blend of mostly the local varietal Négrette, with Gamay and Syrah.

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Short-Term Gain...Long-Term Pain?

Interesting case study in the Globe and Mail on how low-cost Fuzion separated itself from the pack.

The bigger question...is Malbec now forever branded as a low-end wine for Ontario consumers?

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Naturally Faulted

It’s not often we find “natural” wines here in monopoly-land but on Saturday we got our chance to taste a self-described natural wine. So, what are natural wines? There don’t seem to be any verifiable standards, but descriptions include:

• Handpicked, organically or biodynamically grown grapes
• Low-yielding vineyards
• No added sugars, no artificial yeasts
• No fining or filtration
• No adjustments for acidity
• No other additives to adjust mouth-feel, colour, etc
• No micro-oxygenation or reverse osmosis
• Little or no added sulphites

The attraction of natural wines? For their proponents, these wines are wine as it was meant to be, and should be. Reflective of terror...High quality...Not homogenized...Little manipulation in the cellar to cover up poor quality, so winemakers must take care that growing methods produce high-quality grapes...Not always perfect but never boring.

Now, the big knock against natural wines is that they can be inconsistent…that not every grower starts off with high-quality grapes…that the winemaker makes mistakes, and doesn’t correct them. The biggest criticism of natural wines is the avoidance of using sulphites as a preservative, with these wines too frequently going “off”, especially when travelling great distances.

We found our natural wine on the wine list of the Restaurant Kitchen Galerie in Montreal: Les Raisins de la Colère 2007, AOC Faugères (Languedoc, France) from Domaine de la Tour Penedesses. A blend of Syrah (70%) and Mourvèdre (30%). A great vintage from a favourite region, we anticipated a fantastic wine.

Our introduction to natural wine was an unhappy one. The front palate was somewhat enjoyable, although the aromas and flavours were muted. Not unpleasant (yet), just subdued. But in the aftertaste, the tannins were so high (green, rough, grippy...imagine talcum powder in your mouth) that it killed the length completely. Not sure, maybe seeds and stems were mixed in with the juice of the handpicked grapes? As well, the wine had an unpleaantly hot, almost burning sensation along the sides of the tongue (the alcohol was only 13.5%). Could this be volatile acidity? I didn’t pick-up the telltale aroma of nail polish for volatile acidity. Just as identifying aromas and flavours in wine takes practice, so does identifying faults. I just haven’t had enough practice in picking out the characteristics of different faults, not that I’m complaining about not getting enough crappy wine.

[UPDATE, May 14:  I contacted the instructor of my Vinification course, Aaron Shaw, to ask him what he thought.  Based solely on my description, without tasting the wine, Aaron posits that "It definitely seems like there was a lack of destemming of the grapes which can result in rough, green tannins. As for the burning sensation, it could be VA, or it could be that the wine was over chaptalised. Even though they should be able to ripen grapes sufficiently in Faugeres, they might have had yields that were too high and then needed to add some sugar pre-ferment to boost alcohol of the final wine. Often with chaptalised wines, they can give a burning sensation as the elevated alcohol levels do not match the fruit levels which would have been lower...keep in mind that it is an assumption based upon my tasting experience of other wines where I have had a similar burning effect from over-chaptalisation."  Thanks for the instructive comment, Aaron!]

As for natural wines, I’ll be happy to try more in the hope of a better outcome. My glass is still half-full.

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My Picks: Vintages On-Line Exclusives -- April 21

This is post #100!  Wohoo!

Here’s my shopping list for this week’s Vintages On-Line Exclusives Release.

What am I looking for? Three things.
Organic: wines certified biodynamic or organic
Off the Beaten Track: lesser-known or underappreciated traditional varietals, unusual blends, or underappreciated regions
Value: good wines at less than $30.

Organic
Nothing new this week, but I did find this gem from a previous release:

KRINKLEWOOD BIODYNAMIC VINEYARD SEMILLON 2009, Hunter Valley (Australia); #148973; 10% ABV; $26
Semillon is the signature grape of Hunter Valley (north of Sydney) and oh so worth trying. Meant for aging, it's typically closed when young (not showing any aromas or flavours) so hold on to this until at least 2014. Should match well with shellfish.

Off the Beaten Track

SUSANA BALBO SIGNATURE MALBEC 2007, Mendoza (Argentina); #79798; 15% ABV; $23
From Susana Balbo, one of my favourite producers, this Malbec has 10% Cabernet Sauvignon.

QUINTA QUIETUD 2003, DO Toro (Spain); #162701; 14% ABV; $29
100% Tempranillo, aged in American and French oak for 20 months

B CRUX 2004, Mendoza, Argentina; #163709; 14% ABV; $24
A blend of Tempranillo (50%), Malbec (40%), and Merlot (10%). Aged 12 months, 80% in new French oak and the rest in new American oak. Unfiltered.

CA' RUGATE MONTE FIORENTINE SOAVE CLASSICO 2008, DOC Soave Classico (Veneto, Italy); #163832; 12% ABV; $22
Like Pinot Grigio, the wine stores used to be full of very ordinary Soave. But behind the old perception are some very good wines. The Classico designation means it comes from the traditional Soave region. 100% Garganega. No oak.

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California Carnage

Great post by Alder Yarrow on the fallout from the recession on the California wine industry.  Lessons to be learned. 

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World’s Best Sommelier Competition

51 candidates from around the world competed for the title of "World’s Best Sommelier" in Santiago this week. The Association de la Sommellerie Internationale organizes the competition, which takes place every 3 years.

12 contestants get through to the semi-finals by passing several tests. One test is a timed written paper, completed in a language than their own, that encompasses all aspects of sommeliers' work including beer, spirits, tea, coffee, cigars and water as well as wine. The semi-finals are more written and practical tests.

Then four finalists complete organoleptic analysis of wines, writing analytic descriptions, followed by recognition of several drinks other than wine. After that is the practical service section, with a service simulation requiring food and wine pairings, wine decanting, and correcting errors in a wine list. The jury evaluates not only the contestants' wine knowledge but also stylishness of the service, as well as their knowledge of foreign languages. Wow.

The winner? Gerard Basset, 52, who represented the United Kingdom. Gerard Basset is a Master Sommelier and a Master of Wine (no walk in the park getting that either). He owns the Hotel TerraVina in Hampshire. This was his 6th time in the competition and the 4th time in the finals. He spent 90 minutes a day for the past 18 months preparing for this week. Basset described it as the toughest thing he’s ever done.

This week was notable in that 4 women made it through to the semi-finals. Two were from Canada: Elyse Lambert and Véronique Rivest. Véronique received the Peter Lehman Shiraz award as a promising young sommelier and I can only hope that this award is an incentive for her to enter the next world competition in 3 years. Véronique was the guest speaker at my Sommelier graduation dinner last October, so it was great to see her get through. Congratulations to Gerald Basset and Bravo! to Véronique and Elyse.

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My Picks: Vintages Release -- April 17

Here’s my shopping list for the Vintages Release on April 17. Lots going on in this release. The main theme is the wines of Veneto, so there’s a selection of the usual suspects: Soave, Valpolicella, Ripasso, and Amarone. More interesting is the selection of Biodynamic and organic wines…and there’s a focus on a Tasmanian producer, Josef Chromy. Very interesting things happening in the cool climate of Tasmania.

What am I looking for? Three things.
Organic: wines certified biodynamic or organic
Off the Beaten Track: lesser-known or underappreciated traditional varietals, unusual blends, or underappreciated regions
Value: good wines at less than $30

And I try to keep the list to a dozen, which means less focus on Veneto...and apologies to Mr. Chromy.

Organic
Let’s start with the Biodynamic wines…

MARCEL DEISS PINOT D'ALSACE 2004, AC Alsace (France); #165365; Price: $17.95; 13.0% ABV
A top Alsatian producer. Bit of an odd duck, this is a blend of Pinot Blanc, Pinot Beurot (what the Burgundians used to call Pinot Gris), and Pinot Noir. Alsace, Pinot X 3, Biodynamic…what’s not to love? 
[UPDATE, May 14:  M. Deiss claims that Pinot Beurot and Pinot Gris are two distinct varietals.  Although I cannot find any other reference that agrees with him -- they all say that they are the same grape -- he works with both varietals and should know if there's a difference!  A case for the DNA fingerprint squad?  In the meantime, Pinot x 4!]

THE HEDONIST SHIRAZ 2006, McLaren Vale (Australia); #90191; Price: $21.95; 14.0% ABV
The winemaker, Walter Clappis, says that he uses “a minimalistic approach to winemaking, believing that good wines are “made in the vineyard.” Exactly. 25% fermented in new French Oak. Aged in 70% in new French Oak and 30% in one year old American Oak for 18 months.

L'ANTICO DI BURCHINO VIGNA CASANOVA CHIANTI 2007, DOCG Chianti; #160457; Price: $14.95; 12.0% ABV
A blend of Sangiovese (70%), Ciliegiolo (20%), and Canaiolo (10%). Ciliegiolo is a parent of Sangiovese, used to soften the rough character that some Sangiovese can have. The winemaker, who gets the grapes from a local Biodynamic grower, describes the aroma as clean, which is a frequent descriptor for Biodynamic wines.

Now organic…

MIGUEL TORRES NEROLA 2008, DO Catalunya (Spain); #680678; Price: $16.95; 12.5% ABV
Ah, Don Miguel… a very reliable producer! A blend of Xarel-lo (a traditional Catalan varietal) and Garnacha Blanca. Torres says it’s their “first wine scrupulously made with ecological agricultural methods”. Well, good on ‘em!

BONTERRA SYRAH 2006, Mendocino County (California); #573709; Price: $19.95; 14.0% ABV
Organic since 1987. A blend of Syrah (97%), Petit Sirah (2%) and Grenache (1%), sourced from 3 vineyards, 2/3 of which is certified Biodynamic. Aged 18 months in French and American Oak, 42% in new barrels, 21% in once-used barrels, 22% in twice-used barrels and 15% in barrels already used 3+ times.

STERLING VINEYARDS CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2007, Mendocino County (California); #161240; Price: $16.95; 13.0% ABV
Newest entrant in Sterling’s organic line. Certified by the California Certified Organic Farmers, the grapes are free from artificial fertilizers and synthetic chemicals. Could they update their website to include this wine?!

ADALIA RIPASSO VALPOLICELLA SUPERIORE 2006, DOC Valpolicella (Italy); #164616; Price: $14.95; 13.0% ABV
The Adalia line is the “second” low-profile wine from Marinella Camerani, an organic producer. That makes it my pick among the Veneto offering.

Off the Beaten Track

HENRY OF PELHAM PINOT BLANC 2009, VQA Short Hills Bench, Niagara Peninsula (Ontario); #618827; Price: $15.00; 12.5% ABV
Fresh, light, crisp acidity. No oak. One of my favourite “Alsatian” varietals for spring/summer.

ZOLO UNOAKED CHARDONNAY 2009, Mendoza (Argentina); #144717; Price: $12.95; 13.8% ABV
The producer is Fincas Patagonicas (Patagonian Farms) but the vineyard is further north in Mendoza. I keep my eye out for unoaked chardonnay, well, because chardonnay can be a great experience without the layer of oak. Look for tree and tropical fruit.

TSELEPOS MOSCHOFILERO 2009, AOQS Mantinia (Peloponnese, Greece); #724583; Price: $18.95; 12.5% ABV
100% Moscophilero, pink-skinned grape. Skin contact for 8 hours, so the wine will have a pink hue. Most often compared to Muscat.

CHAKANA BONARDA 2009, Mendoza (Argentina); #3525; Price: $13.95; 13.5% ABV
Bonarda: a grape with an identity crisis. There are three different Italian grapes known as Bonarda. But Argentina's Bonarda is now thought to be another varietal called Charbono, native to Savoie in France. Or maybe not. And it even may be that not all Argentine Bonardas are the same grape. Need to get the DNA analysts on this case! In the meantime, let’s drink it now.

DOMAINE BOUDAU LE CLOS 2008, AC Cotes du Roussillon (France); #149989; Price: $16.95; 15.2% ABV
A blend of handpicked Grenache (70%), Syrah (20%), and Carignan (10%). Located in Rivesaltes, an area more famous for sweet wines, but the dry reds are worth a taste.  Domaine Boudau is rated as one of the best regional producers by La Revue du Vin de France, particularly for the quality/price. 

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Viva Emiliana! (Part 2)

In my previous post, I introduced Emiliana Organic Vineyards.  My conversation continues with Fernando Pavón of Emiliana and Liam Doody of Diamond Estates, their agent in most of Canada...

Reviewing Emiliana’s website before sitting down with Fernando, I was struck by the importance that Emiliana places on terroir. New World producers don’t often talk about terroir, except dismissively, perhaps because understanding terroir is something that takes generations. I asked Fernando whether Emiliana’s devotion to Biodynamics accelerates its understanding of terroir. Fernando wasn’t sure whether that was the case or not. Emiliana’s commitment to both Biodynamics and terroir are complementary aspects: It’s the vineyard, and not the winemakers, that drives how the wine expresses itself; the winemakers adapted to the vineyard and the terroir, not the other way around. It’s an Old World approach. Perhaps Biodynamics draws winemakers who believe in “terroir”?

Just as Malbec is now closely identified with Argentina, Chile has its own “signature” varietal: Carmenère. Fernando says that Chilean winemakers are convinced that Carmenère has the potential to make great wines and be a premium-brand varietal. Chilean winemakers look with concern at how the global marketplace perceives Argentinean Malbec. Like Carmenère, Malbec can make great wines. But the market is full of very ordinary Malbec as well. For many consumers, this can be confusing: if there’s an $8 Malbec, how can there be an $80 Malbec? Chilean winemakers want to avoid that confusion for Carmenère, by moving Carmenère-labelled wines into a narrower, higher status space.

We tasted 3 Emiliana wines, released by Vintages earlier in March. Before I get to my tasting notes, something similar struck me with all 3 of these blended wines: each varietal brought its typicity to the blend with enough assertiveness that it was quite straightforward to identify it. I haven’t had that experience very often with blended wines.

EMILIANA NOVAS WINEMAKER'S SELECTION CHARDONNAY/VIOGNIER/MARSANNE 2007, Casablanca Valley (Chile); #63909; Price: $18.95; 15.0% ABV

This is like a trip to a tropical island. Brilliant yellow, aromas of pineapple, mango, pear and ripe peach along with honeysuckle and oaky aromas of almond, butter, and toffee. Full-bodied, it’s luscious, full, and round. Acidity from the Marsanne shows up on the back palate, but not quite enough to balance the richness of the tropical and oak flavours. Good length, the pineapple and pear flavours dominate through the finish. If you like this style, you'll love this wine.  It’s Chardonnay (65%) with a couple of Southern Rhone varietals, Viognier (20%) and Marsanne (15%).

EMILIANA NOVAS LIMITED SELECTION CARMENÈRE/CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2007, Colchagua Valley (Chile); #66746; Price: $14.95; 14.5% ABV

Typical aromas of jammy fruit (blueberry, cassis, black cherry, fig) from the Carmenère (54%), with sweet spice (cinnamon), clove, coffee, and chocolate, and a hint of fresh herbaceousness. The Cabernet Sauvignon (46%) brings some good acidity and there are some suede tannins. Flavours of cassis, black cherry, sweet spice and chocolate. Full-bodied, the richness of the Carmenère fruit dominates at the front, with the suede tannins on the finish. Good length.

EMILIANA NOVAS LIMITED SELECTION CABERNET SAUVIGNON/MERLOT 2007, Central Valley (Chile); #685792; Price: $14.95; 14.5% ABV

This one lets the Cabernet Sauvignon (62%) take the lead. Black cherry and cassis aromas, with some chocolate and spice. Moderate acidity and softer tannins, with flavours of black cherry and chocolate. Full-bodied, it smoother and more restrained than the Carmenère/CS blend.

The bad news? In Ottawa, Vintages is sold out of the Carmenère/CS blend. The quantities of the other two are low but you can still find them in some stores. The really good news? We can expect two more wines (single-varietals) from Emiliana in Ontario later this spring, so keep an eye out for those releases.

To learn more about Emiliana, check out their comprehensive website, especially the Interactive Vineyard.

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Viva Emiliana! (Part 1)

Friday was an especially chilly day here in Ottawa. So it seemed appropriate to spend some time, over lunch, tasting wines from Chile (yes, I’m sorry) with Fernando Pavón from Emiliana Organic Vineyards and Liam Doody of Diamond Estates. (Thanks to Liam for introducing me to Fernando!) Fernando was in town on a short visit to showcase wines from Emiliana, a producer of biodynamic and organic wines in Chile. Emiliana has vineyards in five valleys, from north to south: Casablanca, Maipo, Cachapoal, Colchagua, and Bio-Bio.

My conversation with Fernando started with what’s on everyone’s mind when we think of Chile these days: the earthquake and aftershocks in late February and into March. Fernando confirmed that damage was extensive and serious; repairs and recovery will take several years. Fortunately, the damage to wineries and wine supplies was not as catastrophic. Most severe was the damage to huge steel storage tanks that were full of wine. As the liquid inside sloshed violently back and forth during the tremor, the tanks could not withstand the force of the rocking liquid. The tanks collapsed, and rivers of wine rolled across winery floors and down the drain. Fernando described those collapsed tanks as if a giant had crushed them like aluminium pop cans. Tanks that were empty also rocked off their moorings, sometimes setting off a domino effect as one tank knocked over another and another. As unfortunate as losing some of the 2009 production was, the earthquake occurred just before the 2010 harvest, and these tanks are critical to the fermentation and storage of the new crop. Winemakers had to scramble to find alternate storage facilities, where possible.

Although Chileans build their infrastructure to withstand earthquakes, some damage also occurred to irrigation systems and traditional buildings made of adobe. But the fallout likely is not as great as first feared. Much of the 2009 wine that was lost was low-end wine. High-end, barrel-aged wine was not as affected. According to Fernando, exports should be relatively untouched. But that doesn’t mean that there won’t be changes. An event like this means financial losses. Yes, insurance will cover the losses, if you have adequate coverage. And deep pockets certainly help. (Emiliana is owned by Concha y Toro, so it has access to deep pockets.) And, like winemakers everywhere, some of the inventory had become “excess” because of the global financial crisis, which saw a decline in wine consumption. But some smaller winemakers, and winemakers who don’t have enough of a financial cushion, will fail. We should see some consolidation in the Chilean wine industry as larger wineries gobble up smaller wineries whose cash flow dries up.

Fernando’s comments reflected the sang-froid that I found typical of the Chileans who I met when I visited there in 2007, “We are a tough people. We’ve had setbacks in the past and always overcame them. We’ll overcome this as well.” Gotta like that spirit!

Emiliana’s wines are all biodynamic or organic. I was curious about marketing organic and biodynamic wines. Can a winemaker who labels a wine as organic or biodynamic demand a higher price? Is it a good idea to segregate these wines in an “organic” section in a wine store (as is the case of the Vintages store where I shop)? Although Emiliana is obviously proud of being biodynamic producers, and they say so on their labels, they’re not convinced that consumers will pay a premium because a wine is biodynamic or organic. They do believe that biodynamic wines are better, and that this quality advantage will pay off with consumers over time. Emiliana does not want its wines tucked away into a special section in the store either. Again, they’re convinced that their wines are simply better and they expect their wines to share shelf-space with all the other wines from Chile. Fernando brought up an interesting point about showing biodynamic certification on the wine label. Emiliana produces all of its wines according to biodynamic principles and practices, but only two wines (at the top end) carry the third-party biodynamic certification on the label. Why? Because the independent body that certifies their wines charges for use of the certification logo on the label. Emiliana would have to charge more to recover those costs (or accept a lower profit). They’d rather forego certification and keep their wines’ prices lower, and more competitive. By the way, Emiliana is perhaps the leader of the biodynamic wine movement in Chile – they had the first certified biodynamic wine in Latin America – and isn’t hesitant about sharing its expertise with other winemakers that are curious about biodynamic practices. Just as Nicholas Joly helped Emiliana’s winemakers, so they help other newcomers.

Next Post:  Tasting Emiliana's wines.

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Wild Game BYO Dinner at The Urban Element

Way back before Christmas, Michèle and I, along with our friends, Steve and Carolyn, signed up for a Wild Game BYO evening held this week at The Urban Element. The Urban Element models their BYO evening on Beckta’s La Paulée evening, which Beckta (in turn) based on an end-of-harvest BYO celebration in Burgundy. Chef Michael Moffatt from Beckta/Play set the 4-course wild game menu. Each guest brings the matching wines, so it gives everyone a chance to be the sommelier for an evening. I sat down about a week ago to pick our wines that would go with Chef Moffatt’s dinner.

Chef Moffatt kicked off the evening with a surprise Amuse-Bouche:

Bison New Style Sashimi, Picked Shallots, Fresh Wasabi, Finger Lime

Just watching Chef Moffatt and Beckta’s Chef de Cuisine, Dirk McCabe, assemble this dish got our appetites going. The fresh, raw bison and the combination of pickling juice, Wasabi, and the acidity of the finger limes all combined to get us craving more, much more. Finger Limes come from east coast Australia. The flesh is globular, like caviar. When you bite into the little globes, there’s a burst of tangy, acidic flavour.

On to the main event. First up...

House-Cured Magret Duck Breast “Ham” with Fig Mostarda, Bitter Greens, Cranberry Cumberland Sauce

Easily the toughest dish to match with a wine. My thoughts went in two directions, both Spanish. My second choice was a Cava but my first choice was a Fino Sherry. In Spain, Fino is a popular choice with cured ham and is a classic match with fig. Fino on its own is an acquired taste; during my Sommelier course, it was by far the least popular beverage we tried. But Fino aficionados are fanatical and I couldn’t pass up an opportunity to try it with some appropriate food. Unfortunately for my friends, I took them down this road with me. There’s only one Fino choice at Vintages:  GONZALEZ BYASS TIO PEPE PALOMINO FINO EXTRA DRY SHERRY, DO Jerez (Spain).  No surprise, the 15.5% alcohol is readily apparent on the nose. Very reminiscent of eating green grapes and crunching down on the pips: grapey aroma and taste, followed by the dry, somewhat bitter taste of grape seeds. Also showed green apple, green olive, almond, and mineral aromas; it’s no wonder Spaniards frequently serve it with olives and almonds. Absolutely bone-dry. Worked better with the cured flavour of the duck ham than on its own. Not a universal hit with my friends. We had half of the Fino left over, and since Tio Pepe recommends that you consume it within 4 days of opening, I’ll have plenty of opportunity over the next few days to acquire a taste for Fino while watching the Masters!

Next…

Ontario Ostrich Tartare, Soft Poached Egg, Parmesan Wafer, Root Cellar Chips

This was an easy wine match for me. Back in January, I tasted the MALIVOIRE GAMAY 2008, VQA Niagara Peninsula and it immediately came back to mind when I thought about a matching wine for this dish. The lightness of the Tartare and of the wine worked beautifully together. Plus the wine has some white pepper and clove flavours, which are great accompaniments to the Tartare’s delicate flavours.

On to...

Mirabel Quebec Wild Turkey – 24-hour sous-vide, “Stuffing” Rosti, Caramelized Brussels Sprouts, Bourbon Jus.

The chef put the wild turkey in sealed plastic bags (with duck fat…umm) and cooked it in “hot” water (around 60 degrees) for 24 hours. The result should be tender, flavourful meat. The white breast meat, which was the main component of this dish, was dry…always a risk with turkey. The wild meat was not as gamy as I expected. With the mild flavour of the turkey, I focussed more on the bourbon jus for a matching wine. Bourbon has the flavours from aging in new, charred American oak barrels, so I looked for a wine that had the same aging in American oak. (I don’t think that the “usual” matches of a Pinot Noir or Riesling would work with this turkey dish.) But you don’t want to overwhelm the turkey with the wine either. So a California merlot could work, or a New World Chardonnay. I went with BODEGAS ONDARRE RESERVA 2002, Rioja (Spain). It’s Tempranillo (75%), Grenache (10%) and Mazuelo – aka Carignan (15%). Aged 16 months in American and French oak. Aromas of black cherry and plum, then notes of cedar, tobacco, and leather. Grippier tannins than typical, they probably would soften with longer aging. Great acidity, full-bodied, good length with the fruit and leather continuing through the finish. Worked very well with the turkey, the tannins were much less obvious with the food. Better with the food than on its own, an Old World Wine’s trait. Our neighbours at the table brought a California Chardonnay and were kind enough to share. The Chardonnay showed ripe tree and tropical fruit and butter on the aromas and palate. It worked with the turkey but in a different way; some of us preferred the Rioja red, others preferred the California white. Just goes to show you that matching wine and food often is a question of personal taste.

The dessert was...

Maple 5 Ways: Coffee Cake, Toffee, Gelato, Syrup, and Preserved Strawberry Maple Jam

Very Canadian. I was less patriotic with the wine, matching it with GERNOT GYSLER WEINHEIMER HOELLE EISWEIN RIESLING 1989 QmP, Rheinhessen (Germany) that we brought back from when we lived in Germany. Beautiful copper in colour, the wine had aromas of dried apricot, orange zest, red apple, caramel, and floral. In school, they taught me that I should never use “raisin” (or grape) to describe a wine's aroma but since I mentioned it here, draw your own conclusion. Flavours of dried apricot and caramel; they persist through a very long finish. Viscous mouthfeel. The acidity is beginning to fade just a bit, so we got to this wine just in time. Beautiful match with the maple-themed dessert.

Kudos to Chef Moffatt and Chef de Cuisine McCabe, and to Carley at The Urban Element! Look out for their next BYO event, it’s a great experience.

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My Picks: Vintages On-Line Exclusives -- April 7

Here’s my shopping list for this week’s Vintages On-Line Exclusives Release. Again this week, the on-line release was posted late.

What am I looking for? Three things.
Organic: wines certified biodynamic or organic
Off the Beaten Track: lesser-known or underappreciated traditional varietals, unusual blends, or underappreciated regions
Value: good wines at less than $30 (a classic from Rioja breaks the barrier this week)

Organic
Again, nothing this time.

Off the Beaten Track

WADLEITH CHARDONNAY 2008, DOC Südtirol Alto Adige (Italy); #0163907; 14% ABV; $24
A chardonnay from the Germanic northeast of Italy, near the Austrian border. Partially barrel-aged on its lees for 5 months, shouldn’t be too oaky.

VIÑA ALBERDI RESERVA 2003, DOCa Rioja (Spain); #0161893; 13% ABV; $32
From the record hot summer of 2003. 100% Tempranillo. Made in the classic style… I’m a fan… aged for 2 years in American oak casks, new oak for the first year and an average of 3 years old for the second year.

L'OSTAL CAZES-ESTIBALS MINERVOIS 2007, AC Minervois (France); #0161869; 14% ABV; $25
Very typical of Languedoc: a blend of 35% Grenache (35%), Carignan (35%), and Syrah (30%). Aged 12 months in oak. A very good vintage.

Two more wines, these are from Tuscany. Although these wines may not be too far off the beaten track, we don’t see Rosso di Montalcino often enough in Ontario. Rosso is the “second” wine of Montalcino, after Brunello. A personal favourite, it usually has more character than similarly-priced Chianti.

CIACCI PICCOLOMINI D'ARAGONA ROSSO DI MONTALCINO 2006, DOC Rosso di Montalcino (Italy); #0163220; 14% ABV; $24
100% Sangiovese Grosso. Aged 12 months in Slovenian oak.  2006 is a stunning vintage in Tuscany.

PIERI AGOSTINA ROSSO DI MONTALCINO 2007, DOC Rosso di Montalcino (Italy); #0163121; 14% ABV; $28
100% Sangiovese Grosso. Aged 10 months in oak, half Slovenian, half French.

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Peppered Lamb Loins with a Garlic & Dark Chocolate Sauce with Barossa Shiraz

Lamb is the traditional Easter dinner in our house. No exception this year. How about combining 2 Easter classics: lamb and chocolate? Michèle found a brilliant recipe in Food & Drink, the LCBO magazine: Peppered Lamb Loins with a Garlic & Dark Chocolate Sauce. I know…a garlic and chocolate sauce with lamb?! The recipe comes from Jennifer McLagan, whose book, FAT: An Appreciation of a Misunderstood Ingredient, got good buzz last year. Jennifer has a website and a blog that I’m going to check out more often.

The peppercorns are a great accompaniment to the lamb, like a pepper-steak. No doubt, the sauce was a very pleasant surprise: adding the dark chocolate makes for a rich sauce that mellows out the garlic and the peppercorns. Michèle served the main with a carrot-ginger purée and kale.

For the sommelier, what really made this dish even better was the wine. I hesitated between two Aussie varietals…Grenache or Shiraz. I went for a Barossa old vine Shiraz, aged in American oak. The wine had a port-like character: aromas and flavours of black cherry, prune, sweet spice (cinnamon), chocolate, and pepper. Well-integrated tannins. Normally, I wouldn’t describe this fruit-forward, full-bodied wine as food-friendly. But in this case, the wine’s flavours matched up extremely well with the chocolate sauce, which softened the wine’s tannins. I think that an Australian Grenache (or Grenache-Shiraz-Mourvèdre blend) would match up well, as would a Touriga-Nacional-based wine from Douro in Portugal.

Definitely a winner!

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My Picks: Vintages Release -- April 3

Here’s my shopping list for the Vintages Release on April 3.

What am I looking for? Three things.
Organic: wines certified biodynamic or organic
Off the Beaten Track: lesser-known or underappreciated traditional varietals, unusual blends, or underappreciated regions
Value: good wines at less than $30

And I try to keep the list to a dozen.

Organic
Nothing in this release, but check out the FEATHERSTONE BLACK SHEEP RIESLING (below) for its sustainability practices.

Off the Beaten Track
This release focuses on Spain, one of my favourite regions and home of one of my favourite varietals, Tempranillo. Lots of quality, lots of variety. Here are my Spanish picks:

Two whites:

LEIRA ALBARIÑO 2008, DO Rias Baixas (Galicia, Spain); #115816; Price: $16.95; 12.1% ABV
Yes, I love the Albarino. A perfect spring/summer wine from the northwest of Spain, just north of the border with Portugal. Citrus, tree fruit, minerality, floral. Perfect with seafood.

CVNE MONOPOLE 2008, DOCa Rioja (Spain); #66951; Price: $13.95; 13.0% ABV
One of the oldest, and best, wineries in Rioja Alta. 100% Viura, the principal white grape grown in Rioja. Fermented in stainless steel, no oak.

Now the reds, sticking with Rioja to start:

BODEGAS LAN RESERVA 2004, DOCa Rioja (Spain); #42929; Price: $19.95; 13.0% ABV
80% Tempranillo, 10% Mazuelo, 10% Garnacha. Aged in barrels with American oak staves and French oak heads for 12 months, followed by 24 months in bottle. The founders derived LAN from the name of 3 bordering wine regions: Logrono (Rioja), Alava, Navarra.

LEALTANZA GRAN RESERVA 2001, DOCa Rioja (Spain); #927913; Price: $27.95; 13.5% ABV
100% Tempranillo. Fermented in stainless steel tanks. Malolactic fermentation in French oak vats, followed by 24 months in French oak and 36 months in the bottle. Work in the vineyard is manual, no fertilizers or herbicides. Shows why Rioja Alta is king.

VIÑA ZACO TEMPRANILLO 2006, DOCa Rioja (Spain); #146209; Price: $14.95; 13.5% ABV
More from Rioja Alta but in a modern, fruit-forward style. 100% Tempranillo. Good value.

And now from elsewhere in Spain:

GABA DO XIL MENCÍA 2008, DO Valdeorras (Spain); #166199; Price: $15.95; 12.5% ABV
Known for its Albarino (if known at all), Galicia has returned also to red wine production, many, many years after the phylloxera devastation. This wine is from 100% handpicked Mencia, the native red varietal. Fermented with natural yeasts. The label features the iconic bridges found within the Santa Cruz region.

FINCA SOBREÑO CRIANZA 2006, DO Toro (Spain); #40360; Price: $17.95; 15.0% ABV
100% Tinta de Toro (Tempranillo). Aged for 7 months in American oak (which I think is better suited for Tinta de Toro than French oak), then 6 months in bottle before release. Toro is another re-discovered wine region that has enjoyed rapid expansion since the ‘90s. Founded by Rioja producers, Finca Sobreno began production in 1998.

LATRIA VINO TINTO 2006, DO Montsant (Spain); #155424; Price: $18.95; 13.5% ABV
Celler Malondro harvests Garnacha and Carinena as a 50/50 field blend. Aged 8 months in French and American oak.

Leaving Spain, we have room for 4 more, a white from Ontario and 3 reds:

FEATHERSTONE BLACK SHEEP RIESLING 2009, VQA Niagara Peninsula (Ontario); #80234; Price: $16.95; 10.0% ABV
The winemakers use sustainable practices in the vineyard: carbon-molasses spray, planting crops between each row of grapes, organic compounds to control mould and mildew, no insecticides, “beneficial” insects to control insect pests, a hawk to discourage other birds that like to eat the grapes, and sheep that prune excess foliage and unripe grapes from the vines! Light-bodied and dry, this should make for excellent summer quaffing.

DOMAINE LAURENT MABILEAU BOURGUEIL 2008, AC Bourgueil (Loire, France); #69666; Price: $13.95; 12.5% ABV
Dammit, we don’t see nearly enough Loire Valley wines at Vintages! This is classic Cabernet Franc, the “signature” varietal of Bourgueil.

CAVE DE ROQUEBRUN LA GRANGE DES COMBES 2007, AC Saint-Chinian-Roquebrun (Languedoc, France); #155804; Price: $16.95; 14.2% ABV
A blend of Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre from a great vintage.

SKOURAS SAINT GEORGE 2007, AO Nemea (Greece); #162321; Price: $16.95; 13.0% ABV
100% Aghiorghitiko (AKA St George...and no wonder), native to Nemea in Peloponnese, which has seen much investment in wineries over the past 20 years. Fermented in stainless steel, aged in used French barriques for 12 months and six months in bottle.

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