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QUENCH MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2017 STOP THIS JUNK! × 16 MANY OF US ARE NOW OVERFED — AND UNDERNOURISHED. WHY IS THAT? BY JOANNE WILL AGE MATTERS × 18 ARE WE DRINKING WINES TOO YOUNG? SOME THOUGHTS ON LAYING WINE DOWN. BY SEAN WOOD GLAD I MET YA! × 21 SICILY IS CHANGING THE FACE OF THE ITALIAN WINE EXPERIENCE. BY EVAN SAVIOLIDIS
24 34
THE CLASSIC × 24 CHIANTI CLASSICO IS BACK, BABY. OR WAS IT ALWAYS THERE? BY MICHAEL PINKUS ON TOP OF THE BAY × 28 12 NOVA SCOTIA WINERIES LAUNCH THEIR 2016 TIDAL BAY APPELLATION WINES. QUENCH WAS ON HAND TO TASTE THEM. BY SEAN WOOD WHAT’S KEEPING THEM AWAKE? × 30 10 BC WINEMAKERS TALK CLIMATE CHANGE AND ITS IMPACT. BY KONRAD EJBICH OK × 34 OKANAGAN FALLS IS NOW ON THE MAP. BY TIM PAWSEY FOOD CITY: EDMONTON × 38 FIRST IN OUR THREE-PART SERIES. BY LISA HOEKSTRA THE FABLE × 44 HOW CAHORS IS GETTING OUT OF ARGENTINA’S SHADOW. BY GILLES BOIS
DEPARTMENTS SAVE YOUR COFFEE × 47 FREEZING COFFEE CAN ROB IT OF TASTE. BY RUPERT MALONE
NOTED × 50 EXPERTLY-TASTED BUYING GUIDE OF WINES, BEERS AND SPIRITS FROM AROUND THE WORLD.
BACK TO SCHOOL × 48 MY ALL-TIME FAVOURITE BACK-TO-SCHOOL EASYTO-MAKE DISHES. BY NANCY JOHNSON
THE ANSWER LIES IN THE SOIL × 66 TERRIOR IS A REAL PART OF THE WINEMAKING EXPERIENCE. BY TONY ASPLER
SEPTEMBER 2017 × QUENCH.ME × 3
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What a breath of fresh air Michaela Morris was regarding Canadian Chardonnay. Chardonnay is evolving — as is all wine — and that is why we should always keep tasting, regardless of what we may think we know. So, I would appeal to you all to open that bottle, try that new producer and get out of your comfort zone. Harold Brown, Calgary I was a little disappointed there was no issue about Canada’s 150. I thought there would be since you’re Canada’s wine magazine. Your July/August issue featured a lot of Canadian content — BC distillers, farmers’ markets, winemakers abound. So you still “quenched” my desire for celebrating Canadian producers. It would have been nice to see a more overt celebration, though. Judith Li, email Love the salad recipes Nancy [Johnson] shared last issue [July/August; “Salad Days”]. I’m newly vegetarian, so these recipes were perfect! Especially Miss Molly’s Broccoli Salad (minus the bacon of course). Amber White, email
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A COUNTRY’S IDENTITY IS NOT ALWAYS FOUND IN THE LARGE METROPOLITAN CITIES. THESE IMPRESSIVE URBAN CENTRES HAVE A LOT TO OFFER WITH THEIR BRIGHT LIGHTS AND PULSING STREETS. They sometimes attract the best-of-thebest and provide a high concentration of innovators (or, in Quench parlance, “Mavericks”).
4 × @QUENCH_MAG × SEPTEMBER 2017
In the upcoming October issue, we will be publishing our annual Maverick Chefs issue. For over a decade, we have highlighted the best and most innovative chefs. At times, they have come from the big cities but mostly they come from wide reaching parts of Canada. Those places where making the most out of local ingredients is not just a catchy marketing tool. That’s what has inspired us to create a three-part Food City series. But instead of looking to the typical Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, we’ve focused on the smaller culinary hubs that are taking root. Places like Edmonton, Alberta (found in the issue, on page 38); Saskatoon, Saskatchewan; and St John’s, Newfoundland. My writers and I have been travelling quite a bit lately and we’ve noticed a growing trend to stay close to home — where the quiet, yet hectic, life in the kitchen is not overpowered by the noisy, distracting nature of the large centres. This is the heart of the new Canadian culinary revolution. These are OUR Food Cities. There for you to enjoy and appreciate.
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CONTRIBUTORS Sean Wood is a regular contributor to Quench, and has written for other national and international wine and spirits publications. He was a founding member of the Association of Sommeliers of the Atlantic Provinces (now CAPS, Atlantic) and taught for several years in the Sommelier Certification program. His book, Nova Scotia Wineries and Wine Country, was published in 2006.
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, Wine-Savvy Consultants. www.evanwinesavvy.com.
Wine is a never-ending story, and an infinite source of discoveries, that keeps Gilles Bois busy all year long as a wine judge or among friends, at home and abroad. He likes to share his passion with the people who make wine and with readers across Canada.
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SEPTEMBER 2017 × QUENCH.ME × 7
Q SCHOOL
Fall fix ups With the cooling temperatures and wetter autumn weather come coats, umbrellas, toques, mittens and scarves… not to mention the wet boots and shoes. These DIY projects will help keep your entryway or mudroom organized and uncluttered as you and your family head out to enjoy the autumn colours.
TREE-BRANCH COAT RACK
Bring a little bit of nature inside with a tree-branch coat rack. A birch branch would be the ideal choice, but any tree branch will provide that organic look. You can install this on any length of empty wall by the door. This easy DIY project, found on marthastewart.com, requires a tree branch, two shelf-and-rod brackets and a shelf board (if you so choose). The instructions, per the website, are as follows: “Screw two shelf-and-rod brackets into the wall at the desired height. Cut a branch (look for one that’s about two inches in diameter) so it extends beyond the brackets by three inches on each end. Set the branch in the brackets.” Hang coats on the branch with hangers and use the branch ends to hang grocery bags, scarves, purses and other items. If you choose to add a shelf on top, use wicker or repurposed wooden boxes to keep smaller items like gloves and mittens.
WOOD CRATE CUBBIES
If you search online for “wood crate cubbies,” you’ll find a myriad of DIY projects that transform wooden crates into attractive, slightly rustic and efficient storage ideas. The best option, especially if your entryway is on the smaller side, is floating cubbies. 8 × @QUENCH_MAG × SEPTEMBER 2017
You can install one crate or several, it’s completely up to you. Use small baskets and containers inside some of the crates for smaller items, like sunglasses or keys. You can find unfinished crates at stores like Michael’s, or ask around at your local farmers’ market. To do this project, follow these instructions by mrkate.com:
WOOD CRATES
Stain or paint & paintbrush Sandpaper, medium grit Wall-hanging supplies (depends on the wall surface) 1. Cover your work surface with a drop cloth. Sand the crate(s) to remove splinters or rough spots. Stain or paint your crates, if desired. Let dry. 2. Plan the arrangement of your crates — you can put them in a row, hang them one on top of the other in a line or create a fun pattern. Mark down where you’ll need to drill and, if necessary, pre-drill the holes. 3. Hang crates — use at least two screws per crate about four inches from the top, more if you plan on storing heavier items there. Style your shelves and enjoy! ×
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GOOD FOOD BY NANCY JOHNSON
Jumps in the mouth SALTIMBOCCA IS AN ITALIAN DISH THAT LITERALLY MEANS “JUMPS IN THE MOUTH.”
My Zia Maria made a simple saltimbocca by layering prosciutto and basil over veal cutlets, holding all together with a toothpick and sautéing both sides in butter and olive oil. A splash of white wine to deglaze the pan and dinner was on the table. At culinary school, I used sage instead of basil and dredged the cutlets in flour before sautéing. The following recipe is a different version of saltimbocca, using chicken and deconstructing the dish by adding the prosciutto and sage to the sauce. A word about deglazing: alcohol can ignite near a flame. Always use caution; don’t pour the alcohol straight from the bottle. Transfer the amount you need to a measuring cup and pour carefully without splashing. If desired, remove skillet entirely from burner before pouring.
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CHICKEN SALTIMBOCCA 4 1 1 1 1/2 1/2 4 2 2
chicken breast fillets Salt and pepper, to taste tbsp extra virgin olive oil package mushrooms, sliced clove garlic, minced cup dry Marsala cup chicken stock slices prosciutto, chopped tbsp butter tbsp fresh sage, chopped
1. Pound each chicken breast with a meat mallet until 1/4-inch thick. Season with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, in hot oil, sauté 2 fillets at a time over medium-high heat until golden on each side, about 3 minutes per side. Remove from skillet and keep warm in oven. 2. Add mushrooms to skillet, adding more oil if needed. Sauté mushrooms until softened and starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute. 3. Deglaze the pan with Marsala, scraping up any browned bits. Add stock and bring to a boil. Lower heat; simmer, uncovered, until liquid is reduced, about 5 minutes. 4. Remove skillet from heat and stir in prosciutto and butter. Season with salt and pepper. Arrange chicken on a platter. Pour sauce over chicken. Garnish with chopped sage. Serve with buttered tagliatelle. MATCH: Uncork a Pinot Grigio. Buon appetito! × SEPTEMBER 2017 × QUENCH.ME × 11
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ARMAGNAC DE MONTAL VSOP “This is delightfully delicate as far as Armagnac goes. From an excellent producer that’s been around since the 17th century, it’s juicy and redolent of sweet stone fruit, apple, orange peel and brown sugar, with penetrating warmth underscored by baking spices and brown butter.”
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Beppi Crosariol The Globe and Mail
MEET THE FAMILY
Pictured above 1987, XO, Hors d’Age, 1997 and VS. Also available Blanche d’Armagnac and older vintages starting from 1893. Good taste runs in the family.
Armagnac de Montal
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LAZY MIXOLOGIST BY CHRISTINE SISMONDO
FRESH AIR It’s not listed in any cocktail recipes. You won’t find it on anybody’s back bar. But it’s increasingly an ingredient that bartenders are obsessing over and trying to figure how to max out. We’re talking about … oxygen. The first person to ever articulate to me the importance of oxygen in cocktails was Hidetsugu Ueno, the legendary bartender who opened Bar High Five, a tiny, exclusive “speakeasy” on the fifth floor of an office building in the Ginza district of Tokyo. Ueno-san was one of several bartenders who helped perfect and promote the shaking techniques that set Japan’s cocktail culture apart from the rest of the world. When I asked Ueno-san about suggestions that his highly stylized, super-fluid Japanese hard shake was about making the drink colder, he explained that, to him, the aeration factor was more important. Although we’d all known we loved fluffy, frothy, well-shaken drinks, few people talked explicitly in terms of “aeration” at that time. That’s changed. “The whole point of shaking is that you’re aerating the cocktail,” argues Robyn Gray, head bartender at the Rosewood Hotel Georgia’s Prohibition Bar in Vancouver. “If you just want it cold, you could stir it or serve it over ice. But having more air in your cocktail actually changes the way your mouth perceives it.” Gray points out, though, that when it comes to aeration, not all shaking techniques are equal. Years ago, cocktail bartenders used to just shake rigorously with ice. Then, bartending techniques evolved the dry-shake (shake once with no ice, then add ice and shake again). Next came the equal (but opposite) reaction, namely, the reverse dry-shake, in which the cocktail goes through two separate shakes — first with ice, then a second without. The reverse dry-shake is gaining ground with people like Gray, who also advises trying to vary your motions as you shake. “Ueno-san does a swirling motion, instead of knocking it back and forth off the bottom and top of the shaker — smash, smash, smash,” Gray explains. “He’s actually spinning the ice within the cocktail shaker, so he’s putting more oxygen into it. And less ice gets into the drink, because it’s not getting smashed.” Gray says the swirly dry-shake is ideal for making the Hotel Georgia, a mid-century cocktail invented at the same hotel he now works. This refreshing, silky-smooth drink is a bit of a hidden gem in the Canadian bartending canon (unfairly overshadowed by the bloody Caesar) that deserves to be more widely
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known for its connection to the evolution of shaking techniques. As cocktail historian Gary (Gaz) Regan pointed out a few years ago, the first known recipe for the Hotel Georgia is also one of the first known references to the “dry-shake” technique, which many bartenders thought was a more recent innovation. In the original recipe, published in 1951 by Canadian drinks writer Ted Saucier in Bottoms Up, these are the instructions for the Hotel Georgia Cocktail: “Shake well before adding ice. This gives a nice ‘top.’” Gray hates to quibble, but he suggests the reverse dry-shake for his version of the Hotel Georgia:
THE HOTEL GEORGIA
2 oz London Dry gin 1 oz fresh lemon juice 3/4 oz orgeat (almond syrup) 1 fresh egg white (or 30 ml pasteurized egg whites) 6 drops orange blossom water Put all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake well once. Strain out and shake a second time without ice. (This is the reverse dry-shake method.) Fine-strain into chilled coupe glass and dust with a delicate portion of fresh grated nutmeg. (A microplane is perfect for this.) × SEPTEMBER 2017 × QUENCH.ME × 13
BON VIVANT BY PETER ROCKWELL
I love the wines of Rioja but still have trouble understanding how they are labeled. Can you help?
14 × @QUENCH_MAG × SEPTEMBER 2017
is always a rub when it comes to wine, many winemakers in Rioja go beyond the minimums so in the end, if you really want to fully understand the region’s wines, you’ve got to dig deeper into each winery’s take on the basics.
I’ve got tickets to my first wine festival. Any tips on approaching the over 300 wines they’ll be pouring?
Saying that big wine tasting events can be overwhelming is an understatement. It doesn’t matter if you’re a seasoned know-it-all or someone new to the experience, a little planning goes a long way. Assuming your time at the fest is limited to an afternoon or evening, the chances of you trying the full lineup are slim to none, so go to its website and download the list of what’s being featured. Pick two dozen or so that you consider “must tries” and guide yourself around the layout with the idea that if you get a sip of just your picks, your time has been well spent. The fun part is that while you’re checking off those wines you need to taste, I guarantee that others will reveal themselves along the way. A few tips: 1) Eat something before you go. Unless the word “food” is in the title of your festival, odds are the eatable lineup will be cheese and bread. Not a good base to build a few hours of wine appreciation on; 2) wear comfortable shoes. You’re going to be standing; 3) bring your smartphone so you can shoot your favourites. Taking notes is so 2016; and 4) go with an open mind, not just an open mouth. There will be plenty of juice you’ve never tried. Don’t stay in your comfort zone. This is a chance to expand your palate by trying new things. ×
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A timely question. I just got back from a tour of Spain’s wine regions and after a few days in Rioja I can say, without much hesitation, that I feel your pain. While its winemakers have set up a pretty simple set of descriptors to identify the stylistic evolution of their wines, it doesn’t take long before things get bogged down in number-crunching. Let’s start with table wines. Depending on how long they’ve aged, they can go by different names. Joven is typically used to identify juice that sees no time in oak and is meant for drinking ASAP. Lately the term Roble gets slapped on labels to brag that the wine has seen some wood (possibly from out a window of the winery) and then some just label with Cosecha (a sexier word for harvest or vintage). With the average out of the way, we move on to Crianza. To get this title, a red wine must rest for at least 24 months, with at least 12 of those months being in oak barrels. White and rosé versions must hang out for a year with half that period being barrel time. The next step is Reserva, where reds need 36 months in either cask or bottle, with at least 12 of those months in oak barrels. The whites and rosés need two years with, again, six months of that in barrel. Step three is the big one. To get Gran Reserva status, your red juice needs to come from a superior vintage, and age for at least 24 months in oak and at least 36 months in bottle, with the whites and rosés needing 48 months with, you guessed it, a minimum of six months of that time wrapped in wood. See what I mean? All you want is a glass of wine and you get math. Even if you memorize all of the above, the rub is, and there
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STOP THIS JUNK! by Joanne Will
In North America, in the time since the Great Depression and the war-rationing years of our parents, grandparents and great-grandparents, something has occurred that few might have predicted. Many of us are now overfed — and undernourished. We frequently take in far more calories than the health pros recommend. Only 30 percent of Canadians over the age of 12 report eating fruits and vegetables, the source of most of our micronutrients and fibre, more than five times per day. We’re eating too much of the wrong stuff. Undernourished in a land of plenty, with an abundance of healthy food choices at our fingertips, what’s gone wrong? For one, today we have a minefield of calories to navigate: from the moment we step foot in a grocery store, a gas station or even our workplace, we’re bombarded with ultra-processed, salty and sugary snacks in alluring packages (inedible or otherwise; think pink-frosted donuts). We’re also busy, with competing priorities in a harried technological world. We often fuel up in a rush, eager to get on to the next task. We also tend to eat the 16 × @QUENCH_MAG × SEPTEMBER 2017
same things over and over, with little diversity in our diets. So how do you remain — or become — a foodie and gourmet while also being conscientious of health and nourishing the body? We may be accustomed to eating and regarding food in a certain way, but we’re not stuck there. Just as habits are learned, they can be unlearned. Just as tastes are created, they can be altered. To make changes, the scholars and authors currently examining our relationship with food say that, rather than drudgery and dieting, and a love/hate relationship with good and bad choices, we need a new approach and fresh way of thinking. British food historian and writer Bee Wilson’s recent This is Not a Diet Book offers tips on how to reimagine our relationship with food. She says it’s not about willpower, but joy — and our chal-
lenge is to enjoy new ways of eating. The answer, she says, is in our own brains: we have to change our tastes and appetite. “The secret is — as far as possible — to make healthy food and pleasurable food one and the same.” In farmer, and poet, Wendell Berry’s essay “The Pleasures of Eating” (easily found online, or in his book What Are People For), he describes the importance of understanding the connection between eating and the land in order to extract pleasure from our food. The pleasure of eating, he says, should be an extensive pleasure, not that of the mere gourmet. So how to achieve this? If the “extensive pleasure” Berry describes comes from knowing and connecting in some way to the source of our food, then it seems necessary to either grow it ourselves or shop at farmers’ markets and
other places where we can get to know first- or second-hand about its origins. To help conquer old cravings and change eating habits via a scientific lens (albeit a very accessible one), American endocrinologist David Ludwig, MD offers plenty to chew on in his book Always Hungry?, including his personal testimonial. Like Berry, Ludwig recommends preparing your own food. He says making positive lifestyle changes so you’re not left feeling unsatisfied (always hungry) is about getting back in touch with your food — literally. “Cooking is a powerful way to reconnect with food, control the quality of your diet, and save on the costs of eating or taking out at the same time.” For me, connecting with food and balancing nourishment is aided by a passionate interest in knowing the source of my meals. I’m also inspired by food history (books, articles and anecdotes from friends, family and farmers). There are few things I enjoy more than a trip to the market and chatting with the producers. This doesn’t mean I’m always eating the most healthy and nourishing foods; no way. But
when I do consume highly processed foods, I try to limit my intake, and over time have developed less of a taste for them. In her book, Bee Wilson also writes, “If you feel trapped in unhealthy ways of eating, you need to reboot some of your tastes until you are consoled and excited by different foods.” Again, in my case, I thought I required chocolate seven days a week, until one day I decided to cut back on sugar. So, I stopped giving myself chocolate every day. It was painful at first, as other “chocoholics” will understand, but in time, with its absence, I no longer craved chocolate as I once did. I still enjoy it, and in fact, even more so now that it’s not a daily ritual. Alternately, I never cared for steamed or sautéed collard greens, or chard, until I made a conscious effort to eat more of them. Slowly, in small quantities, I began incorporating them into my diet, dressing them up with oils and vinegars. Now I crave these greens like I once craved chocolate. Waking up the appetite and an interest in connecting with food can mean different things for different people. Maybe it’s
a trip to a well-curated market or pantry shop, taking inspiration from the displays; an arrangement of flowering chives or a bowl of beautiful blue-green Araucana eggs. My personal favourite and go-to, whether I’m able to make a physical visit or simply a mental one based on photos and memory, is London’s La Fromagerie, with its elegant displays of fresh vegetables, dried legumes and cheese, knives, pottery and wooden chopping boards. For some, inspiration may be found in books, or people — visiting a farm, and interacting with producers. A stroll through a fish market, or flipping the pages of a dusty old cookbook, such as Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management. Something about the ridiculously labour-intensive recipes in that classic tome ignites my own desire to get in the kitchen and make something — albeit much more modern. In the end, it’s about balance; not a crackdown on eating, but a celebration of how a new or renewed relationship with food might change our lives for the better. We’re not stuck in our current mode; our tastes can be changed, and trained. × SEPTEMBER 2017 × QUENCH.ME × 17
AGE MATTERS by Sean Wood
ARE WE DRINKING WINES TOO YOUNG? SOME THOUGHTS ON LAYING WINE DOWN ...
I AM CONVINCED THAT MOST OF US DRINK WINE THAT COULD BENEFIT FROM FURTHER AGING, THUS MISSING THE BEST QUALITIES THAT THE WINE WOULD SHOW IN ITS PRIME. Partly, this is because we
imagine that it is very difficult to find a substantial, ready-to-drink red wine without paying an arm and a leg. On the other hand, many wines are made today to be drunk relatively young. The overall range and variety of wines available has also grown enormously. The grand names of Bordeaux and Burgundy, together with other prestigious wines like Napa Valley Cabernets, Barolo, Brunello and Grange Hermitage from South Australia, have become ever more giddily expensive. For most of us, it does not make sense to buy wines that cost a fortune and still need to be laid down for many years.
18 × @QUENCH_MAG × SEPTEMBER 2017
Can it still make sense to lay wine down? When you buy well-aged wine, you are paying the cost that someone else incurred by storing it for the necessary time. If you buy wines shortly after they are released (often the only kind you can find), they are more likely to be ready to drink than in the past. This does not mean, though, that many of them would not improve with a bit more time in the bottle. Today, winemakers are well aware that most wines will be drunk shortly after purchase. Thus, they make wines that emphasize ripe fruit, ones easy to drink young. When first released, however, such wines still show “primary,” rather than “developed” fruit. The term “primary” describes the characteristic that you get when biting into a fresh apple or a ripe strawberry. “Developed” refers to what
happens as the wine evolves with further aging. The primary fruit character subsides and is replaced by more subtle flavours. Youthful acids and tannins also soften, making for a more rounded impression on the palate. While most modern wines do not need prolonged cellaring — like some of the green, heavily tannic reds of yesteryear — many will still benefit from two to five years further aging. Big, heavily concentrated reds may need 7 to 10 years. Remember that sour stomach from eating too much fresh fruit as a kid? Even pleasantly ripe young red wines have some of the same raw acidity as fresh fruit. Is laying wine down really worth the trouble and expense? Your reward for patience ought to pay you a dividend in the form of a much finer tasting wine.
Where to start
The suggestions offered here are but a small cross-section of what is available. Look also for lesser known wines from southern France, southern Italy, Sicily and Greece. Suffice it to say, there are many other treasures out there for you to discover on your own voyage of discovery!
France Secondary Bordeaux
appellations, Bordeaux and Bordeaux Superiéur
Great values can be found in less celebrated areas that have found themselves left out of the more prestigious (and lucrative) appellations. With the application of modern techniques in the vineyard and higher standards in the cellar, we are seeing moderately priced, increasingly good wines coming from many sub-regions of Bordeaux. This is particularly true of the Right Bank. Côtes de Bourg, Côtes de Castillon, Fronsac and Côtes de Blaye all boast greatly improved, and in some cases, really stellar wines. In the vast area between the Médoc, on the Left Bank, and the Right Bank, lie the Premières Côtes de Bordeaux and Entre Deux Mers. The latter classification is specifically for whites, while reds can claim only the title Bordeaux or Bordeaux Superieur. This is an especially good place to find value. Well-capitalized, efficient operations are producing good, solid wines.
Beaujolais from top Villages
Especially Moulin-à-Vent, Saint-Amour and Morgon. While most Beaujolais is fine for early drinking, better examples will age like Burgundian Pinot Noir.
Spain
In 2017, Spain offers some of the best values around. To a greater extent than elsewhere, new investment in better growing and winemaking techniques has delivered excellent results throughout the country. Some regional varieties, such as Mencia in the Bierzo region, are emerging stars. Even Rioja, Spain’s best-known region, is undergoing a revolution. New styles are emerging, some of them outstanding values. Navarra, Toro, Jumilla, Monsant and sub-regions of the formerly scorned La Mancha are also showing great promise. Quite a number of age-worthy Spanish wines can be found for as little as $12.
Australia
It was once widely believed that Australian wines do not age particularly well. This is certainly not true for many fine Australian wines, especially the respected upper-tier
offerings from great producers such as Penfolds. I have tasted many of Penfolds’ older vintages over the few years, including a couple that had been around for almost half a century. In age-worthiness, the best can rival the greats of Bordeaux. There are also many good, age-wothy offerings in the $17 to $20 range.
Some suggestions to start you off ALVAREZ DE TOLEDO LUIS VARELA MENCIA ROBLE 2013, BIERZO DO, SPAIN ($16.99) Shows deeply concentrated dark fruit with a touch of clove, graphite and subtle earthy notes on the nose. Black plum and blackcurrant with firm, dry tannic grip and slightly aggressive acidity in the mouth will benefit from an additional 3 to 5 years in the cellar.
BODEGAS RAMÍREZ DE LA PISCINA CRIANZA 2013, RIOJA DOC, SPAIN ($21.99) Fragrant floral scents with red berry, redcurrant and a light pinch of spice shifts to thickly textured dark berry fruit on the palate. Solid structure with a splash of dark chocolate and black fruit on the finish. It would earn 88 points now but 89–90 when more fully integrated and harmonious (3+ additional years).
BODEGAS NEKEAS VEGA SINDOA CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2014, ESTATE BOTTLED, NAVARRA DO, SPAIN ($18.99) Planted at high elevation in the foothills of the Pyrenees, this one reveals warmly scented redcurrant accented by subtle cinnamon with background earthy and gamey aromas. Piquant blackcurrant melds with redcurrant and a suggestion of raspberry on the palate. Tannins are fairly light but still show youthful dry grip. Acidity, too, will benefit by softening from another 2 years’ cellaring.
CHATEAU DE PIZAY 2011, MORGON AC, FRANCE ($23.99) Morgon, one of the premier “Villages Appellations” within the Beaujolais region, is noted for tannic, well-structured wines that can age like good Pinot Noir. This one provides abundant evidence that 2011 is yet another winning vintage for Beaujolais — the third in a row. It shows quintessential white peppery spice and seductive black cherry scents with generous fruit, weight and structure. Eminently quaffable at present but will certainly reward further keeping.
WAKEFIELD SHIRAZ 2014, CLARE VALLEY, SOUTH AUSTRALIA ($17.99) Developed dark berry and mulberry fruit with clove, allspice and a suggestion of pencil box on the nose. Not as developed as the nose suggests, though, showing forward acidity and slightly harsh tannins over thick blackberry fruit. Good fruit and subtle oak on the finish but needs more time to integrate. SEPTEMBER 2017 × QUENCH.ME × 19
More years ago than I care to remember, I had an experience that fully convinced me that laying wine down can deliver great rewards. I was living in London, England, at the time and buying a very affordable Bordeaux red from Graves, Château Crabitey. Initially, it tasted pleasantly rough, though appetizing — about what you would expect at the price. Over the course of the next six to nine months, though, it started to evolve into something much more complex, elegant and even regal, rivalling much more prestigious wines. It is, I admit, rare to see such a miraculous transformation over such a short time, but once experienced, you are a convert for life. The rewards for a small investment and a little patience are definitely real and provide one of the greatest joys that wine can give!
A cool, dark place, free of vibrations and with a fairly constant temperature around 10 to 12 degrees Celsius is ideal. Fortunately, though, wine is a fairly hardy beverage and can stand up to conditions that fall short of the optimum. The worst hazards are large and sudden temperature swings and too much light. Wine stored at a higher temperature will, however, tends to age faster. Obviously if the temperature is extreme you could have a problem. Prolonged exposure to light should also be avoided since this too will destroy wine, especially white wines in clear bottles. Bottles should be stored on their sides in order to keep corks moist and avoid spoilage by excessive exposure to air. We are still learning how alternative closures such as synthetics and screw caps will behave over time, so I would store them the
IF YOU BUY WINES SHORTLY AFTER THEY ARE RELEASED (OFTEN THE ONLY KIND YOU CAN FIND), THEY ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE READY TO DRINK THAN IN THE PAST. WHAT DO YOU NEED TO SET UP A CELLAR? It takes a certain amount
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of planning and discipline, but setting up even a small cellar of your own will greatly benefit you in the long run. You can start out with as few as four to five cases (about 48 to 60 bottles). If you can commit to that, you will have the basis for a worthwhile cellar. Even if your space is limited, there are inexpensive storage units available through local wine supply stores that can handle 100+ bottles in a unit and take up about the same space as a large bookcase. There are also modular units with which you can start out small and add to as your collection grows.
same way as conventionally corked bottles. So long as you have a reasonably cool area, not exposed to direct sunlight and about the size of a large bookcase, you are in business. As an example: if you are able to spend around $800 to $1,200 (based on five cases of 12 bottles, at roughly $15 to $20 per bottle), with careful selection you could lay down some very decent wines, especially from lesser known regions that have not become too pricey. However, if you do not want to make this kind of commitment, you can start even smaller. Find a wine you feel may have a bit of aging potential and buy, say, six bottles. Open one every six months or so, and see how the wine develops over time. ×
GLAD I MET YA! “Go to where the men speak Italian, then continue until they speak something else!” Godfrey of Ibelin, Kingdom of Heaven
by Evan Saviolidis
Hollywood embellishment aside, this reference to Sicily, from Ridley Scott’s crusader film, indicates the importance of the island throughout history. Its strategic location as the Mediterranean’s largest island has seen the ebb and flow of numerous races imprint their legacy in the sands of time. Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians, Byzantines, Arabs, Normans, Germans, Spaniards and Italians have helped to create the unique identity known as Sicilian. The arrival of viticulture is credited to the Greeks, circa 8th century BC. There, they encountered the local inhabitants known as Sicans and Sicels. Sicilian wine became famous for its sweetness and was exported, but to what extent is unknown, due to hard-to-identify Sicilian amphorae. It is also believed that the vine made the leap to the mainland and spread throughout Italy under the tutelage of the Romans. Post-Romans, through the middle ages, and right up to the modern age, Sicilian wine was produced, but the island’s principal exports were wheat and sulfur. Then, in 1773, the landscape changed, literally, with the arrival of Englishman John Woodhouse, who opened a winery in Marsala. Seeking a new source of wine that travelled well à la Port and Sherry, Woodhouse used the “in perpetuum” technique (think Sherry’s solera system), which he used in conjunction with
FABIO SIRECI FROM FEUDO MONTONI
fortification. The new wine had the stuffing required to survive the sea journey back to England, where it became an instant hit. Other entrepreneurs soon arrived, and the turning point from grain to grape began. For most of the 20th century, Sicily was famous for its concentrates. These high-sugar juices were used to ameliorate much weaker Northern Italian wine, notably from SEPTEMBER 2017 × QUENCH.ME × 21
LOMBARDO VINI EIMI 2012, SICILA DOC ($40)
FEUDO MACCARI SAIA 2014, SICILIA DOC ($30)
Eimi means “I am” in Greek — a nod to Sicily’s Hellenic past. This 100% Nero d’Avola proudly pronounces itself with plum, dark cherry, raspberry, raisins, violets and earth. Full bodied with sublime richness and firm tannins, this wine is destined to age for 15 plus years.
Saia is the Arab word for irrigation canals used centuries ago to collect water. This is a full-bodied, oaked nero with loads of plum, earth, vanilla, tar, roses, spice, cocoa and leather. Excellent length.
VALLE DELL’ACATE NERO D’AVOLA IL MORO LIMITED EDITION, SICILIA DOC ($20)
TENUTA GORGHI TONDI SORANTE 2014, SICILIA DOC ($20)
Limited Edition is only produced in top years. Full bodied, there is cherry, plum, tar, anise, violets, spice, cocoa and cola, which carry long. Roast suckling pig would be a brilliant pairing.
Sorante is Gorghi’s top end Nero d’Avola — and rightfully so! Aged for 8 months in French oak, the wine possesses a personality of raspberry, vanilla, flowers, black olive, mint and chocolate, There is a creamy palate and a long aftertaste
TENUTA GATTI MARTINIANO 2011, SICILIA IGT ($25)
FEUDO MONTONI VRUCARA 2013, SICILIA DOC ($40)
This concentrated blend of 70% Nero d’Avola and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon possesses a natural alcohol of 14.5%, with a profile of plum, raspberry, vanilla, tar, spice, cola and mint. Full bodied and long lasting.
Plum, mint, herbs, anise, potpourri and cherry cola are all present in the medium-plus body Nero. Superb finish and ready to drink with a roast lamb.
GRACI FEUDO DI MEZZO 2015, ETNA DOC ($30) A potent blend of 95% Nerello Mascalese and 5% Nerello Cappuccio. Cherries, raspberry, red flowers, maple and spice are present in this vibrant red. Tannins and acids are high, which bodes well for aging, but it will still require some form of protein, preferably lamb.
GIROLAMO RUSSO FEUDO 2015, ETNA ROSSO DOC ($40) One of my discoveries at the year’s Sicilia en Primeur was this producer, whose 3 Etna cuvées were all top notch. This one serves up a bouquet of cherry, dried flowers, tobacco, smoke and scorched earth. On the palate, it turns to the dark fruit spectrum, and then the tannins take over. A nice drop indeed.
GIROLAMO RUSSO SAN LORENZO 2015, ETNA ROSSO DOC ($55) Raspberry, strawberry, red rose, liquorice and earth are present on a concentrated and sweet mid-palate. The finale turns minty, and then the elevated tannins kick in.
FEUDO ARANCIO CANTODORO RISERVA 2014, SICILIA DOC ($20) Cantodoro is a blend of 80% Nero d’Avola and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. Plum, dark cherry, raisins, cocoa, dry earth and vanilla are built on grippy tannins. Excellent length and a perfect pairing for grilled meats.
PIETRADOLCE VIGNA BARBAGALLI 2015, ETNA DOC ($95) Made from 80- to 100-year-old Nerello Mascarese vines grown at 900 metres, this wine offers an intense bouquet of cherry, rose, plum, vanilla, spice, balsamic and baked soil. Firm on the finale. 22 × @QUENCH_MAG × SEPTEMBER 2017
TENUTA NICOSIA SOSTA TRE SANTI NERELLO MASCALESE 2012, ETNA ROSSO DOC ($35) This is Nicosia’s Etna “cru,” with the grapes grown between 700 and 750 metres. Cherry cola, raspberry, rose and anise are all present in this medium- to full-bodied red. Lingering finale with fine tannins and lovely freshness.
BENANTI SERRA DELLA CONTESSA 2013, ETNA ROSSO DOC ($50) Grown at a lower altitude (500 metres), this wine has more of a dark fruit personality, which meshes with cherry, earth, rose, balsamic, vanilla and cream.
TENUTA DI FESSINA IL MUSMECI 2011, ETNA ROSSO DOC ($50) Cherry, cola, earth, mint, chocolate, balsamic and earth on the nose and palate. Grippy tannins appear on the palate, making me want to serve this alongside suckling pig.
PRINCIPI DI BUTERA NERO D’AVOLA 2015, SICILIA DOC ($25) Plum, raisin, cherry, Chambord liqueur and dried herbs on the nose meet up with cassis, vanilla and cocoa on the palate. Excellent length, fresh acidity and polished tannins make for a great example of the varietal.
COTTANERA 2013, ETNA ROSSO DOC ($25) Fresh acidity and dry tannins support this very Nebbiolo-like wine, which features cherry, plum, tar, dried flowers, spice and cocoa.
TORNATORE TRIMARCHISA ETNA ROSSO 2014, ETNA ROSSO DOC ($45) A heady perfume of rose, red fruit, leather, ash, red flower and cherry. Palate is full bodied, tannins are assertive and there is superb length.
TENUTA DI FESSINA’S SILVIA MAESTRELLI
Piedmont and Tuscany. The state of Sicilian viticulture and vinification remained static until the 1980s, when modern technology and a new outlook on winemaking commenced, making Sicily a force for quality wines. Today, there are 23 DOCs and 1 DOCG, and even though Marsala still exists, the most exciting wines, in my opinion, are dry red renditions. So, when I was offered the chance to visit the island for the first time, to sample the latest vintage of Nero d’Avola and Nerello wines, I jumped at the opportunity, channelling my inner Godfather fantasies and pushing aside images of volcanic eruptions and CNN news crews.
NERO D’AVOLA
This variety has been documented in Sicily since the 17th century. Its hallmark, for most of the 20th century, was high-yielding/alcohol wines of a table/blending nature. That all changed with the release of the 1984 Duca Enrico by Duca di Salaparuta, Sicily’s first premium, mono-varietal Nero. It showed the world that when treated with TLC, the vine can produce rich reds full of plum, dark cherry, raspberry and spice flavours. This kicked off a wave of premium, low-yield Neros, many with good amounts of oak, which was the fashion of the day. My personal epiphany was the 1994 Rosso del Conte from Tasca d’Almerita. Today, the grape is grown all over the island, with the southeast quadrant and its limestone soils considered to produce the best renditions. Further enhancing Nero’s position is the fact that producers have grubbed up French varietals,
which had been planted previously, in preference for Nero. All these efforts have paid off: as of the 2017 vintage, varietal Nero d’Avola will have the right to the DOC status on labels, as opposed to the generic Sicilia DOC.
NERELLO
In reality, there are two Nerellos: Mascalese and Cappuccio, with the prior being the qualitative champ. Its rise to fame in the past decade is due to one explosive reason: Mount Etna! Vines tend to be planted on the northern and southern slopes of the active volcano, with the sweet spot being between 500 and 800 metres. The sandy/rocky soils are a significant deterrent to phylloxera, and because of this, there are many century-old vineyards alongside newer plantings. Yields are typically small, and the vineyard work is backbreaking and expensive. Stylistically, the wines are more linear as opposed to the fleshiness that Nero offers, which might also help to explain why Etna wines have only recently become part of the lexicon of wine lovers. For a wine to be bestowed with the Etna Rosso DOC (created in 1968), it must contain a minimum of 80 percent Nerello Mascalese and a maximum of 20 percent of Nerello Cappuccio, with the possibility of other red and white grapes as filler. Etna’s star is only going to continue to ascend as it was announced at this year’s Sicilia en Primeur that famed Barbaresco producer Angelo Gaja will soon start making volcanic wine. Why, you might ask? With pale colour and aromas of red fruit, flowers, balsamic, tar and spice, as well as high tannins and acidity, comparisons to Nebbiolo are commonplace. × SEPTEMBER 2017 × QUENCH.ME × 23
THE CLASSIC by Michael Pinkus
After spending an exhaustive three days tasting Chianti and Chianti Classico in the heart of Tuscany, I walked away with one piece of great news I’d like to share with you: Chianti is back, baby.
Now, many of you are probably wondering where Chianti went. Hasn’t it always been there? The answer is obviously yes. Chianti has always been churning out wine by the barrelful. It’s on the shelves of every wine shop, and it’s definitely on our minds when we go shopping in the Italian section. After all, this is a wine region that has an annual output of 35 to 38 million bottles and exports its wines to 130 countries. The largest portion of exports go to the United States but Canada takes 8 percent — which, believe it or not, makes us their fourth-largest market. However, for this article, I’m focusing my attention on Chianti Classico. 24 × @QUENCH_MAG × SEPTEMBER 2017
CASTELLO DI VOLPAIA CHIANTI CLASSICO 2015 ($40) So much going on here and all finishing so elegantly. Cherry and raspberry fruit with dollops of other red berries, along with a hint of vanilla on the finish. The acidity helps to balance and keep everything in check.
MONTESECONDO CHIANTI CLASSICO 2015 ($35) Cherry fruit dominates with good acidity on the finish — but it’s not a one-trick wine, there’s also a real nice spiced-plum note that shows up mid-palate and carries all the way to finish.
BANFI FONTE ALLA SELVA 2015, CHIANTI CLASSICO ($25) Winemaker Caterina Sacchet from Carpineto
Trust Banfi to take full advantage of the great vintage that was 2015. There’s plenty of dark fruit on both nose and palate, starting with plum and ending with black cherry and good acidity.
BRANCAIA CHIANTI CLASSICO 2015 ($23) Chianti Classico is possibly one of the most misunderstood wines because the word “Chianti” has been co-opted so easily by other wines in the area, which has led it to suffer from a bit of an identity crisis over the years. The “sign” of Chianti Classico is the Black Rooster, a logo that adorns the neck of every bottle that bares its name. If there isn’t a black rooster, it’s not Classico. The term “Classico” refers to the historic region of Chianti, specifically the 70,000 hectares (172,900 acres) that lie between Florence and Sienna. Those identifiers aside, the differences between Chianti and Chianti Classico are not rightly apparent, especially to the consumer who sees the word “Chianti” on a bottle and immediately assumes “if you’ve seen one Chianti, you’ve seen ’em all.” Speak with someone within the region and they are more than happy to spell it out for you: it is not just about locale, but that is still a major part. Chianti Classico would claim itself to be the purer expression: Sangiovese makes up 80 to 100 percent of Classico while Chianti wines are 70 to 100 percent Sangiovese. Furthermore, 10 percent of white varieties are permitted in Chianti, while none is
Starts off brash and bold, and ends with a real bite of acidity, but there’s also spice and a pleasant seam of black cherry.
CARPINETO CHIANTI CLASSICO 2015 ($21) Some wines are biting and some feel chewy; this one does both. First, there’s a chewy, red fruit middle with pepper and spice layered on top, then it bites back with great acidity on the finish.
CASTELLO DI AMA CHIANTI CLASSICO 2015 ($35) Aromas lure with a mix of cherry blossom, vanilla and cedar that follow onto the palate, picking up cherry and strawberry along the way. This one is balanced, focused and delicious.
SEPTEMBER 2017 × QUENCH.ME × 25
Barbara Widmer at Brancaia
allowed in Classico. In addition, to be growing vines in the Chianti Classico area, you need a vine density of 4,400 plants per hectare, and only two kilos per vine. By contrast, in Chianti it’s 4,000 plants and three kilos per vine. Alcohol levels are also a factor: minimum levels are higher in Chianti Classico, starting at 12 percent, while Chianti’s minimums begin at 10.5 percent. Chianti Classico also comes in three classifications — Annata, Riserva and Gran Selezione — while Chianti only comes in the first two. Moreover, if you buy a bottle of Annata Chianti, the equivalent Classico is already an older wine. By regulation, Chianti can be released a full seven months before Classico is allowed onto the market. Riserva-designated wines share a similar release date in both regions: they require 24 months of aging and their release dates are the same (from January 1 of the year following the harvest), but regulations state the Classico version must have a minimum of three months in the bottle before release, while Chianti does not require any additional aging. Finally, the newest level — Gran Selezione (established in 2013) — which only applies to Chianti Classico bottlings, requires the wine to be aged for 30 months in oak and then at least an extra three months in the bottle. But to truly understand the difference between these two designations, one must look beyond just what’s in the bottle and examine the historical context. In 1716, Cosimo III, Grand Duke of Tuscany, delimited Chianti as the region between Florence and Sienna. As Chianti’s popularity grew, vine planting and winemaking began creeping farther and farther outside the delimited area, yet the wines 26 × @QUENCH_MAG × SEPTEMBER 2017
still bore the name Chianti on their labels. There was thus a feeling of need amongst the original growers and producers to protect the original zone. In 1932, the term “Classico” was added to distinguish wines from the original Chianti growing area from those made in the newly formed growing areas, which continued unabatedly to expand the outskirts. Chianti Classico also now has the honour of being a DOCG classified area — the highest quality designation within the Italian wine hierarchy. Finally, as of 2010, straight Chianti cannot be made in the Classico area. Which means, if you grow within the original delimited zone, you must follow Classico’s regulations and you cannot declassify your wine to Chianti standards. As for my discoveries about the new 2015 vintage, it was a very good growing season for Chianti Classico (and Chianti) and it really shows in the bottle. I have attended the Anteprima (the tasting of the newest vintage) for the last four years and have never been so widely impressed with what I tasted as I was this year. And I tasted a little more than half of the over 400 wines on offer. To get an overview of what is happening currently, I usually break it down by vintage and style, but there’s also the opportunity to taste some older wines (dating as far back as 2009 this time) to see how previous vintages are aging. This year, however, I kept returning again and again to the 2015 wines to see if what I was tasting was an anomaly — or if indeed 2015 was a special year. As a result, I can confirm that what was put in the bottle for 2015 Chianti Classico is truly something special and worth seeking out (and, by extension, 2015 Chianti wines are too — though to a lesser degree).
Fèlsina’s Giovanni Poggiali
ANTINORI PÈPPOLI 2015, CHIANTI CLASSICO ($24)
PODERE LA CAPPELLA CHIANTI CLASSICO 2015 ($30)
Antinori has crafted a real people-pleaser here with ripe red fruit that comes across round and supple in the mouth.
Robust dark fruit (primarily blueberry, black cherry and plum) that is balanced beautifully with acidity.
CASTELLO DI GABBIANO CHIANTI CLASSICO 2015 ($24) Seemingly simple beginnings lead to a palate that’ll have you wanting more: dark fruit kicks it off, layers in cedar then finishes with smoky spices.
CINCIANO CHIANTI CLASSICO 2015 ($30)
CASTAGNOLI CHIANTI CLASSICO 2015 ($18) A fruit-driven Classico that delivers both the necessities of red and black fruit, followed by white pepper on the finish. Simply put, this one is gorgeous and will have you enjoying sip after sip.
RIECINE CHIANTI CLASSICO 2015 ($27)
Simple yet still elegantly fruity with ripe red fruits taking charge and finishing with a nice hit of spice.
A wine that takes a few sips to win you over; once it does, you’re hooked. Strawberry and balsamic notes with vanilla, smoke and a touch of floral.
COLLAZZI I BASTIONI CHIANTI CLASSICO 2015 ($25)
CASTELLO VICCHIOMAGGIO SAN JACOPO CHIANTI CLASSICO 2015 ($25)
The wine is silky and appealing from beginning to end — it piles on black cherry, plum, vanilla and smoke all sweeping through the mid-palate and leading to balanced acidity on the finish.
Cherry seems to be the focus here, both the sweet red kind and sour variety fight it out pleasantly on the palate, while the finish loads in hints of cedar and smoked meat.
BONACCHI CHIANTI CLASSICO 2015 ($25)
TENUTE DI NOZZOLE CHIANTI CLASSICO 2015 ($25)
This is a really complex and giving version of 2015 Classico, layering in cherry and black cherry flavours while adding aromas of spiced plum, baking spices and smoky notes.
FÈLSINA BERARDENGA CHIANTI CLASSICO 2015 ($30) Deep in raspberry and cherry fruit. Starts off silky, while the mid-palate introduces some grippy tannins early, but then the acidity swings in on the finish to clean it up.
Pleasantly dark fruited with plum, cherry and a note of cedar on the finish.
TERRE DI PERSETO ALBÓRE CHIANTI CLASSICO 2015 ($30) A hot-vintage Classico that drinks like a cool-vintage Classico: starts with lovely red fruit, but adds in an herbal/savoury element for complexity and ends spicy with a good acid backbone. × SEPTEMBER 2017 × QUENCH.ME × 27
ON TOP OF THE BAY by Sean Wood
IN MAY THIS YEAR, 12 NOVA SCOTIA WINERIES JOINTLY LAUNCHED THEIR 2016 VINTAGE WINES BEARING THE APPELLATION TIDAL BAY.
Aptly named “12 Tides,” this was the seventh release of this signature Nova Scotia wine. The success of the concept, unique in Canada, has rested on the creation of strict new grape-growing and winemaking standards, and the creation of an independent tasting panel, which must pass all wines that may subsequently bear the Tidal Bay designation. Showcased at the Vancouver International Wine Festival in February this year, Tidal Bay appellation wines, characterized by moderate alcohol and lighter food-friendly style, continue to demonstrate their growing popularity, not only across Canada but also in overseas markets.
LUCKETT VINEYARDS TIDAL BAY 2016 ($21.99) The blend here is l’Acadie, Ortega, Vidal and Traminette. It shows light straw colour with delicately perfumed scents of spring flowers, subtle green fruit and a light herbal overtone. Succulent green apple and white peach flavours come in a silky smooth palate with the merest touch of green herb, classic bright acidity and firm mineral grip. Finishes just a touch off-dry.
ANNAPOLIS HIGHLANDS VINEYARDS TIDAL BAY 2016 ($19.99) This blend of l’Acadie, Seyval Blanc, Geisenheim 318 and New York Muscat 28 × @QUENCH_MAG × SEPTEMBER 2017
Planters Ridge winemaker John McLarty
offers beguiling floral scents with delicate green and yellow fruit on the nose giving way to grassy fresh green fruit with a touch of green herb on the palate. Finishes with classic Nova Scotia crisp acidity and mineral grip.
SAINTE-FAMILLE WINES TIDAL BAY 2016 ($19.99) Estate-grown Geisenheim 318, l’Acadie, Riesling and Muscat make up this aromatic, floral-scented wine with citrus, green apple and a pinch of minty herb completing the picture. Grapey green Muscat flavour is backed by typical stony mineral and crisp acidity.
BLOMIDON ESTATE WINERY TIDAL BAY 2016 ($19.99) L’Acadie Blanc, Seyval and New York Muscat constitute the blend here with soft, rather shy fruit blossom, delicate fruit scents and crunchy green apple with subtle Muscat flavours on the palate. Signature stony mineral, zesty acidity and a light green herbal note culminate in an agreeable, just off-dry finish.
BENJAMIN BRIDGE TIDAL BAY 2016 ($21.99) Characteristic fresh floral and green fruit with a whiff of grapefruit and stone fruit lead the way for appealing flavours
of peach, citrus and green apple in the mouth. Silky impression on the palate contrasts with firm mineral grip and zesty acidity enlivened by subtle spritz. Offers broad appeal with plenty of charm.
JOST VINEYARDS TIDAL BAY 2016, NOVA SCOTIA ($19.99) A blend of Seyval, Vidal, Ortega and Muscat showing floral scents tinged with a honeyed note and background green fruit. Flavours of white peach and apricot lead on the palate with crisp apple, firm mineral and finely balanced acidity. Refined, understated, food-friendly style.
LIGHTFOOT & WOLFVILLE TIDAL BAY 2016 ($22) Floral blossom and delicate green fruit on the nose broaden out with fresh green apple, grapefruit and white peach on the palate. Brisk acidity, drying mineral with grapefruit and peach notes linger on the just off-dry finish.
AVONDALE SKY TIDAL BAY 2016 ($21.99) Opens with light floral and soft stone-fruit scents evolving into distinct peach, apricot and green-fruit flavours, supported by gritty mineral, mouthwatering acidity and stone-fruit notes on the off-dry finish.
GASPEREAU VINEYARDS TIDAL BAY 2016 ($19.99) Highly aromatic nose reveals scents of Muscat, attractive green fruit and a whiff of minty green herb. Piquant, intense green-fruit flavours show green apple, Muscat’s grapey character, with a prickly tingle in the mouth, lively appetizing acidity and chalky mineral. Finishing slightly off-dry, this is a fine match for oriental dishes and spicy seafood preparations.
DOMAINE DE GRAND PRÉ TIDAL BAY 2016 ($19.99) Fine, aromatic floral bouquet with citrus and tropical fruit notes yields to primarily yellow-fruit flavours, with tropical fruit, ripe orchard fruit and a subtle honeyed overtone; refined acidity, drying mineral and a touch of apricot on the lightly off-dry finish.
Kim Gorman, the winemaker at Annapolis Highland Vineyards
MERCATOR VINEYARDS ESTATE-GROWN TIDAL BAY 2016 ($24.99) Just three varieties make up this blend: Seyval Blanc, l’Acadie and Petite Milo. The result shows floral, green fruit, and light herbal and smoky notes, with green-apple flavours dominant in the mouth. Smooth, silky mid-palate with characteristic lively acidity, minerality and fresh green fruit with stony mineral rounding out the off-dry finish.
PLANTERS RIDGE TIDAL BAY 2016 ($20.99) Characteristic Tidal Bay varieties l’Acadie, Seyval and New York Muscat are blended here with the more unusual Frontenac Blanc and Frontenac Gris. Shows very pale in the glass, with lively aromatic floral, bright grapefruit and lightly pungent Muscat scents. Citrus, green apple, stone fruit and a trace of green herb appear on the palate, with lively acidity, mineral and fresh fruity and floral notes on the finish. × SEPTEMBER 2017 × QUENCH.ME × 29
WHAT’S KEEPING THEM AWAKE? by Konrad Ejbich
It’s guaranteed. As soon as winemakers get together, one of the first topics of discussion is going to be the weather. Weather has so much impact on the health of grapes and, thus, on wine and, thus, on the industry that feeds winemakers. Weather, after all, is the whole point of vintage charts! And with climate change talks the focus of G7 powers this year, it follows that the subject would arise often during my recent visit to the south Okanagan, the hottest wine region in Canada. I was invited by the Okanagan Wine Festivals Society to attend the 2017 BC Best of Varietal Awards in early May and to meet many of the feisty winemakers who won some of those awards. Naturally, I asked about the weather. Everyone had an opinion. Then I asked, if climate change is not their primary anxiety, what is? What keeps them awake at night? Here’s what they said ... 30 × @QUENCH_MAG × SEPTEMBER 2017
KATHY MALONE @ HILLSIDE ESTATE WINERY, NARAMATA Climate change: Definitely, it’s get-
TED KANE @ RIVER STONE ESTATE WINERY, OLIVER
CLIMATE CHANGE: I’ve always had early seasons since I got here — our win-
ters are super mild, at least milder than what the old timers tell me they used to get. We get more of those torrential rainfalls now, but for the most part, we haven’t seen much change. WHAT KEEPS YOU AWAKE: Labour. Finding good labour and keeping it. Keeping up with Mother Nature — ’cause Mother Nature runs the show, eh? — so you have to get those jobs done in a timely fashion. My labour force is still a transient bunch — soon as the cherries come on, they go off and follow the cherry crop till that ends. That’s the farming game for you.
KERRI AND CHRIS WYSE @ BURROWING OWL VINEYARDS, OLIVER
CLIMATE CHANGE: Often people equate climate change to an increase in tem-
ting hotter. New plantings are moving farther north. We’ve had recurring fires since 2003 and will continue to get more. I’m currently working on a “smoke taint” research project for the BC Wine Grape Council because the time between now and the next fire is finite. It’s going to keep happening every time we have a hot summer and we need to know how to deal with it. WHAT KEEPS YOU AWAKE: Sales. If we don’t sell, then we won’t empty the warehouse, and if I can’t empty the tanks, then we won’t be able to keep making wine. I think about how to make people aware of how special British Columbian wines really are.
peratures. That isn’t what we’re seeing. What we’re getting are storms, and a real inconsistency in the weather. Our hottest season was 1998 — almost 20 years ago. A few seasons since have come close but none has matched it. Our preparations to adapt to climate change centre around access to water. We already see smaller snow packs, which reduces the flow of runoff. So, we’ve converted all our vineyards from overhead irrigation to drip. We spend a lot of time trying to build up the organic component of our soil for better water retention to reduce our need to replace it. We’re studying cover crops and how to manipulate them to reduce evaporation of water already in the soil. And we’re trying to reduce our carbon footprint. WHAT KEEPS YOU AWAKE: As the demographic ages, farm labour is becoming problematic for us. It’s getting harder to find farm workers. That’s the big one. We try to hire locally as much as possible. SEPTEMBER 2017 × QUENCH.ME × 31
VAL TAIT @ BENCH 1775 WINERY, NARAMATA
CLIMATE CHANGE: What we’ve been seeing are extremes or record-breaking temperatures, precipitation, and events that are random and come at any time. We may be experiencing a really hot year, and then get an inopportune and super early frost. In recent years, I’ve been picking reds at the same time as Icewines. We scrambled to get the red fruit in and later were picking Icewine because we had the right conditions at minus eight degrees ... in November! It was a disaster. That creates a big problem because your vines start getting diseases or dying off. And there are the logistical problems of all your fruit coming in at once. We have to scramble to find extra tanks and the place to put them. Worse than that, we’ve had a very wet spring, which we’re not used to. When you can’t predict what random event is going to happen, you can’t really plan for it. So I think crop insurance is going to be a big thing in the future. WHAT KEEPS YOU AWAKE: Selling wine!
Selling wine is a big thing. There are so many individual products accessible to a wine lover. We have wines from all over the world. When you go to countries with wine regions, you’re lucky if you can find wines from other parts of the country. Here, we have so many producers that we’re vying against and at all price points. It creates a downward pressure on our price points. And other beverages exist too — people can have beer or distilled spirits. They can have marijuana. It’s a very competitive marketplace.
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STEVE LATCHFORD @ THERAPY VINEYARDS, NARAMATA
CLIMATE CHANGE: The effects have been spotty. This has been an odd year.
Typically, we get two or three days when we can pick Icewine. This year, there were about 30 of them. Long term, water will become a massive issue in the Okanagan, the same way it is in California. Last year we didn’t need to turn our irrigation on — we got that much rain. Mildew was an issue. We have some concerns, but we just have to monitor it. WHAT KEEPS YOU AWAKE: Being able to keep up with the demand of sales. We sell the wine faster than we can make it. We could lose shelf space in stores and listings at the few restaurants we’re already in if we can’t supply bottles. We’ve doubled our white production and increased reds by onethird, and it’s still not enough. I don’t have enough wine.
GARRON ELMES @ LAKE BREEZE WINERY, NARAMATA
CLIMATE CHANGE: I expect in 50 to 100 years, they won’t be making wine in the southern hemisphere because it will be too hot. There’s no question it’s gotten hotter and drier here, too. The last four to five years have been progressively the earliest we’ve started picking the fruit. WHAT KEEPS YOU AWAKE: We put our toes in the water of the super-premium end of the wine market last year with the introduction of the MacIntyre Heritage Reserve line. The Lake Breeze brand is doing well. We sell pretty well everything we make each year. We don’t have to put much effort into it since we have a good name and a good reputation. But the economy hasn’t quite rebounded, so getting our two super-premium wines out to the people we know will want to drink them is our biggest challenge right now.
JEFF MARTIN @ LA FRENZ WINERY, NARAMATA
ROB THIELICKE @ LANG VINEYARDS, NARAMATA
CLIMATE CHANGE: Every year is a different year,
so we react to the year. It’s not global warming, it’s climate change. Last year, we were three weeks ahead; this year, we’re three weeks behind. You can’t predict, you can only react. WHAT KEEPS YOU AWAKE: Just getting it right. You get one shot every year. Finding the balance, getting the consistency, doing it right.
JACQ KEMP @ MORAINE ESTATE WINERY, NARAMATA
CLIMATE CHANGE: That’s where that “sustain-
able” word comes in, and why it’s so important to be focused in a holistic way. Water is definitely an issue. What we’ve seen is that rain is not coming through properly in spring, but being pushed back two months later. That means we’ll have to turn on our irrigation and now we’re consuming water. We need to be focused on our water use in the vineyard, but also, hugely so, in the winery. There’s just no way that wine can be a product in the future unless we can get its use way, way down. It’s the biggest concern for the wine industry. For the whole world, really. WHAT KEEPS YOU AWAKE: The end of the season. We have only a tiny, tiny winery at the moment, so there’s only so much we can process in one day. The change of the seasons has us starting earlier and finishing earlier. Instead of thinking as if this was going to be a normal year, you’re always wondering what’s going to happen this year. You have to spend a lot more time in the vineyard than you used to and make sure you’re tweaking every vine every 10 days and considering the next course of action. Do we keep the leaves on? Do we take them off? Do they need water? Every single day is different so keeping an eye on those weather cycles, that’s what keeps me awake at night.
MATT HOLLER @ POPLAR GROVE WINERY, NARAMATA
CLIMATE CHANGE: Personally, I believe in cycles. We have neighbours who
have been farming for 50 years and they say by no means is this the hottest summer, the wettest summer or the driest summer. They say in each time period, there’s going to be a certain percentage of hot, wet or dry years. These days, the differences are appearing much quicker. So, we’ve been learning to adapt quickly to each year. WHAT KEEPS YOU AWAKE: Achieving consistency. Being proactive in the vineyard rather than having to react to problems.
CLIMATE CHANGE: Seeing Obama get China to come to the table and agree to stop using carbon, I think that was a great thing. Then you have a wild card like Trump come out of the woodwork and he doesn’t believe in global warming; that’s always a worry. Hopefully he’s hamstrung and unable to do anything. Yes, I have seen global warming. Last year, when we had a season with El Niño water currents, we had the earliest season I’ve ever seen. You learn to adjust what you’re doing in the vineyard depending on if it’s a cool or a hot year. We’ve seen a few degrees of warming, but from our perspective, we can adjust for that because we’re already in a cooler area. WHAT KEEPS YOU AWAKE: Getting sick
and not living a century. Really? Look at me. I’m playing my own game and having a ton of fun. I live in a place that’s unbelievably beautiful. I have a successful business. I work with a great crew of people. Why would I worry? × SEPTEMBER 2017 × QUENCH.ME × 33
OK
by Tim Pawsey
One of the most anticipated tastings on BC’s wine calendar is the Okanagan Falls Wineries Association’s Spring Release. The mood is always upbeat, as maybe a few too many bodies pack into Vancouver’s The Loft at Earls Yaletown, the usual venue.
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LIQUIDITY WINES’ WINEMAKER, ALISON MOYES
Such association tastings have become the norm. Yet, what sets Okanagan Falls wines apart — beyond the consistency of quality — is the high percentage poured whose grapes actually originate from the area that defines its membership. The 15 wineries that make up the association farm more than 185 hectares of vines and produce nearly 1.3 million bottles annually. That accounts for 11 percent of all true BC-grown wine in the province — and results in almost $30 million in retail sales. Hence, it should come as no surprise that Okanagan Falls is gearing up to become the province’s second or third sub-GI (Geographic Indicator) region, after Golden Mile Bench, which was declared in mid-2015. (Neighbouring Skaha Bench is also under application by Painted Rock, Blasted Church and Pentage, along with numerous vineyards.) While — at least in part — there was some kind of historical recognition for Golden Mile (it was actually named for its ability to ripen canteloupes), that isn’t the case for Okanagan Falls. In fact, with not a little irony, it’s worth noting that the now firmly established wine region actually didn’t exist as any formal kind of separate entity until 2011. Around that time, wine tourism was just kicking into high gear. Several communities across BC were gearing up to take advantage of various government programs in order to help bolster their wine identities. Arguably the best and most successful example to date was Naramata, whose Naramata Bench commercial brand was well out ahead. PHOTO OF ALISON MOYES: STEPHANIE SEATON
Even if such associations weren’t entirely terroir-driven (several Naramata wineries bring in grapes from elsewhere), the commercial success of “The Bench” has rung true with consumers — and confirmed, indeed, that there’s value to be found in such delineations. Now, however, even more so since agreement was reached on Golden Mile Bench, there’s renewed impetus to define more precise regions across the province — though based very much on terroir, in the form of sub-GIs.
DEFINING THE DIVIDE
Up until 2011, the wineries situated in and around Okanagan Falls were part of the South Okanagan Wineries Association, which included a large number stretching from south of Penticton all the way to the US border. Similarly, on the east side of the lake system, its membership stretched from just south of Naramata Bench, from the lofty Skaha Bluffs to the border. Since its very inception, and over several decades, the Okanagan wine industry was centred in and around Kelowna, having initially sprung up in that city’s Mission District. In more recent years, the number of wineries has climbed “down south,” thanks to outside investment, improvements in viticulture and with no small assist from climate change (see page 30 for more). Much of that expansion has taken place around Oliver and Osoyoos. SEPTEMBER 2017 × QUENCH.ME × 35
Some felt the moniker SOWA (South Okanagan Wineries Association) might be too close to WOSA (Wines of South Africa). And that, truly, it was time to come up with a new image. In the absence of any legal definition at the time, some wineries — including pace-setting Tinhorn Creek — had started to use the term “South Okanagan” on their labels. Not surprisingly, a discussion ensued as to just what might what constitute “South.” Historically, vintners have often referred to the massive McIntyre Bluff as the natural divide between north and south. The steep ridge of rock (now known also by its Sylix name as Nylin-tn) is located south of Okanagan Falls, overlooking Vaseaux Lake. Harvest times can vary considerably between these distinct parts of the valley. Traditionally, Bordeaux varieties were planted only in the south, while the “North” leaned towards Burgundy. In fact, at one time, say 50 years ago, common wisdom suggested it was not possible to ripen red grapes of any kind north of McIntyre Bluff. Ultimately, the southern wineries chose to form their own group, the Oliver Osoyoos Wineries Association. They used the landmark as the dividing point to define where the South Okanagan began — and, in the process, cut loose a significant number of wineries in and around Okanagan Falls, as well as those on the east and west benches of Skaha Lake. As a result, those cut loose went the obvious route of forming the Okanagan Falls Wineries Association. It has proven to be one of the more dynamic entities, placing the small town and its surrounding landscape firmly on the wine-touring map.
EARLY DAYS
Once a “blink and you’ll miss it” stop between Penticton and Oliver, OK Falls is coming into its own. The town itself, a sleepy little burg (population 2,167), is one of the oldest European-settled communities in the Okanagan Valley. A few buildings in a twoblock stretch retain their original facades. A prime attraction, Tickleberry’s ice cream emporium, draws hundreds daily for its mind-blowing selection of flavours and gift shop bric-a-brac. Prior to the coming of the railway and steamships, the area was known by its Interior Salish name kwah-ne-ta — meaning “little falls.” However, the actual falls (once a prime fishing spot favoured by First Nations) have all but vanished under the spillway that controls the water flow to the southern Okanagan. Built in part to provide work for returning troops after World War I, the ambitious irrigation project transformed the arid south into a vibrant farming region where peach orchards (and now vineyards) flourish. In a way, the disappearance of much of those scrubby lands has helped mask the geological differences between Okanagan Falls and its southern neighbours. In reality, OK Falls marks the boundary between the upper Sonoran Desert, which ends at this point, and the Transition environmental zones. Much of the geology was formed by intense volcanic eruptions 50 to 60 million years ago. Southeast of the falls is the Okanagan Valley Fault, which travels down the centre of the Okanagan and the east side of Skaha Lake. Of note are the differing rock and soil types on either side of the lake, with the majority of Okanagan Falls wineries and a total of 32 vineyards located on the east side of the fault. 36 × @QUENCH_MAG × SEPTEMBER 2017
EARLY PIONEERS
In 1961, high above Okanagan Falls on the west side, Major Hugh Fraser planted hybrid and labrusca varieties. Eventually, the vineyard was sold to Albert LeComte, who opened his LeComte Estate Winery in 1986. He made a viable red blend. But it was his high-elevation Gewürztraminer that proved most successful, prompting Sumac Ridge’s Harry McWatters to purchase the Hawthorne Mountain property (now See Ya Later Ranch) in 1995. One of the first to recognize Okanagan Falls’ vinifera potential was Blue Mountain’s Ian Mavety, who purchased property in 1971. Initially he grew hybrids but soon realized the need to grow high-quality vinifera. After a visit to Europe, the Mavetys came home convinced that Burgundian varieties, such as Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, would work — and started pulling their hybrids many years before a 1988 government-sponsored program encouraging the same. As a result, when Blue Mountain Vineyard & Cellars released its first wines in 1991, many were taken by surprise. Blue Mountain proved it was possible to make good Pinot in the Okanagan. And, not only that, but to ripen red vinifera north of the bluff. In 1983, just down the road from Blue Mountain, the late Adolf Kruger had purchased four hectares, clearing thousands of rocks by hand and planting Riesling and Gewürztraminer. Seven years later, Kruger opened Wild Goose Vineyards, the province’s 17th (but first farm gate) winery. As for deciding to plant those varieties, “I lived on the Rhine and wine was cheaper than beer. And we drank predominantly Riesling, so that’s what we planted.” Blue Mountain’s Mavety has always pointed to the beneficial climate of warm days and contrasting cool nights. The resulting diurnals more than deliver the region’s unique acidity, which emphasizes fruit flavours and aromatics. Those early visionaries did more than prove you could grow vinifera successfully in OK Falls. They also helped considerably by sharing their newly found knowledge. Those experiences contributed to the first official overview, published in 1984 by Agriculture Canada and the Association of British Columbia Grape Growers, which detailed the prime vineyard properties, soil types and more — and very much helped fuel the explosion of plantings over the last three decades. Information from that publication forms the foundation for today’s suggested Terroir Boundaries maps used to draw up possible sub-GI boundaries.
A MULTIPLICITY OF SOILS
The terroir map for Okanagan Falls defines the soils as “Kettled Outwash and Fans” — and identifies an area that encompasses the town from the falls south, as well as an area to the south east, the shores of Vaseaux Lake, with a portion reaching up the westside mountain slopes. The soils shift considerable, from boulder gravel, volcanic and glacial deposits, clay and sandy loam and many other types. However, the region also breaks down into myriad smaller parcels that change in a matter of metres. At Synchromesh, owner-winemaker Alan Dickinson suggests one of the downsides of the OK Falls sub-app is that nothing is the same.
“There’s no continuity of terroir and there are microclimate challenges, even between immediate neighbours,” says Dickinson, who cites the variations between his site and Meyer Family Vineyards, across the road, as an example. Generally speaking, the soils vary based on their elevation and relationship to glacial activity and the spillway. Even within the proposed boundaries, he sees a number of smaller groups of wineries, all significantly contrasting. That said, Dickinson supports the idea of an Okanagan Falls GI, even if less in the sense of a traditional sub-appellation. “I personally feel that we have more quality producers in OK Falls than any other proposed sub-GI. We have some very high-quality wines coming out of the area — but none of them are really the same. “I like the idea of the sub-appellation to help consumers find things. But while elsewhere a sub-app might dictate how a wine might taste — because of climate and soil conditions — here, I’m not quite sure what it will say … If you’re looking at what ‘sub-app’ means to the rest of the world and how GERRY AND SUE THYGESEN, OWNERS AND WINEMAKERS that relates to this region, it doesn’t,” AT KRAZE LEGZ WINERY WEST OF SKAHA LAKE suggests Dickinson. At the time of writing, information meetings are underway to explore both the Okanagan Falls subGI as well as Skaha Bluffs. The latter is identified as SE Side Lacustrine “Although most of us grow our own grapes, some do buy Bench that runs north from Okanagan Falls along the east side of Skaha Lake and above the east side of Penticton where it from elsewhere. But we’ll emphasize the percentage we grow,” meets NE Side Lacustrine Bench — which coincides with the says D’Andrea, who says the plan is to submit the application “as quickly as possible.” area promoted as Naramata Bench. One winery that does work with several vineyards outside of A sign of how quickly BC’s industry is maturing, a spirit of the proposed GI is Wild Goose, which has blossomed from a tiny cooperation is helping to move the Okanagan Falls GI forward. “When you look at any area, there are huge variations. But the farm-gate winery to 20,000 cases a year. “For us it’s very explorpoint this time is to at least create a big-picture GI,” says Stag’s atory,” says General Manager Roland Kruger. “I really like the idea but have so much to learn.” Hollow president Larry Gerelus. Wild Goose uses fruit from Penticton, Summerland and “We know how well we work as a marketing organization, so it’s important to take a reasonable approach, especially where Kelowna, as well as from their own Mystic River and Seacrest there’s scientific justification. It’s a great evolution for the vineyards, which lie just to the south but outside the proposed Okanagan Valley to recognize that we have very unique areas boundary. But they also make about 50 percent of their wine from that need to be treated distinctly for the types of wines they pro- their Okanagan Falls Vineyards. “There are a lot of consumers out there who want to know where the grapes come from, which duce,” says Gerelus. Noble Ridge owner Jim D’Andrea says: “Overall, everyone is means the GI process offers huge value,” says Kruger. Even though differences exist as to how specific the subsupportive of another way to highlight our area. We’re not proposing to break up the Okanagan Falls Winery Association. It GI should or should not be, it’s apparent that Okanagan Falls is still works. We get along. We like each other’s wines, and we’ve quickly moving forward to further establish its own identity. Or, as Larry Gerelus suggests: “We’re just following in the worked hard to bring people to the area. Even though we may not footsteps of what the rest of the wine world is doing.” × all fall under the same GI, we still plan to work together.” SEPTEMBER 2017 × QUENCH.ME × 37
by Lisa Hoekstra
EDMON
FOOD CITY When you think of Edmonton, what springs to mind? Perhaps you picture the Oilers logo and hear the faint twang of country music strumming in the background. Maybe you picture a frigid cityscape with pickup-truck-filled roads and quiet, almost non-existent nightlife. Well, shake that noggin of yours, because none of these mental images represents all that Edmonton has to offer. Edmonton is a large city (over 900,000 people as of the 2016 census) that maintains small-town charm. The sense of community is almost tangible and it’s definitely present in the flavours and tastes on offer at many of the town’s restaurants and hot spots. Here are just a few places you should visit when next you’re in town. And never let anyone tell you that Edmonton is just a quiet city of hockey-playin’, country-music-lovin’ folk. Because it is so much more.
MUST VISIT BAKERIES & CAFÉS DUCHESS BAKE SHOP www.duchessbakeshop.com 10718 - 124 Street NW
In 2009, Duchess Bake Shop was among the first bakeries to find a following in Edmonton, and that is a credit to owners Giselle Courteau (the creative mind behind the bakery), Jacob Pelletier and Garner Beggs. The Duchess, as it’s affectionately called by locals, is now regarded as one of the top patisseries in Canada; even Prime Minister Justin Trudeau mentioned them as highlight during his Edmonton visit. The experience makes all the difference. “Our main focus at the bake shop is to make our customers feel special. From customer service all the way to eating the last crumb on their plate, we want people to feel transported … to a magical and happy 38 × @QUENCH_MAG × SEPTEMBER 2017
NTON DUCHESS BAKE SHOP
place,” says Courteau. “I’m proud that people let us share these moments with them by eating our food.” Their menu includes quiche, soup (while supplies last), sandwiches, tartiflette and more. “Our blending of French pastries and Alberta favourites is something we are really proud of and has definitely contributed greatly to our success,” explains Courteau. “I knew when we opened that we wanted a heavy focus on French pastries but I also wanted to showcase some of the things I grew up making at home, such as brownies, butter tarts and pies. Now that customers have gained our trust, they are more willing and excited to try traditional French pastries … and get excited when we come out with new items and flavours.” All baked goods are made fresh from scratch every day fromhigh quality ingredients, like Valrhona chocolate from France, Anita’s Organic flour and Churn84 butter, as well as all-natural flavours and extracts, to create their cakes, macarons, brioches, croissants and more. “We’re always told that our baked goods taste homemade,” Courteau mentions. “There are no magic tricks, secret recipes or strange ingredients at the bake shop. Everything is made from scratch, not using any sauces, glazes or stabilizers. This, coupled with the high-quality ingredients that we use, makes the biggest difference in the taste of our pastries.” Courteau also runs a bake store, Provisions, which sells ingredients, bakeware, tools and cookbooks, including her own award-winning cookbook, Duchess Bake Shop.
LA BOULE PATISSERIE + BAKERY
www.laboulebakery.ca 8020 - 101 Street Classic, innovative and elegant — these are just a few words to describe pastry chef Jennifer Stang’s creations. You can’t go wrong with one of her sweet and savoury breads.
MACARONS & GOODIES
www.macaronsgoodies.com 10548 - 101 Street Tunisian immigrants Akram Hasni and Fadoua Deurbel opened this little gem to showcase their favourite treats: sweets, savouries, pies, tarts and truffles. They also cater.
DOUGHNUT PARTY
www.doughnutparty.ca 10938 - 119 Street This artisanal bakery has Instagram-worthy doughnuts that are as delicious as they are adorable. Be warned, though: they sell out quick.
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RGE RD CHEF BLAIR LEBSACK
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DINNER & DRINKS CORSO 32
www.corso32.com 10345 Jasper Avenue
Chef Daniel Costa’s flagship restaurant is credited with elevating Edmonton’s culinary scene. The Italian-inspired menu features simple dishes made with a few, tasty ingredients. You won’t find sauce-drenched pastas at Corso 32 — instead, look for melt-inyour-mouth fried short rib, cavatelli pasta with pork and fennel sausage sugo or Chinook Salmon Mandorla, cooked to perfection. Costa changes the menu regularly, incorporating fresh, local ingredients into traditional Italian recipes to give guests a new experience every time they go. And no Italian experience would be complete without wine. Corso 32’s extensive wine list has a glass or bottle for every palate, which pairs well with the menu. All of their wines are curated and sourced from Italy. Since opening in 2010, Corso 32 has seen critical acclaim from reviewers across the country. Costa followed up the success of his 34-seat restaurant with two sister restaurants — Bar Bricco and Uccellino; he was also involved in creating the Tavola app, which curates recipe packs and pairing menus with wine and music.
CAFÉ LINNEA
www.cafelinnea.ca 10932 - 119 Street NW
This bistro-café fusion is a passion project for chef and co-owner Kelsey Johnson. Opened in July 2016, Café Linnea offers brunch, afternoon bar bites and dinner, a service added in March 2017. The menu combines French and Scandinavian cuisine. “I grew up in a Scandinavian community … outside Edmonton, where I fell in love with my culture and background,” says Johnson. “The other side of my heritage is French and the French-farmhouse style of cooking has always been appealing to me. Both cultures use the ingredients available to them and techniques to highlight ingredients as opposed to hiding them, which I try to keep in the forefront of my cooking.” All mains at Café Linnea are generous in size and flavour. Take the smoked pot pie: a poached egg cradled by puff pastry filled with smoked chicken, pork loin, carrots and peas, all covered in a cream sauce. Just writing about it makes my mouth water. The other dishes are equally enticing. Oeufs-en-cocotte: two eggs on a bed of red peppers served in a small cast-iron pot; Complète Galette: buckwheat crêpe with crisp edges, ham and Gruyère topped with an egg. To accompany your meal, Café Linnea serves a variety of coffees and a few interesting cocktails beyond the classic mimosas. “For me, food and drink is meant to be enjoyed and shared,” says Johnson. “It’s honestly my favourite thing to do and I hope people can feel a bit of that when they eat my food.”
Café Linnea also offers homemade take-home products: sourdough loaf, mustard sausage, coffee, pickled mustard seeds and soon, smoked bacon. “When I overheard people saying they wanted to take home the sourdough, we made it happen,” states Johnson. “The tough part is balancing what to keep for the restaurant and what to sell. The pig only has one belly after all, so ensuring you have enough for breakfast needs to come first.” Johnson and her team at Café Linnea serve quality ingredients in a refreshing style to give busy Edmontonians (and visitors) a calm, relaxing space to recharge. “I want the people who come to Café Linnea to escape the everyday craziness and have a moment in the space,” says Johnson. “Whether that’s spending time with friends, relaxing into a coffee alone, trying new ingredients for the first time, whatever! Just be in the beautiful space.”
IZAKAYA TOMO JAPANESE TAPAS BAR www.izakayatomo.net 3739 - 99 Street
While Izakaya Tomo does serve sushi and sashimi (try the tempura shrimp roll for something delicious), dishes that many have come to expect from Japanese restaurants, owner Tomoya Mutaguchi wanted to provide something of his own creation — a menu that reflects true Japanese cuisine. “Since I came to Canada, I worked for eight years for one of the oldest Japanese restaurants in Edmonton and I noticed many people opening almost the same style of Japanese restaurant,” says Mutaguchi. “It was good because it meant Japanese food was getting popular. But to me, it was not fun. Same menu … not much difference wherever I go. That’s why I opened a different style of Japanese restaurant.” Mutaguchi wants to give guests lasting memories. “I want [guests] to talk to their friends about what they felt and for that, I need to give them impact,” says Mutaguchi. “I use pure water and pottery plates from Japan; have a wooden rustic interior, a variety of small new-style dishes; and we’re open late.” His small plates and large, playful fusion dishes introduce new flavours. Tuna Yukki combines chopped raw tuna, quail’s egg yolk and avocado to create a textural experience unlike any other while Crispy Take Yaki’s seven deep-fried battered octopus balls served with mayonnaise and topped with bonito flakes is an experience. Tonpei Yaki, an Izakaya Tomo original, is one fine example of how Mutaguchi and his team express Japanese cuisine. The shaved pork and cabbage wrapped in a fried egg topped with okonomi sauce and dried, smoked bonito flakes is full of flavour. Most, if not all, of the dishes are made with local products. “I try to — like meat from local suppliers, eggs and seasonal veggies from farmers, et cetera.” says Mutaguchi. “Using locally sourced ingredients is not our concept but I try to because it shows apSEPTEMBER 2017 × QUENCH.ME × 41
GARNER BEGGS AND CHEF KELSEY JOHNSON FROM CAFE LINNEA
preciation for the community. I can do business here because of all the local support.” As the first izakaya in Edmonton, Izakaya Tomo continues to provide Edmonton foodies with a new take on Japanese cuisine and culture.
RGE RD
www.rgerd.ca 10643 - 123 Street
RGE RD consistently appears on best overall lists, like this one. Chef Blair Lebsack showcases Canadian cuisine with tastes and dishes inspired by the fields, forests, mountains and oceans of western Canada. In fact, it was the first restaurant in Edmonton to highlight farm-to-table dining. “The idea of working directly with farmers, appreciating what we have in our own backyard and showing my translation of Canadian cuisine was the starting point,” explains Lebsack. “But it has gone so much further since then.” Now, RGE RD embodies the people and culture of North Central Alberta, giving you a true sense of place and local products. All of the ingredients found in the kitchen are sourced from farms and small-scale producers in Alberta and western Canada. 42 × @QUENCH_MAG × SEPTEMBER 2017
“Local products are just part of us now,” says Lebsack. “We know where our products come from and we try to connect our diners to their food.” Some of the farms they use are: Nature’s Green Acres, Prairie Gardens, August Organics, Riverbend Gardens and Four Whistle Farm. “These farmers have made RGE RD better and now are part of the restaurant family,” states Lebsack. “They work hard to get us the best products, so we try to use everything, and with everything, use creativity.” That creativity is reflected in their menu, which is updated weekly to incorporate what farmers tell Lebsack is best in the field at the time. Take, for example, their Questionable Bits platter, which features a sampling of continually changing meats from the whole animal (including offal). Seafood lovers would enjoy the Charred Chili Crusted West Coast Cod with fried potato pavé, squash purée, roasted tomato and onion. They also have a selection of vegetable dishes for the vegetarians in your group. Roasted Brussel Sprout Salad or Chickpea Pancake and Harvest Vegetables are two that make for tasty treats. While the food definitely draws you in, it’s the overall experience that has people coming back for more. At RGE RD, you get more than a meal; you get an education, from how it was raised to how it should be eaten. That all-encompassing experience is vital to Lebsack. “We want our guests to enjoy the food, but we want so much more,” he explains. “We want them to feel comfortable in the room, taken care of and have great conversation with dining companions.”
VIPHALAY: LAOS AND THAI RESTAURANT
www.viphalay.com 10724 - 95 Street This hidden gem is full of warmth that extends beyond the tasty food (a lot of which is gluten-free). Probably the best Laos and Thai fare available in Edmonton.
BISTRO PRAHAS
www.bistropraha.com 10117 - 101 Street Authentic Eastern European fare (schnitzel, anyone?) and great bistro food is the cornerstone of their unchanging menu.
MORE TO SEE Edmonton has a multitude of events, bars and hot spots to visit. The craft scene is expanding as more and more innovative minds flock to this Albertan town to create their masterpieces. Here are a few places and events of note for your next trip out West.
Microbreweries & Distilleries HANSEN DISTILLERY
www.hansendistillery.com 17412 - 111 Avenue NW From the gorgeous event space and bar at the front to the powerful spirits found in eye-catching bottles, Hansen Distillery delivers when it comes to Edmontonian booze.
ALLEY KAT BREWERY
www.alleykatbeer.com 9929 - 60 Avenue NW A tour of this brewery will make any beer lover feel like a kid in a candy store. The bonus is, of course, that you’re not a kid and can buy some of the delicious brews to take home.
SITUATION BREWING
www.situationbeer.com 10308 – 81 Avenue Nice atmosphere combined with wellmade brews makes this brewery (with attached kitchen) a pleasant lunchtime stop.
YELLOWHEAD BREWING COMPANY www.yellowheadbeer.com 10229 – 105 Street
BENT STICK BREWING www.bentstickbrewing.com
Festivals EDMONTON OKTOBERFEST
www.albertabeerfestivals.com/eventsservices/edmonton-oktoberfest September 29 to 30, 2017 Craft and authentic Bavarian breweries set up shop at this beerfest to give festival-goers a true taste of local beer.
EDMONTON INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
www.edmontonfilmfest.com September 28 to October 7, 2017 Touted as Alberta’s original international film festival, this week-long event features Oscar-worthy films by independent and international creators.
EDMONTON COMEDY FESTIVAL www.atbcomedy.com October 12 to October 14, 2017 Laughter is the best medicine. For everything. So, check in to the Edmonton Comedy festival to see Scott Thompson (from The Kids in the Hall) and internationally touring comedian Wendy Liebman, just to name a few.
NORTHERN LANDS CANADIAN WINE, SPIRITS AND CRAFT BEER FESTIVAL www.northernlands.ca
DEEP FREEZE: A BYZANTINE WINTER FESTIVAL www.deepfreezefest.ca January 13 to 14, 2018
EDMONTON BEERFEST
www.internationalbeerfest.com/ edmonton-beerfest March 2018
EDMONTON CRAFT BEER FESTIVAL
www.albertabeerfestivals.com/eventsservices/edmonton-craft-beer-festival June 2018
TASTE OF EDMONTON www.tasteofedm.ca July 2018
EDMONTON FRINGE FESTIVAL www.fringetheatre.ca August 2018
Bars BLUES ON WHYTE
www.bluesonwhyte.com 10329 - 82 Avenue One of Edmonton’s premier live music venues, this Old Strathcona staple has provided locals and tourists alike with mellow vibes and chill nights out on the town.
THE BLACK DOG FREEHOUSE www.blackdog.ca 10425 Whyte Avenue Another Old Strathcona bar, The Black Dog features the Wooftop patio, a second-level garden setting, full-service patio overlooking Whyte Avenue.
THE BOTHY WINE AND WHISKY BAR
www.thebothy.ca 5482 Calgary Trail A must for any Scotch enthusiast, The Bothy boasts the largest selection of whisky in Edmonton (over 175 varieties), as well as 20 wines by the glass. ×
SEPTEMBER 2017 × QUENCH.ME × 43
THE by Gilles Bois
FABLE SOME YEARS AGO, THE WINE PRODUCERS OF CAHORS WOKE UP TO SOME BAD NEWS. They were the
Tortoise in what seemed to be “The Tortoise and The Hare” story, with a different ending. The hare in question was Argentinian and it had just zoomed past them, fuelled by Malbec, an alias of the côt grape the tortoise had been growing for ages under the local name Auxerrois. Cahors had long been famous for its “black wine,” a sturdy, age-worthy and very tannic red. Its style has evolved into something more civilized through the addition of Merlot and a bit of modern winemaking, but it is still quite different from the south-American interpretation, which is velvety, loaded with red fruit flavours and spicy oak. Cahors is not all black wine, but nobody seemed to know that outside the village. The Cadurciens (pronounced ka-dursee-n, that’s how they call themselves) realized that their image was in need of revamping or the hare would really win the race. Their first reaction was to say “We are Malbec, too” and to list the varietal on entry-level wine labels. But this couldn’t be done for their more prestigious cuvées, since the French tradition touts the terroir more than the grape variety, and they did not want to lose that heritage. How then could the tortoise inform consumers that its wine is also of an approachable, ready-todrink style, and not just black wine? Interestingly, the solution comes from that very terroir. Jérémie Arnaud, director of marketing at the Union Interprofessionnelle, explains that Cahors’ two styles naturally emerge from different areas. The Lot River wanders through the vineyard, 44 × @QUENCH_MAG × SEPTEMBER 2017
and its shores are covered with alluvial deposits because the body of water used to be much larger. This sloping, rich soil is arranged in terrasses where the vines give full-bodied, generous wines. Higher up and on the plateau, at around 300 metres, the soil is predominantly limestone and much poorer. Called causse, this part of the vineyard generates a more readily approachable style. “Eureka!,” said the tortoise, recognizing that these two words would allow Cahors to differentiate its different styles of wine while also respecting the tradition that terroir matters most. Already, the words “terrasses” and “causse” have started to appear on labels, in bottle text or on their own. Combined with price, they are a good indication of what you will find in your glass.
Terrasses CHÂTEAU DU CÈDRE 2012 ($27) Dark ruby. Closed-in nose with only red fruits notes emerging from the glass. Rather medium than full bodied. Great fruity taste and balance throughout. Already approachable, it can wait another 5 years easily. Made from vines 20 to 39 years of age.
CHÂTEAU DU CÈDRE LE CÈDRE 2012 ($58) Expressive nose, fresh and complex, with fine herbs and red and black berry notes complemented by a fair dose of oak. Full-bodied, the generous middle palate is well balanced and tight. Compact finish. Definitely age-worthy. Vines range from 26 to 50 years.
Pascal et Jean-Marc Verhaeghe from Château du Cedre
CHÂTEAU DU CÈDRE GC 2012 ($98)
CHÂTEAU DE GAUDOU TRADITION 2014 ($16)
Very dark colour. Deep nose of black fruits, lots of oaky scents and soft spices. Surprisingly supple in its attack, the abundant and firm tannins are fully wrapped in oak and fruity extract, yet you feel their power. Very compact at this stage, it will need time to express itself completely. Finish is impressive in both length and amplitude. Patience will be rewarded. From vines 45 to 56 years old.
Black berries and blueberry notes with only hints of oak despite 9 months aging in large casks. Medium- to full-bodied, firm middle palate, slightly tannic and energized by acidity. Tight finish. 80% Malbec plus Merlot and 5% Tannat.
DOMAINE COSSE-MAISONNEUVE LE COMBAL 2012 ($19) Dark with purplish rim. Oaky nose, earthy. The fruit is more present on the palate, it makes the firm tannic backbone feel almost velvety. Acidity is also felt, especially in the slightly edgy finish.
DOMAINE COSSE-MAISONNEUVE LES LAQUETS 2011 ($42) Red berries, herbs and a fair amount of oak. Medium- to full-bodied, its balance is its main quality on the palate. Nothing really stands out, but everything is in the right proportions, resulting in a tight, satisfying finish.
CHÂTEAU DE GAUDOU RENAISSANCE 2012 ($22) Dark ruby. Gorgeous fruit on the nose, almost too much oak at this stage, hints of barnyard. Very full-bodied, the imposing tannins are well wrapped in fruity and oaky extracts. Finish is tight and astringent. Unidimensional at this stage, it will evolve favourably over many years. 100% Malbec from 45-year-old vines.
CHÂTEAU DE GAUDOU RÉSERVE CAILLAU 2011 ($42) Nose is predominantly oaky with notes of pastry and cream. A sturdy wine that fills the mouth and coats the palate with its richness. The tannic finish betrays its young age; this one has great aging potential. 60-year-old vines, all Malbec.
CLOS LA COUTALE 2014 ($14) The addition of Merlot (20%) softens this bargain-priced examSEPTEMBER 2017 × QUENCH.ME × 45
ple, which is less full-bodied than most others from the terraces. It shows a nice balance between the fruit, the alcohol and the tannins, only the acidity is maybe a little too much to be perfect.
CHÂTEAU LES HAUTS D’AGLAN 2010 ($18) Full ruby. Red and black berries, hints of oak and a delicate floral note add elegance to the nose. Very fruity on the palate, but full-bodied with a tight tannic structure of fine granularity. Finish is intense, firm and a tad warm. The vines are located near the top of the terrace and include 10% Merlot.
CHÂTEAU LAMARTINE CUVÉE PARTICULIÈRE 2012 ($22) The wines of Alain Gayraud are inspired by the tradition of black wine but modern winemaking makes them more easily approachable. No Merlot here, though, instead 10% Tannat is added to Malbec from 45-year-old vines. Dark ruby colour. Notes of black berries fill the glass along with a fair dose of oak. In the mouth, it is filling, balanced and full-bodied without excess. The finish is compact and its length is on the short side.
CHÂTEAU LAMARTINE CUVÉE EXPRESSION 2011 ($45) 100% Malbec from a single plot of 40-year-old vines. Dark ruby. The 20-month aging in new oak is obvious on the nose: intense pastry notes hide the dark fruity scent. Very full-bodied, the texture is grainy, even a bit rough in spite of all the oak to smooth things out, especially in the finish. It remains balanced in its power and leaves the mouth with an impression of warmth. Obvious aging potential here.
Causse CHÂTEAU DE CHAMBERT 2010 ($26) The domaine is under biodynamic viticulture and benefits from the advice of Stéphane Derenoncourt, one of the most respected oenologists in France. The wine has a dark ruby colour with a purplish rim. The nose has inviting red fruits with a characteristic chalky note and well-dosed oak. There is a nice freshness in the mouth. The mid-palate is full and well balanced with a soft texture — but it still lacks unity, a sign of youth. Give it another few years to reach its full potential.
CHÂTEAU COMBEL LA SERRE LE PUR FRUIT DU CAUSSE 2014 ($19) This 100% Malbec shows a purplish colour. Surprising nose of overripe, even cooked red fruits along with notes of gingerbread. Emphasis is on the fruit as no oak is used in the winemaking and aging is done in concrete vats. Medium bodied on the palate, the fresh acidity is easily perceptible. A wine best drunk within a few years to appreciate its fruitiness.
CHÂTEAU COMBEL LA SERRE 2012 ($22) Shy nose that opens up over time, expressing red fruit notes and light oak from aging for 12 months in used 500-litre French casks. Gorgeous fruity taste, verging on elegance thanks to the purity 46 × @QUENCH_MAG × SEPTEMBER 2017
of its fruit; its medium body has a great balance. Easily approachable, this wine is delicious right now.
CHÂTEAU LES CROISILLE CROIZILLON 2015 ($23) This cuvée shows a medium ruby tint with a purplish rim. Red fruits is all you get on the nose, as no oak is used in the aging. The goal is to offer a pleasant red that drinks easily, so extraction is on the low side due to short maceration. Medium-bodied at most, it highlights the fresh fruity taste. Drink up.
CHÂTEAU LES CROISILLE SILICE 2014 ($28) Dark ruby, purplish rim. Fine nose of red fruits, ripe and only a touch of oak. The longer maceration results in a medium to almost full body while the generous fruit in the mid-palate envelops the light tannins, resulting in a supple texture. Ready to drink.
CHÂTEAU LES CROISILLE CALCAIRE 2012 ($29) Dark ruby, purplish rim. Deep nose of mostly black fruits and toasted aromas coming from the two years spent in old oak barrels. The long maceration for more extraction explains the fuller body in this cuvée but the tannic structure retains finesse and there are lots of fruity flavours. Finish is compact and clean. Drink or hold.
CHÂTEAU LES CROISILLE DIVIN CROISILLE 2011 ($36) The top-level cuvée of the domain shows a nice ruby-purplish colour. Oak is more present here since one-third of the wine spent 20 months in new large casks and the rest in one-year-old barrels. Red and black berries also fill the glass with their sweet, ripe aromas. Quite tight on the palate, full-bodied and richly flavoured, but the finish is a little astringent. Will peak in about five years.
CHÂTEAU LAUR PRESTIGE 2011 ($21) A delicious Cahors and ready to drink. Cherry and other red fruits on the nose; no oak is perceptible. Supple with a rich, fruity taste, the slightly firm yet tender tannins are simply yummy. Finish is clean and compact.
CHÂTEAU QUATTRE 2014 ($17) The nose is a bit shy but fruity — there is more fruit expression on the palate. Chunky and bright with a firm tannic backbone but overall only half-bodied at most.
CHÂTEAU QUATTRE LES CARRALS 2009 ($78) An exceptional cuvée from very low yield (25hl/ha when 50 is not uncommon) from 35-year-old vines. Fermented and aged in 500-litre barrels. Dark purplish in colour, the nose is expressive, including blueberry, smoke, a slightly vegetal note and well-integrated oak. Very fresh in the mouth with a ripe almost sweet fruity taste. Supple tannins, great harmony and openness lead to an intense finish.
MAISON RIGAL TERRES ROUGES 2014 ($27) Dark ruby. Red berries and some oak in the classic nose. There is a nice freshness in the mouth: the fruit feels chunky and is in good balance with the tonic acidity. Finish is clean. Ready to drink. ×
MUST TRY BY RUPERT MALONE
FREEZING COFFEE CAN ROB IT OF TASTE IF YOU DRINK COFFEE ON A REGULAR BASIS and have taken the trouble to invest in quality
coffee beans, you owe it to yourself to store your beans correctly. The same holds true if you have purchased ground coffee. Freezers are fantastic for storing food, but for coffee, they are mostly no-go. A pantry or cupboard is a far better storage spot than the freezer, which encourages moisture within the storage container, and that will ruin the taste. The only time you should be exposing your coffee to moisture is when you are making a brew. Although using a good quality coffee container, with a tight-fitting lid, can help shield coffee beans from the humid atmosphere inside a freezer, it will not offer the level of protection they deserve. Unless the beans have been vacuum packed, they will be sharing container space with air, which can be up to four percent water. Therefore, when the container is placed in the freezer, the coffee beans will become victim to condensation. Every time you remove the container from the freezer and take some beans out, you will be allowing more fresh air to get inside. This will make an already-bad situation much worse, and your beans may end up being left with little of its original flavour. According to the National Coffee Association (ICO), you should only risk storing coffee in a freezer if you have bought it in bulk and will not be using it straight away. It should be stored there for no more than four weeks, and once it is removed from the freezer, it should not be returned. A cool, dry place will need to be found for it instead. The best way to store coffee is to place it in an opaque, airtight container that will seal in the flavour and protect it from the light. The container should then be placed inside a cool, dark cupboard, away from sources of heat. If you have bought quality coffee, you deserve a quality brew; use a shelf instead of the freezer, and keep the moisture away. × SEPTEMBER 2017 × QUENCH.ME × 47
BOUQUET GARNI BY NANCY JOHNSON
BACK TO SCHOOL Never mind that I’ve been out of school for more years than I can count, September will always be the season of back-to-school. I remember my first day of kindergarten, when I waved my mother away because she had started to take off my boots. Quelle horreur, Madame! Do not embarrass me before my little colleagues! I yanked off my wet rubber boots with surprising strength and nodded goodbye to the lady with tears in her eyes, my sweet mom, who mattered not when there were crayons and dollhouses and friends to play with. In Grade 1, I was excited to start anew at Catholic school, unaware I would be forced to wear a green plaid uniform for eight long years, and that I would squint at the blackboard for at least two years before someone suggested my parents have my eyes checked. After that, I wore the same pair of cat’s-eye glasses for the remainder of my stint at St Michael’s. This, among other things, dumped me into the nerd pile. The nerd pile was actually a group of great friends; we stood around at recess making fun of the cute boys who ignored us. By Grade 8, just before graduation, Mother Superior assured me I would most certainly grow up to be a very bad person because I rolled my uniform skirt, liked boys too much and was not continuing my education at a Catholic high school. I was, she said, condemned to hell for infinity; infinity being a concept I still hadn’t quite grasped, although I hoped it would include the Beatles. Meanwhile, here are my all-time favourite back-to-school dishes.
48 × @QUENCH_MAG × SEPTEMBER 2017
× Search through a wide range of wine-friendly recipes on quench.me/recipes/
GARLIC AND FETA CHEESE BREAD
Lately, I’ve been really getting into making garlic bread, thincrust pizza and flatbreads with all sorts of delicious toppings. I like this feta cheese bread with fresh fruit, especially red seedless grapes.
1 1/2 1 1 1
French baguette, sliced in half horizontally cup feta cheese, crumbled tbsp extra virgin olive oil tsp fresh garlic, minced Freshly ground pepper, to taste tbsp fresh parsley
4 1 1 1/4 1/2 2 3 1/4 2 1
salmon fillets jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half cup Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced in half tsp herbes de Provence large shallots, chopped cloves garlic, chopped cup white wine tbsp extra virgin olive oil lemon, quartered
1. Heat oven to 400˚F. 2. Coat a baking dish with cooking spray. Arrange salmon in
1. Heat oven to 425˚F. 2. Place baguette on a baking sheet. 3. In a bowl, combine feta cheese, olive oil, garlic and pepper.
Spread on cut sides of baguette. 4. Bake bread 10 minutes or until feta softens. Garnish with parsley. Serve with a platter of fresh fruit and sparkling wine.
dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. In a medium bowl, combine artichoke hearts, tomatoes, olives, herbes de Provence, shallots, garlic, wine and oil. Pour over salmon. 3. Roast, uncovered, 20 minutes or until salmon is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork. Serve with sliced lemon. MATCH: Open a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc or a Provence rosé.
PORK CHOPS WITH APPLES
SHEPHERD’S PIE
1 3/4 1/4 1/2 1/2 1 1 2 1 2 1 3
SERVES 4 My mom loved apples and applesauce, and worked them into our dinners as often as she could. This dish with spiced apples reminds me of her cooking. I make it in a cast-iron skillet. Instead of pumpkin pie spice, try cinnamon. You can use your favourite cooking apple; I like Honeycrisp because they hold their shape very well when baked.
4 1 1 3 1 1/4
bone-in pork chops, about 3/4-inch thick tbsp butter tbsp extra virgin olive oil Honeycrisp apples, cores removed tsp pumpkin pie spice cup chicken stock
1. Heat oven to 400˚F. 2. Season pork with salt and pepper. In an ovenproof skillet,
over medium heat, melt butter with olive oil. Sear pork until golden, about 4 minutes per side. 3. Remove pork from skillet. Add apples and pumpkin pie spice. Stir in broth, scraping up browned bits. Cook apples until slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Return pork to skillet. 4. Roast in oven about 10 minutes or until apples are tender and pork reaches internal temperature of 160 degrees, adding more stock if needed. MATCH: Serve with a Gewürtztraminer.
SALMON PROVENÇAL
SERVES 4 Roasting is such an easy way to get dinner on the table without too much fuss. Herbes de Provence is a blend that usually contains savory, marjoram, thyme, rosemary, oregano and sometimes lavender. You can use one or two of those herbs in this dish if you don’t have herbes de Provence. You can also use canned diced tomatoes rather than the cherry tomatoes.
Shepherd’s Pie is always a welcome dish at the fall table. And although authentic shepherd’s pie is made with lamb, I prefer a mixture of beef and veal. To make mashed potatoes, peel and dice baking potatoes. Cook in boiling salted water until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain. Transfer to mixing bowl. Add milk, butter, salt and pepper. Using hand mixer, mash until smooth. Or, in a pinch, make instant mashed potatoes.
onion, peeled and finely chopped lb lean ground beef lb ground veal tsp thyme tsp oregano large carrot, peeled and finely chopped cup mushrooms, cleaned and finely chopped tbsp flour cup beef stock tbsp tomato paste tbsp Worcestershire sauce cups hot mashed potatoes Paprika, for garnish
1. Heat oven to 375˚F. 2. In a large skillet, cook onion over medium heat until trans-
lucent. Add beef and veal. Season with thyme, oregano, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally. When meat is no longer pink, add carrot and mushrooms. 3. Cover and cook about 7 minutes or until carrot is tender. Stir in flour. Cook about 2 minutes, stirring, then add stock, tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and cook about 10 to 15 minutes or until mixture is slightly thickened. 4. Spoon meat mixture into a 9x13 pan. Gently spread mashed potatoes over meat mixture. Bake in oven 25 minutes or until bubbly. MATCH: Good with an ale or Zinfandel. × SEPTEMBER 2017 × QUENCH.ME × 49
NOTED 90 SCHLOSS VOLLRADS RIESLING SPÄTLESE 2014, RHEINGAU, GERMANY ($34.95)
93 BACHELDER WISMER-PARKE VINEYARD OLD VINES PINOT NOIR 2014, NIAGARA ($45)
Very pale in colour with a hint of lime; minerally nose of grapefruit; light-bodied, sweet honeyed red-apple flavour balanced by Meyer lemon acidity. A beautifully poised wine. (TA)
A sublime take on Pinot, with complex aromas of cran-cherry, violets, meaty/ earthy notes and swirling minerality with oak barrel/spice accents. The red berries and dark fruit notes are rich and layered on the palate with plush tannins and minerals that combine a beauty. (RV)
91 SUMMERHILL PYRAMID WINERY BLANC DE BLANCS 2010, OKANAGAN ($46)
Opens with delicate floral and fresh apple scents with apple flavours delivered in a creamy rich texture, supported by firm mineral, agreeable acidity and subtle light fruit lingering on the finish. (SW)
BLACK BRIDGE BEER MILK STOUT, SASKATCHEWAN ($2.79/355 ML)
Husband-and-wife team Kari and Clayton Stenson are making luscious ales out of their 2-year-old brewery in the windy town of Swift Current. Made with 5 different types of malt barley, wheat and oats, this jet-black brew will shatter your misconceptions about dark beer being bitter and foreboding. Notes of dark chocolate, figs and plum, with a ribbon of creamy sweetness, ride on a smooth, silky body. (CL)
YAMAGATA MASAMUNE AKAIWA OMACHI 2014, JAPAN ($90/720 ML) Named after a famous sword forged in the region to reflect its sharp, clean finish. 10 tanks of the sake are brewed, but only the single best one is bottled as vintage. With a polish ratio of 50%, it’s squarely in the daijinjo classification. Rich, silky, off-dry and complex, and a super match with a classic braised pork belly in a dark vinegar reduction. (TS)
50 × @QUENCH_MAG × SEPTEMBER 2017
MARTELL VSOP MEDAILLON OLD FINE COGNAC, FRANCE ($95)
91 LIQUIDITY PINOT NOIR 2015, OKANAGAN FALLS ($26)
Upfront cherry and black fruit precede a well-balanced medium-bodied palate of raspberry and cassis with some spicy, savoury notes; hints of sweet vanilla and a lingering finish. (TP)
Full disclosure: I’ve always had a soft spot for Martell cognacs — its Cordon Bleu expression was my regular favourite when I was younger and could afford it (and when it was in the market). Recently relaunched in Canada, Martell is back. Its VSOP “Medallion” sports an engaging, complex aroma suggesting spicy, polished wood, fragrant dried fruit and toasted nuts (apricot and almond) with a dash of powdered baking spice and vanilla. Round, supple and nicely balanced, it offers up layers of spicy orange peel, vanilla custard and cocoa. Lots of sweet fruit, but dry and crisp on the finish. The perfect foil to a cold Canadian winter. (TS)
× Find a collection of tasting notes for wine, beer and spirits at quench.me/thenotes/
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, Treve Ring, Tim Pawsey, Silvana Lau and Jonathan Smithe. QUENCH USES THE 100-POINT SCALE 95-100 = Exceptional 90-94 = Excellent 85-89 = Very good
SPARKLING 93 TANTALUS VINEYARDS TRADITIONAL METHOD BRUT OLD VINES RIESLING 2014, OKANAGAN ($34.70)
A fine stream of bubbles with aromas of citrus and green apple, before a broadly textured but elegant palate. Yeasty and leesy notes, lemon zest and appealing mineral core with a persistent, lingering close. A fitting tribute to the legendary grower Denny Dulik, who passed away last November. He had the vision to plant Riesling sourced from St Urbans Hof some 40 years ago in his Pioneer Vineyard, which his father had bought in 1944 from JW Hughes. The vines formed the foundation for daughter Sue Dulik’s Pinot Reach Winery, and later for Tantalus, on which to build — and Dulik remained a formidable presence at the winery. (TP)
93 BLUE MOUNTAIN RESERVE BRUT 2008, OKANAGAN FALLS ($39.90)
Fine, persistent stream of bubbles; a firm, creamy mousse with definite brioche notes and citrus hints, followed by generous mouthfeel and abundant but refined texture. Red berry and toasty flavours with a lengthy, lingering close. A superb top-tier sparkling offering that’s more than a nod to Champagne. (TP)
80-84 = Good 75-79 = Acceptable 70 & under = Below average *Available through wine clubs
93 HINTERLAND SACRAMENT 2011, PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY, ONTARIO ($50)
This is a blend of 50% Pinot Noir and 50% Chardonnay that sits on the lees for 5 years. Such a gorgeous nose of lemon, brioche, smoky minerality and pear that comes at you layer after layer. It’s elegant and brisk on the palate with a persistent mousse. This is all about complexity of flavour, texture and energy through the finish. (RV)
92 NOBLE RIDGE THE ONE SPARKLING 2012, OKANAGAN FALLS ($40) This single-vineyard, estate-grown traditional blend of 81% Chardonnay and 19% Pinot Noir spends over 3 years sur lees. Gold in the glass; persistent, fine bubbles with a good mousse and toasty classic biscuit aromas; apple and citrus on a medium-bodied palate with good mouthfeel, leesy and definite Pinot notes, citrus undertones and keen acidity. (TP)
91 BLUE MOUNTAIN GOLD LABEL BRUT NV, OKANAGAN FALLS ($28)
From one of the original “terroir-ists,” who unleashed the potential for BC sparkling, this Pinot Noir/Chardonnay méthode traditionelle delivers a stream of fine bubbles with a toasty, brioche nose and solid mousse with firm apple and citrus notes through the mid-palate. (TP)
91 HINTERLAND BLANC DE BLANCS 2013, PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY, ONTARIO ($39)
This shows lovely freshness on the nose
with a citrus core, green apple notes, baked bread and subtle toasted vanilla notes. The depth of flavour is a marvel with such beautiful texture from beginning to end. The focus is on the lemon/ citrus flavours that light up the palate and turn mellow on the finish with just a hint of toasted spices. (RV)
90 GIRÓ RIBOT BRUT RESERVA CAVA AB ORIGINE NV, DO CAVA, PENEDÈS, SPAIN ($20)
“Ab Origine” means from the roots. With Macabeo, Xarel-lo, Parellada and Chardonnay vines between 20 to 30 years of age, this spends up to 30 months on the lees in bottle, adding to the complexity. Earthy, mushroom, nutty, savoury, with a bright palate lined with downy lees, and finishing with a tight and fine pithy lemon peel and green apple shimmer. Very characterful and serious. Good value. (TR)
90 TRIUS WINERY TRIUS BRUT NV, VQA NIAGARA PENINSULA ($29.95)
Good depth of straw gold colour with scents of ripe green fruit and a distinctive floral note. Clean green-apple flavour is delivered in a deftly balanced package with stony mineral character and lively acidity, offset by attractive creaminess. (SW)
90 CHÂTEAU DES CHARMES SPARKLING ROSÉ 2014, NIAGARA ($30) This traditionally made sparkler, a Chardonnay and Pinot Noir blend, spends 2 years on the lees. It shows lovely strawberry, raspberry, toasted
SEPTEMBER 2017 × QUENCH.ME × 51
NOTED notes and minerals with a medium, persistent mousse. It has wonderfully creamy texture and is more rounded on the palate with rich red fruits and a smoky/brioche note on the finish. (RV)
90 BELLA ANCESTRALE BRUT 2016, OKANAGAN ($30)
From BC’s first exclusive sparkling winery, 100% Chardonnay; pale straw, more towards off-dry, quite creamy notes with definite mineral and citrus lime elements. Not complex but good breadth and finish. (TP)
89 TAITTINGER PRESTIGE ROSÉ NV, AOC CHAMPAGNE, FRANCE ($80)
This aged one year in the bottle, and carries 35 g/l RS through the brisk finish. Sweet pear, apple sauce fill the generously sweet form, with a red-apple peel and pink grapefruit pithiness to counter. If you’re looking for a sweet fizz to pair with angel food cake or pear clafouti, look no further. Well made for the style. (TR)
WHITE ARGENTINA
Deeper pink hue, afforded by the 15% still Pinot Noir in the blend. The cuvée is 50/30/20 Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Meunier from 15 crus, including some reserve wines. Crisp cherry, bright raspberry and strawberry notes, with a riff of pithy spice. A bit coarse on the palate and crunchy on the finish. Would make an ideal partner for seared duck or poached salmon. (TR)
88 CATENA ZAPATA FAMILY VINEYARDS HIGH MOUNTAIN VINES CHARDONNAY 2015, MENDOZA ($17.99)
88 MIONETTO PRESTIGE PROSECCO TREVISO DOC BRUT, VENETO ($17)
87 FAMILIA SACCADE SANTA JULIA PINOT GRIGIO 2015, MENDOZA, ($13.50)
A tasty and friendly Prosecco that shows bright apple aromas with a gentle, persistent bubble, subtle citrus and white flower notes. It’s fresh and lively on the palate with baked apple, lemon and a touch of sweetness. (RV)
88 TAWSE SPARK LIMESTONE RIDGE RIESLING 2014, TWENTY MILE BENCH, NIAGARA ($21)
Pale yellow. Citrus, apple, a mineral scent and biscuit notes on the inviting nose. Sharp attack, lively acidity, fresh fruity taste with a tad of dosage for roundness. Drink now. (GBQc)
87 LA ESCAPADA CAVA DEMI SEC NV, DO CAVA, PENEDÈS, SPAIN ($16) This demi-sec (mid sweet) Cava is a blend of 55% Macabeo, 40% Parellada and 5% Chardonnay from a small 20 hectare estate just outside Sant Sadurni d’Anoia. The highest point of the region, this is just off the Mediterranean Sea, with views of the Montserrat mountains to the north. 52 × @QUENCH_MAG × SEPTEMBER 2017
Ripe lemon citrus and subtle buttery scents, together with a light tropical fruit overtone, shift to richer citrus and butterscotch flavours in the mouth. Finishes with refreshing acidity and lingering lemon-butter flavours. (SW)
Pear, apple and earthy lees, with ripe pear and dried apple lining the base and grapefruit rind to brighten. Surprisingly dry and grippy, all around a thicker base of melon and citrus lees. This is a solid, medium-bodied wine. (TR)
AUSTRALIA 90 WOLF BLASS GOLD LABEL CHARDONNAY 2012, ADELAIDE HILLS, SOUTH AUSTRALIA ($22.99) Toasty rich New World Chardonnay showing generous citrus, butterscotch and hazelnut on the nose. Citrus and green apple kick in on the palate with good weight and balance. Rich citrus, toasty and nutty notes linger on the finish. (SW)
89 M CHAPOUTIER TOURNON MATHILDA 2014, VICTORIA ($17.95) Michel Chapoutier is a great Rhône producer who is now making wine in
Australia’s Victoria region. It’s a blend of Viognier and Marsanne made without oak. Pale lime in colour, it has a spicy, waxy-oily-floral nose of peach and melon; it’s medium bodied with a ripe peach flavour that finishes crisply dry. (TA)
88 LINDEMANS BIN 65 CHARDONNAY 2015, SOUTH EASTERN AUSTRALIA ($12.99)
Ever reliable, this great-value wine has evolved into a lighter, pure fruit style offering fresh lemon citrus and tropical fruit freshness with deftly balanced acidity and a light, clean finish. Equally good as an apéritif or paired with lighter seafood and white meat dishes. (SW)
AUSTRIA 82 HÖPLER RIESLING 2015, BURGENLAND ($23.67)
Clear pale yellow. Light nose of apple, hint of sulphur. Light bodied, with crisp acidity over green apple and lemon-lime flavours. Will improve with another year or 2. (RL)*
CANADA 94 BACHELDER NIAGARA WISMER VINEYARD #1 WINGFIELD BLOCK CHARDONNAY 2013, NIAGARA ($45) A superstar in the making, one of the finest Chards Bachelder has made — and that’s saying a lot. It is tightly wound, yes, at this moment, but the limestone minerality and salinity speaks to the soul of this wine. Such aromatics of pear, apple for sure, a vein of fresh citrus and all intertwined with the subtlety of fine oak spice and flint. It’s deep, layered and seductive on the palate, a pure and exhilarating Chardonnay. (RV)
93 SYNCHROMESH STORM HAVEN BLACK LABEL RIESLING 2016, OKANAGAN FALLS ($26)
This flagship Riesling from one of the Okanagan’s Riesling specialists yields tropical and stone fruit on the nose, before a complex, layered and broad palate
of vibrant lemon-lime underpinned by definite mineral, slate and stony notes wrapped in racy acidity through a lengthy end. Still youthful — and seriously age-worthy. (TP)
93 TANTALUS VINEYARDS OLD VINES RIESLING 2014, OKANAGAN ($31)
Vibrant green apple and pronounced stony and petrol notes on top before a structured, layered and very focused palate, underpinned by keen acidity and intense minerality. (TP)
93 BACHELDER NIAGARA WISMER VINEYARD CHARDONNAY 2012, NIAGARA ($45) It’s rife with river-rock minerality, apple skin, pear, quince and a touch more oak spice on the nose. It is so fine on the palate, no hint of the hot vintage of 2012, with lovely integration, length, fine oak spice, orchard fruits and maintaining a certain freshness through a long finish. (RV)
92 CEDAR CREEK PINOT GRIS 2016, OKANAGAN ($18.99)
Aromas of orchard and stone fruit before lemon zest and mineral undertones; good fruit intensity on a luscious palate in perfect balance of fruit and acidity. (TP)
92 PLAY ESTATE VIOGNIER 2015, OLIVER ($22)
Viognier, 1/3 aged for 5 months in new French oak, yields honey, white floral and creamy hints on top before a well-balanced, generous but elegant palate with lingering lemon zest on the close. (TP)
92 LITTLE FARM WINERY CHARDONNAY 2016, SIMILKAMEEN ($31) 100% aged in old barrel on lees for 7 months. An extraordinary, pure expression of the variety with stone fruit and mineral aromas before a mouth-filling palate underpinned by excellent acidity with layers of complexity, some earthy hints and lingering mineral finish. (TP)
92 TRAIL ESTATE CHARDONNAY UNFILTERED 2015, PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY ($32)
The nose is gorgeous with smoky vanilla, toast, pear, baked apple and flinty miner-
ality. Sensational in the mouth with lovely texture that displays fresh pear, citrus and mineral notes melding beautifully into the elegant spice. (RV)
92 TINHORN CREEK OLDFIELD RESERVE GOLDEN MILE BENCH CHARDONNAY 2015, OKANAGAN ($35)
Such an interesting rendition of Okanagan Chardonnay with a nose of creamy baked apples, lime, fresh pear, mineral/ flinty notes (from subtle reduction) and toasted barrel spices. The mouthwatering acidity keeps this fresh and lively on the palate while a mélange of flavours, from pear to citrus, works well with the range of spice and minerals through a long finish. (RV)
91 QUAILS’ GATE GEWÜRZTRAMINER 2016, OKANAGAN ($15.99) Very varietally true rose petal and floral notes before fresh lychee, ginger and tropical hints; an assertive, spicy mid-palate lingers well beyond the close. (TP)
91 SEE YA LATER RANCH GEWÜRZTRAMINER 2016, OKANAGAN FALLS ($16.99)
From a storied vineyard high above OK Falls’ west side. Classic aromas of rose petal, citrus and tropical notes before an easy-drinking, quite textured, off-dry palate with melon and lychee wrapped in moderate acidity before a fresh close. Think mild curries or spicy cold cuts. (TP)
91 KRAZE LEGZ SKAHA VINEYARD PINOT BLANC 2016, SOUTH OKANAGAN ($18.49)
From the westside bench of Skaha Lake. Lifted Orchard and stone fruits before vibrant pear, apple and zesty citrus notes wrapped in good acidity with a touch of minerality. Excellent value. (TP)
91 CEDAR CREEK ESTATE RIESLING 2016, OKANAGAN ($18.99)
Lifted apple notes with some mineral hints before a juicy mouth-filling palate with intense green apple and lime plus tangerine notes and lengthy citrus-toned finish. (TP)
91 WILD GOOSE VINEYARDS MYSTIC RIVER PINOT BLANC 2016, OKANAGAN ($19)
From a very gravelly site just north of Oliver. Lifted melon and citrus notes precede a generous but focused palate of orchard fruit and pear notes wrapped in juicy acidity with a luscious, lingering finish, for an excellent expression. (TP)
91 JOIE FARM UN-OAKED CHARDONNAY 2016, VQA OKANAGAN ($23) Enticing lemon citrus and tropical fruit accented by floral scents give way to citrus and green apple flavours supported by lively acidity in a smoothly rounded package. Finely balanced and finishing with refreshingly dry grip, this is disciplined Burgundian style with an Okanagan accent. (SW)
91 ROAD 13 OLD VINES CHIP OFF THE OLD BLOCK CHENIN BLANC 2016, SOUTH OKANAGAN ($24) Luscious tropical, peach and pineapple with ginger spice, complex and layered with juicy acidity and a lengthy, gently spicy rounded end. (TP)
91 RUBY BLUES VIOGNIER 2016, NARAMATA BENCH ($25)
Floral, tangerine, citrus and intense honeysuckle on a luscious palate with viscous mouthfeel and a vibrant, citrus orange finish. (TP)
91 TRAIL ESTATE SKIN CONTACT SERIES ED HUGHES VINEYARD RIESLING 2015, PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY ($30)
A lot going on here with 14 days of skin fermentation (contact) after destemming and punch-downs twice a day. It has a funky nose of apple skin, flinty minerality, salinity and a range of citrus fruits. It’s rather dramatic on the palate, racy and rebellious with profound minerals, evident tannins, structure and then fading into citrus and free-run fresh-picked apple flavours that shout fresh and vibrant through the finish. (RV)
91 TRIUS SHOWCASE CLEAN SLATE WILD FERMENT SAUVIGNON BLANC 2015, NIAGARA ($32) This has a gorgeous nose of ripe passion fruit, grapefruit, pear and lime with a
SEPTEMBER 2017 × QUENCH.ME × 53
NOTED seam of spiciness that is fully integrated. It’s a riper, more voluptuous style of savvy on the palate with a rich and textured profile that reveals myriad flavours in layer after layer and finishes with a zippy blast of uplifting citrus zest. (RV)
90 FORT BERENS PINOT GRIS 2016, LILLOOET ($17.99)
81% Lillooet with added Similkameen fruit. Neutral American oak adds heft. Orchard and stone fruit with apricot flavours and quite fruit-driven style with good fruit-acid balance. Good example of varietally correct BC Pinot Gris. (TP)
90 FORT BERENS DRY RIESLING 2016, LILLOOET ($18.99)
Mainly Lillooet fruit (76%) with Similkameen and Vernon grapes. Lifted apple and citrus notes plus some mineral hints. On the more off-dry palate, bright, intensely focused fruit with zippy green apple skin and lemon lime hints, juicy acidity and a lengthy end. (TP)
90 PLAY ESTATE MOSCATO 2016, OKANAGAN ($20)
From one of the valley’s newest and promising wineries. Floral and tropical aromas precede a well-balanced palate of vibrant and juicy citrus flavours underpinned with firm acidity and freshness through a dry close. (TP)
90 TANTALUS VINEYARDS RIESLING 2016, OKANAGAN ($23.99) Aromas of green apple and citrus followed by a lively, juicy palate of mouth-filling, luscious lemon-lime, with good intensity and a lingering refreshing finish. (TP)
90 JOIE FARM A NOBLE BLEND 2016, VQA OKANAGAN ($24)
This wine takes its inspiration from the “Gentil” Alsatian-style white blends: in this case, Gewürztraminer, Riesling, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Auxerrois. It opens with elegant, soft floral perfume, hints of rose petals, citrus and ripe stone fruit. Crisp citrus leads off in the mouth, backed by brisk acidity and chalky mineral grip. White peach notes emerge on 54 × @QUENCH_MAG × SEPTEMBER 2017
the crisply dry back-palate with a delicate touch of balancing sweetness. (SW)
90 LITTLE FARM WINERY RIESLING 2016, SIMILKAMEEN ($29.90) This diminutive winery has emerged as a Similkameen pacesetter, which clearly underscores the valley’s true potential. Natural ferment wild yeast in stainless steel. Apple skin/mineral dominate with very pure fruit flavours, firm acidity definitely an element of saltiness in a quite powerful palate with lingering bruised apple-skin end. (TP)
89 BLASTED CHURCH HATFIELD’S FUSE 2015, OKANAGAN ($18)
One of BC’s more noteworthy “cocktail” blends, made with no less than 10 different varieties, though primarily Gewürztraminer (22%), Pinot Gris (21%), Viognier (20%) and Optima (13%). Tropical, peach and citrus on the nose with a hint of honey before a fresh, lively, slightly off-dry palate of stone fruit and zesty notes with grapefruit through a lengthy end. (TP)
89 FLAT ROCK CELLARS CHARDONNAY 2015, ONTARIO ($18.95)
The wine is pale lemon-straw in colour with a spicy, toasty apple and citrus nose; medium-bodied, dry and oak-driven, it has orange and apple flavours with a toasty finish. (TA)
89 BLASTED CHURCH PINOT GRIS 2015, SOUTH OKANAGAN ($22)
From the eastside bench of Skaha Lake, just north of Okanagan Falls, with a splash of Chardonnay, Viognier and Gewürz. Some floral and tropical notes on top followed by a juicy pineapple and citrus palate with medium-bodied mouthfeel, moderate acidity and good length. (TP)
89 JOIE FARM MUSCAT 2016, VQA OKANAGAN ($23)
Pungent Muscat floral perfume with some green herbal notes lead the way for crisply dry peach and apricot flavours with tight mineral and lively acidity. Peachy, floral and dry mineral notes linger on the finish. (SW)
87 KACABA SUMMER SERIES JENNIFER’S PINOT GRIS 2016, NIAGARA ($17.95)
Aromatic; there is pear, white peach, jasmine and lime aromas, which combine with flavours of cream and spice on the palate. Dry, with good acidity and medium-plus length. (ES)
87 COYOTE’S RUN GEWÜRZTRAMINER 2016, NIAGARA ($19.95)
No denying this is Gewürz, as the nose features a telltale combination of rose water, cold cream, pineapple, cardamom, honey and rose. Dry; the spice punches more on the palate and it finishes with good freshness. (ES)
87 COYOTE’S RUN LAMBERT VINEYARD RIESLING 2016, NIAGARA ($19.95)
From the warm 2016 vintage comes this ripe Riesling with a bouquet of powdered candy, lime cordial, sweet apple, honey, white flower and bergamot. Minerality, some sweetness and medium acidity round everything out on the finale. Serve with dim sum. (ES)
87 COYOTE’S RUN SAUVIGNON BLANC 2016, NIAGARA ($22.95)
Coyote’s first Sauv Blanc is a solid offering with peach, passion fruit, pear, pineapple, floral and herbal aromas that then tag off to minerality and crisp acidity on the taste buds. Very good length and ready to drink. (ES)
CHILE 89 EMILIANA ORGANIC VINEYARDS NOVAS GRAN RESERVA CHARDONNAY 2015, DO VALLE CASABLANCA ($16.99)
Opens with aromatic ripe tropical and citrus fruit with some grassy herbal freshness and discernable pineapple and exotic floral perfume. Ripe citrus and tropical fruit flavours are tempered by dry mineral grip and zesty acidity. Attractive stone-fruit note kicks in on the finish. Plenty of charm and great value. (SW)
CROATIA 92 CORONICA GRAN MALVASIA 2013, UMAG, ISTRIA ($39.99)
This is the essence of luscious green fruit, showing aromatic, deeply flavoured and concentrated green plum in a limpid, smooth-bodied package. Supported by distinctive mineral, unique to the local terroir, it finishes with refreshing but not overbearing acidity. (SW)
FRANCE 95 CAVE VINICOLE DE HUNAWIHR GEWÜRZTRAMINER GRAND CRU FROEHN 2014, AOC ALSACE, FRANCE ($21.67)
Clear deep brass colour. Medium-intensity, complex nose of lychee, rose, ripe cantaloupe and peach, layered with butterscotch. Full bodied and richly fruity, with orange and apricot flavours overlaid with a mature varnish and honeyed scent. Great value for a classic style. Lovely now but good for a few more years. (RL)*
91 LOUIS LATOUR CORTONCHARLEMAGNE GRAND CRU 2012, BURGUNDY ($241)
Rich yellow. The nose is discreet but fresh and refined with notes of yellow fruits and buttery oak. Seems light on the palate but there is a richness in the full, fatty mid-palate that is impressive. Turns more oaky in the very long finish. Sophisticated and age-worthy. (GBQc)
90 FRANÇOIS VILLARD VERSION 2014, ST-PÉRAY, RHÔNE ($33.50)
Golden yellow. Inviting nose, nice ripe fruity aromas, elegant oak. Great on the palate; fatty mid-palate, round and filling with a long pleasant finish. Best drunk with food: think poultry in creamy sauce, for example. (GBQc)
90 BOUCHARD PÈRE & FILS COTEAUX BOURGUIGNONS LES DEUX LOUPS 2014, BURGUNDY ($24.95) A blend of Chardonnay and Aligoté. Pale straw in colour with spicy nose of apple; medium-bodied, dry and crisp with crabapple and green pear flavours ending on lemony acidity. A versatile food wine. (TA)
90 DOMAINE DE LA DENANTE LES MAILLETTES SAINT-VÉRAN 2014, BURGUNDY ($26.95)
87 LÉON PERDIGAL 2014, CÔTES-DU-RHÔNE AC ($16.99)
Pale straw in colour with a smoky nose of struck flint, oak spice and green pineapple; medium to full bodied, dry, elegant and well balanced with a surprisingly long finish. (TA)
Shows deeply scented floral and ripe yellow fruit on the nose, with full-flavoured stone fruit and ripe pear, supported by firm mineral and good acid balance. Still drinking well but needs to be drunk up soon. (SW)
89 LES JAMELLES SAUVIGNON BLANC 2015, IGP PAYS D’OC, FRANCE ($14)
86 LAROCHE LA CHEVALIÈRE CHARDONNAY 2015, IGP PAYS D’OC ($14.50)
Lovely lees-led, stony, fresh and shining, this Sauvignon Blanc is a blend of three terroirs in the Gard, the Aude and Hérault. Reductive, stainless winemaking aims to keep the tight pear, yellow apple, lemon and honey blossom bright, while a short stint on the lees lends a welcome slip of cushion. Lovely stony minerality throughout to a lick of medicinal herbs on the humming finish. Likeable, easy and fantastic value. (TR)
89 CHÂTEAU HAUT MAGINET 2015, AOC BORDEAUX ($15.50)
Fairly intense nose of gooseberry, grass and a hint of honey from the Sémillon grapes. Lots of body for a white wine and high acidity, but one could wish the lemon, gooseberry and pineapple flavours were a bit denser. Drink up. (RL)*
88 LÉGENDE BORDEAUX BLANC 2015, BORDEAUX ($17.95)
Easy-drinking, entry-level Bordeaux blend of 55% Sauvignon Blanc and 45% Sémillon. Nectarine, pear, white flowers, citrus, gooseberry, honey and passion fruit are all in play. Chill well and serve with a cheese platter or chilled shellfish. (ES)
87 FRANÇOIS LURTON FUMÉES LES BLANCHES 2015, CÔTES DE GASCOGNE, SOUTHWEST ($13.50)
Very pale. Fresh nose, grassy, citrus notes. Light body, acidic and therefore very refreshing; it’s like biting into a grapefruit. Drink up. (GBQc)
87 DOPFF & IRION CRUSTACÉS 2015, ALSACE ($14.95)
Crustacés means shellfish — a clear indication of what is paired with this crisp white wine. A blend of Sylvaner and Pinot Blanc; there is apple, citrus, melon and mineral. Chill well and drink up. (ES)
Pale yellow. Shy nose, minerally with buttery notes. Soft on the palate, round mouthfeel, well balanced. Simple fruity taste and ready to drink, so don’t wait. (GBQc)
GERMANY 91 REICHSGRAF VON KESSELSTATT KASELER NIES’CHEN RIESLING 2014, MOSEL ($24.95) Straw colour with a beguiling nose of honey, lilac, peach and orange peel; light-bodied, off-dry, elegant and beautifully balanced with great length. Just a pleasure to drink. (TA)
90 NIK WEIS ST URBANS-HOF RIESLING OFTENER BOCKSTEIN KABINETT 2016, MOSEL VDP GROSSE LAGE, GERMANY ($34)
When third generation Nik Weis took over St Urbans-Hof in 1997, he turned the venerable Mosel site sustainable. Organic fertilizers, wild ferment, no additives are all employed to showcase the true nature of this steep slope of gravelled slate. A gentle press and fermentation in stainless at cool cellar temperatures captured the delicacy and light spritz of the grape, before aging in traditional 1,000 litre fuder for a few months. So much ginger here — leading off a rich and full kabinett Riesling. Elderflower, lilies, apricot, honeyed pear, ginger ale and river rock, and a flush of perfumed tangerine and mandarin. This lingers with rosewater and fine jasmine spicing and a gentle smoked stone. (TR)
88 COLLECTION SCHLOSS SCHNAIT RIESLING TROCKEN 2013, WÜRTTEMBERG, GERMANY ($27)
From the Felsengartenkellerei Co-op, this Wurttemberg Riesling screams ginger SEPTEMBER 2017 × QUENCH.ME × 55
NOTED ale, tangerine and green apple on a lean palate, one textured with earthy orange and pithy acidity. More severe and angular with broken stones, this has a gentle roundness on the palate, but finishes dry with a flush of warmth. (TR)
85 E VON KELLER PINOT GRIGIO 2015, DOC ALTO ADIGE ($18.17)
GREECE
NEW ZEALAND
87 STROFILIA ESTATE WHITE DOT 2015, IGP PÉLOPONNÈSE, GREECE ($18)
91 KIM CRAWFORD WILD GRACE SMALL PARCELS CHARDONNAY 2015, HAWKE’S BAY ($24.95)
Strofilia Estate was started by two friends in 1984. This is the latest project in their portfolio, Syn+, the result of the next generation experimenting with their family’s accomplished practices. This is a blend of Moschofilero and Roditis, both at altitude, all in stainless for preserving the bright fruit. Perfumed pear, yellow apple, peach, melon and light lining of lees on this easy, bright and fresh white. A bitter grapefruit pithiness rings on the finish. Easy, smashable, slim white, for chilling and enjoying now (at a great price). (TR)
ITALY 88 UMANI RONCHI VELLODORO 2014, TERRE DI CHIETI PECORINO IGT ($18.80)
Aromatic citrus, melon and honeysuckle scents shift to generously flavoured lemon citrus and background tropical fruit with drying stony mineral and lively crisp acidity, leading into a clean dry finish. (SW)
87 BIBI GRAETZ CASAMATTA BIANCO NV, TUSCANY ($14.95) An idiosyncratic blend of Trebbiano and Muscat. Straw-coloured with a bouquet of orange blossom, dried peach and spice. Medium- to full-bodied, dry and easy-drinking. (TA)
86 LAMBERTI SANTEPIETRE PINOT GRIGIO 2015, ITALY ($12)
At $12, this offers great value with a nose of tropical fruits, lemon and fresh apple notes. It’s ripe but maintains freshness on the palate with a range of fruit and just a hint of sweetness. (RV) 56 × @QUENCH_MAG × SEPTEMBER 2017
Clear pale gold. Medium-intensity nose of apples and pineapple. Light-bodied, soft and dry with straightforward flavours of citrus and ripe apple. Drink up. (RL)*
Wild Grace is not the winemaker but refers to “the rugged beauty of the landscape surrounding the Hawke’s Bay vineyards.” Pale straw in colour, this Chardonnay has a smoky, toasty nose with spicy oaky notes; it’s medium to full bodied, richly extracted with spicy citrus and apple flavours melded with toasty oak. A beautifully balanced wine. (TA)
89 TE PĀ FAMILY VINEYARDS SAUVIGNON BLANC 2015, MARLBOROUGH ($21.99)
Highly aromatic grassy herbal scents, gooseberry and a subtle hint of passion fruit lead the way for generous gooseberry-led green fruit flavours backed by incisive mineral, bright acidity and an elegant passion fruit lift on the finish. (SW)
PORTUGAL 87 SOTTAL VINHO LEVE 2015, DOC LISBOA OBIDOS, PORTUGAL ($16)
New to our market in both label and region (DOC Lisboa Obidos) is this light Portuguese white, half Moscatel with the remainder Arinto and Vital. Subtle lime blossoms, perfumed soap, light melon, gentle lemon, pink grapefruit pith and a twist of yellow plum bitterness on the brisk finish. This simple white does exactly what it aims to: refresh. At an easy 9.5% and a likeable price point, this was mid-week perfection with spicy steamed clams. (TR)
82 VALE DE FORNOS 2014, VINHO REGIONAL TEJO ($17.83) Made from the uncommon Arinto varietal. Clear, medium-deep gold. Me-
dium-intensity nose, vaguely appleish with hints of honey and green olives. Light-bodied with green apple and lime flavours. Drink now. (RL)*
SOUTH AFRICA 89 KEN FORRESTER OLD VINE RESERVE CHENIN BLANC 2015, STELLENBOSCH ($17.95)
Medium straw in colour with a nose of quince and honey and a gentle minerally note lifted with a floral tone; medium-bodied dry, with pear, quince and melon flavours. (TA)
89 BOUTINOT THE TEA LEAF CHENIN BLANC 2015, WO PIEKENIERSKLOOF, OLIFANTS RIVER, SOUTH AFRICA ($25)
The Tea Leaf Chenin Blanc is from a high-altitude area (750 metres) in the far North Western Cape, Olifants River Region, Citrusdal Mountain District and in the ward of Piekenierskloof. It’s here that one of RSA’s star winemakers, Donovan Rall, is drawing the 70-year-old bush vines, a single plot “lost” in a fringe region far better known for cultivating Rooibos tea plants. From the stellar 2015 vintage, this was wild fermented and half aged in older wood barrels. Savoury crushed stones and bristling herb salts (rooibos?) on a creamy, lightly oily palate, possibly aided by the addition of 15% Grenache Blanc this vintage. Pear and yellow apple fruits charm, while bright citrus acidity lifts. Well-made and wellpriced, this is a wine well-worth adding to your Chenin kit. (TR)
SPAIN 89 BODEGA OTTO BESTUĒ ESTATE GROWN CHARDONNAY 2015, SOMONTANO DO ($19.99) From the lesser-known Somontano region in the shadow of the Pyrenees, this one opens with charming scents of white flowers and pleasantly ripe citrus notes. Generously rounded citrus and stone fruit, especially apricot, appear
on the palate, with good weight and refreshing acidity. Smoothly textured in the mouth, it finishes with long, citrusy fruit freshness. (SW)
UNITED STATES 90 HOLLORAN RIESLING 2013, WILLAMETTE VALLEY ($35.50)
Clear medium-deep yellow. A quite intense “like it or hate it” nose (I liked it) of lime and floor wax. Very fruity on the palate, with lime, pineapple, apricot and rhubarb. A slight sweetness but also tart, leading into a long finish. Will last a few more years. (RL)*
90 PATZ & HALL SONOMA COAST CHARDONNAY 2015, AVA SONOMA COAST, CALIFORNIA ($72) Full and rich, with bristling spices livening the lemon curd, honeydew and vanilla oats. A hint of mint and ample shaved wood closes out the finish. Full bodied and expansively rich on the palate, this has a steady hum of bright acidity working overdrive, but keeping pace. Youthful, this should settle some with another year or so in bottle, but will always make a match with richer white seafood or creamy shellfish. (TR)
89 POWERS COLUMBIA VALLEY VIOGNIER 2015, OREGON ($18.95)
Viognier makes a nice change from Chardonnay, especially if you like your white wines with a touch of fragrance. This Viognier is light straw in colour with a minerally, honeysuckle and white peach nose. Medium-bodied, dry flavours of peach and apple fill the mouth, following through to a fresh, citrus finish. Try it with sushi or spring rolls. (TA)
89 FORIS PINOT BLANC 2015, ROGUE VALLEY, OREGON ($21.95)
Very pale in colour, almost water-white; showing a minerally, peach nose with a lemony note. Medium-bodied, dry, elegant, white-peach flavour. A well-made wine with a fresh, lively citrus finish. (TA)
89 STONEHEDGE GRAND RESERVE CHARDONNAY 2014, NAPA ($21) A well-priced Napa Chardonnay. Bright straw colour; smoky, toasty, tropical fruit
nose. Full-bodied, dry, mouth-filling tropical fruit flavours with oak spice notes and a nutty finish. Good length. (TA)
88 CAMBRIDGE & SUNSET CHARDONNAY 2014, CALIFORNIA ($16.33)
Clear medium-deep yellow. Reticent nose of ripe apples and pears with tropical overtones. Classic ripe California Chard, full-bodied with tons of sweet apple and pineapple fruit. Drink up. (RL)*
88 COLUMBIA CREST H3 CHARDONNAY 2014, WASHINGTON STATE ($20.95)
Pale lime in colour; citrus fruit, vanilla oak and barnyard notes on the nose. Full-bodied, dry, well-extracted, toasty, sweet apple and pear flavours carried on lively acidity to a spicy oak finish. (TA)
87 HOGUE CELLARS RIESLING 2014, WASHINGTON STATE ($15.95)
Pale straw in colour; a nose of lime and grapefruit and developing petrol notes. Medium-bodied, honeyed apple with a sweet mid-palate that fills the mouth. (TA)
ROSÉ 92 LE VIEUX PIN VAÏLA 2016, SOUTH OKANAGAN ($23.99)
Cherry and wild strawberry aromas precede an intensely fruity but well-managed palate with some definite earthy undertones in a broad mouthfeel, supported by delicious savoury and slightly herbal peppery notes, lingering intense pure red berry finish. (TP)
91 QUAILS’ GATE ROSÉ 2016, OKANAGAN ($16.99)
Planted specifically for rosé. Gamay blended with Pinot Noir plus a splash of Pinot Gris yields aromas of red berries and sage; quince and citrus wrapped in juicy acidity before a dry finish. (TP)
91 STAG’S HOLLOW ROSÉ 2016, OKANAGAN FALLS ($21.99)
Syrah/Grenache (70/30) made dry, in a nod to Provence; rhubarb, strawberry, clove spice and stony notes with good structure and length. (TP)
91 CHÂTEAU MIRA LUNA ROSÉ 2016, AOP COTEAUX VAROIS EN PROVENCE, FRANCE ($35)
Located in the heart of Provence, the Coteaux Varois en Provence appellation includes 28 communes around the town of Brignoles, between the Sainte-Baume Mountain in the south and the Bessillons Mountains in the north. There are 2,500Ha, and soils are predominantly limestone. Marked by its mountainous landscape, peaks rise from 600 to 1,000m, offering many slopes and variation of terroir. This is a blend of bone dry Syrah and Cinsault, lean and streamlined with salted scrubby herbs, wild raspberries, strawberries, and cherries. Acidity is pink grapefruit pithy and bright, and there is a wash of salts that liven the gently cushioned palate and linger on. Lovely savoury and charming rosé, equally serious and smashable. (TR)
90 HINTERLAND ANCESTRAL ROSÉ 2016, PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY, ONTARIO ($25)
The Ancestral is one of the first wines to disappear off the shelves at Hinterland. Pure fruit on the nose — red berries, redcurrants, strawberries and rhubarb, oh my, what a fun sparkling wine on the nose and on the palate. Yes, it’s sweet, but it’s a balanced attack of sweetness. I dare you to put your glass down after one sip. (RV)
89 JOIE FARM ROSÉ 2016, VQA OKANAGAN ($20.90)
This elegant Loire-inspired rosé is a blend of 75% Pinot Noir and 25% Gamay. Bright cranberry-coloured, it offers fresh red cherry and red berry scents with similar themes playing through in the mouth. Supported by crisp, food-friendly acidity and brisk mineral grip, this is an ideal pairing for picnic-style foods and charcuterie. (SW)
89 LASTELLA LASTELLINA ROSATO 2016, SOUTH OKANAGAN ($21.99)
Mainly Merlot and Cab Franc showing ripeness from the early growing season. Medium salmon in glass, lifted red berry notes with juicy red berry, strawberry, watermelon etc. (TP) SEPTEMBER 2017 × QUENCH.ME × 57
NOTED 87 ERRÁZURIZ ESTATE SERIES CABERNET SAUVIGNON ROSÉ 2016, CENTRAL VALLEY, CHILE ($13.95)
Brisk on the palate, this 100% Cab Rosé serves up strawberry, raspberry, watermelon rind, herbs and a slight floral quality. Very good length and ready to drink, especially with barbecue fare. (ES)
RED ARGENTINA 91 KAIKEN ULTRA CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2014, MENDOZA ($19.95)
Solid value! Plum, blackberry, raspberry, chocolate, purple flower and menthol are layered on a full body with loads of tannin to back everything up. Excellent length with enough stuffing to age a decade, if so desired. (ES)
89 CLOS DE LOS SIETE 2014, UCO VALLEY ($26)
Malbec, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Petit Verdot is styled by the famous French consultant, Michel Rolland. Befitting his Bordelais stylings, this is a polished, rich red, with red and black fruit, resin, sultry cola, dark chocolate, dusky spices and a lifted, potent acidity. Tannins are supple, but sticky around the edges, reflective of its youth. This is a winemaker’s wine, benefitting from a decant now, but with the structure and balance to cellar for a couple years before pouring with grilled beef. (TR)
88 FINCA LAS MORAS RESERVA TANNAT 2015, SAN JUAN ($14)
Impressively well-knit and balanced for such a young Tannat. Anise, tobacco, dusky blueberry fill this firm form, one lined with river stones, textured with graphite and perfumed with peonies. Love the freshness and bright acidity here. This interesting, accessible Tannat welcomes another glass, especially with grilled pork. (TR) 58 × @QUENCH_MAG × SEPTEMBER 2017
87 BODEGA NORTON BARREL SELECT MALBEC 2015, ($13)
A nose of spicy raspberry, pepper, cherry, cedar, red liquorice and plums. It turns savoury on the palate with bold red fruits, cracked black pepper and a vibrant finish. A great barbecue wine as the summer reaches an end. (RV)
87 QUIMAY MALBEC 2013, PATAGONIA ($16.95)
Deep ruby-purple in colour; spicy, cedary, vanilla-oak nose with a floral top note; promising more on the nose than the palate delivers. Medium- to full-bodied, dry, red plum flavour with a lively acidic finish. Works well with a simple tomato sauce. (TA)
AUSTRALIA 90 HEARTLAND CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2013, SOUTH AUSTRALIA ($19.95)
Tastes just like a claret from Bordeaux. Dense ruby-purple in colour, it offers a cedary, blackcurrant nose with a floral grace note. It’s medium bodied and dry with flavours of blackcurrants carried on a lively spine of acidity; finishes on a note of coffee beans. Time to braise some short ribs. (TA)
89 TOURNON MATHILDA CHAPOUTIER SHIRAZ 2013, VICTORIA ($17.95)
A sister red to Rhône producer Michel Chapoutier’s white blend of Marsanne and Viognier. More restrained and elegant than Barossa Shiraz, this wine is deep purple in colour with a spicy, herbal, blackberry bouquet. Medium- to full-bodied, it’s dry and fruity, firmly structured with sage-tinged notes of red and black berries on the palate. Ideal for red meat dishes. (TA)
89 PENLEY ESTATE HYLAND SHIRAZ 2014, COONAWARRA ($18.95) Coonawara is known for its Cabernet Sauvignon but it also produces tasty Shiraz. This example is dense purple in colour with a spicy, smoky nose
of blackberries and a cedary note. Full-bodied, dry and richly extracted, it exhibits flavours of blackberry, pepper and liquorice carried on lively acidity. Would love to be paired with a rack of lamb —minus the mint sauce. (TA)
88 PENFOLDS KOONUNGA HILL SHIRAZ/CABERNET 2015, SOUTH AUSTRALIA ($17.99)
Raspberry, blackberry, blackcurrant with subtle pinch of cinnamon and clove on the nose, with thick blackberry and blackcurrant leading off on the palate and raspberry in a secondary role. Acidity is still somewhat aggressive and tannins a little stiff at the moment. A solid, well-made wine that will reward keeping for 3+ years in the cellar. (SW)
88 WAKEFIELD SHIRAZ 2014, CLARE VALLEY, SOUTH AUSTRALIA ($17.99)
Developed dark berry and mulberry fruit with clove, allspice and a suggestion of pencil box on the nose. Not as developed as the nose suggests, though, showing forward acidity and slightly harsh tannins over thick blackberry fruit. Good fruit and subtle oak on the finish, but needs more time to integrate. (SW)
AUSTRIA 89 CLAUS PREISINGER PUSZTA LIBRE! 2015, BURGENLAND ($25)
The Basic has left Claus’ portfolio, and this, Puszta Libre, has taken its place. A blend of Zweigelt and St Laurent made in “Burgunland Beaujolais” style — this is Claus’ interpretation of passe-toute-grain; a smashable vins de soif of Zweigelt and St Laurent from Gols. Wild ferment and aging in a combo of stainless and old large oak, this was bottled without fining or filtering. A lovely perfumed violet florality throughout this lighter, soft red, with wild blackberry, thorns, black plums and a swing of balsamic. Tannins are minimal, acidity is bracing and the finish salted; chill this and soif away, particularly with charcuterie. (TR)
BRAZIL 89 SALTON MARSELAN TEROLDEGO 2014, SERRA GAUCHA ($15.33)
The unusual varietals produce an attractive, fairly powerful and interesting nose with raisins, dates, stewed fruits and tea accented by a bit of barnyard and some coffee and chocolate aromas. On the palate, though, the flavours are one-dimensional: red berries, mostly sour cherry with a bit of sultana raisin. Good acidity for structure, and a long tannic finish, but the alcohol feels a bit hot. Drink up. (RL)*
CANADA 93 PAINTED ROCK SYRAH 2014, SKAHA BENCH ($34.99)
From a warm site high above the east side of Skaha Lake, definite pepper and ripe cassis notes on the nose before a well-structured, plush and plummy palate with a core of black fruit and vanilla. Approachable tannins from well-managed French oak, before varietally true pepper, cinnamon and other spices through the persistent close. (TP)
92 TRIUS SHOWCASE CLARK FARM PINOT NOIR 2014, NIAGARA ($30) This has an expressive nose of black cherry, raspberry bush, cassis and earthy/spicy notes. It is highly structured and firm on release but still shows beautiful ripe fruits of cassis, raspberry and pomegranate to go with underbrush, toasted spice notes and depth of flavour through a long finish. (RV)
92 STAG’S HOLLOW RENAISSANCE SYRAH 2014, OKANAGAN ($34.99) Fruit sourced from Amalia Vineyard in Okanagan Falls and from Osoyoos. Bursting with black fruit, pepper and earthy notes on the nose before a refined, quite savoury, juicy but not extracted palate with firm but well-managed tannins; definite pepper and shoe polish through a spicy close. (TP)
92 MEYER FAMILY VINEYARD MCLEAN CREEK PINOT NOIR 2015, OKANAGAN FALLS ($40) Black cherry and violet up-front with some earthy undertones before a
well-structured balance of fruit and acidity; medium-bodied with pure fruit flavours, some forest floor notes, approachable tannins and a pleasing savoury edge through a firm finish. (TP)
91 TINHORN CREEK OLDFIELD SERIES PINOT NOIR 2013, OKANAGAN ($32)
The nose displays concentrated ripe black cherry, cranberry, herbs, vanilla and spice. It’s complex on the palate with red fruits and cassis bolstered by earthy, smoky, savoury notes carried on a bed of smooth tannins. It’s all nicely integrated and drinking really fine right now. (RV)
91 KACABA RESERVE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2015, NIAGARA ESCARPMENT ($44.95)
An impressive red with lots of sweet oak in the form of chocolate, coffee bean and vanilla, which meshes with raspberry, plum, cherry, spice, cola, roasted herbs and violets. Concentrated, ripe and full on the palate. Long finish with firm tannins. Drink until 2024. (ES)
91 KACABA RESERVE CABERNET FRANC 2015, NIAGARA ($45)
A full-on Cab Franc with bold aromas of spiced cherry, cassis, blackcurrants, earth and well-integrated herbaceous notes. More red fruits on the palate that soak up the fine barrel spices with touches of bramble, liquorice and toasted vanilla. (RV)
89 ROCKWAY VINEYARDS CABERNET/MERLOT 2013, ONTARIO ($16.95)
Rockway Vineyards is the only winery in Ontario that has its own 18-hole golf course. Dense purple in colour, the wine has a cedary, black plum and blackcurrant nose backed by spicy oak. It’s medium-bodied, dry, well-balanced, with sweet plum and blackcurrant flavours. (TA)
89 PELEE ISLAND WINERY PINOT NOIR RESERVE 2014, VQA PELEE ISLAND ($17.45)
Shy but elegant red berry and spicy scents yield to redcurrant and some strawberry flavours, wrapped in velvety tannins with a lick of mineral on the palate. (SW)
88 COYOTE’S RUN CABERNET FRANC 2015, NIAGARA ($24.95)
This is a pretty, red-fruit scented Franc — raspberry and cherry — as well as tobacco leaf, turned earth, leather and violets. Medium body with beautiful freshness, which makes for a perfect pairing with red-sauce dishes and grilled vegetables. Reminiscent of a Saumur-Champigny! (ES)
88 KACABA CABERNET/SYRAH 2015, NIAGARA ESCARPMENT ($30)
A unique blend of 66% Cabernet Franc and 34% Syrah. Tobacco, raspberry, cassis, violets, dark cherry, black pepper, herbs and vanilla are built on a medium body. Tannins are present, and there is fine length. Pair with grilled sausage. (ES)
88 KACABA MERITAGE 2015, NIAGARA ($24.95)
Cherry cola, plum, herbs, vanilla, cocoa, liquorice and herbs work together on a medium-plus body. There is a lingering personality and firm tannins. Perfect for the summer barbecue season! (ES)
CHILE 90 CASA NUEVA CARMÉNÈRE RESERVA 2013, CURICÓ VALLEY ($10)
Clear deep garnet. Mature, robust aromas of raisins, blackberries, marzipan, herbs and a bit of soy sauce. Full-bodied with mature cherry fruit and some typical Carménère greenish flavours. Will last another year. Good match for roast pork rubbed with cloves and cinnamon. (RL)*
90 CONCHA Y TORO WINEMAKER’S LOT 148 CARMÉNÈRE LAS PATAGUAS VINEYARD 2015, RAPEL VALLEY ($17.95)
Loads of raspberry, cassis, plum, mint, vanilla, violets and smoke. There is a fruit-driven personality with some warmth and plummy tannins. Full-bodied with lingering flavours. (ES)
89 AROMO PRIVATE RESERVE CARMÉNÈRE 2013, MAULE VALLEY ($16) This wine delivers above its pay grade. Blackberry, plum, cherry, spice, chocolate and mint are layered on a concentrated mid-palate. It is rich, smooth and finishes with excellent fruit. Ready to drink. (ES)
SEPTEMBER 2017 × QUENCH.ME × 59
NOTED 89 APALTAGUA ENVERO GRAN RESERVA CARMÉNÈRE 2013, COLCHAGUA VALLEY ($18.95)
Forward and ripe with dark cherry, blackberry, plum, cocoa and herbs appearing both on the nose and palate. Fullish, with plummy tannins and a lingering aftertaste. Contains 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. (ES)
89 SANTA CAROLINA RESERVA DE FAMILIA CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2012, MAIPO VALLEY ($24.99)
An intense bouquet revealing developed dark fruit with scents of blackberry, blackcurrant, cinnamon, clove and a whiff of green herb. Lightly sweet ripe blackberry and blackcurrant flavours are rounded out with velvety tannins and notes of mocha, spice and well-integrated fruit on the finish. (SW)
89 VIÑA CASABLANCA NIMBUS SINGLE VINEYARD PINOT NOIR 2012, VALLE DE CASABLANCA ($30) Opens with fleshy red fruit, gamey and spicy notes, a splash of vanilla and a pinch of herb. Harmoniously balanced fruit, spice, a dash of milk chocolate in the mouth lead into a dry, somewhat tannic finish. (SW)
88 CONO SUR BICICLETA PINOT NOIR 2016 ($12)
Light ruby. Fruity, spicy nose with fruit stone notes. Light- to medium-bodied, a good fruity core and powdery, dry tannins complete the mid-palate. Short finish and ready to drink. (GBQc)
88 SANTA CAROLINA RESERVA DE FAMILIA CARMÉNÈRE 2013, RAPEL VALLEY ($24.99)
15 months of barrel aging adds depth and some complexity to this velvety smooth wine. There is plenty of ripe berry and currant fruit with good weight, deft balance and a lick of milk chocolate. (SW)
FRANCE 91 FRANÇOIS VILLARD REFLET 2013, ST-JOSEPH, RHÔNE VALLEY ($69) Full ruby. Spicy notes hover over the ripe red berry aromas. Full bodied yet supple 60 × @QUENCH_MAG × SEPTEMBER 2017
with a ripe, clean fruity taste, tight and firm tannins, especially in the long finish. Aging potential of 7-8 years. (GBQc)
91 LOUIS LATOUR CHÂTEAU CORTON GRANCEY GRAND CRU 2012, BURGUNDY ($168)
Light ruby. Refined nose of red berries, liquorice, sophisticated oak. Silky on the palate, there is purity in the fruity flavour. The soft and delicate tannins are a tad bitter in the tight finish. Time will remove the bitterness. (GBQc)
90 CHÂTEAU DES LANDES CUVÉE PRESTIGE 2012, LUSSAC-SAINT-ÉMILION ($24.95)
Made from 50-year-old vines, the textbook right-bank Bordeaux features plum, mocha, dried flowers, liquorice and earthy qualities. There is 14.5% alcohol, a broad palate and enough tannins to ensure 5 more years of aging. Solid value! (ES)
90 LES VINS DE VIENNE CROZES-HERMITAGE 2015, RHÔNE VALLEY ($26.50)
Dark purple. Black berries, hints of smoke, earth and balsamic notes. Supple at first but the dense core and dry tannins take over in the tight mid-palate. Short compact finish. Better wait 3 to 5 years. (GBQc)
89 CAZES CUVÉE MARIEGABRIELLE 2015, CÔTES DU ROUSSILLON ($18.50)
Ruby-purplish. Raspberry and black berries, spicy and dry earth notes. Soft and juicy, ripe fruity taste, mellow tannins. Clean finish. Ready to drink and great with spicy Italian sausages. (GBQc)
89 ABBOTT’S AND DELAUNAY ALTO STRATUS 2014, VIN DE FRANCE, LANGUEDOC ($25)
I love Carignan. And so do the folks at Abbott’s and Delaunay, who have declassified this 100% Carignan to a Vin de France because Languedoc appellation laws do not allow for a 100% Carignan. The pinnacle tier of their portfolio, Alto Stratus draws from 100-year-old vines growing at high altitudes, as well as lower Mediterranean garrigue shrubland
soils. 60% whole bunch, this rested nine months with the split 60% in oak (30% new) and the remainder in stainless. Worn wood, dried and fresh cherry, redcurrants and toasted cinnamon ride the soft, lightly plush palate, with sueded tannins to house in the generosity. Acidity is lifted, just enough to carry the density. The finish is a bit coarse and drying, crying out for roasted goose or pork. (TR)
88 CHÂTEAU DU CARILLON 2010, FRONSAC AC ($29.30)
Another brooding, rather closed example of the slow-to-come-around 2010 Bordeaux reds. There is solid dark fruit underneath, but still masked by heavy tannins and youthful acidity. Patience is required. Give it another 3 to 5 years in the cellar. (SW)
87 LES JAMELLES MERLOT 2015, LANGUEDOC ($14)
A blend of Merlot from three distinct terroirs around Languedoc makes up this bright and fresh red. Plum, wild blackberry, light dough, stones, with a pure fruit core and lovely fine spicing on this brisk, herbal finish. Hits far beyond its price. Easy to drink, easy to like. (TR)
87 CHÂTEAU CANADA 2014, AC BORDEAUX SUPERIEUR ($18)
Good old Château Canada — always a hit with Canucks. The Château has been making wine for 115 years from the rolling hills of Cubzac-les-Ponts. This is a blend of 70/30 Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon, averaging 30 years in age. Juicy and approachable, albeit with a worrying oxidative note weaving throughout. Dried cherry, earth, tobacco, Worcestershire sauce on an appropriately lean 12.5%. Tannins turn drying and squeezed on the finish. Pair with steak frites, now. (TR)
87 ABBOTT’S AND DELAUNAY CORBIÈRES RESERVE 2014, AOC CORBIÈRES ($18)
Potent and direct, now worn soft around the sides with time, this is drawn from three terroirs: eastern Corbières, south, near the edge of the Frito and 15 percent
from the Corbières Boutenac cru. This spent time on lees, 40 percent in barrels (20 percent new) and 60 percent in stainless. Drilling dark anise, cassis jam, brooding black pepper and sultry pipe tobacco along sticky, ripe tannins to a warming, espresso bitter finish. Even open a day in advance, this welcomes hearty beef and lamb shank to counter. (TR)
93 LE MACCHIOLE SCRIO 2012, IGT TOSCANA ($183)
85 CHATEAU LA BESAGE GRANDE CUVÉE 2014, AC BERGERAC ($19)
92 TOMMASI AMARONE DELLA VALPOLICELLA 2012, VENETO ($49.95)
This rustically edged Bergerac is a blend of 70/20/10 Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon/Cabernet Franc, so typical of the region. Green boughs, smoked branch, black plum and cherry rule the severe frame, with tobacco and light-smoked stone finishing out the short finish. This is a simple Bordeaux, ready for steak frites or roast beef sandwich. (TR)
GREECE 90 DOMAINE KARYDAS XINOMAVRO 2012, NAOUSSA ($25.95)
If your tastes align with reds such as Tannat or Sagrantino, then this wine is for you. Opaque black colour; the tannins will melt the cement that holds your filling place. Plum, cherry, spice, earth and dark cocoa carry long on the finish. This wine needs protein, preferably on the medium-rare side of the spectrum. (ES)
88 BOUTARI NAOUSSA XINOMAVRO 2014, NAOUSSA ($13.95)
This baby overdelivers for the price and multiple bottle purchase is mandated! Haunting aromas of dried fruit, potpourri, herbs and elevated tannins are all present. If you are a Nebbiolo lover, this wine is right in your wheelhouse! Barbecue fare all the way. (ES)
ITALY 93 TENUTA SETTE PONTI ORENO 2013, IGT TOSCANA ($79.95)
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Full-bodied and debonair; there is plum, cassis, fraise de bois, sweet cherry, tobacco and chocolate. Long-lasting and 15 years of life ahead of it. (ES)
Full ruby, purplish rim. Oak-dominated nose with smoke, toast, caramel and vanilla taking over fine red-fruit notes. Velvety texture with a full, dense, very full-bodied and rich mid-palate. Tannins are on par, supple and finely grained; so is the delicate acidity. Impressive. (GBQc)
Quintessential Amarone with its plum, raisin, raspberry liqueur, Asian spice, chocolate and earth. Full-throttle, concentrated and a fabulous finish. Drink or hold. (ES)
91 DONATELLA CINELLI COLOMBINI 2014, DOC ROSSO DI MONTALCINO ($33)
The roots of the Colombini family in Tuscany go back to 1592, with winemaking beginning in 1790 with the founding of the Fattoria dei Barbi. Francesca Cinelli Colombini, also known as the “Lady of Brunello” made a name for herself in the 1970s the leader of Barbi’s top wines. This Sangiovese, aged one year in oak, reveals sweet salami, smoked wood, brooding black plum, earthy cherry, tobacco, leather, tar and lightly tuggy framing tannins that run the sides. Potent balsamic and tobacco linger on the grippy finish. This is an imposing wine that is really a softy underneath. Once open (or flash decanted) this will charm you, especially with roasted pork or lamb. (TR)
90 SHARDANA VALLI DI PORTO PINO 2011, DOC SANTADI ($39)
Fragrant, warm spiced and floral, this blend of old vine Carignano (over 100 years old, some pre-phylloxera) and Shiraz from the sandy, southern, wild and rugged tip of Sardinia charms with its alluring and welcoming nose. The full-bodied palate continues the dark florality along with wild blackberry, thorns, scrubby dusky plum and blackberry. The supple, silken, expansive flow is framed with tuggy leathery tannins (reflective of a year in wood), anise and warming black pepper to the drying finish. Drinking well now, especially with roasted pork or fowl. (TR)
90 TENUTA GUADO AL TASSO CONT’UGO 2013, BOLGHERI, TOSCANA ($54)
Very dark colour. Black berry, soft spices. Very full bodied; the tight compact tannins are finely grained in the dense mid-palate. Compact finish. Maybe a bit unidimensional at this point, it will express itself better in 3 to 5 years. (GBQc)
89 TENUTA SANT’ANTONIO MONTI GARBI VALPOLICELLA SUPERIORE RIPASSO 2012, VENEZIA ($19) Full ruby. Cherry notes fill the glass. Sweet and sour in its light-bodied mid-palate; very fruity. Easy to drink but also richly flavoured and generous in its own way. Delicious. (GBQc)
89 FATTORIA DI BASCIANO I PINI 2013, TUSCANY ($33.95)
Deep purple-ruby in colour; spicy, ripe cherry bouquet with notes of cedar. Medium- to full-bodied, dry, plum and cherry flavours; well-balanced with lively acidity and a firm finish, ending on a creamy vanilla note. (TA)
88 VIGNETI DEL VULTURE PIPOLI AGLIANICO DEL VULTURE 2013, BASILICATA ($16)
Dark ruby. Discrete notes of sweet red fruit. Traces of CO2 enliven the attack. Half-bodied, light fruity taste. The powdery tannins are barely felt. Short compact finish. Ready to drink. Aglianico is a favourite grape from the south of Italy that can show more structure and aging potential than this particular example. (GBQc)
88 OCONE PLUTONE PIEDIROSSO 2015, DOP TABURNO SANNIO PIEDIROSSO, CAMPANIA ($28)
This family has been growing grapes and making wine in the ancient vine-growing Campania since 1910. Certified organic and additive free, this is 100 percent Piedirosso from the limestone soil hillsides of Ponte, Sannio, between 200 to 400m. Time in stainless was employed to preserve the bright, red, floral notes before tight raspberry, green herbal leaf and fine, gritty tannins to a crunchy finish. Youthful, lighter, authentic and rustic (in a good way), this is lovely red to crack with bitter greens, fired pizza. (TR) SEPTEMBER 2017 × QUENCH.ME × 61
NOTED 88 LE MACCHIOLE BOLGHERI ROSSO 2014, TOSCANA ($33)
Full ruby. Ripe red fruits, some oaky notes and a floral touch. Tight and full-bodied, the grainy tannins are slightly bitter. Balance is good but there is no harmony at this stage; it needs time to find itself. Leave it in the cellar for a few years. (GBQc)
87 GABBIANO 2015, CHIANTI DOCG ($15.99)
Opens with red cherry, light herbal and floral scents and appetizing, lightly bitter cherry flavours. Medium weight and agreeable smoothness on the palate. Honest, straightforward Chianti to pair with everyday foods. (SW)
87 COLTIBUONO CETAMURA 2015, CHIANTI DOCG ($18.80) Warmly ripe, spicy-scented red cherry on the nose shifts to black cherry and dark chocolate in the mouth, with firm tannic structure and appetizing acidity. Shows a little more weight and ripeness than expected, likely attributable to the attractive 2015 vintage. (SW)
86 SANTADI NORAS CANNONAU DI SARDEGNA 2013, SARDEGNA ($32)
Dense and thick on the palate, with chewy, sun-baked, dried ripe red and black fruits, and leather on the supple palate. This is 90/10 Cannonau/Carignano from vineyards in Basso Sulcis (lower Sulcis). This sees 6 months in barrique (second use) and 6 months in bottle. Mediterranean scrub, sweet spice, coffee and dark chocolate lingering on the very hot, alcoholic finish (nearly 16%!). Needs decanting. (TR)
NEW ZEALAND 87 MATUA VALLEY PINOT NOIR 2014, MARLBOROUGH ($18)
Perfumed potpourri of spices, with sultry raspberry, strawberry jam, lavender, baked rhubarb, pink peppercorns all flooding the medium-bodied palate, one sharpened with a balsam62 × @QUENCH_MAG × SEPTEMBER 2017
ic note and finishing with a flush of warmth. Tannins are gentle and soft on a downy cushion. Easy to like, and an accessible entry into Pinot without being dumbed down. (TR)
PORTUGAL 89 VALE DO CASTELO SELECTION TINTO 2013, VINHO REGIONAL TEJO ($22.67)
Clear medium- to deep-plum red. Medium-intensity bouquet of strawberry jam and blackberry, with some herbal overtones from the Merlot in the blend. Medium-bodied with fresh-tasting cherry fruit, good balance and long finish. Will improve for another year. (RL)*
87 CEREJEIRAS TINTO 2015, VR LISBOA ($11)
This is a rustic, approachable and friendly blend of Castelão, Aragonez and Touriga Nacional from Lisboa, near the sea. You can taste a salinity throughout, along with crisp and floral plum, blueberry and herbal rock rose shrub. Tannins are downy and fuzzy, right to the short, purple-floral finish. Authentic and charmingly so, especially with your Thai or Indian spiced goat or eggplant. Fantastic value. (TR)
SOUTH AFRICA 91 B. VINTNERS LIBERTÉ PINOTAGE 2015, WO STELLENBOSCH ($35)
B. Vintners is a collaboration between Bruwer Raats, whose family was amongst the first Dutch settlers, and his cousin Gavin. The Raats family has always been based in Stellenbosch, and this project was created to show some of the special sites and areas of Stelly — much like they saw the Swartland Independents doing — through minimal intervention. This is old vine Pinotage on decomposed granite soils at altitude, and close to the ocean in Bottelary Hills. An earlier pick, wild ferment, light extraction and gentle elevate (14 months
in oak, 10% new) has provided a crisp, fresh and crunchy Pinotage, one that pours a medium cherry hue and is full of wild raspberries, pomegranate, herbal plum, fynbos shrub. Tannins are fine and sapid-lined; finish is bright. Chill this expressive light red slightly for a maximum enjoyment. (TR)
91 SAVAGE WINES SAVAGE RED 2014, WO WESTERN CAPE ($45)
Duncan Savage is one of the unofficial/ official leaders of the Zoo Biscuits collective, and he seeks and sources vineyards from around the Cape for his namesake wines. The 2014 Savage Red is predominantly Syrah, with the balance Grenache, Cinsault and — singularly — Touriga Nacional. Fragrant, peppery raspberry, plums and ripe cherry is freshened with brisk acidity, livening the juicy palate. The whole is framed with hugging, sapid tannins, up to the lingering violets on the stony finish. The Touriga gives this wine a slight brooding curve, underlying the bright, peppery Cinsault and Syrah. Drinking beautifully now, and a great example of what an authentic “red blend” from South Africa can be. (TR)
SPAIN 93 MUGA PRADO ENEA GRAN RESERVA 2009, RIOJA ($57.95)
For purists, this old-school Rioja will rock your world. Strawberry, raspberry, cherry, cedar, tomato concentrate, balsamic, dried herbs/flowers coil together to make for one impressive red. Brilliant length, fresh acid and no hard edges make for a divine drop of Tempranillo. (ES)
90 ACÚSTIC CELLER BRAÓ 2013, DO MONTSANT ($33.33)
Clear very deep plum red. Medium-intensity nose, earthy, with mushrooms, cassis and blackberry. Very fruity and concentrated, with New-World tastes of blueberries and blackberries, but high acidity and firm tannins give this an Old-World structure. Will improve for several more years. (RL)*
89 BODEGAS RAMIREZ DE LA PISCINA CRIANZA 2013, RIOJA DOC ($21.99)
Refined and integrated fine red fruit and spice on the nose reveals raspberry, redcurrant, cinnamon, clove and subtle oak. Dark fruit comes to the fore on the palate, showing blackberry and dark chocolate notes. Tannins and acidity remain a bit stiff. Drinking well now with food, better with a year or 2 in the cellar. (SW)
89 MONTECILLO 2010, RIOJA RESERVA DOC ($21.99)
This Reserva from a good vintage shows good depth of fruit interwoven with fine spice and cedary pencil box. Blackcurrant, blackberry and firm tannic grip hold sway on the palate, finishing very dry. Will continue to develop over the next 3 to 5 years and more. (SW)
88 MONTECILLO CRIANZA RIOJA 2011 ($15)
This popular Tempranillo is nicely aged, as Riojas should be, with a nose of plums, earth, cassis and light spice. It’s perfectly mature right now with integrated fruit, smooth tannins and a spicy bite from the sweet oak. A bit rustic on the finish, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. (RV)
88 LORCA SELECCIÓN MONASTRELL 2008, BULLAS ($15.95)
The tiny region of Bullas in southern Spain is known for its red wines, based on the Monastrell grape — known elsewhere as either Mourvèdre and Mataro. Here’s one with 30% Syrah. It’s dense purple in colour with a bouquet of cedar and spicy black fruits. It’s full bodied, juicy and fruity, with the flavour of black plums, firmly structured with lively acidity. (TA)
88 FAMILIA CASTAÑO HÉCULA MONASTRELL 2014, YECLA DO ($19.99)
Untreated and unfiltered. This 100% Monastrell presents fine dark fruit and elegant spice on the nose revealing future potential. Blackcurrant and black plum flavours, though, are still overshadowed by youthful acidity and dry, unyielding tannins. Given another couple of years in the cellar, it will shine. (SW)
87 ABAD DOM BUENO MENCIA 2008, BIERZO ($15.95)
An intense purple colour; spicy, earthy, cooked-plum nose with vanilla oak; full-bodied, dry, fruit-driven with lively acidity. (TA)
87 FOURNIER BLASÓN DE SAN JUAN JOVEN 2013, DO RIBERA DEL DOURO ($20)
Clear medium-deep ruby. Brash aromas of blackberries, cherries, tea and chocolate. Medium-bodied with soft tannins supporting raspberry and cherry flavours. Long finish. Will improve for a couple of years. (RL)*
86 BODEGAS VALDUERO VALDUERO CRIANZA 2011, DO RIBERA DEL DUERO ($33.50)
Clear medium-deep garnet. Medium-intensity nose of raspberries, strawberries and lots of oak. Still fairly tannic, but the raspberry and cranberry fruit is fading. Drink up. (RL)*
UNITED STATES 92 THE HESS COLLECTION 19 BLOCK MOUNTAIN CUVÉE 2013, MOUNT VEEDER, NAPA ($49.95)
Dense purple-black in colour with a cedary, blackcurrant nose enhanced with floral notes and vanilla oak; full-bodied, dry and elegant; well-structured and firm with ripe tannins on the finish. Cook up some venison cheeks. (TA)
91 BACHELDER OREGON JOHNSON VINEYARD PINOT NOIR 2013, OREGON ($45)
The nose shows violets, minerals, restrained red fruits, subtle integrated spice and earthy/bramble bits. So beautiful on the palate with depth of fruit, juicy red berries, gorgeous mouthfeel, integrated and elegant spice through a long, silky smooth finish. (RV)
90 SIMI SONOMA COUNTY MERLOT 2013, SONOMA ($23.95)
Dense purple colour; cedary-spicy blueberry nose lifted with vanilla oak notes; medium-bodied, dry, blackberry and blueberry flavours with lively acidity and well-integrated oak. (TA)
90 ST FRANCIS CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2014, SONOMA ($29.95) A cedary, plum and blackcurrant nose enlivened with vanilla oak. Full-bodied, dry, richly extracted sweet black fruit flavours. Good mouthfeel and firmly structured. (TA)
90 MURPHY-GOODE ALEXANDER VALLEY CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2013, SONOMA ($30.95) Dense purple in colour with a cedary, blackcurrant bouquet. Full-bodied, dry with richly extracted blackcurrant and blueberry flavours. Firmly structured with ripe tannins and will reward 2 to 3 years cellaring. (TA)
89 KENDALL JACKSON VINTNER’S RESERVE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2014, SONOMA COUNTY ($22.95)
With cooler weather coming your way, grab some charcoal and a bottle of this wine for your next outdoor cookout. Grown on steep mountainous vineyards, Cabernet Sauvignon is blended with Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Merlot and Malbec. Aged in both French and American barrels, the wine offers layers of spice and toasty oak nuances, which will complement the charred flavours of the grill. A lively palate of lush wild cherries, cassis and blackberries are framed with hints of anise, mocha and cedar. Robust and full-bodied with chewy tannins that will go perfectly with the last steak of the summer. Time to fire up that grill! (SL)
89 THE OTHER GUYS MOOBUZZ PINOT NOIR 2013, MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA ($24.99)
Opens on the nose with fresh red berry and light floral scents with raspberry in the foreground and gamey, earthy mushroom in the background. Ripe strawberry, redcurrant and red plum emerge in the mouth with velvety tannins and a splash of mocha. (SW)
88 CHATEAU ST JEAN PINOT NOIR 2014, CALIFORNIA ($19.99) Attractive Pinot varietal cherry, cinnamon, clove and agreeably earthy aromas give way to gently ripe dark cherry flavours, moderate tannins and appetizing acidity in the mouth. Finishes with a touch of tannic firmness. (SW)
SEPTEMBER 2017 × QUENCH.ME × 63
NOTED 88 RAVENSWOOD VINTNERS BLEND OLD VINE ZINFANDEL 2014, CALIFORNIA ($19.99)
Brightly scented blackberry, wild berry and peppery spice open the way for similar, slightly jammy sweet berry flavours, smooth tannins and agreeably balanced acidity. Zinfandel wild berry character is somewhat tamed down on the finish. (SW)
88 EDMEADES ZINFANDEL 2013, MENDOCINO COUNTY, CALIFORNIA ($23)
Saline-scented, this dense Mendocino Zinfandel is from nearly 30-year-old vines, sourced from across the AVA. Old vineyards are the heart and soul of Edmeades, with Ciapusci Vineyard planted in 1878, Perli Vineyard planted in the late 1800s, Zeni Vineyard planted in 1910 and Piffero Vineyard planted in 1930. Wild yeast fermented, this was bottled, unfined and unfiltered. Dense smoked plum, cassis jam, ripe blackberries, violets, cracked peppercorn and a dusky, musk perfume. There is a swell of acidity here to carry, but the finish, at 15%, is still warming and cinnamon clad. (TR)
DESSERT 92 TAWSE CABERNET SAUVIGNON ICEWINE 2014, NIAGARA PENINSULA ($34.95)
Light tawny ruby in colour with a nose of strawberry jam; medium-bodied, sweet, beautifully balanced flavours of orange, strawberry and honey. Great length. (TA)
90 UNION FORTÉ 2012, NIAGARA PENINSULA ($17.95)
Niagara’s answer to port. Dense ruby in colour with a nose of plum and caramel with notes of cedar; full-bodied, spicy and rich on the palate with sweet plum and cocoa flavours. (TA)
90 RUFFINO SERELLE VIN SANTO DEL CHIANTI 2011, DOC VIN SANTO DEL CHIANTI, TUSCANY, ITALY ($26/375 ML) Malvasia and Trebbiano make up
64 × @QUENCH_MAG × SEPTEMBER 2017
this perfumed, soft Vin Santo, one of the most floral and delicate I’ve had. Honeyed orange, rosewater, citrus cake, marmalade and candied almond drapes along a medium-bodied palate, one finishing with cinnamon and dried apricot notes along with a puff of heat. Enjoy now with olive oil cake or biscotti. (TR)
BEER & CIDER BLACK OAK BREWERY OAKTOBERFEST, ONTARIO ($2.95/473 ML) The Etobicoke brewery’s beloved Märzen, Oaktoberfest, is soft and sweet with notes of biscuit, light caramel and just a hint of floral hops. This elegant and clean lager is perfect for toasting to the harvest or glugging down at an Oktoberfest celebration with sausages and pretzels. (CL)
SPINDRIFT BREWING CO ABYSS, NOVA SCOTIA ($3.60/473 ML)
Kellye Robertson, head brewer at Dartmouth’s all-lager brewery, Spindrift, has created a modern version of the German Schwarzbier. Using 7 specialty malts to amp up the body, the result is a complex nose and aroma: notes of dark bread crusts, dark fruit, toasted nuts, ash and cacao swirl together on a lean, light-bodied black brew. Overall, the crisp, clean sip is effortlessly integrated. (CL)
um-light body with cold-brew coffee and dark chocolate flavours, and a dry, clean finish. (CL)
NICKELBROOK BREWERY IMMODEST IPA, ONTARIO ($5.50/473 ML)
This Double IPA took home the gold at the 2017 Canadian Brewing Awards for best Imperial IPA in the country. It’s certainly one of the biggest: aromas of pine and grapefruit peel, toast caramel and warming alcohol swirl to the nose and carry through to the full-bodied sip with a long bitter finale accented by burnt caramel. Try it with Stilton or your favourite strong cheese. (CL)
SOUTHBROOK ORGANIC WILD FERMENT CIDER 2016, ONTARIO ($15.95/750 ML)
Pouring light gold and cloudy, this cider, crafted by one of Canada’s natural wine pioneers, is fermented with Southbrook’s indigenous white wine yeast for a complex yet highly quaffable sipper. A bright apple-juice character dominates the nose, while the palate is marked by citrus, apple pie, pear skins, apricot and peaches. Delicate carbonation, medium tannins and a dry finish lend a rustic feel to this cider. (CL)
RED ROVER CRAFT CIDER SUMMER CIDER, NEW BRUNSWICK ($9.79/750 ML)
Bright aromas of strawberry, orange, overripe peach and chives swirl on the nose of this hazy, dusky peach-hued India Pale Ale from the Cambridge, Ontario outfit that is cranking out one delicious juicy IPA after another. The body is beautiful: it feels light yet fills the mouth and there’s a medium bitterness at the dry finish. (CL)
This flagship cider from the English expat couple behind this 4-year-old cidery beat out 77 other entries to be crowned king of Modern Dry Ciders at the world’s largest cider competition, GLINTCAP, earlier this year. This highly carbonated cider begins with bouquet of bright apple, white flowers and light cantaloupe leading to flavours of apple peel, racy acidity and light tannins. The cidermakers originally devised this as a still cider, so try a glass and then recap until it loses the bubbles and try it again. (CL)
THE NAPANEE BEER COMPANY BLACKLIST GERMAN BLACK LAGER, ONTARIO ($3.20/473 ML)
BEAU’S ALL NATURAL BREWING CO FARM TABLE MÄRZEN, ONTARIO ($4.55/600 ML)
BARNCAT ARTISAN ALES PULSES IPA, ONTARIO ($8/1 L)
Pouring jet black with a generous tan head, aromas of mocha lead to a medi-
The Oktoberfest lager, or Märzen, was originally brewed in March and then
lagered (a German word meaning “to store”) in cold caves until fall. Brewed with rich, toasty Munich malts, these “malt-bombs” are soft and creamy with a clean finish, thanks to the long aging times in cool temperatures. Beau’s Night Märzen is a soft and full toasty lager with hints of caramel and a floral, grassy hop finish. (CL)
CAMERON’S BREWING DEVIATOR DOPPELBOCK BOURBON BARREL AGED VINTAGE 2012, ONTARIO ($6/341 ML)
4 years ago, Cameron’s brewmaster Jason Britton put some of their award-winning Doppelbock (a dark, lightly sweet, higher-alcohol lager) into bourbon barrels. 4 years later he decided it was perfection and the brewery released its Deviator Doppelbock Vintage 2012 — an unblended 4-yearold version that is swoon-worthy. Dark chocolate and molasses dominate the nose. The sip starts with dried prune and moves to dark, sweet molasses mid-palate before drying out on notes of black liquorice, light baking spices and roast coffee. The best part is the finish — unlike a bourbon barrel-aged stout this finale is short and sweet, making the beer a ruminating sipper that is dangerously quaffable. (CL)
SAKE NIWA NO UGUISU NIGHTINGALE’S GARDEN 50 JUNMAI DAIGINJO, JAPAN ($40/720 ML)
The “50” indicates that the rice grains have been polished to 50% of their original size (a minimum requirement for the top or “daiginjo” classification). Very clean and elegant with gentle honey and Asian pear aromas, and subtle suggestion of lychee and apple. Relatively dry and crisply fruity, with mineral notes and a hint of spice on the finish. It paired nicely with a steamed fresh lobster and shrimp dumpling with garlic butter. (TS)
JIKON TOKUBETSU JUNMAI, JAPAN ($45/720 ML)
Pasteurized only once (most sake is twice pasteurized), this is an intensely fragrant,
fresh and aromatic sake boasting traces of ginger and sweet melon. Very crisp and lively in the mouth, its flavours lean towards bright pear and citrus, with some vanilla and banana. Medium-dry with a long, memorable finish, this elegant junmai (which comes across as more junmai gingo — maybe even junmai daiginjo) married beautifully with an ethereal dish of scrambled egg whites, fresh Dungeness crab and silver fungus. (TS)
TENGUMAI JUNMAI DAIGINJO 50, JAPAN ($45/720 ML)
An award-winning junmai daiginjo made in the Hyogo prefecture from the highest-quality Yamadanishiki rice variety with a 50% polish ratio. Subtle aromatics, with hints of fresh Asian pear and suggestions of almond, anise and vanilla with some savoury/herbal overtones. Fresh, lively and off-dry, with fruity/nutty/anise traces reappearing on the palate. Worked well with a delicious deep-fried lamb rack with truffles and wild mushrooms. (TS)
KAGATOBI GOKKAN JUNMAI, JAPAN ($16/300 ML)
Brewed in the coldest months of the year to optimize acidity, weight and balance, this full-bodied sake from Kanazawa, the capital of the Ishikawa prefecture, was served chilled and warmed, once again displaying the versatility of sake. Complex, with cocoa, toasted nuts and a slight earthy/mushroom funkiness (sorry, but how else?), the crisp acidity becomes more apparent (and perhaps more integrated) when warmed. Served with a foie gras/minced chicken crispy wonton in a clear truffle consommé (yes, it was as good as it sounds). (TS)
KOZAEMON HOUSE JUNMAI GODDESS OF SAKE, JAPAN ($30/720 ML)
Okay, the label might not make it past every conservative liquor board’s moral righteous screening panel, but personally I find that a touch of nudity is the proper ending to a nice bottle. And I’ll just stop there. Brewed from Nishiki rice polished to 70%, this is a blended sake that’s loaded with umami, cocoa, earth, mushroom and subtle fruit. Serve it chilled warmed and with/without nudity. (TS)
MASUMI OKUDEN KANTSUKURI JUNMAI, JAPAN ($15/330 ML)
From Nagano’s Miyasaka Brewery. Intense Asian pear and spring blossom aromatics with traces of vanilla and cocoa. Quite rich and round on the palate, this exquisitely-balanced brew sports flavours that echo the nose — ripe pear, vanilla and cocoa, with some zesty acidity. Ripe and refreshing. (TS)
ICHINOKURA MUKANSA EXTRA-DRY HONJOZO SAKE, JAPAN ($35/720 ML)
The “grades” of sake have to do with the polishing ratio of the rice, but not necessarily the taste. Case in point: this honjozo. Some might think that honjozo — with its added alcohol — is an “inferior” classification. Well, think again. This has lovely hazelnut, cocoa, white pepper and spring flower aromas combined with creamy/minty notes. On the palate, cream of wheat cereal, cooked rice and herbal flavours finish with a satisfying touch of bitterness. (TS)
SPIRITS HENNESSY VSOP PRIVILEGE COGNAC, FRANCE ($105)
Intense, spicy, slightly woody, with fresh orange peel and sweet pipe tobacco on the nose, this is a rich, full-bodied, decadent cognac from one of the region’s major players. It’s the spiritous equivalent of lounging in a plush, aged leather armchair next to a wood-fired hearth. Silky, rich, warm and complex, this is a seductive, decadent piece of work. Some sultana, cocoa, tobacco leaf and warm marzipan on the palate. Round, spicy and long, long, long on the finish. A glass of luxury. (TS)
DE MONTAL BLANCHE DE MONTAL, FRANCE ($40)
Crystal-clear Armagnac takes a bit of getting used to. That being said, there are floral, raspberry/kirsch, vanilla, anise notes to this unique spirit. Pure, clean, fruity and moderately spicy; there’s cherry and nutmeg on the palate. Could be a rather interesting cocktail base for creative bartenders to experiment with, behind the wood and at home. (TS) SEPTEMBER 2017 × QUENCH.ME × 65
AFTER TASTE BY TONY ASPLER
THE ANSWER LIES IN THE SOIL
ASK ANY WINEMAKER AND HE OR SHE WILL TELL YOU THAT GREAT WINES ARE MADE IN THE VINEYARD, NOT IN THE CELLAR. By that they mean, you can only make great
wine from perfect grapes. And perfect grapes need the proper soil in which to flourish. This is where the notion of terroir comes in. Terroir is without doubt the most contentious, as well as the least understood, term in the wine lover’s lexicon. If you want to blame anyone, you can blame it on the French who coined the term. According to a French dictionary published in 1777, “… it is said that wine smells of its terroir, that it has a taste of terroir, that is, it has a certain aroma, a certain taste of the terroir …” I couldn’t imagine a more unsatisfactory explanation. This circular definition is rather like explaining why dogs chase their tails by saying, “Because that’s what dogs do.” Let me take a stab at it: Terroir is a geological, microgeographic concept that determines what influences the growth and fruiting of a grapevine — above and below the soil in which it is planted. This torturous definition shows just how difficult it is to pin down what a sense of terroir is in a wine. Perhaps the best shorthand definition was penned by my fellow wine writer, Matt Kramer, who described terroir as “a sense of place … somewhereness.” In other words, terroir is a combination of the soil type, exposure to the sun and the elements, and the ability of that soil to hold water when it’s needed and drain it when it’s not. The French invented the concept to explain why certain vineyard blocks produce wines that have a different flavour from neighbouring blocks. 66 × @QUENCH_MAG × SEPTEMBER 2017
The inheritance laws in France dictated that land had to be divided among the siblings at the death of the owner, which resulted in the division of vineyards into smaller and smaller holdings. One classic example is Burgundy’s Clos Vougeot, a 125-acre walled vineyard whose vines are owned by more than 80 proprietors, all of whom can technically make wine called Clos Vougeot under their own label. In the 19th century, terroir was a term of denigration, suggesting that the wine was rustic. Today, its presence in the bouquet and taste of wine is praiseworthy. Just like climate-change deniers, there are those who argue that there is no such thing as “terroir” and that the whole idea is a marketing ploy. In his book Wine Myths and Reality, Benjamin Lewin MW writes that one naysayer says it’s a “SCAM” — an acronym for Soil + Climate + Aspect = Mystique. The concept of terroir didn’t catch on in the New World until relatively recently because of the size of the vineyards, but now everyone is jumping on the bandwagon. The anti-terroir group place the concept alongside the crazier practices of the biodynamic brigade who bury cows’ horns filled with manure at a certain phase of the moon. But there is no denying that contiguous vineyards in Burgundy and Bordeaux produce wines that taste different. Over the generations, winegrowers have learned that the best wines come from the poorest soils. They plant vines close to each other to ensure the roots will force their way deep into soil rather than spread across the surface. The deeper they go, the more they are able to suck up trace elements that will make the flavour components in the fruit more complex. The world’s best wines don’t share the same soil or the same climate, but they do have one thing in common — good drainage. So I have drunk the kool-aid and I’m a believer: a confirmed terroir-iste. × ILLUSTRATION: FRANCESCO GALLÉ, WWW.FRANCESCOGALLE.COM
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