X Ad
PILLERS IN FOLDER
One for the recipe. One for me. Po ortob obel ob ello el lo o stu uff ffed ed wit ith h On Onio ions io ns,, Su ns Sund ndri nd r ed Tom ri omat atoe at oes, oe s, Olilive ves ve s an and d Ko Kolb lbas lb assa as sa - Alller erge ge en Fr Free ee** ee Becaus Beca u e th us they ey’r ey ’re ’r e ta tast sty. st y. Rea eall lly ll y ta tast s y. Lik st ke al alll Pi Pill lller er’s ’s Sim impl ply pl y Fr Free e ® pro ee rodu duct du cts ct s, our Kol s, o ba ass ssa a Sa aus usag age ag e Sn Snac acks ac ks are fre ree e of glu lute ten te n an and d al alle le erg gen ens. s.** Vo s. Vote ted te d Be Best st New Rea eady dy to Ea E t Pa Pack ckag ck aged ag ed Meat Me at by Ca Cana nadi na dian di an con nsu sume mers me rs,,† the rs ey arre hi h gh in pr prot otei ot e n, onl ei nly y 50 cal alor orie or ies ie s pe perr sa saus us sag age, e, and made ma de wit ith h on only ly por o k an and d na natu tura tu rall in ra ngr gred edie ed ie ent nts. s. The Best New Product Awards logo is a trademark of Best New Product Awards Inc., used under license. * Free of all major food allergens (gluten, milk, peanuts, tree nuts, mustard, sesame, egg, fish, soy, sulphites) † According to results of the 2015 BrandSpark Best New Product Awards survey conducted by BrandSpark International. For more information visit www.BestNewProducts.ca
V sit piill Vi ller errs. s.co com co m fo or th t is del elic icio ious io us rec e ip pe an and d mo more re e.
welcome home
QUENCH MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2015 MAKE IT × 22 JAPAN IS CHANGING THE WAY WE DRINK WHISKY. BY TOD STEWART EPICENTRE × 24 HOW DID BC WINE COUNTRY BECOME THE CENTRE OF A CULINARY REVOLUTION? BY RICK VANSICKLE BATTLE FOR THE AGES × 27 THE AGE-OLD BATTLE BETWEEN CABERNET SAUVIGNON AND MERLOT. BY MICHAEL PINKUS THE DRIVING FORCE × 30 SANTORINI AND THE GREEK NEW WAVE. BY EVAN SAVIOLIDIS
22
MAV WINE AND SPIRITS AWARDS × 34 QUENCH’S EDITORS CHOOSE THE BEST IN ASSEMBLAGES, BEERS AND SPIRITS. THE WORLD IN ONE BIG BITE! × 37 EXPANDING OUR VIEW OF PORTUGUESE CUISINE. BY SILVANA LAU FIRST AND FOREMOST × 40 AUSTRALIA’S FIRST FAMILIES BAND TOGETHER AND TRANSFORM THE WAY WE VIEW THE COUNTRY. BY TIM PAWSEY SMALL BIRDS × 44 FULL FLAVOURS IN SMALL PACKAGES. BY DUNCAN HOLMES
37 DEPARTMENTS FAT AND SASSY × 48 WHAT TO EAT WHILE PLANNING OUT YOUR DIET. BY NANCY JOHNSON
CHANGING THE RULES × 64 TIME FOR LAWS TO EVOLVE WITH THE PACE OF THE INDUSTRY. BY GURVINDER BHATIA
HEAVY BITTER HITTERS × 50 WHEN CHOOSING A COCKTAIL BITTER, IT’S BETTER TO KNOW ITS NUANCES.
YOU SAY SHIRAZ AND I SAY SYRAH × 66 IT’S ABOUT MORE THAN SIMPLE GEOGRAPHY. BY TONY ASPLER
NOTED × 51 EXPERTLY-TASTED BUYING GUIDE FOR WINES, BEERS, CIDERS AND SPIRITS FROM AROUND THE WORLD. NOVEMBER 2015 × QUENCH.ME × 3
@quench_mag Follow, like and connect with us online. IT’S LIVE. The new Q School
by Quench Magazine app is available for download at the Apple App store. Get tips, lifestyle hacks and more sent right to your device every two weeks. And it’s free. Search for it in the App Store or visit app.quench.me.
on twitter: @quench_mag facebook: fb.quench.me tumblr: living.quench.me pinterest.com/quenchmagazine videos.quench.me
In “Au Natural” [September 2015], Rick VanSickle mentioned that “the term ‘natural wine’ really means nothing at all. There is no governing body or book of guidelines...” I think people need to hear this because the idea that certain wines are “natural” implies that others – like the ones I enjoy on an almost daily basis – are as natural as a bottle of juice (which is, without a doubt, almost 100% sugar and chemicals). While I understand society’s move towards consuming “natural” products, I think having a similar move in winemaking is foolish, especially if there are no guidelines involved! Winemaking has evolved over eons for a reason. Devolving back to how wine was made in the B.C. years, seems like a giant leap backwards. Michael Hamilton, email A huge thank you to Nancy Johnson for the excellent pie crust recipe! [“Perfect Crust”, October 2015] Switching from cups to grams was a bit of a trial (had to buy a scale!) but the crust was flaky and perfect. Rebecca Bachiler, Lindsay Ontario
join us in the conversation
for recent back issues: back.quench.me
THIS ISSUE IS ABOUT TURNING THINGS ON THEIR HEAD. IN A WORLD THAT HAS THE WORDS “CENTURIES” AND “DECADES” ATTACHED TO IT, WINE DOESN’T CHANGE THAT MUCH FROM YEAR TO YEAR. The varianc-
es are minimal at times. So when something happens — even a small thing — it can feel like a tectonic shift. The needle moves quite a bit.
4 × @QUENCH_MAG × MAV WINE AND SPIRITS AWARDS 2015
It was a pleasure to see EDNA restaurant in your magazine [Mavericks 2015, October]. EDNA’s has livened up [Halifax’s] north end. Jenna and Robert deserve all the accolades they receive. Bonnie Little, email
Time for some examples. Let’s take the Okanagan food and drink scene (on page 24). As more and more stunning wines popped up in the region — and now in Similkameen — an epicentre of chefs, brewers, artisans and lovers of all things gourmet have installed around them. The valleys have created a gravitational pull and it’s only growing. Or what about Santorini, Portuguese cuisine or a simple bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon? These things are sometimes put aside because it’s a “been there, done that” situation. But we seem to forget that everything changes. As I like to say, “I’ll try anything twice.” Which brings me to the Mav Awards. Now in our ninth year, we have found an amazing group of wine, beer and spirits that will entice you at every turn. Or maybe it will simply turn your preconceived notions on their head.
X Ad
Ava able at y fav ite reta
TITOS IN FOLDER My Texas Handmade Vodka beats the giant “Imports� every day. That’s because it’s distilled six times, we use oldfashioned pot stills we built ourselves, and taste test every batch to make sure you get only the best. Try Texan! Tito’s is made from corn, so it’s naturally gluten-free.
WINE ENTHUSIAST RATINGS
SCORE OUT OF 100 POINTS
PTS
BOTTLED & DISTILLED IN AUSTIN, TX
100%
CORN
X Ad A Family Affair
CMYK Burgundy 0-100-10-59 CMYK Gold 0-20-95-46
Bec Hardy & Richard Dolan of Wines by Geoff Hardy Opimian sparks conversation, creates friendship and connects Canadians to winemakers worldwide through their love of wine. As Canada’s premier wine club since 1973, Opimian forges bonds between the men and women behind the wine and the people who enjoy it most.
viticulturist and brand manager for Wines by Geoff Hardy and Richard as the General Manager. Opimian had a chance to speak with Bec and Richard about working together and being part of this family affair – our interview is available to Opimian members in this month’s issue of Opimian News, a newsletter all of our members enjoy.
OPIM IN FOLDER
Wines by Geoff Hardy is an Australian wine producer whose three labels – Pertaringa, K1 by Geoff Hardy and Hand Crafted by Geoff Hardy – are available to Canadians exclusively through Opimian. Our good friend, Bec, daughter of Geoff Hardy himself, married Richard in 2011 and then the two of them flew here to Canada to celebrate their honeymoon with Opimian members across the country. When they returned to Australia, they settled in, Bec as the
Join Opimian today and enjoy the Total Wine Experience!
1.800.361.9421 • opim.ca
CONTRIBUTORS When encouraged as a child to “take a bite from the Apple of Life,” contributing editor Tod Stewart proceeded to eat the whole thing. He has since committed to a life of excess, living by the motto: “Everything in moderation … including moderation.”
Evan Saviolidis is a Wine Tasting Challenge Champion, CAPS Sommelier Instructor, Ontario Wine Journalist of the Year and Educator of the Year. He offers wine appreciation courses and tastings through his company , WineSavvy Consultants. www.evanwinesavvy.com.
Our West-Coast go-to food guy, Duncan Holmes has been a meat and potatoes person for most of his life. Like the rest of the world, Dunc’s diet and creative kitchen bent now mean that the whole world of food is his oyster, and healthy variety is his spice.
www.quench.me Editor-in-chief
Aldo Parise editor@quench.me WINE EDITOR
Gurvinder Bhatia gbhatia@quench.me
Food Editor
Nancy Johnson njohnson@quench.me Associate Editor
Rosemary Mantini rmantini@quench.me
Contributing Editor
Tod Stewart tstewart@quench.me Copy Desk
Lee Springer, Kathy Sinclair Columnists
Tony Aspler, Peter Rockwell, Tom de Larzac, Christine Sismondo, Katia Jean Paul
Contributors
Tim Pawsey, Rick VanSickle, Silvana Lau, Evan Saviolidis, Michael Pinkus, Duncan Holmes
Tasters
Tony Aspler, Gurvinder Bhatia, Tod Stewart, Evan Saviolidis, Rick VanSickle, Ron Liteplo, Harry Hertscheg, Sean Wood, Gilles Bois, Crystal Luxmore, Tim Pawsey, Jonathan Smithe, Sarah Parniak
Quench Magazine and Quench digital are published by Kylix Media Publisher
Pierre Chanzonkov pc@quench.me
Quench, Food and Drink Magazine, a registered trademark of Kylix Media, is published 8 times a year: (February/March, April, May/June, July/August, September, October, November, December/January).
Editorial Director
Quench Digital editorial Lead
Lisa Hoekstra
Deputy web editor
Shannon Fitzpatrick sfitzpatrick@quench.me
Creative by Paris Associates
Subscription Rates: Canada: $42.99 per year, $69.99 per 2 years; USA: $62.99 per year; Other: $89.99 per year. Single Copies: $7.95.
Aldo Parise editor@quench.me CFO
Lucy Rodrigues cfo@quench.me
Accounts
Marilyn Barter accounts@quench.me
Opinions expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the publisher.
Circulation
©2015 Kylix Media Inc.
Associate Art Director
circ@quench.me
Production
Advertising
Member of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business.
Elvis Deane
ww+Labs, cmyk design, Step Up Design Photography
Push/Stop, The Studio, august photography AUDITED BY
Advertising Director
ISSN 2293-412X. Publications Mail Registration No. 40063855.
Nicholas Wattson nwattson@quench.me
Kylix Media,
5165 Sherbrooke St. West, Suite 500, Montreal, Quebec, H4A 1T6 Tel: 514.481.6606 Fax: 514.416.1620
Printed in Canada on 10% POST-CONSUMER RECYCLED FIBRES.
NOVEMBER 2015 × QUENCH.ME × 7
X Ad
WHY IS IT THAT THE SHAPE OF A BUNCH OF GRAPES REMINDS ME OF A SMALL COUNTRY IN THE HEART OF EUROPE?
AUSTRIAN WINE IN FOLDER A TASTE OF CULTURE. Austria is located at the heart of Europe. In the exact spot where some of the world’s finest wines are grown. Get to know this precious liquid culture. In Austria, wine with “EU-protected designation of origin” is called “quality wine”, and is distinguished by a red-white-red banderole – featuring the producer company number – that covers the bottle neck. www.austrianwine.com
À LA CARTE Q SCHOOL × 10 LEARN HOW TO PERFECTLY SHUCK OYSTERS. GOOD FOOD BY NANCY JOHNSON × 13 FRIDAY NIGHT POTATO PANCAKES. UMAMI BY KATIA JEAN PAUL × 14 JANICE WANG BRIDGES THE GAP BETWEEN FOOD, WINE AND MUSIC. NEXT STOP × 17 THE CHARM OF AN OLD FASHIONED DINER. FEED BY TOM DE LARZAC × 18 MAKE DUCK JUMP WITH A CRISPY SKIN. LAZY MIXOLOGIST BY CHRISTINE SISMONDO × 19 DON’T CALL IT “CIDER.” IT’S A “PERRY.” BON VIVANT BY PETER ROCKWELL × 21 IS THERE SUCH A THING AS AN ALLPURPOSE WINE?
NOVEMBER 2015 × QUENCH.ME × 9
Q SCHOOL
SHUCKS
OYSTERS ARE INVADING! We’re seeing them in our
local bars replacing nuts, chips and pretzels. Experts are popping up, trying to identify the origin of an oyster by the brine, acidity and shape alone. New sauces and flavour combinations have been created around these succulent bivalves. While this invasion is tasty, it’s coupled with a certain squeamish shudder and hesitant “how exactly do I get to the edible part?”
FEELING SQUEAMISH?
Here are a few tips to ease you into the trend so that you can slurp and chew with confidence:
START SMALL
Smaller oysters slide down easier and will help you adjust to the texture and taste. Try Kumamoto from Oregon as an excellent starter oyster.
KNOW YOUR FLAVOURS
Oysters are available in three levels: mild, briny and buttery. Start with mild and work your way through a tasting of all three. Experts at your local oyster bar can help you taste your way through.
SLURP & CHEW
Tasting oysters, like wine, is very subjective. But the process is much the same: LOOK: healthy oysters fill the shell with fat, firm meat. If it looks small or dried out, chuck it. 10 × @QUENCH_MAG × MAV WINE AND SPIRITS AWARDS 2015
SMELL: oysters should smell very fresh and salty, like the sea. SLURP: slurp the meat and juice together out of the shell. CHEW: be sure to chew two or three times. It is tempting to let the oyster slide down your throat, but you’ll miss the flavours that way. TASTE: salt will hit first, followed by cream or butter flavours with a sweet finish. The levels of each will vary depending on the oyster itself.
PAIR WITH ...
Oysters pair really well with Champagne or stout. If you’re feeling adventurous, order a gin martini with a lemon twist.
HOW TO SHUCK OYSTERS •• Eating oysters requires some dexterity and the clever use of an oyster knife.
•• Hold the oyster down on a flat, clothed surface. •• Slide the tip of your oyster knife into the small hole at the hinge of the shell.
•• Wiggle the knife and push it all the way inside to break the hinge.
•• Slide the knife along the top to cut the adductor muscle that fixes the oyster to the top shell; remove the top shell.
•• Keeping the bottom shell flat (so that you don’t lose any of the juice), slide the knife under the oyster to cut the adductor muscle that fixes it to the bottom shell. •• Repeat for all oysters. •• Plate and serve! ×
X Ad
1-800-265-1027 bradfordexchange.ca/MolsonWatch
Presenting the first-ever chronograph watch officially licensed by Canada’s oldest brewery
BRADFORD EXCHANGE TO COME
Individually hand-crafted in durable stainless steel
Features an adjustable C-clasp and is water resistant to 3 ATM
EDITION LIMITED TO ONLY 1,999 WATCHES!
Etched on the back with the iconic maple leaf logo of Molson Canadian
Three Easy Ways to Order! For fastest service Call Toll-Free 1-800-265-1027, Return the coupon by mail or shop online at
bradfordexchange.ca/MolsonWatch Vast fields of golden prairie barley. The clearest, purest water imaginable. And the hard work and dedication of generations of Canadian citizens. SEND NO MONEY NOW That is the recipe that has made Molson Canadian one of our nation’s RESERVATION APPLICATION most enduring and beloved names. Truly, Molson is made from Canada, and made for Canada, and now you can make sure that not another minute passes without showing how much this Canadian institution, 2080 Piper Lane, London, Ontario N5V 3N6 such a vital part of our nation’s history, means to you. Presenting the first-ever “Molson Canadian” Mens’ Chronograph Watch—a distinctive YES. Reserve the “Molson Canadian” Men’s Chronograph Watch for me as described in this announcement. Bradford Exchange Exclusive timepiece.
EDITION LIMITED TO ONLY 1,999 WATCHES!
Hand-crafted in stainless steel, this watch is decorated with the Maple Leaf emblem of Molson Canadian in full colour set against a white watch face. Powered by precision quartz movement, the watch is designed with a silver-tone bracelet and three subdials, for tenths of a second, seconds and minutes. Supplies are limited, so act now to acquire this watch at the $225.00** issue price, payable in 5 interest-free payments of $45.00, with your satisfaction fully guaranteed! To reserve yours, send no money now; for fastest delivery, shop online or call us toll-free at 1-800-265-1027.
*ORDER PROMPTLY FOR CHRISTMAS DELIVERY. Call toll-free at 1-800-265-1027. We must receive your initial payment by 3:00 PM CST on December 15th to guarantee Christmas delivery. Mrs. Mr. Ms. Name (Please Print Clearly)
Address City Province
Postal Code
**Plus $19.99 shipping and service. All orders will be charged GST, HST or PST as appropriate. Subject to product availability and order acceptance. A limited edition of 1,999 watches. Prices in offers subject to change.
01-20948-002-F93101
X Ad Established 1982
Family Estate
One of Niagara-on-the-Lake’s founding-family wineries, Reif opened in 1982, after founder Ewald Reif planted its vineyards in 1977; the property was later acquired by nephew Klaus W. Reif. Today, the large 50-hectare site produces a complete range of varietals, including Vidal Icewine, a perennial medal winner. Premium “first growth” reds from the oldest vines are turning heads as well. The winery boasts one of the most sophisticated, educational tasting room experiences in Niagara, complete with themed flights, blind tastings, food pairings and a new sensory wine garden. The neighbouring Victorian mansion is a splendid setting for weddings and other catered functions.
REIF IN FOLDER
Honestly great wines.
Available at your L.C.B.O. Re i f E s t a t e Wi n e r y | 1 5 6 0 8 n i a g a r a r i v e r p a r k w a y | n i a g a r a - o n - t h e - l a ke | c a n a d a 9 0 5 - 4 6 8 -W I N E ( 94 6 3 ) | w w w. r e i f w i n e r y. c o m
GOOD FOOD BY NANCY JOHNSON
No fish for me
AS AN ITALIAN-CATHOLIC FAMILY OF THE ‘50S, WE DIDN’T EAT MEAT ON FRIDAYS. Not
just during Lent, but all year round. My mother was quite inventive at finding things to cook for Friday-night dinners, since most of the family (me excluded) didn’t like fish. One of her go-to dishes during the winter months was potato pancakes, which she served with applesauce and sour cream. This recipe is a jumping-off point for a myriad of dinner ideas. Add minced shallots, scallions or onion, chives or parsley to the potato mixture. Instead of jarred applesauce, serve with cinnamon baked-apple cubes. Offer as the main course or as a side to roasted chicken, breaded veal cutlet or roast pork with sauerkraut. Pour Hungarian goulash over the pancakes or top with sautéed onions and mushrooms. Serve with fried eggs and bacon for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Though it can be a bit of a starchy meal, Polish potato-cheese pierogis with caramelized onions are delicious alongside a generous helping of potato pancakes.
FRIDAY NIGHT POTATO PANCAKES SERVES 4
2 1 3 1/2 1/4 1 1
lb Yukon Gold or baking potatoes, peeled large egg, beaten tbsp flour (or more, as needed) tsp salt tsp pepper tbsp butter tbsp canola oil Applesauce and sour cream
1. Using a box grater, shred potatoes, transferring
to a bowl of cold water to keep them from turning brown. Once all the potatoes are grated, remove from water and wring potatoes dry with a dish towel. Place in a colander to drain further, patting with a towel until dry. 2. In a large bowl, combine the shredded potatoes, egg, flour, salt and pepper until well mixed. 3. In a large skillet, heat butter and oil over medium-high heat. Spoon 1/4 cup of the potato mixture into skillet. Spread the mixture into a 4-inch round with a spatula. Repeat with remaining potato mixture. Work in batches; do not crowd pancakes. 4. Cook the pancakes about 4 minutes per side, or until golden and crisp, turning once. Keep warm in low oven or serve immediately with applesauce and sour cream. ×
× Search through our huge library of recipes on quench.me/recipes/
NOVEMBER 2015 × QUENCH.ME × 13
UMAMI BY KATIA JEAN PAUL
Food for thought
SOME CONSIDER FOOD A MEANS OF SUSTENANCE. For
others, eating is rooted in tradition. Then there are those who delight in the dining experience, savouring every bite with glee and reveling in the artful presentation of a plate of gazpacho or halibut poached in milk. If a flavourful and visually appealing dish can enhance the dining experience, imagine what a meal augmented by factors that call on not just taste and sight, but all of our senses, can do for one’s gastronomical pleasure? Qian (Janice) Wang, a researcher at the Crossmodal Research Laboratory at Oxford University, pondered this very idea after what she considers a life-changing dining experience. The scene: famed three Michelin-starred Chicago experimental hotspot Alinea, where edible green apple toffee helium balloons and skewered hot potatoes topped with a slice of black truffle and suspended above cold potato soup are standard fare, oft accompanied by complementary lighting and music, and plated with unusual serviceware like steel bows or a pillow releasing lavender-scented air. So mind-blowing was the experience that Wang, whose work then focused on music, technology and emotion at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) where she was studying at the time, shifted her Master’s thesis to the interaction between music and flavour perception. “I felt like ‘Okay, so you can actually do multisensory stuff at a restaurant,’” recalls the Chinese-born, Texas- and Vancouver-bred cognitive psychologist. “I really enjoyed the way they [Alinea] served food in playful ways, like a piece of octopus served on a miniature fishing rod and you had to go for it with your teeth, no hands. “I felt like most people were looking at cool ways to cook the food (like molecular gastronomy), but not many people were thinking about the environment in which the food is presented. So, what I was interested in is how you can change the taste of the food without changing the food itself,” says Wang.
14 × @QUENCH_MAG × MAV WINE AND SPIRITS AWARDS 2015
Formerly a software engineer employed at Microsoft, Wang went to Paris to complete a four-week intensive pastry course at Le Cordon Bleu. Shortly after, she left computer engineering and enrolled at MIT. In addition to standard psychological experiments, Wang and her colleagues research how our senses interact, also involving designing culinary experiences in the real world. Their findings, much like her curated sensory dinners, are as enlightening as they are complex. “The Mozart Flute Quartet goes well with Sauvignon Blanc,” says Wang, who also holds a Level 3 Award from the Wine and Spirit Education Trust. “Tchaikovsky’s String Quartet [No 1 in D Major] matched well with Château Margaux. Usually, we’ve seen that music changes people’s pleasantness ratings of the wine and also acidity or fruitiness ratings.” Theories as to why certain music makes for tastier wine abound — “It might be because certain music brings your attention to certain attributes in the wine,” opines Wang. Regardless, while scientists consider different explanations, chefs, restaurateurs and Champagne houses like Krug, who called on both Wang and her colleague, Professor Charles Spence, to back their Champagne and music pairings with scientific research, are capitalizing on these findings to enrich the experience for consumers. Between organizing multisensory performances around London with fellow “crossmodalists,” running studies in Buenos Aires and Oslo, and offering a masterclass in the psychology of wine at the Oxford Wine Festival, in coming months, Wang, who is president of the Oxford Blind Tasting Society, will also train the varsity team for next year’s annual competition. Much like her experiments, her drink of choice is never without a musical condiment. “Liszt’s Au bord d’une source is fantastic with Riesling.” ×
X Ad
FIND THE HIDDEN SEA.
HOBBS WINE IN FOLDER
2013 SHIRAZ
$16.75
/THEHIDDENSEA
PROUDLY REPRESENTED IN ONTARIO BY
LCBO#402628
X AdANYTHING CAN THEY CAME FOR A MAGAZINE AND LEFT WITH SO MUCH MORE
HAPPEN AT A MAGAMAGAZINE STAND ZINES CANyour own ADA IN FOLDER
VISIT A MAGAZINE STAND AND FIND
STARRING
STARRING
DIRECTED BY
PRODUCED BY
SCREENPLAY BY
ART DIRECTION AND DESIGN BY
ORCHESTRAL ARRANGEMENTS BY
AMY FORCE JEFF SINASAC JAMIE WAY BRUCE SEFTON SUSAN ELSLEY K9 STRATEGY DESIGN KENANDIGOR.COM +
SEE THEIR STORY AT
STORY
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY
EDITED BY
RYAN HAAS CHRIS DI STAULO
" CANADASMAGAZINESTORE.CA/ANYTHINGCANHAPPEN %
NEXT STOP
THE DINER
With its old-time charm, homey atmosphere and hearty servings of all-American food, the diner’s enduring appeal can be summed up in three words: things made simple. Across the country, Canada’s own greasy spoons, both old and new, evoke nostalgia with retro furnishings, old-school eats and even a few modernized classics. WILENSKY’S LIGHT LUNCH
THE SENATOR
SAVE ON MEATS
ZAK’S DINER
www.top2000.ca/wilenskys/ A fixture in Montreal’s hip Mile End neighbourhood since 1932, this quintessentially retro diner, with its pressed tin ceiling, oldschool soda fountain (which dispenses homemade colas) and throwback lunch counter, has become something of an institution. Virtually as old as the diner itself is the owners’ famous eponymous special — a grilled sandwich made with all-beef salami and all-beef bologna served on a roll not unlike the kaiser.
www.saveonmeats.ca Originally a butcher shop in days of yore, since 2011 the new and sustainable Save On Meats in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside also includes a retail store as well as a diner. The latter, lined with vintage tufted-leather swivel bar chairs and exposed brick walls, serves up inspired comfort food that hits the spot — think cheese steak omelette, wild berry stuffed French toast and an Irish Mist Shake (made with Jameson, Baileys, milk and chocolate ice cream). Save On Meats’ towering burgers, both meat and vegetarian, remain its most popular attraction.
www.thesenator.com 84 years strong, the oldest restaurant in Toronto has mastered the art of comfort food. Riffing on the classics, The Senator’s plentiful menu runs the gamut of flavours, tastes and textures. Case in point: the diner’s namesake burger topped with strips of crispy bacon; a toasted Western sandwich with bell peppers toasted on the open flame; and their famous buttermilk fried chicken with country gravy.
www.zaksdiner.com This 24-hour retro eatery has Ottawans and traveling foodies routinely making a beeline for the Byward Market (and most recently, Kanata where they’ve opened a second location) to indulge in some homespun greasy eats and colossal shakes. Choose from a shot of Baileys, rum or vodka to turn your milkshake into a properly boozy drink, the perfect accompaniment to Zak’s lip-smacking diner fare, which includes a goat cheese chicken sandwich, onion ring poutine and a mac ‘n’ cheese burger (three deep-fried macaroni wedges served atop the house’s cheeseburger). × NOVEMBER 2015 × QUENCH.ME × 17
FEED BY TOM DE LARZAC
Crispy skin EVERY FAMILY HAS SOME MEAL THAT IS ALWAYS MADE ON SPECIAL OCCASIONS. With my family, it is whole
roasted duck. Each time something special happens, or the whole family gets together, my mom will make duck. It has just become an expectation. I am not really sure why this is the case, since neither my mom nor my dad particularly like duck, not that it stops either of them from picking the bones clean. In fact, we have been doing it for so long that I remember when we used to make just two ducks. Now that the family has grown, we often make three if not four ducks, and somehow there seems to never be enough skin to go around. Crispy skin and perfectly tender meat are the most important things to consider, and a little (or a lot) of trial and error has taught me a few things — patience being the most critical. As a sidebar, the skin is my favourite part, and I’m often sneaking a little more than my fair share where I can. A quick sear and long low cooking time is the key to rendering the fat — or liquid gold as I like to refer to it — and ensuring that the skin gets crispy without overcooking the meat. Preheat the oven to a high temperature and after the meat goes in, turn down the oven to a much lower temp. (Tip: this cooking method also works well with other types of meat, ie. roasted chicken.) Every time I walk into my parents’ house and I smell duck, I get a little excited. I know that it’s a special occasion, and I look forward to some crispy skin awaiting me at dinner.
18 × @QUENCH_MAG × MAV WINE AND SPIRITS AWARDS 2015
ROASTED DUCK WITH GRAVY SERVES 4
1 4 2 1 2 1 1/4
whole duck, 5 lbs at room temp tbsp marjoram, dried tbsp salt and pepper (each) carrot, cut in 1-inch pieces shallots, halved cup water cup flour
1. Preheat oven to 450°F. 2. Mix salt, pepper and marjoram together. Place 1/4 of mixture in the
cavity of the duck and spread the remainder over the skin. 3. Place carrots and shallots at the bottom of a roasting pan, and the duck on a roasting rack in the pan. Place in the oven. 4. After 5 minutes, reduce heat to 350°F. Leave duck in the oven for another 2 hours and 15 minutes (or 165°F internal temp). Baste duck with rendered fat every 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let the duck rest for 10 min. 5. As the duck is resting, place 1 cup of pan drippings (strained) in a small pot over medium heat. Add flour while whisking. Whisk till fully incorporated with no lumps. 6. Add 1 cup of water while slowly whisking. Add salt and pepper to taste if desired. Serve gravy either on the duck or as a side, and enjoy. MATCH: This recipe may call for a thick Barolo but if you have a light delicate Pinot, go for it. ×
LAZY MIXOLOGIST BY CHRISTINE SISMONDO
WHO SAID CIDER?
Don’t call it “cider.” If it’s fermented, sparkling and made from pears, the word you want is “perry.” That’s the issue taken up by the Campaign for Real Ale, a British consumer group that was a huge force in the movement to bring back craft and cask ale. According to them, the word cider belongs to apples — and apples alone. Proper perry traditionally comes from the “perry” pear, a cultivar that isn’t generally grown in Canada but is common in the United Kingdom. Ahh, but if we make fizzy pear juice out of, say, a Bartlett, do we get to call it cider then? Well, probably not, but you might score a few points with the Campaign for Real Ale folks if it were a really good one, made with integrity, since the group isn’t merely trying to make a point about nomenclature. Their real beef with “pear cider” is actually that most of the commercial varieties are chock-full of corn syrup and artificial flavours. Big Cider’s oversweet fake fruit products are doing damage to the reputation of all hard ciders — pear or apple — and tarnishing an entire category descended from a venerable tradition. But when you get your hands on a really good perry or an artisanal pear cider — something we’re seeing more and more of with the institution of small craft cider houses such as Spirit Tree and Sea Cider on Vancouver Island — it’s a crisp, lip-smacking treat. Sea Cider’s product is, in fact, the real deal, made from legit perry pears. One ardent fan is Simon Ogden, bar manager at Veneto Tapa Bar in Victoria.
× Visit quench.me/search-mixed/ for more drink recipes
“One of the great and often overlooked contributions to the world of adult beverages from the United Kingdom, proper perry is a fresh and clever addition to the product library of the bar,” says Ogden. “Universally appealing and rarely used, adding pear essence to a cocktail is an easy path to delight.” Ogden explains that the drink he is sharing with us, the Perry Wilding, is essentially a variation on the Champagne Cocktail. The “Perry” part we get. But what about the Wilding? “True perry,” he explains, “is made from fruit descended from highly acidic wild hybrids, called wildings.” We’re pretty sure the people running the Campaign for Real Ale would completely approve, too.
PERRY WILDING
1 oz old genever (Bols is the go-to for this, but a big funky gin would work as well, like Stump from Phillips Fermentorium, advises Ogden) 1/2 oz Italian vermouth (Ogden recommends bold and bitter Punt e Mes) 1/4 oz elderflower liqueur (first choice: Giffard Fleur de Sureau Sauvage. Runner-up: St Germain)
Stir ingredients together with ice in a mixing glass, and strain into a chilled flute. Top with perry: Sea Cider makes a brilliant traditionally dry one. × NOVEMBER 2015 × QUENCH.ME × 19
X Ad
A perfect pairing for grilled meats.
RED BADGE IN FOLDER Merlot-Cabernet with very ripe fruit, intense pleasing flavours, expressive taste. Versatile, friendly, a great social wine.
Gold Medal Taste. ULTURE ET D RIC E
®
PARIS 2011
CO
UR
S
G É NÉR A L A
LCBO #350249
LE
GOLD MEDAL O
MINISTÈRE DE L ’
NTATION IME
CO
N
$1195*
L L ’A
AG
IC GR
w w w.v i g n e r o n s - b u z e t . f r *Price subject to change without notice.
BON VIVANT BY PETER ROCKWELL
Is there such a thing as an all-purpose wine?
ILLUSTRATION: MATT DALEY/SHINYPLIERS.COM
If there was a simple hack to solve all of life’s problems, you wouldn’t need wine; or me, for that matter. At the heart of your question is a better question: How do you buy one bottle that will appeal to the full breadth of the wine-sipping community, from Mr Know-it-all wine geek all the way down to your dear old teetotaling grandma? Sadly, no matter how you pour it, you’ll never be able to uncork enough magic to cast a spell on everybody, but you can try. Ponder the occasion. If you’re buying some liquid pleasure to complement a specific dish, then much of the heavy lifting is already done for you. Ask the store clerk for the classic wine pairing suggestion or cruise the internet (starting at quench.me first, of course) for an online suggestion. Nothing is more “all-purpose” than a glass filled with a wine that makes an ideal marriage with a particular food. If you get a few turned up palates, you can always blame the experts for your purchasing decision and smile as the haters swallow that nugget of intel. If stand-alone drinking is the order of the day, steer towards the middle of the road. Something white (red fans will still appreciate a white wine but not so much vice versa) and off-dry (highly acidic dry wines, no matter the colour, can be as polarizing as a tweet from Taylor Swift). Go for a mid-priced German Riesling or anything made with the Moscato grape. Both have made a name for themselves as relaxed, apéritif-style wines with universal appeal.
× Ask your questions at bonvivant@quench.me
On the red side, stick with low-acid, berry-forward wines. That’s France’s Beaujolais region’s stock in trade. A red with a touch of residual sugar, like any of the growing multitude of California red blends, should have the crowd sipping the light fantastic. Then there’s rosé. Innocuous at its worst and subtly complex at its best, think pink if you’re worried that a red or white won’t tick all the boxes. If you’re really concerned about the reaction a wine might bring, go local. We’re drinking in a world where questionable local juice is still given a pass, so even the most obnoxious imbiber wouldn’t dare badmouth a glass of something pressed close to home no matter the colour or flavour profile.
Do wines made today taste different from those made decades ago?
Whoever said “the more things change, the more they stay the same” never tried to make a living selling wine, especially in Europe, where centuries of navel-gazing (not to mention consumer apathy) had its winemakers hypnotized into believing their output was beyond reproach. When Europe started taking the shipment of wine to North America seriously (somewhere around the early ‘70s), the continent’s wine industry was more like the Wild West than the sophisticated world of rules and regulations we associate it with today. While there were guidelines in some countries (most notably France), much of what your parents would have seen on store shelves back in their day was pretty pedestrian juice that represented its origins about as well as Nickelback does rock and roll. It didn’t take long for those doing right by their terroir to see the posers were dragging everyone down to their level and to start lobbying their like-minded counterparts to establish some liquid laws to keep their industries in check and raise the bar on quality. That became even more important to the Old World when New World upstarts from the likes of California, Australia and Chile began pumping out litres of wine that, thanks to their forgiving climates, tasted halfway decent even when mass-produced. So yes, wine does taste different than it did decades ago, and by different, I mean better. × NOVEMBER 2015 × QUENCH.ME × 21
Bob Harris (Bill Murray) in Lost in Translation
“FOR RELAXING TIMES, MAKE IT SUNTORY TIME.” by Tod Stewart
Japan is synonymous with many things: electronics, cars, origami, sake, sushi, intricate art, Sumo wrestling and architecture. Now, if you’re willing to wait out a significant chunk of your day for it, cheesecake. But whisky?
Even after seeing Lost in Translation in 2003 (a movie featuring Bill Murray as Bob Harris, an aging movie star visiting Japan to promote Suntory whisky), the connection between Japan and whisky still didn’t really register with me. To this day, I have yet to buy a bottle of the stuff ... mostly because it’s hard to find and also, when you do find it, it’s not exactly cheap. However, my experience with things Japanese is that you do get what you pay for (and here I’m primarily talking about the items I have tried: sake, sushi, Japanese knives, etc.). The Japanese whiskies I’ve sampled have invariably been top-notch. And, much to the chagrin of the Scots, they’ve actually been stealing accolades from the world’s top drams. So now I, along with whisky aficionados around the world, have added Japan to my list of go-to whisky destinations. The reality is, we have little choice. In his 2015 World Whisky Bible, industry expert Jim Murray crowned the Yamazaki Single Malt Sherry Cask 2013, from Suntory, as World Whisky of the Year. As it turns out, nary a Scottish whisky made the top five. Japanese 22 × @QUENCH_MAG × MAV WINE AND SPIRITS AWARDS 2015
whiskies have continued to bag metal at competitions across the globe (in fact, they were garnering “best of” accolades as far back as 2008). If there’s any consolation to the Scottish distillers now adding tears rather than water to their tipples, it’s that, had it not been for the Scots, the Japanese would likely not be where they are today in terms of distilling. Japan has been distilling whisky as far back as the 1700s. However, it wasn’t until after the Second World War that Shinjiro Torii, along with Masetsaka Taketsuru, established the Yamazaki Distillery, which would eventually become Suntory, near Kyoto. In 1918, Taketsuru journeyed to Scotland to learn what he could about whisky making. He enrolled in the University of Glasgow, becoming the first Japanese person to study the art of whisky making and apprenticed at a number of famous Scottish malt distilleries, before bringing his knowledge (and a wife) back to Japan. In 1934, Taketsuru branched out on his own, establishing the Nikka Whisky company with a distillery located in Yoichi, on the island of Hokkaido, in the northern part of the country.
This area seemed, to him, to most closely replicate the Scottish landscape. Japan’s “whisky country” however, is less differentiated than those of Scotland. “I am not sure if one can say Japan has distinctive whisky regions since there are fewer than a dozen established distilleries,” reports Shotaro Ozawa, whose company, Ozawa Canada Inc., represents the Nikka Distillery products. “Recently, though, both sake breweries and craft beer producers, because of the huge popularity of Japanese whisky at home and abroad, are founding new distilleries. The two main whisky distillers, Suntory and Nikka, are the pioneers and are located in Western Japan (Kansai region). Suntory’s Yamazaki (Osaka prefect) is located near Kyoto. Japan’s first distillery is in Yoichi, Hokkaido (Japan’s northern Island) [which is] home to Nikka’s crown jewel — with a climate similar to Scotland’s and an ideal source of perfect water for whisky and an abundance of peat from the riverbeds.” Gardner Dunn, Senior Brand Ambassador at Suntory Japanese Whisky, notes that rather than defined regions, the elevation of the Suntory distilleries and the subsequent differences in temperature have more of an impact on the final products. “Yamazaki, outside Kyoto, is at around 162 feet,” he points out. “Hakushu is one of the highest distilleries, at roughly 2,500 feet in Yamanashi prefecture. The difference in temperature between the two dictates the use of certain sized barrels to optimize maturation.” The proximity to the sea — just a kilometre from the Sea of Japan — and the influence of the salty ocean air, appreciably contributes to maritime tang of Nikka’s Yoichi line of whiskies. I recently sampled a dram or two, in France of all places, of Nikka Yoichi (No Age Statement) Single Malt, which seemed to combine the warm, toffee, malt and honeyed tones of a Highland malt with the smoky, lemony and in this case, rather intensely briny notes more typical of something like Bunnahabhain’s Ceobanach — a peated offering from a distillery that typically doesn’t use peat.
NIKKA WHISKY YOICHI SINGLE MALT NAS Smoky and distinctly briny aromas with underlying traces of anise, malt, heather, orange peel and nougat. Salty, peaty and crisp in the mouth with an incredibly long peaty/malty finish.
NIKKA WHISKY YOICHI 12 YEARS SINGLE MALT A complex aromatic blend showing some nutty, vanilla components wrapped around the distillery’s characteristic smoky/coastal notes. Balanced and smooth in the mouth with flavours of honeyed malt, peat smoke and sultanan.
SUNTORY WHISKY HIBIKI 12 YEARS OLD A blend of single malts from both Suntory distilleries blended with grain whisky from the Chita region, partially aged in plum liqueur barrels. Far less peaty than the Yoichi samples (though the peat is still there), the Hibiki is fruitier — marmalade, baked apple — while also showing toasted almond, buckwheat honey, caramel and a bare hint of iodine. Smooth and supple with linger fruit on the finish.
While the peat used in Nikka’s whiskies is sourced locally, according to Ozawa, Dunn confirms that Suntory imports barley from Scotland that has been peated to a specified level. Both Nikka and Suntory strive to use the purest water available. “The main source of water for Nikka’s Yoichi Distillery is from the mountain springs and surrounding rivers, in particular the main Yoichi River,” Ozawa points out, adding that water for the Miyagikyo Distillery is sourced from underground springs and surrounding rivers. Dunn reveals that both of Suntory’s distilleries use unique water sources. “Our beautiful, soft water is optimal for producing [our] style of whisky.” In terms of barrels, Suntory and Nikka have somewhat different approaches. Nikka’s barrels are imported from Bulgaria. Suntory uses a range, from ex-bourbon to American white oak and Spanish oloroso sherry casks. The company’s in-house cooperage also fashions barrels from Japanese Mizunara oak. “It is a very tight-grained oak that only grows in the North Island,” Dunn explains, noting that it matures very slowly and imparts notes of oriental incense, spice and coconut to the finished whisky. The copper pot stills used by Nikka Whisky were crafted in Japan and are of varying sizes. Suntory operates two sets of eight distinctly-shaped stills. As any distiller will attest, the size and shape of a still significantly impacts the spirit it produces, and the varying sizes employed by Nikka and Suntory no doubt play a role in crafting the unique character of the individual whiskies. While Japan’s whiskies are currently experiencing a surge in popularity, the industry itself, like those in other countries, has weathered ups and downs. The whisky boom of the 1970s and early ’80s gave way to a slump in domestic whisky sales in the late ’80s, resulting in the closure of several distilleries. However, the international acclaim Japanese whiskies have since garnered has led to a resurgence in interest. A lot of interest, in fact. “Convenience stores across Japan started to sell single malt whiskies from both Nikka and Suntory in smaller, 375 ml formats with huge success,” Ozawa reveals. Unfortunately, success can come at a price. “This resulted in very little single or pure malt whisky reserves or stock remaining,” Ozawa confirms, adding “you will only see No Age Declared premium whisky from Japan for the near foreseeable future from both Nikka and Suntory.” In short, don’t expect to see any 10, 12 or 17-year-old Japanese whiskies anytime soon. Nikka has completely discontinued its age-statement lineup, and Suntory is expected to follow suit. Ironically (and in keeping with the Scottish connection), a similar fate has bestowed itself among some Scottish distillers as of late. The reason in the case of both Scottish and Japanese whiskies is the same: the aforementioned whisky slump in the ’80s resulted in a decline in production, with fewer and fewer barrels being laid down to age. When the situation rebounded, this stock quickly became exhausted. Now both countries are essentially playing “catch up” in terms of replenishing their mature whiskies. Though they may currently be a little scarce in the Canadian market, Japanese whiskies are worth pursuing. They offer the best qualities of their Scottish counterparts — including complexity, harmony and great depth of character — along with a certain exotic quality that distinguishes them as unique, different, and worthy of the accolades they have garnered both in the Far East and around the globe. × NOVEMBER 2015 × QUENCH.ME × 23
EPICENT by Rick VanSickle
It’s hard to pinpoint, but somewhere along the line, a funny thing happened that changed the entire collective soul of wine country in British Columbia. It was as if an open casting call went out for all the supporting roles needed to connect the dots between the 145 146 147 licensed wineries that now vie for attention in the Okanagan and Similkameen valleys. And, boy, did people show up. They came in droves: chefs, brewers, mixologists, distillers, farmers, cider masters, fruit winemakers, organic produce growers, bakers, cheese makers and doers — the creative ones, the visionaries — who are pushing the boundaries of what it takes to fashion something wonderful, something delicious, something invigorating and something all-inclusive from a land staked end to end with grape vines. Oh, there is plenty of wine in both valleys. World-class vino in every style imaginable, but now there is so much more. It is intrinsically woven into the fabric that has become an important destination for well-rounded taste tourists craving more than fermented grape juice. In Kelowna, in what Catherine Frechette calls the “epicentre” for the current revolution, it is apparent that there is buy-in from the largest cities and towns in the Okanagan Valley and at long last a rural/urban symbiosis that had been sorely lacking in the past. “What I’ve heard over and over from chefs who have made the move (to Kelowna) is that they are drawn by the rich farming community, and the fact that they can feature items on their
menu that were picked that morning, from just a few minutes’ drive away,” says Frechette — the communications manger of Tourism Kelowna. “There’s local, and then there’s über-local. That’s what Kelowna can offer.” Sitting at the comfy-cosy Curious Café in the heart of Kelowna offers a glimpse of the good things transpiring in the Okanagan: a menu that combines the bounty of local produce and pairs it with Okanagan wine, local craft beer and hard apple ciders. “Yes, the thread seems to be the use of local bounty, supplemented with West Coast seafood that is flown in daily,” Frechette points out. “There seems to be a trend toward purity of flavour of really high-quality ingredients, as opposed to a lots of ingredient manipulation (like molecular gastronomy). Think wine country simplicity.” The robust restaurant scene exploding in city centres, and even in the smaller towns, is providing healthy competition for wineries in the area and offering a wide-range of choice for consumers. There are now over 43 restaurants at BC wineries; that’s more than 20 percent of wineries offering a myriad of cuisine to go with their experience.
24 × @QUENCH_MAG × MAV WINE AND SPIRITS AWARDS 2015
Says Sandra Oldfield, CEO of Tinhorn Creek on the Golden Mile: “That’s huge and very unique in the world of wine touring.” Tinhorn saw the need for a winery restaurant and took on a partner to build the spectacular Miradoro Restaurant with sweeping views of the scenic South Okanagan. A Mediterranean-influenced menu showcases the best local ingredients the region has to offer, prepared by chef Jeff Van Geest. Wine has slowly started sharing the spotlight in both the Okanagan and Similkameen valleys. It had to happen, to attract a greater audience, to keep them in the hotels and resorts for longer periods of time. There had to be more than just wine to further evolve. Craft beer has exploded in North America and the Okanagan has been no exception. At Kelowna’s Tree Brewing Beer Institute, a small-batch craft brewery, they see themselves as another piece of the mosaic, part of the symbiotic relationship that is flourishing. “I think we complement the wine industry,” says brewmaster Dave Gokiert. “I see a vibe in the consumer now, wanting to try local, wanting to try small.”
TRE Curious Cafe owner Luigi Coccaro takes local very seriously.
Operating in the town’s centre, with another local location in the works, Tree Brewing attracts a steady stream of customers who belly up to the tasting bar that offers a new cask concoction every Thursday from the Citrus Wheat Ale, to Honey Black Lager and Monkey Pod Rye Ale. “We’ve added a lot of life to the city,” says Gokiert. Similarly, in the other main city of the Okanagan, Penticton, the Cannery Brewery opened an expanded facility in the spring to keep up with demand for its established portfolio of individually crafted fine ales and lagers. Business is brisk and owner Patt Dyck has bet on a bright future with the increased capacity of the new brewery. The signature Naramata Nut Brown Ale is a tasty, full-bodied, nutty and balanced beer with no bitter aftertaste. Up on the Naramata Bench, where seemingly every inch of land is planted to grape vines, a young German family from Stuttgart has carved out a different kind of niche.
Maple Leaf Spirits started the oldest craft distillery in the Okanagan in 2005 and moved to the bench in 2013. Jorg and Anette Engel use only fruit and grapebased produce as the base for their spirits, all sourced from the South Okanagan. Distilling a wide range of products, from maple, cherry, quince and pear liqueurs to Skinny Pinot Noir, Gewürztraminer grappa (a delicious distillate made from the skins and pits of grapes remaining after the wineries have extracted the juice), unique fruit brandies and European-style eau-de-vies. It’s a natural fit along the Naramata Bench trail. Looking out over the bench on a gorgeous spring day, Anette Engel says, “Every day we wake up and see this view. That’s why we are always smiling.” EMERGING FROM AN ADVENTUROUS 20-MINUTE DRIVE through the
hilly and twisting roads of the western Okanagan Valley, we pause at the intersection of Awesome and Stunning: the gateway to the Similkameen Valley. It is raw
beauty to the right as we look down the vast and seemingly infinite valley where the meandering Similkameen River shimmers in the bright sunlight below us, and, to the left, breath-taking mountains tower above pastoral farmland, vineyards, fruit trees, grazing cattle and untethered horses. It is a peaceful, awe-inspiring scene of natural and rugged eye-candy. You can’t stop staring. It’s no wonder enRoute Magazine called the Similkameen Valley “one of the world’s five best wine regions you’ve never heard of.” It has existed for years in the shadow of its more famous sister valley, the Okanagan, with all its warm lakes, picture-perfect vineyards and wineries, idyllic resorts and large urban centres. But who knew all this was right next door? Set amongst the dramatic backdrop of craggy mountains, it is not surprising that wine lovers and thrill seekers alike are starting to take notice. The Similkameen Valley has been growing fruit and grapes for decades, but it is only recently that a rush of wineries NOVEMBER 2015 × QUENCH.ME × 25
Patt Dyck, co-owner of the Cannery Brewery
has emerged. In the past, grapes were sold off to wineries in the Okanagan. But when awards started piling up for wines made with Similkameen fruit, winemakers decided it was time to control their destiny and make their own wine. There are currently over 600 acres of vineyards in the Similkameen and a growing list of wineries. Similkameen is also considered to be the “organic capital of Canada” with an estimated 42 percent of all crops grown organically. This is due to the ideal conditions of dry heat, long hours of sunlight and the blustery wind that whips through the valley keeping pests and diseases at bay. The first stop on our recent tour takes us to the Forbidden Fruit Winery located at Ven’Amour Organic Farms, a certified organic tree fruit farm, vineyard and nature estate located inconspicuously along the banks of the pristine Similkameen River in Cawston. The winery produces an array of premium tree fruit wines and grape wines from estate fruit grown on the property’s 147 acres. Owner Steve Venables has
created an organic oasis of goodness out of the rugged wildlife habitat that surrounds his property. He grows myriad fruit including cherries, apples, pears, apricots, plums, peaches and grapes, and has been organically certified since 1985, long before it became stylish to do so. “When we first opened it was hard to get traction,” Venables says, because many consumers considered organic fruit an inferior product. But with people now more concerned about their health and a fear of pesticides, the pendulum has swung back in favour of organics. “We feel we live in a garden paradise,” says Venables. His wines are particularly unique and delicious, — from the Pearsuasion pear wine with its spicy fruit on the palate, to the Cherysh Cherry Rose, all ripe cherries and rhubarb, to the fabulous Caught Apricot Mistelle, which Venables calls the “nectar of the Goddesses” — Forbidden Fruit is a must stop while trekking about this valley. Further down the road we are treated to an organic feast at the Rustic Roots Winery and Harker’s Organics where eating is described as “farm to table TODAY.”
26 × @QUENCH_MAG × MAV WINE AND SPIRITS AWARDS 2015
In other words, if it wasn’t picked fresh that day, they don’t serve it. The Harkers are a sixth-generation farming family with 30 acres of land where they grow 12 acres of ground crops including heirloom tomatoes, peppers, herbs, etc., and 18 acres of tree fruits. The family also runs a brokerage for 15 other organic farms in the Similkameen where the collection of produce is sold to a variety of local, high-end restaurants, retail and wholesale outlets as well as their own farm market and Rustic Roots Winery. “All our eggs aren’t in one basket,” Sara Harker tells us. “It’s important to be diverse so we can be sustainable.” All the wines at Rustic Roots are fruitbased, no grapes are used at all, but what makes the winery unique is that all the fruit wines are made like grape wines, mostly dry, fresh with complex flavours and textures, as opposed to the fruity and sweet styles of other fruit wines. “We wanted to change people’s minds about what fruit wine is,” says Harker. The Rustic Roots Fameuse 2013 uses apples from a single 100-year-old Fameuse tree on the property and blends in estate plums for a riot of flavours that leave you refreshed and satisfied. Our last stop of the day took us to Clos du Soleil, a serious grape winery located just outside the town of Keremeos. Clos de Soleil, a French term meaning an enclosed vineyard of the sun, refers to the typical rocks, soil and sun that define the “special piece of land where we grow our grapes,” says winemaker and owner Michael Clark. The winery’s name points to the long days of sun that pour in on the Similkameen Bench, one of BC’s most unique and promising microclimates. “It’s exciting to be a part of an emerging region,” says Clark as we sip his wines. It’s a terroir that lends itself to Bordeaux-style reds and whites with a distinct, region-specific component of minerals, layered herbality and expressiveness. The wines are outstanding — from the Capella, a Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon blend, with creamy apple and pear notes, to the Signature, a dead ringer for Bordeaux red, with complexity, balance and ripe flavours — and a testament to what the region has to offer now and for many years to come. ×
BATTLE FOR THE AGES by Michael Pinkus
Cabernet and Merlot, these two words appear together more often than the words “blackberry and cherry” do in a tasting note. These two varieties make the scene together everywhere and anywhere they go, from Bordeaux to Tuscany, California to Washington, Spain to Canada … you name the place, if one is present you can believe the other isn’t far away. They are the Laurel and Hardy of winemaking. They have a symbiotic relationship — it almost seems that one does not work without the other. It’s like the relationship between the crocodile and the plover bird that cleans its teeth. They are two great tastes that taste great together; they are the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups of the wine world. But what happens when you do separate them? Is Merlot the weakling it has been made out to be? Is Cabernet Sauvignon the powerhouse it makes itself out to be? Do they work better apart? Would the world be a better place if these two called up a divorce lawyer and split their assets? The original reason to co-mingle the two was to augment the other, “combat” vintage variation and promote wine consistency. It’s the Bordeaux equivalent to non-vintage Champagne, but instead of hiding variation, it is celebrated. That makes this a good place to start, by taking the Bordeaux example. Sure they could bottle each separately, but in weak vintages Merlot (an earlier ripening grape) bolsters Cabernet Sauvignon (a late ripener), while in a strong vintage Merlot can soften its more robust bottle-mate. So where does that leave us? Are these two grapes the Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton of the wine world — star-crossed lovers who wish to be together but are better apart, or are they more like Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell, unmarried, free to see whomever they wish, but seemingly destined to be together forever.
Let’s take a look at the many faces of these two grapes … then I recommend going out and trying your favourite blend starring these two. See what you think.
Huff Estates’ Frederic Picard
THE JUICY VERSIONS
It used to be that Merlot was the juicy one and Cabernet the more serious, brooding type — that’s what made these two such wonderful opposites to pair together, but in today’s wine world it can be hard to tell them apart:
BLACK SAGE VINEYARD MERLOT 2012, BRITISH COLUMBIA ($22.95) Juicy fruit, mostly red, with vanilla, mocha cherry, gentle spice, and blueberry skin like tannins; this is really enjoyable, and above all, it’s that juicy fruit that keeps you coming back for more. NOVEMBER 2015 × QUENCH.ME × 27
JACKSON-TRIGGS GRAND RESERVE MERLOT 2012, ONTARIO ($24.95) Seductively enticing wine with aromas that seduce from the get-go: sweet blue and red berry, and a palate with juicy red berries, raspberry and cherry all balanced by acidity to keep everything focused.
WINES OF SUBSTANCE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2013, WASHINGTON ($24.95) This one from Charles Smith is a rich, juicy and yes, substantive Cab with generous fruit, chocolate, vanilla, layers of dark and red fruit, and herbs; a real beauty.
LAPOSTOLLE CUVÉE ALEXANDRE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2012, CHILE ($24.95) Rich, juicy, black cherry and cassis with touch of sweet cedar … you can almost feel the juices dripping down your chin. Bring a napkin.
NAPA CELLARS MERLOT 2012, CALIFORNIA ($23.95) Exactly what you picture in your head when I say California Merlot; juicy blue and black berries with just the right hint of smoke.
CATENA CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2013, ARGENTINA ($19.95) Here’s another juicy Cabernet with raspberry, cherry, touches of white pepper and mocha ... very well balanced, ready to drink or it can be cellared; but why waste all the juiciness of fruit it has now?
Steve Lohr
THE FRUITY VERSIONS
Yes, both grapes contain fruit; Merlot is more on the red and blue side while the Cabernet is traditionally a black fruit monster. But even those lines can be blurred these days depending on where the grapes are grown and where the wine is made:
WAKEFIELD THE VISIONARY CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2009, AUSTRALIA ($150) Juan Muñoz-Oca from Columbia Crest
Fruit forward with big raspberry, cassis and blueberry with nicely integrated oak — a real silky smooth offering from Down Under.
J. LOHR LOS OSOS MERLOT 2013, CALIFORNIA ($20.95) Blueberry, red cherry, mocha and finishes gentle with the spice; another wine that screams Cali Merlot, but on a different level than the previous one.
SBRAGIA FAMILY VINEYARDS HOME RANCH MERLOT 2012, CALIFORNIA ($44.95) Smooth and supple with lots of blueberry, blackberry and mocha, kicks it up with spice on the finish; but in here, it is the fruit that truly shines.
THIRTY BENCH SMALL LOT MERLOT 2012, ONTARIO ($45) Aromas of blueberry, cassis and black cherry lead to a mocha-blueberry palate showing fine tannins, pleasant raspberry on the finish and a little tightness but great fruity days lie ahead.
REIF ESTATE RESERVE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2012, ONTARIO ($29.95) Nose follows taste and vice versa: rich plum, cherry and chocolate accost both senses with no let-up in sight, mouthfeel is seemingly thick and with sweet richness that makes me think appassimento style, but it’s just the right side of jammy fruit. 28 × @QUENCH_MAG × MAV WINE AND SPIRITS AWARDS 2015
VIÑA TARAPACÁ GRAN RESERVA CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2012, CHILE ($17.95)
HUFF ESTATES SOUTH BAY UNFILTERED MERLOT 2012, ONTARIO
Minty blackberry and black cherry with cassis and chocolate; all that rich fruit is nicely balanced.
This one is really meaty with cassis, blueberry and wood smoke; tannins are a little raw at the moment but are tameable with air or time. The finish is long with smoky-dark fruit.
THE OAKY VERSIONS
CHATEAU STE. MICHELLE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2012, WASHINGTON ($19.95)
Once again the lines between these two are so close together that even when oak is added, they seem almost to mirror each other. Once upon a time, it was the Cabernet that was long oaked and the Merlot you wanted to keep fresh and fruity, and thus limited barrel contact, but times have changed:
AIRFIELD ESTATES RUNWAY MERLOT 2012, WASHINGTON ($24.95) A little leaner than the other Washington Merlot, showing off a more herbal character, but still with lovely fruit and touches of oak on the finish.
Mocha, blackberry, black cherry and liquorice with recurring mocha that slips in and out constantly from one sip to the next; lovely linger on the palate with balanced acidity and smoky notes.
CHÂTEAU TANUNDA GRAND BAROSSA CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2012, AUSTRALIA ($23.95) The flavour and smells of this wine show off the barrel influence; smoky, black cherry, coffee/latte, silky smooth, black tea; thick and flavourful.
SOUTHBROOK TRIOMPHE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2012, ONTARIO ($22.95)
COLUMBIA CREST GRAND ESTATES MERLOT 2012, WASHINGTON ($17.95) A good value Merlot that straddles the line between the juicy and fruity with blueberry, mocha and a long finish; ultimately, it’s the oak-derived spices that win out.
The nose has the pure allure of cassis, chocolate, raspberry and damson plum; the palate is the hook with super concentrated, rich, almost jammy flavours and a touch of herbal on the finish with real staying power. ×
Armagnac ~ From the Land of The Three Musketeers. Bold & Rich. Armagnac de Montal VSOP LCBO 618496
wo
rt
h
fi
g ht
in or g f www.de-montal.com
NOVEMBER 2015 × QUENCH.ME × 29
THE by Evangelos (Evan) Saviolidis
PARIS SIGALAS
DRIVING FORC There are a trio of reasons why I am a Santorini white wine lover. First, I am an acid junkie; second, I am a mineral junkie; third, and most importantly, I am Greek.
30 × @QUENCH_MAG × MAV WINE AND SPIRITS AWARDS 2015
G CE
ARTEMIS KARAMOLEGOS
Most people know Santorini as the island with the crazy nightlife, cliffside hotels and restaurants, and a bucket list sunset. It has become so popular that, during tourist season, its population swells from 15,000 to 1.5 million. That said, the island is no longer a one-trick pony when it comes to raking in the euros. Today, the new cash explosion comes from the vine, specifically the Assyrtiko grape, which accounts for 95 percent of the island’s grape terrain. Its hallmark is copious amounts of acid, minerals and body; in fact, Assyrtiko-based wines contain enough extract and power that they pair not only with seafood, but also with heavier meats such as pork and veal. You may think that the Santorini sun has affected my judgment in this matter, but don’t knock it before you try it. It is this same strength that helps to define the island’s signature dessert wine — Vinsanto. After grapes are harvested, they are left to raisin under the Mediterranean sun for eight to 12 days. Once dried, tiny droplets of hyper-concentrated nectar are collected and a slow fermentation starts. The resulting nectar is a brilliant balance between richness and briskness, with the best versions able to age for decades. The only real downside to the grape is its natural propensity for low yields, which may be good for quality but translates to less revenue. Santorini has become so popular that it is now the tip of the spear for the Greek wine industry. Sommeliers, globally, have gravitated to it, and many regions and producers are riding Santorini’s star power, when doing trade events, as a means to elevate their own stature. Needless to say, Greek wine sales are one of the few bright stars in a moribund Hellenic economy.
ANCIENT HISTORY
Give or take a century, the island of Santorini has approximately 3,500 years of grape-growing history. The defining factor that influenced its terroir was a volcanic explosion, circa 1650 BC. It collapsed the middle of the island into the sea, creating the now famous caldera (and its fabulous views) and giving rise to the myth of the lost city of Atlantis. The volcanic ash and
lava that encapsulated the island destroyed all organic vegetation and left a permanent terrain, which resembles a pebbled moonscape. With a terrain of volcanic rock and a Mediterranean climate, it may be hard to believe that any form of agriculture can grow on the island. But, in fact, capers, sweet baby tomatoes, fava beans, split peas, white eggplant and, of course, the vine, all thrive here. How does this happen? It is all about seawater. Strong breezes are always present on the island. This wind drives the nightly fog over the porous vineyards, which in turn gives the gift of life. The same seawater is also said to give a singular saline quality to the wines. It is also because of the high winds that the unique basket/crown vines are the method of viticulture. Being that the terrain is full of sand and small rocks, necessity requires that the grape clusters be protected within the braided crown. If not, the shoots and grapes would be tattered by the high-speed projectile pebbles, as well as sunburnt. It should also be noted that because there is no phylloxera or other parasites, all vines are planted on their own roots, some of which are now 500 years old.
MODERN TIMES
Starting in the early 1700s, the many families that owned vineyards built Canavas (caves) so they could produce and sell wine to the locals. Needless to say, they became very popular with the neighbours. Those wines were high in alcohol and maderized/oxidized due to the grapes being picked at the point of desiccation and fermented at Mediterranean temperatures. This de rigueur style lasted until the 1980s when Boutari, a goliath of Greek wine, introduced the concept of early harvesting and temperature-controlled stainless steel fermentation. This helped to preserve the freshness and purity of the wines, ushering in a style that was soon emulated by all producers. If Boutari is the one who introduced this modern style, it is fair to say that the guardian of island viticulture is Santo, the island co-op. With over 1,000 members, their task is to preserve and advance the island’s terroir. Realizing that they have NOVEMBER 2015 × QUENCH.ME × 31
92 SANTO WINES SANTORINI ASSYRTIKO GRAND RESERVE 2012 ($30) I have the highest respect for this co-op, which represents close to 1,000 growers, as it always turns out bang-for-the-buck wines. But now they have taken it to the next level with the introduction of this beauty, which blew me away! From 100-yearold vines and aged in partial new oak, it features a golden colour and a huge bouquet of toast, peach, bay leaf, honey, golden apple, spice, resin and white flowers. The same flows over onto the taste buds where Assyrtiko’s telltale crystalline/saline acidity carries the long finale. A wild ride in the best possible sense!
92 HATZIDAKIS SANTORINI ASSYRTIKO DE MYLOS OLD VINES 2014 ($60)
91 HATZIDAKIS MAVROTRAGANO 2013 ($50) Mavrrotragano, an indigenous red of the island, only accounts for 2% of all plantings. Regardless, it is a high-quality varietal, and growers are starting to plant more. This intense rendition pumps out the dark cherry, raspberry liqueur, plum, tobacco, spice, cocoa and graphite. Concentrated and long, it will age well for 5 to 6 years. A must try!
90 ASSYRTIKO BY GAIA WILD FERMENT 2014 ($29.95) Partially fermented in new French and American oak via natural yeasts, this brilliant white doles out aromas of toast, smoky minerals, cream, apple, flowers, apricot and peach. The palate contributes spice and saline acidity. Roast pork or salmon was made for this wine.
This single vineyard Assyrtiko spent 12 hours on its skins to give more depth before fermentation started via natural yeasts. Full bodied, it exudes yeast, golden apple, ripe peach, lemon, pineapple, toast and spice. An extended finale and thick texture make for a wine that will work with steak or lamb.
89 ARGYROS ATLANTIS WHITE ($18.95)
92 KARAMOLEGOS WINERY VINSANTO 2006 ($35)
89 GAIA THALASSITIS SANTORINI ($27.75)
Simply put, this is a brilliant stickie! The dark amber colour heralds the bergamot, black tea, mint, raisins, orange marmalade and dried prunes. The 252 grams of sugar is held in check by the fresh acidity. There is one heck of a long finish, which allows for drinking by itself at the end of the meal or with baklava.
91 ARGYROS ASSYRTIKO SANTORINI 2014 ($21.95) From one of my favourite producers comes this pristine white with telltale aromas of white peach, citrus, salty rock and honey. The same carries over onto the concentrated palate and is joined by brisk acidity, which puts everything into proportion. It is still tightly wound, so hold for a couple of years and then drink until 2022.
91 DOMAINE SIGALAS SANTORINI 2014 ($24.95) Without a doubt, Paris Sigalas is a master of Assyrtiko. I had the opportunity to do a mini vertical of this wine (going back to 2008) while visiting the winery this past summer. All wines were impressive, especially the 2008, which reminded me of a salty Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru. The current offering is still tightly wound, but at this early stage, there is peach, mint, minerals, apples and citrus, all built on a full-bodied frame. Assyrtiko’s intense acid will ensure great longevity. Hold for at least 2 years before opening and then drink until 2024. 32 × @QUENCH_MAG × MAV WINE AND SPIRITS AWARDS 2015
This perennial bang for the buck Santorini wine is a blend of 90% Assyrtiko, 5% Aidani and 5% Athiri. It doles out peach, honey, herbs, pear, mineral and floral notes. Elegant, the flavours echo long, with crisp acidity giving lift.
Made from 80-year-old vines, this aromatic rendition exudes minerals, apple, lemon, white flowers and pear. Tangy with great length. Drink over the next 5 years. Pair with a simple grilled fish drizzled with olive oil and fresh oregano.
89 DOMAINE SIGALAS MAVROTRAGANO 2013 ($50) 3 different pickings ensured a natural alcohol of 14.5%. The cocoa, smoke and spice from new French oak aging has meshed with the dark plum, sweet cherry, violets and earthy qualities of the Mavrotragano grape. Full bodied, there is excellent length and enough tannin to age for 8 years.
89 KARAMOLEGOS WINERY NYKTERI 2014 ($20) Nykteri means ‘night-work’ and references the fact that the grapes were harvested and crushed in the evening so as to avoid excessive temperatures and ensure freshness. Karamolegos’s rendition was aged in new oak for 3 months and serves up a bouquet of peach, bergamot, lemon, vanilla and mineral. The palate is expansive with creamy notes adding extra depth. Splendid length.
88 BOUTARI SANTORINI ($16.95) A straight up, well made Assyrtiko with a perfume of peach, honey, apricot, bay leaf and lemon. The palate adds touches of white pepper, grapefruit and green elements. There is very good length and it is ready to drink.
something special, and taking a chapter out of the New World winery experience, they opened the current winery in 1992, on the cliffs of Pyrgos. Without hyperbole, it is one of the most impressive wineries you will ever visit. Here you will encounter superb hospitality, magnificent tasting flights and food pairings with other island offerings such as baby tomatoes, capers and fava, all while enjoying the breathtaking view of the caldera from the massive terrace. The profitability of ecotourism has not been lost on other producers. Argyros and Sigalas, two of my favourites, have small but friendly tourist shops; Koutsoyannopoulos has created a wine museum that illustrates the history of island winemaking; and Karamolegos is the only winery with a restaurant, Aroma Avlis. The chef hybridizes traditional and modern foods and techniques to create stellar dishes served by a friendly and knowledgeable team.
CHALLENGES
Santorini has become a victim of its own beauty. While visiting the island in early summer, I had the chance to talk to many restaurant and hotel owners. They told me that for the first time ever, they had run out of local wine for the tourists. Surprised, I decided to ask a few wineries why. Their oversimplified response was that in the past two years, tourism has increased 25 percent and exports 30 percent. But for the real answer, one has to go back about 50 years. In the 1960s, when foreigners started to arrive en masse, many landowners gave up their grape heritage and began to build accommodations and restaurants
for quick and easy cash. Even worse, when the Santorini airport was constructed in 1972, over 20,000 square meters of vines were grubbed up. So, when Assyrtiko’s star started to ascend a decade ago, most growers/producers were caught short-handed, and today they’re still playing catch up. However, during this mad scramble to meet demand, European law has reared its ugly head. Brussels only allows for a one percent vineyard expansion per year for any given wine region. So, the producers/ growers of Santorini are now petitioning the powers-that-be to allow the acreage that was converted to landing rights to be planted elsewhere on the island. The general feeling is that this will come to pass … one day. Also, a petition to UNESCO to stop urban development is in the works, so as to protect the singular vines of the island. As a way to attenuate shortage, many producers have increased their prices, which are still insanely cheap, especially for the quality of the wines. Currently, the price per kilo of Assyrtiko is hovering around two euros — the highest for any Greek grape. Considering that the breakeven point for a finished bottle of wine is 4 euros and that most Santorini retails between 18 and 25 dollars, it only makes sense that prices continue to gravitate upwards. I also had the opportunity to sit down with Steve Kriaris, president of Kolonaki Group, Canada’s largest importer of Greek wines, to get his point of view. According to Kriaris, “the size of the Santorini market in North America will double in the next five years — if not triple! Everyone from hotels to high-end restaurants keeps buying Santorini wines. As imports go, Santorini wines have increased by 20 percent plus year over year for the last five years and overall pricing has increased 25 percent in the same time frame. I also foresee prices continuing to rise for three reasons — the cost of grapes, the popularity of the region and suppliers taking advantage of this trend.” I then asked if he felt that the price bubble would burst. His response: “not yet, but the truth is that the markets are almost at their limits. The suppliers just don’t realize that yet. It’s the learning curve that is about to happen.” Hopefully, it won’t be too much of a learning curve because Santorini and Greece deserve a better sunrise. ×
• custom design & build • Premier Cru kit racks • wine coolers & accessories • established 1995
your wine deserves the very best home 416.285.6604 RosehillWineCellars.com NOVEMBER 2015 × QUENCH.ME × 33
MAV WINE AND SPIRITS AWARDS Every year the editors of Quench choose the best assemblages, single varietal, beer and spirits from around the world. Tasters are Rick VanSickle, Tod Stewart, Silvana Lau, Sean Wood, Ron Liteplo and Tim Pawsey.
WHITE
LAGARIA CHARDONNAY VIGNETI DELLA DOLOMITI 2013, TRENTINO, ITALY ($14)
A great value Chardonnay that took me a bit by surprise. Some northern Italian Chardonnays can come off a bit like Pinot Grigio (which can come off a bit like tap water). Not this one. Vibrant white flower, almond and nougat aromas lead to a surprisingly full palate with some tropical fruit and mineral notes. Nice label, too! (SL)
WARWICK ESTATE THE FIRST LADY UNOAKED CHARDONNAY 2012, SOUTH AFRICA ($14.67)
Clear, medium-deep lemon-zest yellow. Somewhat reticent nose of Granny Smith apple and apricot. On the palate it is indeed lady-like: fruity but dignified and well balanced, tasting of peaches and melon with lemony acidity. The second glass stays interesting despite the absence of oak. I enjoyed this accompanied by a simple grilled Camembert sandwich with crudités. (RL)*
FREI BROTHERS CHARDONNAY RESERVE 2013 ($24)
This Russian River Chardonnay pushes all the yum buttons without being soft or gloopy. Warm baked apple and baking spices hit you up front, along with more typical aromas of melted butter and vanilla bean. Rich and full, with a creamy/silky mouthfeel and a toasty, slightly spicy finish that sings of apple compote and pear drops. (SL)
BLACK HILLS ALIBI 2013, OKANAGAN ($25) A classic blend of 75% Sauvignon Blanc and the rest barrel-fermented Sémillon. It has an elegant nose of grapefruit, grilled pineapple, citrus and baked apple with lightly toasted spices. It has wonderful mouthfeel with rich flavours on the palate that are bolstered by oak-derived spice notes. (RV) 34 × @QUENCH_MAG × MAV WINE AND SPIRITS AWARDS 2015
SINGLE MALT HIGHLAND PARK THOR 16 YEAR OLD SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY ($250/700 ML)
The first in Highland Park’s Valhalla Collection, a four-expression limited release line of single malts commemorating the Norse influence on Scotland’s Orkney islands. Each whisky takes its cue from the characteristics of the Norse God namesake. No surprise, then, that Highland Park Thor, bottled at 51.2% AVB, offers up some pretty powerful aromatics, with smoke, spice, toasted walnut, cocoa, sultana, lemon and a bare whiff of wood polish. Big and brawny, with flavours leaning toward baking spice, dark chocolate, vanilla and dark berry. The finish is intense, spicy and, well, thunderous. (TS)
NIKKA WHISKY SINGLE MALT YOICHI 12 YEAR OLD ($130)
Japanese malts are appearing on the radar screens of whisky aficionados with increasing frequency because of their complexity and high quality. This one, from the Yoichi distillery in the northern tip of the county (at the same latitude as Toronto, in fact), is no exception. Part of what makes this dram unique is the direct heating of the stills using finely powdered natural coal — a traditional method rarely practiced anywhere today. Complex and fragrant, with peat smoke, heather and buckwheat honey notes that reappear on the palate, combined with an ultra-long, silky smooth finish. (TS)
SPIRITS EL DORADO 3 YEAR OLD DEMERARA RUM ($26) The latest addition (at least in Ontario) to the excellent (and growing) line of Guyanese El Dorado rums. Oak aged for 3 years in ex-bourbon casks to mellow it out, then charcoal-filtered to render it colourless … but certainly not flavourless. Hints of vanilla, tropical/citrus fruit, coconut, cocoa and nutmeg. Very supple and smooth on the palate with traces of chocolate, caramel, vanilla and spice. A great mixing rum, but not too shabby neat, either. (TS)
ESPOLÓN REPOSADO TEQUILA ($45)
Freshly cooked agave on the nose with whispers of toffee, cinnamon, some citrus, wet slate and mown hay. Vanilla, citrus, pepper, wild herbs, mineral and some smoky/charred wood notes. A versatile tequila that would mix well, but can be enjoyed neat. A blanco version is also available. Funky “Día de los Muertos” label! (TS)
PARCE 8 YEAR OLD STRAIGHT COLOMBIAN RUM ($40)
South American rums are giving those from the nearby islands a run (rum?) for their money. Parce’s father-and-son blending team’s lineage traces back to the legendary Spanish house of Domecq. Sugarcane is sourced from both local and island fields, sorted for quality in Panama where it is distilled and aged, then shipped to Colombia for aging and final blending. The result is a rich, fruitcake and caramel-laden spirit that’s ultra smooth, warm and laced with flavours of dried fruit, toasted nut and caramel. (TS)
BEER
TATAMAGOUCHE BREWING CO HIPPIE DIPPY PALE ALE, NOVA SCOTIA ($4/473 ML)
Organic and unfiltered, this is a well-balanced Pale Ale with citrus, floral, malty and spicy aromas. Some citrus notes show up on the palate with nutty light bitterness on the finish. Easy-drinking style with some character. (SW)
DEL MAGUEY VIDA MEZCAL ($80)
If there was any doubt, Del Maguey’s range of single village mezcals proves — in a rather dramatic way — that the Mexican agave-based spirit that typically plays second fiddle to tequila can be every bit as complex and nuanced as its more famous brother. Perhaps even more so at times. Mezcals tend to have a distinctive smoky quality, the result of the agave piñas being cooked for several days in an underground, covered pit lined with volcanic rocks. Certified organic and bottled at 42% ABV, Del Maguey Vida offers up a mélange of intricate aromas including smoky blackberry nuances, white pepper and exotic flowers. Intense flavours of lavender, jalapeño and dark fruit, with a subtle undercurrent reminiscent of Thrills chewing gum (if anyone is old enough to remember that stuff ). (TS)
SPARKLING BENJAMIN BRIDGE BRUT 2008, NOVA SCOTIA ($45)
Made in the Methode Classique style, it’s a blend of Old World Pinot Noir and Chardonnay with New World (Nova Scotia) L’Acadie and Seyval with a brilliant nose of lemon chiffon, peach and saline minerality that is piercing and inviting. It shows a gentle mousse on the palate with a ripe citrus, peach tart and mineral attack that adds subtle spice through a long and vibrant finish. (RV)
NOVEMBER 2015 × QUENCH.ME × 35
RED
BODEGAS BERONIA TEMPRANILLO ELABORACION ESPECIAL 2012, RIOJA, SPAIN ($20)
Lovely sandalwood, vanilla bean, nutmeg, smoky plum and bright black cherry waft from the glass. On the palate, it’s super smooth and silky … sexy, even, with layers of baking spice, cedar, vanilla custard and sweet chocolate cherry. Textbook modern Rioja. No bull! (SL)
FRANCISCAN ESTATE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2012 ($30)
I recently wrote about the pleasures of “lighter” wines … but sometimes you just want a big, fat mouthful of chewy, juicy red — the carbohydrate of the wine world! This black cherry/plum/currant perfumed Lotus Land Cab also dishes out violet, cedar, nutmeg, and new leather aromas. In the mouth, some toasty/spicy oak notes combine with the lush black fruit flavour. The good news is that everything hangs together beautifully. (SL)
SANTA ALICIA CARMENÈRE RESERVA 2013 ($13) Wow! Some serious value here for those looking for big statements without a big price tag. Loads of ripe cherry, blueberry, coffee, vanilla, mild smoke and tobacco leaf, on both the nose and the palate. Rich and supple, but with remarkable structure and balance. And for the last time (I hope); Carmenère is not Merlot! (SL)
AVERILL CREEK FOCH EH 2014, VANCOUVER ISLAND ($24) A fun approach to much maligned Marechal Foch yields lively upfront red fruit berries on the nose before an approachable light- to medium-bodied, quite fruit driven palate with a slightly herbal rather than foxy edge, with just a touch of tannin. Like many a lighter red, a few minutes in the chiller makes all the difference. (TP)
36 × @QUENCH_MAG × MAV WINE AND SPIRITS AWARDS 2015
STANDOUTS STAG’S HOLLOW VIOGNIER/MARSANNE KILN HOUSE VINEYARD 2013, OKANAGAN ($25) This is made in the “orange” wine style with skin contact, co-fermentation, low sulphur, wild fermentation, unfined and unfiltered. Such a powerful nose of lemon, peach, citrus, spice and marmalade. The look of the wine might throw you for a loop with its burnt orange colour and slight cloudy appearance but it’s a knockout on the palate with peach purée, lemon rind, ginger, papaya and evident tannins. Wow. (RV)
SOUTIRAN CUVÉE SIGNATURE BRUT GRAND CRU NV, CHAMPAGNE, FRANCE ($60)
Not too long ago, I had an amazing opportunity to sample seven “boutique” champagnes at Toronto’s swanky Boulevard Club (and had a great dinner to boot). All were terrific, including this Soutiran Cuvée Signature. Great complexity on the nose, with those toasty/biscuit aromas that denote a great (to my palate) sparkler, along with some ripe apple and lemon zest. Beautifully balanced, with a creamy mousse, toasty, lemony flavours and a gorgeously long finish. Lovely stuff. (SL)
CHURCHILL GRAHAM 10 YEARS OLD TAWNY, BOTTLED 2013, PORTUGAL ($27.67)
Clear, medium-deep crimson. Complex aromas of caramel, orange marmalade, apricot and nuts. Very full-bodied with a velvety mouthfeel. Cherry, plum and mocha flavours lead to a long, warm finish. Drink now. (RL)*
BROKER’S LONDON DRY GIN ($28) 10 natural botanicals combine to deliver a very fresh, clean and balanced gin. Top notes of juniper, pine needle, citrus, cardamom, sandalwood and anise segue to a very crisp and elegant style with flavours of fresh herbs, citrus and some peppery spice on the finish. Try in a Winston Churchill Martini (4 oz Broker’s Gin shaken over ice while looking at a vermouth bottle; garnish with an olive or lemon twist). (TS)
THE WORLD IN ONE BIG BITE! by Silvana Lau
When it comes to the great cuisines of Europe, most of us zero in on the big three: France, Spain and Italy. The sauces of France, the tapas of Spain and the al dente pasta of Italia all waft through our gastronomic dreams. Of course, there’s way more to European cuisine than béchamel, bocadillos and bucatini. France, Spain and Italy aren’t the only countries on the continent that learned to cook. NOVEMBER 2015 × QUENCH.ME × 37
Consider Portugal. Often overlooked, forgotten and left to itself in its little corner of Southwestern Europe, Portugal has a rich gastronomic tradition. Yet despite sharing the Iberian Peninsula with a country known to be one of the greatest gastronomic destinations in the world, Portuguese fare often gets overshadowed by its much more famous neighbour, Spain. Which is a shame considering Portugal’s contribution to the culinary world is immense.
In the 15th century, during the Age of Discovery, Portuguese explorers took to the sea in search of new lands. They sailed down to, and around, the African coast in pursuit of black pepper, gold and the riches of the Far East. It wasn’t long before Portugal had staked claims from Macau in China to Goa in India, to Brazil in South America, to Mozambique and other African nations. The discovery of these new lands dramatically affected cooking in Portugal (and around the world, for that matter). According to internationally acclaimed restaurateur Albino Silva of Toronto’s highly renowned “progressive” Portuguese restaurants, Chiado and Adega, “Portugal didn’t really colonize, they integrated. The explorers sailed the world, lived in other countries and married natives. This assimilation allowed the Portuguese to have more influence since they were already intertwined with the locals there,” he explains. These same voyagers brought exotic fruits, nuts and plants from the new lands back to Portugal. One of those — the tomato — became an essential ingredient in sauces and stews. Over the centuries, Portuguese travellers also left delectable souvenirs wherever they travelled. They introduced chilies to India, and tempura-style frying to Japan. Brazilian peppers and cashews landed in Africa. African coffee bushes were transplanted to Brazil (today the world’s largest coffee producer). In a way, the early Portuguese “food pollinated” the globe. When the Portuguese overtook the spice trade from the Moors and Venetian merchants, Spain and other European countries had greater access to these coveted exotic condiments (including black pepper, saffron, nutmeg and paprika). As spices became more readily available, regional recipes in the Mediterranean started intertwining and resembling each other. But if there’s one spice that discerns Portuguese cuisine from that of its neighbours, it’s the piri piri African Bird’s Eye Chili Pepper. Also known as “pepper pepper” in Swahili, it is the signature ingredient in gambas a Mozambique, a spicy prawn dish invented by the Portuguese and Africans There is a debate on how the piri piri pepper came to Portugal. Some believe the pepper was brought back on Christopher Columbus’ voyage to the Americas. Others are convinced that the Portuguese took the chili to the colonies of Mozambique and 38 × @QUENCH_MAG × MAV WINE AND SPIRITS AWARDS 2015
Angola, where it naturally cross-pollinated after being given a Swahili christening. Eventually, the pepper made its way back to Portugal. Whatever side of the debate you choose to believe, piri piri is a marriage between Portuguese colonization and African social culture. Silva confirms, adding that, “piri-piri chicken is part of Portuguese cuisine, but it doesn’t represent it. It is a very popular dish in North America, but in Portugal we don’t eat it that much. It is a regional speciality in the town of Guia, in Central Algarve.” This would explain why I had a difficult time finding this “popular” Portuguese speciality on my last visit to Lisbon. Precise origins aside, the worldwide popularity of this dish can probably be attributed to Nando’s Restaurant. Operating in over 30 countries, the South African chain of Portuguese-style chicken proclaims itself to be “home to the legendary peri-peri flamed-grilled chicken (African Romanization)”. It’s somewhat ironic that Nando’s doesn’t even operate in Portugal, considering it specializes in what is, apparently, the “legendary” dish of that country. In any case, when prepared traditionally in Portugal, frango piri piri is far from KFC (or Nando’s, for that matter). A butterflied chicken is marinated in a traditional concoction of olive oil, white wine, garlic, bay leaf, lemon juice, piri piri chili peppers and paprika. The bird is then cooked on a rotating spit over a flaming hot coal pit. Yes, even Colonel Sander’s would agree that this bird is finger lickin’ good! In spite of its popularity, you don’t go to Portugal for the frango (unless, of course, you are in the Algarve). Instead, you go for the myriad dishes that combine the finest native ingredients with the flavours and techniques borrowed from the countries she sought out in antiquity. This is a country where the people have a love affair with seafood, from just about everything that swims in the sea, down to simple canned sardines. It’s the place where there are 365 ways to cook salted cod (bacalhau), one for each day of the year. Silva explains, “Portuguese food is just simple ingredients that are impeccably prepared. There are many regional specialities across the country emphasizing fish, meat, olive oil, tomato and spices. Unfortunately, Portuguese vendors don’t take advantage of its rich heritage in classic and traditional foods. They need to
promote and market products from the regions and put them in the limelight so they can become recognized throughout the world. They need to market and position other Portuguese dishes the same way they promote the typical specialities like piri piri chicken, bacalhau and port.” Silva is right. There is much more for your taste buds to discover than the (stereo)typical dishes. It’s time to put the country that made many delicious contributions to the world back into the culinary limelight. Get out of that “culinary tunnel-vision” and discover the more overlooked dishes on Portuguese menus. Now is the time to uncover those unique dishes that are loved by the locals but largely off the global culinary radar. Spicy, tangy, and savoury, the following dishes will awaken your senses, activate your salivary glands and whet your appetite. Read on …
meat (they used poultry and game instead). These sausages were then hung in their windows masquerading as pork. No matter what religion you are, you won’t be able to resist eating a fried alheira served with fries and a fried egg. Sinfully delicious!
FRANCESINHA
Porto isn’t just the home of port wine; it’s also where the francesinha or “little Frenchie” was born. This is the Portuguese version of the French croque-monsieur gone wild! A glorified ham and cheese sandwich, it was invented by an emigrant from France and Belgium who tried to adapt the croque-monsieur to Portuguese tastes. Between two extra-thick slices of heavy rustic peasant bread lie slices of steak, ham and sausage, all topped with melted cheese and drenched in a hot, thick tomato and beer gravy and served with French fries. Not for the faint of heart! Feast on this sammy with a pint of beer, and a glass of port nearby.
CALDO VERDE
Step aside bacalhau, this “green soup” is considered by many to be Portugal’s national dish. Originating from the northwest part of the country, in the former Minho province, caldo verde can be found everywhere in the country. From the dining rooms of upscale restaurants to the humble kitchens of the Portuguese avó or grandma. “Caldo verde is to Portugal as French onion soup is to France. It is a poor man’s soup that is made everywhere. The simplicity is beautiful,” explains Silva. And it is simple. As simple as five ingredients: garlic, onions, potatoes, water, couve gallego (a type of kale) and garnished with a slice of cooked chouriço. This heart-warming soup begins with a very light onion-and-garlic-infused potato broth. The kale leaves must be sliced into thin strips for it to be a traditional caldo verde, as this is what provides the texture and colour to the soup. The leaves are then blanched, so they are bright green. Prior to serving, the kale is added to the soup with a drizzle of Portuguese olive oil. A slice of cooked linguica (smoked pork sausage) adds a bit of heartiness to this light yet satisfying soup.
ALHEIRA DE MIRANDELA
The king of smoked Portuguese sausage derives its name from the Portuguese word alho, meaning “garlic.” The origin of this sausage dates back to the end of the 15th century, during the Portuguese Inquisition, when the Jews of Portugal were forced to convert to Christianity. Since Jews were easily detected for not eating and producing cured pork sausages, Jewish butchers created a clever cover: a sausage that didn’t include the “forbidden”
Portuguese cuisine is more than bacalhau
AÇORDA ALENTEJANA
Soup again? Yes, but soup is taken very seriously in Portugal. Also, where there’s sopa, there is usually bread. The açorda dates back to the days when the Moors occupied the Iberian Peninsula. The medieval Arabs had imaginative uses for stale bread. This comfort food is a simple soup of rehydrated stale bread gussied up with whatever strong flavours can be found in the kitchen; typically, this includes a combination of garlic, oil, water and eggs. Bread, the major component in the dish, absorbs much of the liquid, creating a “dry” soup. It is then lifted above the ordinary by the addition of cilantro (also a Moorish influence). Most popular in the Alentejo region, there are many local variations of açorda. In some, broth is poured over large pieces of stale bread, keeping the bread whole and soggy. In others, the bread is cooked down to a creamy porridge-like consistency. Some versions use a fragrant fish broth, while others like Silva’s Chiado Restaurant, dress up the dish with monkfish, lobster, shrimp and clams. With fresh seafood flown in from the Azores Islands several times a week, Chiado’s seafood açorda, or açorda de mariscos, is as authentic as it gets on this side of the Atlantic! Soulful Fado music is optional. Portuguese food may not have the same high profile as some of the more recognized European hotshots. But who cares? The world is indebted to the Portuguese for the culinary trail they left behind. Menus across the globe would be boring without the spices and foods introduced by the colonial explorers. Portuguese cooking is much more than a melting pot of cultures, spices and techniques. It is a cuisine that is inspired by fusion, flavour and history. Dig into Portuguese fare and taste the world in one big bite! × NOVEMBER 2015 × QUENCH.ME × 39
FIRST AND FOREMOST by Tim Pawsey
Earlier this year, Australia’s First Families of Wine (AFFW) returned to Canada for their second cross-country tour. Anybody who attended the various events presented by this “dream team” of iconic wineries was once again well rewarded. It’s apparent that this group of pedigree wineries commands a significant audience. It occurred to me to go looking for the reasons why. And, as it turns out, there are several.
40 × @QUENCH_MAG × MAV WINE AND SPIRITS AWARDS 2015
First of all, the somewhat intangible. My guess is that the Aussies enjoy a somewhat special relationship with Canadians, that, in a way, is not unlike the one we have with the Kiwis or the South Africans. (And it has only just a little bit to do with rugby!) Even though the British Commonwealth may not still hold the same sway it once did, those ties still endure. Perhaps more to the point, in Australia’s case in particular, they also very much helped shaped our own early wine culture. Back in the not too distant past, in a time when the wine was still ruled by insufferable snobbery and elitism, it was the Australians who engineered the most significant steps towards change. They as much as anybody introduced us all to the “New World” of wine, both geographically and culturally. It was the Aussies (yes, along with the Californians) who led the charge that presented wine in ways that were more consumer friendly and much easier to understand, starting with varietal labelling. Somewhere along the way, Australia tripped over its own success, commencing with the onslaught of the “critter labels.” That phenomenon (which still hasn’t entirely faded) spawned monolithic Yellow Tail, a brand which — whether you like it or not — has had more impact on wine culture than any other drink product in modern times. In a way, the advent of Yellow Tail (or something akin) was almost inevitable. After all, it was the Australians who for years proclaimed themselves, rightly so, as true masters of the blend, often trucking tanks of wine across vast distances to make wines that were often as not almost indistinguishable from vintage to vintage and usually, if not always, consumer friendly.
Robert Hill-Smith, the AFFW Chair, epitomizes the drive Yalumba’s founder Samuel Smith (pictured opposite) had in creating an industry
Alister Purbrick at the head of Tahbilk in Victoria
The Yellow Tail, two-edged sword juggernaut, which arrived in 2000, merely confirmed what everyone already knew. That there was really only one red wine in the world that legions of consumers were drinking. And that was Australian Shiraz. As the numbers climbed ever upwards, the industry geared up to kept pace. Between 1995 and 2005, plantings in Australia doubled again — they’d already doubled between 1985 and 1995; grape yields rose almost 30 percent; and overall tonnage more than tripled. (Source: The Wine Economist). Faced with a double whammy of the economic down turn and ballooning oversupply, the Australian industry took stock, refocusing on promoting Australia’s regions and differences. It was against this backdrop that Australia’s First Families of Wine came into being, in 2009. The group was concerned about the image of Australian wines abroad, which they felt was suffering from a cloak of homogeneity. In short, there was a very different story that wasn’t being told, one that focused on generations of winemaking and unswerving commitment to quality. NOVEMBER 2015 × QUENCH.ME × 41
Founded in 1959, the Jim Barry Winery is one of the youngest in the First Families of Wine group. The family consists of Olivia, Sam, Peter, Sue and Tom Barry
Collectively, The First Families of Wine represent Australia’s “new direction” and contribution to the modern wine world in so many ways. Even a short sampling will show just why. AFFW aims to celebrate the very best of Australian wines, based on regionality, history and corporate independence. Only family-owned wineries were invited to join the collective, which now represents 17 regions across the country and whose ranks represent some 48 generations of winemakers. True, there are similar models elsewhere in the world. But the Australians have succeeded in taking the idea to the max and, truly, walking the talk. Perhaps the most interesting prerequisite for membership pertains to existing recognition: All wineries need to have in their portfolio a landmark or “icon” wine, either as recognized by Langton’s (the Woolworths-owned, wine-specialist auction house) or agreed to as such by 75 percent of the group. It’s this de facto requirement that powers the AFFW to the next level. After all, it’s pretty hard to resist (and why would you?) a tasting bolstered by the likes of Henchske Hill of Grace, de Bortoli Noble One, Tyrrell’s Vat 1 Sémillon, and more, poured by the same people whose families have made them, in most cases for generations. However, other membership requirements are: to be able to offer a vertical tasting of at least 20 years; have a history of two generations; and own vineyards more than 50 years old, or noteworthy sites that represent the best of terroir and environmental best practice. 42 × @QUENCH_MAG × MAV WINE AND SPIRITS AWARDS 2015
While the Langton’s classification adds up to some serious heavy hitters, much of the group’s appeal, beyond pedigree, lies in their ability to showcase their wider production and reinforce regional characteristics. The initial group includes Brown Brothers, Campbells, Taylors (Wakefield), DeBortoli, McWilliam’s, Tahbilk, Tyrell’s, Yalumba, D’Arenberg, Jim Barry, Howard Park and Henschke. Most, if not all, of these wineries have been coming individually to Canada for years, and the personalities behind the labels are well known to sommeliers and enthusiasts. But their presence as a group brings added weight that underscores significant prestige, which might have been lost in the shuffle over the last couple of decades. Collectively, they represent Australia’s “new direction” and contribution to the modern wine world in so many ways. Even a short sampling will show just why. Better still, chances are if you’re lucky enough to attend one of their tastings, you’ll be treated to some serious older vintages, which, once again will reinforce your opinion of just how well most of these wines are capable of aging, and further developing in the bottle. As Chairman of Yalumba — which also happens to be the country’s oldest family-owned winery, established in 1849 — Robert Hill-Smith (also AFFW Chair), epitomizes the drive behind the group and the direction in which it strives to lead.
92 HENSCHKE HENRY’S SEVEN 2013, EDEN VALLEY ($44) Yalumba was among the earliest wineries to embrace the notion of celebrating its historic circumstances and setting. Much of the winery’s current claim to fame stems from the way it’s put Viognier on the world wine map, something that again speaks to the influence Australia has had on the modern wine world. In fact, Yalumba was a “Rhône Ranger” before most Californians, and the rest of us, had even heard of the term. It was in the 1970s, a time when Australian producers were still immersed in Chardonnay, that the winery started looking into Viognier, planting a small trial in Eden Valley in 1980. Yalumba (who Jancis Robinson calls “Australia’s Viognier pioneer par excellence”) now tends some 30 hectares of Viognier and produces six different wines. Although, arguably, it was the gutsy and highly accessible ‘Y’ series that introduced the majority of consumers to the variety that all but vanished in the 1980s. With its strong emphasis on regional authenticity, AFFW is also the perfect vehicle to introduce overseas consumers to areas with which they might not be familiar. Australia, after all, is very much the sum of its considerable parts, each with its unique character. Only in recent years have people outside of Australia become aware of Nagambie Lakes. That region’s most celebrated and much storied producer, Chateau Tahbilk is home to the largest single planting of Marsanne anywhere in the world. Not to mention un-grafted, pre-phylloxera Shiraz dating from 1860, which is still made in open top, oak vats. Several tastings of Museum release vintages over the last year have shown an ability for this variety to develop interestingly and age surprisingly well. Australia has few better ambassadors than Bruce Tyrrell (Tyrrell’s Wines), who may well be (along with Bill Hardy) one of the industry’s most travelled wine personalities. Aside from helping to put the Hunter Valley on the map, he’s also become the unofficial spokesperson for all things Sémillon. Hearing Bruce talk about Vat 1 Sémillon, the first bottling of which he initiated in 1989, is a highlight of any of Australia’s First Families tasting. This benchmark label continues to yield the best examples of just how aged Sémillon can evolve. Far and away on the west coast, Howard Park Wines is AFFW’s Western Australian connection. It’s likely that nobody travels as much as Jeff Burch, CEO of Burch Family Wines. Burch notes that every time he steps out of the office, whatever the direction, it’s usually a minimum of a 1,000 km trip. With the founding of Howard Park in 1986, the Burch family were among the first to recognize the potential for Great Southern and Margaret River. Australia’s First Families of Wine is “just what the doctor ordered” to help reverse the fortunes of our antipodean friends. While that cross-country tour certainly underscored the history behind the wine industry, it also served to remind with clarity Australia’s remarkable range of styles and regionality. Yet, in the end, well beyond the wines and generations of grape growing experience — it’s still those classic traits of Aussie good humour and utter disdain for snobbery that continue to redefine one of the New World’s oldest producers. ×
Look no further for convincing evidence that the Aussies are indeed masters at blending. A more complex riff on the standard Shiraz/Viognier duo, Grenache and Mataro bring added weight and complexity with plummy black fruit and raspberry, plus peppery notes, wrapped in juicy acidity and balanced, approachable tannins, and a finish that doesn’t quit.
92 TYRRELL’S VAT 1 SÉMILLON 2010, HUNTER VALLEY ($45) Bruce Tyrrell jokes that British wine guru Jancis Robinson refers to him as “The Don Quixote of Sémillon,” with good reason. Textbook and still youthful, defined by a crisp, citrus-driven acidity underpinned by a structure and palate that will in time develop waxy and nutty notes. Tuck some away for later.
93 JIM BARRY THE FLORITA RIESLING 2013, CLARE VALLEY ($48) Precise and keenly focused, citrus lemon lime driven but with perfect fruit acid balance. A splurge, (if you can find it) but also one to tuck away.
92 HOWARD PARK WESTERN AUSTRALIA RIESLING 2006 ($50) A great example of clean and austere younger Aussie Rieslings will eventually evolve, especially when tasted beside the still neophyte but impressive stone and lime packed 2013. Citrus, apple and mineral on the nose, with a still vibrant mineral and lime palate. Keen acidity, hints of nutmeg and lemon blossom with more slate undertones in the close.
92 TAHBILK MUSEUM RELEASE MARSANNE 2008, NAGAMBIE LAKES ($27) The “regular” Tahbilk Marsanne has been a mainstay for decades. Find the current release for $19.99. It’s a deal (even better with Dungeness crab and lemon butter). However, this special release wine gives a hint of what happens when Marsanne gets some age on it, with layers of honey, lemon and some mineral undertones. Hold for 15 to 20 years.
92 YALUMBA FDR MUSEUM RELEASE CABERNET SAUVIGNON/SHIRAZ (N/A) FDR stands for “Fine Dry Red”, which is a bit of an understatement for this extraordinary, plush and well-integrated drop that celebrates 165 years of winemaking. Up front, very pronounced red and black fruits precede a balanced, full bodied palate of sweet fruit wrapped in elegant, silky tannins that adds up to a seamless expression of the blend (80% Cabernet/20% Shiraz). From contrasting blocks of 30-year-old Cabernet and almost 100-year-old and 50-year-old Shiraz vines. Still surprisingly youthful, with many years to go. NOVEMBER 2015 × QUENCH.ME × 43
SMALL by Duncan Holmes
BIRDS
THE NIGHT I WENT TO COOKING SCHOOL, the downtown Vancouver class was sprinkled with brokers, jocks, moms, dads and a sweet young lady who, unrelated, had come right from the gym. We prepared a lavish dinner that began with grilled quail on a wild green salad, followed by lamb noisettes in a rosemary potato crust, served with a balsamic onion confit and a tian of zucchini and roasted pepper. To end it? Caramelized pears with crème anglaise. And of course, a bill. If you’ve never seen a naked quail, that is, a quail sans feathers, or attempted to debone one, they are very small. Stand back and watch a dozen people removing the flesh from a quail’s tiny skeleton, or more accurately the bones from the flesh, it’s like an old-fashioned science class without the frogs. Grill what’s left, and position it onto a colourful background of greens, a frail and tiny quail, despite your best efforts, may seem to have made a much better songbird than it does a starter for a dinner. But you do your best. The internet, of course, offers YouTube lessons if you’d like to try one at home. We eat a lot of birds. Mostly farm-grown chicken, but on occasion, other feathered friends that fly or root around at ground level. Duck? It’s easy to pick up a breast at a supermarket, sizzle it in butter, pop it in a very hot oven, slice it and serve it up as a main course. Other birds are harder to come by, even if a good butcher — like my friend Chad at Heringers in Steveston, BC — will track down your quarry, and offer good thoughts on how to make it a mighty-nice meal. 44 × @QUENCH_MAG × MAV WINE AND SPIRITS AWARDS 2015
Friend Gordon, who has a farm down the road from me, always has duck in the freezer. Quite legitimately in season, he is able to bring down a brace or three of mallards, teal, wigeons and pintails right from his back porch. While Gordon has a good old dog, he is his own best retriever. Duck, pheasant, pigeon, squab, grouse, partridges in pear trees and other small critters that flap and fly have never made it to the mainstream of food production, even if all of them offer distinctive and rich tastes that chicken and turkey simply don’t. I know it takes a whole lot of deboned quail to make a respectably-sized meal, but bring the meat together with a handful of shallots or another member of the onion family and a buttery, fortified red-wine sauce, quail sure ain’t chicken. (Even if a Cornish game hen is.) Forgive me if I’ve told the story before on these pages about always food-enterprising Uncle Horace and how we used to “hunt” pigeons. It went like this: There was a seemingly-bottomless abandoned copper mine out from his place. Straight down into the darkness below. Its abandoned walls had been home to generations of pigeons. Our ploy to catch them? Gently lower a long rope, at the end of which were tied several noise-making cans, as Horace waited shotgun at the ready, on the lip of the shaft. On a given signal, we pulled hard on the rope and the alarmed pigeons flew upward into a hail of Horace’s gunfire. Of course, some ended up back in the bottomless pit, but enough landed on the earth above to become delicious, if shot-filled, dinners.
My experience with the small and wild birds that have come my way is that roasting is mostly the way to go with them. A roast, a braise or a poach in a dish with a lid. Salt, pepper and the herbs of your choice, they come out super tender. While your table presentation may be the whole bird, their size inevitably makes them finger food. At this time of year, don’t forget an accompaniment of those late-harvest vegetables — parsnips, carrots, rutabaga, cabbage and others — that can be juxtaposed with your bird in the roasting dish or casserole. Because we’re coming up to the holiday season, thoughts turn again to that monstrous turkey. But does it have to be? Traditions hold us strong, but why not a critter that may have actually flown? And still on the holiday topic, and while you’re considering your centre-of-plate options, who was the brilliant person who first paired cranberry sauce with that holiday bird, and figured that duck and orange might be a tasty combo? Poultry loves pairings of this kind. Trot the shelves of your high-end market, or check your pantry for your own good stuff that needs a bird to make it sing, or the other way around. It’s all about taste.
DUCK KRONSBERG
Barbara, wife of friend Gordon who lives on a farm down the hill from me, provided this recipe. It calls for 4 ducks. Maybe too many for you, but imagine them lined up in the pan for a long roast. And the sauce? The best.
4 ducks Garlic salt Celery salt Pepper 1 apple, quartered 1 orange, quartered 1 red onion, quartered FOR THE SAUCE:
3/4 cup Grand Marnier 1 jar orange marmalade (8 oz) 1/4 lb butter Dash of cinnamon Salt 1. Wash ducks, wipe dry inside and out. Sprinkle duck cavities with garlic, celery salt and pepper. Stuff cavities with quartered apple, orange and onion. 2. Place each duck, breast side up, on a sheet of aluminum foil. Arrange orange quarter on each side. Cover duck breasts with bacon slices. 3. Pour 2 tbsp of Grand Marnier over each duck. Crimp foil loosely to cover. Arrange in a baking dish. Bake at 250˚F for 6 to 8 hours. 4. Combine 1/4 cup Grand Marnier with remaining ingredients in saucepan. Heat until bubbly. Serve sauce with duck. Pour off and discard fat as ducks cook.
SQUAB
SERVES 4 All summer and all day long we heard the monotonous sound of doves in our back garden. From time to time, I was tempted to find a nest and search for a squab, the growing young of these birds and of pigeons. Meaty little birds, Food and Wine has suggested them as an alternative to turkey for Thanksgiving. You may wish to serve them for the upcoming holiday main meal.
1 2 8 8 3
stick unsalted butter, softened tbsp juniper berries, crushed Salt and freshly ground pepper Vegetable oil, for frying squabs slices of bacon, halved cups red or green seedless grapes
1. Preheat the oven to 450°F. 2. In a small bowl, blend the butter with the juniper
and season with salt and pepper. Set aside. 3. In a large skillet, heat 1/4 inch of vegetable oil until shimmering. Season the squabs with salt and pepper. 4. Add 4 of the squabs to the skillet, breast side down, and cook over moderately high heat, turning a few times, until richly browned all over, about 12 minutes. Repeat with the remaining squab, adding more oil to the skillet as needed. 5. Arrange the squabs breast side up on a large, rimmed baking sheet. Rub the squab cavities with the juniper butter. Arrange 2 bacon halves on each squab breast in a single layer. Scatter the grapes around the squab and roast in the upper third of the oven for about 15 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the legs registers 125°F for medium-rare meat. 6. Transfer the squab to a carving board and let rest for about 5 minutes. Using a large knife, cut each squab in half, cutting through the breast bone. Transfer the squabs to plates. Spoon the grapes and roasting juices on top and serve. MATCH: Try with a Côte du Rhône or Burgundy.
NOVEMBER 2015 × QUENCH.ME × 45
CHICKEN
KIEV SERVES 6 Just chicken? Sure. But plunge your knife or fork into this and watch the butter squirt; it’s poultry perfection. I always turn to my Time-Life book to make sure I get it right.
3 chicken breasts, skinned, boned and halved 1/4 tsp pepper 2 tbsp fresh chives, finely cut 6 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into 6 finger-sized pieces and frozen hard 1/2 cup flour 2 eggs, lightly beaten 1 1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs Canola oil for deep frying 1. Flatten the breasts to a thickness of about 1/4 inch by placing them between 2 pieces of wax paper and pounding them lightly with a kitchen mallet or rolling pin. Discard the paper and lay out the flattened breasts, boned side up. 2. Salt to taste and sprinkle the breasts with the pepper and chives. Place a finger of the frozen butter on each breast half. Roll up the butter in the breast meat as you would wrap a package, tucking in the ends at the beginning of the roll. 3. Dip the rolled breasts in flour, then in the beaten eggs, and finally roll them in the bread crumbs. Chill in the refrigerator for 3 or more hours. 4. Heat the oil to 365˚F in a saucepan or deep skillet; the oil should be deep enough to cover the rolled breasts. 5. Deep fry the breasts for 4 to 5 minutes or until golden brown. Drain them on paper towels and serve immediately. Watch for a burst of butter!
46 × @QUENCH_MAG × MAV WINE AND SPIRITS AWARDS 2015
When choosing any small bird, look for the ones that are unblemished and plump. Also make sure to take the bird out of the fridge about one hour before preparing it and pat it dry before adding any marinades or sauces.
SWEET LIME CHICKEN
SERVES 2 The only reason lime ended up in the recipe is that I had a half-lime left and like, all lonely items, it motivated a meal. This time of baked chicken, juicy and full of sweet-tasting flavour.
2 chicken breasts 1/2 cup dry white wine 1 tbsp brown sugar 1 tbsp orange juice 1 tbsp pineapple juice 1 tsp fresh basil, chopped 1 fresh lime Fresh-ground pepper Slices of pineapple Butter 1. Preheat your oven to 350˚F. 2. Coat the bottom of a shallow baking dish with
butter. Skin the breasts and place smooth-side up in the dish. Pour on the wine, the juices, then top the chicken with basil, brown sugar and a liberal sprinkling of fresh-ground pepper. 3. Place slices of pineapple on top of the chicken, then squeeze on all the lime juice you can from a freshly-halved lime. 4. Bake for 2 hours, covering the chicken loosely with a square of foil. Remove, then bake for an additional 20 minutes or so until golden brown. 5. If you wish, you may add more pineapple juice to the gravy, then thicken it a bit more with a teaspoon or so of cornstarch mixed with cold water. Serve with a parsley and crab apple garnish. MATCH: A white might seem obvious but that’s for a good reason. Open a New Zealand Sauv Blanc.
GRILLED CORNISH HENS IN SPICY PORT MARINADE
I have about 6 feet of cookbooks on my library shelf, and like you, I’m surprised how little I use most of them. Good reading, mind you. Good ideas. Pretty pictures. But also like you, I scan them for ideas, then go my own way. On the subject of small birds, this one, from Joy of Cooking, looked great. Anything spicy is for me. If you’re a gas user, you’ll need to adjust. COMBINE IN A LARGE SHALLOW BAKING DISH:
2 cups ruby port 1/2 cup red wine vinegar 1/4 cup olive oil
COMBINE AND COARSELY GRIND:
2 1 1 1
tsp juniper berries tsp coriander seeds tsp fennel seeds tsp cracked black peppercorns
ADD THE SPICES TO THE BAKING DISH, ALONG WITH:
1 small onion or 2 scallions, coarsely chopped 3 garlic cloves, lightly crushed 1 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1. Using a knife or poultry shears, butterfly 4 small
Cornish hens 2. Place in the marinade and turn to coat. Marinate in the refrigerator, covered, preferably overnight; turn the hens frequently to distribute the marinade evenly. Half an hour before grilling, remove the hens from the fridge. 3. Prepare a medium hot grill fire. Spread the hot coals in the centre of the grill. Arrange the hens skin side down in a ring around the coals. Cover the grill and open the vents completely. 4. After 10 minutes, turn the hens and move them directly over the coals. Cook for 15 minutes more. Turn again and cook for 5 minutes more. The hens are done when the thigh registers 180˚F on a thermometer. MATCH: Serve with a fresh, thick red, like a Brunello. × NOVEMBER 2015 × QUENCH.ME × 47
BOUQUET GARNI BY NANCY JOHNSON
FAT AND SASSY
IT NEVER FAILS. The moment I say it’s diet time, the very minute I stock my fridge with good-for-me clean-living foods, in the nanosecond after I’ve marked my calendar with no-excuse gym days, something comes along to bash my plan to smithereens. For instance, around this time last year I was about to follow the Biggest Loser diet when I was chosen the Biggest Winner of a year’s supply of Doritos from those friendly folks at Subway. Yep, they sent me 52 coupons good for 52 free bags of those salty, spicy, cheesy, crunchy, tantalizingly tasty triangular chips. I gave a few coupons to friends, but really, come on, I never win anything. I hoarded most of those freebies for myself. Although I say I never win anything, I should learn to never say never. Because shortly after the Doritos award, I claimed a prize in a chocolate bar contest. The first prize was a trip to the Super Bowl. The second prize was a free Snickers bar. I won the second prize. Recently a visit to the doctor for my yearly physical yielded all good results, save one. Doc didn’t exactly lace her speech with words like “obese,” “overweight” and “fatty,” but she did send me home with a copy of the Mediterranean Diet, an exercise plan and a request to see me again in six months. There you have it — I’m Adipose Rex, the Happy Chunkasaurus, lumbering through life with a filled appetizer plate and a wine glass. I will — I promise — get onto that diet, just as soon as the holidays have come and gone. Meanwhile, the following are some of the foods I’m cooking right now. For my hips.
48 × @QUENCH_MAG × MAV WINE AND SPIRITS AWARDS 2015
CAESAR FLANK STEAK
SERVES 4 This is a take on the great Canadian Caesar, made with Clamato juice and vodka. Serve with a side of crisp celery, green olives, cubes of sharp cheddar cheese and sliced tomatoes. To marinate the steak, use a 1-gallon food-safe plastic bag or a glass casserole dish.
2 1/2 1 1 1/2 1 1 1 2 4 1
cups Clamato juice cup vodka tsp celery salt tsp onion powder tsp pepper tsp hot sauce tbsp horseradish Juice of one lemon tbsp Worcestershire sauce cloves garlic, pressed through garlic press tbsp olive oil flank steak
1. In a large bowl, mix all ingredients except the flank steak. Pour half the marinade over the flank steak and marinate in the refrigerator overnight. Refrigerate remaining marinade separately. 2. In a saucepan, bring the remaining marinade to a boil over medium-high heat. Simmer until reduced, about 10 minutes. 3. Preheat a ridged cast iron skillet over high heat. Remove the flank steak from the marinade. Discard marinade. Pat steak dry with paper towels. Sear on both sides in hot skillet. 4. Lower heat to medium and cook about 10 minutes for medium-rare. Let steak rest 5 minutes. Slice against grain and serve with reduced marinade. MATCH: Serve with vodka, of course.
× Search through a wide range of wine-friendly recipes on quench.me/recipes/
PORK BRAISED IN MILK
SERVES 6 This is a meltingly tender pork roast with a creamy sauce of onions and milk. There are several prep steps before the roast goes in the oven, but your first bite will tell you it was really, truly all worth it. Don’t remove any fat from the pork before cooking. This is one dish where a fatty cut of meat yields the best flavour. Cut away fat before serving. The puréed sauce is traditionally served as a soup in small cups before the main dish.
4 3 4 4 4 1 2
tsp olive oil, divided lb boneless fatty pork loin Sea salt and black pepper cups whole milk bay leaves large onions, thinly sliced tbsp fresh thyme leaves or 1 tsp dried thyme cloves garlic, crushed and minced
1. Preheat oven to 375˚F. 2. In a large Dutch oven, heat 2 tsp olive oil over medium-high
heat. Season pork with salt and pepper and add to Dutch oven, browning on all sides. 3. In a small saucepan, over medium-high heat, cook milk with the bay leaves until steaming. Reduce heat to low, cover pan, and simmer gently for 10 minutes. 4. In a separate skillet, heat remaining 2 tsp olive oil over medium low heat. Add onions and cook until golden and softened. 5. In a small bowl, season thyme and garlic with salt and pepper. Mash together with fork. Add mixture to pan of onions. Cook until garlic is softened, about 2 minutes. 6. Remove bay leaves from milk and pour milk over pork roast. Add onion/garlic mixture. 7. Roast pork, covered, 1 hour at 375˚F. Reduce heat to 325˚F and roast, covered, for 1 1/2 hours longer. Milk may appear curdled but will be smoothed with immersion blender. 8. Remove roast and purée sauce with an immersion blender (or purée in batches in blender.) Reheat sauce if necessary. 9. Serve part of the sauce in small cups as a creamy onion soup starter. Thicken remaining sauce with a beurre manié: Knead together 1 tbsp softened butter with 1 tbsp flour. Whisk into sauce and cook until thickened. MATCH: While some folks claim this recipe is from Normandy, others say it is Bolognese in origin. Let your own taste buds be your guide: Serve with a Loire Valley dry rosé or with a Barbera d’Alba.
CINNAMON APPLE GALETTE
SERVES 4 Rustic and delicious, galettes are an easy way to serve pie without all the fuss. For ease of preparation, use a store-bought pie pastry. Freeze the second crust for later use.
3 1/3 1 1/2 1 1/4
McIntosh apples, peeled and thinly sliced cup sugar tbsp flour tsp cinnamon tsp vanilla cup dried cranberries
1 pie pastry, thawed 2 tsp sugar Vanilla bean ice cream 1. Preheat oven to 375˚F. 2. In a large bowl, mix apples with sugar, flour, cinnamon, va-
nilla and cranberries. Transfer pie crust to baking sheet. Scoop apple mixture onto centre of crust, leaving a 2-inch border. Fold pastry border up, pleating to fit around the filling. Sprinkle crust with 2 tsp sugar. Bake 45 minutes. MATCH: Serve with vanilla ice cream and sparkling wine.
GOUGÈRES
MAKES ABOUT 40 Making pâte à choux sounds daunting, but it’s almost as easy as making instant mashed potatoes. Boil seasoned water, stir in flour, then eggs. Voilà! A choux pastry fit for a king. While many recipes call for piping with a pastry bag (and I give directions here), you can do as I do and just drop dollops of dough onto the baking sheet with a spoon. Easy! Cheese gougères are great on their own but can be stuffed with curried chicken, savoury ham salad or sautéed beef tenderloin with horseradish sauce.
6 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into pieces 3/4 tsp kosher salt Pinch of nutmeg 1 cup water 1 1/4 cups flour 4 large eggs 1 1/2 cups grated Gruyère or cheddar cheese, or a combination of both Pinch pepper 1 egg yolk 1 tsp water 1. Preheat oven to 400˚F. 2. In a medium saucepan, bring butter, salt, nutmeg and water
to a boil, stirring until butter is melted. Remove from heat, add flour and stir to combine. 3. Return pan to stovetop. Cook mixture over medium-low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until mixture pulls away from sides of pan and forms a ball, about 2 minutes. 4. Continue to cook, stirring, about 2 minutes longer. Remove pan from heat, set pan on damp dishtowel, and cool about 2 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, mix in eggs one at a time, incorporating fully between additions. The dough will curdle at first and seem to fall apart, but watch for it to pull together before adding the next egg. Mix in cheese, salt and pepper. 5. Scrape dough into a piping bag fitted with a 1/2” round opening and pipe 1” rounds about 2” apart onto 2 parchment-lined baking sheets. Or use a spoon to form 1” dollops of dough on parchment-lined baking sheets. Whisk egg yolk and 1 tsp water in a small bowl; brush puffs with egg mixture. 6. Bake gougères until puffed, golden and dry in the center (they should sound hollow when tapped), 20 to 25 minutes. Serve warm or cold, plain or stuffed. MATCH: Uncork your favourite Champagne or Pinot Noir for these delicate puffs. × NOVEMBER 2015 × QUENCH.ME × 49
PREP
HEAVY BITTER HITTERS WHEN IT COMES TO COCKTAIL BITTERS , there is a flavour for every
season. Each recipe (some developed after decades of trial and error) lends it’s uniqueness to any drink. Here is a list of the major players.
ANGOSTURA
A popular sight behind the bar, what these bitters lack in bright spice they make up for in earthy violet and comforting cinnamon. Its subtly ensures that it complements the cocktail without overwhelming its other flavours. Added bonus: the spicy, fresh orange.
PEYCHAUD’S BITTERS
In case you didn’t know, Antoine Peychard invented the Sazerac cocktail, applying his background as an apothecary to mixology. One main ingredient in the Sazerac is Peychaud’s Bitters. Like Angostura, these bitters have gentian roots; unlike Angostura, these are bright red and quite light.
REGAN’S ORANGE BITTERS NO. 6
A spicier, richer bitter, these orange-based bitters add a shock of power to cocktails. Gary Regan developed these bitters in partnership with his wife and Mark Brown, president and CEO of The Sazerac Company of New Orleans. You can see Regan’s bearded face on the label, thanking you for choosing the best orange bitters on the market.
THE BITTER TRUTH
This label embraces the variation of cocktails by offering a variety of bitters (in fact, they sell a “travel pack” of five different types). Developed by German bartenders Stephan Berg and Alexander Hauck, they state that “The Bitter Truth Bitters were specifically designed for recreating classic drinks made true to the original recipe or for experimentation with modern cocktail creations.” So they’re really for everyone, right?
BITTERMENS BITTERS
Since 2007, Avery and Janet Glasser of San Francisco have been making “small batch bitters” with unique flavour combinations. Their line includes: Xocolatl Mole Bitters with chocolate and spice; Boston Bittahs with citrus and chamomile; and Hellfire Habanero Shrub with Habanero pepper, elderberries and red wine vinegar, to name a few. × 50 × @QUENCH_MAG × MAV WINE AND SPIRITS AWARDS 2015
NOTED FRANCISCAN ESTATE CHARDONNAY 2013, NAPA, UNITED STATES ($25)
Nice to see a Cali Chard showing some poise and restraint. The nose of this Napa number dishes out sweet Anjou pear, hazelnut, pineapple, butterscotch, vanilla and clove. Medium weight and well integrated, with mildly buttery flavours mixed in with some lemon tart and a nutty/caramel finish. (SL)
87 LINDEMANS BIN 95 SAUVIGNON BLANC 2015, SOUTH EASTERN AUSTRALIA ($10.95)
92 CORDERO DI MONTEZEMOLO BAROLO ENRICO VI VILLERO 2011, BAROLO, ITALY ($90)
For the price, this wine packs a lot of flavour. Light bodied; there is lime, grapefruit, gooseberry, pear, grass and some tropical nuance. Fine length and ready to drink, so make sure to pick up a couple of bottles. (ES)
92 TAITTINGER PRÉLUDE GRANDS CRUS NV, CHAMPAGNE, FRANCE ($79.95)
Made of equal parts Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, all the grapes were harvested from the top villages known as Grand Crus — hence the name. A medium gold colour and a bouquet of yeast, toast, apple, cream, lanolin, banana cream, cherry and earth beguiles. There is superb length with fresh acid rounding out the experience. (ES)
88 TENUTA SAN GIORGIO BANERO EXTRA DRY PROSECCO, VENETO, ITALY ($14.05)
This is not only a kosher product but it has the lowest alcohol content of any Prosecco I’ve tasted — at a mere 5.5% by volume. A sparkler with a very creamy, citrus nose and a floral grace note. It’s easy drinking with a touch of peach-like sweetness mid-palate. Chill it well and serve as an apéritif or with strawberry shortcake. (TA)
Full-bodied, this Barolo has seen some new oak in the form of vanilla and cocoa that weaves between the tar, cherry, raisin, plum, anise, cured meats and floral elements. Rich and grippy; there is an exquisite aftertaste and 20 years of cellaring ahead. (ES)
94 BERNARD DEFAIX CHABLIS GRAND CRU BOUGROS 2011, BURGUNDY, FRANCE ($79)
A bit of a shock at first, with generous use of oak not typical of Chablis, but wow, what a nose: honeysuckle, matchstick, lanolin, concentrated orchard fruits, sea shells and smoky minerality. It is complex, concentrated and mineral-laden on the palate with baked apple, poached pear and a touch of citrus and electric acidity for balance. Such graceful power and length through the finish. (RV)
× Find a collection of tasting notes for wine, beer and spirits at quench.me/notes/
CHARLES SMITH WINES OF SUBSTANCE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2013, WASHINGTON, UNITED STATES ($24.95)
Loads of flavour here. Dense purple-black in colour with a bouquet of cedar, blackcurrants and tobacco. Full-bodied and richly extracted with creamy black fruit flavours; fruit-forward with a minty finish and great length. (TA)
NOVEMBER 2015 × QUENCH.ME × 51
Each wine is judged on its own merits, in its respective category. Our scores are based on the wine's quality as well as price point. Readers should assess these, and all wines, using the same criteria. Carefully study the commentaries to get an idea of whether the wine might appeal to your taste. The prices listed are suggested retail prices and may vary from province to province. Since a large number of these wines can be purchased across Canada, 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, Harry Hertscheg, Sean Wood, Gilles Bois, Sarah Parniak, Crystal Luxmore, Tim Pawsey, Silvana Lau and Jonathan Smithe. QUENCH USES THE 100-POINT SCALE 95-100 = Exceptional 90-94 = Excellent 85-89 = Very good
SPARKLING 95 TAITTINGER COMTES DE CHAMPAGNE BLANC DE BLANCS 2005, CHAMPAGNE, FRANCE ($205) Absolutely brilliant! Comtes is Taittinger’s Cuvée Prestige and is made from 100% Chardonnay. It possesses a pale gold colour with mature notes of toast, caramel, honey, mushroom, chalk, anise and binned apple. On the palate, there is fabulous length, with well-integrated acidity and a punchy finale. There is at least another decade of life ahead, especially if you enjoy the complexity of aged Champagne. (ES)
92 PIPER HEIDSIECK BRUT CHAMPAGNE 2006, CHAMPAGNE, FRANCE ($79.95)
This is a stunning, mature Champagne. Light straw in colour with aromas of baked bread and toasted nuts; medium-bodied, dry and mouth-filling. A regal sparkler with mineral, apple and toast flavours that linger long on the palate. (TA)
90 NAVERAN BRUT NATURE MILLESIME CAVA 2011, PENEDÈS ($17.95)
Shockingly good for the price. Pale lemon in colour with citrus and mineral nose; medium-bodied, dry and crisp with green apple and green pear flavours; well balanced with a long finish. (TA)
80-84 = Good 75-79 = Acceptable 70 & under = Below average *Available through wine clubs
90 LANGLOIS-CHATEAU QUADRILLE CRÉMANT DE LOIRE BLANC 2007, LOIRE, FRANCE ($33)
This blend of 60% Chenin Blanc, 15% Chardonnay, 15% Cabernet Franc and 10% Pinot Noir spent 6 years on the lees. Pale straw colour. The bouquet is toasty and complex with notes of apple, pear and citrus. High acidity, soft texture and lemon-custard flavour. Honey notes on the long finish. (HH)
90 CHAMPAGNE CHARLES HEIDSIECK BRUT RÉSERVE NV, REIMS, FRANCE ($85)
Elegant, rich and toasty with lively acidity balancing the flavours of baked apple, brioche, citrus and ginger. Delicate and refined; soft texture and great length. Disgorged in 2014. (GB)
89 ACKERMAN CRÉMANT DE LOIRE BLANC DE NOIR NV, LOIRE, FRANCE ($18)
A blend of 70% Cabernet Franc, 20% Grolleau and 10% Pineau d’Aunis. Star-bright clear. Subtle, elegant, wet stone bouquet. The 10 g/l residual sugar results in off-dry sweetness. It has a rich texture, fruity mid-palate and mineral finish. (HH)
89 RAYMOND MORIN DOMAINE DU LANDREAU CRÉMANT DE LOIRE BLANC NV, LOIRE, FRANCE ($23) 2/3 Chenin Blanc and 1/3 Cabernet Franc. 24 months on the lees. Star-
52 × @QUENCH_MAG × MAV WINE AND SPIRITS AWARDS 2015
bright clear. Persistent aromas of white flowers, jasmine and crisp apple. Dry style with a leesy texture and a mineral finish. (HH)
89 TRIUS BRUT, NIAGARA ($28)
This popular Brut non-vintage is a blend of 60% Chardonnay, 35% Pinot Noir and 5% Pinot Meunier and is made in the Méthode Classique style. It’s fresh and citrusy on the nose with added green apple and biscuit notes. It’s zesty and lifted on the palate with a firm, lively mousse and apple, lemon and toasty brioche notes. (RV)
88 TORLEY HUNGARIA GRANDE CUVÉE BRUT, HUNGARY ($12.50)
Very pale. Shy nose with ripe fruity notes and a hint of petrol. Expressive on the palate, light body, good balance and a nice fruity taste. Good quality and an unbeatable price. (GBQc)
WHITE ARGENTINA 88 COLOMÉ TORRONTÉS 2013, SALTA ($13.95)
A delightful warm-weather sipper. Very pale in colour with an aromatic nose of orange blossom. Dry, light-bodied, crisp and clean with grapefruit and mineral notes in the flavour. (TA)
AUSTRALIA 92 HOWARD PARK FLINT ROCK CHARDONNAY 2013, GREAT SOUTHERN ($27)
Lifted apple, toast and honey notes on the nose, before a bright, vibrant palate of stone fruit and mineral. Texture and elegant mouthfeel supported by well integrated fruit and oak. Fruit from different clones at different altitudes in cool climate Mount Barker and Porongurup. (TP)
91 YALUMBA EDEN VALLEY VIOGNIER 2013 ($27.99)
Yalumba was almost singlehandedly responsible for igniting our ongoing infatuation with Viognier. With classic apricot and stone fruit, and a more intense, lingering and orange-toned palate, the Eden Valley label is a step up from the familiar Y Series. (TP)
88 BUNDEENA BAY VINEYARD SERIES SAUVIGNON BLANC 2014, SOUTH AUSTRALIA ($13.95)
Almost water-white in colour with a nose of rhubarb and green plums lifted with a light floral note; medium-bodied, crisply dry with rhubarb and grapefruit flavours. Clean and fresh with good length. Good value. (TA)
87 NUGAN ESTATE THIRD GENERATION CHARDONNAY 2013, SOUTH EASTERN AUSTRALIA ($11.95) Pale straw colour with a lime tint; earthy, green pear nose with a mineral note; dry, full-bodied pear and lemon flavours that linger on the palate. A more restrained style of Aussie Chardonnay. Great value. (TA)
CANADA 93 JOIEFARM EN FAMILLE GEWÜRZTRAMINER RESERVE 2012, OKANAGAN ($28)
The key to good Gew is always finding the right balance between ripe and fresh. Joie always gets it right. The nose shows lychee, cloves, grapefruit and nutmeg with
a range of tropical fruits. It’s unctuous but surprisingly fresh on the palate with a basket of tropical fruits and exciting, exotic spices with everything in balance. (RV)
93 PEARL MORISSETTE CUVÉE DIX-NEUVIEME CHARDONNAY 2012, NIAGARA ($35)
Still closed on the nose but beginning to show the future with citrus, apple-pear, grilled pineapple, lemon chiffon, lanolin and spice aromas with an interesting reductive note. It’s generous and lush on the palate and builds as it opens up with a range of fruit flavours and a nutty note on the finish. (RV)
93 BACHELDER SAUNDERS VINEYARD CHARDONNAY 2013, NIAGARA ($45)
The nose reveals poached pear, apple skin, lemon chiffon, subtle spice and a note of saline minerality that is just gorgeous. It is beautifully balanced, even at this young age, with creamy pear and fresh citrus with an interesting vein of minerality that defines this Chardonnay. The subtle oak spice notes echo through a long, freshening finish. (RV)
92 TAWSE QUARRY ROAD VINEYARD CHARDONNAY 2012, NIAGARA ($36)
Consistently one of the finest Chardonnays made in Ontario. It is always about elegance and finesse even in warmer vintages such as 2012. It’s made with certified organic and biodynamic fruit and aged for 14 months in French oak barrels. The nose shows purity of apple, citrus and pear fruit with subtle oak spice and minerals. It’s layered on the palate with bursts of citrus, soft green apple, quince, wet-stone minerality and integrated spice all lifted by freshening acidity. Perfectly balanced and poised. (RV)
92 HENRY OF PELHAM CUVÉE CATHARINE CARTE BLANCHE ESTATE BLANC DE BLANC 2010, NIAGARA ($45)
This top sparkling wine from HoP, always one of the very best vintage sparklers
crafted in Niagara, is made from 100% estate Chardonnay grown on the Short Hills Bench. The nose is lemony with notes of biscuit, toasted vanilla, saline minerality and brioche. The palate reveals a lively bubble with lemon-citrus, toasty-yeasty notes, orange peel, and subtle earthiness on a silky and vibrant finish. (RV)
91 JOIE FARM THE PURE GRAPE MUSCAT 2014, NARAMATA ($23)
Very pale colour; intensely perfumed nose of orange blossom and cardamom. Light on the palate with lovely grapey flavours of orange, crushed cardamom seeds, rose petals and balancing acidity. Pitch perfect with great length. As good as dry Muscat I’ve tasted from Alsace. (TA)
91 JOIE FARM A NOBLE BLEND 2014, NARAMATA ($24)
A blend of Gewürztraminer, Riesling, Pinot Auxerrois, Pinot Blanc, Muscat and Schoenberger. Pale straw in colour with a delightful bouquet of rose petal, grapefruit and lychee; medium-bodied, off-dry, elegant and beautifully balanced with lively acidity. (TA)
91 BENJAMIN BRIDGE NOVA 7 2013, NOVA SCOTIA ($25)
A tribute to Nova Scotia winemaking, this friendly and flavourful wine is a proprietary blend of signature aromatic white grapes highlighting select Muscat varieties. Showing a pale salmon colour and sporting a light spritz, the nose is highly aromatic with honeysuckle, jasmine, ginger, apple, lime and grapefruit. Such an inspiring range of fruit on the palate, with a citrus zing on a refreshing finish. A delight, and only 7% alcohol. (RV)
91 CREEKSIDE THE TRAD(2) 2011, NIAGARA ($29) A sparkling blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay that spent 3 years on the lees with a low dosage. An attractive nose of brioche, toast, citrus, orange peel and bright apple-mineral notes. A fairly robust mousse with citrus, grapefruit and toasty, mellow flavours through a long finish. (RV)
NOVEMBER 2015 × QUENCH.ME × 53
NOTED 91 TRIUS SHOWCASE CLEAN SLATE WILD FERMENT SAUVIGNON BLANC 2013, NIAGARA ($32) About 20% of this wild-fermented SB is aged in new French oak barrels. The nose shows spiced pear, citrus, lanolin, mango and notes of bruised tropical fruit. It has nice weight and texture on the palate with a mélange of ripe and fleshy fruit flavours and lovely spice notes through the finish. (RV)
91 HIDDEN BENCH CHARDONNAY FELSECK VINEYARD 2012, BEAMSVILLE BENCH ($38)
A pale gold colour leads into aromas of peach, orange rind, vanilla cream, banana, red apple, oregano and spice. Concentrated, ripe and elegant; the palate shows more spice and cream, with sound acidity framing everything quite nicely. (ES)
90 HENRY OF PELHAM ESTATE CHARDONNAY 2013, SHORT HILLS BENCH ($19.95)
For the price, this wine packs a lot of punch. Medium body and well balanced; the pineapple, golden apple and honey of the grape is gently caressed by oaky notes of vanilla, spice and toast. On the palate, it is ripe with brisk acid and a long aftertaste of banana cream. It should evolve well over the next 4 years. (ES)
90 MERCATOR VINEYARDS ESTATE GROWN TIDAL BAY 2014, NOVA SCOTIA ($24.99)
Reveals elegant tree blossom, citrus, melon and green apple scents, yielding to rounded, generously full lemon/lime citrus and green apple flavours backed by signature Nova Scotia crisp acidity and firm mineral. Finish is lightly off-dry, with crisply refreshing acidity and lingering sensations of fine fruit. (SW)
90 NORMAN HARDIE COUNTY CHARDONNAY 2013, PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY ($39) Classic Hardie style of reductive winemaking in play here. Currently, it is the new wood that dominates, with smoky minerals, lemon, lime and green apple
snuggling up. Bright acidity, fine length and a modest 12.2% alcohol make for a refined drop of Chardonnay. Wonderful with your favourite rabbit dishes. (ES)
90 STRATUS CHARDONNAY 2013, NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE ($48)
A strong oak presence melds with sweet pineapple, ripe peach, banana, tutti frutti, earth and white flowers. Rather fullish; there is some warmth, as well as a creamy finish. Drink now. (ES)
89 JOST COASTAL VINEYARDS L’ACADIE BLANC/RIESLING 2014, NOVA SCOTIA ($14.99)
This unusual blend works seamlessly. The aromatic bouquet is elusive but shows ripe yellow fruit with characteristic Riesling lemon citrus and floral intensity. Peach and green apple interplay in the mouth with refreshingly bright acidity, dry mineral and a slight touch of sweetness on the clean, refreshing finish. (SW)
89 TAWSE SKETCHES OF NIAGARA 2013, NIAGARA PENINSULA ($17.95)
One of the most consistent Rieslings made in Ontario. Pale straw colour with a mineral, grapefruit, honey and lemon-peel nose. Light-bodied, off-dry with a fresh finish. A well-made wine. (TA)
89 TOWNSHIP 7 CHARDONNAY 2014, OKANAGAN ($18)
The nose shows bright green apple, pear, tropical fruits and subtle barrel spices. Lovely mouthfeel with rich baked apple, citrus and pear with vanilla and spice. A nice wine to pair with appetizers. Try with pâtés and terrines too. (RV)
89 BLUE MOUNTAIN SAUVIGNON BLANC 2014, OKANAGAN ($18.90) Pale straw colour with a herbaceous, green plum bouquet with a mineral note; medium-bodied, tart, green gooseberry flavour with lime acidity. Touch of bitterness on the finish, which gives the wine more interest. Great with shellfish or oysters. (TA)
54 × @QUENCH_MAG × MAV WINE AND SPIRITS AWARDS 2015
89 JOST VINEYARDS TIDAL BAY 2014, NOVA SCOTIA ($19.99)
Delicate floral, grapefruit and lightly herbal aromatics lead the way for zesty citrus, stone fruit and dry mineral on the palate. Lively and very clean, it finishes with a nicely balanced touch of residual sweetness. (SW)
89 WESTCOTT VINEYARDS ESTATE CHARDONNAY 2013, VINEMOUNT RIDGE ($26) Toast, peach, honey, anise, baked apple, pineapple and smoke weave together on the nose in this mid-weight white. The palate reveals a creamy texture with a spine of minerality and great length. Cream-based dishes are perfectly suited to this wine. (ES)
88 TOWNSHIP 7 MUSCAT 2014, OKANAGAN ($17)
An exciting, exotic nose of apple, pear, jasmine, sage and ginger with just a whiff of dried apricot. It bursts with flavour on the palate with orchard fruits and ginger, and a crisp, dry finish. (RV)
88 PELLER ESTATES PRIVATE RESERVE CHARDONNAY 2013, NIAGARA ($18.95)
Peach, anise, cream, honey, banana and crisp acidity all work together on a medium-bodied frame. Great length and ready to drink. (ES)
88 CHÂTEAU DES CHARMES CHARDONNAY ST DAVID’S BENCH 2012, ST DAVID’S BENCH ($19.95) A complex nose of yellow plum, fresh sliced apple, vanilla cream, honey, lanolin and spice are all in play. Midweight, there is sound acidity, and it is ready to drink. (ES)
88 MALIVOIRE CHARDONNAY 2013, BEAMSVILLE BENCH ($19.95) Here you will find a balanced Chardonnay with subtle oak flavours of cream, spice and vanilla that combine with peach, honey, lime, golden apple, cantaloupe and citrus. Very good length and ready to drink. (ES)
88 WESTCOTT VINEYARDS UNOAKED CHARDONNAY 2013, VINEMOUNT RIDGE ($20)
Peach, baked apple, cream, tutti frutti, anise, white flowers and honey are all on display in this “non-forested” Chardonnay. Crisp acidity, a medium body and great length round everything out. (ES)
88 GASPEREAU VINEYARDS TIDAL BAY 2014, NOVA SCOTIA ($21.99)
Shows subtle floral perfume with notes of yellow and tropical fruit. Crisp lemon citrus kicks in on the palate with a touch of white peach, classic Nova Scotia bright acidity, mineral grip and contrasting creamy impression, finishing just off-dry. Ideal with sushi or simply prepared oysters. (SW)
88 HAYWIRE WATERS & BANKS SAUVIGNON BLANC 2014, OKANAGAN ($25)
This wine is aged in concrete, like most, if not all, Haywire wines. It has a herbaceous nose with grapefruit, citrus, lime and passion fruit notes. It’s round and softish on the palate with a creamy feel to go with all that citrus fruit and herbs. Pair with Greek-style grilled octopus or white fish. Don’t add too much lemon to the dish though. Keep things balanced. (RV)
88 RAVINE VINEYARD CHARDONNAY 2013, NIAGARA ($25)
Some tropical notes combine with caramel, brioche, smoke, apple and citrus. Mid-weight; there is admirable depth and concentration with crisp acidity and a mineral backbone chiming in on the finale. Pair with creamy cheeses or filet of halibut . (ES)
86 NIAGARA COLLEGE TEACHING WINERY BALANCE UNOAKED CHARDONNAY 2013, ST DAVID’S BENCH ($14.95) Moderately aromatic, this non-wooded Chardonnay serves up aromas of peach, honey, nectarine, tutti frutti and lemon. Medium length, refreshing and ready to drink with chilled shellfish. (ES)
CHILE 87 DCW INTERNATIONAL SERIES CHARDONNAY 2014, VALLE CENTRAL ($14.99/1 L)
Ripe citrus, yellow pear with light tropical fruit and spicy notes on the nose, and generous lemon citrus and tropical fruit with a suggestion of mango in the mouth. Finishes with refreshingly crisp acidity and lightly buttery, toasty notes. (SW)
FRANCE 92 DOMAINE D’AUPILHAC LES COCALIÈRES 2013, LANGUEDOC ($29.50)
Straw yellow. Shy nose with exotic fruit notes, beeswax, honey and a mineral edge. Ripe and rich fruity taste with a great thick, fatty but not heavy texture that remains well balanced. Equally strong finish with a hint of bitterness. This blend of Roussanne, Marsanne, Grenache Blanc and Vermentino has a potential of 5 years in the cellar. (GBQc)
91 RIEFLÉ STEINERT PINOT GRIS 2010, ALSACE ($24.95)
You won’t find a bigger Pinot Gris than this — unless you look for Zind-Humbrecht. Golden straw in colour with a high-toned bouquet of peaches and honey. Full-bodied, rich and full on the palate — spicy, orange, peach and honey flavours with great length. (JS)
91 PIERRE SPARR GRAND CRU MAMBOURG PINOT GRIS 2011, ALSACE ($25)
Such a minerally and seductive nose of spicy pear, citrus, tangerine, lemon peel and apricot. It is viscous on the palate with generous ripe pear, lemon, apricot and honeycrisp apple, Asian spices and wild honey sweetness that is beautifully balanced with the acidity. (RV)
91 PASCAL JOLIVET SANCERRE 2014, LOIRE VALLEY ($29.95)
This is a wine for lovers of tart, minerally, old-style Sancerre. Pale straw in
colour with a nose of elderberries and crushed stones; medium- to full-bodied, mouth-wateringly dry with green gooseberry and elderberry flavours carried on lively acidity. (TA)
89 DOMAINE LA HAUTE FEVRIE MUSCADET SEVRE-&-MAINE SUR LIE LE DOMANINE 2014, LOIRE VALLEY ($14)
Such a vibrant, fresh nose of lemon, crushed oyster shells, grapefruit and honeysuckle. There is underlying saline minerality on the palate with an array of fresh citrus fruit that is crisp and vibrant through the finish. This is a great food wine. Don’t be afraid to match with pork or an étouffée. (RV)
89 SEGUIN–MÂNUEL MACON-VILLAGES 2013, BURGUNDY ($30)
Fresh and round with apple, peach and citrus flavours; balanced and harmonious with loads of mineral and wet stone on the lingering lifted finish. Great match with shellfish. (GB)
88 DOMAINE TOUR DES GENDRES CUVÉE DES CONTI 2013, BERGERAC SEC, SOUTHWEST ($17.50)
Pale yellow with grey reflections. Appealing nose of green apple, citrus notes and apricot. Weighing on the tongue, its good body is balanced by the fine acidity. Nicely fresh fruity taste, round mouthfeel and lengthy finish. Perfect now at the table with veal or poultry dishes. (GBQc)
88 HECHT & BANNIER CÔTES DE PROVENCE 2014, PROVENCE ($19)
Pale salmon pink. Delicate fruity nose with strawberry notes and hints of grapefruit. Silky mouthfeel, balanced acidity, fresh fruity taste. Nice finish on the same theme. Ready to drink. (GBQc)
88 DOMAINE LAROCHE CHABLIS SAINT-MARTIN, BURGUNDY ($25)
A tad fuller than your typical Chablis. Green apple, lemon, chalky/salty minerals and a slight herbal element are present. Bright acid and fine length make the case for oysters or steamed clams. (JS) NOVEMBER 2015 × QUENCH.ME × 55
NOTED 86 ORMARINE LES PINS DE CAMILLE 2014, PICPOUL DE PINET, LANGUEDOC ($14)
Pale yellow. White peach, shell and salty notes that bring your nose to the seashore. Light body; the nice fruity taste is overpowered by acidity. Drink now. (GBQc)
GREECE 91 KTIMA GEROVASSILIOU WHITE 2014, THESSALONIKI ($18.95)
This is a blend of the local Malagousia and Assyrtiko varieties, producing a pale straw-coloured wine with a white peach and floral nose. It’s beautifully balanced, light, crisp and elegant. Just a pleasure to drink. (TA)
88 SANTO WINES SANTORINI ASSYRTIKO 2014 ($18)
Santo’s entry level white is the pure essence of Assyrtiko: citrus, white peach, white flowers and crushed volcanic rock. Fine length and crisp acid make for a great partner with fried calamari or sushi. (ES)
87 TETRAMYTHOS RODITIS 2014, PATRAS ($16.45)
Most Roditis tends be a neutral product, but this wine kicks it up a notch with its peach, honey, apple, yeast and mineral profile. Linear, there is fine length and fresh acid. Chill well and serve with fresh water fish or oysters on the half shell. (ES)
ITALY 90 CONTRADE DI TAURASI GRECOMUSC 2012, CAMPANIA ($32.95)
Made from the Roviello grape, a rare and almost extinct variety in Campania. Golden straw in colour with an earthy-minerally nose topped by a floral note; full-bodied and dry with grapefruit and musk-melon flavours, and great length. (TA)
88 ZACCAGNINI VERDICCHIO CLASSICO DEI CASTELLI DI JESI SUPERIORE SALMAGINA 2014, LE MARCHE ($22)
Well knit, balanced and vibrant; quite salty with flavours of apple, almond, camomile and lemon preserves with a hint of spice on the finish. Would nicely accompany pork tenderloin. (GB)
NEW ZEALAND
and a hint of toasted nuts. Medium-bodied, tasting of lime, butter and an accent of celery leaf. Hard to distinguish from a Burgundy: classy, refined, crisp acidity and a long finish. Will improve for another year or 2. A food wine — try with veal in a sun-dried tomato sauce. (RL)*
90 HAMILTON RUSSELL VINEYARDS CHARDONNAY 2013, HEMEL-EN-AARDE ($45)
Pale colour. Grassy, asparagus and green plum bouquet; medium bodied, crisply dry with pure Sauvignon flavours that sustain well on the palate. (TA)
Hemel-en-Aarde translates as “Heaven on Earth” and is a cool-climate enclave in the Western Cape of South Africa. A golden colour and heavily toasted nose are the first things to greet the senses. Smoke, toast, pineapple, ripe peach, honey, leather, spice and yellow apple are all layered on a medium body full of cream and acid. Excellent length. (ES)
88 RIVERLORE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2014, MARLBOROUGH ($15)
SPAIN
89 VILLA MARIA CELLAR SELECTION SAUVIGNON BLANC 2014, MARLBOROUGH ($19.95)
Yet another very tasty Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand at an affordable price. Very pale lime in colour with a nose of cut grass and elderberries. It’s medium bodied with a flavour of sweet passionfruit; fresh grapefruit acidity prolongs the taste in the mouth. (TA)
PORTUGAL 92 QUINTA DOS CARVALHAIS ESPECIAL NV, DÃO ($52)
A blend of the 2004, 2005 and 2006 vintages with 8 years in barrel — a synthesis of old and new winemaking styles. Medium gold colour with a viscous texture. Oxidative with nutty notes. Mouth-filling, resiny, powerful and intense. Honey, spice and citrus-peel notes with saltiness that lingers on and on. (HH)
SOUTH AFRICA 92 WARWICK ESTATE WHITE LADY CHARDONNAY 2012, STELLENBOSCH ($20.83)
Clear, deep lemon-zest yellow. Medium-intensity nose of apple, lime, melon
56 × @QUENCH_MAG × MAV WINE AND SPIRITS AWARDS 2015
88 ALTA ALELLA PANSA BLANCA 2014, CATALUNYA ($14.95)
Pansa Blanca is a synonym for Xarel·lo, a variety used in the production of cava. Almost water-white in colour with a minerally, citrus-peel nose and a light floral note. Light-bodied, dry and fresh on the palate. Easy drinking. (TA)
UNITED STATES 92 SANDHI BENTROCK CHARDONNAY 2013, SANTA RITA HILLS ($120) This natural yeast-fermented white shows great depth and a profile of peach, lime zest, white chalk, McIntosh apple and herbs. It is mid-weight with fresh acidity and a long, graceful finish. (ES)
87 ARROWOOD CHARDONNAY 2012, SONOMA COUNTY ($27)
Pale gold with a greenish rim. Buttery nose of tropical fruits, generously oaked. In the classical Californian style, rich, fat texture verging on thickness but somewhat compensated by a vivid acidity that keeps it balanced. Energetic finish with a hint of bitterness. (GBQc)
ROSÉ 89 DOMAINE DES CARTERESSES TAVEL ROSÉ 2014, RHÔNE, FRANCE ($17.95)
This is an all-year-round rosé with enough power to stand up to white meat dishes. Deep pink in colour with a floral, cherry nose; full-bodied, dry and fresh with red berry flavours threaded with minerality and lively acidity. (TA)
RED AUSTRALIA 95 GMH MERITAGE 2010, SOUTH AUSTRALIA ($14.08)
Clear, very deep plum red, tipping to garnet. Medium-intensity nose of cassis, cherry and instant coffee with a drop of anise. Very fruity with ripe flavours of cherry and blackberry and a hint of coriander. High alcohol with very soft tannins and a long finish. Peaking now. (RL)*
93 HOWARD PARK LESTON CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2012, MARGARET RIVER ($35)
Anise, sage and herbal hints on the nose, followed by lively intense blue fruit on the plush and plummy palate with cedar and leather notes wrapped in juicy acidity. Excellent length and finesse. Well managed oak: Matured in 40% new and 60% older French oak barriques for 18 months. (TP)
CANADA 93 TRIUS SHOWCASE RED SHALE CABERNET FRANC CLARK FARM VINEYARD 2012, NIAGARA ($45) This is the superstar of the vintage for the Trius red wine program. An enthralling Cab Franc with a deep, rich nose of fragrant red fruits, raspberry bush, earth, light spice and a lifted
floral-herbal note. It shows succulent red fruits on the palate, chewy tannins, roasted espresso beans, earthy-savoury notes and integrated spice with bits of anise and liquorice. (RV)
and mineral-spice notes. A much more delicate, fruit-driven wine on the palate than what I’m used to from Lowrey with smooth, fine tannins, emerging mineral and spice notes. (RV)
92 PEARL MORISSETTE LE SPECTATEUR CABERNET FRANC 2012, NIAGARA ($33)
91 TINHORN CREEK OLDFIELD SERIES 2BENCH RED 2012, OKANAGAN ($27)
Francois Morissette used a healthy dose of French oak, 50% new barrels, and has left the wine unfiltered and unfined. It is so gorgeous on the nose with scented blackberry, cassis and anise fruit that is bolstered by sweet oak spices. The tannins are smooth and silky on the palate with a thick layer of ripe dark fruits and a touch of cherry with integrated oak spice. (RV)
92 JOIEFARM EN FAMILLE PINOT NOIR RESERVE 2012, OKANAGAN ($40)
Now, this is something. A nose of black cherry, currants, cranberry, crunchy raspberry and a lovely gaminess with loam, earth and savoury spices. It’s like silk on the palate and laced with cherry and blackcurrants in a vibrant, focused style that’s not afraid to show its funky, spicy side. Buy and hold for 5 years plus. (RV)
92 CREEKSIDE BROKEN PRESS SYRAH 2012, NIAGARA ($43)
Creekside is unquestionably the premier producer of Syrah in Ontario. It builds this iconic top bottling with a smidge of Viognier. Such an expressive nose of blackcurrants, cracked peppercorns, earth, garrigue, lifted floral notes and smoky-savoury spices. It’s highly structured on the palate with thick, dark fruits, pepper and spice with grippy tannins through a long finish. (RV)
92 BACHELDER LOWREY VINEYARD PINOT NOIR 2013, NIAGARA ($45)
A far different Lowrey than the one from the hot 2012 vintage. Here we have a tight/closed nose starting to show scented cherry, cassis, bramble, loam
A blend of Cab Sauv, Merlot, Cab Franc and Petit Verdot, the nose shows a mélange of black cherry, crunchy raspberry and blueberry with savoury spices. Lovely texture on the palate with persistence from the red and dark fruits with added mocha and barrel spices. Can age for 5 to 7 years. (RV)
91 PELLER ESTATES ANDREW PELLER SIGNATURE SERIES CABERNET FRANC 2012, NIAGARA ($45) Still tight and subdued on the nose, best to decant or cellar for a bit, but does eventually open up to reveal blackcurrants, black tea, thick cherry-kirsch, bramble and earth with an array of savoury spices. On the palate, look for plums, cassis, rich, lavish spices, cocoa and earth on a bed of ripe tannins. Cellar 5 plus years. (RV)
90 TINHORN CREEK OLDFIELD SERIES MERLOT 2012, OKANAGAN ($27)
A rich and complex nose of cassis, plums, cherries, toasted vanilla and other barrel spices. It’s bold and teeming with fruit on the palate but maintains a level of freshness with lovely spice notes and plush tannins through the smooth finish. (RV)
89 MISSION HILL RESERVE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2012, OKANAGAN ($26.95)
A BC Cab made in claret style. Dense ruby in colour with that characteristic blackcurrant and cedar bouquet; full-bodied, dry and elegant with a firm tannic structure. Hold for at least 2 to 3 years. (TA)
88 MALIVOIRE GAMAY 2013, NIAGARA PENINSULA ($17.95)
A definitive Niagara Gamay style. Deep ruby colour; lifted cherry and cherry-pit NOVEMBER 2015 × QUENCH.ME × 57
NOTED nose; sweet cherry jelly flavour with balancing acidity, soft mouthfeel; easy drinking with good length. (TA)
88 CREEKSIDE ESTATE LAURA’S RED 2012, NIAGARA PENINSULA ($19.95)
A fruit cocktail blend of 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 21% Cabernet Franc, 3% Syrah, 2% Malbec and 1% Petit Verdot. Dense purple-black in colour; a red berry nose with light oak notes. Well structured and firm with black cherry and currant flavours and enough tannin to give the wine the ability to age. (TA)
88 GASPEREAU VINEYARDS GINA’S RED 2013, NOVA SCOTIA ($21.99)
Both red and dark fruits are apparent, with a light spice, a splash of vanilla, a whiff of clove, dark chocolate and a suggestion of liquorice. Medium bodied with lightly firm but approachable tannins and not overly aggressive acidity. Bears some similarity to the reds of the Veneto. (SW)
88 DOMAINE DE GRAND PRÉ TOM SPECIAL EDITION RED WINE, NOVA SCOTIA ($25)
This blend of Marquette, Cabernet Foch and Baco Noir was produced as a tribute to Tom Preston, probably the longest-serving field hand in the Nova Scotia wine industry, who died in 2014. It shows cherry, red plum, wild berry and interesting tarry/smoky notes with moderate tannins, bitter cherry and a light splash of dark chocolate on the finish. Try with game meats. (SW)
85 JOST COASTAL VINEYARDS MARECHAL FOCH/MARQUETTE 2013, NOVA SCOTIA ($14.99)
A medium-bodied red presenting cherry, red plum, vanilla and cinnamon spice on the nose. Sour cherry and green herbal character show up on the palate, with firm dry tannins and rather forward acidity. Finishes with a splash of chocolate on the dry tannic finish. Great with a grilled tenderloin (pork or beef ). (SW)
CHILE 89 CASA NUEVA CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2011, CURICÓ VALLEY ($11) Clear, medium-deep plum red. Nose of blackberry and green bell pepper, overlaid with leather and black liquorice. A straightforward, fruity wine tasting of redcurrants and strawberries, with good acidity and soft tannins. Drink over the next year. (RL)*
88 MIGUEL TORRES LAS MULAS ORGANIC CABERNET SAUVIGNON RESERVE 2013, CURICÓ ($12.95) From Chile’s Central Valley. This organically grown Cabernet is dense purple in colour with that characteristic nose of blackcurrant and cedar — flavours that are replicated on the palate backed by vanilla oak. Good value. (TA)
FRANCE 94 CHÂTEAU LAMARTINE CUVÉE EXPRESSION 2011, CAHORS ($41.50)
2011 was a superb vintage for the region of Cahors. Powerful and concentrated, this 100% Malbec, made from 60-yearold vines, exudes blueberry pie, plum and dark cherry jam, vanilla custard, earth and smoke, which carries long into the sunset. Make sure to pick up a few bottles for the cellar. Drinkability — over the next 20 years! (ES)
93 CHÂTEAU BOYD-CANTENAC 2006, AC MARGAUX ($43.17)
Clear, medium-deep garnet. Medium-intensity, fully developed and complex nose including raspberry, cherry, liquorice and coffee aromas with a bit of dust. Medium-bodied with highish acidity, powdery tannins and a long finish. Flavours of fresh tart cherries and dark berries. Will improve for another year or 2. (RL)*
92 CHÂTEAU BOUISSET LES BÉCASSINES 2011, AOP COTEAUX DU LANGUEDOC LA CLAPE ($14.67) Clear, deep plum red. Medium-intensity
58 × @QUENCH_MAG × MAV WINE AND SPIRITS AWARDS 2015
nose of cherry against a coffee and black liquorice background. Very fruity (more cherry) on the palate, but made interesting by the tannic structure and lots of alcohol. Will get even better with another couple of years. Value. (RL)*
90 CHÂTEAU LAMARTINE CUVÉE PARTICULIÈRE 2011, CAHORS ($22.15)
A powerful Malbec that will probably appeal more to Argentinean lovers than Francophiles. Full-bodied, the wine drips blackberry, blueberry, raspberry liqueur, cherry, spice, vanilla, smoke and molasses. Ripe; there is enough tannin to allow 10 to 12 years of cellaring, but with all of its upfront personality, there is no need to wait. Côte de boeuf all the way! (ES)
90 DOMAINE A GROS ET J-P TOLLOT LA CIAUDE 2012, MINERVOIS, LANGUEDOC ($34.75)
Nice mix of red fruits, kirsch and a floral touch. Full-bodied and intense, yet it remains soft in texture as the slightly rough tannins are well wrapped in fruity extract. Finish is a tad warm; overall a great quality red from a hot climate. (GBQc)
89 CHÂTEAU DE TREVIAC CORBIÈRES 2012, LANGUEDOC– ROUSSILLON ($17)
A blend of 80% Syrah and 20% Grenache. The nose shows spicy, rich cassis, currants and blueberries with a lifted floral note and cinnamon-nutmeg spice. It’s inviting and caressing on the palate with an array of ripe dark fruits and peppery spices all delivered on a bed of soft tannins. (RV)
89 CHÂTEAU LAROSE-TRINTAUDON 2009, CRU BOURGEOIS, HAUTMÉDOC, BORDEAUX ($25) Classic nose of red and black fruits with the characteristic lead-pencil note. Equally typical Bordeaux taste; full-bodied, firm, slightly rough tannins that will need time to soften. There is enough fruity extract to last many more years in the cellar. (GBQc)
89 LAMBLIN & FILS NUITS-SAINT-GEORGES 2010 ($32)
Clear, pale garnet. Somewhat subdued nose of violets, raspberries, plums, green tomatoes and a touch of milk chocolate. Light and delicate on the palate with flavours of raspberry and pineapple. Drink now. (RL)*
86 LOUIS BERNARD CÔTES DU RHÔNE VILLAGES 2013, RHÔNE ($14.95)
Deep ruby colour with a spicy-woodsy nose of black fruits; medium- to full-bodied, dry, with blackberry and plum flavours and a light floral note to give the wine interest. Ends on a chalky note. (TA)
86 LAMBLIN & FILS CÔTE DE BEAUNE-VILLAGES 2012 ($21.83)
Clear, pale cherry-red. Nose of tart cherries, oranges and violets. Light-bodied, tasting of cherries and strawberries with a surprisingly long finish. Tannins almost gone; drink up. (RL)*
GREECE 88 TETRAMYTHOS AGIORGITIKO 2013, PELOPONNESE PGI ($16.70)
ITALY 92 BIBBIANO VIGNA DEL CAPANNINO CHIANTI CLASSICO DOCG GRAN SELEZIONE 2010, TUSCANY ($36)
Ruby red core with garnet red rim. Complex bouquet of cherry, prune, spice, tobacco, pencil lead and balsamic notes. Well structured, elegant and harmonious, yet bolstered by ripe, powerful tannins. Cellar 5 to 10 years and then open for contemplative conversation. (HH)
91 PRINCIPE CORSINI VILLA LE CORTI DON TOMMASO CHIANTI CLASSICO DOCG GRAN SELEZIONE 2010, TUSCANY ($35)
Ruby red with garnet rim. Subtle bouquet, but the 20% Merlot permeates with plum notes on both nose and palate. The 80% Sangiovese makes its mark with scents of forest floor and cherry. The palate is ripe while the finish is warm. Try their suggested pairing of venison with juniper. (HH)
91 RUFFINO DUCALE ORO RISERVA GRAN SELEZIONE CHIANTI CLASSICO 2010, TUSCANY ($44.95)
Organically grown and fermented via natural yeasts, this is a real crowd pleaser what with all of its cherry, raspberry, chocolate and spice/pepper personality. Fresh acid and soft tannins complete the package. (ES)
Costly, yes, but a real humdinger of a Chianti and a consistent performer over the years. Dense ruby colour with a bouquet of black cherries, leather and tobacco; medium- to full-bodied, dry and richly extracted with lively acidity and rounded tannins. (TA)
87 TETRAMYTHOS BLACK OF KALAVRYTA 2014, ACHAIA ($17.40)
91 PAOLO MANZONE BAROLO SERRALUNGA 2011, BAROLO ($70)
The Black of Kalavryta is an indigenous Greek grape that almost disappeared a decade ago. Thankfully a handful of producers have started to repopulate in the vineyards of Achaia, located in the western portion of the Peloponnese. Stylistically, this wine reminds me of a solid Gamay with its pale colour and flavours of cherry, plum, black pepper, spice and red flowers. Soft and easy-drinking, it should be served chilled and paired with charcuterie or tomato-based dishes. (ES)
A deep colour paves the way to a complex wine full of cherry, plum, earth, spice, vanilla and dark cocoa. There is exquisite length and a grippy finale. Hold until 2017 and then drink until 2030. (ES)
91 BOROLI BAROLO VILLERO 2011, BAROLO ($75)
On the nose, cherry, plum, earth, floral, spice, cocoa and earth reveal themselves. The delicate palate exudes vanilla, cherry and raspberry flavours, which are long lasting. Drink over the next 15 years, (ES)
91 MANZONE GIOVANNI BAROLO GRAMOLERE 2011, BAROLO ($75)
Gramolere is a single vineyard located in the village of Monforte d’Alba. Cherry, vanilla, earth, anise, liquorice, bacon fat, smoke, earth and vanilla echo long. Well made in the modern style. (ES)
91 TENUTE CISA ASINARI DEI MARCHESI DI GRESY BARBARESCO RISERVA CAMP GROS MARTINENGA 2010, BARBARESCO ($75)
Made in a modern style, the plum, toast, cherry, tobacco and spice qualities are built on a full-bodied frame. There is a sweet mid-palate; superb length with raspberry notes echoing long. All in all, an excellent expression of the Nebbiolo grape. (ES)
90 CASTELLO DI GABBIANO ALLEANZA TOSCANA IGT 2010, TUSCANY ($39)
This modern-style Tuscan (60% Merlot, 40% Cab Sauv) displays a deep ruby colour. The fresh nose features floral, violets and vanilla spice with rich blackcurrant and plum flavour. The French oak adds tannin, spice, polish and balance. Warm, spicy finish. Needs 3 to 5 years. (HH)
90 I FABBRI CHIANTI CLASSICO DOCG GRAN SELEZIONE 2011, TUSCANY ($40)
Violet, cherry and raspberry aromas with whiffs of forest floor. Medium bodied with round tannins. Seductive and fresh yet powerful. Well balanced with a finish showcasing finesse, savouriness and minerality. Light-footed for 14.5% alcohol. Serve with rotisserie chicken. (HH)
90 BATASIOLO BAROLO BRICCOLINA 2011, BAROLO ($50)
Elegant and flavourful with vanilla, cocoa, earth, spice, graphite, cherry and pencil shavings working their way out of the glass. It is ready to drink, preferably with osso bucco or pot roast. (ES)
89 GABBIANO SOLATIO TOSCANA IGT 2011, TUSCANY ($19)
A fruity Syrah/Cab Sauv/Sangiovese (50/45/5%) blend from coastal Maremma NOVEMBER 2015 × QUENCH.ME × 59
NOTED and inland Chianti, with partial carbonic maceration. Violets, wild berries and spice aromas. Bold and fruity upfront. A rich, dark fruit mid-palate supported by fresh acidity and soft tannins. Straightforward finish. (HH)
89 LUCIGNANO CHIANTI COLLI FIORENTINI 2011, TUSCANY ($19.95)
Deep ruby colour with a lifted bouquet of cherry and vanilla oak; medium-bodied, well-extracted cherry and red berry flavours with lively acidity and a firm structure. (TA)
89 CANONICA A CERETTO SANDAVIOLO 2008, TOSCANA ($26.20)
Dark ruby. Intense fresh red fruit notes, only a hint of oak on a nose that is surprisingly young for a 2008. Well-balanced palate; the tight and firm tannins are well wrapped by the fruity extract. Well made and able to age a few more years. (GBQc)
89 VISTORTA CONTE BRANDOLINI D’ADDA 2009, FRIULI GRAVE ($26.50)
Inviting nose of red fruits, kirsch and fruit stones. Medium-bodied; the mid-palate feels tight but fresh on the tongue. Finish is slightly tannic and thick. Obvious talent in the winemaking. (GBQc)
89 TENUTE RUBINO VISELLIO 2011, SALENTO, PUGLIA ($34.25) Very expressive nose of intense floral notes over light red fuits. Velvety mouthfeel, like a caress on the tongue, that becomes firmer near the finish. The powerful alcohol (15%) is felt but there is no burning sensation. A fine expression of the Primitivo grape. (GBQc)
88 CASATO DI MELZI RISERVA SALICE SALENTINO 2011, PUGLIA ($13.95)
The red wines of Puglia are inexpensive and barbecue-worthy. Produced from the local Negroamaro grape, this wine is dense purple-ruby in colour with a nose of black plums and spicy oak. Medi-
um-bodied and fruity, it has lively balancing acidity and a firm finish. (TA)
88 PAOLO CONTERNO BRICCO 2013, BARBERA D’ALBA, PIEMONTE ($19)
Dark ruby. The red fruit notes (raspberry, cherry) and a hint of fresh beets are pleasant. The lively acidity is ever-present in the mouth; tender tannins and a fleshy texture bring roundness to the mid-palate, leading to a fresh, lingering finish. Drink now. Lovely with a braised lamb dish. (GBQc)
88 BARONE RICASOLI BROLIO 2011, CHIANTI CLASSICO RISERVA, TUSCANY ($30) Full ruby. Beautiful and elegant nose of red fruits and fine oak notes. Equally distinguished in the mouth, the tight texture is very finely grained. Finish is compact and well balanced. (GBQc)
88 CASSINELLI MARIA BARBERA D’ASTI SUPERIORE VIGNALONGA 2012, PIEDMONT ($50)
Lovely fresh aromas with dark red fruit and stony minerals. Elegant, well integrated and balanced; smooth palate with lightly velvety tannins, lots of flavour and a long racy finish. Can be drunk with a roast beef but look for a spicy sausage pasta to do this wine justice. (GB)
88 EREDE DI CHIAPPONE ARMANDO BARBERA D’ASTI SUPERIORE NIZZA RU 2009, PIEDMONT ($55) Full, structured, layered and complex with cherry, plum, vanilla, blackberry and grilled meat character; smoky, spicy, softer tannins and a round, full finish. A great steakhouse wine. (GB)
88 COPPO BARBERA D’ASTI SUPERIORE NIZZA RISERVA DI FAMIGLIA 2006, PIEDMONT ($175) Complex with aromas and flavours of cherry, earth, toasted oak; full-bodied, elegant tannins, with notes of vanilla, coffee and spice, and a supple finish. Has aged well. Great with a mushroom risotto or ravioli in a tomato sauce. (GB)
60 × @QUENCH_MAG × MAV WINE AND SPIRITS AWARDS 2015
87 ALEMAT BARBERA D’ASTI SUPERIORE AUGUSTA 2013, PIEDMONT ($35)
Lovely, fresh and juicy with a dark purple colour, rich aromas of crushed cherry, blackberry and violets; full and round with velvety tannins and a long, fresh finish. If you can find some wild boar, cook it up. (GB)
87 MICHELE CHIARLO BARBERA D’ASTI SUPERIORE CIPRESSI 2013, PIEDMONT ($40)
Earthy and slightly meaty with cherry aromas and flavours; good balance on the fruity, earthy and mineral finish. Perfect with a burger topped with roasted mushrooms. (GB)
87 TENUTA OLIM BAUDA BARBERA D’ASTI SUPERIORE NIZZA 2011, PIEDMONT ($60) Enticing, with black cherry, plum and spice flavours. Firm but supple tannins; rich yet fresh with a nice grippiness on the long finish. Definitely a meat wine. Try with a simple Italian sausage and lentil dish. (GB)
PORTUGAL 90 MONTE DA RAVASQUEIRA VINHA DAS ROMÃS 2012, ALENTEJO ($27)
Purple colour. Violets on the nose. A blend of Syrah and Touriga Nacional grapes sourced from a former pomegranate orchard, which explains the pomegranate nuances. Juicy and tautly structured with pithy tannins. 20 months in new French oak barrels. Rich and delicious now. (HH)
90 HORTA OSÓRIO RESERVA 2012, DOURO ($34) Made from grapes also destined for port wines in this low-yielding vintage. Deep ruby colour. Violets on the nose. Juicy plum, succulent berry flavours and spice on the finish. Well-managed tannins on a well-structured frame. Needs 3 to 5 years cellaring to reach its peak. (HH)
88 ALIANÇA RESERVA 2012, BAIRRADA ($9)
This unoaked blend of different harvest times comes from chalky clay soils. The Touriga Nacional grape gives violet aromas, while the Atlantic-influenced Baga grape confers freshness. Dark berry and spice aromas with earthy, brambly notes on the juicy, medium-bodied palate. Clean finish. You can prepare herb encristed lamb chops to go with this wine. (HH)
SPAIN 90 BODEGAS LAVIA PLUS 2009, DO BULLAS ($17)
The medium garnet colour suggests a moderately aged 100% Monastrell that’s ready to drink now. Savoury and herbal with red fruits on the nose. Juicy acidity and fine tannins are exceptionally well balanced on the palate. Savoury finish with lingering mint notes. (HH)
89 LEALTANZA CAPITOSO 2012, RIOJA DOC ($18)
Reveals ripe red and dark fruit scents overlaid with cinnamon, clove and a whiff of vanilla. Rich, thick blackberry flavours kick in on the palate with a splash of dark chocolate, lightly firm tannic structure and redcurrant/blackcurrant notes on the finish. (SW)
88 BODEGAS ESTEBAN MARTÍN CAPRICHOS OLD VINE GARNACHA 2012, DO CARIÑENA ($16) Medium ruby colour. 100% Garnacha. High-toned aromas of floral, blueberry, violets and raspberry jam. Juicy, blueberry and red berries on the soft, round palate. Low, soft tannins. Clean, very dry finish with vanilla notes. (HH)
UNITED STATES 90 BUTTERFLY RIDGE PINOT NOIR 2013, CENTRAL COAST ($13.75) Clear, pale-to-medium garnet, starting to brown. Medium-intensity nose of violets
and raspberry with a bit of wood spice from oak-aging. Simple flavours of red berries; light-bodied with good balance and a long finish. Drink now. (RL)*
90 BONNY DOON LE CIGARE VOLANT 2009, SAN OBISPO, CENTRAL COAST, CALIFORNIA ($39.75) Beautiful nose of complex fruity notes, spices and earth that are a sign of evolution. Same impression on the palate, but there is a harmonious balance and a nicely firm texture. This may seem like early evolution, but the result is quite successful. Great wine, so drink it soon. (GBQc)
89 CHATEAU STE MICHELLE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2012, WASHINGTON ($19.95)
A Cab ready for drinking. Dense ruby in colour, this wine offers a concentrated nose of cassis, cedar and vanilla oak. Medium-bodied, dry, elegant and well structured. Good value at the price. (TA)
88 ROBERT MONDAVI PRIVATE SELECTION CALIFORNIA CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2013 ($19.99)
Shows red berry, light vanilla spice and green herbal scents with blackberry, blackcurrant and dark chocolate kicking in on the palate. Medium weight with a bit of dry tannic backbone, this is a reliable, well-made middle-of-the-road Cab. (SW)
85 CLOS DU VAL CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2011, NAPA VALLEY ($47)
This is at the low end of what we review here at Quench but worth mentioning because it’s rare for this prodigious Napa producer to craft such an un-Clos du Val–like wine. Yes, a cool vintage, but this lacks depth, concentration and the fruit we expect from the region. Perhaps most noteworthy is the high acidity level that puts the entire package out of whack. After a few sips, it becomes the dominant factor and not in a good way. Thankfully, the warmer 2012 vintage is making its way to stores. This is a pass. (RV)
DESSERT 91 FERREIRA DONA ANTONIA TAWNY RESERVE, PORTO, PORTUGAL ($20.25)
Dark garnet with orange rim. Fine nose of tobacco, spices, nuts, cooked fruits and coffee that feels like the wine is close to a 10-year-old tawny. Soft in its attack, warm and a good dose of sweetness. A well-made tawny, worth its price. (GBQc)
BEER TATAMAGOUCHE BREWING CO NORTH SHORE LAGERED ALE, NOVA SCOTIA ($4.25/473 ML)
An homage to the traditional top-fermented beer of Cologne, this slightly hazy blond brew has a lightly frothy, persistent head with soft nutty and yeasty aromas. Lightly sweet fruity malt on the medium-weight palate, finishing with an attractive hit of bitterness. Try with a Swiss-style cheese fondue. (SW)
TATAMAGOUCHE BREWING CO BUTCHER BLOCK RED ALE, NOVA SCOTIA ($4.25/473 ML)
Reddish amber tinged in the glass with toasty, nutty and smoky aromas, initial fruity sweetness then burnt roasted character, followed by mellow fruit cake flavour, rich creaminess and finishing with emphatic bitterness. A characterful, complex brew. (SW)
TATAMAGOUCHE BREWING CO HORNS OVER HOOVES DOUBLE IPA, NOVA SCOTIA ($4.50/473 ML) 5 separate hop varieties go into this deep amber-coloured ale. It shows a persistent creamy head with intense citrus, green herbal and malty aromas. Richly rounded flavours reveal malty and fruity sweetness with good weight, smooth texture and pronounced bitterness on the long finish. Great with a rich and spicy Indian curry. (SW)
NOVEMBER 2015 × QUENCH.ME × 61
CIDER ZAPIAIN SAGARDOA CIDER 2014, SPAIN ($10)
In Northern Spain’s Basque Country, the art of naturally made ciders is legendary. The fermentation process occurs naturally and nothing is added (no sweeteners, no additional yeast). The result is a pure and exciting cider with crisp, tart apple, yeast, a touch of effervescence and a lemony-citrus finish. (RV)
COFFIN RIDGE FORBIDDEN DRY CIDER, ONTARIO ($3/473 ML)
This is a fresh, fragrant style of Ontario cider with notes of apple, citrus and grapefruit on the nose. The entry on the palate shows zippy citrus and crisp apple in a refreshing, relatively dry style. (RV)
BRICKWORKS CIDERHOUSE QUEEN STREET 501 CIDER, ONTARIO ($3/473 ML)
A richer, thicker, sweeter cider than what I am used to but it works. Sweet notes of ripe autumn apples, honey and just a touch of citrus on the nose. The apple fruit is thick, almost compoted, on the palate, like a late harvest wine, but with enough acidity to keep it interesting. (RV)
SPIRITS ABSOLUT ELYX ($49.95)
A premium vodka worth the coin, Absolut Elyx is distilled in a copper column from single-estate Swedish winter wheat and naturally filtered water. A remarkably creamy and sophisticated spirit with notes of vanilla, spice and, of course, wheat grain. Great in a martini. (SP)
JUNIPERO, SAN FRANCISCO, UNITED STATES ($45)
Junipero is distilled by San Fran’s Anchor Distilling Ltd., pioneer of America’s now-saturated craft spirits movement and offshoot of beloved Anchor Brewing. Hitting all the notes you’d expect from an exemplary gin, this elegant and open spirit
showcases brilliant juniper and florals mingled with a latent earthiness and spice. It’s sweet and silky on the palate with a strong presence contributed by its namesake berry. A sipping gin to the core. (SP)
decidedly dry rum is a joy to sip. It’s so smooth that only the depth of flavour hints at its barrel strength (45%). (SP)
JENSEN’S BERMONDSEY LONDON DRY GIN ($60)
A blended malt whisky comprised of Glenfiddich, Balvenie and Kininvie, Monkey Shoulder is made with the mixologist in mind, but its smooth intricacies — peaches, honey, chocolate, vanilla and Christmas spices — could sway the most seasoned scotch drinker. (SP)
Based on the flavour profile of original London gins of the 1800s, Jensen’s is straightforward, satisfying and bursting with bright juniper on the nose. On the palate, the juniper is still very present but makes way for orange, coriander, liquorice and spice. Try it in classic gin cocktails like the martini, Martinez and the Negroni. (SP)
LARRESSINGLE BAS-ARMAGNAC XO, FRANCE ($100)
ENGLISH HARBOUR AGED 5 YEARS ANTIGUA RUM ($34)
MONKEY SHOULDER, SCOTLAND ($55)
A stalwart of Gascony for 7 centuries, the Château de Larressingle has been owned by the Papelorey family for 5 generations — that’s a lot of legacy in 1 bottle. Single distilled in an alembic column, Laressingle’s extra old Bas-Armagnac is carefully aged for 15 to 20 years in the region’s coveted black oak, where it develops into a velvety, earthy and deeply oaked spirit strewn with vanilla and dried fruits. This rich and soothing brandy is the definition of nightcap. (SP)
BRUICHLADDICH BLACK ART 04.1 ($350)
The 4th release of Bruichladdich’s richest and potentially most profound spirit is aged in a secret selection of casks, some of which have to be wine. Vanilla, currants, sultanas and honey mingle with citrus and baking spice on the nose. On the palate, it’s pure wine and chocolate with notes of Madeira, honey and toast. As master distiller Jim McEwan notes, a total indulgence. (SP)
HAVANA CLUB SELECCIÓN DE MAESTROS ($61)
One of my favourite bottlings from Havana Club, Selección de Maestros is a collaborative effort from the Maestros Roneros Guild of Cuba, spearheaded by Havana Club’s premier rum master, Don José Navarro. Loaded on the nose with coffee, orange peel, caramelized peaches, vanilla and cedar, this hyper-fruity yet
62 × @QUENCH_MAG × MAV WINE AND SPIRITS AWARDS 2015
Lithe and luscious, this Antiguan rum starts its days fermenting courtesy of a variety of yeasts, some of which are wild. It’s then distilled continuously in copper before aging in former bourbon barrels. The resulting rum is all caramel, oranges and faint but persistent smoke. (SP)
CHARTREUSE VEP GREEN ($89.95/500 ML)
Exclusively produced by the Chartreuse Order of the Carthusian monks, founded in 1084, one of France’s most famous herbal liqueurs remains a mystery in many ways. Originally produced as a medicine, chartreuse contains over 130 plants, roots and herbs — the exact formula of which is known to only 2 Carthusian monks. Barrel aged for 8 years, Chartreuse VEP is a more sumptuous version of standard green chartreuse, with a deep bouquet of mint, flowers, woody spices, liquorice and citrus, and a complex herbal sweetness distinctive to chartreuse. (SP)
TANQUERAY RANGPUR GIN, DISTILLED AND BOTTLED IN GREAT BRITAIN WITH RARE RANGPUR LIMES AND OTHER BOTANICALS ($32) Aromatic with very pronounced lime scent and subtle background hints of juniper. Shows classic Tanqueray smoothness and finesse in the mouth with refreshing lime character that stays on the palate. Needless to say, adding any lime zest would be overkill. (SW)
WELL NOTED SANTA ALICIA CARMENÈRE GRAN RESERVA DE LOS ANDRES 2012, CHILE ($16)
Showing lots of intensity on the nose, this Gran Reserva offers a plethora of aromas suggesting blackberry jam, clove, nutmeg, pepper, coffee and dried herbs. Supple and round, but with lots going on in the flavour department, including smoky/toasty/mineral overtones supported by some leafy/herbal nuances, all wrapped around a dense, chewy core of ripe black fruit. (SL)
90 KITTEN SWISH ZINFANDEL STUHLMULLER VINEYARD 2013, ALEXANDER VALLEY, UNITED STATES ($48)
Sleek and elegant with beautifully pure, focused and complex notes of black cherry, liquorice, fresh earthy clay, white pepper and spice. The flavours build richness and depth as they glide over the palate, finishing long, fresh and lively. (GB)
90 WITHER HILLS SAUVIGNON BLANC 2013, MARLBOROUGH, NEW ZEALAND ($19.95)
Just what you’d expect from the Wairau Valley: very pale in colour with a nose of green beans and grapefruit lifted with a floral note; medium-bodied, fresh and lively on the palate with great length. (TA)
HIGHLAND PARK FREYA 15 YEAR OLD SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY ($330/700 ML) 90 ROSEWOOD LOCK, STOCK AND BARREL 2013, NIAGARA ($35)
A red blend that combines all 5 traditional Bordeaux grapes. It’s quite dark in the glass with concentrated cherry, cassis, liquorice, toasty spices and herbal notes on the nose. It’s rich and spicy on the palate with a mélange of red and dark fruit to go with a structured feel on the palate and good acidity for balance. (RV)
90 B RODRIGUEZ LA-CAVE BARBIANA MANZANILLA, SANLÚCAR DE BARRAMEDA, JEREZ, SPAIN ($19.95)
The perfect pre-dinner wine to stimulate your appetite. Pale straw in colour with a chamomile and white-flower nose; light-bodied, crisply dry and elegant with great length and an edge of salinity. (TA)
With Freya, Highland Park celebrates the release of the third expression in its limited edition Valhalla Collection (with Odin, the final release, set to arrive in Canada at some point). Aged entirely in ex-bourbon casks (a first for Highland Park), this is an exceptional dram with an intense, exquisitely fresh nose of honeyed grain, apple, tropical fruit, brine, vanilla, citrus and bright floral nuances. Creamy and rich in the mouth with suggestions of candied citrus peel, ginger and a subtle, underlying smokiness. Though bottled at 51.2% ABV, the finish is both remarkably gentle and hauntingly long and complex. As beguiling and mysterious (and beautiful) as the Norse goddess herself. (TS)
92 HENRY OF PELHAM SPECK FAMILY RESERVE CHARDONNAY 2013, SHORT HILLS BENCH, ONTARIO ($29.95)
Made from yields of 2 tonnes per acre and fermented in French oak, this beauty is elegant and concentrated. It reveals a multi-dimensional personality of toast, honey, apple, sweet peach, pineapple, banana, hazelnut, mineral and caper berry. Lobster or crab served with warm butter was made for this wine. (ES)
MACCHU PISCO, PERU ($44.95)
Distilled once in copper pots from Quebranta grapes and rested and bottled undiluted, this single-varietal pisco is the work of master distiller, blender and tireless Peruvian pisco champion Melanie Asher. The nose is predominantly fresh wine grapes with lime, lemongrass and white flowers. Mix this in a mighty fine pisco punch. (SP)
NOVEMBER 2015 × QUENCH.ME × 63
DAVINE BY GURVINDER BHATIA
CHANGING THE RULES
Time for laws to evolve with the pace of the industry. Granted, government generally moves rather slow. But with the evolution in Canada’s wine industry and the shifting culture around food and wine, it’s time to evolve the antiquated laws passed during prohibition and those designed to protect us from ourselves. Not all issues may relate to every province, but these are just a few of the changes I would like to see.
1. TRANSPARENCY IN LABELING
The SAQ (Société des alcools du Quebec) recently began publishing the residual sugar levels in the wines it sells. Both the SAQ and LCBO (Liquor Control Board of Ontario) now include information on a wine’s sugar content on their websites. The significance of this cannot be understated, particularly with the popularity and proliferation of sweet red wines on the market. Even if we ignore for a moment the discussion of whether these wines serve a valid purpose (personally and professionally, I don’t believe that they do), the issue is about transparency and the consumer having ready access to accurate information about the wines they are drinking. With the prevalence of diabetes and obesity in our society, the amount of sugar we consume should be a significant concern. According to European standards, a wine is considered dry if it possesses not more than 4 grams per litre of residual sugar (equivalent of 1 teaspoon). How much sugar is in the wines you are drinking? According to the SAQ website, Yellow Tail Shiraz contains 11 grams/ litre of residual sugar (almost 3 teaspoons of sugar), Cupcake Red Velvet has 12 grams/litre and Apothic Red a whopping 17 grams/litre (you can do the math). Comparatively, the delicious, 64 × @QUENCH_MAG × MAV WINE AND SPIRITS AWARDS 2015
distinctive, easy-drinking and affordable Navarro-Lopez Old Vines Tempranillo Pergolas from Spain ($15) only contains 2.4 grams/litre. As is clearly evident, the argument for drinking sweet reds because they are less expensive than well-made quality wines is not accurate. Don’t even get me started on the marketing of sweet red wines, which are clearly directed by their packaging and advertisements to the younger generation (I dare say not that different from the marketing tactics of the big tobacco companies from many years ago). We are all concerned with the origins and ingredients of the food we consume. Shouldn’t that concern also extend to the wines we drink? It’s time that each provincial liquor board demands the inclusion of a wine’s sugar content as part of the information readily accessible to consumers. Federal labeling laws should be changed to include the information (including amount of calories) on wine labels alongside the alcohol percentage. If consumers still choose to drink the sugar-laden swill, that’s ultimately up to them, but the issue is of transparency, truth in labeling and misleading the public into thinking these wines are actually dry. With accurate information, as consumers, we can take greater responsibility for the wines we consume and the producers we support.
2. RELAXATION OF FENCING AROUND BEER/WINE GARDENS AT EVENTS AND FESTIVALS
Some provinces have already taken steps to relax the fencing requirements around beer/wine gardens at events and festivals, but every jurisdiction needs to move in this direction.
Some may think that keeping the drinkers segregated is safer, but it is actually counter-intuitive. Essentially, you are putting people in a confined area and telling them they’re not being let out until they finish drinking as much as they can. It encourages over-consumption and quick consumption. If you allow people to drink at their own pace while they are visiting food stands or enjoying the festival’s entertainment with their families, chances are there will be far fewer alcohol-related issues. The Interstellar Rodeo music and wine festival in Edmonton is a great example. The entire venue is licensed; people are allowed to have a glass of wine in their seats, while they are eating at the food trucks or just hanging out with their families watching the musical artists perform. In the four years that the festival has been in existence, there has not been a single alcohol-related incident. British Columbia recently relaxed its beer/wine garden fencing requirements. When asked what impact the changes have made, a spokesperson for the government indicated that overall, “whole-site licensing has made events more family-friendly, with fewer people being noticeably intoxicated. There have been less concerns regarding overcrowding in licensed areas, and the whole-site option has eliminated long
AGENCE DE VOYAGES
W. H. HENRY INC.
TRAVEL AGENTS
lineups and allowed for more flexible site configuration options for festival organizers.” Sounds like a win-win. I’m a firm believer that if you treat people like civilized human beings, they will act like civilized human beings, but if you treat them like caged-up animals, they will act like caged-up animals. That’s not to say that there won’t be exceptions, but it’s time the government stops over-parenting the majority for the actions of the exceptions. Treat the majority as responsible adults and penalize the abusers.
3. INTERPROVINCIAL SHIPPING
This is a no-brainer. The federal government removed barriers for the shipment of wine across provincial borders, but gave the discretion to the individual provinces. Legally, Canadian wineries can only ship direct to consumers outside of their province if the recipient is in a province allowing such shipments. Shouldn’t we be encouraging inter-provincial commerce? Shouldn’t we be supporting our domestic industries? Provincial liquor boards need to stop worrying about the pittance (literally) they may lose in tax revenue and look at the bigger picture of what’s actually most beneficial for the country as a whole and its citizens. Free my grapes indeed! ×
INDO CHINA DISCOVERY JANuARY 9 – 24, 2016
Hanoi, Hoa Lu, Tam Coc, Halong Bay, Hue, Hoi An, Saigon, Mekong Delta, Siem Reap, Phnom Penh
W H Henry Inc. invites you to come and experience a 15 night journey into the heart of Indo China. Together we will discover its natural beauty, intriguing history and its rich ethnic and cultural diversity. We will visit awe-inspiring temples, villages and world heritage sites that remain unchanged for centuries. Our tour will sail in the peaceful Halong Bay and conclude in the world heritage site of Angkor Wat in Cambodia.
15 NIGHTS INCLUDING AIRFARE FROM TORONTO AND VANCOUVER $4,479.00* / MONTREAL DEPARTURES $4,779.00* *price based on double occupancy, including GST/HST, QST and FICAV contribution of $1.00/$1000. Quebec licensee.
Please call Daphne Chin at 514 369 3300 or email daphchin@yahoo.com for further information. W H Henry Inc. 5165 Sherbrooke Street West, Suite 500, Montreal QC H4A 1T6
NOVEMBER 2015 × QUENCH.ME × 65
AFTER TASTE BY TONY ASPLER
Paul Jaboulet Âiné, the current owner of the site with its tiny, emblematic chapel at the top, has honoured the legend by depicting the armoured knight holding his shield on the label of their Chevalier de Stérimberg Hermitage Blanc. But trust science to kill a good story: DNA evidence proved that the grapes in the Hermitage vineyard are an autochthonous French variety, a genetic cross of two rare French grapes — Mondeuse Blanche and Dureza. (Incidentally, Italy’s Trebbiano is also known as White Hermitage as well as Shiraz White.) James Busby, a Scot considered to be “the Father of Australian viticulture,” returned to Europe in 1831 to collect vine cuttings from France and Spain to be planted in his new homeland. Syrah was among them. These cuttings were planted in the Sydney Botanical Gardens and in the Hunter Valley before being disseminated to South Australia in 1839. Within 20 years, Syrah established itself as a dominant variety in the country. And the growers there reverted to the old geographic name. Geography plays a big part in the stylistic difference between the two sobriquets: Shiraz, the Australian model, in a warm climate, is a big, bold, full-bodied, fruit-driven wine with lots of extract, usually aged in American oak (the choice of wood used in the production Australia’s greatest Shiraz, Penfold’s Hermitage; this iconic wine spends 18 to 20 months in new American oak hogsheads of 300 litres); while the Syrah of the Northern Rhône (and cool climate regions like Ontario) is drier and more savoury, usually fermented and matured in French oak. Mission Hill in the Okanagan Valley makes both a Syrah and a Shiraz, the difference being in the type of oak used, French or American. There used to be no confusing the product of the Northern Rhône with that of the Barossa Valley but cooler regions like Victoria are producing Shiraz in a more restrained and elegant style. A good example is Fowles Wine in the Strathbogie Ranges who make Ladies Who Shoot Their Lunch Shiraz and its little sister, Are You Game? Shiraz. And the great Rhône producer, Michel Chapoutier, has been waltzing with Victoria producers to bring his Syrah expertise to Shiraz. Witness his Domaine Tournon Mathilda Shiraz. You can’t get much more Aussie than that. ×
YOU SAY SHIRAZ AND I SAY SYRAH
IT HAS ALWAYS PUZZLED ME WHY THE AUSTRALIANS CALL SYRAH, SHIRAZ. It’s the same grape variety — so maybe
they just wanted to differentiate their red wines from those of the Rhône Valley. The city of Shiraz, from which the Aussie version takes its name, was the ancient capital of the Fars province of Persia (now Iran). Archeological evidence supports the theory that wine was produced here as early as 5400-5000 BC. Neolithic pottery found in the area contained residues of tartaric acid that could only have come from wine production. By the ninth century, Shirazi wines were recognized as the best in the Middle East. But these wines were white and made in two different styles: dry wines for drinking young and sweet wines in sherry style that would age. Marco Polo makes mention of the wines in his travel writing; and other classical accounts describe a unique technique for training the vines in Shiraz. Using a series of pulleys and weights, they encouraged the vines to grow up one side of a house and down the other. This notion of fine wines emanating from the city of Shiraz gave rise to the following legend: a French knight named Guy de Stérimberg, returning home wounded from the Albigensian Crusade in 1224, brought back with him vine cuttings from the terraced vineyards of Shiraz. He had them planted in the northern Rhône, in what is now Tain-l’Hermitage. Stérimberg became a hermit, living alone above the vineyard that became known as Hermitage (the French for hermit is ermite). 66 × @QUENCH_MAG × MAV WINE AND SPIRITS AWARDS 2015
ILLUSTRATION: FRANCESCO GALLÉ, WWW.FRANCESCOGALLE.COM
X Ad
Dun Bhea gan Islay offers the cla ssic smoky, peaty, oil y profile found in top whiskies f rom renowned Islay. Independentl y bottled and distil lation dated, e ver y ca sk is selected and ta sted before bottling. For 15 years, exceptional quality and value for the whisky connoisseur.
IAN MCLEOD WHISKY IN FOLDER www.i anmacleod.com LCBO# 576397
X Ad
JIGGER STOPPERS
Holiday Gift Guide 2015
Easy as remove, measure & pour. Place these jigger stoppers onto the bottles in your bar to give each a unique touch. Imprinted measurement markings in oz & ml.
2 2 2 1 1 1
HURRICANE
MARTINI
3 3 3
SNIFTER
WHISKEY
SKULL HEAD
PRODUCT SPECIALTIES IN FOLDER
BOTTOMS UP GLASS BEER CANS
POOL SHOTS WITH RACK TRAY
Rack up some of your favourite spirits with your buddies. Includes 10 different balls and a triangle serving tray that looks just like a pool ball rack.
DAS BEER BOOT
The Bottoms Up Glass Beer Cans are the stylish way to drink your beer. Made of hand-blown durable borosilicate glass & crafted to perfection. The doublewall construction means your warm hands will not take the chill off your beer. Available in both regular & king can sizes.
This Beer Boot, or “Bierstiefeln” in German, will hold up to two of your favourite brews.
CONUNDRUM AERATOR DECANTER Pouring in or out, the curves of this decanter gently disperses the wine providing superior aeration & oxygenation. This unique design helps to enhance both flavour & aroma. Elegant brushed stainless steel base with large spout for easy filling and smooth pouring. Available in half and full bottle capacities.
CONUNDRUM WINE GLASSES MIXED METAL DOUBLE JIGGER SET
Red or white wine glasses with stylish curves that provide comfortable finger placement.
Includes three different stainless steel jiggers in different finishes: copper, brass & stainless steel. Two-sided – just flip over for different measurements. Measurement markings in oz & cL.
For more information & where to buy visit:
WWW.ALWAYSFINALTOUCH.COM/ 2015GIFTGUIDE