BC Uncorked: a gathering of greatness

http://bcuncorked.ca

What compels a man to tear himself away from his family at the end of a long work week? Well in this case the man in question is John Gerum; a lover, a most ardent fan, of BC wine and the evening in question is "BC Uncorked: the Art of Food and Wine".

Ok. That could get me out of the house on a Saturday night as well.

But John is more then just a devotee to the oenological adventures of BC winemakers; he's their cheerleader as well. For this event is his brainchild and has been gathering groups of grape-lovers to the furthest side of the GVRD (Greater Vancouver Regional District) for going on 6 years now. And it's amazing!

Under the humble eaves of a high school come to gather some of the finest winemakers in the province and, for those readers unfamiliar with British Columbia viticulture, that's an impressive line-up. It's a funny kind of system that the residents of any particular region seldom truly know the adventurous pioneers working in their very midst and when it comes to wine this is most certainly a truism: BC winemakers are crafting greatness.

21st Chardonnay du Monde (Burgundy, France)
29th Pacific Rim International Wine Competition (San Bernardino, California)
34th All-Canadian Wine Championships (Windsor, Ontario)
Northwest Wine Summit (Pomona, California)
31st International Wine Challenge (West Sussex, UK)
33rd Riverside International Wine Competition (Murrieta, California)
Decanter World Wine Awards (London, UK)
45th International Wine & Spirit Competition (London, UK)
75th Los Angeles International Wine Competition (Los Angeles, California)
San Francisco International Wine Competition (San Francisco, California)
Mondial des Pinots (Sierre, Switzerland)
Intervin International Wine Awards

Are some of the prestigious competitions where BC has garnered respect in 2014, to name a few - many thanks to Wine BC! ( http://www.winebc.org/press_room/awards/)

 And here in the town of Port Moody, nestled against the base of the mountains and sitting squarely in the rain-shadow, these champions come to gather. With a kind of Zen tranquility they set-up their tables; pulling bottles of chilled Chardonnay from thermal-bags and cases of Pinot Noir and Bordeaux-styled blends from their trolleys. The room begins to hum as the crowd tries to appear patient with the rows and rows of bottles being arrayed just beyond reach.

Then the chefs appear and all sense of patience quickly dissipates; barbequed ribs start glazing over hot coals, fresh truffled popcorn is tossed in caramel and seasalt, tart-shells are patiently filled with infused mousses and fresh fruit... like I said, what could possibly compel someone to leave their kids on a Saturday night?

But BC Uncorked is about more then just delighting one's senses with world-class wines and fine victuals. Have a listen to my interview with John Gerum and co-conspirator Steve on their decision to craft this "Ode to Art" into something with a deeper resonance:

Hester Creek at BC Uncorked!~

Sometimes I wonder if what I think I know is really real. Sound confusing? Well - it is.

Case in point, I was invited last week to the BC Uncorked! wine tasting in Port Moody, BC. Wonderfully scenic place with a warm and inviting atmosphere, Port Moody is really one of those "idyllically BC" BC towns. Really, it looks like a postcard. But this is about the wine, not the town.

So I went to the tasting, prepared to do my utmost to provide a fair and accurate depiction of the varied wines I encountered. Of course, some people began to notice that I was taking copious amounts of notes, and that I was spitting my wine rather than drinking. Ah - the bittersweet pleasure of tasting a wine, but then not consuming. At least I didn't have a hangover.

Half-way through the tasting I made it to a table representing Hester Creek. I had sampled their wines before - though not in a formal way & I don't seem to have any notes on them. So, wonderful! Something new for me & a great chance to learn. I tried several wines, and then promptly told one keen observer that the Hester Creek Cabernet Franc was one of the best value wines at the entire tasting.

Really? Who am I to putting on such assumptions? I had only tasted 1/3 of the wines at that point. I was also (arguably) one of the least trained people working the event. So really - who am I to say that?

I just discovered today, that the Hester Creek Cab Franc (the varietal is also known as Chinon in the Loire Valley of France) wins awards every year. Lots of awards. Gold awards. Every year.

So who I am to assume? Well, I'm the same as anyone else: I have tastebuds, I know what I like and I, like anyone else, deserve to have an opinion. Apparently I do have an opinion on wine, and I certainly hope you do as well... what a boring life it would be if we all thought the same way.

2008 Hester Creek Trebbiano $19

• Trebbiano, if you aren't aware, is the second most widely planted grape in the world. It's also one of the most unremarkable tasting. It's used alot for brandy & spirits, but also for Balsamic vinegar.
• this Trebbiano (or Ugni Blanc) has an overpoweringly rich stonefruit nose
• moderate acids, a rich palate with long flavors of exotic fruits... much more flavor then expected

2006 Cabernet Franc $26 **Buy This Now**

• a full & rich bouquet of violets & earthy notes
• moderate+ acids balanced well by full- smooth tannins, rich palate and long structure, long long flavors of baies rouges especially cherry. Some notes of blackberry. Needs & deserves 1 to 2 hours of decanting
• absolutely brilliant wine. But 6 bottles and try a new bottle every 6 months for 3 years. You will consider it money well spent.

2008 Cabernet Sauvignon - Merlot Blend $16

• lots of floral notes in the nose with a dash of pepper at the end
• moderate++ acids, moderate+ tannins, moderate body - this wine has a decent structure but I found the acids getting in the way of the fruit. Decanting will help, as will another year in the bottle i think - beyond that, perhaps the balance has been designed in this way? Or - if the room you are in is very hot (as it was) - it can throw off the balance of a wine.

Hester Creek has shown enough good (and great) value that I am inspired to visit their winery as early as possible. Brilliant work with one of my favorite reds - the Cab Franc if bought now will last for years (or perhaps only hours if you invite your friends and family over).

CinCin! Slainte!

BC Uncorked! Stag's Hollow

An "undiscovered" winery in the Okanagan Falls area, Stag's Hollow (www.stagshollowwinery.com ) is - as is the case with so much in this industry - a labor of passion. These people are dedicated to following their passion and letting the varietal and the terroir showcase with minimal interference. This winery focuses on letting the vines produce the best quality they can, rather than any amount of quantity that may satisfy fiscal targets. Quality over Quantity? These are people I understand! I only had the pleasure of tasting one of their wines, but look forward to more in the near future.

2008 Viognier $25 *very good value

• for all the world, smelling like New Zealand Viognier, which to me means cat-pee. I know this sounds disgusting, but really, that's how I've had it explained to me in tastings and class, and it really is what it smells like
• the palate is where this wine shines! crisp and lean moderate+ acids are balanced with lemony-peachy-apricot flavors and a distinctively excellent structure. Long long presence on the palate to be savored

Ok. I may have insulted some people by saying this wine smells like cat-pee. My apologies for that, but I will not recant. This is a great wine, in the style of Viognier that the winemaker wanted! It's not one of those vaguely Gewurztraminer or Muscat Viogniers... it is what is it. Grill some chicken (skin on for god's sake) and finish it with a summer stone fruit glaze or compote - serve it with this wine - live life to the fullest!

BC Uncorked! A wine event in the tri-cities

Port Moody is known for many things: the scenery of Anmore, or Buntzen Lake, walking along the inlet, or a pint at The St James Well (one of the best kept food secrets of YVR). What it is not known for is the wine-scene. That, too, shall change.

BC Uncorked is an event organized by fellow wine-guy John Gerum (www.wcwed.com ). If you haven't had the chance to checkout his new wineshop - he is currently running and sommelier for the St John Liquor Store (www.newportliquor.com ) which has a fantastic selection of classic and hard-to-find wines, ales, ciders & hard alcohols. So BC Uncorked was over 30 wineries and over 100 wines (much more if you ask me) and a really wonderful showcase for all that BC has to offer. I'll try to break this into manageable pieces!

Gehringer Wines (www.Gehringerwines.ca ), "Golden Mile", Oliver, BC

2009 Sauvignon Blanc $18 *good value

• a really refreshingly citrus & floral nose
• high acids, but well balanced when served @ the right temperature. Lots of minerality and citrus notes
• I thought this was a great wine to serve with your brie type canapes at the start of a meal, or white fish (think local sole) with a light cream sauce

2008 Riesling $15.50 *very good value

• light stonefruit nose with notes of orange blossoms
• moderate+ acids with rich mouth feel, very good body and flavors of lemony-rosehips
• brilliant summer wine! opens the palate and makes it want more - try with Moroccan style grilled chicken

2008 Ehrenfelser $15.50 *very good value

• light to moderate Muscat styles nose, meaning lots of exotic florals and rich fruit notes
• moderate+ acids, really wonderful because that acid balances the rich flavors of lush stone and exotic fruit. Think over-ripe peaches & nectarines, some melon, guava, papaya

These are wonderful, world-class wines. You need look no further than their impressive list of local and international awards to see that whilst we in BC may or may not recognize the level of craftsmanship we have - the rest of the world is certainly taking notice. I look forward to tasting more of this impressive work.