Grilled Ribeye meets CabSauv

The passion at Hopcott’s meats ( http://www.hopcottmeats.ca/ ) is nothing short of inspirational: this is what ribeye steak is supposed to be! And yet I hear time and time again from people that $15 on a steak is “just silly” and spending an extra $1/lb for free range/antibiotic free ground beef is “wasting money”. Well I’m pretty sure that a lot of the reasons we should all be investing in local butchers is not getting out there and so I knew I had to write an article on:

“Why should you spend the money?“

You and I both know that some grocery store in your neighborhood is selling striploin steaks this week: 4 for $12 or something similar. Great deal right? Who doesn’t like getting more for less? But then there’s the crux: are you really getting more?

On the one hand you’ve got bargain steaks at your grocer: cheap, probably not trimmed very well but you and I can handle that… probably more gristle/sinew/tendon then we would like as well, but we’re willing to swallow that *(pun intended). But what about the nutritional value? When you consume grass-fed beef, you increase your:

• Better Saturated Fat Profile
• Better Polyunsaturated Fat Profile
• More Antioxidants

*(many thanks to http://www.scienceofnaturalhealth.com/grass-fed-beef-nutrition.html)

What is your family’s health worth?

I take a look at the world around me and it doesn’t take a scientist to tell me that fresh beef from my own town is going to be better for me then something frozen for 6 months, then thawed, from Uruguay or Texas. I like the fact that when I walk into Hopcott’s, I can shake hands with the people that raised the cattle that is going on my table. I let my daughter eat beef jerky and pepperoni. Why? Because I know the people that make it, fresh every week. No additives. No preservatives… like when I was a kid growing up on the Prairies.

And so when people ask me how I can pay $10 or more for a single steak I just shake my head. When was the last time you bought a steak at a restaurant?? You know you aren’t getting any decent steak for $10 anywhere and if you go upscale? Try Las Vegas my friends – $60 and $80 steaks are the norm there. Now go back to Hopcott’s and ask them how much ribeye you get for $80 and start smiling!

But how do I, a chef with over 25 years’ experience, cook a steak like this? There are some basic rules that I, and most quality chefs, follow.

1. let the meat come to room temperature before grilling; this allows the muscle to relax and creates a more tender steak

2. ensure your grill is HOT; you want to sear the outside of the steak as quickly as possible to keep those lovely juices inside the steak and not on the bottom of your grill. 500C minimum for searing

3. cook your steak less than you think you need to, then let it rest longer than you think it needs; never forget residual heat in the steak will continue to cook it… I bring mine just to medium-rare, rest for 5 to 10 minutes, then serve and they are usually just a shade under medium

Now when I was prepping for this article I actually starting second guessing myself and so asked my friend, Mike Lindsay, who is Hopcott’s head butcher his thoughts on the subject. This is a guy who has a profound respect for beef; hard not to when you actually visit the animals as they’re growing up and look them in the eyes. This was the man I needed to show me a new trick or two when it comes to the barbeque. His thoughts on grilling great ribeyes??

“A little olive oil, some salt… maybe a pinch of pepper. Maybe.”

Bravo my friend – couldn’t have said it any better myself. Oh sure, you can fancy it up by finishing the steak with a little compound butter *(infused) such as roasted garlic, French thyme or my favorite Boursin infused butter… damn, it’s better than hollandaise! But  when you’ve got great components, try letting them speak for themselves.

This dinner we had to celebrate the sunshine had virtually no seasonings at all: the steak is just olive oil/salt/pepper, the beets are au naturel, the potatoes just a hint of butter, the carrots a light fireweed honey glaze and the salad is just lemon and olive oil. All of this is from Hopcott’s, because you know they have a fantastic produce selection now as well, and all from within 30 miles or so of my house.  Such concentration of flavors! All that was left for me was to choose the wine and I had a couple of beauties I’ld been saving for just such an occasion: a bottle each of Argentinian and Napa Cab-Sauv. They complement the steak in different ways and are both excellent values in any market.

Tomero Cabernet Sauvignon, 2012

by Bodega VistAlba (http://blendsinc.com/tomero)

90+ points, Excellent Value

*MERITS 1-HOUR DECANT FOR BEST RESULTS

… young, this CabSauv is a babe in the woods and will seriously benefit from another 2-3 years in the cellar. That being said, it was a treat that I knew was going to pair brilliantly with grilled ribeye steak. The thing to remember with Argentinian Cabs, personally, is that they are truly designed to go with food, and this is a perfect example. Ultra-ripe dark currant, black raspberry and dark floral aromas swirl through the glass *(think irises and dark roses). When you take your first sip, razor sharp full acid seems to bite at your lips creating a brilliant frame for full, finely-textured tannin and a symbiotic balance for the richness of slightly fatty grilled meat. This is a classic interpretation of what Bordeaux’s (arguably) greatest varietal can do in the South American land of cowboys, steaks and bold wine. Drink now, or hold for a decade plus, this wine can be enjoyed 2014-2025.

Louis M Martini Cabernet Sauvignon, 2010

www.LouisMartini.com

91 points, Excellent Value

… I never expected this; that I would one day be singing the praises of a mega-producer like Martini. But I must give credit where it’s due and these professionals have crafted an incredibly reasonably priced introduction into “What Is Napa”. From the opening bouquet of warm blackberry/currant compote, wild scrub-brush on the hillside, savory herbs and graphite minerality every aspect to the wine quietly declares its craftsmanship. Medium+ dark raspberry acids are far too well balanced for the good of the consumer who, when testing the wine to judge its quality, quickly finds that he or she has savored half the bottle before dinner is even cooked and guests have arrived. Ultra fine tannin feel chalky, full of dimension, and needing to be chewed a little – making the prospect of grilled meat seem a necessity rather then indulgence. Make no mistake about it, this is one of the great values in California Cab today… full of life, feel free to cellar some if you must though it seems a shame as it’s truly come into it’s own. Enjoy 2014-2019+

Maybe you’re close enough to Pitt Meadows to stop off at Hopcott’s and say hello. They’re mighty friendly folks and you’ll be glad you did. But if you aren’t then maybe you’ll take a moment and Google “local butchers”… these small businesspeople are in the business of providing the very best quality for you that is possible. Not the cheapest food, the best food. And really, aren’t you and your family worth that?

 Many thanks to Hopcott’s meats for the fine victuals, to Patagonia Imports ( www.PatagoniaImports.com ) for the Tomero and to my friend Peter Marshall at Gallo Imports ( http://gallo.com/wine/Canada/Canada.html ) for the fine bottle of Martini Cab.

As always, I look forward to your thoughts, comments and questions. Here, or:

on Twitter @AStudentofWine

on Facebook @ www.facebook.com/TheChefandTheGrape

vistAlba Corte B and C, Argentina

World Malbec Day: 17 April

The ribeye steaks at my favorite butcher, Hopcott Premium Meats (http://www.hopcottmeats.ca/ ), looked fantastic! The kind of marbling and precise trimming that makes me immediately think of firing up the hibachi, pulling the dried hardwood *(applewood, mesquite, whatever is handy) out of the garage and opening a great bottle of Malbec.

And as this week celebrated World Malbec Day, what could be more fitting then the classic Argentinian pairing of Malbec and barbeque? Of course, the Argentinians aren’t the only ones growing it! Malbec, or Cot as it is known in France, has been cultivated for centuries. In fact, it is one of the original varietals for the much-coveted Bordeaux red blend that fetches princely sums of money around the world. These days little of the grape is grown in Bordeaux and one must search rather earnestly to find it there.

But vineyard managers around the globe are checking their own plots of land to ascertain if the dark purple grape can grow in their backyards: California, Australia, Chile and British Columbia are amongst the candidates toying with it at present, to varying levels of success. But to find great value for money, always a focus for me, I find I continually return to Argentina and, especially, the vineyards of vistAlba (http://www.carlospulentawines.com/ )

What can I say about Carlos Pulenta, owner of the winery? Now in his late 60’s, this is a man who has devoted his entire life to the crafting of world-class wines. He is achieving that goal with the passion behind vistAlba and their blends: Corte B and Corte C… both achieving international scores beyond their modest prices. I recently had the great pleasure of interviewing Gustavo Crespo, Managing Director Blends. I asked Gustavo about his relationship with Carlos and what drew him to vistAlba.

KRISTOF

   Gustavo, many thanks for making the time to speak with me today. I know you’re a busy man.

GUSTAVO

     A pleasure.

KRISTOF

   Firstly Gustavo, I know that you were working in London, had a great career… what drew you to leave England and move literally across the world to work with Carlos?

GUSTAVO

     Well I was already working with Carlos’ company but in a completely different division, so it was less of a transition for the company then if they had hired outside of the company. But for me, personally, it was the opportunity to work more closely with Carlos himself. Carlos has a huge personality: so driven, so focused, so passionate. I think that he and I connected on that level and there was a mutual respect.

KRISTOF

   Still: a big change for anyone! London to Argentina.

GUSTAVO

      Well yes, but it was the very nature of that change, that challenge, which was the excitement for me. If we don’t challenge ourselves…

KRISTOF

   -Understood. So, new topic: How do you then in this new role of Managing Director try to translate the finesse, concentration and identity of vistAlba wines to over 30 countries?

GUSTAVO

      That’s easy. I don’t! These are wines with such a connection to the land that they speak for themselves. I just make the introductions.

KRISTOF

   Ha – I like that way of explaining it.

GUSTAVO

     And you know, Carlos is really a legend in Argentina, in South America, and throughout the wine world. He comes from a family that is like nobility in wine and each of his brothers has crafted his own place in today’s market. Just having that name behind the label opens many doors.

KRISTOF

   And so what’s the next step for the winery? I know the winery is run in a very sustainable manner but are there plans to take that further now that organics and bio-dynamics are making an impact?

GUSTAVO

      -you took the words out of my mouth. We’re already quite advanced in our process for full organic certification throughout the vineyard. These are practices that we’ve been using since day one – now we need to get the documentation.

KRISTOF

    And this is to get in front of certain consumers or a demographic?

GUSTAVO

     Actually no; in Europe especially being organic when it comes to wine has very little impact on sales. We are doing this because, since the beginning, our goal has been to create “the best expression of the land”. Organics are just a fundamental part of that process: don’t put into the soil what you don’t want in the wine, right?

KRISTOF
Right! All of this sounds like, as I like to put it, a return to a more ancestral type of viticulture.

GUSTAVO

     Absolutely. For Carlos, whose passion and vision are our driving force, organics are a return to how his grandfather and great-grandfather farmed the land. It’s about understanding our place in that ecosystem and respecting it. It’s about tradition, and in Argentina tradition runs deep.

KRISTOF

   Bravo my friend. Thanks so much for making a few minutes for me.

GUSTAVO

   Always a pleasure Kristof – come and visit soon!

THE WINE

1. vistAlba Corte B

2. 51% Malbec, 37% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Bonarda

3. $29.99 CAD *(BC)

4. 90+ points, EXCELLENT VALUE

5. 91 points Wine Enthusiast

6. *Benefits from 1-hour decant or 1-run through the aerator

7. … no wonder these über-professionals are winning awards around the world! Plush aromas of ripe red berries *(cherries, red currants, young raspberries) are accentuated by deep earth tones, graphite-minerality and a hint of wild herbs growing on the hillside. Energetic acid in the wine craves the touch of fat from fresh grilled carne Asada or just about any premium cut of beef/lamb… fine/chalky tannin will cosy up to that barbeque goodness in the best possible way. A delight with food, you cigar-smokers in the audience will also find it a brilliant pairing with full-bodied Dominican or Cuban tobacco.

2. vistAlba Corte C

3. 76% Malbec, 14% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Bonarda

4. $19.99 CAD *(BC)

5. 90+ points, Great Value

6. 90 points Wine Spectator

7. *No decanting/aeration necessary

8. … by reducing the percentage of Cab-Sauv, the winemaker at vistAlba has created a wine much more plush, velvety in the mouth. Here is a wine that drinks more like a Merlot… the rich red berry flavors of the Malbec are accentuated by a well-focused line of Cab and made generous by the Bonarda. What does this mean for you? For me, this is the wine while I’m cooking… nibble a bite of food, chat with friends, tend the barbeque, drink more wine. Repeat. Excellent balance and structure this wine is a joy to drink on its own. Of course it pairs well with grilled meats, but did you know that wines like this love dark chocolate? Yum~!

THE FOOD

The real genesis behind this article was my craving for terrific grilled food. So let’s not get bogged down with tedious recipes because, at its heart, barbeque (to me) is more about passion then it is about formulas. Find a premium butcher, like Hopcotts, who are using locally sourced, steroid-free, naturally-raised meats. Clean your barbeque before you start using it this spring! There’s nothing worse than a grease fire destroying $100 worth of steaks! Then invite some good friends over, open a few bottles of vistAlba and enjoy the process. Because, really, isn’t that worth celebrating?

So enjoy your meal with great wine and family or friends. Treat yourself, spoil someone else, and above all: savour the moment~! Many thanks to Patagonia Imports *( www.PatagoniaImports.com ) for the brilliant samples!

As always, I look forward to your thoughts, comments and questions. Here, or:

on Twitter @AStudentofWine

on Facebook @ www.facebook.com/TheChefandTheGrape

Vancouver Urban Winery, BC

I'm a bit of a nostalgia-geek... I love history.

I can remember being a kid and watching movies about the middle-ages; kegs of wine lining the walls of "The Great Hall" of a sprawling manor or estate. I always thought that was pretty cool, even before I was a wine-drinker. Flash-forward a few decades and I hear a story about some guys who are doing the same thing but with modern technology. Wow@! Wonderful@! Where are they??

the Lounge @ Van Urban Winery

Believe it or not, we have craftsmen here in our own little city of Vancouver, BC who are kegging wine in stainless steel. They're doing it, they're building a market, and supporting a growing clientele.

Vancouver Urban Winery ( http://vancouverurbanwinery.com ) has sprung to the fore-front of an emerging industry. As the wine industry itself continues it's unprecedented evolution with sales growth in the double-digits year after year, and now decade after decade, business people like Steve Thorp @ Urban Winery see opportunity.

I've worked in the hospitality industry for over 25 years, and have seen change after change. But one of the biggest changes must be the dramatic increase in "wine-by-the-glass". Most restaurants two decades ago carried a mediocre selection of wines period, and the wines they carried by the glass went by the monikers of "House Red" and "House White". Not terribly inspiring.

Now there are entire restaurant concepts revolving around wine-by-the-glass.

One of the greatest pities of this - can we call it evolution? Is that the pace of wine-education in the service industry hasn't kept pace with the dynamic leap forward in wine-consumption. It's been a hundred years or more since we as a society consumed this much wine per person, and yet the average server pouring your wine in a restaurant, pub or bar has relatively little more experience then the barkeep or waiter who was doing so in yesteryear.

And what does this mean for you? What does this mean for the consumer? It means that time after time, bottle after bottle, wine is being poured that is corked, overheated, over-chilled, oxidized and so on, and so-on. You, my friend, are not always getting the wine that the winemaker intended. Indeed, in many markets, you rarely are.

I certainly don't want to come across as if I'm condemning the service industry; far from it! However, this is a simple truth of today - that we have far fewer wine-savvy servers then we have serving positions, and the ratio doesn't seem to be improving. What do we do Steve Thorp?

We install a wine-keg; a FreshTAP system; we go to wine-on-tap. And why do we do this? Zero chance of oxidization, zero chance of corkage, zero wastage, total control over pouring, total control over temperature and let me go on a little rant about wine temps! Far too often I'm served white wines that are barely above zero degrees; the aromas are deadened, the palate is opaque... truly, the better the white wine, the closer to room temperature we can serve it. And the other spectrum isn't pretty either... I was at a Zinfandel tasting many months ago, in the middle of a heat-wave in Summer, and it was held in a facility that had no functioning air-conditioning. 15% ABV Zinfandels in 30C are not pleasant my friends... the alcohol seems to expand in ones mouth, in ones nose, and becomes truly offensive.

And so what's not to love about the idea of FreshTAP; of wine-on-tap? Well I for one had no problem telling Steve that I wondered about the base-line quality of wines going into a keg. A keg - like what Budweiser goes into. Of course, as soon as the words were out of my mouth I looked around the room and saw the impressive array of BC wineries who were choosing this new wave of packaging. Savvy business people are getting in line to work with the likes of Steve Thorp and the Vancouver Urban Winery, and small wonder!

Reduced costs per bottle, increased quality, increased control over wastage (which can reduce profitability by up to 25%) and a reduced amount of shelving (or real estate as restaurant-gurus will state) all yield phenomenal results for the open-minded restaurateurs who utilize this. And this is without considering the dramatic environmental impact; less bottling, less boxes, less shipping... you get the idea. Though the number of BC establishments utilizing this system are small (around 50 out of several thousands), the number is growing.

We as consumers, and I've said this before, are at a New Age of wine industry. We have access to quality for price like never before. We have access to varietals that were on the verge of extenction. We have access to wine from a global market to a global market. And all of this can benefit from the FreshTAP system.

It's a part of the puzzle. Here are fresh, young wines that will stay fresh and young for month-upon-month, in the same condition they left the winery in. Here is a chance for young winemakers to truly speak to an international market about what they are trying to accomplish. Do you really know Beaujolais? Or Sancerre? Or Marlborough? Unless you've been there, and had some barrel-samples from reputable wineries... perhaps you don't know it as well as you thought you did.

But I had the chance, the opportunity, to taste something special at Vancouver Urban Winery.

Roaring Twenties Sauvignon Blanc

New Zealand

$14.99 CAD (BC)

89+ points

• brilliant example of typicity (the varietal). I would serve this in a lecture to illiustrate what a "classic" New Zealand Sauv Blanc can be
• pale straw color with silver & green highlights
• on the nose very soft herbaceous, green grass, melon tones
• on the palate fresh lively acidity, tastes like young pineapple, strong undercurrant of minerality. Great balance and structure. Medium length
• in short - this drinks like a $20+ wine for $15

Roaring Twenties Malbec

Argentina, Upper Mendoza

single vineyard

$14.99 CAD (BC)

88-89 points

• what a treat to have a single-vineyard Malbec (or any varietal) for $15~!
• to the eye this is a young wine, and so much more ruby color rather then garnet - lighter then most wines from this region that I've experienced
• on the nose ripe plums and red cherries, savory earth
• on the palate much the same, with fresh young acidity and approachable medium tannin, the concentration I found medium and somewhat simple, but simple isn't always a bad thing! On a Saturday night I would gladly crack open a few bottles of this when we have people over

In closing, I asked Steve what he would say to the wine-snobs in the audience who ask (and rightfully so) "What about wine being a living thing? What about a wine's evolution in bottle?"

Steve thought for a moment, then responded with true candor: (forgive me if this is not verbatim)

"The evolution of wine in a bottle is sexy. It's a sexy part of the wine-industry and something that I personally find appealing. We here at  Vancouver Urban Winery don't try to compete with that, we compliment it. We compliment how some wines are meant to evolve for years or decades by the same token that some wines are meant to be enjoyed fresh and fruity. 

There's nothing sadder to me, in this field, then knowing that the wine I'm having in a well-respected restaurant or bar is nothing like what the winemaker intended it to be. Now I get to facilitate that experience from winery to glass, and that's really the best part of my job."

Well said. I, too, have such aspirations.

As always, I welcome your comments and questions.

CINCIN~!!!     SLAINTE~!!!     CHEERS~!!!

Que Guapo! by Bodega Juan Munoz Lopez, Argentina

A few days ago I got to meet a colleague for coffee.

In preface; to those of you who have never visited Vancouver, British Columbia, we here take our coffee  very seriously. Perhaps too seriously, the point can be argued - but one must stand by one's principles! One of our principles here is that coffee can become an art form  Those who would disagree, please visit the Agrocafe ( www.agrocafe.org/) and then we can talk.

Seriously just digressed! But it was to put into context a brilliant conversation where once again, the topic came around to social media and the role it can play in the promotion and evolution of wine. Well little did we know at the time, but Canada's premier wine magazine was just about to announce that they were shutting their doors for good. For bad.

Yes, Wine Access magazine, which had hosted the winemakers of the world and more then it's fair share of wine awards - is done ( www.wineaccess.ca ). And what does this mean for the "average" wine-consumer? Well not much, to the minds of some. The magazine, though jammed full of brilliant information - never seemed to hit the main-stream as much as perhaps the accountants would have liked. It was a solid distribution but, with rising costs, perhaps the investors were looking for more then just solid. Some people will always be greedy... but what does this mean for the "industry" in Canada?

The potentially irreparable loss of an icon. Winemakers, importers, sales staff, sommeliers, owners... all of these and many many more have counted on Wine Access to supply a genuinely informative and (mostly) unbiased review of the current state of affairs in Canada. As we grow now into a new age of winemaking in this northerly climate, and begin to make a solid presence in the world arena, it is more then a shame that we should lose such a valuable resource.

And so the burden will fall even more heavily upon social media to play an important role in the clear and effective communication of wine news and reviews over the coming months and years. It is not a role that one should take lightly.

vineyards of Las Perdices

Heavy thoughts for me, but luckily much releaved by the bottle of fun and fruity wine that my friend and colleague bought me. He's lucky enough to have been able to open his own wine-importing agency, and has a solid relationship with a winemaker from Argentina whose work I admire a great deal: Juan Munoz Lopez. If the name rings familiar then it will be because Juan started the brilliantly executed winery Las Perdices which I wrote about at the beginning of last summer ( http://astudentofwine.blogspot.ca/2011/03/las-perdices-cabernet-sauvignon-lujan.html ). Las Perdices is achieving a high level of success not only with the "wunderkinder" of the wine-world Malbec, but also with Cabernet Sauvignon and a number of other varietals.

And so when my friend told me that he was working with Juan to develop a new wine for $15 or less, and would be "fun, fresh and approachable" I thought to myself "Giddy-up!" There are a number of Malbecs, Syrah and Cab-Sauv that I enjoy from that part of the world, but many are "food-friendly" wines and don't always do well without a steak (or a cigar) to pair with.

What these two have come up with is a variation on the "Argentine-blend", which is a geographically-altered version of the "Bordeaux-blend". A traditional Bordeaux-blend being Cab-Sauv, Merlot and Cab Franc, potentially with the addition of a small percentage of other varietals (under 10%). In Argentina some winemakers have been toying with a number of combinations, and in this instance we find Malbec, Bonarda and Syrah. 

So what does this blend mean should be in the glass? Since I've already written about Juan, and the winery, let's talk about the varietals and how they fit together!

What does Malbec bring to the party???
     Malbec is full of dark fruit flavors, a spicy earthiness and pairs well with aging in French oak (lending woody/leathery tones). Naturally leaning towards higher levels of alcohol and concentration - it was Jancis Robinson who said "It's difficult not to like Malbec"

What does Bonarda bring to the party??
     Originally from northern Italy, or southern France, the varietal has evolved over decades and adapted itself to Argentinian soil and climate. More then just adapted - it was the new winemakers who came to Argentina and evolved themselves in Argentina who raised the lowly Bonarda to more then it had been... low yields, older vines and more conscientious treatment of the grape has yielded fruit that now delivers moderate acidity, moderate tannin and body, and cheery cherry flavors. In short - an inexpensive flirty number than can pair well with food and is best (usually) in a blend.

What does Syrah bring to the party?
   Syrah; one of the varietals I enjoy most. One reason I enjoy it so much is because it can evolve into such a different beast depending where and how it is grown. Australia, Chile, France, British Columbia all grow beautiful Syrah - yet each one is unique and worthy of contemplation. In Argentina, whilst not main-stream yet, the varietal is growing in popularity - from about 1,500 HA to over 7,000 HA in less then a decade. Ripening to spicy, pepper, black fruit flavors, this is a varietal than stands well on it's own and yet brings a sultry edge to blends.

2011 Que Guapo
Beach City Wine Co, importer
$14.99 (CAD) British Columbia

88-89 points

• visual:   clean; full garnet core with slight cherry rim
• nose:    clean; moderate+ youthful aromas bursting with layers of ripe cherry and cherry compote, some floral notes and candied fruit underneath
• palate:   clean; dry, moderate+ cherry acid, moderate+ slightly grippy tannin, moderate body, moderate alcohol (14%), moderate+ youthful flavors much like the nose; bright fresh red berry tones are accented by some floral notes and a hint of savory earth/terroir beneath. Some slightly green tones. Good balance and structure, short length
• conclusion: in BC, the second highest liquor tax in the world, we find few examples of $15 and under wines that are well balanced, full of fun and concentration, yet hold some amount of typicity or sense of varietal. This is a classic example of young varietals from this part of the world. Drink now, drink often.
• FOOD PAIRINGS:   at last a pizza wine! Seriously pair this with your next meat-lovers delight from a good pizza parlour and prepare to be amazed... Also pairs well (from experience) with dark chocolate :)

Lujan de Coyo, Argentina

I was talking with another friend and colleague just a few nights ago. We spoke on many weighty subjects, as is often the case with good friends, but then we spoke on wine. I said "I think, sometimes, we in the wine-industry just get a little too full of ourselves when we talk about wine!"

He laughed, I laughed, we both laughed. But we also knew that we were laughing because it was true.

It's good to talk about typicity, and terroir, and soil-composition. These aren't bad things. But at the end of the day I as a wine-writer must talk about flavor. I need to stress balance and composition or structure. These are the things that an average person thinks of when they drink a $12 or $16 bottle of wine.

"Please let it taste good! Not too acidic, and please don't let it ruin the steaks I bought for dinner."

For $15 this is the best I can realistically hope for from a wine, and I am often let down. But not in this case! Juan and my friend Lorenzo have crafted a fun and flirty little number that dances and sings it's way across the palate. Enough depth to pair with simple food and enough balance to enjoy on it's own. I for one find this money well spent. You doubt me? The proof, my friend, is in the glass!

As always, I welcome your comments and questions.

CINCIN~!!!     SLAINTE~!!!     CHEERS~!!!

Cantinian Reserva Malbec - Cab Sauv

"Writing about wine doesn't pay very well, but you have to like the benefit package!"

   A writer who is like a mentor to me said that once, very early in my career, and it's stuck with me. What he failed to mention was the amount of work that this was going to be... who knew that writing about wine would take effort?

   A few days ago a colleague of mine from Patagonia imports (  http://www.patagoniaimports.com/our_wines.php ) dropped off a few sample bottles for me to taste and potentially write about. Well, who I am to refuse a friend?

    Then I opened the first bottle, a $27 Malbec-Cabernet Sauvignon blend from Cantinian vineyards ( http://www.cantinian.com/ )... normally I would be super-charged! I love Malbec, absolutely one of my favorite varietals; I adore the big, juicy red and black fruit notes, the sullen earthiness is can carry and unabashed self-ness when crafted with care.

   I opened the bottle, mouth watering, and poured some into a big Bordeaux glass to allow it a chance to breathe properly before I began guzzling. The glass was sending heady aromas in the air before I even lifted it, and I admit to getting a touch dizzy from the perfume. Then I tasted it.

   What a disappointment.

   Thin, sharp, unbalanced acids were aggressive to say the least and the concentration of flavors couldn't match the puissance of the fine bouquet. Perhaps I just didn't let it breathe enough? So fine, I let the bottle sit open all night, praying that the voracious fruit-flies camped out in my kitchen left my prize alone. They seemed as appalled by the poor vintage as I was... I came back around midnight for a last-effort at redemption but ended up leaving the 95% remaining in the bottle open overnight, more in sorrow then in any effort at further aeration. I had given up, the wine just didn't live up to it's hype.

   Then about 24 hours later I sat down to try and write something redeemable about it, some edge... I searched the Internet, scoured my secret sources for tidbits and even re-read some old notes on wines from the area. A few colleagues were around so I asked them to try it and give me their thoughts...

workers at Cantinian

   "Not bad; good expression of terroir"

   "Brilliant bouquet, lovely bright acids"

    "racy little number, should pair well with some slightly fatty grilled meats"

   Eh? What's this? Are they talking about the same wine?

   I put my nose to the glass again; a plethora of Mendoza trademarks aromas burst forth (with more finesse then the night before). A host of dark red berries, warm earth and savory wood-tones with a light cinnamon-spice finish marched through my olfactory. 

   Trepidatiously I tasted the garnet colored liquid; supple body, brilliantly alive acids, crisp and well-punctuated berry tones... this was a completely different wine.

   What did I learn? Never judge a book by it's cover, or a wine by it's opening notes when it's first poured into the glass. John Schreiner ( http://johnschreiner.blogspot.ca/ ) will always be inspirational to me, not just because he knows more about British Columbia wine then anyone else, but because he is always willing to keep a bottle of wine open for 3-5 days, "just to see what happens".

   Well John, I've truly learnt the lesson. This blend from only minutes outside Mendoza city is brilliantly transparent. If you want to taste a textbook example of "Mendoza-ness", then look no further... just give it a chance to breathe!

2009 Cantinian Reserva Malbec - Cabernet Sauvignon

$27 in BC, SPEC product (only speciality stores)

90 Points

blend:   70% Malbec, 30% Cab-Sauv

harvesting:   manual

organic:   certified organic as of 2012 (this vintage is not certified)

vine age:   up to 90 years; original plantings in 1923, youngest no less then 30 years

soils:   mineral-rich silt and sand with saline deposits

altitude:   950 metres

maceration:   total 39 days; gravity-fed fermentation tanks

maturation:   18 months in new French and American oak

• visual:   clean; fully intense ruby core with slight cherry rim
• nose:   clean; medium+ developing aromas of ripe black strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, dark plums, dark floral notes, wood-tones like cedar,  warm earth, spicy cinnamon finish
• palate:   clean; dry, full (red currant) acids, medium+ (grippy) tannins, medium body, full alcohol (14.5% ABV) is quite hot, medium+ intense and developing flavors akin to the nose with more emphasis on red berry notes and a dark cocoa finish. Good balance and structure, good concentration
• conclusion:   released early, this wine will show best in a few years or with a double decant through your aerator. Enjoy 2014-2020 and best enjoyed with food
• FOOD PAIRINGS:   whilst true that the zippy acids need fat, and a grilled Merguez sausage with eggplant tagine would cosy up to this just fine.. . also consider a Chef Kristof classic: bacon, tomato and aged cheddar sandwich. It has the fat to balance acids, the smokiness to enhance the Argentinian terroir... a lovely way to celebrate the lunch-hour!

the vista at Cantinian

   And so I stand before you, a humbled man.

   I made a snap decision based on literally thousands of wine-tastings, and I was wrong. I actually had the same thing happen with a brilliant Sonoma Pinot Noir  about a year and a half ago, and the sommelier who was with me and I still laugh about it, because we both ended up falling in love with the wine by the end of the night. 

   Wines are living entities; they are born of earth and sweat and sometimes even of love and respect for the place they come from. They sleep in bottles for months, or years, or decades waiting for someone to find them and appreciate them for what they are. Wines have personalities, presence, even the promise of something more... because wine can transport us from one place to another, from one time to another. Wine can ease our burdens, it can lift our sorrows and celebrate our victories. Wine, when it's done well, is a celebration of life.

   You doubt? The proof my friends, is in the glass.

As always, I welcome your comments and questions.

CINCIN~!!!     SLAINTE~!!!     CHEERS~!!!