8 minute read
Sips & Nibbles
Sips & Nibbles
Vitis Staff
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Sean Nelson.
CAPS photo
SIP, SPIT, COMPETE
For the first time ever, this year the prestigious and hotly contested Best Sommelier of the Americas competition will be held in Canada. From May 21 to 24, top somms from Canada, the U.S., Mexico and points south will gather in Montreal to match palates and show off their skills at selecting, tasting, opening, pouring and serving wine.
The event is organized by the Association de la Sommellerie Internationale and Alianza Pan Americana de Sommeliers and has been held every three years since 2006. (The ASI has also been holding the tri-annual World's Best Sommelier Competition since 1969.) Canada has performed particularly well at this event; Quebecers Elyse Lambert and Veronique Rivest took home the top prize in 2009 and 2012 respectively. We’ll be cheering on this year’s Canuck contestants, too.
Meanwhile, the Best Sommelier of B.C. 2018 title has gone to Sean Nelson of Vij’s Restaurant. He out-tasted 12 other competitors in a contest that came down to a nail-biting final battle between himself, second-place winner Matthew Landry of the Stable House Bistro and third-place winner Todd Prucyk of Hawksworth Restaurant.
It was the fourth annual competition organized by the Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers British Columbia Chapter, and was held Jan. 31 at Rogers Arena.
For the first time in Canada, CAPS BC also hosted the 2018 BC Aspiring Sommelier Competition, which was won by Ian Wharton of Blue Water Café; the runner up was Alex Anderson of Tap Restaurant.
Congrats to all the winners and competitors. For info, visit sommelierscanada.com.
THAT’S THE SPIRIT!
Christine McAvoy photo
It’s the moment those in the know wait for each year at the Vancouver International Wine Festival: the announcement of the Spirited Industry Professional Award, honouring an individual who has made a significant contribution to the sales, service or promotion of wine in British Columbia.
All that is certainly true of this year’s winner: Barbara Philip, the first Western Canadian and only Canadian woman to achieve the Master of Wine designation. For nearly a decade, Philip has not only managed the European portfolio at BC Liquor Stores, she has also been an international presenter, educator, journalist and judge for competitions including Decanter World Wines Awards, the largest wine competition in the world. She is also the former vice-president of the Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers B.C. Chapter.
Who’s next? We’ll find out in February at the 2019 Vancouver International Wine Festival, when California will be the theme region. vanwinefest.ca
CANADIAN, EH?
It’s a battle that has been fought long and hard and finally won by champions of Canadian wine: As of this spring, the controversial “Cellared in Canada” label is no more.
In March, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency announced that the 20-plus-year-old label designation “Cellared in Canada from imported and/or domestic wines,” would be changed to “International blend from imported and domestic wines” for predominantly imported wines and, for mainly domestic ones, “International blend from domestic and imported wines.”
Over the two decades of CIC labelling, there had been numerous and vociferous complaints from wine industry stakeholders and consumers alike. At issue was confusion about what wines were truly Canadian. With a young industry eager to prove itself on the world stage, many felt that slapping the word “Canada” on wines made from grapes that originated in, say, Chile or California not only confused the consumer, but detracted from the uniqueness of grapes grown here.
Throughout the summer of 2016, the Canadian Vintners Association discussed the issue with its regional partners (British Columbia Wine Institute, Winery & Grower Alliance of Ontario and Wine Association of Nova Scotia) and interviewed wine producers and major retailers across Canada. Then, last June, the CFIA conducted a public survey on the proposed changes, with 81 per cent of respondents supporting the new language.
The BCWI for one is delighted by the change: “A wine label tells consumers what they are buying and what they are drinking,” the organization said in a release. “It is important the label accurately identifies the origin of the wine.”
RUN FOR FUN (AND WINE, OF COURSE)
Even before you set off through the vineyards, it’s clear that this is no ordinary race: Half the crowd is in costume, and the other half is only here for the wine. Welcome to the Half Corked Marathon Weekend, the most fun you can have in a pair of running shoes and the 2017 winner of the Canadian Tourism Awards’ Canadian Event of the Year.
This year’s race will run (and hobble, hop, stumble and stroll) through the vineyards around Oliver on May 26. Primavera, the carb-loading pasta feast that kicks things off, will be held May 25, and the festive Party at the Finish Line follows the race in Oliver. Mind you, for those not actually running, the party starts well before the first runners cross the finish line.
Tickets are allocated by lottery and, unfortunately, this year’s lottery is already closed. But that doesn’t mean you can’t swing by the after-party and sample some of the flavourful wines of Oliver Osoyoos Wine Country while you cheer on the participants. oliverosoyoos.com
SPRING INTO SPRING
Can’t wait to sample all the new wine releases but wondering how you’ll ever get around to them all? The Okanagan Wine Festivals Society has you covered this spring with a couple of can’t-miss events.
The season kicks off with the Best of Varietal Awards and Reception on May 2 at the Penticton Trade and Convention Centre. Winemakers and winery owners will be on hand for an exclusive tasting of the best varietals in British Columbia, following the awards ceremony. Tickets are only $59 but are very limited so book early.
Missed your window for tickets? Not to worry because the WestJet Wine Tastings will follow May 4 to 5 at Kelowna’s Rotary Centre for the Arts. Here you’ll be able to sample more than 250 B.C. wines all under one roof, along with appies, live music and a photo booth. Tickets for the lively and fun event are $79.
For tickets and info, visitthewinefestivals.com.
B.C. WINE FACTS
—winebc.com
According to the BC Wine Institute, British Columbia has:
929 vineyards; 358 licensed wineries; 274 licensed grape wineries.
Of those wineries: 32 are on Vancouver Island; 12 on the Gulf Islands; 40 in the Fraser Valley; 15 in the Similkameeen; 182 in the Okanagan Valley; And 29 in other regions including Lillooet, the Thompson Valley and the Kootenays. —winebc.com
BEYOND THE BOTTLE
Monster Vineyards photo
Cardboardeaux? Mais non. The once mocked and reviled boxed wine is finally getting its day in the sun, or at least at your next backyard party.
So-called “cask wines” have come a long way since they were introduced in the 1960s. Although they rarely hold the finest vintages, the three- or four-litre boxes often boast perfectly drinkable wines. They are also convenient, produce less waste than bottles, take up less space in your fridge or on your counter, and they are fantastic value. Oh—and you don’t need a corkscrew to get at your Cabernet.
More and more boxed wines are entering the B.C. market all the time. Sales are soaring; reports suggest they’ve increased by 45 per cent over the last five years in B.C. The quality’s getting better all the time, too, with prestigious labels entering the box zone and even local wineries such as Naramata’s Monster Vineyards offering boxed wines.
And if boxed wine isn’t your thing, perhaps tetra paks or canned wines are. These are handy for camping or weekends at the cabin, and although they haven’t taken our market by storm the way they have in, say, Australia or even Alberta, we can expect to see more here soon, too.
THE REEL DEAL
Phototype photo
Consider it a feast for your eyes—and on your plate. From June 15 to 17, the Watermark Beach Resort in Osoyoos will host the third annual Devour! The Food Film Fest. The tastiest film festival in B.C. might not have the red-carpet celebrities of Toronto or Cannes, but what it offers is even better: a whole weekend of food and wine culture events.
The festival was created in Nova Scotia in 2013 and held its first Okanagan pop-up at the Watermark in 2016. This year, it will showcase the fantastic food scene of both the south Okanagan and Similkameen valleys. Events will include a welcome BBQ, a chowder smackdown between six chefs from B.C., Calgary and Nova Scotia, seminars, wine tours, a long table brunch and, of course, the Saturday evening gala, which features a series of short food films, each one inspiring a celebrity guest chef to create a course that complements it. Food and film will, of course, be paired with Similkameen wines.
Tickets are available for individual events, or you can purchase a weekend package for the whole festival, starting at $369 per person based on quadruple occupancy for two nights’ accommodation. Watermarkbeachresort.com
B.C. WINE FAC TS
Of the grapes planted in B.C., 51 per cent are red; 49 per cent white.
The most popular red varieties are: Merlot, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Syrah/Shiraz.
The most popular white ones are: Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Gewürtztraminer, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc. —winebc.com
B.C.’S BIGGEST FOOD AND WINE MEET-UP
BC Wine Institute photo
Do you like great food and wine as much as you like a bargain? Then you’d better make sure Chef Meets BC Grape is on your calendar. This multi-city event is the largest tasting of B.C. wine and food in Western Canada, celebrating all things grown, crushed, raised and produced in our province.
It kicks off April 26 at the JW Marriott Parq Vancouver with an event featuring more than 350 wines and gourmet fare from 18 restaurants, for a steal of a deal at $90. Then Calgary hosts the event on May 10 at Hotel Arts with a dozen restaurants and more than 125 wines ($75). Finally, it comes home to the Okanagan on June 23 when more than 350 wines will be poured and dishes from 12 restaurants sampled at See Ya Later Ranch ($115).
For info and tickets, visit winebc.com/wine-bc-events/chef-meets-bc-grape/. Note that funds raised from this event will go to support the BC Hospitality Foundation.
