Quench Best of 2018 issue

XAD HENRY OF PELHAM IN FOLDER

DECEMBER 2018/JANUARY 2019 22 THIS IS BURGUNDY KONRAD EJBICH

THE CHANGING TIDE OF BURGUNDY.

32 A DAY IN PRAGUE

GURVINDER BHATIA

LEARN HOW PRAGUE HAS BECOME A MECCA FOR FOOD LOVERS.

16 | P TO THE C TO THE V

39

EVAN SAVIOLIDIS Prosecco has a new story to tell.

SIX MORE

19 | A CERTAIN INTENSITY MICHAELA MORRIS

CHRISTINE SISMONDO

One visit to Patagonia can change your life.

6 NEW COCKTAILS YOU NEED TO MIX NOW.

26 | THE STORY BEHIND RESIN MICHELLE BOUFFARD It’s time to revisit Greece and retsina.

29 | CYAN SEAS TOD STEWART How Jamaica is reshaping the Caribbean.

36 | DAMN, I LOVE NEW YORK ROBIN LEBLANC Exploring New York City’s boroughs through its breweries.

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BACK OF THE BOOK 42 | DELICIOUS DISHES AND HOLIDAY WISHES NANCY JOHNSON

EDITOR’S NOTE

Time to change it up in the kitchen.

44 | BUYING GUIDE The best wine, beer and spirits from around the world, critiqued by our expert tasting panel.

64 | GOING BACK TO THEIR ROOTS GURVINDER BHATIA Italy’s Sardenia is taking over the conversation.

66 | THE COLOUR OF THE CARPET TONY ASPLER The perfect food and wine match is illusive — for a reason.

JOIN US IN THE CONVERSATION

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4 DECEMBER 2018/JANUARY 2019

I ALWAYS GET SO CONTEMPLATIVE AROUND THIS TIME OF YEAR. WE’RE INUNDATED WITH LISTS PROCLAIMING “BEST OF THE YEAR” AND “TRENDS TO WATCH IN 2019”. I just know one thing: If I had

to choose between looking back or looking forward, I’ll always choose the latter.

That’s because every time you move forward, the horizon goes further. As we try to divine what will be the Next Big Thing — you’ll have to wait for our April issue — things keep popping up. There is no end to where food and drink will go. No standard vintages, no flat menu options, no lack of fresh ideas or new people entering the fray. This is what is great about what we do. It will never end.

In this issue, you’ll spend your time travelling around the world. From Italy to Patagonia to Burgundy, Greece, Prague and Jamaica (as well as a dash of New York City for flavour), our writers and editors tirelessly search out the best to be seen in food and wine.

Honestly, there aren’t enough pages to cover everything we see in a year. But in 2019, as we work toward our 360th issue, we will try to cover more of what you love. Unique wine regions, the personalities behind the bottle and tastiest morsels from kitchens around the world. We have always had a 360 degree approach to food and drink, and this year we will prove it.

For those of you looking to bolster up your end-of-year tastings, I’d recommend tasting your way through Oregon, Sardinia, Valle D’Aosta, South Africa and Vancouver Island. How’s that for a “best of the year” list?

XAD PEACHES IN FOLDER Ca n ned Peaches

Welcome to the fresh world of canned peaches!

Peach compote: - fully preserves the freshness of the fruit - improves the nutritional efficiency of vitamins C and A - can be relished all year round - is easy to use, in numerous ways - contains no preservatives or GMOs

CAMPAIGN FINANCED WITH AID FROM THE EUROPEAN UNION AND GREECE

XAD OPIM IN FOLDER

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CONTRIBUTORS

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Aldo Parise editor@quench.me WINE EDITOR

Gurvinder Bhatia gbhatia@quench.me FOOD EDITOR

Nancy Johnson njohnson@quench.me ASSISTANT EDITOR

TASTERS

Tony Aspler, Gurvinder Bhatia, Tod Stewart, Evan Saviolidis, Rick VanSickle, Ron Liteplo, Craig Pinhey, Harry Hertscheg, Sean Wood, Gilles Bois, Jonathan Smithe, Tim Pawsey, Crystal Luxmore, Tara Luxmore, Silvana Lau, Treve Ring

Lisa Hoekstra lhoekstra@quench.me

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

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QUENCH MAGAZINE AND QUENCH DIGITAL ARE PUBLISHED BY KYLIX MEDIA PUBLISHER

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In Response

WHAT’S YOUR NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION?

PHOTOGRAPHY

To expand my herb garden. I successfully grew basil this past year.

Every plant I’ve ever grown has died, so this is a pretty big deal for me. I’d love to have more variety in my garden so that every meal I make is seasoned with fresh herbs.

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A freelance writer and editor, Lisa Hoekstra loves learning and trying new things. She can be found with her nose in a book or multiple tabs open on her browser as she researches the latest and greatest in the world of food, style and everything in between (her product reviews can be found at quench.me/things/).

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After 20 years in Vancouver, Michelle came back to her homeland in Quebec. She recently published her first book Dis-moi qui tu es, je te dirai quoi boire at Cardinal editions and founded the international conference, Tasting Climate Change. Michelle judges wine competition internationally, speak at the conferences, writes for numerous publications and, from time to time, contributes to Meininger’s Wine Business International magazine. She is currently in stage 2 of the prestigious Master of Wine program.

WHAT’S YOUR NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION?

Drink pastis more frequently at the apéro, pick up my trumpet often and maintain my regular practice of yoga. Meditation is one of the few things that keep me balanced in my heavy work and travelling schedule. And should I say Champagne, for keeping all of those resolutions till the end of 2019? Santé!

DECEMBER 2018/JANUARY 2019 7

XAD

Discovering Monferrato’sWine Gems

T

he gentle hills of Monferrato are not only form part of the Italy’s 50th UNESCO World Heritage Site, but are a fundamental zone of winemaking in Piedmont’s prestigious wine scene. It is distinguished not only by its long viticultural history, but by the great diversity of varietals that are rooted in the land. This wide range of

Barbera d’Asti DOCG

grapes makes Monferrato one of the most biodiverse and unique wine growing regions in all of Italy. And what is more, all of them are recognized as distinguished appellations that the Consorzio Barbera d’Asti e Vini del Monferrato, now under the guidance of Filippo Mobrici, agronomist of Bersano winery, is dedicated to conserving and promoting to a greater audience.

MONFERR IN FOLDE

Barbera, one of the most widely planted vines in Piedmont, is the undisputed queen of Monferrato. The provinces of Alessandria and Asti are the absolute best growing areas and the two subregions of the Barbera d’Asti DOCG appellation. The wine made here is characterized by its wide bouquet of red fruits that begin crisp and then develop into mature scents of cherries, blackberries, raspberries and plums. Those labeled as ‘Superiore,’ which must age in wood for at least a year, showcase notes of spice, typically cacao and vanilla, making it a more complex wine. It is a big wine that pairs well with rich dishes, such as meat, game and wild fowl. It also pairs deliciously with aged and marbled cheeses.

Nizza DOCG Nizza is another excellent wine made from Barbera grapes that grow only on the sunny, southeastern slopes of the region. It is a wine with intense notes of red fruits, mature cherries, raspberries and spices. It has a good body but is soft on the palate, making it the perfect wine to pair with roasted red meats, game, hare, boar, donkey, filet, roasted white meats and aged cheeses.

Ruchè di Castagnole Monferrato DOCG

Ruchè is easly Monferrato’s most rare native variety. This wine, in the past, was relegated generally to special occasions or feast, but in recent years has gained significant traction with experts and enthusiasts around the world. Ruchè is a medium-bodied, intense ruby red wine that showcases a bold aroma profile: fruity notes of berries and Morello cherries, florals and earthy spice. The soft tannins mark a pleasantly dry finish that pairs well with an entire meal, from appetizers of cured meats and medium aged cheeses, to pastas and main entrées.

Grignolino d’Asti DOC Grignolino is one of Piedmont’s most ancient grapes. Requiring very specific climatic and soil condition, Grignolino is not easy to grow or make into wine, but when successful, it becomes a completely original, relatively unpredictable wine. It is tenuously ruby red in colour with delicate aromas of fruit and undergrowth, but is definable by a characteristic note of white pepper. It is an austere wine on the palate with a refined dryness due to high tannins that is best paired with appetizers, vegetable dishes, duck, white meats and fried foods.

Freisa d’Asti DOC

XAD

Freisa is a historic variety from Piedmont. The wine Freisa d’Asti DOC is made in a variety of styles. A main factor of distinguishing style is whether it was aged in wood or not. When carefully selected grapes are aged for at least a year, Freisa can be labelled as Superiore. It is generally ruby red in colour, with Superiore displaying garnet reflections. Soft and delicate in the nose with scents of raspberry and rose that become muskier with time. Freisa is dry in taste with pleasant tannins that develop when aged in oak and should be paired with cured meats, soft and medium-aged cheeses, soups and light pasta dishes.

RATO ER

Albugnano DOC e Terre Alfieri Nebbiolo DOC Nebbiolo, Piedmont’s most infamous variety, has also found fertile land in Monferrato. In a limited area of 240 hectares, Nebbiolo is cultivated for two interesting appellations: Albugnano DOC and Terre Alfieri Nebbiolo DOC. Albugnano DOC, made from a very select harvest of grapes, is a very small appellation of hills near where Monferrato meets the Province of Turin. The wine is defined by an elegant structure and more wild aromas.

From raspberry to sweet, field strawberries, with notes of flowers and spice that mature and become more complex when aged in oak barrels.

Terre Alfieri Nebbiolo DOC, however, is an intense and persistent wine tempered by refined notes of floral, fruit and spice. Both pairs well with meat and game dishes.

FIND OUT MORE ON WWW.VINIASTIMONFERRATO.IT

Malvasia di Castelnuovo Don Bosco DOC

In a small area of the Asti hill that overlook the Province of Turin, Malvasia is cultivated. These small, aromatic and purple-black grapes are made into a crowd-pleasing sweet wine: Malvasia di Castelnuovo Don Bosco DOC. The cherry red wine smells like rosehip and red fruits and tastes delicately sweet with a gentle tannic finish. It is enjoyable as both a still and sparkling wine. This is the perfect wine to end a meal and pairs fantastically with fresh fruit, fruit-based desserts, pastries, gelato and sorbet.

Loazzolo DOC In Loazzolo, a small village in the Province of Asti, Loazzolo DOC is made from Moscato Bianco. High up on the hills, Moscato is very carefully grown to perfect maturation and then left to wither on the vine. The dry grapes are then harvested and made into an outstanding sweet wine. The production is limited and the wine must age for two years before it can be labelled Loazzolo. Loazzolo DOC is a bright golden yellow colour with complex scents of musk, vanilla and candied fruit. It tastes warm and sweet, lingering in aftertaste in the mouth. It is best enjoyed when paired with biscotti, dried fruit, blue or aged cheese and foie gras.

THINGS LISA HOEKSTRA

AN ITALIAN CLASSIC IN QUEBEC

THERE ARE SOME VERY INTERESTING SPIRITS COMING OUT OF QUEBEC (LIKE DANDY GIN BY DOMAINE LAFRANCE). Avril Amaretto is the new-

est spirit added to Distillerie Mariana’s lineup, and it’s a unique take on the traditional Italian spirit.

Avril Amaretto is a collaboration between Spiritueux Iberville’s founder Mario D’Amico, and Distillerie Mariana’s Jonathan Couturier and JeanPhilippe Roussy. A craft Amaretto, it integrates elements from Quebec’s terroir (maple syrup, balsam fir, forest chestnut flour).

The result is a sweet, syrupy liqueur that evokes feelings of wood stoves and cozy one-room school houses. On the nose, there’s maraschino cherry, scotch cookies, vanilla and almonds. It’s a warm, cool-weather sipper with flavours of hot buttered rum, cookie dough, nuts, spice and vanilla. Delicious pitted-fruit aftertaste caps everything off.

It definitely calls for something savoury as a food pairing, to balance the super sweet sipper. You can find cocktail ideas on the Spiritueux Iberville website or at www.quench.me/mixed/.

AVRIL AMARETTO / $35.25 × 10 DECEMBER 2018/JANUARY 2019

LAZY MIXOLOGIST CHRISTINE SISMONDO

SPAGGLE THAT DRINK!

PHOTO: JESSICA BLAINE SMITH/BARTENDER ATLAS

SPAGGLE (ENGLISH) VERB Definition: To add a splash of sparkling wine to any cocktail.

Example: “There was a lot of spaggling at the party last night; I think that’s why I have a headache today.”

It’s not every day you get to witness a new word enter the drinking lexicon. But it’s easy to predict that “spaggle” is destined to become a regular term in cocktail circles, because it’s the absolutely perfect word to describe the action of randomly and haphazardly adding sparkling wine to cocktails. Here’s the amazing, true-life story of how it came to be.

“I wish I could claim credit for creating the verb,” says Josh Lindley, co-founder with Jessica Blaine Smith of Bartender Atlas, a media outlet that makes it easy to keep tabs on who works where. “But it was actually Jacob Wharton-Shukster who came up with it — in the parking lot at the Dillon’s Distillery.”

We need to set the scene a little here: It was a hot July afternoon and a jigger of bartenders were unwinding with cocktails after the Dillon’s Cup, an annual cocktail competition held onsite at Dillon’s in Beamsville, Ontario. Wharton-Shukster, owner of Toronto’s Chantecler, had been a judge and, as a reward for a job well done, was sampling Dillon’s pre-bottled Negroni.

“There was a bar station there that was making cocktails with cava, so Jacob walked over and asked the bartender, ‘Can you spaggle this for me?’” recalls Lindley. “Without any hesitation, we all knew exactly what he meant. And then, for the rest of the evening, nobody was drinking anything unless it was spaggled.”

The reason the term was so perfectly clear-cut and caught on so quickly had a lot to do with the Negroni Sbagliato (bungled Negroni), a cocktail invented in Milan’s Bar Basso in 1972, when, according to legend, bartender Mirko Stoccherro accidentally made a Negroni with sparkling wine instead of gin.

It was a hit. And, sure, “sbaggled” would be a more faithful term, but somehow it doesn’t have the same ring to it as “spaggled.”

Can you spaggle any drink? Is it okay to spaggle after Labour Day? Are there rules about when to spaggle and when not to?

Yes, but not very strict ones.

“I don’t think you need to spaggle an Old Fashioned,” says Lindley. “Or anything barrel-aged. But a spaggled Bijou is delicious. If you throw some dry sparkling on that, all the sudden you’ve got an herbaceous, bubbly, delicious drink.”

Which is a handy thing to know, given that the Bijou (gin, vermouth, green Chartreuse) isn’t always exactly a crowd-pleas× VISIT WWW.QUENCH.ME/MIXED/ FOR MORE DRINK RECIPES

er. In fact, Lindley thinks this is probably a key to successful spaggling, suggesting you probably can’t go wrong adding it to any drink a novice drinker might struggle with (meaning drinks with overwhelming and esoteric flavour profiles). It’s not just that the wine dilutes it, somehow spaggling also manages to pull disparate, challenging flavours together and harmonize them.

Want to get started spaggling? You could head to Chantecler, where both Lindley and Wharton-Shukster both tend bar, since they’re putting a “spaggle any cocktail” option on the menu. Or, for home enthusiasts, Lindley suggests his original “Put Me In, Coach” — sort of an inverse brandy Boulevardier — as a great cocktail to spaggle.

PUT ME IN, COACH

1 1/2 1 1 2

oz Campari oz brandy oz sweet vermouth oz cava

In an ice-filled mixing glass, stir the Campari, brandy and sweet vermouth together. Strain into chilled Nick and Nora glass and spaggle with two ounces of cava. Garnish with a twist of lemon. × DECEMBER 2018/JANUARY 2019 11

UMAMI LISA HOEKSTRA

VEGGIE MATCHES Vegetables have always been a familiar inclusion on restaurant menus but only in the last couple of years have plant-based dishes started taking centre stage.

Truly skilled chefs, like Yugosavia-born Chef Ivana Raca, are honing their veggie prep skills to create dishes that not only taste good, but pair well with wines.

Raca came to Canada in 1994 during the Bosnian War. “The war shaped who I am — it gave me strength, confidence and a survivor’s instinct,” Raca explains. “After going through that, I can survive anything. It gave me the will to persevere as a woman in a male-dominated field. It helped instil a drive to succeed, to take chances and to push myself in the kitchen and as a businesswoman.”

And succeed she has. A recent contestant on Top Chef Canada, Raca was the first female saucier for Mark McEwan at the young age of 20; a mere four years after she broke through that glass ceiling, she shattered another to become the first female Executive Chef for the food emporium McEwan Foods. “I didn’t set out to break barriers for female chefs, I just battled through every day, kept my head down and worked hard,” says Raca.

During her time working in the industry and paving the way for chefs to come, she has noticed one important detail — the future is plant-based. “I don’t feel that plant-based foods are a trend,” says Raca. “I truly believe this is the way that the majority of people will be eating in the future. The culinary world is pointing towards more vegetarian dishes.”

Unfortunately, even with the rising popularity of vegetable dishes, there is still a lack of wine-and-veggie pairing knowledge, a fact that Raca wishes to correct. “Providing guidelines on how to pair wine and plant-based foods will give people the right information to choose wines that complement their dishes so that they have a great dining experience,” Raca says. She credits her boyfriend’s vegan diet as part of her inspiration for exploring vegetable-forward dishes in her restaurants and at home. Finding ways to pair her own dinner, and that of her boyfriend’s, with their favourite wines takes creativity and a good understanding of how flavours work together.

“The key to a great pairing is aligning the intensity of the wines with the flavours of your food,” explains Raca. “When I 12 DECEMBER 2018/JANUARY 2019

craft my recipes, it’s a lot of trial and error — the smallest ingredient or idea can get my creativity flowing. Recipe development takes a lot of attention to detail and a love of experimenting.”

She applied her attention to detail and love of experimentation to a recent collaboration with Tom Gore, farmer and winemaker at Tom Gore Vineyards in Sonoma County, California.

Raca created two vegetable-forward recipes to pair with Gore’s Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc wines. “[Gore] has a deep understanding of the intimate connection between food and wine,” Raca says of the collaboration. “Both he and I are curious about the idea of terroir, and how different produce and wines can vary in taste, texture and flavour depending on where they come from.”

During the collaboration, Raca developed some guidelines on how to pair wine and plant-based dishes: “I love to bring greens together with white wine. A fresh and zesty white will perfectly complement summer vegetables like fresh lettuce, peas and artichokes or herb-forward dishes featuring fresh chives or basil. These light vegetables pair beautifully with the bright citrus, lime, and tangerine aromas of a Tom Gore Sauvignon Blanc.

“Just as in meat-based dishes, richer flavours — think roasted beets or sautéed mushrooms — will pair beautifully with the tannins of a bold red wine. Cabernet Sauvignon works especially well with root vegetables, or anything that’s been roasted or charred. The blackberry and blackcurrant notes in the Tom Gore Cabernet Sauvignon will come to life on the palate when enjoyed alongside the earthy flavours of so many plant-based dishes.” ×

LAGER THAN LIFE ROBIN LEBLANC

DOWN IN THE CELLAR

DESPITE BEING A WRITER AND, BY DEFINITION, INTROVERTED AND SOLITARY, I REALLY ENJOY HOSTING FOR FAMILY AND FRIENDS. The music

is always pumping out the ambience, the food, if I may say so myself, is divine and the conversation flows about as steadily as the drink does.

And oftentimes, as one does when they want to be a good host, I show my appreciation for my guests by going down into my beer cellar for a particular bottle of something special to share.

Now, those only familiar with wine cellars should be pleased to know that yes, you can age beer as one does with wine. Depending on the beer, you can store bottles from anywhere from one to 20 years and can notice drastic changes and previously undiscovered depths of flavour just for leaving a bottle sitting on the shelf a while.

Starting a beer cellar is fairly easy.

First you need to pick the right bottle.

The safest bets are usually high alcohol

beers with plenty of residual sugars in them that can further develop over the years. Imperial stouts, tripels, quadrupels, and barley wines are all fantastic choices. It should be noted, however, that pilsners and IPAs are best enjoyed fresh and will break down after a few months. A 15% ABV imperial stout though? Will age marvellously over the course of several years.

Some initial suggestions to get you started for beers: Many of the readily available and affordable Trappist beers like Rochefort 8 and 10 or La Trappe Quadrupel are excellent first beers for the cellar. Imperial stouts like Amsterdam Brewing’s Double Tempest or North Coast Brewing’s Old Rasputin are also good choices.

From there it’s best to find a dark, cool space to store them and forget about them. If you’re lucky enough to have a cellar in a faraway property that’s always dark and steadily around 12 to 15° C year round, that’s perfect. If you’re not so

lucky, the back of a closet works just fine.

Unlike with wine, make sure your bottles are standing upright rather than on their side. Many of the beers will have yeast sediment in the bottles and the last thing you want in your five year-old tripel are some bitter floaties in your glass.

If you’re interested in discovering the difference aging makes, a good tip would be to buy two beers; one to drink immediately and one to drink a year or so down the line. Better yet, buy four or five of the same beer and try it every year to make note of any changes, good or bad.

Next comes the most difficult part: Waiting. I know that it’ll be tempting to open one of the beers after only a few months, but fight it! Patience is a virtue in this case!

While cellaring beer isn’t really an exact science and your mileage may vary on results, when it works out you’ll be patting yourself on the back for your patience and enjoying something truly wonderful! × DECEMBER 2018/JANUARY 2019 13

XAD GRANACHA IN FOLDER

BON VIVANT PETER ROCKWELL

ILLUSTRATION: MATT DALEY/SHINYPLIERS.COM

Can I still drink rosé wines in the winter?

Unless you’ve formulated some sort of personal credo that stops you from drinking it or you just can’t get your palate around the joy that is rosé when it hits your mouth, you can pour what you want no matter what month the calendar claims it is. I’ve said it before and I’m saying it again: while the outside temperature may enhance the pleasure of a certain style of wine, it should never stop anyone from finding ways to work it into their lives all year long.

Though I do get the underlying essence of your question.

Like white pants and Spotify’s “Yacht Rock” playlists, the world does seem to stick its nose up at the drinkability of rosé wines once Labour Day passes. It’s a sentiment to which I’ve never subscribed. Let me put it this way, we drink white wine and lager beer regardless of the season, right? Both are refreshing beverages that are served chilled to enhance their thirst-quenching properties; there’s nary a tweet throwing shade on those who partake in a glass of either on a cold January evening. × ASK YOUR QUESTIONS AT BONVIVANT @ QUENCH.ME

What most people forget, or just plain don’t know, is that while some rosé is made by blending red and white wines together, the majority get their colour by winemakers minimizing the time red grape skins stay in contact with the juice squeezed out of them. This means that the odds are good your favourite rosé has more vibrancy and depth of character than you may be giving it credit for, especially if you deaden its flavour by serving it way too cold. At somewhere between 7° to 10° C, any rosé worth its light pink hue will easily stand up to casual, cool weather sipping and heartier comfort food.

That said, what I love most about rosé wines are how their subtle berry goodness is so accommodating when paired with a plate full of mixed messages, like what gets served up during those big family dinners that are the specialty of the fall and early winter. Whether dry or even off-dry, a bottle of blush can cozy up to just about anything sweet, sour, spicy or herbaceous, which aptly describes the rundown of what you’ll find piled together in front you at the dinner table over the holidays.

Let’s all agree to put the myth of rosé’s seasonality to rest and drink what you like, when you like. × DECEMBER 2018/JANUARY 2019 15

P TO THE C

by Evan Saviolidis

THIS IS A STORY ABOUT PROSECCO.

No, not the generic stuff that has taken the world by storm in the past five years.

(You know, the stuff that finds its way into the Euro-fashionable Aperol Spritz and Sunday-morning Mimosas.) This is a story about the original Prosecco, the one from the hills, the one that was there before massive expansion into the flat lands of Veneto and Friuli-Venezia-Giulia, where the vines tend to be over-cropped to the high heavens. The bubbly that I am referencing is Prosecco Conegliano Valdobbiadene Superiore.

Located 50 kilometres north of Venice and 100 kilometres from the Dolomites, Prosecco Conegliano Valdobbiadene (a.k.a., PCV) was the original Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC) area, representing over 8,000 hectares of premium south-facing hillside vineyards.

Basic Prosecco was always the lower IGT classification but that all changed in 2009.

PCV, after years of lobbying to protect its quality and terroir, was promoted to the highest level of Italian wine classification, Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG), and its name was changed to Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore. Of course, politics came into play and trade-offs were required. The Prosecco IGT producers agreed to the promotion, as long as they received their own DOC. All agreed, and essentially, overnight, legitimacy was given to the illegitimate. A bad move in my opinion, as the producers of PCV, already facing fierce global sparkling-wine competition, enhanced their little brother’s perception. Put in other terms, PCVS DOCG produces only 25 percent of what is labelled Prosecco!

16 DECEMBER 2018/JANUARY 2019

TO THE

GLERA

As part of the aforementioned changes, the grape Prosecco also became known as Glera, making any reference to the wine known as Prosecco appellation-based rather than varietal-named. Why Glera?

Well, it is the original name of the grape.

First introduced to the region back in the 18th century, it became the go-to varietal post-phylloxera. Prior to this, the dominant grape was Verdiso, which translates as “green.” This fickle grape is late-ripening, never turns yellow during veraison, has a stern personality and is susceptible to rot. It is easy to see why the vignerons of that epoch were won over by the charming qualities of the easy-to-grow Glera.

It is a quasi-aromatic varietal known for its elegance and refreshing personality. Banana, pineapple, green apple, pear, white flowers and mineral are some of the flavours associated with the grape.

By law, Glera must make up 85 percent of the blend, with most producers opting to use 100 percent.

STYLES AND TRENDS

Most Prosecco must be made via the Metodo Italiano, also known as the Charmat or Tank Method. Contrary to popular opinion, it was Signor Martinotti, an Italian, and not Monsieur Eugene Charmat of France, who first created this process. This production method helps to emphasize the freshness, purity and delicacy of the Glera grape, rather than the yeasty/toasty aromas associated with the Champagne method. It also helps in expediting the product to the marketplace. For instance, the 2017 vintage has just been released.

Classic Prosecco is Extra Dry, meaning that when the dosage is added, the final product contains 12 to 17g/l of sugar.

Today, Brut versions are on the rise, which have very little or no dosage. In my opinion, this is the path to the future.

THE HAMLETS, CRU AND OTHERS

A recent addition to the PCVS hierarchy is the Rive concept, encompassing 43 specific single vineyards in particular villages or hamlets with a long history of quality production and steep slopes. (Rive means “vineyards planted on steep land.”) Not surprisingly, all grapes must be hand-harvested due to the terrain.

The pinnacle of Prosecco is Cartizze (aka, Valdobbiadene Superiore de Cartizze). This 107-hectare Cru of Prosecco has the steepest slopes and is situated solely within the boundaries of the village of Valdobbiadene. As legend has it, these grapes were always the last to be harvested due to the difficulty involved in picking them manually off such steep grades. This extended hang time, combined with maximum sun exposure, helps produce the ripest Glera grapes and, in turn, the wines with the most depth and complexity.

OTHER WINES

Located across the Piave river from PCVS is Asolo Prosecco Superiore DOCG, a smaller hillside region that makes wines of comparable quality to its bigger neighbour. My personal discovery was the dry white (non-Glera), red and passito wines.

Labelled under the Colli di Conegliano DOCG, they represent less than 1 per-

V BISOL’S LE COLLINA DEL CARTIZZE

FRANCESCO DRUSIAN

DECEMBER 2018/JANUARY 2019 17

cent of the entire production of the region. Most of us will never cross paths with these wines, but if the chance arises, please do take advantage.

The Prosecco we are starting to see enter the Canadian market is primarily from the 2017 vintage. It will be remembered as a year of ups and downs. The combination of spring hail and intense summer heat produced lower yields — 130,000 tons less than the previous year. The uptick is quality, as the aforementioned factors have helped to enhance the floral and fruity qualities of the wines, which is the hallmark of the vintage.

VILLA SANDI BRUT 2017 ($20)

This stalwart of the Canadian market always turns in a top offering. The 2017 is all about the honey, pear, apple, banana and citrus. Lingers long and crisp acidity supports everything.

GEMIN BRUT 2017 ($20)

Dry, this is full-bodied Prosecco impresses with layers of citrus, pear, apple and, interestingly enough, lime cordial. Excellent length and well suited to oysters on the half shell.

SORELLE BRONCA BRUT 2017 ($25)

A lovely discovery while visiting Prosecco.

This winery makes both top-end sparkling as well as impressive dry red and white still wines. Lots of peach, honey, apple and floral elements. Great concentration and length.

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From one of the region’s stars comes this bubbly with a banana-driven personality that is accented by pear, apple and mineral.

Lovely acidity and excellent length.

MANI SAGGE BRUT RIVE DI MANZANA 2017 ($20)

Mani Sagge is a new/old winery. The owners have recently restarted the operation that their grandparents created, but which was abandoned by their parents in favour of non-agricultural careers. All said, they produce an impressive array of sparkling wines. This Prosecco features nectarine,

pear, apple, banana, honey and anise. Long finale. A winery to discover!

VAL D’OCA BRUT 2017 ($20)

Most patrons of the LCBO will recognize this stalwart bubbly, and the 2017 vintage is top-notch stuff. Pear, apple, white flowers and lemon are built on a tangy personality.

Great length and ready to drink.

FRATELLI BORTOLIN BRUT ZAN SENZA SOLFITI 2017 ($20)

For lovers of natural/organic wines, this wine falls right into your wheelhouse. Starts off with a bouquet of apple, floral, citrus and herbal elements, which then turns slightly nutty with a slight bruised/sweet apple and honey undercurrent on the palate. Singular and not unpleasant!

LA FARRA EXTRA DRY RIVE DI SOLIGO 2017 ($25)

Aromas of peach, honey, citrus, pear, lemon and white flowers meet up with caramelized apple and mineral notes on the palate.

Fresh acidity and superb aftertaste.

BISOL BRUT CREDE 2017 ($25)

Bisol is one of my favourite producers. Delicate and subdued, this wine is linear with flavours leaning to the tree and stone fruit paradigm. Very good length.

DRUSIAN DOSAGGIO ZERO 30 RACCOLTI 2017 ($20)

Bone dry, this wine features moderate peach, banana, floral, honey and citrus aromas. It is the banana and citrus that carry the finale. Try with a Parmesan and sweet pea risotto.

ASTORIA EXTRA DRY 2017 ($20)

A slight yeasty edge weaves its way through peach, floral, honey, citrus and apple. The sweetness makes it a perfect foil for spicy tacos or ceviche.

SANTA MARGHERITA BRUT RIVE DI REFRONTOLO 2017 ($25)

From the famed producer of Pinot Grigio comes this quality Rive Prosecco. Apple, floral, citrus and pear come together on the nose and palate. Lingers with mineral notes chiming in at the end. ×

A CERTAIN INTENSITY

by Michaela Morris “There is an incredible intensity of light,” said Piero Incisa della Rocchetta, almost reverently, his eyes channelling that sparkle as he described Patagonia at a seminar in Vancouver a number of years ago. Under his Chacra label, he crafts a handful of Pinot Noir wines that are penetrating, wild and energetic yet ultimately graceful. They have long been my reference for Patagonia and fuelled a desire to explore the region for myself.

It was the depth of winter when I finally made it to Patagonia in August. Banish any thoughts of penguins and ice fields, though: Patagonia is a vast area and its wine country is far removed from such things. A seemingly endless, flat desert, the region is populated by low-lying dry scrub brush, like chañar and alpataco, with pockets of vineyards interspersed. The naked vines lend a slightly desolate feel to the place, one exacerbated by the non-threatening cloud cover. Alas, Patagonia’s intense sun eludes me on my visit. Equally elusive, more to my surprise, is a defining identity in the wines, something I had expected of this extreme region.

Patagonia is hundreds of kilometres south of the hub of Mendoza, sitting between the 36th and 45th parallels. Summers are long with 45 minutes more sunshine per day. It also rains less than 200 millimetres on average per year and the extreme aridness is immediately evident. The skin on my hands start cracking within moments of exiting the airport. “It’s good for the hair but bad for the skin,” quips Agustín Lombroni, winemaker at Del Rio Elorza.

DECEMBER 2018/JANUARY 2019 19

PABLO MIRAS

All of that sun means a lot of sugar in the grapes. “Our challenge is to make low-alcohol wine with good phenolic ripeness,” explains Lombroni. Wind is an important piece of the puzzle.

Poplar trees surround many of the vineyards in an attempt to curb its constant and mighty gusts. “The wind stresses the plant, slowing down photosynthesis,” Lombroni continues. It also encourages the grapes to develop thick skin while keeping the vineyards healthy and virtually disease free.

This being Argentina, my eyes are constantly searching beyond the poplars for a glimpse of the Andes. However, here the mountains are much lower and, at over 300 kilometres to the west, they don’t loom over the region as in Mendoza. To the east, the Atlantic is even farther away so the climate is pure continental. Despite modest average elevations of 300 metres above sea level, the temperature swings are just as dramatic as they are at 1,500 metres in Mendoza or 3,000 metres in Argentina’s northern region of Salta. “In the summer, it can be 35°C during the day and only 12°C at night,” says Julio Viola, Director de Campo y Bodega at Fin del Mundo.

How, in the middle of seemingly nowhere, is this wine region even possible? The answer lies in its rivers. The Limay and Neuquén flow hundreds of miles from the Andes, converging at the city of Neuquén to form the Río Negro, which flows eastward towards the Atlantic. Hosting pink flamingos, swans and coots, these ample waterways are absolutely essential for irrigation. In fact, without them there would be no vines. British settlers arrived here at the end of the 19th century, colonizing the area to the east of the city of Neuquén in the province of Río 20 DECEMBER 2018/JANUARY 2019

Negro. They dug channels to establish agriculture (think apples and pears) and viticulture soon followed, with Pinot Noir planted in the region as early as 1927. Founded in 1909, Humberto Canale was among the first pioneers, and is the only winery from that era that still exists today, as many of the original vineyards were eventually abandoned.

The promise of old vines lured Piero Incisa della Rocchetta (whose family established Sassicaia, by the way) to Patagonia in 2004. He was tipped off by the owners of Bodega Noemía. Italian Countess Noemi Marone Cinzano and Danish winemaker Hans Vinding-Diers had come to the area three years earlier and discovered a forsaken vineyard planted in the 1930s from which they craft one of Argentina’s most stunning Malbecs.

RECOVERING OLD VINES IS ONLY PART OF THE STORY IN PATAGONIA, HOWEVER. To the north and west of the histori-

cal area of Río Negro, the region of Neuquén is completely new to winemaking. Traditionally an oil province, its vineyards were only established in the last 20 years as an initiative by the government to develop agriculture as a means of job creation. Wineries, such as Fin del Mundo, Malma and Familia Schroeder, planted hundreds of hectares, hence the area’s speedy development. Today, there are more plantings in Neuquén than in Río Negro.

Despite this rapid growth, Patagonia remains numerically insignificant. With less than two percent of Argentina’s overall plantings, it counts a mere 30 wineries and only half of them export. Yet the buzz is much greater than these numbers would suggest.

In particular, Patagonia Pinot Noir has captured international attention. However, producers are divided over its potential.

“It should represent at least half of the plantings,” declares Martin Kaiser, Viticulturist at Doña Paula. In reality, he estimates it accounts for only 11 percent of the region’s reds. While Bodega Chacra has hung its hat on Pinot Noir, producing it almost exclusively, Viola of Fin del Mundo is less bullish about it in Neuquén.

“We have slightly higher temperatures than Río Negro and in warm years it can suffer too much stress,” he asserts.

For Viola, Malbec has the greatest potential and here, as in the rest of Argentina, it is king. Yet the flavour profile of Patagonia Malbec is different. “Here, it is darker rather than red fruit,” declares Viola. Kaiser adds, “it is still floral but more dried, potpourri flower than fresh.” Viola is equally convinced about Merlot but suggests that producers don’t take it seriously enough to show its true potential.

Instead, second to Malbec is Cabernet Sauvignon, despite the fact that this grape struggles to ripen in some areas. For this reason, Rio del Elorza grafted over Cab to Malbec in a particularly cool, rocky site. Since 2 to 3 percent of the grafts didn’t take, Lombroni picks and vinifies the two varieties together. “As the Cab isn’t fully ripe, it’s a natural way to give higher acidity to a 13.5 percent Malbec,” he declares. “Plus, the range of ripeness levels gives complexity.” This intuitive approach is echoed in Lombroni’s winemaking and the resulting wines were a gratifying discovery during my trip.

As for whites, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay are the most common, particularly in the newer region of Neuquén. The latter often shows up in Patagonia’s diverse bubblies. Yet it’s the Sémillon that piques my interest. Planted in Río Negro as far back as the 1940s with the purpose of making sparkling wine, old Sémillon vineyards represent aborted projects of the past. Until recently, only Humberto Canale and Miras were crafting wines from these precious vines. Now Bodegas Noemía has a small release from 40-year-old vines and Mendoza winemaker Matias Riccitelli makes a stunning example from an even older plot. The success of these wines has inspired newer plantings in neighbouring Neuquén. “If more wineries produce Sémillon, it is better for us,” declares Pablo Miras who works with his father, Marcelo, founder of Miras Wines. “It is a great white here and helps create a reputation.”

The Miras project is truly a gem in Patagonia. Besides championing Sémillon, the father-and-son team produce tiny quantities of weirder grapes, such as Trousseau, Verdicchio and Ancellotta, which somehow happened to have been planted in Río Negro. “It’s a small project with a huge curiosity,” says Miras.

“We produce the wines we like to drink.”

In Argentina’s far-flung south, Patagonia is a fascinating juxtaposition. It is the reinvention of a faltered viticultural past with the brand-spanking new and the inevitable mix of largescale and boutique wineries. Against the well-defined backdrop of the environment, the wines are still finding their footing. On the one hand, some are generic, polite and have yet to harness the extreme conditions that make Patagonia unique. On the other hand, the ample glimmers of hope demonstrate a succulence and brightness allied with intense fruit definition and, without being simplistic, are hugely chuggable. I look forward to more of these wines in my glass.

CHACRA CINCUENTA Y CINCO PINOT NOIR 2016, PATAGONIA ($70)

Crafted from vines planted in 1955, this wine is positively floral rather than fruity, exuding violets, lilac, iris and even cherry blossom. The palate is pure with a lightness of texture, barely-there silky tannins and notes of truffle and cherry skins kicking in. Very Cru Beaulolais-like and a deliciously modest 12.1% alcohol. Top notch!

BODEGA NOEMIA A LISA MALBEC 2017, PATAGONIA ($30)

Seductive black raspberry, lilac and black liquorice waft from the glass. Slightly grippy grape tannins make way for plush, fleshy, exuberant fruit while an intrinsic juiciness keeps the palate brilliantly buoyant. This wine packs in fantastic value and clearly demonstrates the diversity of Malbec in Argentina.

BODEGA DEL RÍO ELORZA VERUM TÁCITOS PINOT NOIR 2017, ALTO VALLE DEL RÍO NEGRO ($25)

From a single (and particularly challenging) plot christened “Paulina” after the owner’s mother-in-law, Tácitos was first bottled separately in this vintage. Restrained and fine-boned, it offers strawberry, red cherry and rose petal while an earthy hint adds intrigue. Super drinkable.

MATIAS RICCITELLI OLD VINES SÉMILLON 2017, RÍO NEGRO ($50)

Source from a 60-year-old vineyard, this Sémillon is given a couple of days’ skin contact, fermented with indigenous yeast and aged in a combination of used barrels and concrete eggs. It is gorgeously textured and tactile with lime zest, cashew meal and a subtle leesiness, all lifted by a lively, refreshing backbone.

MIRAS CABERNET FRANC 2014, PATAGONIA ($40)

A fun Cab Franc aged in French and American oak.

There’s plenty of chocolate, roasted coffee, tobacco and toast atop supple and succulent plum fruit.

HUMBERTO CANALE GRAN RESERVA MALBEC 2015, RÍO NEGRO ($30)

Generously oaked in new French and American casks, this wine demonstrates overt vanilla and spice to start.

On the palate, it is fairly full-throttled with blueberry fruit and ripe, layered tannins but a balancing brightness keeps it from being heavy.

FAMILIA SCHROEDER SAURUS SELECT PINOT NOIR 2016, NEUQUÉN ($30)

Whole-berry fermentation with 40% of the wine aged in new French and American oak for 9 months and the remainder in stainless steel. This mild-mannered Pinot offers redcurrants, cherries and cinnamon framed by soft tannin. ×

DECEMBER 2018/JANUARY 2019 21

THIS IS BURGUNDY

by Konrad Ejbich

After a 15-year hiatus, I’ve come back to the centre of France, to Burgundy, to witness some of the considerable changes that have come to pass on the region’s Golden Slopes, the famous Côte d’Or. My usual modus operandi is to make a beeline for the great houses and vineyards — Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Bonnes-Mares, Clos de Tart, Musigny de Vogüé, and so on. This time, however, my plan was to avoid the Grand Crus completely and unearth the real “bargaindies” of Burgundy.

Some say the biggest challenge to hit the Côte d’Or is climate change, but I believe it has actually had a positive influence. In my opinion, the most dramatic and menacing challenge has been soaring prices.

What were once affordable wines for serious aficionados are now the preserve of the one percent. There was a time when the Grand Crus — Chambertin, Clos de Vougeot, Corton, Musigny, Romanée-Saint-Vivant — could be purchased for $30 to $50. That’s not to say I could afford to drink them often back then, but once in a while ...

Today, Montrachet sells for $900 to $1,000 a bottle and Corton-Charlemagne averages $300. If you’re lucky, you might find Puligny-Montrachet, Chassagne-Montrachet or Meursault for less than $100.

22 DECEMBER 2018/JANUARY 2019

It’s the same with reds. Chambertin can fetch $500 per bottle, Romanée even more. Clos Vougeot at $250 seems like a great buy.

Who can afford to drink these wines?

Sadly, not me, not any more, not even once in a while. And I’m not alone.

“We don’t drink the Grand Crus,” says Jean-François Curie, CEO of Boisset Vins, the region’s largest producer.

“We sell them.” He adds that most wine producers can’t afford to drink these famous and expensive wines. They usually drink Village wines, except on rare occasions, when they’ll treat themselves to a Premier Cru. Where pricing has been a huge downer for serious Burgundy hounds, global warming may soon be seen as a cause for joy. Twenty years of warmer growing seasons have proven to be

a boon for the region’s lesser-known wine Villages.

These oft-snubbed appellations — Auxey-Duresses, Fixin, Givry, Mercurey, Montagny, Rully, Santenay, Saint-Véran and so many others — have been sitting in the shadows of The Great Ones. Situated higher up the hillsides or set back a few valleys from the famous Côte d’Or, these Village wines were once relegated to local sales or by-the-glass drinking in the casual bistros of Dijon and Paris.

But that was then.

These days, growers all over Burgundy are harvesting their grapes three to four weeks earlier than at the start of this century. Vineyards in these “minor” appellations ripen like nobody’s business, yielding greater wines with fuller fruit, more power, more richness and improved longevity.

DOMAINE JESSIAUME’S MEGAN MCCLUNE AND WINEMAKER WILLIAM WATERKEYN

The little guys are now well positioned to take their place on the main stage alongside The Great Ones. It’s consumers who need to catch up.

One only need visit a handful of the hundreds of tiny domaines scattered throughout the Côte d’Or to get a clearer sense of the changes taking place. Upon doing so, one will soon discover that these un-renowned wines are exceptionally good, presenting terrific value for serious Burgundy aficionados.

Furthermore, winemaking technology has advanced considerably. A new generation of winemakers is emerging from universities, and some have an ecological interest in natural, organic or biodynamic winemaking. These are ingredients for renewal and change.

It’s a pretty 30-minute drive south from the historic old town of Beaune to Domaine Claude Nouveau, atop a south-facing hill at Marcheseuil. For six generations, the Nouveau family has nurtured 14 hectares of vines in the villages of Maranges and Santenay and the surrounding hills of the Hautes-Côtes de Beaune.

Proprietor Stéphane Ponsard took over running the estate from his fatherin-law in 2010. He tells me that since he joined the family, the seasons have warmed consistently, yielding riper grapes with thicker skins. He says he’s now making richer wines with better balance and a longer maturity curve.

Ponsard tells me his wines can mature for many years and proves it by opening a dusty bottle of Maranges 1re Cru La Fussière 2003. The 15-year-old Pinot displays tremendous power, depth and aromatic complexity, drinking way above its station. A bright ruby centre in my glass tells me it’s still fresh with life.

“It’s developing, but it’s not there yet,” Ponsard says approvingly. “A few years more to go.”

Nearby, in the tiny village of Auxey-Duresses, just 15 minutes away by car, I am warmly greeted by Estelle Prunier, the “fille” at Domaine Michel Prunier et Fille.

Following an informative walk through the compact winery and meandering cellars, I meet Michel Prunier. He is in his element, chatting up customers in the subterranean tasting room and retail shop.

With tiny parcels in nearby Meursault, Pommard and Volnay, the domaine has built up a steady market of visiting wine lovers from Belgium, Denmark, Germany and Italy. Today, a visitor from Denmark asks about the recent vintage as Michel pours samples and complains about the summer heat.

“We came to buy Meursault,” the Danish customer tells me, “but after tasting the Auxey, we got more of that instead.”

Prunier’s Auxey-Duresses Vieilles Vignes Blanc 2015 could almost sub for a fat, mineral-laden Meursault, while the winery’s single-vineyard reds typically display the power of Pommard with the softness of Volnay.

Drive north from Beaune and you pass all the famous vineyards until you get to Fixin, a village half the size of Bloomfield, ON, or one-third of Naramata, BC. IN ONE OF THE NORTHERNMOST VILLAGES OF THE CÔTE D’OR — it’s next

door to Gevrey-Chambertin — I found a young graduate winemaker, Amélie Berthaut, the seventh generation to take the helm at Domaine Berthaut-Gerbet. At one time, the wines were sold off in bulk.

But Berthaut’s grandfather started bottling the wines, which tended to be tannic, tough and on the rustic side. His granddaughter now makes clean, fruit-driven wines that proudly show the strong and DECEMBER 2018/JANUARY 2019 23

WHITES CHÂTEAU DE LA GREFFIÈRE MÂCON LA ROCHE VINEUSE VIEILLES VIGNES 2016 ($23)

Fresh, with clean fruit and nut aromas and flavours. Tight, with excellent concentration underpinned by a subtle layer of oak. Age-worthy for 5 to 7 years.

DOMAINE FEUILLAT-JUILLOT MONTAGNY 1ER CRU L’ORIGINEL 2017 ($35)

Camille Feuillat is happy with the result of this trial fermentation in a new terracotta amphora. Clean, lean and pure-tasting with lots of personality. Smooth, plump mid-palate and a tight, full-fruit aftertaste. Lush texture and satiny finish.

CHÂTEAU DE FUISSÉ POUILLY-FUISSÉ TÊTE DE CRU 2016 ($42)

An assemblage of the best barrel from each of the winery’s vineyards within the appellation. White flowers, citrus, apples and pineapple notes. Mineral-laden dry finish. A classic. I also tasted a 2001, which was loaded with nutty complexity and fresh minerality.

MAISON JAFFELIN RULLY 2016 ($45)

Borders the 1er Cru Les Pucelles vineyard. White flowers and tropical fruit. Fullish, plump texture lifted by bright acidity. Slightly nutty, with a long, dry, mineral finish. Strikes my palate as a Meursault look-alike.

BOUCHARD PÈRE & FILS SAINT-AUBIN 1ER CRU 2016 ($50)

Subtle, honeyed fruit aromas. Fresh, mouth-watering citrus notes. Medium-bodied and vinous, with a clean, lingering finish.

VIGNERONS DES TERRES SECRÈTES SAINT-VÉRAN 2016 ($21)

State-of-the-art co-op. Superb freshness and balance. Tremendous value.

REDS DOMAINE MICHEL PRUNIER ET FILLE AUXEY-DURESSES 1ER CRU CLOS DU VAL 2015 ($60)

Strong and solid red-fruit aromas. Powerful and weighty with round, silky tannins plus a harmonious finish. Very classy.

DOMAINE BERTHAUT-GERBET FIXIN LES CRAIS 2016 ($39)

The winery’s flagship cuvée. Implicitly sweet with great acidity and bold tannins. Big gamey notes with dark fruit and a supple, round palate.

DOMAINE RAGOT GIVRY 1ER CRU LA GRANDE BERGE 2016 ($42)

Powerful, rich, spicy and very fine. It has deep, dark flavours, silky tannins, a mineral undertone and sublime finesse.

DOMAINE CLAUDE NOUVEAU MARANGES 1ER CRU LA FUSSIÈRE 2016 ($30)

Vigneron Stéphane Ponsard harvested these grapes on August 26. The heavier clays of the area give tremendous depth and complexity to the wine, along with a plumper mid-palate. With its dark fruit aromas, liquorice, spice notes, concentration and solid tannins, it struck me as similar in weight and style to Gevrey-Chambertin.

DOMAINE MICHEL JUILLOT MERCUREY 2016 ($39)

Big fruit nose of cherries and strawberries with hints of earth and smoked meat. Round, supple palate, bright acidity and a solid tannic finish.

DOMAINE JESSIAUME SANTENAY 1ER CRU LES GRAVIÈRES 2016 ($59)

Solid and silky with dark berry notes. Wild, earthy and slightly rustic, this lovely red wine has a charm that recalls Chambolle-Musigny.

24 DECEMBER 2018/JANUARY 2019

MARINETTE GARNIER, WINEMAKER AT MAISON JAFFELIN

earthy characteristics of the terroir. The wines can seem tough at first, but there’s plenty of fruit to balance the stony, gamey, tannic nature of the appellation. Village wines can age six to nine years, Premier Crus can go for more than 15.

Over hill and dale, I go again to the southernmost village in the Côte d’Or, Santenay, where American expat Megan McClune is the new general manager at Domaine Jessiaume.

The 150-year-old estate was in tremendous disrepair when Scottish multi-millionaire Sir David Murray saw an opportunity and snapped it up in 2006. After some early missteps, the winery turned to McClune and a new winemaking team. In the past couple of years, the improvements have been dramatic and the wines show it.

Just down the road and over another hill, Françoise Feuillat-Juillot has single-handedly run the Domaine Feuillat-Juillot in Montagny, while managing a growing family since her husband died in 2004.

Since completing degrees in international trade and oenology, daughter Camille has started to take part in the production, administration and marketing of the wines.

Together, the women produce eight Village and Premier Cru bottlings of Chardonnay from 14 hectares of limestone, clay and marl terroirs. The domaine’s tank-fermented wines are easily confused with those of neighbouring Chassagne and Puligny Montrachet, while a barrel-fermented, barrel-aged Premier Cru “Les Coères” 2016 reminds me of Meursault. Okay, it’s not Meursault, but it’s half the price.

The next morning, I drive south into the sultry Côte Chalonnaise to meet with Laurent Juillot, a fourth-generation vigneron and heir to the family-owned Domaine Michel Juillot, which has 30 hectares of vineyards in Mercurey.

Since taking the reins of the estate, Juillot has renewed the vines, updated the vineyard and winery equipment, modernized the old labels and set a course for slow, steady growth and transition to the next generation.

His wines reflect these improvements, as well as the warmer climate. They are earthy, with dark fruit, lush texture and strong, but not tough, tannins. Juillot treats me to a 25-year-old Village wine that sings with ripe, gamey cherry-plum

flavours that tickle my fancy. There’s zero toughness here, just full fruit and a developing, complex, luscious aftertaste. I’m imagining a tough Pommard or a soft Nuits-Saint-Georges.

I’d love to see Vignerons des Terres Secrètes get wider distribution throughout the country as I was genuinely taken aback by the range, quality and reasonable prices offered by this private co-op located in Saint-Véran. Managing director Xavier Migeot treated me to a one-hour tasting of 23 wines while telling me stories of the region’s history and its people. Every one of the wines I tasted was a superb example of its appellation. What a portfolio!

Dozens of people wandered in and out of the shop while we tasted in the back room. Morgeot explained how he attracts the best growers of the region and pays incentives for higher-quality grapes. The results showed. It made me rethink the whole idea of co-op wines. Instead of being a catch-all, low-end producer appealing to a certain market that buys only on price, Vignerons des Terres Secrètes has taken the high road, attractive to the knowledgeable wine aficionado.

It was worth the detour. × DECEMBER 2018/JANUARY 2019 25

THE STORY BEHIND RESIN

by Michelle Bouffard

JUST LIKE THE SOUND OF MUSIC OR THE SMELL OF PERFUME, THE TASTE OF WINE HAS THE ABILITY TO BRING BACK MEMORIES. For many people, retsina was the only af-

fordable option as a backpacker when they were travelling their way through Greece. This is perhaps why, sometimes, you reach out for a bottle at the liquor store. A simple sip takes you directly to the breath-taking turquoise colour of the ocean and the sublime white houses of the idyllic islands. All that’s missing is the sound of “Zorbas,” a few friends with whom to dance sirtaki and a delicious Greek salad.

I, too, have those memories. I’ve had a love affair with Greece since I was 17 years old. When I first set my foot in this beautiful country, I was there for two months to study history and archaeology. As a poor student, retsina was my daily celebration.

But, just like times past, my memories have evolved into new ones. This traditional wine is no longer a synonym for a mediocre beverage confined to Greek-themed dinners. Rather, it is thirst-quenching with a salty tang and a pleasant herbal tone that I can’t get enough of. Have I changed? No, retsina has.

To understand the evolution of retsina, one has to comprehend why it was born in the first place. Historically, flavoured wine was made around the world for one main reason: to cover up the flavours of a poorly made wine. Made mostly in central Greece where vineyards were surrounded with pine trees, retsina was produced by adding pine resin during vinification.

It was a very useful technique to mask bad flavours at a time when winemaking and methods of preservation were not ful26 DECEMBER 2018/JANUARY 2019

ly understood. Pine resin was also used to seal the mouth of the amphorae and to coat the insides to prevent oxygen from coming through. In some instances, pine trees were also transformed into wine barrels.

The fact that pine resin was retsina’s signature flavour profile did not encourage producers to improve their techniques in the vineyard or the winery. By the end of the 19th century, retsina was flooding Greek tavernas in Athens. Soon bottles were being shipped to the islands, and by the 1960s, it was filling tourists’ glasses. For better or for worse, this was this wine’s heyday. Large producers, like Boutari and Tsantalis, were focusing on high-volume, inexpensive wine. It was not until the late 1970s that such big companies started to notice a demand from wealthier consumers for better-quality bottles. This realization marked the start of a new era not only for retsina, but also for Greek wine in general.

TODAY, WE CAN SAY THAT RETSINA IS DIVIDED INTO TWO NON-OFFICIAL CATEGORIES: INEXPENSIVE RETSINA AND “MODERN”, SLIGHTLY PRICIER RETSINA. However, both

carry a tradition and even the cheapest version you can buy is in every way better than the one you could find 30 years ago. So, what has happened? Everything is simply — better! Superior viticultural practices have increased the fruit quality and improved winemaking techniques. The pine resin is also of better quality.

Producers now favour freshly harvested resin from Aleppo pine trees over old and oxidized ones.

KECHRIS KECHRIBARI ($10)

This is the Kechris’ entry-level retsina. Dominant pine notes on the nose are underlined by pine mushroom and lime zest on the palate. Light-bodied and simple but well made and what a great companion to pita served with hummus, tzatziki or baba ganoush. An inexpensive snack full of flavours.

KECHRIS TEAR OF THE PINE R17 ($25)

Considered one of Greece’s best retsinas and for good reason. Rich with creamy texture and the pine resin mingles well with the assertive personality of Assyrtiko.

Concentrated notes of lemon, vanilla, yogourt and yeast are enhanced by herbal and mushroom notes.

Elani Kechri says this retsina has aging potential. The structure walks the talk. I am putting a few bottles away myself to revisit 2 to 3 years from now. A great match with grilled lamb seasoned with sea salt and sprinkled with fresh lemon juice. Yamas!

KECHRIS POZA ROSÉ ($15)

The quantity of pine resin added to fermenting white wine — and in some rarer cases, rosé — has also decreased. Legally, resin must now comprise 0.15 percent to 1 percent of the final product.

But in the late 18th century, the concentration could be as high as 7.5 percent! No wonder you felt like you were biting into a tree.

Many producers also believe that terroir is just as important for a pine tree as it is for a vine. Eleni Kechri, the daughter of Stelios Kechris, who is considered the father of the retsina revolution, is experimenting with this.

A chemical engineer and the oenologist at Kechris Winery, Kechri is conducting studies at the University of Thessaloniki on the extractability of resin coming from different terroirs as well as on the evolution of the aromatic and flavour profile of resin during the stages of fermentation, maturation and aging. At Kechris, they’ve already done many experiments. The winery has found that high-altitude pine resin is more citrusy whereas the one coming from lower-altitude lands is more herbal. Therefore, Kechris prefers the latter for its highly recognized and premium Tear of the Pine retsina, which is aged in barrels. This particular wine is made from Assyrtiko and herbal flavours are more suited to the grape.

Most winemakers add the pine resin during fermentation by putting it into a cloth much like a tea bag. Depending on the concentration of flavours desired, they remove it either after a few days or at the end of fermentation. Others will add the retsina directly to the fermenting vessel, removing it at the end during the first clarification. Yiorgos Manolas, Export Director at Kechris

One of the rare rosé retsinas. The combination of pink grapefruit, orange zest, herbal tone and slight bitterness on the finish reminds me a little bit of Campari.

The perfect aperitif to encourage the appetite. A bowl of olives or slices of prosciutto, anyone?

PAPAGIANNAKOS RETSINA ($15)

Made of 100% Savatiano from non-irrigated 50-yearold vines. Fresh and tangy with a more restrained presence of pine resin flavours, which makes this retsina a finer and more delicate style. Love the bursting flavours of lemon zest and slight salty finish. Grilled sardines, please!

TETRAMYTHOS RETSINA ($15)

Fresh and vibrant with lots of energy and character.

The flavours of the pine resin are well supported by the high quality of the white wine, which is made from 100% Roditis. The grapes come from 4 vineyards where the age of the vines vary between 28 and 42 years.

The grapes are farmed organically and only a minimal amount of sulfur is added. Good for the soul, good for the body and good for the planet.

GAI’A RITINITIS NOBILIS ($20)

100% Roditis grown on the surrounding hills of Nemea in Korinthos. Light on its feet with a nice concentration of lemon notes that mingle perfectly with the herbal aromas. Elegant and nicely balanced. A great match for seafood yellow curry when coriander and lemongrass are among the ingredients.

DECEMBER 2018/JANUARY 2019 27

ELENI KECHRI

Winery, says that nothing more can be gained by leaving in pine resin beyond the fermentation stage.

The fermenting vessel also matters. Traditionally, amphorae made out of clay were used. Some wineries like Tetramythos maintain this tradition. They have a beautiful collection with a few that are 800 years of age. The lining of the amphorae plays an important role. Panayiotis Papagiannopoulos, one of Greece’s most talented winemakers, who works at Tetramythos, says he lines his new amphorae with beeswax when they are too porous as he wants to prevent oxidation. Some of his other clay pots are lined with pine resin and the old ones are not lined at all. Meanwhile, at Kechris, they favour stainless steel over amphorae and they even age Tears of the Pine in barrels.

THE TYPE OF GRAPE IS ANOTHER KEY ELEMENT OF RETSINA. Traditionally, Roditis and Savatiano, both widely planted

in central Greece, were the natural choice. While they suffered from a bad reputation, mainly due to poor viticulture, things are changing. Vasillis Papagiannakos of Domaine Papagiannakos champions Savatiano. He says it is perfectly adapted to the dry and arid climate of the Markopoulou region where his vineyards are located. As a result, he is able to have non-irrigated bush vines.

While Papagiannakos has also found that another virtue of Saviatiano is its aging potential, he does not like to age his retsina. He says that with time the wine takes on a botanical profile, which he does not enjoy. He prefers to drink it when it’s fresh and tangy. By comparison, Roditis can be very ordinary if not managed properly in the vineyard. At Tetramythos, Papagiannopoulos says that 28 DECEMBER 2018/JANUARY 2019

the unique mountainous terroir of Aigialeia, combined with the minimal intervention in the winemaking, has been important to having a line of finesse and elegance in its Roditis. He also stresses the importance of only producing retsina from free-run juice.

Meanwhile, some wineries are experimenting with other grapes by following the lead of Kechris, a producer that is making stellar retsina from Assyrtiko and Xinomavro.

I personally enjoy this traditional drink on its own, as an aperitif. I find it extremely refreshing. But, the truth is, retsina fully shines when accompanied by the right type of food.

Of course, the classics like Greek salad, fried squid, spanakopita and souvlaki work like a charm. But it is equally delicious with tapenade, white anchovies or a pasta that has been simply prepared with garlic, chili pepper, cherry tomatoes, fried sage and sprinkled with feta. Garlic soup is also a must-try, and my favourite match when the days get cooler in the fall is roasted lemon chicken. Have I mentioned baked eggplant or falafel?

Those who like the cuisine of Yotam Ottolenghi should have plenty of fun trying to match retsina to some of his recipes.

Especially with his Jerusalem cookbook. One word of advice, though, don’t underestimate the effect of pungent pine flavours when playing with pairings.

At first, just like blue cheese or fino sherry, the taste of retsina can be disorienting. But don’t let this distract you from giving it a real chance. Thanks to a handful of great producers who’ve decided to revamp its reputation by putting quality first, retsina has never been better. Old is getting new again. Drinking retsina has never been so hip. ×

CYAN

by Tod Stewart

SEAS

Icy, carbon-grey foam-crested breakers mercilessly pound the stone jetty outside. A vicious southeast gale bends barren trees to near breaking. Pellets of freezing rain coat my window with a rippling second skin while icicles — looking like the fangs of some Abominable Snowman dripping arctic saliva — tenaciously grip exposed surfaces.

The outer shores of Baffin Island? The view from a moored trawler hammered by a North Atlantic tempest? The vista of the last of humanity as the heaving mass of the final Ice Age envelopes the earth? Try Toronto in January.

The sunny “ping” from my laptop signals an incoming email. “Well, at least the power’s still on,” I mutter as I pull my gaze away from the hypothermia-inducing landscape outside. Expecting a phone bill or a credit card bill or some other sort of junk mail, I check my inbox with minor trepidation. And, bang! Nothing thaws a midwinter state of mind faster than an invitation to Jamaica for some sun, fun and, obviously, rum. The only ice I’ll have to deal with will be in my glass, mon!

DECEMBER 2018/JANUARY 2019 29

“I WANTED TO CREATE A RUM THAT WOULD MESMERIZE NOT ONLY RUM DRINKERS, BUT ALSO SCOTCH DRINKERS, BOURBON DRINKERS AND COGNAC DRINKERS.” JOY SPENCE

BEFORE ME IS A VAST SEA OF LUSH, DENSE, emerald green foliage that ex-

tends unbroken to the rolling hills on the horizon. The air is warm. The smell of exotic vegetation — and of equally exotic food being prepared on the outside deck of Stush in the Bush — permeate the air and intoxicate my senses.

From there I take in the gorgeous landscape typical of the inland part of the island, which occupies nearly 11,000 square kilometres of land floating about 145 kilometres south of Cuba. Bamboo, ferns, ebony, mahogany and rosewood intermingle. Bats gorge on airborne insects as the sun dips in the distance.

Think Jamaica, and the first images that likely come to mind are those of cyan seas, crystalline beaches and the outer walls of the exclusive resorts that pepper the coast. While there’s no denying that these attractions shouldn’t be 30 DECEMBER 2018/JANUARY 2019

missed, a trek over winding jungle roads into the heart of the country opens up an entirely different world — and some very different experiences.

To call Stush in the Bush a restaurant would be a grave underestimation; dining experience/adventure is perhaps more accurate.

Billing itself as “sexy vegetarianism,” it’s a combination of rustic Rastafarian in the Jamaican interior (a.k.a., bush) and chic (a.k.a., stush). It’s a farm-totable vegetarian dining venue where proprietors Lisa and Chris utilize their own sustainably grown produce to craft a range of exotic (and delicious) menu items. Things like a rich, meaty Tuna Tartare made from pressed watermelon; a silky, fragrant Pumpkin Bisque with Coconut Bacon Pumpkin Seeds and Pumpkin Chips; Plantain Ceviche; Charcoal Fettuccine and Vegan Puttanesca.

All paired with rum-laced cocktails.

Meat, shmeat. I could live off this vegetarian gourmet stuff. Maybe.

Satiated and mellow, I’m back on the deck as the last of the molten sun disappears. In my hand is a glass of coconut water fortified with Appleton Reserve Blend rum. Beside me is David Morrison, Senior Blender for J. Wray & Nephew Limited.

“This is a part of Jamaica most Jamaicans don’t ever see,” he admits. However, I suspect most Jamaicans are more than a little familiar with Wray & Nephew’s wares.

A subsidiary of the Campari Group, J. Wray & Nephew Limited is the oldest company in Jamaica and one of the Caribbean’s largest exporters. Though its portfolio encompasses more than 50 premium brands distributed in more than 190 countries, what it is likely most famous for is rum. The company owns three Jamaican sugar distillate estates, the most well

known is no doubt Appleton Estate. As luck/coincidence/careful planning would have it, my visit to the island happens to coincide with the christening of a brandnew shrine to all things Appleton: the Joy Spence Appleton Estate Rum Experience.

Eponymously named after Wray & Nephew’s legendary Master Blender, the compound began life back in 1988 as the original visitor’s centre. Now, following a US$7.2-million upgrade, the centre can accommodate some 200,000 visitors annually and is poised to become the Nassau Valley’s top attraction.

Should you be fortunate to find yourself here, you’ll begin the tour as I did, in the in-house theatre where your appetite for learning more about rum will be whetted. A short film depicts the fascinating history of rum and of Appleton Estate itself — a distillery and sugar plantation that records show traces its roots back to 1749 (though most suspect it was in operation earlier than that). From here, it’s a cane-to-cup journey through all aspects of cane harvesting and processing, through to distillation, aging and blending.

THOSE WORKING IN THE SPIRIT INDUSTRY may not agree on everything, but

they will unanimously agree that spirit blending is indeed an art, and the name Joy Spence is spoken with reverence in this community of artists. I was both honoured and humbled to experience both a blending and tasting session with the legendary Joy Spence herself.

Spence tasked me with the challenge of crafting a “cocktail rum” using a palate of samples distilled in different manners and aged for various lengths. A cocktail rum would, I figure, likely contain a higher percentage of younger, column-distilled spirit to achieve an overall lighter profile that would marry well with other cocktail ingredients. Problem is that, outside of a dry gin Martini now and then, I don’t drink cocktails, and I like my rum neat, in a snifter. To me, cocktail rum is an oxymoron in spite of the near universal popularity of rum-based mixed drinks.

Could I be blamed, then, for being a bit too heavy-handed in my addition of the wellaged, heavier, pot-distilled number? As I sip it, I judge my blend to be pretty tasty, if suitable only for fireside meditations back home. But just because I can’t create a great blend to spec doesn’t mean I can’t identify one when I taste it.

Spence and I work though the cornerstones of the Appleton Estate range.

Starting with the Appleton Estate Signature Blend, we move on to the Appleton Estate Reserve Blend and the Appleton Estate Rare Blend 12-Year-Old before capping things off with the Appleton Estate 21-Year-Old Jamaican Rum. The exercise is a gradual progression of flavour, depth and complexity. The aromas of dried fruits, toasted nuts, caramel, sweet vanilla, cocoa and baking spices intensify as we reach the 21-Year-Old. Polished wood, new leather, sultana, dried citrus peel, dark chocolate and nutmeg aromas lead to a rich, warm, silky-smooth and intense palate that trails off into a long, slightly peppery finish. To my surprise, things didn’t stop there.

“I wanted to create a rum that would mesmerize not only rum drinkers, but also Scotch drinkers, bourbon drinkers and cognac drinkers,” Spence explains while pouring a measure of her Appleton Estate Joy Anniversary Blend Aged 25 Years. I inhale the gorgeous aromas of an absolutely, well, mesmerizing rum that seems to take the main features of the 21-YearOld expression and layer on additional complexity, elegance and intensity.

While rum was the glue that held my Jamaican experience together, there are plenty of other things you might want to try. Yeah, I know what you’re thinking.

Scoring weed in Jamaica isn’t exactly difficult, and though possession once meant some pretty stiff penalties, having 56.6 grams on your person today (about two ounces) has, since decriminalization in 2015, become a petty offence that will not result in a criminal record. Trafficking is still a no-no, so it’s probably best to enjoy your ganja as the natives would.

Oh, so that wasn’t what you were thinking? In that case, you might enjoy a stroll along some of Negril’s white beaches, water sports in the soothing, warm Caribbean water or a visit to the famous (and spectacular) Dunn’s River Falls near the port town of Ocho Rios. Should your base happen to be the same as mine — Montego Bay — you can relax in luxury at the Half Moon resort where you’ll find great food and plenty of, um, distractions. If you’re lucky, you’ll also find the same bartender who’s been plying me here on my last night with rather liberal free pours of Appleton Estate 21-Year-Old. Tonight, I’m back at the Half Moon bar (of course) after a terrific dinner at The Sugar Mill. Part of the Half Moon resort, but located away from the main buildings on an old sugar plantation, The Sugar Mill specializes in interesting twists on typical Jamaican food. My dinner kicked off with a flavourful, velvety crayfish bisque that led to a course of succulent Coconut Crusted Grouper Filet. However, if you prefer to dine off site, you’re not far from great Jamaican jerk, slow-cooked, as it should be, over wood flames at Scotchies.

Or, for something novel, try The HouseBoat Grill. Yes, it’s an actual houseboat that features some awesome dishes. Give your tastebuds a wakeup call with the Spicy Peel & Eat Pepper Shrimp before moving on to a main of ultra-fresh Pan Fried Fillet of Snapper in Thai Style Tamarind Sauce, Steamed Jasmine Rice, Sautéed Julienne Vegetables and a spectacular sunset to boot.

Back home in Toronto — where the weather is almost as depressing as when I first left — I look out my window at inky, ice-choked Lake Ontario wishing it were the inviting Caribbean Sea. In one hand is a small sample of the Appleton Estate Joy 25-Year-Old. In the other is a crystal brandy snifter. I’ve contemplated saving this liquid treasure for a more special occasion, but have decided that right now, imbibing the real soul of Jamaica will be the only way to warm mine. × DECEMBER 2018/JANUARY 2019 31

A DAY IN PRAGUE

by Gurvinder Bhatia

AT THE AGE OF 13, PAUL DAY STARTED WORKING AS A “SATURDAY LAD” IN A BUTCHER SHOP IN THE WEST MIDLANDS OF ENGLAND. Early on, he knew that he loved cooking and that

he really loved meat. By age 18, Day owned his own butcher shop.

At 20, he sold it and shortly thereafter made the move to London.

Day knew that he wanted to be a chef, although butchery is clearly his first love (as you will see). He worked as a butcher in London’s Chinatown while also working in numerous restaurants (mostly for free), learning to make Cantonese food while honing his knife, wok, roasting and other culinary skills. From there, the rise seems meteoric.

Day’s first real kitchen job was at Mezzo, a Sir Terence Conran restaurant. Within three weeks, he was promoted to chef de partie. Within two months, Day had a dish on the menu (a fermented sausage dish). He cooked a lot of Asian food and went on to become the sous-chef at Nobu Old Park Lane. He started consulting, helping others to open restaurants, which took him to Spain, Tokyo, Istanbul, Pakistan (although he freely admits going to Pakistan was more about watching cricket) and Italy.

Ultimately, Day wanted to get back in the kitchen. He heard of an opportunity and made the decision to come to Prague. In the process, he met the woman who would become his wife and purchased the space that, in 2011, became Sansho, a restaurant that would be at the forefront of Prague’s culinary revolution.

32 DECEMBER 2018/JANUARY 2019

I first dined at Sansho in 2013 and to say that I was blown away would be an understatement. Ethereal and soul-satisfying are more accurate descriptions. Dining at Sansho piqued my curiosity about Prague’s culinary scene, but without question, meeting and speaking with chef Day that night, solidified my desire to come back, which I finally did earlier this year.

Prague is, straight up, a beautiful city. It mostly escaped heavy bombing and large-scale destruction during World War II. Under communism (1948–1989), though, the culinary soul of what used to be one of Europe’s cultural and gastronomic centres was decimated. Farms were nationalized (wineries included) and cooks across the country were directed to prepare dishes using a single state-approved cookbook called Recipes for Warm Meals. Dishes used pork, dumplings, red cabbage, pork, goulash and — did I mention pork? Culinary creativity was stifled and cooks across the country opted to offer the same few dishes using the same ingredients prepared the same way.

After the fall of communism, it was difficult to get fresh produce and quality meats. And, even when quality ingredients were available, few people knew what to do with them. However, according to the restaurateurs and local diners with whom I spoke, over the past 20 years, the country’s food culture has been shifting. Nowhere is this shift more prevalent than in Prague.

The evolution of Prague’s culinary scene in the five years since my last visit is remarkable. Day refers to the changes since he opened Sansho as “tremendous, massive and still changing.”

Prior to opening Sansho, Day decided that he only wanted to use Czech meat. Most Prague restaurants at the time were advertising meat from central America, the US and other countries. When Sansho opened, the restaurant was closed on Sundays and Mondays because those were the days that Day was butchering at the farms. Today, says Day, more Czech farmers understand that they can leave their animals outside

and raise them slowly, the organic, natural way. He originally worked with three farmers, but now he says there are more than 40 working in this manner.

When Sansho first opened, the biggest challenge, according to Day, was his hefty CV of working in Michelin kitchens and the Czech perception of him being a luxury chef. Day did not want that image to conflict with his vision of relaxed, communal, scaled-down dining with the emphasis on the food. From day 1, says Day proudly, it was the food that won the public over and Sansho took off.

With respect to the food, Day didn’t feel the need to change his style of cooking to meet a “Czech palate.” He explains that Czechs are quite adventurous, travel extensively and have a love of offal. Day didn’t hold back his Asian-inspired, nose-to-tail cuisine, which he describes as “Sansho-style” (and then quickly follows the description with his infectious laughter).

He is strongly influenced by his time working in Chinatown (Czech diners thought the softshell crab slider — a standard at Sansho — was fusion, but Day explains it’s actually a Chinatown classic). Day loves to cook with fish and meat together. For Thai dishes, he likes to use fish sauce on meat. He loves to combine anchovy and lamb; clams with beef tendon and yuzu; and prawn confit (in pork fat) with candied walnuts and broccoli (Day calls it another Chinatown favourite). Whenever possible, local Czech ingredients are utilized.

After opening Sansho, Day’s roots as a butcher led to his opening a butcher shop in 2012 (and then expanding it in 2017).

The Real Meat Society (RMS) exclusively carries hormone and antibiotic-free, free-range, organic, naturally raised animals.

The objective of RMS, according to Day, is not just to have a consistent source of quality meat for his restaurants, but also to make quality Czech meat more accessible to Czechs. The shop carries several heritage and local breeds of beef.

DECEMBER 2018/JANUARY 2019 33

Day tells me that a group of young lamb farmers with whom he works have formed a cooperative (organic, hormone- and antibiotic-free, naturally raised) and are now helping older farmers adapt to the natural raising of animals. Before RMS, Day would, for free, show farmers how to butcher to improve quality. Day also gets his restaurant team into the shop to learn butchery. He especially wants the young chefs to learn the craft.

To Day’s delight, other restaurants have also started to be more concerned with the quality and provenance of the meat they are using. He is adamant that one “can’t be a serious chef unless you know where your meat is coming from.” A number of butcher shops have now opened in Prague. Day’s view is that “the more butcher shops there are, the better it is for all ” — consumers, restaurateurs and farmers.

Going back to butchery after 25 years of chefing is invigorating for Day and, significantly, his experience as a butcher and passion for naturally raised animals is transforming the Czech meat industry.

Because a busy restaurant and butcher shop weren’t enough, Day purchased a pub just across the way from Sansho. Maso a Kobliha (“Meat & Doughnuts”) serves a mix of British and Czech classics like Scotch eggs, beef pie, smoked tongue, fried cheese sliders, curry tripe and chips, smoked salmon cake, schnitzel and, of course, RMS sausages. The pub also serves as a commissary for making breads and desserts for Sansho and is another establishment that the butcher shop can supply with cheaper cuts of meat, allowing more prime cuts to be sold in the shop. Within six months of opening, Maso a Kobliha was recognized with the Michelin Guide’s Bib Gourmand for good-quality, good-value cooking.

WHILE DAY’S ESTABLISHMENTS ARE AT THE FOREFRONT OF PRAGUE’S CULINARY REVOLUTION, HE IS NOT ALONE. At Day’s suggestion, I ate dinner at Eska. The restau-

rant is a two-level, casual, warm, sleek, lively, open-conceptstyle room with lots of two-tops that can be pushed together to encourage large groups and communal dining. The food was sublime with clean, unfussy preparations, including smoked beef tartare, Jerusalem artichoke soup, savoy cabbage sautéed with goat cheese and buckwheat, potatoes with smoked fish and grilled wild boar. Even more impressive were the wine pairings and the knowledgeable, relaxed and comfortable service. For each pairing, the server brought the bottle and poured the wine at the table with just the right amount of information about the producer, region and production. It was exactly what casual, proper wine service should be.

Day also directed me to go to Veltlin, a wine bar, which provided another “I love this city” experience. On the wall is a map depicting the Austro-Hungarian empire from 1912. This is relevant as, according to my server, Veltlin only serves “minimal intervention, environmentally friendly” wines from regions representing areas that were part of the former empire — namely, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Austria, Alto-Adige and Veneto. Furthermore, the bar has more than 1,000 wines, yet no wine list. As my server explained, customers let their server know what style, colour or whatever they feel like drinking and 34 DECEMBER 2018/JANUARY 2019

are brought two or three wines to taste and then decide — so “you don’t drink anything you don’t like.”

I asked for a fresh, minerally white with good acidity. The selections brought for me to taste were dead on and I decided on a Czech wine, the 2015 Novak Pinot Blanc from Moravia — one day on the skins and 12 months in acacia barrels, it possessed good acid, texture, depth and length. For my next glass, I selected the Milan Nestarec GinTonic 2015 with the message on the back label “I am feeling supersonic. Sauvignon Blanc is my Gin & Tonic” — it had pleasant acidity, lemon citrus and was nicely bitter. I finished with the single-vineyard Petr Kocarik Novosady Pinot Noir 2016 Moravia Czech Republic.

My server was knowledgeable and able to relay information about wines, producers and the vintages in a very relaxed and informative manner. He explained that the Czech wine industry has grown over the past five to eight years, but only a few smaller wineries with limited distribution are doing it at a high level. He went on to explain that Czech consumers are drinking Czech wines, so the producers don’t have to rely on tourists or exports. And because local wines are selling, local producers can reinvest in their vineyards and wineries. When I asked if he was an owner, I was stunned to discover that he had only been working at the wine bar for a year.

As much as the culinary scene in Prague has evolved, I was most impressed by the rapid evolution of the city’s wine culture over the past five years. There are numerous cities that did not have to deal with communism and that have had access to great-quality wines for decades, but do not come close to the casual, comfortable, knowledgeable and relaxed professionalism I experienced from the servers in Prague.

The culinary scene is Prague is exciting, vibrant and growing.

New restaurants are being opened by locals and foreigners (the amount of foreign interest and investment is growing rapidly).

Day has played and continues to play an integral role in Prague’s culinary revolution. He is heavily involved in the community, whether making haggis sandwiches at the Prague Whisky Festival, working weddings and special events with his repurposed Land Rover Defender (he took the side off and installed a charcoal grill to create Prague’s first “food truck”) or serving RMS’s ridiculously delicious sandwiches and Maso a Kobliha doughnuts at events promoting British culture.

I asked Day what he would like to see as the next evolution in Prague’s culinary journey. He indicates that a number of Czech chefs left Prague and are working in London, Australia, New York and other parts of the world. Day is looking forward to having them come back to Prague and reintroduce Czech heritage dishes, which are currently missing to a large extent.

Day is enthusiastic, passionate, joyful and committed. His objective has always been to cook for Czechs. As Prague’s culinary scene is receiving greater global recognition, culinary tourism to the city is on the rise. Day says tourism keeps him and his staff on their toes — Sansho is in Prague, but if they could pick up with all their local proteins and move the restaurant, he believes it would be successful anywhere. Day maintains that idealism with his staff. He has no good reason not to. ×

VELTLIN

ESKA

DECEMBER 2018/JANUARY 2019 35

DAMN, I LOVE NEW YORK.

by Robin LeBlanc

Exploring New York City — away from Manhattan — through its breweries

I’ve been visiting New York City every year since I was about 10 years old and I’ve honestly never stopped loving it. For me, it’s a place that feels more like home than my actual home in Toronto.

It’s a large, bustling place of constant activity with a rich history and the most diverse types of people from all over the world. Nowhere else will you find such a vibrant scene of music, art, dining and culture than the big city itself. Truth be told, I’m at my happiest in New York.

But what upsets me is that most of the people I know who visit the city never tend to stray much past the borders of Manhattan. Sure, there’s a lot about Manhattan that is amazing — I can go on to talk about Union Square, the Village and so forth — but the city really opens up 36 DECEMBER 2018/JANUARY 2019

when you explore beyond the usual sights and get into the beauty of boroughs like Brooklyn and Queens.

Along with being a traveller, I’m also a beer drinker. And because of that, I like to encourage people to explore the beauty of regions and countries through the breweries that inhabit them. So, load up your MTA card because we’re going to look at three neighbourhoods and a few can’tmiss breweries to try while you take in this wonderful city.

Williamsburg is an interesting place that has a fascinating and somewhat troubled history. In 1855, the City of Williamsburg (along with the Town of Bushwick) was annexed into the City of Brooklyn as part of the Eastern District and subsequently developed as an in-

dustrial area. In 1898, Brooklyn became a City of Greater New York borough and, especially after the completion of the Williamsburg Bridge in 1903, the area quickly became the city’s most densely populated area. Over the years, the population kept growing while the heavy-industry side of Williamsburg died out. When the area became notable for its crime, many residents eventually left. With that, rent prices in Williamsburg began to drop, which in turn attracted artists. It was then that the area’s resurgence in popularity brought forth gentrification, which brings us to the Hipster Mecca that it is today.

For me, you can’t really visit New York without making a stop at Brooklyn Brewery in Williamsburg for its famous tours and a visit to the taproom. Park

Slope residents Steve Hindy and Tom Potter quit their jobs to start a brewery in 1988, hiring Milton Glaser, the creator of the I Heart New York sign, to design their logo. In 1996, Hindy and Potter, along with brewmaster Garrett Oliver, moved into a former Williamsburg matzo factory and built a brewery that would end up being at the vanguard of craft beer developments in New York, America and many other places in the world.

It wouldn’t be hyperbole at all to say that Garrett Oliver’s depth of knowledge and skill along with his creativity and business sense are the driving force behind Brooklyn Brewery’s success. Along with initial growth in the North American market, the brewery has expanded to locations in London and Stockholm, the latter brewing a special beer — Brooklyn 1/2 Ale Session Saison — to adapt to the low-alcohol requirements of Swedish stores.

On top of that, Oliver has two books, The Brewmaster’s Table and the Oxford Companion to Beer, that stand as essential reads for any beer lover.

I don’t know where to begin with beer recommendations for Brooklyn Brewery because, honestly, it’s all good. Garrett Oliver has managed to create an extensive portfolio that ranges from simply done well, like the flagship Brooklyn Lager, 1/2 Ale and Brooklyn Brown Ale to high-concept, like Tripel Burner, a liquorice-spiced tripel aged in white wine barrels. Two essential beers for newbies would have to be a mix of those two extremes. The Sorachi Ace Saison is a beautiful burst of lemon in a glass with a light peppery finish and the Bel Air Sour has to be one of the most accessible dry-hopped sour ales I’ve had, with lovely notes of tropical fruit and a lightly tart finish.

While Brooklyn Brewery is the classic foundation upon which the current NYC beer scene is built, fellow Williamsburg resident, Grimm Artisanal

CONEY ISLAND BREWING CO.

Ales, has gone for a look that more closely represents the hipster culture that embodies the neighbourhood.

Though Grimm has only been open since the end of June, owners Lauren and Joe Grimm have been brewing at a number of locations in the area over the last five years. During that time, they acquired such a strong reputation that their eventual grand opening was a relief to their many fans, happy to finally have regular access to their offerings.

The space itself is very Williamsburg. It’s large, minimally decorated and very white. A DJ plays on one side of the room where some tables are laid out while the bar is packed with patrons of all sorts ordering any of the wide variety of beers on tap. Throughout the location is an assortment of beautiful, brightly coloured art pieces that stylistically fall in line with the hip vibe the space is successfully going for.

While the taps change frequently, beers can include Today’s Special Extra Citra, an offshoot of Grimm’s standard Today’s Special American pale ale that goes heavy on notes of berry, orange and grapefruit, or Future Days, a golden sour blended in oak barrels and dry-hopped with Simcoe hops, giving it a nice note of apricot to match the mild acidity and dry oak notes. For something more seasonably appropriate, the Double Negative imperial stout is smooth with notes of dark chocolate, blackcurrants and a nice, roasted coffee note at the end.

ONWARD TO QUEENS!

I’ll admit to having some misguided assumptions about Queens. Before visiting the area, it always seemed like a quiet and dull suburb. A place where sitcom characters like the Heffernans and Frank Costanza live. I’m pleased to say, though, DECEMBER 2018/JANUARY 2019 37

GRIMM ARTISANAL ALES IN WILLIAMSBURG

that Queens is actually a thriving area, not unlike Toronto’s Roncesvalles, filled with small shops and enough greenery to make it a nice breath of fresh air away from midtown Manhattan. Though there are rough patches dating from the area’s industrial past, old warehouses are currently being reoccupied and revamped to give the area new life. The Queens neighbourhood of Ridgewood also has some wonderful history to it, becoming populated in the early-1900s with German immigrants who worked in the area’s many breweries.

A favourite spot in Ridgewood for me would have to be Bridge and Tunnel Brewery, if only for its pride in being a truly family-run business built on passion. Rich and Lisa Castagna originally started brewing in a small DIY 150-square-foot garage in Maspeth, getting official status as New York’s first garage-based nano brewery in 2012.

In 2015, they moved to their larger Ridgewood location, but the pair never gave up their love of DIY, using repur38 DECEMBER 2018/JANUARY 2019

posed, reclaimed and retrofitted materials to build a brewery from the ground up (with daughters Mia, Samara and Hailey helping). The result is a taproom with a vibe that fits nicely in between loveable dive bar and small community space, featuring low lighting that creates a cozy, rustic atmosphere and distinctly New York feel.

The taproom features 16 pours and runs through a wide range of styles, from barley wines and imperial stouts to raspberry sours and scrumpies. A beer of note, the Get In, Shut up, Hold On NY IPA made with New York Bagels, is a very accessible, somewhat malt-forward IPA with a punch of pine and citrus bitterness.

If you have the time to take the Q train over, a treat for the whole family is, of course, Coney Island.

Coney has a rich history, being the largest amusement area in the United States from 1880 to 1945. Many of its past exhibits represented both bad and good, from the human exploitation of the

Igorrote Village, in which tribesman relocated from the Phillipines ate dogs in front of a gawking audience, to the benefits of the baby incubator exhibit, which saved many premature babies during a time when such technology wasn’t yet scientifically accepted.

Regardless of its past, Coney feels like a plane ride away from Manhattan.

Home to a beautiful beach, the area also has many rides (including the historic Cyclone), a number of excellent foods (forget the original Nathan’s hot dog stand and go next door to Pete’s Clam Stop for a sausage and fresh clams or oysters), carnies and good beer.

Coney Island Brewing Co. has gone through some changes over the years.

Originally opened in 2010 and owned

by Shmaltz Brewing, it was officially declared the smallest operating brewery in the world. In 2013, Alchemy & Science, a Boston Beer Co. subsidiary, purchased the brewery and began the process of rebranding and upgrading the brewery to its current digs at 1904 Surf Avenue.

A wide variety of beers are served there, from flagships like the crisp Mermaid Pilsner and the Merman IPA with its burst of citrus and assertive grain bitterness. There are also limited offerings, such as the delicious Watermelon Wheat and the New York Honey Stout.

If the taproom is too packed, you can opt for an authentic Coney experience at the Coney Island Freak Bar down the road, where you can drink the same beers, catch an extremely entertaining performance at the Circus Sideshow and visit the museum and gift shop.

There are plenty more places and neighbourhoods to visit, of course.

Brooklyn’s award-winning Threes Brewing and the wildly popular Other Half Brewing are just two more examples of places to check out.

But like all good trips to New York, what you don’t check out just means more to do the next time you visit. ×

SIX MORE

by Christine Sismondo

In the beginning, there were six: The Old Fashioned, the Martini, the Sidecar, the Jack Rose, the Daiquiri and the Manhattan.

For decades, home bartenders felt confident once they’d mastered those six, essential, post-war cocktails, as outlined in 1948

by David Embury in his hugely influential manual, The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks. That book has become less popular, of late, for a few reasons, not the least of which is that historian Wayne Curtis discovered that Embury, a tax lawyer, worked in his spare time to maintain segregation in the United States at a time when progressives were working to dismantle that system. Some drinks enthusiasts have struggled to hold on to the good in Embury — since there is plenty of smart advice in his book — but the debate will likely soon fizzle anyway, given that the “modern classic” cocktail revolution is finally making his six basics obsolete.

It’s not that you shouldn’t know how to make those six — you absolutely should. It’s just that, with the invention of dozens of new modern classic cocktails, the cocktail canon is now far larger, and a modern cocktail enthusiast will want to know how to make many more.

PHOTO: ATTABOY, NEW YORK

What’s a modern classic? It’s a drink invented relatively recently (generally after Tom Cruise’s onscreen performance as a bartender poet/flairmaster in 1988), that has become so well known and pervasive that you can order it at almost any cocktail bar, even when it’s not listed on the menu. If you’ve ever had a Paper Plane, a Bramble, an Aperol Spritz or even a Cosmopolitan, you’ve had a modern classic.

“I would imagine most people don’t even realize a lot of the drinks they order are only 15 or 20 years old, since so many of them have just been folded into the larger lexicon of classics,” says James Grant, Bar Manager at Wilfred’s in Edmonton. “But, whether they know it or not, it shows the great strides our industry has taken in such a short time. It always delights me when someone orders a Laphroaig Project with the same confidence they might order a Negroni.”

Invented in 2009 by Owen Westman of San Francisco’s Bourbon & Branch, the Laphroaig Project isn’t nearly as popular a DECEMBER 2018/JANUARY 2019 39

BRAMBLE

Created in 1984 by British bartender Dick Bradsell, the Bramble is the oldest modern classic on this list.

Because it called for blackberry liqueur, which was hard to get in Canada until recently, it’s a little less common here than it is in the United Kingdom.

1 1/2 oz London Dry gin

3/4 oz fresh lemon juice

1/2 oz simple syrup

3/4 oz blackberry liqueur Blackberry Lemon wheel Fill a short Old Fashioned glass with crushed ice until it’s overflowing. In a cocktail shaker, combine gin, juice, simple syrup and cubed ice. Shake well for 20 seconds then pour into the glass. Gently drizzle blackberry liqueur overtop for a lovely visual effect of purple bleeding into the drink. Garnish with a fresh blackberry and a lemon wheel.

OLD CUBAN

The Old Cuban was invented in 2002 by Audrey Saunders, owner of New York’s Pegu Club and one of the key bartenders involved in the craft cocktail renaissance. If you like it, there’s a good chance you’ll also like the Gin-Gin Mule (gin, ginger beer and mint), another modern classic invented by Saunders.

6

3/4

1 1 1/2

2

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mint leaves oz fresh lime juice oz simple syrup oz aged rum dashes Angostura bitters oz brut cava Mint sprig

Lightly muddle the mint leaves with the lime juice and syrup in the bottom of a cocktail shaker. Add the rum, bitters and ice and shake well for 45 seconds.

Strain into a flute glass and top with cava. Garnish with a mint sprig.

PAPER PLANE

Sam Ross is responsible for both the Penicillin and the Paper Plane. Here’s a recipe for the latter since it’s easy to make, easy to remember and oh-so easy to drink.

3/4 3/4 3/4 3/4

oz bourbon oz Aperol oz Amaro Nonino oz lemon juice

Shake all ingredients together for 30 seconds. Double strain into a chilled coupe.

40 DECEMBER 2018/JANUARY 2019

LAPHROAIG PROJECT

The recipe for the Laphroaig Project spread quickly for much the same reason as the Trinidad sour, namely, that the combination of chartreuse, maraschino and peaty whisky doesn’t sound like a good combination — but it is. Hailing from San Francisco, it became a fast hit in Edmonton.

1

1

1/2

1/2

1/2

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oz green Chartreuse oz lemon juice oz Laphroaig Quarter Cask whisky oz maraschino liqueur oz yellow Chartreuse dashes peach bitters Lemon twist

Shake all ingredients in a cocktail shaker for 40 seconds and double-strain into chilled coupe. Garnish with a lemon twist.

TRIDENT

Robert Hess, a Seattle-based cocktail enthusiast, is one of the few people to have invented a modern classic, despite never having worked as a professional cocktail bartender. As was the case with the Paper Plane, the Trident’s popularity was boosted by the fact that this equal-parts cocktail is easy to remember and make — plus it’s delicious.

1

1

1

oz aquavit oz Cynar oz dry sherry Lemon twist

Stir ingredients together for 60 seconds with ice, then strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish with a lemon twist.

TRINIDAD SOUR

In 2009, Giuseppe Gonzalez, who was then bartending at Brooklyn’s Clover Club, blew everybody’s mind when he invented the Trinidad Sour: a bitter but balanced cocktail that calls for a full ounce of Angostura bitters. Drinks travel fast, but this one was record-setting — thanks to the novelty base.

1 1 3/4 1/2

oz Angostura bitters oz orgeat syrup oz lemon juice oz Rittenhouse rye

Shake all ingredients together for 30 seconds. Double strain into a chilled coupe.

“IT ALWAYS DELIGHTS ME WHEN SOMEONE ORDERS A LAPHROAIG PROJECT WITH THE SAME CONFIDENCE THEY MIGHT ORDER A NEGRONI.” JAMES GRANT

modern classic as, say, a Paper Plane. In Edmonton, though, it became a regular “call drink,” after it was put on the menu at Three Boars by bartenders Chuck Elves and Jeff Savage. A call drink is one that, like a Manhattan or a Last Word, you should be able to order in any good cocktail bar.

Elves and Savage talked up the Laphroaig Project to their patrons whenever possible — and their enthusiasm caught on with patrons and other bartenders all over Edmonton. It helped that it was a quirky and intriguing drink made with green and yellow chartreuse, maraschino liqueur, citrus, peach bitters and Islay scotch. Frankly, on paper, it sounds absolutely disgusting; in real life, though, it’s a delicious and perfectly balanced smoky-herbal cocktail.

The story of the Laphroaig Project is unusual, however, since the majority of modern classics are based on fairly simple and straightforward ratios, which is part of the secret to their success. Grant says most modern classics come about because bartenders want to make the most of the amazing new ingredients available (agave-based spirits and European digestifs and aperitifs, for example) and turn to classic proportions to make them work in new cocktails. The Paper Plane, for example, is equal parts bourbon, Aperol, Amaro Nonino and lemon juice — not entirely dissimilar to the specs for a Corpse Reviver #2 or a Last Word. The challenge with an equal-parts cocktail, however, is to find the right four ingredients to balance, since, typically, one spirit will bully the other ingredients.

That’s exactly what the inventor of the Paper Plane, Sam Ross of New York’s Attaboy (formerly the legendary and seminal Milk & Honey), is known for. Well, that and being one of the first to use peaty Scotch in a cocktail, namely the Penicillin (circa 2005), another modern classic. A couple of years back, Ross told me that it wasn’t just his tireless quest for balance that was responsible for getting two modern classics under his belt, it was also his sense of adventure. “I’m always trying to find that sweet spot between bitter and sour,” he said. “But it’s one thing to use a dash of bitters.

PHOTO: SHAUN HICKS

It’s another to make a drink that uses upwards of an ounce of bitters and still try to find an appropriate balance.”

“Modern classics often make use of unusual ingredients, but it’s really important that there are no proprietary ingredients involved,” says Grant. “You know, you look at something like a Paper Plane. That’s four bottles that most bars have. You put it together in equal measures, so it’s easy to remember and it has a catchy name. So, it’s running on all cylinders, basically.”

On top of all of this, inventor Ross has a certain geographic advantage when it comes to inventing modern classics, since a visit to his bar on New York’s Lower East Side is mandatory for every bartender and cocktail lover. Bartenders take their favourite cocktail recipes home as souvenirs, then introduce them to their customers — a big part of why we can trace so many modern classics to Manhattan. The Gin-Gin Mule, the Old Cuban, the Red Hook, the Cosmopolitan and the Oaxaca Old Fashioned are all native New Yorkers.

Grant points out, however, that even though these drinks have been accepted into the general canon of cocktails, there are still regional differences, such as Edmonton’s obsession with the Laphroaig Project, or the fact that some familiar-sounding drinks considered modern classics in the United Kingdom are known but rarely seen on North American menus.

“When I was in London a few months ago, I was really surprised that every little bar — whether it was in the airport or the hotel, or just a little restaurant — had a Bramble on the menu,” recalls Grant. “I saw the same drinks over and over again, and they were different from the ones in North America. The Bramble and the Porn Star Martini, both of which were invented in the U.K., were just about everywhere.”

Alright, add them to the list. How many are we up to now? Almost too many to count. For starters, then, there are six modern classics on the opposite page I think every home bartender and cocktail enthusiast should get to know — the new essentials for holiday home entertaining. × DECEMBER 2018/JANUARY 2019 41

BOUQUET GARNI NANCY JOHNSON

DELICIOUS DISHES AND HOLIDAY WISHES WHILE THERE ARE MANY TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS FOODS THAT I LOVE (I’m talking to you, turkey and cranberry

sauce), I also like to mix it up a bit in the kitchen with unexpected and surprising food, served before or after Christmas day.

Veggie wraps would be a hit at a tree-trimming party. Baked ziti is a nice way to usher in 2019; with pork sausage plus ground pork, it fills the bill for those who eat pork for good luck in the new year. Honey-baked chicken, a slow-cooker pot roast meal and breakfast for dinner are just a few of the dishes you can create this season when you’re relaxing around the tree, opening gifts and sharing comfort and joy with family and friends.

ROASTED VEGGIE WRAPS WITH GOAT CHEESE

2

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2

3

4

1/4

large Portobello mushroom caps, sliced sweet red pepper, seeded and sliced zucchini, thinly sliced tbsp extra virgin olive oil Salt and pepper, to taste cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed tbsp fresh lemon juice large whole-wheat or spinach wraps cup goat cheese

1. Preheat oven to 450˚F. 2. Cover baking sheet with parchment paper. In a bowl, toss mushroom caps, red pepper and zucchini with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to baking sheet.

3. Roast in oven, uncovered, 30 minutes or until softened and slightly charred. Meanwhile, mash chickpeas in food processor with lemon juice.

4. Spread chickpea mixture over each wrap. Top with roasted vegetables and crumbled goat cheese. Fold wrap.

42 DECEMBER 2018/JANUARY 2019

BUTTERNUT SQUASH RISOTTO SERVES 4

There is a lot of stirring involved with risotto, but it’s worth it. If available, buy already-cubed butternut squash. To make this dish vegetarian, use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth and omit the bacon. A chef taught me to stir in a few tablespoons of heavy cream for extra creaminess, but that’s optional.

3 3 1/2

2

2

2

6

cups peeled, seeded butternut squash, cubed cups chicken broth cups Arborio rice Salt, to taste tbsp heavy cream, optional tbsp minced parsley slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

1. In a large saucepan, combine 2 cups squash and 2 1/2 cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Let cool slightly about 5 minutes.

2. Transfer mixture to food processor. Process until smooth.

Return mixture to saucepan. Stir in broth and bring to a simmer.

Keep pan warm over low heat.

3. Coat a Dutch oven with cooking spray. Heat over medium-high heat. Add rice. Cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in remaining 1 cup uncooked squash, 2 1/2 cups squash mixture and salt to taste.

4. Cook 2 minutes or until liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring constantly. Add remaining squash mixture, 1 cup at a time, stirring constantly until each is absorbed before adding the next. It will take about 20 minutes to incorporate all the squash mixture. Remove from heat and stir in heavy cream. Transfer to serving dish. Top with parsley and bacon.

MATCH: Pour a Chardonnay. × SEARCH THROUGH A WIDE RANGE OF WINE-FRIENDLY RECIPES ON WWW.QUENCH.ME/RECIPES/

BAKED CHICKEN WITH HONEY PINEAPPLE SAUCE

Although I’m not going to spend my Christmas in the tropics, I can create a dish that feels like a warm, breezy day at the beach.

It took me a long time — and many overcooked chicken breasts — to understand the only way to cook chicken perfectly is to use an instant-read thermometer, inserted into the thickest part of the chicken. When the thermometer reaches 160˚F, the chicken is done. For this recipe, I used an off-the-shelf mild curry powder but you can use the curry powder or paste of your choice.

3. Add onion and pepper to Dutch oven and sauté, stirring, until just tender. Add garlic. Cook 1 minute longer.

4. Transfer pepper/onion mixture to slow cooker. Add salsa and tomatoes. Cover.

5. Cook on low 6 to 8 hours or until instant-read meat thermometer registers 145˚F when inserted into thickest part of roast. Serve with rice.

MATCH: Mexican beer is a good choice here.

EGGS BENNY SERVES 4 (2 EGGS EACH)

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1

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boneless, skinless chicken breast fillets Salt and pepper, to taste can pineapple chunks in juice cup honey tbsp cider vinegar tbsp soy sauce tsp mild curry powder tsp hot sauce tsp cornstarch tbsp water

1. Preheat oven to 450˚F. 2. Pat chicken dry. Season with salt and pepper. Coat 9 x 13 baking pan with cooking spray. Arrange chicken in pan.

3. Drain pineapple chunks, reserving 1/2 cup juice. In a medium saucepan, over medium-high heat, whisk pineapple juice, honey, vinegar, soy, curry powder and hot sauce. Simmer, whisking occasionally, until mixture thickens, about 7 minutes.

4. In a small cup, stir together cornstarch and water. Whisk into pineapple juice mixture. Add pineapple chunks. Pour sauce over chicken. Bake until chicken registers 160˚F on instant-read thermometer, about 15 minutes. A Riesling would go well with this dish.

SLOW COOKER BEEF ROAST WITH SALSA SERVES 4 TO 6

The holiday season is busy and nothing makes life easier than a pot roast simmered in a slow cooker. Here, beef takes on a TexMex vibe, all ready to serve when you come home from Christmas carolling. Use mild, medium or hot salsa, depending on your preference. Instead of serving with rice, shred the beef and pile it onto warmed flour tortillas. Serve with guacamole and sour cream.

1.4 1 1 1 2 1 1

kg boneless beef chuck roast tbsp extra virgin olive oil onion, sliced sweet red pepper, seeded and chopped cloves garlic, chopped jar extra chunky salsa (650 ml) can chili-seasoned diced stewed tomatoes (540 ml)

1. Cover inside of slow cooker with cooking spray.

2. In a Dutch oven, brown roast in hot olive oil, over medium-high heat, until browned on all sides. Transfer roast to slow cooker.

I love serving breakfast for dinner, especially on a cold winter’s night when all is calm, all is bright. Making this dish hones my sauce-making skills, because, believe me, Hollandaise has never come easily to me; I need all the practice I can get. For the record, I poach eggs in an egg-poaching pan but if you don’t have one, follow the recipe below, which is the way most chefs poach them.

4

8

8

English muffins, split in half slices peameal bacon poached eggs (recipe follows) Hollandaise Sauce (recipe follows)

1. Adjust an oven rack 6 inches from broiler element.

Heat broiler.

2. Arrange English muffins on baking sheet, split side up, and toast under broiler about 2-3 minutes until golden brown.

Watch closely.

3. Set oven to 200˚F and move muffins to middle rack to keep warm.

4. In a large skillet, over medium-high heat, cook peameal bacon until browned on both sides, about 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Transfer to baking sheet in oven and cover with foil. Keep warm.

5. Make Hollandaise Sauce: In a blender, mix 3 large pasteurized egg yolks with 1 tbsp lemon juice until frothy, about 10 seconds. Slowly add 8 tbsp warm melted butter and blend about 1 1/2 minutes or until mixture thickens.

6. Blend in 2 tsp hot water. Slowly blend in an additional 8 tbsp warm melted butter. Blend in additional hot water, 1 tsp at a time or until sauce coats back of spoon. Season with salt, pepper and a pinch of cayenne pepper. Keep warm or gently reheat in microwave before serving.

7. Poach eggs: Fill a 12-inch skillet with water. Add 2 tbsp white vinegar and 1 tsp salt. Bring to boil over high heat. Crack eggs into 8 separate cups. Reduce water to simmer. Gently tip each egg into skillet.

8. Remove skillet from heat, cover and poach eggs 5 to 7 minutes until whites are set. Gently lift each egg with slotted spoon, and drain thoroughly. Season with salt and pepper.

9. Arrange peameal bacon on each muffin half. Gently place poached eggs over each piece of bacon. Pour Hollandaise sauce over each egg.

MATCH: Champagne mixed with orange or cranberry juice is a fabulous accompaniment. × DECEMBER 2018/JANUARY 2019 43

BUYING GUIDE All wines listed are recommended by our experienced panel of tasters. Each wine is rated based on its varietal character, representation of style and/or region, balance and price-quality ratio.

Readers should assess these, and all wines, using the same criteria. Browse our experts’ tasting notes to find the wines that may appeal to your taste or pique your interest to try something new.

Afterall, one of the best parts about wine is the discovery. The prices listed are suggested retail prices and will likely vary from province to province. A large number of these wines can be purchased across Canada, so check with your local liquor board or private wine store for availability.

Our tasters are Tony Aspler, Gurvinder Bhatia, Tod Stewart, Evan Saviolidis, Rick VanSickle, Ron Liteplo, Sean Wood, Gilles Bois, Crystal Luxmore, Tara Luxmore, Treve Ring, Tim Pawsey, Silvana Lau, Craig Pinhey, Michaela Morris and Jonathan Smithe. *Available through private import and wine clubs

SPARKLING LOUIS ESCHENAUER BRUT CRÉMANT DE BORDEAUX, BORDEAUX, FRANCE ($17)

Excellent value here. Could pass for Champagne in a blind tasting. Pale straw in colour with a toasty, honeyed nose of dried apple peel. Medium-bodied, dry, remarkably elegant for the price. (TA) 460 CASINA BRIC GIANLUCA VIBERTI NEBBIOLO PRÊT-À-PORTER BRUT ROSÉ NV, DOC NEBBIOLO D’ALBA SPUMANTE ROSÉ, ITALY ($18/375 ML)

Pink sparkling dry Nebbiolo? Si! This is Nebbiolo d’Alba, whole cluster pressed and Metodo Martinotti (aka Charmat), on lees for 8 months before bottling.

Luring florals dart around damson berries, redcurrants and wild roses in this pale salmon/orange wine, aloft with fine bubbles that fade quickly and centered with a toasted walnut core. The finish is 44 DECEMBER 2018/JANUARY 2019

surprisingly long and pleasantly astringent, with Nebbiolo’s lovely bitter kiss.

Enjoy this sophisticated sipper with paté, charcuterie or cured/smoked salmon.

460 Casina Bric, a hilltop farm working in the local Piedmontese dialect, is the most elevated vineyard in the village of Barolo, where the average elevation is 460 m. Gianluca Viberti is the vigneron and owner. (TR) FIN DEL MUNDO EXTRA BRUT SPARKLING NV, PATAGONIA ($20)

An uncomplicated Charmat Method sparkler crafted from Pinot Noir with a healthy dollop of Chardonnay and aged for 4 months on the lees. Soft, creamy bubbles carry red berries to an appealingly chalky finish. (MM) CASTILLO PERELADA BRUT RESERVA, CAVA, SPAIN ($20)

Pale yellow. Minerally with shy fruity notes that reveal themselves more on the palate. There is a nice roundness in the mid-palate of adequate acidity and

× FIND A COLLECTION OF TASTING NOTES FOR WINE, BEER AND SPIRITS AT WWW.QUENCH.ME/THENOTES/

PINE RIDGE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2015, NAPA VALLEY ($80) DENSE PURPLE-BLACK IN COLOUR WITH A CEDARY, BLACKCURRANT NOSE LIFTED WITH OAK SPICE; FULL-BODIED, DRY, RICHLY-EXTRACTED BLACKCURRANT FLAVOUR WITH NOTES OF CLOVE. A FIRMLY-STRUCTURED AND WELL-BALANCED WINE. TBY TONY ASPLER

balance. Easy to drink and in a more pleasant/fruity style than Cava can be sometimes. (GBQc)

green apple notes. Light, crisp, fresh and full of flavour, very dry. Well made and ready to drink. (GBQc)

GÉRARD BERTRAND CUVÉE THOMAS JEFFERSON CRÉMANT DE LIMOUX BRUT 2015, LIMOUX, FRANCE ($20)

STELLER’S JAY MOUNTAIN JAY BRUT 2015, OKANAGAN VALLEY, BRITISH COLUMBIA ($23)

One of the best value traditional method sparkling wines you will find from France. Toast, peach, pear, binned apple, lemon, mushroom and spiciness are all present. The rich texture, lively acidity and protracted finale make for one fine bubbly. A blend of Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay and Mauzac. (ES) CHÂTEAU MONCONTOUR CUVÉE PRÉDILECTION BRUT 2014, VOUVRAY, FRANCE ($20)

Medium yellow with golden reflections.

Ripe apple, honey and wet wool are signs of a mature wine. The noticeable acidity carries the wine from the mid-palate to the finish. Overall quite satisfying in its own style. (GBQc) J. LAURENS CLOS DES DEMOISELLES TÊTE DE CUVÉE 2014, CRÉMANT DE LIMOUX, LANGUEDOC, FRANCE ($23)

Pale-ish yellow. Fresh nose, chalky with

Blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Noir sports fine bubbles with a quick mousse, green apple and citrus up front, along with nutty notes of toasted almond and biscuit. Pear and orchard fruit flavours make up the well textured palate, with gentle acidity and a more towards off-dry finish, underscored by some leesy notes. (TP) BERNARD-MASSARD CUVÉE DE L’ÉCUSSON BRUT CHARDONNAY, LUXEMBOURG ($24)

Pale yellow. Light nose, fruity and minerally. Nothing complex here but it is tasty, balanced and easily approachable, all signs of a well-made product.

Drink soon. (GBQc) DOMAINE STE. MICHELLE BRUT MÉTHODE CLASSIQUE, COLUMBIA VALLEY, WASHINGTON STATE, USA ($25)

Almost lemon yellow in the glass, this

stylish traditional method sparkler shows fine persistent bead with an elegant floral bouquet and complex citrus and toasty brioche notes. Richly flavoured on the palate with lemon, lime, subtle suggestions of berry fruit, attractively balanced acidity and a touch of chalky mineral on the long, satisfying finish. Great value. The perfect holiday sparkler, whether at dinner or not. (SW) BELLISSIMA PROSECCO BRUT NV, VENETO, ITALY ($25)

This organic bubbly is aptly named as it belongs to Christie Brinkley. The beauty continues in the glass with a bouquet of peach, pear, apple, toast and white flowers. Light bodied and elegant, the wine possesses great length. Pair with oysters on the half shell or sushi. (ES) CAVES BAILLY-LAPIERRE CRÉMANT DE BOURGOGNE BRUT, BURGUNDY, FRANCE ($25)

Very pale. Minerally nose with hints of iodine and white fruits. Fully dry, firm acidity for a good freshness from start to finish. Pop it open at your New Years celebration. (GBQc) DECEMBER 2018/JANUARY 2019 45

BUYING GUIDE DOMAINE DE GRAND PRÉ CHAMPLAIN TRADITIONAL METHOD SPARKLING WINE NV, NOVA SCOTIA ($28)

Shows lively persistent mousse with gentle floral and green fruit scents accented by a splash of vanilla. Flavours of green apple dominate in the mouth, with background citrus supported by firm mineral and vibrant acidity. Lightly creamy texture contrasts with drying mineral on the finish. (SW)

BENJAMIN BRIDGE MÉTHODE CLASSIQUE ROSÉ NV, NOVA SCOTIA ($28)

A blend of l’Acadie, Vidal and Seyval Blanc with Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Vin de Reserve, this intriguing fizz spent extended soak time with Pinot Noir, which gives it a light blush colour. Aromatic nose shows bright floral, berry and green fruit scents with a whiff of green herb. Cranberry, green apple and cherry flavours are delivered with light creamy texture balanced by lively acidity and firm, drying mineral.

Finishes with a nice balancing touch of residual sweetness. (SW)

BENJAMIN BRIDGE MÉTHODE CLASSIQUE NV, NOVA SCOTIA ($30)

Very pale, almost water white. Minerally (dry stone and shell) with discreet white peach and whiffs of wet algae suggesting the seashore. Very light body, clean and fresh flavour, bone dry. Slightly tingling acidity. Overall, very well done, it calls for salty snacks. (GBQc) GARDET PREMIER CRU BRUT, CHAMPAGNE, FRANCE ($44)

Bright yellow. Ripe fruity nose, mostly apple with honey and chalky notes.

Close to being fully dry, it remains bal46 DECEMBER 2018/JANUARY 2019

anced in spite of its sharp acidity. Very approachable and a reasonable price for a Champagne. (GBQc) SPERLING VINEYARDS SPARKLING BRUT 2011, OKANAGAN, BRITISH COLUMBIA ($45)

A traditionally made sparkler made with a non-traditional variety, Pinot Blanc, that spends 5 years on the lees before disgorgement. The nose is fresh and floral with lovely aromatics of green apple, citrus, tangerine and toasted notes. It’s all about the freshness on the palate with a range of citrus, pear and toasty apple flavours with sizzling acidity to keep it finessed and popping through the finish. (RV) JACQUART BRUT MOSAÏQUE, CHAMPAGNE, FRANCE ($49)

Medium yellow. Fresh nose, brioche, mushroom and ripe white fruits. Vivid acidity, tasty and ripe on the palate, only a little dosage (almost full dry).

Very good. (GBQc) ROSEHALL RUN STARDUST 2011, PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY, ONTARIO ($50)

This is Rosehall’s top traditionally-made sparkling wine, made from 55% Pinot Noir and the rest Chardonnay.

Such a gorgeous nose of baked bread, brioche, lemon, grapefruit and baked apple notes. The sexy bubbles tickle a palate that’s bathed in rich mineral notes, lovely texture, baked apple, richness and citrus that keeps everything lively through a peppy finish. (RV) HENRI ABELÉ BRUT, CHAMPAGNE, FRANCE ($50)

Golden yellow. Ripe fruits, hinting to-

wards tropical, with only a slight mineral edge. Delicately acidic, it remains fresh, light and fully dry. Almost tannic in the tight finish. Very good. (GBQc) POL ROGER BRUT, CHAMPAGNE, FRANCE ($62)

Medium yellow. Shy nose, delicate fruity notes. Elegant on the palate, the discreet acidity is more present in the finish. There is a nice fruity taste and good volume in the mid-palate. Elegance over power. (GBQc) HENRIOT BLANC DE BLANCS BRUT, CHAMPAGNE, FRANCE ($80)

Medium yellow. Very fruity nose, with a good ripeness, a mineral touch adds complexity. Finesse is the main theme on the palate with ripe flavours and a carrying acidity, almost cutting in the finish of great length. (GBQc)

WHITE $20 AND UNDER

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED ARGENTINA LUIGI BOSCA CHARDONNAY 2017, MENDOZA ($20)

Bright straw in colour with an apple nose enhanced by oak spice; medium-bodied and dry with apple and lemon flavours. Nicely balanced wine.

Ideal with a light rabbit stew or a goat’s cheese salad. (TA)

AUSTRALIA GMH WHITE MERITAGE 2015, SOUTH AUSTRALIA ($15)

Clear medium yellow with tinges of green. Interesting nose of citrus touched with eucalyptus and menthol. Full-bodied with complex flavours of citrus, gooseberry, grapefruit and passion fruit, tinged with a tiny bit of oak for interest on the long finish. Good value. (RL)* ROBERT OATLEY SIGNATURE SERIES CHARDONNAY 2016, MARGARET RIVER ($19)

Robert Oatley founded the winery that bears his name in 2006. To honor the memory of their late father, his children have created a series of Signature wines in his name. Pale straw in colour, the wine offers a spicy oak and ripe pineapple bouquet; it’s medium to full-bodied, slightly creamy on the palate with surprisingly fresh acidity on the finish. (TA)

CANADA SUMAC RIDGE RIESLING 2017, OKANAGAN VALLEY ($14)

This inaugural release delivers aromas of orchard fruit, citrus and tropical notes leading to a juicy, fruit forward entry, quite full-bodied, off-dry lemon lime palate with a hint of honey. Lengthy citrus-edged finish. (TP) SUMAC RIDGE GEWÜRZTRAMINER 2017, OKANAGAN VALLEY ($14)

One of BC’s most enduring wines (and at one time the Okanagan’s biggest selling white) yields varietally precise character, with upfront notes of rose petal, spice, tropical and stone fruit before a lush palate wrapped in gentle acidity and ginger hints. (TP)

REIF ESTATE CHENIN BLANC 2016, NIAGARA ($20)

Reif ’s been growing a tiny parcel of Chenin uninterrupted for 15 years. The pretty and expressive nose shows apple, pear, citrus and lovely floral notes. It has gorgeous texture and verve on the palate, a feat in itself considering the heat of the vintage, with a range of honeydew melon, apple, herbs, a squirt of lemon and mineral notes in a dry, refreshing style. (RV) PONDVIEW DRY RIESLING 2016, NIAGARA ($20)

Notes of peach, lemon, mineral, a floral accent and just starting to hint at petrol on the nose. It’s completely dry and vibrant on the palate with waves of freshcut citrus and peach flavours all lifted by electric acidity. (RV)

NEW ZEALAND INVIVO GRAHAM NORTON’S OWN SAUVIGNON BLANC 2017, MARLBOROUGH ($18)

A well-priced Sauvignon. Very pale straw in colour with a grassy nose of green plum and grapefruit; medium-bodied, dry, elegant with flavours of gooseberry and elderberry. A beautifully balanced wine. (TA)

PORTUGAL QUINTA DA AVELEDA LOUREIRO/ALVARINHO 2017, VINHO VERDE ($16)

Firm, fresh and focused, nicely textural, citrus and floral, minerally and salty with juicy, mouth-watering acidity. 70% Loureiro, 30% Alvarinho.

An incredible bargain with freshness and backbone. (GB) A&D WINES LIV 2017, VINHO VERDE ($17)

CHÂTEAU DES CHARMES OLD VINES RIESLING 2015, NIAGARA-ON-LAKE ($19)

Made in the Alsatian style (read: dry), this powerful Riesling features white peach, bergamot, lime, grapefruit, white flowers and minerals. Really lovely juice that can either be drunk or aged for 8 to 10 years. (ES)

The wine initially appears simple and fresh, and it is, but it also has a fullness and length that make it an incredible value. Bright, fresh, round with citrus notes and a persistent finish. A great aperitif and bacalhau is a natural match, but the wine will also hold up to pork and potato dishes. (GB)

A&D WINES ESPINHOSOS 2017, MINHO ($19)

Focused, linear, minerally and fresh with mouth-watering acidity, slightly round texture, hints of apple and melon with a lovely crisp and refreshing finish. Perfect with a crab salad. A blend of Avesso and Chardonnay. (GB) A&D WINES CASA DO ARRABALDE 2017, VINHO VERDE ($19)

Refreshing and light, pleasantly persistent, good acidity and mineral notes.

Don’t serve too cold as the subtlety of its flavours become more expressive as the wine warms in the glass. Drink young and fresh. A blend of Avesso, Alvarinho and Arinto. (GB) A&D WINES MONOLOGO AVESSO P67 2017, VINHO VERDE ($24)

Complex and full with a round texture, bright acidity, citrus and white nectarine notes, purity and finesse, some minerality, balanced, soft, finishing with a light fruitiness and persistence. Drink with white fish and pork dishes over the next 2 to 3 years. (GB) A&D WINES MONOLOGO ARINTO P24 2017, VINHO VERDE ($24)

Linear, intense, minerally and savoury, lemon-lime-tangerine citrus, firm, crisp, elegant and full of character from the granitic soils in which the grapes are grown. Will cut through the fat of fried dishes or pair well with raw shellfish. (GB)

SOUTH AFRICA CAPE OF GOOD HOPE LAING SEMILLON 2015, WO CITRUSDAL MOUNTAINS, OLIFANTS RIVER ($15)

This carries all of Semillon’s waxy heft and sheen, but with a stony, citrus-lined, edgy profile that talks of its place. This is from Henk Laing’s Trekpoort farm on Skurfberg Mountain, within the Citrusdal Mountains (WO Citrusdalberg).

These are now 50+ year-old bush vines, almost 1 m tall, planted on red sand and clay in between rooibos, fynbos and apricot trees. After whole bunch DECEMBER 2018/JANUARY 2019 47

BUYING GUIDE pressing, this is fermented in stainless before 6 months in neutral, large format French oak. Vibrant stone fruit — nectarine, peach, apricot peel — is scented with tropical melon, pineapple, guava, all wrapped around a waxen, expansive core, and framed with gentle wood spicing. Structural and generous, but held to a 13.5 degree declaration, this young wine well suits protein pairings now, or a couple years in the cellar. (TR) BELLINGHAM HOMESTEAD SERIES THE OLD ORCHARDS CHENIN BLANC 2016, PAARL ($16)

You won’t find any better value in a white wine than this Chenin Blanc. You get a wine that’s bright straw in colour with a bouquet of apple and lemon along with a light forest floor note from the oak fermentation. Medium-bodied and dry, flavours of apple, pear and melon fill the palate ending on a lemony note with a suggestion of oak spice. A very complex wine for the price. (TA) WATERKLOOF SERIOUSLY COOL CHENIN BLANC 2017, STELLENBOSCH ($18)

Made from old bush vines, which produce naturally low yields. This is a juicy Chenin that flaunts honey, melon, yellow apple, lemon and white flowers.

Great length and a wine that calls out for shrimp or scallops. (ES) RUSTENBERG CHARDONNAY 2016, STELLENBOSCH ($20)

South Africa continues to offer great value for your wine dollar. Palest straw in colour with a hint of lime, it shows a nose of apple and lemon with oak spice and that Burgundian barnyard note.

48 DECEMBER 2018/JANUARY 2019

Medium-bodied with the flavour of ripe yellow apple and grilled nuts enhanced with toasty oak. (TA)

SPAIN ALBANTA ALBARIÑO 2016, RÍAS BAIXAS ($19)

A minerally and fresh white wine with a nose of peach skin and white blossoms. Beautifully balanced with apple and lemon flavours and mouth-watering acidity. Match it with shellfish or salmon. (TA) PACO & LOLA ALBARIÑO 2017, RÍAS BAIXAS ($20)

Looking for a change from your usual Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc? Try this Albariño from Spain’s Rio Baixas. It’s a small region that borders on northern Portugal. Very pale straw in colour, it has a spicy, minerally nose of lemon. Light to medium-bodied, flavours of apple and green melon fill the mouth ­— a beautifully balanced wine with a great mouthfeel. (TA)

RECOMMENDED ARGENTINA LUIGI BOSCO CHARDONNAY 2017, MENDOZA ($20)

A weighty Chardonnay that sees fruit and oak come together, creating a melange of peach, pineapple, melon, apple, vanilla, cream and spice. Very good length with minerality and acidity carrying the finale. (ES)

CANADA CHÂTEAU DES CHARMES ESTATE BOTTLED CHARDONNAY MUSQUÉ 2015, NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE ($17)

Very pale straw in colour with a nose of apple and apple blossom; medium-bodied, dry with a soft mouthfeel of apple and lemon. An easy-drinking wine. I’d say crab cakes or dust off your favourite seafood recipe. (TA)

FRANCE ALBERT BICHOT VIEILLES VIGNES CHARDONNAY 2016, BURGUNDY ($18)

Pale yellow. Inviting nose, slightly perfumed with floral and peach/pear notes. Crisp acidity, the fruity flavour is well present in the full mid-palate.

Nice balance and lengthy finish. Good buy. (GBQc)

ITALY FALESCO LE POGGERE 2016, EST! EST!!

EST!!! DI MONTEFIASCONE DOP ($17)

Delicate floral and green fruit with a distinctive almond scent lead the way for fresh green apple flavours with nutty almond notes, lively acidity and a clean, dry finish. Perfect for holiday hors d’oeuvres. (SW) SHEEP THRILLS PECORINO 2017, TERRE DI CHIETI IGP ($17)

The Pecorino grape was, until recently, relatively unknown outside its native Abruzzo region. It is rightly gaining popularity for its attractive floral, clean fruit, mineral and crisply acidic

XAD CRUSH PAD IN FOLDER Discover organic wines that tell the story of our land.

Home of Haywire and Narrative wines.

16576 Fosbery Road, Summerland, BC 250.494.4445 | okanagancrushpad.com Open year round; visit our website for seasonal hours.

BUYING GUIDE qualities. Despite the rather tacky name, this is a good example, showing delicate floral, lemon citrus and almond on the nose with citrus and green fruit flavours backed by vibrant acidity and firm mineral grip. Pairs well with seafood, especially shellfish. (SW)

$20.01 TO $35

FRANCESCO CIRELLI VINO BIANCO 2017, ABRUZZO ($20)

From some of the valley’s oldest Pinot Gris plantings of 31 years. Fermented in stainless steel and large French oak.

Lifted notes of orchard fruits and citrus tones up front precede a well textured entry from the judicious use of neutral oak, with broad mouthfeel of fresh pear and apple, a zesty background and mineral streak with a little clove spice in the finish. (TP)

This is a new line from a familiar name in Abruzzo’s natural wine circles.

At Francesco Cirelli’s estate Cirelli Farms, the wines are made in amphora (illustrated by the sketched vessel on the label). Here, with this series, he purchases neighbouring organic fruit and raises it in stainless, rather than amphora, casting a different lens on his winemaking regime. The labels share the same colourful circles, but this line has the sphere standing alone, off to the side (referencing where he sources the grapes). Quince, pine nuts, lush melon and Meyer lemon scent the softer palate, one that tweaks in at the sides with a lick of acidity, and finishes with a flush of southern Italian heat. Would be lovely with squashes, burrata, olive oil and salts, or any small white fishes. #glouglou. (TR)

SPAIN VIÑA IJALBA GENOLÍ VIURA 2016, RIOJA DOC ($17)

Opens with bright fresh citrus and floral scents, shifting to citrus and green fruit on the palate, supported by balanced acidity and drying stony mineral on the finish. Clean, light-bodied, food-friendly wine. (SW) 50 DECEMBER 2018/JANUARY 2019

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED CANADA BLUE MOUNTAIN PINOT GRIS 2017, OKANAGAN FALLS ($21)

SERENDIPITY VIOGNIER 2017, NARAMATA BENCH ($22)

Floral, honeyed orchard fruit and tropical notes precede a well-structured palate, defined by firm acidity with honey, melon, peach and orange blossom above a streak of minerality before a lingering, juicy finish and fresh, clean close. (TP) BLASTED CHURCH SAUVIGNON BLANC 2017, OKANAGAN VALLEY ($24)

Grassy, gooseberry top precedes an assertive high acid entry with crisp, citrus and herbaceous notes, then opens up to Meyer lemon, wrapped in juicy acidity with a crisp, clean finish. Some time in used oak brings added texture. Oysters on the half shell, please. (TP) BACHELDER NIAGARA CHARDONNAY 2016, NIAGARA ($25)

Bachelder’s workhorse Chardonnay is a natural ferment offering that features apple, honey, citrus, lemon and yeast.

Medium body with an elegant personality, featuring a spice, mineral and earth finale. (ES) PLANTERS RIDGE CHARDONNAY 2016, ANNAPOLIS VALLEY, NOVA SCOTIA ($25)

Pale and very clear in the glass, with lively fresh floral and citrus fruit on the nose and citrus, green apple with nutty, buttery flavours in the mouth. Finishes with signature Nova Scotia firm mineral grip, rather forward acidity, hazelnut and lingering toasty notes. (SW) ROSEHALL RUN SAUVIGNON BLANC HUNGRY POINT 2017, PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY ($25)

This has aromas of lemon, zesty lime, some tropical fruit notes and a touch of spice. It’s zesty and fresh on the palate with lime, grapefruit, lovely texture and spice with plenty of acidity to keep it lively through the finish. (RV) FLAT ROCK CELLARS THE RUSTY SHED CHARDONNAY 2016, TWENTY MILE BENCH ($27)

An overt, rich and fruit-forward Chardonnay, full of banana, pineapple, honey, sweet peach, fig, honey, vanilla and spice.

Rich, flavorful and ripe, the essence of this wine carries long on the palate. (ES) JOIE FARM EN FAMILLE RESERVE RIESLING 2016, VQA OKANAGAN VALLEY ($28)

Floral blossom, bright fresh citrus with a whiff of green herb yield to vibrant lemon citrus flavours backed by racing acidity and drying mineral grip. Notes of lime with a surprising hit of ginger emerge on the back palate. Extended time on the lees adds agreeably rounded mouthfeel on the delicately off-dry finish. (SW)

JOIE FARM EN FAMILLE RESERVE GEWÜRZTRAMINER 2016, NARAMATA BENCH ($28)

From the winery’s top tier. Made from low yielding vines, this Alsace Grand Cru inspired aromatic lures with exotic aromas of white flower blossoms and a fragrant rose petal nose. On the luscious, complex and layered palate, rose and ginger play above good acidity with an elegant, viscous mouthfeel, spicy hints over a herb and citrus background, through prolonged minerality in the close. (TP) WESTCOTT VINEYARDS ESTATE CHARDONNAY 2016, VINEMOUNT RIDGE 2016 ($28)

An absolute delight to drink. Sweet apple, yellow peach, honey, cream, vanilla and spice flood the senses.

There is a round/creamy texture with a protracted finale. (ES) LIGHTFOOT & WOLFVILLE TERROIR SERIES RIESLING 2016, ANNAPOLIS VALLEY, NOVA SCOTIA ($28)

Hand-picked from small lots in the Organic Estate vineyard, this pale straw-coloured wine offers aromatic intensity with floral and bright lemon citrus scents leading the way for crisp Riesling varietal lemon citrus flavour, lean stony mineral, focused acidity and a pure, crisp finish. (SW) BLACK HILLS ESTATE VIOGNIER 2017, SOUTH OKANAGAN ($29)

Upfront orchard fruit and floral notes with hints of orange blossom and peach lead to an elegant, gently zesty and mineral toned palate supported by moderate, refreshing acidity and a hint of fresh citrus in the finish. (TP) SPERLING VINEYARDS AMBER PINOT GRIS 2017, OKANAGAN ($29)

This is an “orange” or “amber” natural wine made from 50% whole cluster pressed juice from hand-picked estate Gris. It’s wild, no doubt, with a cloudy and illuminated amber colour and aromas of bulk peach, tangerine, melon, mineral, pulpy citrus/grapefruit and some subtle berry notes, but not over the top crazy. On

the palate, wow, what a gorgeous wine, certainly cleaner than any other Canadian amber wine tasted in 2018, with a lovely melange of stone-fruit and citrus flavours with minerals and subtle reductive notes on the dry finish. (RV) HENRY OF PELHAM SPECK FAMILY RESERVE CHARDONNAY 2016, NIAGARA ESCARPMENT ($30)

Lemon yellow in colour with a hightoned, spicy bouquet of lemon, apple and toast with a floral top note; medium-bodied, dry with a toasty nutty finish. Great length. (TA)

CLOSSON CHASE VINEYARD CHARDONNAY 2016, PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY ($30)

This is a ripe and creamy Chardonnay with moderate aromas of peach, pineapple, vanilla, spice, butterscotch and a slight minerality. Leans to the full end of the spectrum and has lovely density as well as persistency. (ES)

PONDVIEW BELLA TERRA CHARDONNAY 2015, NIAGARA ($30)

From the estate’s top Chardonnay vines, it has quite a nose of well-integrated pear, apple and elegant spice notes. It’s creamy and rich on the palate with some finesse and verve, but all in all a comfortable, fruit-packed Chardonnay that will match brilliantly with butter-soaked lobster or king crab legs. (RV) HIDDEN BENCH ESTATE CHARDONNAY 2016, BEAMSVILLE BENCH ($30)

Hidden Bench has hit a home run with their entry-level Chardonnay. The wine displays honey, peach, pear, apple, citrus, yeast, cream, spice and vanilla qualities.

Excellent length, lovely acidity and a brilliant match for lobster or crab. (ES) SPERLING VINEYARDS OLD VINES RIESLING 2014, OKANAGAN ($34)

This Old Vines Riesling is the jewel in a very fine portfolio of wines from this family producer. This is a stunningly gorgeous Riesling is among the top 3 tasted from Canada thus far this year.

A gorgeous and inviting nose of lemon, lime, lanolin, gunflint minerality, bin

apple, honeysuckle and subtle sweet petrol notes emerging. It has depth on the palate with layers of citrus, apple, flinty minerality, hints of honey sweetness and electric acidity to keep it fresh and balanced through a finish that lingers for minutes on the back of the palate. (RV) FIVE ROWS SAUVIGNON BLANC 2017, NIAGARA ($35)

Among the most consistent and expressive Sauvignon Blancs in Niagara. It has an exotic and aromatic nose of spicy pear, fresh-cut grass, grapefruit, herbs, honeysuckle and gooseberries. The flavours echo the nose and everything just feels fresh, lithe and pretty all the way through the finish. (RV) JOIE FARM EN FAMILLE RESERVE CHARDONNAY 2016, NARAMATA BENCH AND SKAHA BLUFF ($35)

Made from 100% Chardonnay Musqué.

To fully appreciate this wine, pour it into a Burgundy bowl. On the nose, honey, orchard fruits and tropical aromas lead to a luscious but focused entry of pear, citrus and spice, elevated by appealing viscosity and an elegant mouthfeel, with more juicy citrus and zest towards the close.

Enhanced by a good fruit and acid balance, with added texture from well-managed, primarily used and neutral oak, through lingering zest in the finish. (TP) CULMINA SÜSSER RIESLING 2017, SOUTH OKANAGAN ($35)

This limited edition wine, sealed with glass stopper, delivers an unabashedly off-dry, superbly aromatic expression of the variety, highlighting orchard fruit, citrus and mineral aromas followed by a vibrant, fruit-driven palate of lemon lime and crisp green apple. Juicy and generous, pure fruit flavours are balanced by a streak of minerality through a persistent close. (TP)

FRANCE PASCAL JOLIVET POUILLY-FUMÉ 2016, LOIRE VALLEY ($28)

Very pale yellow. Aromatic with citrus and delicate grassy notes, developing DECEMBER 2018/JANUARY 2019 51

BUYING GUIDE flower hints over a minerally dry stone background. Delicate acidity highlighting the nice fruity flavours in a refreshing mid-palate. Balanced finish in this readyto-drink Sauvignon. (GBQc)

UNITED STATES SAGELANDS CHARDONNAY 2015, COLUMBIA VALLEY, WASHINGTON STATE ($25)

Shows good depth of colour, with incisive varietal citrus, vanilla and subtle spice on the nose. Buttery lemon citrus flavours with background pear and green apple are supported by brisk acidity, finishing with lingering fruit and buttery notes. (SW)

RECOMMENDED

dian-styled producer at the north end of Naramata Bench. Hand-harvested, fermented partly in large French oak and partly in concrete egg. Orchard and stone fruit play up front followed by pear, peach and lychee fresh on the palate, plus luscious peach blossom notes.

Good structure, well-balanced with a touch of vanilla from moderate oak and a hint of lemon zest in the finish with a hint of minerality. (TP) BACHELDER SAUNDERS VINEYARD CHARDONNAY 2015, BEAMSVILLE BENCH ($45)

From a small 2.5 acre vineyard comes this Chardonnay, which is chock-full of honey, apple, peach, yeast, white flowers and minerals. There is a touch of volatility that adds an extra layer of complexity.

Cream and caramel bring the curtain down. A solid bottling, but there have been better renditions. (ES)

who found these abandoned vines in the late 1990s. This extended-skin contact blend of Vermentino and Macabeu is from 20- to 24-year-old vines on decomposed granite and gneiss, around 500 m altitude in the Fenouillèdes region (the French word for fennel). This is macerated on skins for 15 days before pressing and native fermented, spending one year in oak before bottling unfined and unfiltered. A dusky orange hue, this firm wine is edgy with tangerine pith, bergamot and, aptly, wild fennel. There’s a lovely wisp of citrus oil perfumes and heightened, almost nervous acidity to lift, but this wine is led and structured through the grippy tannins. Haunting mineral salts and a wild scrubby mint linger on the lingering finish. (TR)

UNITED STATES

CANADA PALATINE HILLS NEUFELD VINEYARD CHARDONNAY 2016, NIAGARA LAKESHORE ($25)

An overt Chardonnay that hits 14.5% alcohol. Wall to wall peach, cream, honey, banana, fig, yellow apple, spice and vanilla.

The palate is creamy with very good length and some heat creeping in at the end. (ES)

OVER $35

KEINT-HE GREER ROAD CHARDONNAY 2016, PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY ($45)

A deft touch is evident in this unfined/ unfiltered Chardonnay from estate County fruit. The nose is gorgeous with pear, apple and mineral notes all working in harmony with the lightly toasted spices. It has wonderful texture and verve on the palate, integrated orchard fruits, flinty minerality, uplifting acidity and length on the finish. (RV)

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED FRANCE CANADA COOLSHANAGH CHARDONNAY 2016, NARAMATA BENCH ($37)

From a 10 acre, very focused Burgun52 DECEMBER 2018/JANUARY 2019

LE SOULA NO 15 LA MACÉRATION DU SOULA NV, IGP CÔTES CATALANES ($54)

One of Southern France’s most exciting natural and biodynamic wineries overseen by winemaker Gérard Gauby,

ENROUTE BRUMAIRE CHARDONNAY, RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY, SONOMA ($38)

Pale lemon in colour with a Burgundian-style bouquet of apple and toast, a light barnyard aroma lifted by a floral note; medium-bodied, high-toned, baked apple and lemon flavours with a toasty finish. (TA)

ROSÉ SAN MARZANO TRAMARI ROSÉ DI PRIMITIVO 2017, SICILY, ITALY ($15)

Made from the Zinfandel grape, this rosé is pale pink in colour with a lightly floral bouquet of raspberries. Medium to

100% Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley

THE Cab to put on your table, period.

XAD

CHARLES SMITH IN FOLDER “

Classic Cabernet Sauvignon. Currant, blackberry, cigar box with touches of chocolate, cedar and pencil lead. Full flavored & just so damn good.

I should raise the price.

- Charles Smith

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BUYING GUIDE RUGGERI GIUSTINO B. 2016 ($30) RUGGIERI IS PLAYING AT A LEVEL ABOVE MOST OTHER PROSECCO PRODUCERS AND A RECENT VERTICAL TASTING WHILE IN PROSECCO CONFIRMED IT. THIS GAMBERO ROSSO TRE BICCHIERI WINNER FEATURES PEACH, APPLE, NECTARINE, APPLE, BANANA, POWDERED CANDY AND HONEY. OFF-DRY, IT IS CONCENTRATED WITH FABULOUS LENGTH. GET TO KNOW THIS PRODUCER AND THANK ME LATER! TBY EVAN SAVIOLIDIS

full-bodied, its richly extracted red cherry flavour is carried on lively acidity. It has enough weight and structure to stand up to red meat dishes. (TA)

of strawberry and grenadine. Medium-bodied with more strawberry and cranberry flavours than the nose promises. Drink up. (RL)*

DE MEYE SHIRAZ ROSÉ 2014, SOUTH AFRICA ($16)

FRANCESCO CIRELLI VINO ROSATO 2017, MONTEPULCIANO, ITALY ($20)

A&D WINES LIV VINHO ROSÉ 2017, VINHO VERDE, PORTUGAL ($17)

CHÂTEAU DE NAGES VIEILLES VIGNES ROSÉ 2017, COSTIÈRES DE NÎMES, RHONE VALLEY, FRANCE ($20)

CHATEAU VIGNELAURE LA SOURCE ROSÉ 2014, AOC COTEAUX D’AIX EN PROVENCE, FRANCE ($18)

CASTELLO DI AMA PURPLE ROSÉ 2017, TUSCANY, ITALY ($21)

Clear pale coppery-pink. Simple grapey-strawberry nose. A patio wine with crisp acidity boosting crushed red berry flavours. Ready to drink on arrival. (RL)*

Aromatic with loads of strawberry, raspberry, citrus and cranberry, juicy acidity, and great balance and weight. Hits far above its price point. A blend of Vinhão and Touriga Nacional. Roasted suckling pig or tandoori chicken are ideal. (GB)

Clear pale coppery-pink. Faint nose 54 DECEMBER 2018/JANUARY 2019

Savoury strawberries, raspberry jam, boysenberry fill a juicy core, bright with fruit purity and not with ripeness. (TR)

Pale salmon pink. Light nose, slightly creamy with strawberry notes, citrus and hints of flowers. The vivid acidity hits you first with its refreshing feel followed by a light-bodied yet tight mid-palate that is almost tannic. Finishes on intense fruit carried by gently warm alcohol. (GBQc)

Deep pink, almost scarlet red. Inviting

nose of strawberry in fresh cream.

Well dosed acidity, delicious crunchy fruit taste, ripe and round mid-palate of light to medium body, more so than your typical rosé. 90% Sangiovese with 10% Merlot that adds an original touch of red fruit. It may not be summer but if you have one slice of patio that doesn’t have snow on, it’s time to pour yourself a glass. Wear a scarf. (GBQc) AZORES WINE CO. ROSÉ VULCÂNICO 2017, IG AÇORES ($24)

António Maçanita is best known for his Fita Preta wines in Alentejo, though with his newer venture he looked to the volcanic islands of the Azores. Very little of this rosé is made — only 6,960 bottles of this vintage — though lucky Ontario scores 120 cases annually. The Azores, a volcanic archipelago and wine region in the Atlantic off Portugal, grow wine grapes on 3 of the 9 islands. This is from the island of Pico and its pure

volcanic, black basaltic, scrabbly rocky soils. This blends 5- to 30+ year-old Saborino, Agronomica, Aragones, Touriga Nacional and many other co-planted varieties across 13 vineyards, sustainably grown in wee plots (2 to 6 bush trained vines per square), planted at sea level in 1991. Stainless steel preserves the crisp fruit and no maceration created the appealing scant orange hue. The 600-1,000 l stainless barrels were lain on their sides to give more lees/wine contact and texture on the palate. Super salty, briny and savoury from first whiff to the finish, this marine wine is not about fruit, though there are kisses of young strawberry and wild raspberry that line the slip of the mineral-dominant palate, one that lingers with bergamot/Aperol bitterness. Smashable, and for drinking now, liberally. (TR) FREE FORM VIN GRIS 2017, OKANAGAN ($27)

This Vin Gris is made from Pinot Noir that has been whole bunch pressed to large concrete tanks. It was wild fermented and bottled unfiltered. So, yes, a rosé-style wine made from red grapes but with white winemaking methods. It has a perfumed/floral nose with brambly/raspberry/savoury notes, subtle pomegranate and spice. It has gorgeous texture on the palate with racy acidity that lifts the layers of fresh red berries and earthy/meaty flavours through a long finish. (RV) MEIOMI ROSÉ 2017, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES ($28)

Predominantly Pinot Noir according to its website. Pale salmon in colour with a nose of strawberries and red apple; medium-bodied, dry, strawberry and watermelon flavours with a light note of lemon. (TA) STELLER’S JAY ROSÉ, OKANAGAN VALLEY ($29)

Pretty medium salmon in the glass, with a stream of fine bubbles, and stonefruit and strawberry aromas before a lively strawberry and citrus toned palate defined by bright fruit with moderate acidity and a solid finish. (TP)

RED

CANADA JOIE FARM GAMAY 2016, NARAMATA BENCH ($20)

$20 AND UNDER

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED ARGENTINA BLASÓN DE SAN CARLOS TEMPRANILLO 2014, VALLE DE UCO, MENDOZA ($13)

Deep plum red. Robust nose of raspberry, roasted meat and oak. Full-bodied and fruity, featuring date and raisin flavours in good balance with the acidity and softening tannins. Will last another year or two. (RL)*

From a single vineyard with predominantly clay soils on the Naramata Bench.

Vibrant black berry notes up front lead to a generous mouthfeel wrapped in approachable tannins, defined by fresh black cherry and mulberry with spicy and smoky hints, underpinned by a pleasing earthy, savoury edge, with a touch of spice throughout the lengthy finish. Excellent value. (TP)

FRANCE VINCENT ROCHETTE VISAN 2014, AOC CÔTES DU RHONE VILLAGES ($19)

AUSTRALIA WAKEFIELD CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2016, CLARE VALLEY, SOUTH AUSTRALIA ($19)

Offers good varietal Cabernet style with blackcurrant, mulberry, minty eucalyptus and cedary scents on the nose. The same themes play through on the well-balanced, medium weight palate, finishing with a lick of spice and subtle oak. (SW) DE BORTOLI GULF STATION 2017, YARRA VALLEY ($20)

Medium ruby. Expressive typical Pinot Noir nose of small red berries and spicy notes with hints of fruit stones. Medium-bodied at most, the barely tight mid-palate has finely grained tannins that provide some structure to this Burgundy-inspired style wine that also features the ripe intense fruitiness of Australia. Ready to enjoy on grilled salmon. (GBQc) DE BORTOLI G.S. PINOT NOIR 2017, YARRA VALLEY ($20)

I’m a great fan of Pinot Noir from Australia’s Yarra Valley in the state of Victoria. Deep purple in colour, it has an intriguing bouquet of cherries, tomato leaf and rust. Medium-bodied and dry, expect a rich flavour of sun-warmed cherries with well-integrated oak carried on lively acidity. (TA)

Deep plum red. Complex nose with plums, green bell pepper and a pleasant hint of barnyard. Tastes fruity and rich with more plum and black cherry flavours. Tannins are still prominent, will last another couple of years. Have with a simple Bolognese or a slow cooked lamb stew. (RL)* GÉRARD BERTRAND LA CLAPE 2015, COTEAU-DU-LANGUEDOC ($19)

A Syrah, Carignan and Mourvèdre blend.

Deep purple in colour with a savoury, herbal nose of black raspberries; medium-bodied, dry, mulberry flavour carried on fresh acidity. (TA) GÉRARD BERTRAND GRAND TERROIR LA CLAPE 2015, LANGUEDOC ($19)

A blend of Syrah, Carignan and Mourvèdre. Full-bodied and structured, this red serves up cassis, blueberry, plum, cherry, spice, black pepper and red flowers. There is great length with a tannic edge that will do well when paired alongside a rack of lamb. (ES) GÉRARD BERTRAND GRENACHE/ SYRAH/MOURVÈDRE 2015, CORBIÈRES ($19)

Deep purple-ruby in colour with a cedary plum nose enhanced by savoury herbal notes; medium to full-bodied, dry, black plum flavour with lively acidity and a firm tannic finish. (TA) DECEMBER 2018/JANUARY 2019 55

BUYING GUIDE SPAIN FINCA VOLVORETA JULIETTE 2015, DO TORO ($16)

Clear very deep garnet. Mature nose of dates and raisins, pipe tobacco and vanilla. Lots of tannin left but the wine is still in decent balance, tasting of raspberry jam mixed with cranberry sauce, seasoned with oak and vanilla. Will improve with another year or two. (RL)* VIÑA BUJANDA CRIANZA 2014, RIOJA ($18)

Aged for 12 months in American oak, this well-made Crianza offers concentrated red and dark fruits with cinnamon, clove spice, evolving velvety tannins, still youthful acidity, a splash of vanilla and a suggestion of milk chocolate, finishing very dry. Has all the right ingredients but will improve with another 2 to 3 years aging. Will work well with your favourite oven roasted sausages. (SW) BODEGA JESÙS ROMERO RUBUS 2016, TERUEL, ARAGON ($19)

A blend of Garnacha, Syrah and Tempranillo. Dense purple in colour with a cedary, earthy nose of black plum; medium- to full-bodied, dry, savoury-herbal plum flavour. Time to braise some venison. (TA) FOURNIER BLASÓN DE SAN JUAN 2013, DO RIBERA DEL DOURO ($20)

Clear deep garnet. Smells of violets and vanilla over black raspberry. On the palate, it is rich and warm with nicely oaked black cherry flavours and robust tannins.

Will last another year. (RL)* 56 DECEMBER 2018/JANUARY 2019

purple fruits is framed with bitter cocoa tannins and finishing with a twist of bitter espresso on the dried out finish. (TR)

RECOMMENDED ARGENTINA FINCA LAS MORAS RESERVA TANNAT 2016, SAN JUAN ($14)

This big, brooding Tannat benefits from air time, so decant or open well in advance (I went for a full day). Wild blackberry, black cherry, inky plum cloak a juicy core, fired by sun-warmth and housed with sticky tannins. Pipe tobacco, espresso and purple florals tie this up, finishing with a wash of sea salts and kept afloat with a wave of blue-stone acidity.

For all its potency and warming finish, this is a respectable 13.5 degrees. (TR) PASCUAL TOSO MALBEC 2016, MENDOZA ($14)

This simple entry-level Malbec carries warm black fruits, roasted coffee and a kiss of violet florals to a short finish. Tannins are a touch powdery but primed to meet your grilled root veg or ground beef dishes. (TR) LIRICO MALBEC/SYRAH 2014, VALLE DE UCO, MENDOZA ($14)

Deep plum red. Vigorous nose of raspberry and ripe cherries. Medium-bodied.

The flavours of cherries and herbs are diluted, tannins practically gone. Drink immediately. (RL)* MASI TUPUNGATO PASSO DOBLE 2015, UCO VALLEY ($15)

This Malbec/Corvina blend was made in the appassimento style, using dried Corvina grapes with fresh Malbec juice, resulting in a clash of soft and harsh on the hotter palate. Ripe, downy red and

PASCUAL TOSO LIMITED EDITION MALBEC 2016, MAIPÚ ($19)

Soft, downy plum and blackberries fill the cushy palate of this Malbec, one drawn tight around the sides with a squeeze of tannins. Espresso coats the palate, one kept juicy with black jujubes, to the drying, warming finish. Pour alongside grilled sweet potatoes or beef for best results. A simple, easy, drink-now red. (TR)

AUSTRALIA MCGUIGAN BIN 2000 SHIRAZ 2015, SOUTH AUSTRALIA ($14)

Shows good complexity on the nose with generously scented blackberry, raspberry, clove, a pinch of cinnamon and a piquant minty herbal note. Ripe blackberry fruit flavours come wrapped in smooth tannins with bright acidity and a light splash of chocolate. Fine value. (SW)

FRANCE BARON PHILIPPE DE ROTHSCHILD PINOT NOIR 2017, IGP PAYS D’OC ($13)

Medium ruby. Red fruits and hints of fruit stones. Light to medium body, simple ripe and fruity taste, fine dry tannins in a well-balanced mid-palate. An honest glass of Pinot to be drunk early. (GBQc) FERRATON PÈRE ET FILS LA TOURNÉE ROUGE 2016, VIN DE FRANCE ($14)

A superb value red from Southern France.

This blend of Syrah and Grenache fea-

tures cherry, plum, spices, violets and herbs. Smooth and drinking beautifully now. It is a wine made for weeknight dinners, alongside pasta and pizza. (ES) GÉRARD BERTRAND FITOU 2015, LANGUEDOC ($17)

Fitou wines are known for their easy drinking personality and this rendition exemplifies that. Cherry, pepper, red flowers and garrigue are all in play. A little chill will go a long way. (ES)

ITALY UMANI RONCHI PODERE 2016, MONTEPULCIANO D’ABRUZZO DOC ($14)

Perfumed ripe dark fruit, cinnamon and clove on the nose shift to lightly sweet ripe dark cherry and plum flavours, backed by moderate tannins, brisk acidity and a lick of dark chocolate on the dry finish. (SW) SARTORI ARCO DI JOVI 2017, VALPOLICELLA ($14)

Bright, spicy red cherry scents with agreeable lightly bitter cherry flavours, supported by moderate tannins and typically appetizing acidity. Reliable, authentic varietal style at a very reasonable price. (SW) FRANCESCO CIRELLI VINO ROSSO 2017, MONTEPULCIANO ($20)

This Montepulciano streams blue plums, black cherries along a bitter, Amaro-streaked, lighter palate, leaden with graphite-dusted tannins. The finish is fully bitter espresso, welcoming (necessitating) pairing with charcuterie or rabbit/mushroom stew. (TR)

SOUTH AFRICA ROBERTSON WINERY SHIRAZ 2016, WINE OF ORIGIN ROBERTSON ($14)

Opens with distinctly smoky, tarry aromas over varietal ripe raspberry and peppery spice. Ripe raspberry and blackberry flavours come with unusual dry herbal notes, dark chocolate and lightly firm tannic grip. (SW)

SPAIN HERMANOS LURTON TEMPRANILLO 2016, TORO DO ($15)

Deeply scented blackberry and blackcurrant with mint and fine spice on the nose.

Blackberry and bitter cherry flavours are delivered in a thickly textured, full-bodied package, finishing very dry. (SW)

UNITED STATES CHARLES SMITH THE VELVET DEVIL MERLOT 2015, WASHINGTON STATE ($20)

Ripe plum with a whiff of spice and characteristic green herbal and earthy overtones on the nose. Lightly sweet ripe plum and bitter cherry flavours are backed by chewy tannins with balanced acidity and a splash of dark chocolate. (SW)

$20.01 TO $35

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED ARGENTINA VERSADO MALBEC 2014 ($23)

Very nice aromas of blackberries, plums, brambly raspberries, savoury spices and a certain earthiness. It’s quite thick and juicy on the palate with a fine balance between rich and savoury dark fruits, spice, tannins and balancing acidity on the finish. (RV)

AUSTRALIA FLYING FISH COVE SHIRAZ 2014, MARGARET RIVER ($23)

Dense purple-ruby in colour. Spicy, oaky, blackberry bouquet with herbal notes; medium to full-bodied, dry, fruity but firm blackberry flavour carried on fresh acidity. (TA) DODGY BROS. GRENACHE/SHIRAZ/MATARO 2017, MCLAREN VALE ($32)

Classic McLaren Vale GSM, but very modern-hued. Generous leather, dusky plum and black liquorice, seasoned with

a salt wash and dark chocolate cherry and kept fresh with a stream of acidity.

This year’s is a blend of 45/40/15 GSM, sourced from Dry Creek, Pappas and Redwind vineyards, all in the Sellicks foothills. Crushed and destemmed, this went into old oak hogsheads, with the Mataro on skins for an extra 10 days after primary fermentation. Grippy, fine, firm tannins work to hold the ample, juicy fruit in check. Drinking well now and for short term. Fire up the barbie. (TR)

CANADA CREEKSIDE CABERNET FRANC 2014, NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE ($25)

Dense ruby-purple in colour with a cedary, blackcurrant nose. Medium-bodied, dry, claret-style, firmly structured, well-balanced cherry and plum flavours with ripe tannins. (TA) JOIE FARM PINOT NOIR 2016, VQA OKANAGAN VALLEY ($26)

Elegantly ripe raspberry with cinnamon and white pepper on the nose, giving way to red cherry flavours, with moderately firm velvety tannins, bright acidity and a splash of milk chocolate on the palate.

Makes a flexible pairing with charcuterie, rare roast beef and salmon. Better with another year or 2 in the cellar to soften youthful acidity. (SW) JOIE FARM PTG 2016, VQA OKANAGAN VALLEY ($26)

Joie Farm’s homage to “Passe-ToutGrains,” the traditional Gamay/Pinot Noir blend of Burgundy, always seems to deliver authentic Burgundian style with an agreeable Okanagan accent. Opens with scents of black cherry and fresh raspberry laced with peppery spice, carrying through on the palate with thickly textured dark fruit showing notes of black cherry and plum with firm tannic structure and a food-friendly bitter cherry bite. (SW) BLASTED CHURCH CABERNET FRANC 2016, OKANAGAN VALLEY ($28)

Allow time to develop in the glass.

Aromas of crushed red and black berries DECEMBER 2018/JANUARY 2019 57

BUYING GUIDE JOIEFARM EN FAMILLE RESERVE CHARDONNAY 2016, VQA OKANAGAN VALLEY ($35) MADE FROM 100% CHARDONNAY MUSQUÉ GROWN IN 2 VINEYARDS, ONE ON THE NARAMATA BENCH, THE OTHER, SKAHA BLUFF. OPENS WITH REFINED FLORAL, LEMON CITRUS, MELON AND LIGHTLY BUTTERY NOTES. CITRUS AND GREEN APPLE FLAVOURS LEAD OFF ON THE PALATE, WITH A TOUCH OF CREAMY BUTTER TEMPERED BY STEELY ACIDITY AND DRY, STONY MINERAL. LIGHT TOASTY BUTTERY NOTES REPRISE ON THE FINISH. SEEMS A LITTLE AUSTERE AT THE MOMENT, BUT WILL BENEFIT FROM ADDITIONAL BOTTLE AGING. TBY SEAN WOOD

with some herbal and earthy notes lead to a generous and quite grippy mulberry and spicy-toned palate, plus a touch of savoury, with extra heft from 18 months in neutral oak. (TP) BURROWING OWL MERLOT 2015, SOUTH OKANAGAN ($30)

From one of the best vintages on record, enticing red and black fruit aromas with anise and herbal hints lead to a ripe and well-rounded, plush and plummy, layered and complex palate of blackberry, mocha, blackcurrant, marked by well integrated, structured tannins balanced by juicy acidity with a lengthy and savoury sage-edged ending. A classic varietal example. (TP) ARTERRA PINOT NOIR 2016, NIAGARA ($30)

Made in an open, friendly style that will appeal to many. Concentrated and ripe, 58 DECEMBER 2018/JANUARY 2019

there is a fantastic nose of rose, dark cherry, plum, raspberry, vanilla and spice.

Still needs another year to settle down and come together. (ES) BLUE MOUNTAIN PINOT NOIR 2016, OKANAGAN FALLS ($30)

A blend of several clones, fermented with wild vineyard yeasts. Vibrant red berries up front with forest floor hints and some sage notes precede a light to medium strawberry and cherry toned palate, with focused fruit supported by juicy acidity and silky tannins with lingering spice in the finish. (TP) FLAT ROCK CELLARS GRAVITY PINOT NOIR 2015, NIAGARA ($35)

An intense nose of brambly raspberry, black cherry, earth and an interesting display of spices. It’s rich with a bit of savouriness on the palate with a plethora of red fruits, emerging spices and earthy/

meaty undertones. It has firm tannic structure to go with mouth-watering acidity through the finish. (RV) BLACK HILLS ESTATE SYRAH, SOUTH OKANAGAN ($35)

Intense deep indigo in the glass. Leading notes of wild black and blueberries and a hint of pepper precede a seductive, smooth and juicy, plush and plummy entry with blackberry and anise notes supported by well-structured but approachable tannins, balanced with good acidity and a complex savoury edge. (TP)

CHILE ERRAZURIZ ACONCAGUA ALTO CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2015, ACONCAGUA VALLEY ($21)

Ruby purple. Black berries (cassis, blackberry), the well-dosed oak has

slightly burnt notes, a sign of heavy toasting. Half to full-bodied, good balance and fine tannins, just tight enough but turning a bit rough in the finish, yet it remains fruity overall. (GBQc) CONCHA Y TORO MARQUÉS DE CASA CONCHA SYRAH 2016, MAIPO VALLEY ($22)

Opaque purple in colour with a savoury herbal nose of blackberries. Full-bodied, dry, dark chocolate and black fruit flavours ending on ripe tannins. (TA) MONTGRAS ANTU SYRAH 2015, DO COLCHAGUA ($23)

Almost black in colour, reflecting the intense concentration of this powerful wine. The complex nose reveals ripe dark berry fruit, fresh fig and fine peppery spice. Harmoniously integrated, lush dark berry fruit, supple velvety tannins, spice, a lick of chocolate, with subtle oak rounding out the finish. Antu is an experimental range of wines for Montgras — with this one, they are definitely on the right track. (SW)

FRANCE CHÂTEAU BOURNAC 2014, AC MEDOC ($21)

Clear very deep garnet. Hearty, classic claret nose with cassis, raspberry and some green herbs from the 35% Merlot.

Invitingly black cherry fruity with firm tannins in good balance. Will improve for another two years. Good value. (RL)* DOMAINE DES CARABINIERS 2016, CÔTES DU RHONE ($21)

Light ruby. Gorgeous nose of pure red fruits (cherry, raspberry), cinnamon and only a little oak, if any. Simply delicious on the palate, fruity/spicy taste, medium body with elegant tannins and barely firm finish on fruits, stones and a little earth.

Enjoy now or keep 1 to 2 years. (GBQc) CHÂTEAU CAILLETEAU BERGERON PRESTIGE 2014, BORDEAUX-BLAYE ($22)

Dense purple in colour with a cedary, blackcurrant and vanilla oak nose. Medium to full-bodied, dry, well-extracted

blackcurrant and blueberry flavours.

Firmly structured with ripe tannins. Hold a couple of years. (TA) CHÂTEAU DU HUREAU LES FEVETTES 2014, AC SAUMUR-CHAMPIGNY, LOIRE VALLEY ($35)

Les Fevettes is from the estate’s oldest Cabernet Franc vineyard, planted in 1943 on deep clay and sand, and has been vinified separately since 1989. Organically farmed, this macerated on skins for approximately 1 month before spending 2 years in foudres and being bottled unfined and unfiltered. Satisfyingly alluring with savoury cured meats, baking spices, sultry five spice, dried violets with downy, soft clad tannins. Mulberry, dusky plum and perfumed cassis linger on the finely textured finish. (TR)

URUGUAY GARZON RESERVA TANNAT 2015, MALDONADO ($24)

If a country could have a national grape, then Uruguay could lay claim to Tannat.

You might be familiar with Tannat as producing the famous “black wines of Cahors” in South West France. Uruguayan winemakers have made it their own in a lighter, less tannic style. Dense purple in colour, it has an earthy, black plum bouquet lifted with oak spice. Medium- to full-bodied, its dry, ripe plum flavour is seasoned with a peppery note. It’s firmly structured with evident tannins but well-integrated oak. (TA)

OVER $35

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

ITALY ARGENTINA GUADO AL TASSO IL BRUCIATO 2015, BOLGHERI DOC ($26)

A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah, with approximately 8 months in barrel, this shows fine berry fruit with refined cinnamon and clove spice, rounded body with softening, though still somewhat firm tannins, brisk acidity and plenty of fruit, spice, and a touch of chocolate on the finish. Give it another 3 to 5 years in the cellar. (SW)

SOUTH AFRICA RUSTENBERG JOHN X MERRIMAN 2015, STELLENBOSCH ($26)

This is a classic old-style Bordeaux blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, cask matured for 20 months before bottling. Deeply coloured in the glass, with complex, deeply perfumed cassis, clove, cinnamon, background red berry fruit and a whiff of oak. Intense dark fruit flavours lead off with blackcurrant and background blackberry supported by firm, chewy tannins and still slightly aggressive acidity. This is a fine, age worthy wine that will show its best with 5+ additional years in the cellar. (SW)

O. FOURNIER ALFA CRUX MALBEC 2012, VALLE DE UCO MENDOZA ($47)

Very deep plum red, young-looking for its age. Fairly intense nose of dates, raisins and black cherries seasoned with vanilla oak.

Built to last, it is surprisingly tannic for its age, which lends a pleasant bitterness on the finish, but quite palatable with spiced cherry and blueberry flavours. Will improve for another couple of years. (RL)* VERSADO RESERVA ANCIENT MALBEC 2014 ($60)

This old-vine Malbec has a wow nose of rich currants, plums, anise with elegant spice notes, minerals and swirling earthy/ savoury accents. It still needs a bit of time to integrate all those moving parts in the mouth, but shows depth of fruit, concentration and plenty of spicy/savoury goodness through a finessed finish. (RV)

CANADA HUFF ESTATES SOUTH BAY VINEYARDS CABERNET FRANC 2016, PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY ($36)

Huff’s first-ever Franc from the South Bay Vineyards is a real winner! It is

DECEMBER 2018/JANUARY 2019 59

BUYING GUIDE stacked with fruit: blackberry, cassis, plum and raspberry. New oak adds vanilla, smoke and spice, creating a beautifully complex wine. Fresh acidity and fine-grained tannins will ensure mid-term cellaring. (ES)

and vanilla oak nose. Medium-bodied, dry, with lively raspberry and red plum flavours and well-integrated oak. A great steak wine. (TA)

BURROWING OWL CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2015, SOUTH OKANAGAN ($38)

This red superstar hits all the right notes with a wow nose of black cherries, Grandma’s raspberry jam, violets, incense, cedar, earth, spice and mineral notes that all work in harmony. It’s intense on the palate with persistent cherry/raspberry fruits, soft tannins, layers of spice, freshening acidity and depth of flavour through the finish. (RV)

Hand-harvested, fermented and aged in mainly French plus some American and Hungarian oak for 18 months.

Blue and black fruit on the nose with a hint of violet and sage precede a ripe and rounded palate of blackberry, plum and cassis notes supported by approachable tannins and moderate acidity with a good finish. (TP) RAVINE VINEYARD ESTATE WINERY CABERNET FRANC 2016, NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE ($38)

The warmth of 2016 has created a Franc with cassis, violets, herbs/mint, cocoa and vanilla. Medium-plus body, ripe tannins and excellent length. I think that a tomahawk steak with a rosemary butter sauce would be a phenomenal pairing.

Drink over the next 6 to 7 years. (ES) STRATUS VINEYARDS CABERNET FRANC 2015, NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE ($38)

Yes, another winning Franc from Stratus! Deep ruby with a beguiling nose of crème de cassis, raspberry, damson plum, vanilla, mint, chocolate and spice.

The sweet fruit palate adds nuances of vanilla and grilled herbs. Weighty and long. Now until 2024. (ES) BURROWING OWL PINOT NOIR 2016, OKANAGAN VALLEY ($40)

Deep ruby in colour with a blackberry 60 DECEMBER 2018/JANUARY 2019

JOIE FARM EN FAMILLE RESERVE PINOT NOIR 2016, OKANAGAN ($40)

BURROWING OWL MERITAGE 2014, SOUTH OKANAGAN ($50)

This well-balanced blend of Merlot (32%), Cabernet Franc (23%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (23%), with Malbec (11%) and Petit Verdot (11%) rewards with intense red and black fruit over tobacco aromas, dried fruit and cranberry. The luscious but elegantly structured palate yields raspberry, redcurrant and spice flavours wrapped in well-integrated, mainly French oak with balanced acidity and complexity through the lingering and juicy finish. (TP) KEINT-HE LITTLE CREEK PINOT NOIR 2016, PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY ($50)

Such a beautiful Pinot that’s County through and through. The nose shows lovely brambly raspberry, cherry, redcurrant, earth, spice and chalky minerality. It’s quite rich on the palate with ripe, smooth tannins delivering a mouth of rich red berries, that underlying minerality, barrel spice notes and a long, long finish. (RV)

FIVE ROWS PINOT NOIR 2015, NIAGARA ($55)

Lighter colour in the glass than previous vintages but packs a punch with penetrating notes of cherries, raspberries, vanilla spice, toast, beetroot and bramble/loam notes. Elegant and gorgeous with earthy red berries, cranberries, cassis, evident but smooth tannins with depth and polish through a long finish. (RV) BLACK HILLS ESTATE NOTA BENE 2016, SOUTH OKANAGAN ($60)

The newest release of the estate’s flagship Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc blend yields vibrant red and black fruit with earthy hints that precedes a touch of astringency, underpinned by approachable tannins with a definite savoury edge and schist undertones, good acidity and a firm finish. This wine benefits from extra time in the glass, or hold for a few years. (TP)

FRANCE DOMAINE DU VIEUX COLLEGE 2015, AC FIXIN ($36)

Clear medium-deep pinkish garnet. Interesting nose of crushed nuts, tobacco and cinnamon. Medium-bodied, with a base of light strawberry jam over grainy tannins and a lot of oak spice that provides structure and interest. Drink soon. (RL)* DOMAINE FAIVELEY MARSANNAY 2015, BURGUNDY ($40)

A lifted black raspberry nose. Medium-bodied, dry, richly extracted plum and blackberry with ripe and pliant tannins. (TA)

NEW

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Easy to drink, Manga sakeis a high quality Junmai.

Originating from the brithplace of sake in Japan and produced by a famous and highly respected japanese sake brewery dating from the 19th century Meiji era.

BUYING GUIDE SPAIN TORRES SALMOS 2015, PRIORAT ($40)

Salmos is one of two Priorats produced by Torres and the one that is made for “early drinking.” It is also noteworthy to mention that is one of the values of the appellation.

Hearty, this blend of Grenache, Carignan and Syrah is redolent with kirsch, plum, raisins, chocolate, vanilla and anise. On the palate, red flowers and scorched earth carry the protracted finale. (ES) TORRES PERPETUAL 2015, PRIORAT ($50)

Torres’ top-end Priorat is a structured red, made from 80- to 100-year-old vines. Plum, cherry, raspberry, thyme, cinnamon and chocolate hit the palate like a long-distance runner, with flavour, tannic strength and stamina building over time. It should age well for 15 years. A blend of 95% Carignan and 5% Grenache. (ES) TORRES MAS LA PLANA 2013, PENEDÈS ($65)

Torres’ flagship Cabernet is a polished offering with waves of cassis, plum, olive, mint, smoky herbs and vanilla. There is depth, refined tannins and a long lasting impression. Roast leg of lamb is a sublime pairing with this beauty! (ES)

RECOMMENDED FRANCE LAMBLIN & FILS 2014, AOC NUITS-SAINT-GEORGES ($45)

Clear pale garnet. Medium-intensity nose of earth, violets and raspberry. On 62 DECEMBER 2018/JANUARY 2019

the palate are mushroom and strawberry.

Made for beef bourguignon with porcini mushrooms. Drink now. (RL)*

UNITED STATES MCMANIS NORTH FORTY RED 2016, CALIFORNIA ($35)

A cedary, spicy, Christmas pudding nose.

Full body, dry, fruity and bold. Rich black fruit and firm tannic structure. (TA) RUTHERFORD RANCH CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2015, NAPA VALLEY ($40)

Dense purple in colour. Cedary cassis nose backed by vanilla oak. Medium to full-bodied, dry, juicy plum and currant flavours, well-balanced with great length. (TA) FROG’S LEAP ZINFANDEL 2016, NAPA VALLEY ($52)

Intense, ripe and complex with wild berries, cherry, plum, pepper, earth. Evident balanced oak, polished tannins and a lingering finish. A nicely seasoned grilled striploin a suitable accompaniment. (GB) HENDRY BLOCK 7 & 22 ZINFANDEL 2014, NAPA VALLEY ($58)

Elegant and restrained with aromas and flavours of cherry, cocoa and soft spice, savoury herbal notes and barely-there tannins. Suited to flavourful chicken or pork dishes and perhaps even grilled salmon especially if slightly chilled. (GB) GRAND MORAINE PINOT NOIR 2014, YAMHILL-CARLTON, OREGON ($75)

Soft, juicy, elegant and fruity with tart aromas and flavours of cranberry, pomegranate and cherry. A touch of leather, earth and dried herbs. Very soft tannins

and a juicy finish. Think tuna tartare, fried oysters and baked salmon. (GB)

BEER & CIDER WOODHOUSE BREWING CO. WOODHOUSE IPA, ONTARIO ($3/473 ML)

Woodsy pine tree aromas intermingle with grapefruit rind. On the sip, there’s a bit of toasty and caramelly malt backbone to offset the robust citrus and piney notes of the hops. Pro-tip: Always check the date on the can. Hop flavour and aroma degrade quickly, so for optimal freshness, try to buy hop-forward brews like IPAs 2 to 4 weeks after they’re canned. (TL) ACE HILL BEER COMPANY LIGHT LAGER, ONTARIO ($3/473 ML)

I like to stock up on easy-drinking, lighter flavoured lagers to serve to family and friends who favour the style. At 4.0%, guests can enjoy this one without sweating the ABV. Clear and pale gold, there are aromas of crackery malt, light florals and a bit of lemon. It’s a crisp, clean, and refreshing lager sure to please the Christmas-party masses. (TL) SALT BOX BREWING CO. JEEZUS MURPHY IRISH RED ALE, MAHONE BAY, NOVA SCOTIA ($4/473 ML)

Reddish amber colour, with aromas of dried fruit and gentle nutty malt. Rather sweet with plum cake spicy fruit, a suggestion of molasses and a subtle hit of bitterness on the finish. (SW)

2 CROWS BREWING CO. LIESSE TABLE BEER, HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA ($4/473 ML)

Green herbal hoppy and nutty malt aromas, lightly sweet citrus and malt flavours, finishing with stiff jolt of hoppy bitterness. Will appeal to those looking for a lighter but heavily-hopped beer. (SW) RAINHARD BREWING CO. SWEETBACK’S MILK STOUT, ONTARIO ($6/500 ML)

This inky black stout is made with unfermentable lactose (milk sugar), adding a touch of sweetness and a subtle creamy sensation. Aromas of dark chocolate and fresh, lightly-roasted coffee lead to a sip of chocolate Girl Guide cookie crumbs, cacao and subtle roast, finishing on a long, dry note. Try it with hearty stews, roasted red meats or chocolate lava cake. (CL) LEFT FIELD BREWERY LASER SHOW IIPA, ONTARIO ($9/650 ML)

Seasoned with a mix of 4 hop varietals, there are aromas of tangerine and canned lychee. A full-bodied and smooth beer, try pairing Laser Show with a wedge of old cheddar — the tang of the cheese stands up the beer’s intensity, and the saltiness of the cheese teases out the sweetness of the brew. (TL) BOARS BACK ANCESTRAL CIDER, ANNAPOLIS VALLEY, NOVA SCOTIA ($10/750 ML)

Matured in oak casks in the Annapolis Valley, Boars Back Ancestral Cider is smooth and velvety. Aromas of baked apple, banana and caramel swirl to the nose. On the palate, it begins with sweet apple but the lemon-like acidity kicks in quickly and cleans the tongue out. Try it with roast pork or for brunch with fruittopped French toast and bacon. (CL)

SPINDRIFT BREWING CO. KILLICK SESSION LAGER, DARTMOUTH, NOVA SCOTIA ($15/6-PACK)

Pale straw colour with light citrus, malty and yeasty aromas with dried citrus and fruity malt flavour, finishing with a refreshing, lightly bitter bite. (SW) BRETON BREWING COMPANY ISLAND TIME LAGER, CAPE BRETON, NOVA SCOTIA ($15/4-PACK)

Shows a soft creamy head with floral and

nutty malt aromas. Lightly sweet citrusy flavours are delivered in a light-bodied package, finishing with a touch of nutty bitterness. Easy drinking. (SW)

Subtle floral, malty and fresh hoppy aromas pave the way for smoothly rounded, lightly fruity malt flavours with a firm, nutty and bitter dryness on the finish. (SW)

FIELDING CRAFT CIDER 2017, NIAGARA, ONTARIO ($18)

BAD APPLE BREWHOUSE BLACK & TACKLE RUSSIAN IMPERIAL STOUT, NOVA SCOTIA ($6/473 ML)

Winemaker/cider maker Richie Roberts uses only Niagara apples, presses while fresh and lets the well-settled juice ferment in a combination of stainless steel at cool temperatures and in neutral oak barrels. Light carbonation and tingly acidity on the palate that shows off ripe, bright apple, squirt of lemon and hint of toast. It’s clean, crisp and expressive on the palate with refreshing apple, touch of sweetness balanced by citrus acidity and broad texture through the finish. (RV) À LA FÛT ROUGE DE MÉKINAC, QUEBEC ($18)

Deftly aged in oak with various wild yeasts and bacteria, and a ton of sour cherries. After 16 months in the barrels, it boasts a luscious nose of fresh strawberries, black cherries, light baking spices and vanilla. The palate mixes those sweet red fruit notes with a lemony acidity and some wilder notes. (CL) FIELDBIRD NORTHERN SPY STILL CIDER, PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY, ONTARIO ($20)

This is a single varietal (northern spy) still, dry cider made from 100% PEC apples and barrel fermented. The nose shows bin apple, citrus, lime zest and a floral note. It’s perfectly dry on the palate with flavours of crunchy apple, lemon-tinged citrus, cream and minerality that’s all kept lively by racy acidity. (RV) FIELDBIRD BLACK TAIL CIDER, PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY, ONTARIO ($30)

It’s a beauty with a nose of rich, mature apple, melon, candied citrus, spice and wild honey notes. It has lovely texture and verve on the palate and made in a nottoo-sweet style that benefits from electric acidity through the finish. (RV) TRIDER’S CRAFT BEER SCOTIAN PALE ALE, AMHERST, NOVA SCOTIA ($50/500 ML)

Made with Cascade, Columbus and Simcoe hops, this offering shows light amber in the glass with a persistent creamy head.

Rich, complex aromas of dark chocolate, vanilla, with a touch of molasses and umami-rich soy sauce on the nose. Pouring a deep, opaque black, on the sip there’s roasted coffee and semi-sweet chocolate with a building bitterness. Got fire? Try toasting some marshmallows and serving alongside, the gooey texture cuts through the ale’s full body, while burnt vanilla flavours complement the cocoa notes. (TL) BAD APPLE BREWHOUSE BOX CUTTER IPA, NOVA SCOTIA ($6/473 ML)

A fresh bouquet of satsuma orange, ruby red grapefruit, and freshly picked berries on the nose of this IPA. With a medium body and a smooth but high bitterness, it’s really juicy on the palate with a touch of caramel malt. Serve it with aged Manchego — the gentle sweetness of the cheese complements the fruity notes in the ale. (TL) BRASSEURS DU PETIT-SAULT COLONEL JOHN BAKER, NEW BRUNSWICK, ($4/330ML)

Pouring a mahogany hue with reddish highlights, the ale has rich aromas of caramel, dark fruit, spicy cloves, brown sugar and pumpernickel bread. Medium body with touch of booze and sweetness on the finish. The spicy and fruity notes make this beer great to pair with festive desserts like gingerbread cookies or mincemeat pies. (TL) WEST AVENUE CIDER HOUSE CIDRE BLANC, ONTARIO ($7)

Swap your white wine for a bottle of Cidre Blanc, a blend of barrel fermented Sauvignon Blanc and heritage apples made by venerated cider maker and chef Chris Haworth. Whiffs of lime zest, dried grass, peach and touch of funk on the nose, with some stone fruit flavours on the sip. An effervescent and moussey body with a dry finish, this cider is refreshing with zippy acidity. (TL) DECEMBER 2018/JANUARY 2019 63

FIELD NOTES GURVINDER BHATIA

GOING BACK TO THEIR ROOTS ITALY’S TWO LARGEST WINE PRODUCING ISLANDS SHARE MUCH IN COMMON. Sardinia and Sicily both hold strategic

positions in the Mediterranean and, as a result, were occupied and settled throughout history by numerous different peoples whose influences are still evident and present. Both islands possess incredibly beautiful landscapes, and delicious and diverse cuisines that have made them popular tourist destinations, and both are home to a plethora of indigenous grape varieties. Sicily, though, unlike Sardinia, did experience a significant period of misguided infatuation with producing wine from international grape varieties (and to some extent, still does).

Over the past two decades, Sicily has attracted the larger share of attention from the wine industry, press and consumers.

While the wine spotlight on Sicily continues to shine, Sardinia is deservedly receiving a greater share of the light, perhaps in part because of the renewed interest in all native Italian grapes, but undoubtedly due to the evolution of the quality of Sardinian wines produced by family operated estates and the island’s many cooperatives, which are among the country’s finest.

Cannonau, a local biotype of Grenache, may receive the most attention, but there is growing interest in many indigenous 64 DECEMBER 2018/JANUARY 2019

varieties such as Monica, Cagnulari, Nieddera, Nasco, Nuragus, Semidano and Vernaccia di Oristano, all of which are capable of producing wines that are very good quality, interesting and distinct. The wines that arguably best define Sardinia, though, may well be those produced from Vermentino.

Vermentino is grown throughout the western Mediterranean in numerous regions and is known by a multitude of synonyms. Liguria’s Pigato and Piedmont’s Favorita may be genetically identical to Vermentino, but look, act (viticulturally) and taste distinctively different. Vermentino grown in the south of France is known as Rolle, Verlantin and Malvoisie a Gros Grains. The grape is also grown in Corsica and there are many examples from the Tuscan coast.

But, in my opinion, the expressions that highlight Vermentino’s most appealing qualities of freshness, salinity, drinkability and food versatility are grown predominantly in Sardinia.

According to many of the producers I recently visited on the island, Vermentino is a variety that loves the sun and heat, does well in poorly fertile soils and tolerates salty maritime winds — conditions, not coincidentally, characteristic of Sardinia. While typical characteristics of Vermentino tend towards crisp, floral,

tropical fruit, salty and lightly herbal (some say reminiscent of Sauvignon Blanc), many different expressions and styles are produced in Sardinia. The differences result from the diversity of soil types and microclimates that exist on the island as well as the different viticultural and winemaking techniques utilized by producers. I tasted the gamut — from sparkling, still, sweet, light and fresh, rich and fresh, linear, textured, rich and alcoholic, oaked, unoaked, extended skin contact and aged on the lees with varying degrees of batonnage.

Site, not surprisingly, plays a significant role. On Sardinia’s northeastern tip in Gallura, the soils are mostly granite, resulting in wines with weight and complexity, but also, when not overdone, intense, bright, linear, mineral, saline and with a bitter almond finish. The cold, northwesterly mistral wind blows in across the sea from southern France, contributing to the salinity and freshness of the wines. This area is home to Vermentino di Gallura, Sardinia’s only DOCG. It is apparent that many producers in the area are experimenting with extended skin contact and varying degrees of oak — some interesting, some still finding their way and some not so successful as by doing too much to the wine, the essence of the grape is masked.

The interior of the island is mostly rocky, the northern and southern areas are typically limestone, the south-central area is rich in clay, while the central western area is predominantly sandy. Elevation and the location of the vineyard sites in relation to the sea also affect the character of the wines. The maritime breezes that blow salty air through the vineyards often leave salt deposits on the vines and grapes. The winds also aid in keeping the grapes dry and healthy, which facilitates sustainable farming practices.

In general, I found the quality of the fruit grown on most of the island to be excellent. The inconsistency in the conviction of the producers is surprising, though. There are several outstanding wines being produced, many very good wines, and some which just make you wonder, particularly when the producers themselves can’t seem to explain the over-ripe, over-oaked and over-manipulated styles. (Often the explanation is that this is what they believe the market wants. But, it should be clear, by chasing market trends, one will always be chasing the market and will never actually catch and lead it.)

Producers such as Sella & Mosca, Cantina Santa Maria la Palma and Argiolas are, in many ways, the leaders in terms of quality and international commerce and promotion. There are several Tuscan Vermentinos available in the Canadian market (more than from Sardinia), but, in my opinion, most of the Tuscan examples tend to be somewhat flat in comparison to their Sardinian counterparts.

The most significant issue with Sardinia is that they haven’t done and don’t do a good job of promoting themselves, partly because, according to the producers themselves, there is a reluctance for them to work together. This is unfortunate as the island is stunning, with many outstanding wines, food comparable to Italy’s finest and it possesses a rich culture and history with archeological sites covering the island. Sardinia has a story to tell and its wines, led by Vermentino, can be the conduit.

Vermentino wines are approachable, pleasurable and gastronomically versatile. The cachet of Tuscany is taking shelf space and wine list placements away from several higher quality Sardinian examples. Sardinian producers need to work collectively and collaboratively to earn the placements they deserve for not just Vermentino, but for so many of the wines composed of its wealth of native grapes.

There are too many good grapes grown on the island and there is too much potential for the region to be as underrepresented as it is. We need more Sardinia.

CANTINA DEL VERMENTINO FUNTANALIRAS VERMENTINO DI GALLURA DOCG 2017 ($28)

Fresh with ample amounts of ripe pear and a touch of pineapple, salty and minerally with a finish of bitter almonds.

CANTINA TANI TAERRA VERMENTINO DI GALLURA DOCG 2017 ($32)

Grown at 350 metres, the wine is fresh and textural, slightly rich, salty, long and persistent and quite alluring.

UNMAREDIVINO DI SINI GIOACCHINO BIANCO SMERALDO VERMENTINO DI GALLURA SUPERIORE DOCG 2017 ($28)

Pretty and elegant with a restrained fruitiness, lovely mineral and salinity with richness, but still fresh and bright and pleasantly bitter on the finish.

AUDARYA VERMENTINO DI SARDEGNA DOC 2017 ($25)

Fresh, delicate. Lightly floral with citrus and mineral and lifted finish.

SELLA&MOSCA CALA REALE VERMENTINO DI SARDEGNA DOC 2017 ($22)

Citrus, pineapple and tropical fruit, fresh and clean with a hint of salinity.

CANTINA SANTA MARIA LA PALMA AKENTA VERMENTINO DI SARDEGNA VINO SPUMANTE DOC 2016 ($36)

Complex, textural and floral with aromas of crusty bread, bright acidity, fresh salinity, elegant bubbles with a long, persistent finish. × DECEMBER 2018/JANUARY 2019 65

AFTER TASTE TONY ASPLER

THE COLOUR OF THE CARPET Maybe I’m getting impatient or maybe I’m just too bored with wading through all the literature on the intricacies of matching food and wine — a minor portion of which, I confess, I have contributed over the years in several books and many articles. But I no longer give a damn about the wine’s colour as long as there is a bottle of it on the table at dinner.

I have given up fussing over which wine will go best with boeuf bourgogne (even if the answer is in the name) or with Caesar salad (Sauvignon Blanc) or with gravad lax (iced vodka is amazing).

I have decided to take a leaf out of the Italian songbook and drink red with everything. Well, almost everything. I recall a visit to Château de Fargues in Sauternes a few years ago where they served their sweet wine at lunch with oysters! (Not as heretical as you might think.) Even further back, in the early 1980s when I was a neophyte wine writer still wet behind the palate, I visited Serego Aligheri in Veneto. My host, Count Pieralvise di Serego Aligheri poured a glass of his Amarone in his living room and then passed around a bowl of After Eight chocolate mints.

I thought it was a test and that if I knew anything about wine I was meant to refuse it. But he insisted. And yes, his 15.5% alcohol Amarone went shoulder to shoulder with the chocolate mint with no ill effects to either party.

But back to my nightly dining preferences. It’s not that I don’t like white wine but — with apologies to Montrachet and Pouilly-Fumé — I have always thought of white wine as foreplay and red as the main event. Maybe I’m addicted to tannin.

For the past 40 years or so, the license plate on my car has been CLARET — what the British call red Bordeaux, a wine I was brought up on in England 66 DECEMBER 2018/JANUARY 2019

when I first discovered the glories of the fermented grape. But sadly, I have had to retire it as I have just bought a hybrid car and you can’t, it seems, get a vanity plate in green yet.

The Italians, although they produce some great white wines from Friuli to Sicily, are basically red wine drinkers, as I mentioned — even serving it with grilled fish. In 1989, my American wine writer colleagues, David Rosengarten and Joshua Wesson — who sound like a law firm — co-authored a book that challenged our preconceived notions about wine prohibitions. The title said it all: Red Wine with Fish.

Rosengarten and Wesson argued that it wasn’t the colour of the wine that mattered when it came to matching with fish but the amount of acidity in the wine — that cool climate red wines like Burgundy

and Valpolicella had enough acidity to cut through the oiliness of fish, especially when served chilled to accentuate the perception of the acid.

In the final analysis there is one wine that goes perfectly with everything, from soup to nuts or just by itself; if I were to win the lottery I would stock it by the case. That is Champagne: Blanc de Blancs, Blanc de Noirs and blends. Preferably in magnums.

I once asked Alain de Vogüé, the former Chairman of Veuve Clicquot-Ponardin, when was the best time to drink Champagne. His reply: “Before, during and after.”

The final word on the subject I leave to the British thriller writer, Gavin Lyall, who had this advice on serving wine in a bed-sitter: “Always match the drinks to the colour of the carpet.” × ILLUSTRATION: FRANCESCO GALLÉ, WWW.FRANCESCOGALLE.COM

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