It's Monday 01st December and in less than four weeks I will be celebrating my fourth anniversary in wine journalism. Only four years and yet it seems like so much longer because so much has happened and I have been fortunate enough to work with such gifted and passionate winemakers, cider-masters and distillers.

the inimitable and always congenial John Skinner of Painted Rock showing me the Cab Sauv that haunted me all year

It is because of their passion, and the way that this passion has inspired me, that I have decided to create The Chef and The Grape Top Wines and Spirits: a tribute to quality, value and passion.

My friends, we live in the Golden Age of Wine. Consumers have never in the history of (hu)Mankind had access to such a dizzying array of wines, of such rare calibre of excellence, from such distant corners of the world. And for a pittance! For a fraction of what one might have spent 100 years ago. We are blessed.

And here am I, perched in my corner of the office, where the vista unfolds at the base of the mountains; swaths of frozen gossamer already sheath the peaks and I can start to sense where the tree-tops, jade bristle-brushes waving in the winter breeze, will soon be sporting new coats of glistening ice-gems. And my mind wanders back through the year: the 2014 Vancouver Wine Festival, California Wine Fest, New Zealand Wine Fair and the amazing excursion from Oltrepo Pavese, Italy to name a few momentous tastings... yes, as I said, I am blessed.

These wines have been chosen out of about 2000 tasted in 2014 and have been chosen as much for Value as for sheer Excellence. That is to say, don't be surprised to see a $20 wine beat a $100 wine: to my mind, a $100 should be getting 92+points and if it doesn't then it's providing poor value. Just as a $20 wine that does score 92 points is providing amazing value.

Full descriptions are provided below:

TOP WINES AND SPIRITS 2014

1st place Sparkling: the STUNNING value of Cristalino

SPARKLING

1.    Cristalino Cava, Rose, Spain... 91+ points, $15+ CAD, $10-$12 USD

2.   Summerhill "Ariel", Kelowna, BC, Canada... 93 points, $85 CAD

3.   Nicolas Feuillatte Blanc-de-Noirs, Champagne, France... 93 points, $100+ CAD

honorable mention: Marques de Gelida, Gran Reserva Cava "CLAROR" (bio-dynamic), Spain... 92 points

WHITE

1.   Louis Latour 2010 Corton Charlemagne, Grand Cru, Burgundy... 94+ points, $120-$160+ USD

2.   Meyer Family Vineyards 2012 McLean Creek micro-cuvee, BC, Canada... 93+ points, $65 CAD

3.   M. Chapoutier Chante-Alouette Hermitage Blanc, Cotes-du-Rhone, France... 93+ points, $85 USD

honorable mention: Mudhouse single-vineyard Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand... 92+/93 points

ROSÉ

1st place Rose: David Akiyoshi's stunning Sangiovese

1.   David Akiyoshi 2012 Sangiovese rosé, Lodi, California... 92+ points, $18 USD

2.   Haywire 2012 Gamay Noir rosé, BC, Canada... 92 points, $25 CAD

3.   Cà del Gè Muscato Frizzante, Oltrepo Pavese, Italy... 92 points, €9

RED

1.   Black Hills 2010 Carmenere, BC, Canada... 95 points, $50 CAD (300 cases only)

2.   Thorn-Clarke "William Randell" Shiraz (Syrah), Barossa Valley, South Australia... 93+/94 points, $70+ CAD

3.   Bodega VistAlba Corte "A", Mendoza, Argentina... 93+ points, $65+ CAD

honorable mention: Painted Rock 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon, Skaha Lake, BC, Canada... 91+ points, $40 CAD

DESSERT

1.   Málaga Jorge Ordóñez "Old Vines", Portugal... 94 points, $75+ USD

2.   José Maria da Fonseca 20-year Moscatel de Setúbal, the Peninsula of Setúbal, Portugal... 93+ points, $65+ USD

3.   Dalva 1963 Colheita white-port, Duoro, Portugal... 93 points, $115++ USD

honorable mention: Hainle Vineyards 2010 Gewürztraminer Icewine, Peachland, BC, Canada... 93 points, $85++ CAD

1st place Spirits and perhaps the finest spirit I have ever experienced. #Magical

SPIRITS

1.   Marcel Trépout 1968 Armagnac, France... 94+ points, $150+ USD

2.  Pusser's 15-year, British Virgin Islands, West Indies... 93+ points, $90+ CAD

3.   Luksusowa potato Wódka (Vodka), Poland... 91 points, $25 CAD or less!

And now the chance to explain why I chose what I did...

SPARKLING

... small surprise to regular readers that Cristalino Cava has taken top place - AGAIN: absolutely stunning value for the money, this bubbly has garnered awards around the world and stunned sommeliers/judges everywhere. All you need to remember is that Wine and Spirit Magazine has given this their Value Award 3 years in a row - do I hear 4??

2nd place Sparkling: the Ariel from Summerhill, BC, Canada

... Summerhill winery's "Ariel" may be the most eloquent, elegant expression of sparkling wine I have ever had. I prefer this to Cristal and Dom Perignon, and consider it more on the level of Veuve Cliquet "La Grande Dame" but about $100 less per bottle! This is for lovers of mature sparkling wine (I just raised my hand) and carries nuanced tones of dried apricot, almonds and nougat, fresh baguette and cold, crisp, clean minerality amongst others.

... Nicolas Feuillatte may have crafted near-perfection with their 2012 Blanc-de-Noirs... I was overwhelmed by the levels, the concentration, the balance. This is one of the most beautiful expressions of Pinot Noir in Champagne I've had for years and, remember, 2014 Vancouver Wine Festival was themed on Sparkling Wine... I tasted more then a few :)

... I do love Cava, to be certain. That to one side, this offering from Marques de Gelida moves past the "limitations" of Cava and begins to express flavors and aromas most often only found in offerings from northern France for substantially more money! I was wholeheartedly impressed not only with craftsmanship but with the extreme value as this bubbly runs about $20 USD.

WHITE

... Louis Latour is a legend. This wine explains why: stunning layers, concentration, balance... the words are pitifully weak next to the wine. This is truly one of the most beautiful wines I've had in years and, hard for some to believe, is an Excellent Value at $150 USD. If one could find a Bordeaux red of this calibre, it would fetch $500++USD with ease and even a Champagne of this quality would be $300 USD. No - if you are a wine-lover, forget whether you love red or white. If I was a dinosaur I would be a "Bordeaux-a-saur" and yet even I acquiesce to this wines' greatness. If you do enjoy it, make room in your cellar for Chateau Musar white as well... a must!

Jak Meyer telling me about his Exceptional micro-cuvee Chardonnay

... I never expected to find one of the best values in Burgundy in Canada. Ever. And yet here I am telling you that, after working with Maison Jadot only last year, if you want fantastic value in Burgundian precision, Burgundian elegance, Burgundian intellect focused behind a purely Canadian terroir... pick up a case of the MFV micro-cuvee for about the price of 2 bottles of equivalent quality from Burgundy. An easy decision for me! Listen to the interview in the linked article above and, afterwards, you can ask Jak Meyer what Steven Spurrier thought of the wines if you don't believe me...

... wine has been grown in Hermitage for almost 2000 years. It took winemakers like Michel Chapoutier to turn that into #WorldClass product. This is, perhaps, not a record-setting year for scores from this region - but it is a singularly expressive vintage. This wine speaks with great verve of France, of region and of the varietal: 100%  Marsanne in this case. If you see this on a wine-merchant's shelf, purchase it - it is it's own reward.

... honorable mention went to Mudhouse and their inimitable winemaking duo for crafting the most eloquent expression of Sauvignon Blanc I have ever had. What Nadine Worley and Ben Glover have done is craft something so singular that it stands as an example of what is possible when people Believe. This carries depth and dimension far beyond its modest price-point and belongs to something far more grandiose. Small wonder Ben and Nadine, both, are recognized around the world for setting the highest standards for production and elocution.

ROSÉ

... David Akiyoshi was a name I had never heard before 2014, but a name that I shall now never forget. David is, to me, one of the most skilled winemakers I have (never) met. I've only tasted two of his wines; both were, shall we say, unusual to the marketplace - and yet utterly #WorldClass. This is one of the best Sangiovese I've ever had (for the price especially) and certainly one of the best rosé. If you haven't tried his wines yet then you simply haven't experienced the new taste of California!

a guest savoring the Vancouver moment with a glass of Ca del Ge muscato frizzante

... Haywire wines have been blazing a trail across British Columbia and Canada. To some (the un-learned) this means little. To those in the know, it means that these fine folks are kicking ass in one of the most progressive and competitive wine-regions on Earth. Smaller production than Algeria, BC is winning top honors around the world... and Haywire is winning awards amongst British Columbians. Will this be to your taste? I haven't the foggiest... but no one could try this and say it was anything less than superbly crafted.

... The first time I tasted the wines of the Oltrepo Pavese I was stunned into speechlessness (which
rarely, never happens). These "under-dogs" of the Italian winemaking community have been battling not only a growing international marketplace but, also, disdain from their own brethren. It seems as though Italians consider this region to be a "lesser" producer... to which all I can say is that genius is rarely recognized at home! Though I was mightily impressed with many wines, this rosé stood out as something unique and worthy of notice.

RED

... I'll perhaps never know if that sample bottle of Carmenere was really intended for me when my media pack was mixed with that of an older, more learned colleague - but I'll always be grateful for the confusion! For this was the second time I got to try the 2012 Black Hills Carmenere  and I knew - I knew - that it wasn't a fluke! This was one of the best red wines I have ever had in my life. And it was from Canada! Well throw out the rule-books and let's approach wine with an open mind because now anything is possible my friends! Graham Pierce (winemaker) and his team are pushing the boundaries of what is possible and they are doing this in a BIG way - expect greatness from subsequent vintages.

1st place Red and highest scoring wine of 2014: Black Hills Carmenere, BC, Canada

... After five generations of winemaking, I could expect competence, and hope for great professionalism - but who could predict that this family from South Australia would scoop award after award after award?! Well, anyone who is familiar with the portfolio could have... these guys are serious about their wine. The Thorne-Clarke "William Randell" takes Syrah/Shiraz to a new level that few wineries in the world can compete with and none can replicate. Ask me what I love most about it? I know that next year they'll put out the same level of product - or better. And the year after. And the year after that. And the year after that...

... Bordeaux is the standard by which all "Big Boys" measure their red-blends: Cab-Sauv, Merlot and perhaps Cab-Franc... except in Argentina where some bold wineries are including Malbec (one of the original Bordeaux varietals). In this we find Malbec with CabSauv and Bonarda... unexpectedly full of dimension, elegance and concentration this has the capacity to become a Mover-and-Shaker in the world of wine. For now expect to find this for a fraction of its true worth, and enjoy!

... my bias for BC wines comes not from being a native of British Columbia, because I'm not. My bias comes from the earnest toil that wineries are devoting to these new plantings; the absolute dedication to learning their land and coming to a fuller understanding of what the Land wants to express. None are taking that ideology more to heart than John Skinner and the team at Painted Rock on the bluffs above Skaha Lake in the Okanagan Valley DVA, British Columbia. This is not the best Cab-Sauv I had all year but it was so personal that the memory of that tasting has haunted me for months. Having watched the evolution of this winery's Chardonnay into what I consider Premier Cru level (in only a few years) I have no doubt that the development of this wine will be equally formidable. I advise purchasing sooner rather than later: the Red Icon (Bordeaux style blend) already sells in Singapore for $900/bottle.

DESSERT

... before this tasting I had never had a Málaga before: this spoiled me in the most beautiful way possible. The incredible concentration of flavors and aromas was staggering: warm Christmas spices like warm apple-cinnamon loaf fresh from the oven, grilled pineapple, pear chutney, fresh honeysuckle under a summer sun... and then there was the balance! Impeccable! Ripe sugars played off a near perfect harmony of lemon-balm full acid. For the price, this may be the finest dessert wine I have ever had.

3rd place Dessert: Dalva opened my eyes to an entirely new style of Port wines

... Moscatel de Setúbal is, much like any other grape, capable of greatness in the right hands. In the hands of José Maria it has grown beyond greatness and into something transcendent; this is an example to other winemakers of the power that comes with generations working towards a common goal. It is no flattery to say that this wine is on a level of craftsmanship and expression of region that many wineries may never reach: Christmas spices mixing with a hint of Raz-el-Hanout, baked earth, crusty bread fresh from the oven, almonds toasting in a pan... the aromas and flavors are so pure, so concentrated that they must be experienced to be believed.

... White Port. White Port?! Surely a joke; that's what I thought when I saw a winery owner at a stunning Portuguese wine-tasting with an aged white-port. I had always been taught that white ports were sub-standard; lacking in any true depth of flavor, concentration or finesse. I tasted the wine to be polite and was rewarded with one of the most unexpectedly decadent flavors of the year: rich nougatty-goodness with complimentary tones of slightly burnt honey, orange marmalade and orange blossom tea with the perkiest, most vibrant acid to balance the high levels of sugar. Harmonious. And this was my introduction to Dalva wines; producers of excellence and true pioneers in the crafting of vintage white port.

... I gave honorable mention to the Hainle vineyards Gewürztraminer icewine, and, small wonder; being the first producers of icewine in North America. This particular cuvée is named "Clare's vintage" in our house for it was purchased in honor of the birth of my daughter and what a spectacular way to celebrate it! Decadently sensual aromas of fresh apricot marmalade cooling in the window, over-ripe peaches dripping their honey-liquer on fingers as we devour them with gusto and an entire garden of summer flowers wafting through the room: yellow roses, daffodils, peonies, asters and dahlias. Brilliantly balanced, this will cellar for decades and reward the faithful.

SPIRITS

... I've met them: the snobs. Those who say that only Cognac is capable of true grace, balance and articulation. To them I quote the immortal John Cleese "phhhlllllllltttttttt" as I stick out my tongue. And then, were I in a graceful mood, I would pour them a dram of this heavenly elixir. The team at Marcel Trepout have been crafting some of the finest distillate in the world, and doing so for a very very long time. Remember that Armagnac was being produced 200 years before Cognac ever got started, and practice makes perfect! Aromas that blend and intertwine so seductively as to make the word “bouquet” utterly inept: salt-water toffee, white truffle shavings, a cacophony of Summer flowers melding into potpourri with fresh peaches/nectarines/pears and hints of wild thyme/bay leaf/sage/lavender growing on the hill... this is an Experience.

2nd place Spirits: one of the finest rums on the market today and easily scoring 93+ points.

... I'm a rum fan, no doubt about it. And, I've been an advocate for the craftsmanship of Pusser's rum; also, no question. But if someone would have told me that Pusser's 15-year would, in my mind, be challenging 18-year and 21-year Caribbean rums of long pedigree I would have been quick to argue: "I've been to Cuba!" I'ld state. "I've had brilliant examples of this work from some of the finest producers in the world!". A select group to which, for me, Pusser's now belongs without hesitation or reserve. For under $100 CAD this has been one of the finest spirits I have ever tasted: a harmony of orange zest, molasses, warm nutmeg and vanilla like a Christmas pudding just pulled from the oven and a big mug of black tea beside it... sublime. And it gives back to the community? Well that's like having your cake and eating it too :) Rhum-cake that is.

... bartenders everywhere are nodding their heads in agreement with me on my choice for third place; Luksusowa Wódka is most likely the finest quality spirit of it's class and out-performs competitors much more expensive than it is. My ultimate test for distillates is to taste them straight and at room temperature... a test for which most $20-something vodkas would make me cringe. The Luksusowa is beautiful! Crisp, clean and without any of the "petrol" notes one finds in many spirits under a certain price. I've had the pleasure of creating stunning infusions with it as well as many classic cocktails. I have never found a vodka for anywhere near the price that competes. #StunningValue

the reason why I celebrated that bottle of Marcel Trepout

I sincerely hope that this enlightens you to some of the great treasures out there in the world of wine and spirits in 2014. To the winemakers, distillers, agents and importers I worked with: many thanks again for your time and generosity throughout the year. It has been my great privilege to work with each and every one of you and I look forward to being able to share more of your stories, on an even larger media platform, in the coming year.

   Chef Kristof Gillese

As always you can find more recipes, free wine reviews and my notes on premium distillates and cigars on:

 Twitter @https://twitter.com/astudentofwine

 Facebook @ www.facebook.com/TheChefandTheGrape

 Pinterest @http://www.pinterest.com/KristofGillese/

 Google+ @https://plus.google.com/114010103418743183883/posts

the artistry behind NakedWines

NAKED WINES

When the good people at Naked Wines asked me to endorse their efforts, I responded as honestly as I could:

“Folks: I’ve never heard of most of your winemakers and I’ve never tasted any of these wines. I can’t endorse what I don’t know. “

So they sent me a half-case of wine. Nice!

I tried to keep my mind free and rid myself of any preconceptions but the marketplace is flooded with wines that are at best created by “style-gurus” and at worst sugary-chemical-broths masquerading as wine. I dreaded that this would be another “Apothic” story but did my due diligence: I let the wines rest after their long journey, I opened them one at a time and gave them my fullest attention. It turns out – the culture of wine clubs is changing dramatically.

Meet NAKED WINES: the wine-lovers newest bestest friend. Forever??

This is the place where you as a consumer get to move past the hype, the slick-sales-talk, the bullshit. This is the place where artisanal winemakers come to be judged by you – the consumer. If Naked Wines likes their work they will invest your money and bankroll the winemaker’s efforts to create something worthy of notice. You as the financier (you and 49,999 like-minded individuals) reap the whirlwind when you buy these wines at a fraction of their marketplace value and get to feel like a king. The wines do well and the winemaker keeps working his/her craft with feedback from hundreds, thousands of consumers like you on a regular basis.

Want added perks? How about being able to talk with these winemakers on a regular basis on the Naked Wines website? How about being given a free bottle of premium wine every month? Catch? Catch you ask? Yes, there is a catch – – – – you have to trust. You have to trust Naked Wines to keep investing your $40 per month into winemakers you’ve never met, who don’t have these wines in the local stores. Your local restaurant will not have these wines listed and no – no – NO you can’t ask your favorite wine-geek friend to tell you all about them and recommend the best.

Because your wine-geek friend probably doesn’t know anything about David Akiyoshi or Camille Benitah. That is, unless your friend is also a Naked Wines “Angel”.

Rowan Ghormley, founder and CEO of Naked Wines, courtesy The Telegraph

And I’m not the one who’s going to tell you to join these fine folks. The truth is, they don’t have room for new members anyways; there’s a waiting list of over 13,000 people who want to join the US club alone. And it’s not for everyone! This is not a wine-Mecca for the masses; the friends who come over and when you ask if they’ld like some Merlot they respond with “No thanks, I only drinkred wine.”

This is not to make it sound elitist, because it isn’t, but some consumers/some people are always out there looking for “something cheaper” whilst others are looking for a “better deal”. I don’t care about price I care about value. Show me a great value for $10 or show me a great value for $30 and I’m a happy guy and that’s something I can stand behind: if I had bought the 5 wines listed below, as a Naked Wine “Angel” I would have paid less than $70 USD.

Shut the front door! AMAZING VALUE! I live in British Columbia, Canada: second highest liquor tax in the world (after Sweden) and I couldn’t buy two of these bottles for $70. If you really enjoy 2-buck-chuck and Apothic then power to you. If you don’t; if you love searching farmers markets for the freshest produce, if you drive down to the fisherman’s wharf for the freshest catch, if you care about quality then you have to try these wines!

Five wines: four #WorldClass stars and one that, for whatever reason, just didn’t live up to the standard. But I consider that a stunning win. In an industry where I will sometimes taste a hundred wines in a row before giving 92 points… well, you can read for yourselves….

 2013 “Mont Blanc” Sauvignon Blanc

Lake County, California

by Camille Benitah

91+ points, EXCELLENT Value

… to me this wine is deserving of the moniker “Mont Blanc”: clean, purist mineral tones drive a palate so fresh, so powerful, that it seems to have blown down the side of that impressive Swiss mountainside. Here is a superbly crafted articulation of Lake County and of the varietal. Truly, one of the best California Sauv-Blancs I’ve ever had; the bouquet has layers of small white flowers and summer gardens in bloom to balance the austerely elegant granite and slate mineral backbone. Enamel-peeling full lemon zest acid somehow seem perfectly balanced yet crave a New York bagel “wit a schmear” or fresh Atlantic lobster drown in clarified butter. These zealous Meyer lemon, white grapefruit and ripe lime flavors collide into something that makes me instinctually remember the best ceviche and crave just one – more – bite as I savor what’s left in my glass. Enjoy this now and enjoy this often for, though it could hold for many years, the Stelvin enclosure prevents development in bottle and – brilliant as this is – why wait??

2013 Akiyoshi Sauvignon Blanc

Musque Clone

Lodi, California

by David Akiyoshi

92 points, STUNNING

… even after a few years of sommelier education and penning hundreds of articles, I was stumped when I read “Musque Clone” scrawled with such dominance on David Akiyoshi’s label. What was “Musque” and why was it so damned important? It turns out that “Musque” is perhaps more important (and controversial) then I could have expected: in general it refers to a “musky” quality that can result from genetic variation/development in a grape varietal. What does this mean in real terms? Well gewürztraminer is actually a “Musque clone” of Traminer which is, for all intents and purposes, a dying varietal. So is gewürztraminer it’s own varietal or is it a “Musque clone”? Who should decide and how should it be labelled? Well in this instance, second generation winemaker David decided that what was in the bottle was Sauv-Blanc first and foremost, Musque-clone second. I concur! Whilst the perfumed bouquet offers a bounty of heady floral tones, warm exotic fruit compote and hints of Arabic spice straight from the Sook, the palate of this wine is pure Sauv-Blanc;  unadorned full citrus acid almost Pinot Grigio-like in intensity but with a balance and concentration of peripheral tones (white tea, young mango, kumquat, green apple) that turns this into a chef’s dream… the 80’s classic dish: “Neptune” comes to mind immediately: picture a filet of fresh white fish (pike for those on the Prairies, Red Snapper for the WestCoast and cod on the East. Pan-sear the fish and top it with crab-meat mixed with scallops and perhaps rough chopped prawns, then a few pieces of young asparagus, then Hollandaise sauce. Now – wait for it – scorch or brulée that sauce with a chef’s torch for just a moment… Neptune: over-the-top richness to play off the exuberance of this consummate wine!

2013 Akiyoshi Sangiovese Rosé

quite possibly my top rose for 2014

Lodi, California

by David Akiyoshi

92+ points, STUNNING

…if ever a wine was crafted for the express purpose of beating the summer heat, rosé must surely be it: so light, so refreshing, so perfectly suited for the middle of the afternoon with a half loaf of fresh bread, a hunk of good cheese and some artisanal cold cuts. David Akiyoshi’s interpretation certainly satisfies any craving one may have for both greatness in rosé and in Sangiovese. This wine carries the blush of youth and the bloom of young flowers; aromas of roses, cherries, red plums, red currants and early raspberries. The full acids convey a palate that mimics the bouquet brilliantly; impeccable balance, concentration and structure show the excellence in viticulture as much as the skills of Mr Akiyoshi. Should I wish to use this wine with a meal instead of the laziness of a July afternoon, seafood would be my first choice *(natural) but a close second would be turkey! I usually go with a northern Beaujolais (Morgon, Fleurie, Moulin-a-Vent) for Thanksgiving but a rosé with such structure and elegant power will certainly pair superbly… just don’t forget to baste that turkey with a little butter! #NofatNofun

2013, Lay of the Lay Pinot Noir

Marlborough, New Zealand

Mike Patterson, winemaker

92 points, EXCELLENT Value

… at the risk of sounding melodramatic: THIS. IS. MARLBOROUGH… superbly crafted, this is a Pinot that truly speaks about where it comes from just as much, if not more, then it does about who made it. The textured bouquet is awash in Carneros-like seasalt and briney green olives, yet carries tones of lush green grass, soft savory herbs like parsley and thyme and a background of granitic minerality. Elegance would best describe the balance and structure; a palate conveying mirror-like qualities from the bouquet, medium+ young raspberry acids bursting with the exuberance of youth, medium fine tannin craving just a hint more bottle age before they truly start to come into their own. I would call this textbook if textbooks could have examples of such quality. A joy to consume now, this is best enjoyed 2015-2020+ but will not develop appreciably due to Stelvin enclosure *(pity). FOOD PAIRING is most natural when the wine is used at the start of the meal to take advantage of the dynamic acid… pâté, rillete and the like will find harmony. Feeling casual? Pair this with a classic Roman panini with a thick lathering of pesto and layer of Italian coldcuts and cheeses… once again the acid will bring balance and as Pinot Noir is a light wine, will work perfectly with hints of sunshine and a picnic blanket~!

2012 Columba Syrah

El Dorado, California

by the Jarvis Tomei family

88 points, Decent

… putting to one side that everyone has their own preferences in style and interpretation of any varietal, much less one that has as much diversity as the mighty Syrah/Shiraz; this wine is, at best, table wine. Not poorly made table wine, but table wine still. Though the color is a robustly bruised purple the aromas are simple; bright red berries carrying candied notes much like Beaujolais Nouveau. The palate mimics the nose to its own demise; bright/cheery medium+ raspberry acids carry freshness though no structure and the tannin is a slightly clunky medium+ as well… very basic flavors of the young red berries with an unfortunate tendency towards overoaking. Please understand that the “harshness” of this critique is only due to it being presented in the same line-up as the previous wines which were, unequivocally, World-Class. Should someone offer this to me at Sainsbury for 3 Euros or Safeway for $7.50 I would consider it a fair transaction.

Naked Wines staff USA

So how does this work? As an “Angel” you put $40 a month into your Naked Wines “piggy bank” which you can use whenever you want. You can even withdraw it if you so choose. Cool. That’s the same as a few bottles of table wine so no big deal to most folks. You and I know that we’re going to spend that money on wine anyways – it’s just a matter of how we want to spend it.

I’m thinking of a local winemaker I know; he’s fantastically gifted but just hasn’t been able to crack into the market yet. It’s a struggle for him and, as a father, I understand his woes. He’s a Dad to two great kids – there are bills to pay and those don’t stop just because you’re having a bad day. But he’s an artist as well and won’t compromise on the quality, the finesse, the uniqueness of his wines just to make the wines “easier to understand sell”.

This man, this winemaker, has my unquestioned admiration. If he could work with a company like Naked Wines it would mean the world to him. An automatic audience that connects with what he’s doing and what he wants to do. A chance to quit taking time out of his days for tastings rooms and sales calls and get back to what really matters: being in the vineyard, being in the cellar. Working with the wine.

That is what the Naked Wine “Angels” get to do. They get the opportunity to do something truly valuable with their consumer dollars. And they get wickedly exciting wine as well. Well heck, if that isn’t just what I asked Santa Claus for this Christmas!

Many thanks to Naked Wines for the generous sample bottles: it revealed not only a new business module to me but a hidden layer of winemaking in the world. As always you can find more recipes, free wine reviews and my notes on premium distillates and cigars on:

 Twitter @https://twitter.com/astudentofwine

 Facebook @ www.facebook.com/TheChefandTheGrape

 Pinterest @http://www.pinterest.com/KristofGillese/

  Google+ @https://plus.google.com/114010103418743183883/posts

Trump Winery 2014 release, Charlottesville, Virginia

http://trumpwinery.com/

Eric Trump in the vineyards

Imagine my surprise when Donald Trump's son sends me a half case of wine. No - not the start of a joke, a true story...

On the other side of the continent there's a 30-something fellow by the name of Eric and he's the new owner of Trump winery in Charlottesville, Virginia (formerly Kluge winery estates). He also happens to be Donald Trump's son and a force to be reckoned with in the real estate market and now the wine industry as recognized by his "Rising Star" award at the Wine Enthusiast 2013 Wine Star Awards ( http://www.wineenthusiast.com/ )

Eric has a talent for sniffing out great deals; he's grown the Trump interest in  golf resorts from 3 to 11 total properties in a decade and is actively working on more deals. It looks like that talent covers finding undervalued wineries as well since the company took over the winery for a fraction of its true value. When socialite Patricia Kluge put the mansion, for instance, on the market in 2009 is was for the jaw-dropping price of $100 million dollars.

The Trumps picked it up for about $6.5 million.

Gives the word "trump" a heck of a lot of context, doesn't it?

But does all of this money acumen translate at all to wine? You know me; I eschew corporate greatness when it comes to wine as I feel, in almost all circumstances, it is the diametric opposite to greatness in the grape. Grapes/wine crave a personal touch. Vines are like any living thing and crave light, food and love... a daunting list for most Big Business.

exemplary Trump sparkling blanc-de-blanc

And yet now I sit and eat my humble pie for Eric Trump is presiding over billions of dollars of real estate and still manages to provide exactly what his vines require. Take special note of the team he has assembled: Katell Griaud who oversees the still wine program with an impressive two, yes two, master's degrees in winemaking from prestigious Universite de Bordeaux and Jonathan Wheeler who has been with the estate since 2006 and oversees the stunning sparkling selection. Jonathan has honed his skills throughout Marlborough, Monterey, Sonoma and the Finger Lakes but it is his complete empathy with this site that is perhaps his greatest strength.

But enough about the Trumps, what about the wines? Truly the sparkling wine was the star for me, and I'm no easy sell. These are not only brilliantly crafted but also incredibly (for the vine age) articulate expressions of their terroir. I am well impressed and the highest praise I can give is that I understand, now, how it is that they beat the formidable Gloria Ferrer in two American blind tastings last year and why Wine Enthusiast bestowed upon them the highest rating ever given to a Virginia still or sparkling wine.

Please enjoy the reviews and check the sparkling wine section for my "How-To" recipe on creating a Provençal meal that is simply sinful with the Blanc-de-Blanc or the sparkling rosé!

2013 Rosé

90 points, Excellent Value

blend of 21% Cabernet Sauvignon, 44% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Franc

vine age: 8 years

production: 605 cases

... keen mineral precision, well-concentrated savory berry and wild scrub-brush tones; this wine is exemplary in its execution. Enough acid to make the lips pucker a smidge with enough ripeness to the fruit to allow the senses to perceive residual sugar, of which there is none. Truly  crafted for the heat of summer, this wine is both refreshing and substantial. I cracked it open on a muggy, steamy July evening towards the end of dinner and needed nothing more than good company as the pairing. If I had to pair it with food I would choose Parmegiano-Reggiano risotto with seared venison flank steak and sweet pea emulsion... a novel pairing for rosé to be certain, yet the acid in the wine will love the creamy texture rice, the bright red berry tones is perfect for venison and the peas will bring out the light notes of herb/undergrowth that the young vines are struggling to express.

2013 Sauvignon Blanc

89 points, Very Good Value

vine age: 7 years

production: 950 cases

... a lean wine, this drinks more like Sancerre then New Zealand: all minerality with hints of lemon zest and the background of little summer flowers. Vine age certainly comes into play here, with the secondary and tertiary aromas/flavors being very juvenile at present but speaking with the promise for greatness. This is a natural for anyone who loves fresh fish: pike or pickerel from the Prairies, shark from either coast, halibut for those with a budget or cod for those without... the fresher the better and just a dab of butter to season. Be wary though: this wine needs to be served chilled; anything above 16C/60F and the acids will present themselves as being unbalanced.

2013 Chardonnay

89+ points, Very Good Value

vine age: 8 years

production: 2350 cases

... reminding me of Petite Chablis, this is New World crafts(wo)manship to be certain. Brilliantly articulate, it expresses clean minerality, warm straw, ripe lemon zest and subtle savory herb nuances on the nose. On the palate the lean yet balanced acid offers that same expressions and is lacking only in vine age to further the concentration. Absolutely perfect for grilled/roast chicken this made me think of a Provençal dish I made just the other day: Meaux mustard, roasted garlic and fresh dill grilled chicken. Grilled baguette. Salad of bitter greens, grilled sweet peppers, steamed green beans, olives, capers and tomato. It was a simple meal but the intensity of the flavors was washed clean, and complimented, by the utter freshness and piercing minerality of this lovely Chardonnay

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

HOW TO BRING PROVENÇE TO YOUR TABLE:

As much as Provençe is a place, to me it is even more importantly a state of mind: fresh, local, seasonal. Lucky for me, living in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, I have a growing season that almost stretches year round. Here I was in June with a bounty of fresh veggies and as I had a mate in France I decided to bring some of that ideology to my own picnic table.

Local lettuces, ripe tomatoes, fresh sweet peppers and peppery little radishes... the only thing not local here was the olives. This salad is Niçoise-styled, meaning that to a traditionalist it may not fit all the criteria but contains many of the key ingredients. What I like to do is treat each of those ingredients separately to enhance their natural flavors:

...steam the new potatoes, toss with great olive oil

...grill the sweet peppers, just salt and pepper

...marinate the tomatoes in vinegar and fresh herbs for 10 minutes

...steam the green beans and drizzle with balsamic reduction

But one of the true keys is in that Lyonnaise marinade that is brilliant with poultry but also works a charm on pan-seared oysters: roasted garlic, Meaux mustard, olive oil, cracked pepper and fresh herbs *(can be dill, parsley, rosemary, thyme). I let the chicken marinate like that for the entire afternoon then grill it until the skin is "cracklin' crisp" and the internal temperature is 180F which took me about 15-20 minutes for bone-in thighs on my 400F gas barbeque.

Grilled chicken, fresh baguette, Niçoise salad and a couple of bottles of beautiful wine. What else could one want? But yes - I did have the company of my beautiful family as well, and so, I had it all.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2009 Sparkling Rosé

90+ points, Excellent Value

blend: 92% Chardonnay, 8% Pinot Noir

vine age: 8 years

production: 2000 cases

... 100% estate fruit and it shows; this is an incredibly concentrated and nuanced wine for such a young vineyard. The aromas are rich with tones of red currant, cranberry, raspberry and that ever-present Trump Winery tight/lean/focused minerality. Mouth-watering vivid currant acid is enriched by a creamy, persistent mousse and the synergy of fruit just ripe enough to give the impression of sweetness. Delightfully dry though, this is the perfect foil for prawns, king crab, grilled scallops and most anything from the sea. Consider this your new sushi wine!

2008 Sparkling Blanc-de-Blanc

91+ points, Excellent Value

vine age: 7 years

production: 8,000 cases

... Delighted by this consummately professional methode Traditionale sparkling Chardonnay: classic creamy fine mousse, concentrated mineral aromas blending in harmony with straw/nougat/almond and Anjou pear tones. The brisk palate captures concise minerality again yet carries a richness from ripe fruit that brings dry acid to brilliant balance. A gem; exceptional value! I served this with the 2013 Chardonnay for our Provençal themed meal and it truly over-delivered on quality!

2012 Meritage

88 points

vine age: 8 years

blend: 45% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Franc, 18% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Petit Verdot

production: 2,758 cases

*DECANT 1 HOUR FOR BEST RESULTS

... heavily spiced red fruit tones leap from the glass in this ultra-traditional Bordeaux styled blend; cinnamon stewed plums, red currant jelly, raspberry tart... simply massive aromas with a sugary background that is not altogether unpleasant. The medium+ red currant acid presents itself as well integrated and the medium+ fine tannin give credible weight to the wine. To me, the fruit is a tad too ripe and overpowers the gentle secondary aromas/flavors that are emerging: wild herbs, sous-bois or undergrowth are hidden behind those bold fruit tones and more than a hint of alcohol though it is a (relatively) modest 13.8%. Enjoy now, and slightly chilled (not over 18C/70F), as this young wine will not develop appreciably in bottle. For the Bordeaux enthusiasts in the audience this is, to me, more like Haut-Medoc without the pencil shavings/graphite mineral edge. A fine effort from a young vineyard.

Many thanks to Hopcott’s meats where I purchased the excellent locally sourced chicken ( http://www.hopcottmeats.ca/)  and to Kerry Woolard at Trump Winery  ( http://trumpwinery.com/) for the generous sample bottles.

As always you can find more recipes, free wine reviews and my notes

on premium distillates and cigars:

on Twitter @AStudentofWine

on Facebook @ www.facebook.com/TheChefandTheGrape