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Cellar Door Wine a n d p o ss i b i l i t i e s b y Ba n v i l le & J o n e s W i n e Co.
PORTUGAL Issue 29 February 2018 – May 2018
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contents Features 22 Portugal: The Final Frontier Andrea Eby introduces us to the world of Portuguese wines, a land blessed with over 250 indigenous grape varieties that we are just beginning to explore.
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38 The Portuguese Terroir-ist: Dirk van der Niepoort One of Portugal’s greatest wine ambassadors, Dirk van der Niepoort has travelled the wine world only to return to his native Portugal to bring innovation to an industry steeped in tradition.
44 Pilgrimage: A Thousand Sites, a Thousand Tastes, a Thousand Ways Sylvia Jansen shares the very different attractions of three of Portugal’s most interesting destinations: Porto, Lisbon and the Algarve coast.
49 Winter BBQ 49
Chef Craig Guenther joins Mike Muirhead and Rob Stansel in our winter challenge: working your smoker and BBQ at -20°C (hint: the wine helps!).
Cover: The Port Lodge at Taylor Fladgate Port wine cellars in the heart of the historic area of Vila Nova de Gaia, across the river from the old city centre of Porto (photo courtesy of Taylor Fladgate)
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contents Columns 10 A Message from Tina Jones 12 Ask a Sommelier 16 Banville & Jones and Company
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20 Behind the Label Quinta do Infantado
28 Profile Chef Luc Jean, Mon Ami Louis and WOW! Catering
30 Gary’s Corner Porto Roboto
34 Gluggy Portugal on a Dime
42 Banville & Jones Wine & Food Events 43 Trending Make Madeira Great Again
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56 Wine and Drinks College Manitoba 58 Sidebar To the Place: Whole or sum of the parts?
60 Culinary Partners 61 Shopping List 62 Top Picks
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Cellar Door Publisher and Editor Lisa Muirhead lisa@poisepublications.com Editorial Board Tina Jones, Andrea Eby, Sylvia Jansen, Gary Hewitt, Mike Muirhead Graphic Design Ryan Germain ryan.germain@gmail.com Advertising Sales Vanessa Shapiro vanessa@poisepublications.com David Navratil david@poisepublications.com
Contributors Todd Antonation, Matt Benger, Andrea Eby, Anna Everett, Carol Fletcher, Gary Hewitt, Brooklyn Hurst, Sylvia Jansen, James Johnston, Tina Jones, Jill Kwiatkoski, Rebecca Lechman, Ian McCausland, Sara McDonald, Mike Muirhead, Rob Stansel Published for Banville & Jones Wine Co. by Poise Publications Inc. www.poisepublications.com
For advertising information, please contact lisa@poisepublications.com
In 1999, Tina Jones had the vision of opening Banville & Jones Wine Co., a fine wine boutique in Winnipeg, Manitoba that specializes in promoting wine education and lifestyle. It is located in a three-storey Tuscan-inspired facility that houses fine wine and accessories, an educational facility, and a private function room. Banville & Jones Wine Co. 1616 St Mary’s Rd. Winnipeg, MB R2M 3W7 ph. 204-948-9463 www.banvilleandjones.com
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a message from tina jones TINA’S FAVES With a modern wine culture driven by its own grapes, Portugal is one place that did not fall in love with Cabernet Sauvignon before remembering its indigenous varieties. Refreshing, modern takes on authentic varieties such as the Quinta das Maias reds and whites—modern, vibrant, and delicious! Classic but lively Ports that surpass expectations from small Portuguese houses like Quinta do Infantado. Great Value for Price from every wine region: exactly what we search for at Banville & Jones!
There is often a very fine line between chasing stars and setting trends. In the wine business, it’s often a bit of both. At Banville & Jones, we admit to chasing stars: we work tirelessly to bring home for our customers the highest quality, best priced, and most recognized wines from around the world. But we are also committed to setting trends: we want to introduce our customers to undiscovered gems, whether these are rare and unusual choices at the premium end or are such great value wines that they become everyday favourites. For me, the wines of Portugal are both stars and set-to-trend. The stars have been, for a very long time, the iconic Ports of the Douro Valley; and the brightest stars of those, Vintage Ports, still garner a lot of attention in the wine world. But the rest of Portugal? Only those with seemingly insider knowledge can name other regions, grape varieties, or wine styles. The combination of fame and obscurity brings us to this issue of The Cellar Door. We invite you to travel with us to Portugal, and visit the spaces between the spotlights and the unearthed gems. Sylvia Jansen explores its cities and destinations; Andrea Eby tours us through its wine regions; Gary Hewitt examines a tough technical question in the making of Port; and Rob Stansel reminds us that Madeira is a wine worth chasing. Welcome to this interesting place of the traditional and trendy. Enjoy!
Tina Jones
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ask a sommelier What happens to wine when it freezes and is it still ok to drink? —Linda Clark Dear Linda, Wine is like carbonated water when it freezes: it loses its freshness and dulls its structure, but it is still okay to drink it when it thaws. The cold temperature degrades the wine’s structure, aromas, and flavours, losing some of the beautiful essence of what it was intended to be. You may also see cristallization of the wine’s natural tartrates or “wine diamonds” (found mostly in whites but also in some reds), but this is nothing to worry about and is harmless to consume.
Dear Libby, Prolonging the life of an uncorked bottle of red is all about keeping pesky oxygen at bay. There are a variety of ways to prevent exposure to oxygen, including vacuum pump and inert gas preservation systems, though none are foolproof.
Most of us want a wine that is clear (not cloudy), stable (not about to transform itself chemically into something nasty), and reasonably priced. To achieve these ends, winemakers use fining agents to clarify and stabilize their wines. These are placed in wine during finishing; they attract, coagulate, or absorb the bad stuff, and together it falls as sediment and is removed. Fining agents speed up clarification, saving time and money (so, lower prices). Some animal-derived fining substances include egg whites, gelatin, and other products from milk, animals or fish. Consumers who avoid animal-derived products will also avoid these wines, even if none of the substance remains. Many fining agents are not animal-derived; and incidentally quality wines are often produced without fining or filtration (it takes longer and is more expensive). Refrigeration certainly helps. Not only is your refrigerator one of the coolest places in your home, it is likely also the darkest. Wine doesn’t like heat or light. Most importantly, cooler temperatures slow down the chemical processes that begin turning opened wine into vinegar.
Do I have to refrigerate my red wine once it’s open?
Snuggly re-corking your bottle after each glass poured, storing the bottle upright, and allowing your red wine to come slowly back up to room temperature after a good night’s rest in the fridge will all help ensure that the second or third night’s glass is as delicious as the first.
—Libby Gair
—Rob Stansel
—Jill Kwiatkoski
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—David Navratil Dear David,
If you do mistakenly freeze a wine, leave it at room temperature to thaw. If the wine froze so much as to push the cork out or the screw cap off, it is best to drink the wine sooner than later, as oxidation will set in once it thaws. Never microwave a glass bottle to thaw the wine: it will explode. Once thawed, see if the bottle has cracked or broken in any way and watch for glass shards in the wine. As some of you have no doubt found out the hard way, never leave a bottle of bubbly in the freezer: it can explode and leave you with a frozen mess. To chill a wine quickly, fill an ice bucket half full with ice and water and immerse the bottle up to the neck. The wine should chill perfectly in about 15–20 minutes. Freezing a beautiful bottle of wine is like pouring ketchup all over a delicious and artistic plate created by an amazing talented chef... just don’t do it!
Are vegan wines a marketing gimmick or grounded in reality? Rumour has it that lots of animal-derived products are used as “fining agents”—whatever those are. What is available in the Winnipeg market?
Banville & Jones has a long list of vegan wines, white and red, dry and off-dry from around the world. Some excellent producers to start you off include Reassi (Italy), Lingenfelder (Germany) and Some Young Punks (Australia). —Sylvia Jansen
IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION FOR OUR SOMMELIERS, TEXT US BETWEEN 9 AM AND 9 PM AT 204.400.0499 OR FIND US ON INSTAGRAM AND TWITTER @BANVILLEJONES.
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Friends of Banville & Jones Wine Co. 1. Todd Antonation and Holly Ervick-Knote of Smith Restaurant at Gold Medal Plates; 2. Gary Hewitt (right) and his team win Best Classic Pairing at the BC Wine Institute Wine Boot Camp; 3. Randy Reynolds, Stephen Woods, Alex Allardyce, Jill Kwiatkoski, Beaujena Reynolds, Kevin Baillie, Kim Antonation at Beaujena’s French Table; 4. Carlos Muñecas Muñoz, Jill Kwiatkoski, Tammy Mosek, Laura and José Manuel Muñecas and Silvia Muñoz of Lolailo Sangria in Spain; 5. Chef Thomas Stuart and his Thermëa team at Gold Medal Plates; 6. Olga Kandia, Jerry Baluta, Paul Leinburd, Ceri Kaufman, Murray Wilson, Ivy Namaka, Tina Jones, Barb Kleyson, Tom Kleyson at the Tolaini Estates vertical tasting; 7. Actor John O’Hurley (Seinfeld’s Mr Pederman) tasting Tolaini Estates Vallenuova.
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Friends of Banville & Jones Wine Co. 8. The Association of Fundraising Professionals Manitoba Chapter honoured Tina Jones with the 2017 Outstanding Volunteer Fundraiser Award at the Manitoba Philanthropy Awards; 9. SCE Lifeworks presented Banville & Jones with the 2017 Employer of the Year Award. James Johnston is an incredible part of our team: Jill Kwiatkoski, Mike Muirhead, James Johnston, Vicky Johnston; images 10-14: Banville & Jones was a stop on the HSC Foundation’s 2017 Celebrity Human Race, which hosted actors, athletes and entertainers such as Billy Baldwin, Claude Lemieux, Dash Mihok, Pooch Hall, Donovan Carter and Kevin Martin.
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behind the label: Quinta do Infantado By Gary Hewitt, D-WSET, CWE, FWS, Sommelier
Quinta do Infantado nv Ruby Port $22.99
Quinta do Infantado 2013 Tinto Douro $22.99
I first met João and Catarina Roseira in 1999 at the Vinexpo international wine trade show in Bordeaux. I was having lunch with an Italian Sommelier who said that he knew nothing about Port! So, I dragged him over to the Portugal area and hunted for a Port producer presenting a full range of styles. This is where we discovered Quinta do Infantado. Quinta do Infantado was established in 1816 by heir to the throne D. Pedro IV—hence the Infante-derived name (meaning “prince”). The Roseira family took over the estate in the late 19th century. Over three generations, they moved from grape growing, to estate-bottling, and finally to exporting Port to the international market. Today, the estate is run by João, the vineyard manager/winemaker, and Catarina, the chief executive. The quinta is located in Pinhão in the Cima Corgo sub-region of the Douro, home to the finest vineyards of the Port region. Infantado’s 46 hectares of classic steep-terraced vineyards all rate class “A,” the top category likened to France’s Grand Cru in status. The combination of exceptional vineyards with an uncommon “meio-seco” style (less sweet than most Ports) creates wines of distinction. Quinta do Infantado’s reputation is further enhanced by being one of the rare Port producers with a Portuguese name. A paucity of Portuguese names in the register of Port producers has much to do with history. At one time, all Port intended for export had to be aged and shipped from the Port lodges located in Vila Nova de Gaia, across the mouth of the Douro River from the city of Porto. Ostensibly, this was because the hot climate inland along the Douro River resulted in a “Douro bake,” or heat spoilage of the wines. In 20 http://banvilleandjones.cornervine.com
Quinta do Infantado nv Tawny Organic Reserva Port $48.99
Quinta do Infantado 2011 Vintage Port $71.99
effect, it gave the big British, Dutch, and German shippers control over export and prevented smaller Portuguese quintas from ageing and shipping their own wines. This law changed in 1986. Quinta do Infantado had already become a leader in estate-bottled Ports prior to this, starting in 1979, and by 1986, they were ready to take their wines to the international market. Today, João Roseira says that they take their motto “innovation through tradition” to heart. “Having celebrated 200 years in 2016, we still see Quinta do Infantado as a work in progress even if we no longer qualify as beginners! As an example of something new, in 2017 we bottled our first organic Tawny Reserva, having pioneered organic viticulture in the Douro Valley back in 1990.” This philosophy runs through Quinta do Infantado’s technical innovations as well as how it envisions its wines. João believes in traditional foot treading in shallow lagares and gradual addition of fortifying spirit in order to produce the most elegant wines. In contrast, João’s approach to automated lagares is not only effective but is touched with humour—his piston-operated plungers have toes like human feet (see page 31). Starting in the early 2000s, the estate started introducing dry wines. Initial efforts were rustic, but more recent vintages have seen bold wines released to international acclaim. While my first meeting with João and Catarina was quite by happenstance—the intent was simply to run through the range as a demo for my friend—I was stopped short by the fantastic unfiltered Ruby Port. Our drop-in morphed into a business deal, and Quinta do Infantado has graced our Winnipeg shelves ever since.
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The past 20 years have seen many changes in the demarcation of Portugal's vineyards. The country has been divided into 14 large Vinho Regionals (VRs) based on geographical, viticultural and political considerations. Each of these regions is then further divided into numerous appellations or DOCs. Here we highlight the wines of six of Portugal's most dynamic VRs.
Portugal: The Final Frontier
By Andrea Eby, D-WSET, CMS, Sommelier Ah, Portugal. Portugal is known as the land of saudade, loosely translated as “joyful sadness.” Celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain once said: “saudade refers not to a long-lost place but a long-lost time when we were all young and innocent.” To find a time when Portugal was young and innocent, one might have to travel back a few thousand years.
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Building a Mystery The political upheavals that shaped the country have also shaped the wine industry. For many years, the average producer had very little money to invest in their winery and wines were largely made as they were centuries ago, resulting in rustic wines that didn’t have much of a chance competing on the world market. This economic and political isolation did, however, have a positive side. As every other wineproducing country was busy pulling out its indigenous grape vines and replanting their vineyards with Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, the Portuguese continued cultivating their traditional varieties simply because they couldn’t afford not to—and this has turned out to be Portugal’s single biggest advantage. Today, many wine experts see Portugal as the wine world’s final frontier, the last great treasure trove of vines, wines, and terroirs yet to be fully realized. With entry into the European Union in 1986, the Portuguese wine industry took a giant leap forward. Investments poured in, ambitions rose, and a new generation of oenology school graduates began reshaping the landscape of Portuguese wine. Wines that were once rustic have become clean and commercial, and international grape varieties are no longer the extra-terrestrial beings they once were. In fact, some of the country’s most vocal industry advocates caution that perhaps the vines, the wines, and the winemaking are all becoming a little too modern. They fear that, in the race to catch up to the rest of the wine world, Portugal is in danger of losing the “Portuguese-ness” of its wines; anyone can make a Cabernet Sauvignon taste like Cabernet Sauvignon, but so far only Portugal can make a Baga that tastes like it’s from Bairrada. While producers debate the pros and cons of modern versus traditional methods, consumers benefit. Almost every style of wine can be found within the country, and because the wines are not widely known outside of Portugal, prices remain very attractive.
Loading barrels (pipas) of Port destined for London in Gaia (photo courtesy of Taylor Fladgate)
Construction on the Quinta de Vargelles terraces in the Douro (photo courtesy of Taylor Fladgate).
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The terraced vineyards of the Douro Valley
Portugal is blessed with over 250 grape varieties unique to the country. Traditionally, many of these varieties have been planted side by side in vineyards and blended together during winemaking. While these delicious blends remain a mainstay of the industry, consumers can also find more and more examples of exciting single varietal wines featuring these unique Portuguese grapes. And while the Portuguese wine industry has long been recognized for its sweet, fortified reds from the Douro Valley, it is the dry red, white and rosé (rosado) table wines of Portugal that are propelling the region forward. There are 14 official wine regions in Portugal, and each of them has a handful of unique and exciting grape varieties that they have built their industry on. Some regions stand out in terms of their already established reputations, others for their yet untapped potential. Even the most jaded palate is sure to find something to excite it.
Explore Strange New Wines: North to South Vinho Verde is the quintessential Portuguese beach beverage. Crafted from a myriad of local grape varieties found in the appellation of the same name, most are best served young and cold. Vinho Verde is typically full of refreshing acidity and subtle citrus and berry
flavours and has a refreshing spritz. Be it branco (white), rosado (rosé) or tinto (red), good Vinho Verde is like the lemonade of the wine world—always delicious and typically served in glasses that are too small. Just south of Vinho Verde lies Portugal’s most historic and well-known wine district, the Douro. Described by Wine Spectator’s Matt Kramer as a bucket-list destination, “more improbable than any other wine region” he had seen, and “scary beautiful.” The endless stone terraces that snake across the improbably steep slopes are not only hauntingly beautiful but stand as a reminder of the backbreaking effort that it took and takes to grow anything here. So spectacular are the narrow, stone-walled terraces that UNESCO has named the entire region a world heritage site. Wines range from the famous fortified Ports to the dry wines that are garnering more and more attention. For reds: think big, think bold. And for white: surprisingly, they can be fresh and mineral-rich due to the higher elevation of the extreme vineyards. Those looking for the next big thing in Portuguese wine say they have found it in the central regions of the Dão and Bairrada. Dão continues to impress critics with its reds that feature high acidity and tannin, making them great candidates for ageing. Grape varieties vary but the stars of the show seem to be Jaen (aka, Mencía)
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and Touriga Nacional. Don’t pass up an opportunity to try a white made from the local Encruzado grape: fans of rich, full-bodied wines will be impressed. Bairrada is the new darling of sommeliers. Why? One word: Baga. Not the nicest sounding name for a grape but the wines more than make up for it. Historically, the high-yielding Baga was a tannic monster, taking 20 years to soften and develop charm. Now, careful vineyard management has curbed the yields and modern winemaking has tamed the tannins. These complex and elegant wines are earning comparisons to Pinot Noir and the wines of Barolo. The area is just beginning to uncap its potential and it truly is the wild west of Portuguese wine. Portugal is also home to some small but seriously unique wine regions. Fortified wines exist outside of
Port, and the Setúbal region is home to delicious, rich tawny-like dessert wines made from the Muscat grape. If possible, you will not regret a visit to the islands of Madeira (explored further on page 43). The fortified wines of this volcanic island are drenched in history and represent one of the greatest values in the wine world. Sweetness levels vary depending on the grapes used, but every bottle will be complex and haunting and virtually indestructible. Whether you find yourself on the beaches of the Algarve, the cobblestone streets of Lisbon or the Portuguese section of your local wine store, adventurous oenophiles will be treated to affordable bottles crafted from the area’s local grape varieties. Those stuck on drinking Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot will find the task more challenging. Rather like going to Italy and eating at McDonalds: it can be done, but why?
Portuguese wine labels can be some of the most confusing for consumers to understand. Bottles are labelled with unfamiliar terms and unknown grape varieties. With over 250 uniquely Portuguese varieties (that we know of) the choices can be overwhelming for the wine professional, let alone the casual connoisseur. Here’s The Cellar Door guide on how to decode Portuguese wine labels and how to find the bottle that’s right for you.
Quinta: Quinta is the Portuguese word for farm, and is typically incorporated into the name of the winery. Vinho Branco: White wine Vinho Tinto: Red wine Vinho Rosado: Rosé wine Garrafeira: Special reserve wine; usually with mandated ageing requirements Colheita: Vintage
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DOC(DOP): Portugal has 31 wine regions that are geographically defined. These regions have the most stringent rules and regulations. Vinho Regional (IGP): These 14 larger geographical areas encompass some DOCs and have more flexible regulations. Vinho: Table wine. Although this can indicate very entry-level bottling it can also be used to classify innovative top-quality wines that are made outside of the more restrictive DOC and IGP classifications. Rarely seen outside of Portugal.
Decoding Portuguese Wine Labels Blends are big in Portugal. Many vineyards are planted with multiple grape varieties, many of them unfamiliar to the average consumer. It can be helpful to think about what you typically like and then find a Portuguese wine that echoes the flavour or structure found in your favourite wine. Below are some go-to comparisons that we think will help you choose the wine that’s right for you. Keep in mind this is just a place to begin, the possibilities are endless!
REDS
WHITES
IF YOU LIKE:
IF YOU LIKE:
Cabernet Sauvignon, Bordeaux, Super Tuscans: Start your Portuguese adventure in the Douro Valley. The dry red wines of the Douro are typically crafted from blends of regional grape varieties but mono-varietal examples can also occasionally be found. Look for a wine labelled simply as Douro or perhaps Touriga Nacional for big, bold wines that are full of red and black fruit flavours, and hints of oak and spice.
Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio: If you like light, refreshing whites then look no further than Vinho Verde. The white version of this regional wine is crafted from a number of tongue-twisting Portuguese varieties (often including Alvarinho, Loureiro, Azal, Arinto and Trajadura) and is full of lemon and lime flavours with just a touch of bubble.
TRY: Delaforce 2014 Touriga Nacional Douro ($29.99)
TRY: Niepoort 2016 Dócil Vinho Verde ($25.99)
Rioja, Tempranillo, Chianti Classico, Rhône Valley Reds: If you crave wines with a more savoury edge that feature food-friendly tannins, fresh acidity and elegant fruit profiles then look towards the Dão. In the Dão grapes such as Tempranillo (called Arragônes or Tinta Roriz) are often blended with Jaen (Mencia). These red-fruited gems are full of savoury flavours of leather, spice, and everything nice.
California Chardonnay, Oaked Chenin Blanc, White Burgundy: If fuller bodied, creamier whites are more your style then look for wines made from Arinto, Encruzado, and Antão Vaz. Typically found in the regions of Baírrade, and Alentejo, these whites are often aged in oak, enhancing the creamy, nutty quality that make these wines so delicious.
TRY: Quinta das Maias 2014 Maias Tinto Dão ($17.99)
TRY: Niepoort 2014 Coche Branco Douro ($147.99)
Aussie Shiraz, American Zinfandel, Argentine Malbec: If you are a fan of the silky, rich and creamy textures of these New World wines then we suggest you check out the wines of the Alentejo. The wonderfully warm temperatures of the Alentejo lead to full-throttle jammy reds that are big on flavour and lighter on tannin. Again blends dominate and you are likely to find names such as Trincadeira, Alicante Bouschet, and Tinta Roriz on the back label.
Chablis, Loire Chenin, Dry Riesling: Fans of mineraldriven, high-acid whites will gravitate toward the textures and flavours of grape varieties such as Malvasia Fina, Rabigato, Encruzado, and Gouveio. Ask for an unoaked version to really appreciate the true flavours of these unique grapes.
TRY: Bacalhôa 2016 Serras de Azeitao Tinto Península de Setúbal ($14.99)
TRY: Quinta das Maias 2014 Maias Branco Dão ($16.99) Cava, Champagne, Cremant, Prosecco: Sparkling wines abound in Portugal, and the quality keeps getting better and better! Some bubblies are made from familiar varieties such as Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, but indigenous grapes such as Malvasia Fina, Cerceal, and Fernão Pires are also used to craft delicious wines. Portuguese bubbly often has incredible value for the price. TRY: Caves São João 2014 Bruto Reserva Bairrada ($19.99)
www.banvilleandjones.com 27
profile Chef Luc Jean, Mon Ami Louis and WOW! Catering Photos by Ian McCausland
Chef Luc Jean of Mon Ami Louis has travelled around the world, to Southern France, London, Sweden, and Australia’s Gold Coast, studying classical cooking methods and doing stages under some of contemporary cooking’s Michelin-starred heroes. His culinary journey brought him back to Winnipeg in 2009, and now he is exploring the cuisine de terroir (ingredients indigenous to our land) in our own backyard: the boreal forest. Luc is the executive chef for WOW! Catering and Mon Ami Louis on the L’Esplanade Riel, which will re-open its doors in spring for the summer season. How did you get started in your culinary career? I had a paper route when I was 12, and on my route was Le Croissant bakery. The owner said, “You’re always on time, you’re a hard worker—you should be a baker.” He gave me a pain de chocolat (a chocolate croissant), and it was the best thing I had ever eaten. The guy saw my eyes and said: “I’m going to turn you into a pastry chef. Come work for me.” So I started working there. He was teaching me so I signed a contract to work for a year for free. There was another French chef that worked there that said, “I am going to go work at the Manitoba Club. You should come and work with me.” So I did my apprenticeship there under Chef Bernard Mirlycourtois. What is boreal cuisine? The Boreal forest covers a third of Canada and all the northern countries—Sweden, Russia, Finland. In boreal cuisine, you are using the ingredients from the Northern terroir. We are trying to embrace our backyard. I recently went to Quebec to a meeting of French chefs across North America. I met Chef Arnaud Marchand, who has partnered with a famous chef named Jean-Luc Boulay, and they started this boreal cuisine. Marchand has his own line of products, and one of the things he does is cattail roots (which can be compared to hearts of palm) and a whole line of pickled flower buds, like a boreal version of capers. I have been experimenting with a lot of birch syrup, cider vinegars, mustards, Arctic char, pressed virgin canola oil, flower oil,
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Boreal Cuisine: Birch syrup and mustard glazed Arctic char, Prairie grain salad, beet purée
and a lot of things that are in our region. I am folding this idea of cuisine de terroir into some of the upscale catering we are doing and will incorporate it into some of what we do at Mon Ami Louis this year. What is a culinary trend you would like to see? There is a revolution in spices that is going to happen still. We don’t use spices as much as we should. I am fascinated with ethnic cuisines. My girlfriend is from Nigeria, and these cuisines are thousands of years old. In the European tradition, we take pieces of their cuisine, but we are not making it better at all. Also, we talk about cuisine de terroir, but cultures in Africa, Asia and South America have been doing that for thousands of years. Your favourite ingredient? I like different peppers. I use a Nigerian pepper that is a mix of piri piri and the Cameroon pepper. It is almost like a cayenne, but more flavour and not quite as hot. Your favourite wine? I eat a lot of spicy food, so I like sweeter wines like Quail’s Gate Gewürtztraminer from Kelowna. Your favourite kitchen gadget at home? The pressure cooker. I eat a lot of curries and stews and rice and beans. Sometimes I don’t want to cook every day, so I’ll make a nice stew and have it for a few days. The pressure cooker is amazing—something that would take you three hours in the oven takes you 20 minutes in the pressure cooker. Your favourite cookbook? We use the Internet so much, but I really like Cabane à Sucre Au Pied de Cochon by Martin Picard. It’s fun and over-the-top, and I love maple syrup. Favourite food travel destination? Thailand. Bangkok is the street food capital of the world. There is so much food that we don’t see here. Your favourite place to eat on your day off? My girlfriend is a really good cook. She makes a peanut soup with goat, tomatoes, and crushed peanuts that is life changing.
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gary’s corner By Gary Hewitt, D-WSET, CWE, FWS, Sommelier
PORTO ROBOTO Foot treading has a great tradition in the making of Port. Freshly harvested grapes are loaded into shallow granite vats called lagares and crushed by the bare feet of diligent workers wearing shorts. For two hours, the corte (literally “cut”) unfolds as teams in precise lines, arms across shoulders, slowly march back and forth time and time again, the silence broken by a lone voice keeping time. For another hour and a half, the workers are free to dance through the dark purple juice and play traditional foot-stomping games, often to live music. Festivities conclude when the grapes are sufficiently pummelled to jump-start alcoholic fermentation. Over the following days, teams repeat the process until fermentation is stopped by the addition of wine brandy.
Starting in the 1990s, the leading Port houses began studying methods to simulate foot treading. The TaylorFladgate partnership introduced cap plungers while the Symington group introduced automatic treading machines dubbed “robotic lagares.” One would think that the objective would be easy to achieve. After all, it is just a matter of pressing the grapes against the bottom of the vessel without crushing the seeds. Not so. One method employs rows of thin blocks of pneumatic plungers that “walk” across the bottom of the lagar (no music required). Another consists of an open-lattice frame fitted to the shape of the lagar that works up and down. Our friends at Quinta do Infantado invented a broad pneumatic “foot” complete with toes (added just for fun) that walks about the tanks.
Research from Taylor Fladgate shows a difference in the progression of extraction between foot treading and a modern piston prototype. Foot treading creates an almost linear increase in extracted compounds to a high level of total extraction. The prototype starts faster, but then an odd thing happens whereby the level of extraction becomes unpredictable, some of the extracted compounds are “unstable,” and the total extraction is incomplete. Not surprisingly, many of the top Port wines today are still produced entirely by foot treading because the final product is still considered superior. On the other hand (not foot), topquality Ports are now made in automated lagares. One of the most modern automated facilities is Taylor’s Nogueira winery, which is equipped
It seems that the human foot is ideal for crushing grapes and squishing grape skins. Feet are firm enough to gently extract pigments, flavour and tannins, but are soft enough not to extract bitterness from the hard, little grape seeds. Rapid maceration and extraction are essential for Port production because the process must be done completely before the wine is fortified with a neutral spirit. Historically, there was no shortage of feet to sustain port production, but after World War II and to the present day, labour shortages have been the norm. Mechanization filled the void, but it seems that for the best wines, the human foot is remarkably difficult to replace.
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Treading at Taylor Quinta de Vargellas (photo courtesy of Taylor Fladgate)
with 37 stainless steel tanks of various sizes all constructed with slanting floors. Pistons operate disk plungers that press the grape mass towards the bottom of the tank in an asymmetric pattern while the sloping bottom prevents overpressing and promotes circulation. “Likely less than 1% of the total Douro production is fermented in lagar today. But it’s a much bigger percentage when talking about the region’s best wines,” according to João Roseira of Quinta do Infantado. He says “fermenting in lagar, treading by foot or by a good roboto, allows for a great extraction but also finesse, elegance, and balance.” It seems that quality is approaching that of foottrodden wines. Tradition is of the essence to Port, so it is lovely to see that modernization has embraced romantic notions as new technologies imitate old techniques. Perhaps this is neo-traditional, this Porto Roboto.
The robotic “foot” at Quinta do Infantado treads the grapes (photo by Carol Fletcher)
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Portugal on a Dime
If you are looking for the best bang-for-your-buck wines that consistently over-deliver, then Portugal should be one of your first stops at Banville & Jones. Portugal offers a wide range of wine styles to suit anyone, from the fastidious connoisseur to the most casual social drinker. The problem with Portugal is knowing where to start. Portugal has always stuck to what they grow, never pandering to the international markets. People tend to shy away from wines with names like Alicante Bouschet, Cรณdega do Larino, and Rabigato, mostly because
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FORTIFIED PORTUGAL Delaforce nv Fine Tawny Port, Portugal ($18.99) Port is perfect for a Canadian winter evening. The Delaforce Tawny (tawny refers to the colour, which comes from longer ageing) is warming, with notes of dried fig, orange peel and toffee, balanced by nice body and sweetness. All basic tawny ports are not created equal, but the quality of Delaforce shines through this one. Great with a snack of cheese and nuts. Quinta do Infantado nv Meio-Seco Ruby Porto, Portugal ($22.99) What wine is more synonymous and representative of Portugal than Port? Even purchasing a good bottle of Port does not need to break the bank. A wonderful place to start is the Quinta do Infantado Ruby Port. Fresh, fruity, and fun, pair this port with Stilton cheese.
they are unfamiliar. There are so many grapes that are indigenous to Portugal that it is hard to find one similar to those international grapes you know and love (never mind trying to pronounce them). The range of styles of wines produced in Portugal varies from big and bold Touriga Nacional to the soft and subtle Jaen. But for every Pinot Grigio and Cabernet Sauvignon lover, there is a Portuguese grape that will blow you away without blowing up your wallet. Here are a few recommendations to introduce you to the world of Portuguese wines.
Blends Portada 2015 White Blend Lisboa, Portugal ($15.99): The white blend is also a very typical Portuguese blend. This wine is made from a blend of Fernão Pires, Arinto, Alvarinho, Chardonnay, Riesling, and Muscatel. Flavours of green apples and citrus make this wine a crowd pleaser. Many Portuguese white wines are made in a light and refreshing style; it is a reflection of their warm climate and makes for a great accompaniment to a fresh seafood lunch.
BEY ER R A NC H Z I NFA NDEL Available at Banville & Jones Wine Co. This full-bodied Zinfandel from Livermore Valley, in California’s central coast, has aromas and flavours of raspberry, blackberry, spice and black pepper. With a firm tannic backbone and ripe chewy finish, this wine is a perfect pairing for rich dishes.
Portada 2015 Red Blend Lisboa, Portugal ($15.99): The Portada red blend is smooth and tasty with lovely flavours of red cherry. Made with seven different grapes in a mix of both Portuguese and international varieties, this wine is a very typical Portuguese blend. Ares de Medeiros 2013 Arragonez, Touriga Nacional, Syrah Alentejano, Portugal ($18.99): Touriga Nacional is often compared to Cabernet Sauvignon because it has big tannins, a full body, and deep colour. This wine is one for the Cabernet lover. Historically used in Port blends, Touriga Nacional is quickly becoming a staple in Portuguese red wine blends. This wine is full bodied with intense red fruit flavours and soft round tannins. Casal Garcia nv Branco Vinho Verde DOC, Portugal ($14.99): Vinho Verde is a region, not a grape or a style of wine—though the region is most commonly associated with a crisp, clean white wine. It is one of the most famous blends in Portugal, and can be made from up to 25 different grapes. Typically, this wine is slightly effervescent, making it a great patio wine. This wine would be a great alternative to Pinot Grigio.
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The Portuguese Terroir-ist:
DIRK VAN DER NIEPOORT An interview by Andrea Eby, D-WSET, CSW, Sommelier Dirk van der Niepoort (photo courtesy of Niepoort Vinhos)
Dirk van der Niepoort is considered by many to be the spark that ignited the Douro Valley’s wine revolution. Born into the influential family of Niepoort Vinhos Port shippers, his curiosity led him to travel the globe, where he became convinced that the Douro was capable of producing worldclass dry wines. Returning to Portugal, Niepoort began his crusade to revolutionize the vineyards of the Douro and the ideologies of its winemakers and landowners. Niepoort’s enthusiasm and insatiable curiosity seem to have endowed him with almost superhuman energy; he produces wines from the many unique Portuguese terroirs and grape varieties and collaborates with countless famous international winemakers. Niepoort is largely responsible for convincing the wine world that the Douro, and Portugal in general, is a treasure-trove of possibilities with much unrealized potential. I was thrilled to have the opportunity to speak with Dirk and learn a little bit more about what it is that fuels his passion for Portugal.
Andrea Eby (AE) What inspired you to make your own wines in Portugal? Dirk van der Niepoort (DN) When I left California in 1987, Garry Andrew from Pine Ridge asked me if I was planning on doing wines in the Douro. I said, yes, of course—I will be making Port. He said, “No, no, will you do some red wines as well?” I said, “I guess so…. I will try.” In those days hardly anybody was making dry wines in the Douro. I thought my first wine would be robust and big, then in 20 years I will be making fine elegant wines. He said, “Why not make fine and elegant wines immediately?” (Pine Ridge was really in those days ahead of the time trying to make elegant lighter wines.) I said “I don’t understand fine and elegant wines, and my school is California. I have no idea how to make such wines.” So Robustus was really my first wine (never sold) in 1990, and it is really 20 years later that I started making finer and more elegant wines. 38 http://banvilleandjones.cornervine.com
AE Even though it was your first solo attempt at winemaking, the Robustus 1990 remains one of your most famous and talked-about wines. DN I loved making it, but my father hated it. He gave 4 out of 5 barrels (pipes) to the workers as their everyday wine. On top of that, all my colleagues seemed to hate it as well: too big, too dark, too stupid to be doing red wine in the Douro… AE There must have been a great deal of satisfaction when Michael Broadbent called it the Latour of Portugal. Did your father soften his criticism at all after that? DN I did like his comment calling it the Latour of Portugal, but my father only many years later started to like my wines. The first proof that something changed was at a birthday party where my father almost drank a magnum of Redoma 1991. I was pouring some other wines—by the time I noticed, the magnum was almost empty, which made me very happy. I took it as a compliment and gave my father a hug. AE Why did you choose to make a dry, red table wine as your first wine and not a Port wine, as would be typical from the Douro? DN In 1987, we bought a property called Quinta de Napoles. I thought that that area would not be good for Port. It turns out that I was right and not being so good for Port made me think that it might be particularly good for wine. AE Do you believe that the true potential of the Douro can only be realized by focusing equally, as they say, on the three priorities of Port, table wine, and tourism?
DN We have to look at the Douro for the future and not Port. Port is the past and will have a bright future if we think about the Douro and its full potential. And the future of the Douro is: first, make better Port and treat it as something special—treat it in an almost snobbish way. It is one of the best things on this planet; it is one of the best sweet wines of the world. It is unique and very special. Second, make different styles of wines. Create some strong brands in white and red. Wines with style but also real Douro character at a good but not cheap price. At the same time, we should be making some “garage” wines to make the point: we can and have the terroir and varieties to make some outstanding whites and reds, even rosés. While taking the wines/Ports to the world, we have to bring the world to get to know the (most beautiful and intense, also hard) wine area in the world. Show the potential of Portugal and its olive oil, almonds, tomatoes, cuisine.
red wines, it is crucial (my opinion, for making proper wine and not just monster wines) to have some balance in the ripening season. Natural acidity is crucial. That is why, in my opinion, the best areas for red wine are higher in altitude and very often north-facing vineyards. That is also why very often a great year for Port is not so good for wines.
AE You have been at the forefront of the movement to develop table wines from the Douro. People are often surprised to hear that world-class white wines can be made in the extreme conditions of the Douro Valley. What inspired you to believe in the potential of whites here?
AE Portugal is now full of young, university-trained oenologists that are capable of making very technically sound wines. How do you feel about the wines they are making?
DN Just making and making and making it and realizing that there is huge potential. In the high, north-facing areas of the Douro, we have wonderful varieties, and we are still learning about the Douro and its diversity. For Port, we know where the best vineyards are; on the wine side, we are learning more and more. Today, there are many great whites being made in the Douro. AE Are the best Port vineyards also the best for red table wines? DN In my opinion usually the best vineyards for Port are not great for red wine. Port seems to like extreme conditions and the natural acidity doesn’t seem to be so important. For
AE You’ve said that Portugal has 2000 years of making bad wine (except for Port). Why do you think that is? DN It is strange and silly but probably quite easy to explain: There has been one priority in the last 300 years… making Port, so all the attention and concentration and decisions were related to Port. To make proper red/white wines we have to have two priorities: you have to have two wineries or at least the conditions such that you can do both things at the right time; if necessary, at the same time.
DN They are making good wines, but too technical. Personally, I am fed up with those “made wines.” It is true that most of them have no apparent faults, but they are undrinkable. More and more, I prefer to drink a simple more or less well-made wine with some faults than all these perfect technical wines. AE Should tradition play a bigger role in winemaking? DN It should. Respect the old, respect the traditions and combine all and make better wines with local character and personality—but not just make wine: allow nature to play an important part. The duty of the “winemaker” is not to make wine; it is to allow nature to make the wine and create the right conditions for it to happen.
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AE You make many different, very small production wines for different markets, including Canada. What is your approach?
people that want or are doing natural wines without too many complicated rules.
DN It was a great idea that nobody understood in the beginning (most still don’t understand). Let’s put it this way: Coca Cola has fantastic marketing, all of it working on the amazing brand. What is in the bottle or can is adapted to the different countries and clients. I’m stubborn and I want to make my wine and take it to the different parts of the world, adapting the label (but not the wine).
AE Where do you feel Portugal’s greatest wine that no one has heard of yet will come from?
AE I’ve read conflicting reports of your opinions about “natural’ wines. Has your opinion changed in the last few years? Is your Close de Crappe (a natural wine described on your own website as “technically a disaster but a wine full of passion and expression”) a response to this movement?
AE Your curiosity led you to experiment with table wines in the Douro, where will it lead you next?
DN I love the idea but hate it when really bad wines are drunk just because they are bad…therefore natural…therefore great. I don’t like that attitude. Making Close de Crappe was a fun thing to do… it is a clean, well-made wine. It was a provocation. It is really interesting that out of 100 wine lovers 80 love it, and out of 100 winemakers 80 hate it. So what I am saying is: a wine lover does not have to become a winemaker, but the winemakers should become more wine lovers and not just technical engineers. I am creating a thing called NAT COOL, which is a movement (not only in Portugal) for
DN Marialva between Douro and Dao. There is also great potential in Portalegre, Tras dos Montes, and I’m convinced that the Vinho Verde area will be talked about hugely (for the bad also but also for the good).
DN We will see…but old style Vinho Verde is very exciting—white and red. Portugal will be one of the most interesting countries for wine, food, and tourism in the next times. Portugal is HOT! Come to Banville & Jones and try our selection of Niepoort’s amazing wines and Ports: Niepoort 2014 Coche Branco Douro $147.99 Niepoort 2014 Diálogo Snow Branco Douro $25.99 Niepoort 2016 Dócil Vinho Verde Douro $25.99 Niepoort 2015 Dialogo Tinto Douro $25.99 Niepoort 2007 Vintage Port Douro $136.99 Niepoort Tawny Dee Port Douro (375 ml) $20.99
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WINE & FOOD
EVENTS SCHEDULE FEBRUARY 2018 THROUGH JUNE 2018
Wine & Food Evening
Top Shelf Tasting
Essentials (Level 2)
Join us for our wine and food pairing series! Our Sommeliers work with Winnipeg’s most talented chefs to create the ultimate pairing experience.
Taste the luxury when our Sommeliers open the doors to our Wine Cave specialties to explore some of Banville & Jones’s exclusive treasures.
Essentials (Level 2) are oneevening classes that dig deep into specific topics of interest, with an educational and engaging approach.
Cost: $85.99 per person
Cost: $99.00 per person
February 1: Chew Restaurant February 8: VG Fairmont February 16: From the Ground Up: Boreal Cuisine with Mon Ami Louis March 8: Wine, Olive Oil & Empanadas with Frescolio and La Pampa March 15: Beaujena’s French Table March 22: Pizzeria Gusto April 19: Chef Ben Kramer April 28: Focus on France: A Wine & Cheese seminar with The Cheesemongers Fromagerie May 10: Carne Italian Chophouse May 24: The Mitchell Block June 7: The Merchant Kitchen
February 3: Benevolent Neglect March 10: Port & the Douro*
February 27: Pinot Noir: The Heartbreak Grape May 4: Chile, Elevated
*This event will be held on the main floor at Banville & Jones and is wheelchair accessible.
Click on the Events & Education tab at banvilleandjones.com for updated information on wine and food events. To reserve a space or book a private wine tasting event, call 204.948.9463. • Tickets for events are non-refundable, but are exchangeable 14 days prior to the event. • Events begin at 7 pm and take place in the 2nd floor Tuscany Room unless otherwise noted. • Prices do not include taxes.
BANVILLE & JONES STORE HOURS: Monday to Friday: 10 am to 8 pm Saturday: 10 am to 6 pm Sundays and holidays: 11 am to 6 pm
trending By Rob Stansel, Sommelier (CAPS)
Make Madeira Great Again Richard King is my hero. Richard was a cellar-man, working for a wine merchant in 18th-century London. In 1773, he was indicted for grand larceny—a capital offence. His trial lasted about 10 minutes, somewhat longer than usual. He was found guilty, but the judge was lenient. He was sentenced to a 7-year term of indentured labour in the American colonies. Life in the colonies was hard, if you survived the voyage and the scurvy and the pirates. We don’t know what happened to Richard, but we do know that he had a great palate. Richard risked his life to steal 12 bottles of Madeira wine. In 1773, it was cool to drink Madeira. In America, it was also cool to defy the British Crown and evade customs duties. John Hancock was a Madeira smuggler. The British tried to prosecute him. Madeira-loving Bostonians rioted. Unlike poor Mr. King, Hancock could afford a good lawyer, a fellow named John Adams. Mr. Adams managed to drag the trial out for several months, much longer than usual. The case was dropped. A few years later, Hancock and Adams drank Madeira together in Philadelphia after signing a document about how the British should just go away already and stop taxing all of their booze. That’s right: Madeira was the wine that fuelled the American Revolution. And after a two-plus-century hiatus, what’s old is—as they might have said back in the day—“butter upon bacon” again. Delicious, that is. Madeira is an island in the middle of the Atlantic, settled by the Portuguese long before the British were taxing Bostonians. Like its cousin Port, Madeira wine is fortified. But what makes Madeira so unique is that what winemakers avoid doing to most wine is deliberately done to Madeira: it is literally “cooked,” repeatedly, in heated tanks, or heated rooms, or just outside in the sun. It seems the sailors that drank it thought it tasted best this way, after the long, equator-crossing voyage to India, so they just kept cooking it. In fact, Madeira can proudly boast that it has seen the least modernization of any wine style, ever. The viticulture is old-
school, because machines don’t like steep, volcanic slopes. The winemakers aren’t buying concrete eggs. And label design? Not so much. The bottles still look like the ones Mr. King stole. But perhaps this is precisely why Madeira is back in vogue. It isn’t pretending to be anything other than what it is, and always has been. Oh, and it tastes really good. Imagine orange peel, toffee, toasted walnuts, burnt sugar, and peaches. They range from just-off-dry to richly sweet. They are a delicious aperitif or the best liquid dessert. Bartenders are re-discovering how versatile they are as cocktail ingredients, and yes, I always make Madeira onion gravy for my bangers and mash. Richard King understood this. And anyone that risked deathby-hanging for a glass of wine is someone worth celebrating. So open up a bottle of Finest, or Rainwater, or Malmsey (Text a Somm, we’ll help), and toast to Richard, and to all of the wine nerds of generations past, who followed their palates into the best kinds of trouble.
OUR PICKS Justino’s 5-Year-Old Reserve Fine Medium Rich (375ml) ($12.99) The gateway to Madeira: layers of sweet fig, candied plum and toffee. Justino’s 10-Year-Old Verdelho Medium Dry (375ml) ($34.99) Serious Madeira: lively acidity, dried orange peel and walnuts. Blandy’s 1996 Colheita Malmsey (500ml) $127.99 The epitome of Madeira: 15 years in oak, from a single harvest, it is pure, rich nuttiness that lingers forever.
Porto, Portugal sits on the Douro River
Pilgrimage:
A Thousand Sites, a Thousand Tastes, a Thousand Ways By Sylvia Jansen, D-WSET, CSW, Sommelier It is a country where almost every square kilometre can be visited. Its list of UNESCO World Heritage sites is impressive. Its food and wine scene is incredibly modern, and refreshingly authentic. And it is accessible for travel, yet it is difficult to decide where to visit. So when I had
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a chance recently to spend a day with my friend António Mendonça, I peppered him with questions about his country. He was happy to help. António is export director of Bacalhôa Vinhos wine company near Lisbon; he has travelled the world and yet loves to return home.
The Hogwarts' staircase got its inspiration from the Livraria Lello; the tile work museum at the Pinhão train station (photos by Carol Fletcher)
The Cities Porto Porto began as a Roman post, and has enjoyed a continuous history. Its value is recognized in the UNESCO World Heritage list. The city has drawn merchants, Port wine traders, and scholars to its streets. One visitor was J.K. Rowling, who lived in Porto in the 1990s, and reportedly drew inspiration for the staircase at Hogwarts from the bookshop Livraria Lello in the city’s heart.
Just walking downtown in Lisbon or Porto and in many villages is an open air visit to a museum. – António Mendonça
For wine-loving visitors, Port Loges (houses) are a draw, most sitting on the Vila Nova de Gaia side of the river. Pick your place, make an appointment if required, then tour, learn, and taste. For a special meal, the Barão Fladgate restaurant offers stunning views over Porto and the river, paired with fine food and wines. In Old Douro there are numerous choices as well.
NEARBY PORTO: THE ICONIC DOURO VALLEY The renowned Douro can be accessed by car, but arguably the best views are from a boat or by the local train stretching its way along the riverbank. The train station at Pinhāo is a free museum of fine Portuguese tile work; a stop in this town offers vineyard tours, Port experiences, beautiful hotels, and spectacular views of the Valley.
The Monument to the Discoveries looks over northern bank of the Tagus River; Tuk-tuks await tourists at Portugal Place. Below: Time Out Market.
Like with Lisbon, walking Porto’s steep streets rising from the stone gorge of the Douro might seem daunting, but locals advise either a roundabout route, or to taxi up and walk down. It is good advice.
Lisbon Lisbon has a long merchant and exploration history, and some of its most treasured destinations reflect an outwardlooking orientation.“The choice for museums and historical landmarks in Lisbon is huge,” says António; the Museu dos Coches (Coach Museum) is the top of his must-see list. The 52-meter high Monument to the Discoveries facing the waterfront at Belém honours this history: its figures stand atop a ship’s prow, looking toward an unseen destination. Nearby is a well-known tribute to Portugal’s historic trade in sugar, and to a secret recipe from monks of Jerónimos Monastery: the shop Pastéis de Belém. António suggests that to taste these unique custard pastries hot from the oven is to understand why they are so famous. Modern-day explorers can enjoy Lisbon’s merchant history by shopping the wide tree-lined Avenida da Liberdade among cafés and international brand-name shops. For others, the central Baixa neighbourhood holds the appeal of century-old shops and modern treasures alike. For easy exploration of Lisbon’s neighbourhoods, many visitors tour via tuk-tuk, small three-wheeled vehicles that navigate narrow city streets. (Local wisdom says the Praça da Figueira near Rossio train station is the place to catch the most knowledgeable tuk-tuk guides.)
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To tour local and internationally inspired cuisines, the Time Out Market is a must. The concept transformed the city’s oldest and largest food market into a bustling hall of restaurant kiosks, bars, shops, and a music venue. Every person in your group can travel to a different part of the culinary world, and everyone eats together.
NEARBY LISBON: WINE TOURING AND SCENIC DRIVES IN SETÚBAL PENINSULA Crossing the massive Golden Gate-style suspension bridge from Lisbon begins a drive to Setúbal Peninsula for a day tour of Bacalhôa Vinhos. “The winery has guided tours that include the XV Century Palace and amazing collections: Portuguese tile art, African art, Art Deco, as well as Roman, Greek and Renaissance art. Wine tastings are included, of course!” To round out the day, António recommends a drive through nearby Arrabida Mountain, with views of one of most beautiful bays in Europe.
Southern Playground While Portugal’s north offers amazing history and culture, the south is the playground. “The popular southern coast of Algarve has a Mediterranean climate that enables outdoor living for most of the year, with beaches and golf courses that are internationally known,” explains António. The region’s waters also offer some of the best surfing in Europe—arguably rivalled only by other Portuguese surfing sites a bit further up the coast. “We have a thousand-year history, and today the variety of things to do, to eat and to see, is amazing,” says António. The question for the rest of us is not whether to go, but where to start.
FOOD FROM THE SEA AND THE LAND “Across the country you can enjoy cod on a waterfront balcony for a reasonable price. We call it the king of fishes in Portugal; it can be cooked a thousand different ways,” says António. But he adds that simple grilled sardines, seabass, mullet, grouper, squid, and octopus also provide many imaginative ways to enjoy food from Portuguese waters. The land offers a similarly wide bounty: lamb stew, grilled black pork (producing famous Pata Negra), Barrosao beef, and northern Alheira sausage feature in restaurants and family dinners. Cheeses, grains, rice, and pulses also make its foods accessible for vegetarians. “Our many cheeses are beautiful: sheep, goat, and cow’s milk cheese from the Azores. Near Setúbal where I live, we have Azeitao (sheep’s milk) cheese, that I eat more often than I should,” he admits.
Owner Michael is proud to be a certified olive oil sommelier. He shares his knowledge with the Frescolio team every day. Let us find the right olive oil for you!
frescolio.ca
fine oil + vinegar tasting bar
2-929 Corydon Ave. | 204-505-1455 5-1604 St Mary’s Rd. | 204-615-3885 Open Tuesday through Sunday
FOREVER BEGINS AT FAIRMONT When you say “I do” to Fairmont, we make sure you have everything you need for your wedding - and a little something extra. In 2018, we’re offering you the choice to choose one of the following benefits. Weddings held on a Sunday are entitled to a second too! Choose from the following benefits: • Complimentary stay in the bridal suite on the night before and night of your wedding • Complimentary stay for the parents of the couple on the night of your wedding • Addition of an Artisanal cheese or vegetable crudité display to your cocktail reception hour • 25% discount on Chiavari chairs • White fitted Giselle chair covers • Complimentary one-year anniversary stay at hotel for one night • Complimentary brunch for the bride/groom for the morning after
Offer only valid for any new wedding event not yet booked, confirmed or already in the sales process. Cannot be combined with any other offers or promotions. Offer must be mentioned at the time of booking/request for proposal (RFP) submission and must be included in the contract. Contract must be signed by May 31, 2018. Event must be actualized between January 1, 2018 and December 31, 2018. Offer is subject to hotel availability. Food & Beverage minimum is $10,000. Black-out dates apply.
Winter BBQ With Chef Craig Guenther, Mike Muirhead and Rob Stansel Photos by Ian McCausland
You can’t be a Manitoban if you are afraid of a little cold. We challenged three of our hardiest food and wine experts to keep their smoker smoking and their grill hot on a typical Manitoba winter day, where the temperatures dropped below -20°C with some fresh northern gusts coming off the Red River. Luckily, we had Chef Craig Guenther of Urban Prairie Cuisine (who also just happens
to be a certified BBQ judge) to guide us through our little experiment. Here, we offer tried and true recipes for beef brisket and BBQ chicken on the smoker and the best BBQ rib recipe you’ll try this year. For winter BBQ and smoking tips, as well as some insider secrets from Chef Guenther on award-winning BBQ, visit our online extra at www. poisepublications.com/blog.
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ROB’S COFFEE-RUBBED, BEER-SOAKED TEXAS-STYLE BRISKET Serves 10–15 The Brisket: 1 beef brisket* flat cut (5–8 lbs) ½ cup Bad Byron’s Butt Rub* 1 cup ground coffee ½ cup chili powder The Mop:
1 1 4–5 5 ¼ cup ½ cup 1 tbsp 1 tsp
*SHOP LOCAL!
can good craft beer* small onion, minced small hot peppers, to taste, minced cloves garlic, minced A few dashes of Worcestershire sauce apple cider vinegar beef stock A drizzle of honey paprika black pepper A few dashes of your favourite hot sauce, to taste
Beef brisket: We went to Marcello’s, and asked them to trim it, but retain some fat for flavour. Bad Byron’s Butt Rub: available at Luxe BBQ. Hats off to Evan, who opened up the store on New Year’s Day to sell us some emergency pellets! Craft Beer: We used Torque’s Smoked Coffee Porter from their Winter Survival Pack— dark, malty, and locally brewed!
The Hardware: Traeger wood-pellet smoker NIGHT BEFORE: Pat the brisket dry and liberally apply Bad Byron’s Butt Rub, then wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. DAY OF: Let the brisket come to room temperature, then liberally apply ground coffee and chili powder to coat—this will form your “crust” during the first phase of the smoke. Note: amounts for the rub, coffee, and chili are approximate. Make sure you are using enough to completely cover the surface of the brisket. Fire up your smoker, and set to 180°F. Winter Tip: bring the smoker to high heat first; it’s -25 degrees outside, don’t be surprised if you need to set the unit to 200 or higher. Apply the brisket directly to the grill grate, fat side up, and smoke for 4 hours. Winter Tip: Don’t open the lid, no matter how curious you are. You’ll lose a lot of heat.
To prepare the mop: Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a sauce pan on medium heat. Sauté the onion and peppers for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and spices, and cook for another minute. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a simmer. Reduce by half, then remove from heat and set aside. When the internal temperature of the meat is approximately 150–160°F, pull the brisket off the grate, and set, fat side down, onto double-layered, heavy-duty aluminum foil. Drizzle the beer mop right onto the meat, wrap tightly, and put back in the smoker. Turn the heat up to 250°F. Your brisket is ready when you hit an internal temperature of 190°F. Total cooking time tends to be 90 minutes per pound, so plan for 8–12 hours, total. Let the meat rest, still wrapped in foil, for at least 30 minutes. Cut against the grain in long strips. Drain the mop juices into a bowl and spoon onto the brisket. Don’t you dare put BBQ sauce on this!
PAIR WITH:
The Grinder 2015 Pinotage Western Cape, South Africa $15.99 Alpha Estate 2015 Red (S.M.X.) Florina, Greece $39.99 Notebook nv Red Blend Columbia Valley, Oregon, USA $26.99
ALL YOU NEED IS
IOVE’S PERFECT CIRCLE EMBRACES EVERY MOMENT OF LIFE One name, three great wines CHARDONNAY PINOT GRIGIO SANGIOVESE MERLOT TREBBIANO
Italy, Emilia-Romagna
MIKE’S WINTER BBQ RIBS Serves 4–6 4 lbs
ribs (2 racks)
Rub:
½ cup 1 tsp 2 tsp 1 tsp 1 tbsp 1 tsp ¼ tsp
brown sugar garlic powder smoked paprika freshly pepper sea salt instant espresso powder allspice
Braising liquid: 1 cup Prosecco 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce 1 tbsp honey Combine all of the dry rub ingredients in a small bowl and whisk together to blend. Rub onto both sides of rack and place in refrigerator for 1 hour. While ribs are marinating in rub, place all ingredients for braising liquid into a small pot and heat on medium until blended and hot. Remove from heat until ribs are ready for the oven.
Preheat oven to 250°F. Place on tinfoil on an edged baking pan. Fold edges of tinfoil to create a barrier. Pour braising liquid over ribs, then cover with more foil and roll up the edges, sealing tightly. Bake for 2-1/2 hours. Remove from oven; pour liquid into a sauce pan and reduce by half. Meanwhile, heat barbecue to mediumhigh. When braising liquid is reduced, baste both sides of ribs and place on grill, flipping consistently as to char but not burn. Add some surf to your turf with a recipe for Sesame Ginger Shrimp and Mushrooms online at www.poisepublications. com/blog
PAIR WITH:
Weingut Am Stein 2015 Stettener Riesling Franken, Germany $26.99 Giusti nv Extra Dry Asolo Prosecco Veneto, Italy $31.99 Bokisch Vineyards 2011 Monastrell Lodi, USA $36.99
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CHEF CRAIG GUENTHER’S SMOKED CHICKEN THIGHS WITH SWEET AND STICKY BBQ SAUCE Serves 4–6 12–16 1 litre
bone-in chicken thighs (skin on/bone in) rendered chicken or duck fat
BBQ Sauce: 2 cups ketchup 1 cup dark molasses ½ cup white vinegar 1 tsp chili powder 1 tsp paprika 1 tsp onion powder 1 tsp garlic powder ½ tsp allspice ½ tsp cinnamon ½ tsp mace ½ tsp black pepper 1 cup honey NIGHT BEFORE: Trim off small hanging pieces of fat and chicken meat. Remove the one knuckle at the base of the bone and slice straight edges on each end of the thigh to create a barrel-like thigh. Chill overnight so the meat gets tight. DAY OF: Heat the fat until it reaches 250°F, and pour over the thighs in a stainless steel container. Put thighs into the smoker at 250°F for about 2½ hours (the fat should cover the thighs as much as possible). The internal temperature of the chicken should reach 160°F. Remove from the fat and re-tray the thighs on a rimmed sheet pan. Baste the thighs with the BBQ sauce and return to the smoker. Baste every 30 minutes for about 2 more hours, then serve.
For BBQ sauce: Combine all the ingredients in a pot. Blend and bring to a gentle boil. Stored in a sealed container, this BBQ sauce can keep in the refrigerator for a few months.
PAIR WITH:
Botter 2016 Doppio Passo Primivito Salento, Italy $14.99 Bodegas Lagarde 2015 Atlas Cumbres Malbec Mendoza, Argentina $19.99 Dodgy Bros. 2013 Grenache, Shiraz, Mataro McLaren Vale, Australia $38.99
WE DELVIER WINE TO YOUR DOOR! • FREE DELIVERY within city limits for orders over $200 (before taxes) • Delivery charge for orders under $200 is only $12 • SAME DAY DELIVERY if you order before 11 am*
Four ways to order: Text our Sommeliers at 204.400.0499 Order online at Cornervine: banvilleandjones.cornervine.com Call your favourite wine expert at 204.948.9463 Email us at wine@banvilleandjones.com
*Same day delivery applies to most orders.
1616 St Mary’s Rd | www.banvilleandjones.com
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WESTERN CANADA'S PREMIER WINE AND DRINKS EDUCATION FACILITY OFFERS WINE, BEER, AND SPIRITS COURSES FOR EVERYONE FROM THE HOBBYIST TO THE PROFESSIONAL. FORMERLY BANVILLE & JONES WINE INSTITUTE
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I was lucky enough to find a place where I can be involved in everything from the vine to selling the wine, but would not be here if I hadn’t taken the first step of getting my WSET education at Banville & Jones.
Rickilee Podolecki is an alumnus of Wine & Drinks College Manitoba. She completed WSET 2 in 2017 and has since moved to BC. She is now working at Checkmate winery in the Okanagan and talks about her growing career in wine. How and when did you discover your love of wine? I threw myself into my work at a very young age. When I took on a managerial role in a large corporate restaurant chain, I wanted to better understand the wine list. In expanding my knowledge to help train my staff, I discovered my passion. After leaving that role, I took my love of wine with me, and it became my beacon as I continued on my career path. Wine was also an escape, and relaxation tool; it made me slow down and made me smell the roses (literally), just to better my library of fragrances. I love that you can travel through a glass of wine back in time to the vintage and around the world. It’s a beautiful thought, when you think of all the elements that went into one glass. Why did you decide to enrol in WSET courses at WDCM? I’d been in the restaurant industry for a long time and had decided to go back to school to better my credentials. I was a full time student in Red River College’s Hospitality and Tourism Management, as well as managing full time
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Rickilee Podolecki at CheckMate Artisanal Winery, Okanagan, BC
at a newly opened restaurant; during which time I also took my WSET Level 2. That’s when my focus shifted and I wanted to become more involved with wine directly. Initially, I enrolled in WSET because I was passionate about wine. As I was going into the restaurant industry, it made sense to get a proper wine education. I had always trusted Banville & Jones, who would be running the program, and their staff have always been highly regarded. It was difficult to balance the program between a full-time education and career but as soon as I had my first class I knew the program could lead to bigger things.
How did the WDCM courses contribute to that decision to pursue a career in wine? It opened my eyes to how many jobs were involved in the process of making a wine, from the vineyard to the point where someone pulls the cork. Understanding that so many hands are involved in creating one bottle made me think I could be part of it all. I knew I wanted to be in the industry—it didn’t matter how, I wanted to play a role, any role. WSET gave me a thirst for knowledge, and the credentials to start my career in wine. What are your responsibilities at CheckMate Artisanal Winery?
During the autumn harvest you will find me alongside our winemaking team hand-sorting individual clusters of grapes or carrying out battonage on our barrels in the cold cellar. This may not sound glamorous but it is incredibly valuable since you learn all about the winemaking process by simply listening to the winemaker talk about the fruit or checking the ferments’ temps and brix (sugar). CheckMate is an artisanal winery and we handcraft our wines using traditional Old World techniques, resulting in a portfolio of Chardonnay and Merlot that have been described as some of the best wines in Canada. The days can be long, but they are incredibly rewarding! What would you recommend to those thinking about working in a wine career?
My official title at CheckMate Artisanal Winery is Experience Curator. What makes my position at the winery so special is that each day is unique. Sometimes I’ll travel throughout the Okanagan Valley or even across Canada to showcase our award-winning wines to consumers. At the winery, my mornings begin by tasting through our wines, usually before my morning coffee, to ensure they are at their very best before our guests arrive. It is a privilege to host visitors at our new tasting room experience that visually transports our guests to our vineyard sites, which can be seen in panorama views from inside the glass walls of the unique structure.
Start with WSET level 1 or 2. Once you step into that first class you will just want to keep going. WSET helped put a very daunting amount of information into a digestible format. The program builds on itself and your ability to have an insight into what’s out there in regards to careers in the wine industry. I was lucky enough to find a place where I can be involved in everything from the vine to selling the wine, but would not be here if I hadn’t taken the first step of getting my WSET education at Banville & Jones.
WINE EDUCATION AT WDCM™
WDCM™ SOMMELIER CERTIFICATE
From hobbyist to professional, the program choices from Wine & Drinks College Manitoba will fit the bill.
The certificate program is a full-day workshop, followed by a half-day exam. Successful completion of the exam will earn you a Sommelier Certificate that recognizes a high standard of service, theory, and blind tasting. It is also grounding for the CAPS/ACSP Professional Sommelier Diploma.
SOMMELIER EDUCATION WDCM™ PROFESSIONAL SOMMELIER DIPLOMA Affiliated with CAPS/ACSP and ASI The WDCM™ Sommelier Diploma is a professional designation that shows you hold a thorough knowledge of wine, spirits, and beverages; that you have excellent tasting and wine assessment skills; and that you have met the highest service standards.
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The WDCM™ Sommelier Diploma is a modular set of comprehensive programs in wine and drinks theory, tasting, and service. CAPS/ACSP Accredited Sommeliers are recognized internationally in the 55 countries of the Association de la Sommellerie Internationale (ASI).
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WINE AND SPIRITS CERTIFICATION COURSES Our wine and spirits programs are internationally recognized. WDCM™ is an Approved Program Provider of the world-renowned WSET® programs, and we are certified to present the Wine Scholar Guild courses. For more information visit our website!
Full course descriptions available at www.banvilleandjones.com/events-education
sidebar By Sylvia Jansen,
D-WSET, CSW, Sommelier
To the Place: Whole or Sum of the Parts? The terraced vineyards of the Douro Valley (photo by Carol Fletcher)
Let me say this first: I am not afraid of heights. That morning I was sure I had selected good, practical vineyard shoes; it was not my first vineyard visit, nor even my first visit in the Douro Valley. But when I found myself teetering on a gravelly edge of what felt like a cliff with vines, trying to carry on an intelligent conversation about grape growing and biodiversity with our host, I felt I should ask for rock climbing shoes and a safety harness. One wrong move and I was hurtling my way to a crashing end in the Douro River a few hundred metres below. I tried to be casual, leaning on to a vineyard post while I took notes. I am not sure I was very convincing. But when our host began to show how many grape varieties existed in a short space on two small rows of vineyard, I forgot my dizzy fears. The field blend—several varieties growing side by side—is a traditional practice mostly abandoned in favour of selecting single varieties for particular sites. But here in the Douro Valley, where some 80 varieties can be used for Port, this approach reinforced the wisdom that the entire valley is a large, complex ecosystem not always
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easily parcelled. Our host identified a dozen varieties by leaf identification, offering tastes of ripe fruit from each vine. Then he came to one, looked at it, laughed, and said “I don’t know what this variety is.” Nevertheless he plucked off a few juicy grapes and we tasted another unique, delicious sample. The experience reinforced the multitude of grape varieties that grow in the Douro; but it was more than an object lesson in viticulture. It was a moment when the true nature of Port, and in fact the true nature of fine wine, sang out. In many ways, grape variety is secondary to place. In the Douro, where rugged, terraced vineyards hang along walls built over centuries to hold back erosion, where vineyard rocks are the size of dinner plates, where the sun beats on slopes in hellish temperatures for months on end, and where hundreds of different plants and scores of grape varieties have grown for millennia, this is a place to produce a rugged, intense, complex wine. To taste a good Port is to be transported to this place. In other parts of the world the undulations of land, the peculiarities of soils, and their relationship to the
sun combine, with one grape variety or a dozen, to produce something unique to that place. It seems hopelessly romantic and impossible to quantify, but the fact is that a good wine’s identity is much greater than the sum of the parts. We devote a lot of energy to simplifying wine. We demystify grape varieties. We explain taste. We decode labels. And I engage in this simplifying, in classes and tasting sessions. But to surrender to the complexities of a fine wine, we can appreciate the mysteries that carry the place into the wine glass and into the heart of the taster. Ultimately, there are two kinds of wine travel in this world. One is the kind where you get on a plane, or in a car, and transport yourself to another place that makes wine. The other is to open a bottle at home, or in a restaurant, and be transported to that other place. On a cold winter day, with snow piled outside my window, I plan to take myself to those steep slopes, baking in the sun of the Douro Valley. So here’s to you, mystically speaking.
New Tuxedo location now open at 2090 Corydon
@GreenCarrotWPG
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@GreenCarrotJuiceCo
132 Osbourne | Winnipeg International Airport | 2090 Corydon We deliver! Call us at 204.691.0771 for more information. greencarrotjuice.com
culinary partners
529 Wellington serves only Canadian Prime beef and fresh seafood, with impeccable service in an elegantly restored 1912 mansion on the banks of the Assiniboine River. Celebrating its 10th Anniversary, 529 has quickly become a world-renowned icon in the restaurant industry. An exquisite menu and extensive wine cellar make for truly memorable food and wine experiences at 529. Just ask Brad Pitt or Jennifer Lopez! 529 Wellington Crescent 529wellington.ca
Regarded by many as one of the best restaurants in Winnipeg, Beaujena’s French Table provides a truly unique dining experience. Seven-course surprise dinners featuring Chef/Owner Randy Reynolds’ modern interpretations of French and Mediterranean Cuisine combined with his wife Beaujena’s warmth and hospitality make dining here special, regardless of the occasion. 302 Hamel Avenue beaujenas.com
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Banville & Jones Wine Co. partners with Manitoba's finest restaurants to develop the perfect wine list. For more information about partnering with us, contact Todd Antonation, todd@banvilleandjones.com
Chef partner Tristan Foucault has reinvented the menu on the corner of King and Bannatyne. Peasant Cookery goes back to the land with uniquely prepared Old World dishes and top-notch service. This is real food, freshly harvested, and the seasonal ingredients speak for themselves. Literally everything is made from scratch by Tristan and his team. 100-283 Bannatyne Avenue peasantcookery.ca
Carne is an elegant and contemporary Italian Chophouse featuring Waygu beef from Canada, USA or Japan as well as high-end single-source beef from select suppliers across the country. Or choose succulent seafood, fresh pastas and Italian classics such as Osso Bucco. Pair these entrées with an exemplary wine and cocktail list. Carne is just steps away from the MTS Centre and The Forks. Private rooms are available. Open for dinner Monday–Saturday. 295 York Avenue carneitalia.ca
Across the Board Albert Street Cocktail Co. Aevi Spa Salon Boutique Aurora Pizzeria Café Beaujena’s French Table Bouchée Boucher Boulevard Pub and Bistro Canadian Brewhouse Café 22 Café Dario Chew Clementine Cordova Tapas & Wine D-Jay’s Restaurant Deluca’s Cooking School and Restaurant Diana’s Cucina and Lounge Earl’s Restaurant and Bar Elkhorn Resort Enoteca Era Bistro at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights
Forth Hotel Fort Garry Hy’s Steakhouse Inferno’s Bistro Joey Restaurants Joey’s Only Seafood Jonesy’s Restaurant Kristina’s on Corydon La Roca Le Cercle Molière Máquè Manitoba Club Mano a Mano/Teo’s McGee’s Family Restaurant Mere Hotel Mon Ami Louis Monticchio Ristorante Italiano Muddy Waters Olive Garden Passero and Corso Pizzeria Gusto Prairie’s Edge
Rae & Jerry’s Riverside Inn Royal Pizza Sabai Thai Segovia SMITH Restaurant South Beach Casino & Resort St. Charles Country Club Swiss Chalet Super Deluxe Pizzeria Tapp’s Neighbourhood Pub The Alt Hotel The Common The Merchant Kitchen The Mitchell Block The Victoria Inn Thermëa Spa Tony Roma’s Urban Prairie Cuisine Vera Cucina VG Restaurant at the Fairmont Wasabi Sabi
shopping list Alpha Estate 2015 Sauvignon Blanc Fume Florina PGI, Greece $33.99.......................................................................................62 Alpha Estate 2015 Red S.M.X. Florina, Greece $39.99...............................................................................................................51 Ares de Medeiros 2013 Arragonez, Touriga Nacional, Syrah Alentejano VR, Portugal $18.99....................................................35 Bacalhôa 2016 Serras de Azeitão Tinto Península de Setúbal VR, Portugal $14.99....................................................................26 Bertolani nv Oro Lambrusco Rosso Secco Reggiano, Italy $17.99.............................................................................................62 Blandy’s 1996 Colheita Malmsey Madeira, Portugal (500ml) $116.99.......................................................................................43 Bodegas Lagarde 2015 Atlas Cumbres Malbec Mendoza, Argentina $19.99............................................................................54 Bokisch Vineyards 2011 Monastrell Lodi, USA $36.99.............................................................................................................53 Botter 2016 Doppio Passo Primivito Salento, Italy $14.99.......................................................................................................54 Casal Garcia nv Branco Vinho Verde, Portugal $14.99.............................................................................................................35 Caves São João 2014 Bruto Reserva Bairrada, Portugal $19.99................................................................................................27 Delaforce nv Fine Tawny Port, Portugal $18.99.........................................................................................................................34 Delaforce 2014 Touriga Nacional Tinto Douro, Portugal $29.99.............................................................................................27 Dodgy Bros. 2013 Grenache, Shiraz, Mataro McLaren Vale, Australia $38.99..........................................................................54 Giusti nv Extra Dry Asolo Prosecco Superiore, Italy $31.99...................................................................................................53 J. Bouchon 2016 Reserva Carménère/Syrah Maule Valley, Chile $17.99....................................................................................62 Justino’s 5-Year-Old Reserve Fine Medium Rich Madeira, Portugal (375ml) $12.99............................................................43 Justino’s 10-Year-Old Verdelho Medium Dry Madeira, Portugal (375ml) $34.99......................................................................43 Niepoort 2014 Coche Branco Douro, Portugal $147.99....................................................................................................27,40 Niepoort nv Tawny Dee Port Douro, Portugal (375ml) $20.99................................................................................................40 Niepoort 2014 Diálogo Snow Branco Douro, Portugal $25.99.................................................................................................40 Niepoort 2015 Diálogo Tinto Douro, Portugal $25.99..............................................................................................................40 Niepoort 2016 Dócil Vinho Verde Douro, Portugal ($25.99)...............................................................................................27,40 Niepoort 2007 Vintage Port Douro, Portugal $136.99..............................................................................................................40 Notebook nv Red Blend Columbia Valley, USA $26.99............................................................................................................51 Portada 2015 Red Blend Lisboa, Portugal $15.99.....................................................................................................................35 Portada 2015 White Blend Lisboa, Portugal $15.99..................................................................................................................35 Quail’s Gate 2015 Gewürztraminer Okanagan Valley, Canada $19.99......................................................................................29 Quinta das Maias 2014 Maias Tinto Dão, Portugal $17.99.......................................................................................................27 Quinta das Maias 2014 Maias Branco Dão, Portugal $16.99.....................................................................................................27 Quinta do Infantado nv Ruby Porto, Portugal $22.99...........................................................................................................20,34 Quinta do Infantado nv Tawny Reserva Porto, Portugal $45.99................................................................................................20 Quinta do Infantado 2011 Vintage Porto, Portugal $106.99......................................................................................................20 Quinta do Infantado 2013 Tinto Douro, Portugal $22.99..........................................................................................................20 Roi Dagobert nv Découverte Edelzwicker Alsace, France (1000 mL) $19.99.............................................................................62 Santa Duc 2011 Les Plans Vin de Pays de Vaucluse, France $16.99..........................................................................................62 The Grinder 2015 Pinotage Western Cape, South Africa, $15.99...........................................................................................51,62 Weingut Am Stein 2015 Stettener Riesling Trocken Franken, Germany $26.99..........................................................................53
Due to the nature of the wine industry, any prices and vintages listed in this publication, as well as the availability of all products, are subject to change and cannot be guaranteed by Banville & Jones Wine Co. www.banvilleandjones.com 61
* C U STOMER P IC K *
top picks
BROOKLYN HURST
ANNA EVERETT
SARA McDONALD
Alpha Estate 2015 Sauvignon Blanc Fume Florina, Greece $33.99 Greece has been a location I have been hesitant to visit solely because of their (universally?) terrible wines. And Alpha Estate may be the exception that proves the rule. This is one of the best white wines I’ve come across. There is a funk here that appeals to my wine snobbery, and a charm that wins over my baser instincts. Enjoy poolside or at a black tie. And I encourage you to try through this winery’s lineup—outstanding.
Santa Duc 2011 Les Plans Vaucluse Rhône, France $16.99
Bertolani Alfredo nv Oro Lambrusco Rosso Secco Reggiano, Italy $17.99
Cold weather has me reaching more for the red wines, and this one has become my new go to under $20. Full and rich without being too in your face, it has notes of ripe raspberry, wild herbs, and a lovely underlying earthiness. This definitely doesn’t need to be served with food but would go pretty well with a beef dish…herb encrusted perhaps.
This wine completely changed my perspective of sparkling reds! If you are expecting ruby red and super sweet with notes of Baby Duck, think again! Expect purple hues with generous bubbles and delicious flavours of blueberry, grapes, and la bella vita! Enjoy this dry red with seared duck breast and good company. Cheers!
GARY HEWITT
JAMES JOHNSTON
JILL KWIATKOSKI
Roi Dagobert nv Découverte Edelzwicker Alsace, France $19.99 (1000 mL)
The Grinder 2015 Pinotage Western Cape, South Africa, $15.99
J. Bouchon 2016 Reserva Carménère/Syrah Maule Valley, Chile $17.99
A lovely, floral, fresh, off-dry white wine perfect for many Asian foods, but also great for sipping. The pretty profile of ripe honeydew, lychee, and mandarin is classic Edelzwicker, an Alsatian white grape blend. The big bottle (1 litre) under screw cap makes this an ideal glass-a-day wine to have in the fridge.
A South African Pinotage! Dark berries, raspberries, and mocha (no coconut!). This wine is a little drying on the palate with a medium finish with more berries and coffee mocha. A really good wine to have with friends over barbecue veggies or meats.
Another hit from my friends at J. Bouchon! This lovely harmony of Carménère and Syrah dances on your palate with notes of roasted red pepper, sweet tobacco, blackberries, black pepper, purple violets, and a hint of dark chocolate. A perfect pairing with beef or just on its own! Enjoy!!
62 http://banvilleandjones.cornervine.com
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