Ferreira 1991 LBV Porto (Port)

http://eng.sograpevinhos.eu

Legacy.

Every parent, from the moment they set eyes on their first child, yearns to leave a legacy. I don’t imagine that history would show anything else and I don’t imagine that the future will either. No, when I look at my daughter, I too feel the pull; the tug at my heart to create something that will stand-up to time.

Dona Antonia Ferreira did just that. In the 1800′s, in a time when women weren’t allowed to vote and the “Rule of Thumb” meant a man could beat his wife with a stick as long as it wasn’t wider then his thumb (that’s a fact), this brave soul bucked traditional, reversed roles, and took the reins of her family business. She had been left a widow at age 33, had a young daughter to look in the eyes, and had a legacy already of four generations of family owned, family run wine in the Duoro region of Portugal.

Antonia took that legacy on a journey that has lasted centuries and shows every intention of lasting centuries more.

She built roads, cared for the workers, expanded vineyards, fought the dreaded phylloxera and traveled throughout Europe to find ways to save her crops. In short, Antonia lived for more then just herself. She came from money but her father had squandered much of the family fortune by the time Antonia took control of what became one of the most influential port houses in the world.

So she rebuilt it. To what extent?

Dona Antonia’s daughter, Maria, eventually became the  Countess de Azambuja. Amazing for a woman who could legally be beaten by her husband and had only the shakiest of legal principles to own her family business rather then see it go to an uncle or male cousin.

And the wine? As always my friends, the proof is in the glass:

1991 LBV

91+ points

• visual:   clear; full intense garnet core, slight cherry rim
• nose:   clean; medium+ to fully intense developing aromas of dried blueberry, stewed blackberries, fresh black raspberries and Saksatoons, woodsy tones, savory herbs and tomato leaf, dark tea
• palate:   clean; sweet, medium+ crisp strawberry acid, medium+ chalky/chewy tannin, medium+ to full bodied, medium+ alcohol (20.5% ABV), fully intense developing flavors that are perfectly in-line with the aromas; bright red and black berry acids hit the palate full-speed and are followed by a plethora of herbaceous/floral tones… well-integrated oak follows with some dark cocoa notes. Very good balance, excellent structure and medium+ to long length; keeps developing up to 20 seconds
• conclusion:   a joy to drink now, but can be cellared for decades. Enjoy 2013-2023++
• FOOD PAIRING:   the high sugar level in this fortified wine cry out for balance! Consider then Roquefort infused croque-en-bouche with almond caramel, edible orchid garnish…. the savory tones of the cheese are a tried-and-true counterpart to Port’s naturally heavy fruit-induced sugar rush

Legacy.

Dona Antonia couldn’t have known how far her quest to ensure her daughter’s prosperity would take her family brand. The name Ferreira is synonymous with unwavering quality and brilliant value. The new head of the winemaking team, Luis Sottomayor, took up the mantle of command in 2003 and has since been nominated as the best winemaker in Portugal twice.

In December 2013, Ferreira port was also voted by Wine Spectator into the prestigious TOP 100 list for the year as well as receiving the highest scores per category for several of its fortified wines.

And what does all of this mean for you?

Value. Plain and simple. Here is a brilliant quality LBV (Late Bottle Vintage) which is considered to be inferior quality to a recognized Vintage Port. And yet, it has aged gracefully for 20 years and could have lived for many more had I the patience. It is not every port-house that can boast the same skill… under promise, over deliver – the creed of great business people the world over and obviously an unspoken mantra in the halls and on the slopes of Ferreira Porto.

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

on Twitter @AStudentofWine

on Facebook @ www.facebook.com/TheChefandTheGrape

Schug vineyards; 1996 Heritage Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

http://www.schugwinery.com/

In 1976 California was celebrating victory at "The Judgement of Paris".  Their wines took first place not only for white wine, but also for red in a blind tasting; paneled by some of the greatest palates in France. This brought an incredible influx of energy and enthusiasm for the potential of Californian wine-making as could scarcely be imagined only a few years previous.

Walter Schug had already been making wine there for 15 years.

walter schug

Before the "hooplah", before the bright-lights of possible stardom brought people of every walk to the sun-baked valleys, fog cooled coastline and craggy hills. Before all of this, Walter had seen the potential and had brought his bride across the ocean to a new land and a new life. And in the '70s he imagined a wine that no one else believed in: a true Bordeaux-styled blend, on the same level of quality, precision and finesse as could be found anywhere in the world. But Walter saw it being made on those rocky crags, warmed by pure California sunshine and cooled by the ever-present ocean breeze. He found someone else as adventurous as he was, a winery owner named Joseph Phelps and together they charted into the unknown. The year was 1974 and they made 670 cases, uncertain as to it's future. The wine was named Insignia and successive vintages went on to receive multiple 100-point scores and become one of America's most expensive wines, and most prestigious.

But we already know that Walter's passion for wine is bigger then passion; it is ardor, combined with zealotry in the most infectious manner possible. Having shared a glass or two with him, I can say that drinking Pinot Noir  with Walter Schug is like eating chocolate with my two-year old... the smiles get bigger and bigger, the laughter begins to spread and soon I've forgotten about taxes and mortgages and anything but how much fun I'm having. Because Walter loves Pinot Noir and he loves to share the special beauty it carries.

Perhaps I love Bordeaux styled blends in the same way. I admire, then, the man who created a Bordeaux blend that rivaled the quality of France, when no one thought it possible. And he continued that work even after leaving Phelps Winery and opening his own eponymous haven to all things from the grape...

Recently Walter's son Axel who runs the family business, now that Dad is "mostly-retired" after over 50 years of wine-making, sent me a bottle of their 1996 Heritage-Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. I won't preach about the merits of this wine; the score speaks for itself as does the tasting notes. But one should recognize that by 1996 Walter had been working with Cab-Sauv for over 15 years in his own winery and over 35 years in California.

They say that it takes 10,000 hours of practice to master a skill. Any skill. By that token, Walter had transcended mastery and come to Artistry. And it was with a very select group of "uber-professionals" that I shared this piece of oenological history, and only the wine-Mecca of Vancouver would serve as a proper setting: www.uvawinebar.ca

The cork was firm, decanting barely necessary, and as we all began to swirl, swirl, swirl our glasses a heady perfume lifted from the crystal cages. This was an Experience that we would not soon forget. Steve Edwards, general manager of UVA/Cibo was as impressed as I was and couldn't stop repeating

"It's so fresh~! I just can't believe how fresh it still is but so developed~! And '96 was a cool vintage - remember??"

Steve. Dude. In 1996 I was a 25-year old from Northern Alberta... the closest I got to knowing a vintage was when they started dating the month my beer was made in. No Steve, I don't remember how cool it was in Carneros that year, but I am truly in awe of the people who do remember things like that almost 20 years later. Just as I know with certainty that I will be remembering this bottle 20 years from now.

Here are my own notes from that evening, which were very much in unison with other, more educated palates then mine:

1996 Sonoma Valley Heritage-Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc

94+/95 points

• visual:   clear with light sediment, dark ruby core with substantial cherry/brick rim. Wears its age gracefully
• nose:   clean; fully intense developing bouquet of a myriad of berries: dark cherries, blackberries, blueberries, dark raspberries and currants... a primal musky cologne mixed with warm evergreen trees, deep earth tones, leather, Asian peppercorn and black tea
• palate:   clean; dry, ultra-bright full red currant acid, medium- fine yet textured tannin, medium- body, medium- alcohol (surprising 13.5% ABV), fully intense developing flavors that are brilliantly in-sync with the bouquet: a treasure-trove of flavors that combine and compliment each other. Minerality sings from start to finish and is the conductor that guides a full orchestra of components into a seamless harmony. World-class balance and structure, long+ length with flavors continuing to develop up to 60 seconds and longer
• conclusion:   truly surprising, this wine has years of life left in it. Only to share with those you truly love, respect and admire: 2013-2018+
• FOOD PAIRING:   what a crime to pair food with this, for what culinary creation could hope to match the concentration, balance and elegance? You must splurge my friend, for only with World-Class food can there be balance with this World-Class wine. Consider what celebrity chef Raymond Blanc is serving at the decidedly decadent le manoir aux quat'saisons:
• “GROUSE” RÔTIE, CHOU, LARDONS ET SAUCE AUX MÛRES
  Roasted new season grouse, cabbage, bacon and blackberry jus
  (may contain shot)

Of course, if you don't have the opportunity to visit Le Manoir, then you could just make it yourself - substitute a cornish hen for the grouse!

Italian chickpea fritters @ UVA

We live in a time when a 95-point wine from Pomerol or Pauillac will cost you an easy $500 or more, without any degree of age on the bottle. Even that same scoring wine, coming from one of the more "prestigious" houses of California would cost $300 without breaking a sweat. It beggars belief then that there have been times in the recent past when Schug vineyards was selling its wine at cost, just to allow them to enter new markets.

I love a deal. I love great deals on wine. I adore great deals on great wine, but this borders on theft. It is a steal, I tell you, to purchase a wine of this calibre for this price. Be assured, your friends and your competitors are actively searching for the next, best deal on Bordeaux styled wine. Perhaps it is only from looking at those who first crafted these wines in the New World that you will find your competitive edge.

The proof? As I've been known to say: The proof is in the glass my friend.

many thanks to the following:
Le Manoir au Quat'Saisons  for being an un-ending source of inspiration, http://www.manoir.com
Crush Imports  for bringing Walter and Axel's wine to Western Canada, http://www.crushimports.com/

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

on Twitter @AStudentofWine

on Facebook @www.facebook.com/TheChefandTheGrape

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

Painted Rock winery, Okanagan Valley, BC, Canada

www.paintedrock.ca

One of the great advantages to being first in line for anything is that you get to say "I discovered this!" as opposed to saying "I followed others"
http://www.vancouverobserver.com/blogs/foodsource/2011/01/19/tasting-painted-rock-wines-estate-founder-john-skinner

I was fortunate enough to be one of the first wine writers in BC to write about Painted Rock winery, back in the Olden Days... I interviewed John Skinner (proprietor) in late 2010 and then the article came out online in January 2011.

I re-read that article recently, and found myself smiling at the precocious notion of buying Painted Rock Chardonnay for a measley $30 CAD (a price which, at the time, I thought mildly inflated). These days the Chardonnay positively bursts with expression and is a steal at $30 from the cellar-door or $35-$40 at most private liquor stores. Yes, the times have changed for both John and myself over the course of only two years and I couldn't be happier for the success that the Skinner family and the Painted Rock team have garnered.

Earned I should say~! John Skinner may be one of the hardest working people in the industry that I know of; He's on the road, he's at events, he's pouring at stores, he's coordinating at the winery... and in the midst of it all John invites me over to his home so that we can chat about wine... gracious host, he even made me espresso! Now how many winery owners have done that for you recently?? And so we sat on the deck, overlooking the ocean, sipped on espresso and had a great conversation about the incredibly deft and diligent work of the Painted Rock team:

Kristof:   John, thank-you so much for having me over - it's always a treat to share some time with you.
John:    A pleasure Kristof, the feeling is mutual.
Kristof:   One of the ideas that we've spoken of before is the use of oak; how much it's changed/evolved over the years and the new approaches in "modern" winemaking. What's developed for Painted Rock in terms of this recently?
John:   To use the Chardonnay as an example, this year's vintage (2011) was in new French oak barrel for about 6 months - and this is what we're finding is a real sweet-spot for our Chardonnay... it's respectful, integrated, and allows for the expressions that we're becoming known for...
Kristof:   -I'm sensing there's more to the story...
John:   Yes, it's quite interesting the way it unfolded; Alain Sutre, our consultant (  http://www.paintedrock.ca/Story/Team ) asked me "John, if you could do anything with this wine, what would you change?" I told him that I loved the bright acidity, but if I had my druthers I would love a bit more mouth-feel. Alain smiled and replied that we had an opportunity to do some extra work in the vineyard that would make our efforts in the cellar be rewarded multiple-fold. That's when Alain introduced our winery to the genuine French practice of triage in the vineyard; harvesting from the vines multiple times to ensure that only the perfectly ripe fruit is picked - and at the optimal time. What we're doing in essence is picking for specific attributes... characteristics that will become building blocks when we get to the blending stage. This increased our labor cost hugely, but the results show in the glass and I couldn't be any more proud of what we've created.

aerial shot of Painted Rock vineyard

At this point, John was drowned out by the sounds of gulls cawing, wings flapping and speedboats passing close by... and so we, as civilized men, paused out conversation to sip our espresso. A moment passed, then back to the vineyard John marched me *(with his words) as he continued his explanation with the unabashed joy of an 8-year old with a new bike!

... The really exciting part of all of this is that we're making a single vineyard Chardonnay, but we're making several different wines to make one wine!
Kristof:   John, you know I'm a simple man. Explain it like I'm 5-years old.
John:   Alain took me into the vineyard a week or so before optimal harvest and showed me how the grape had gone a brilliantly amber/honey/golden color and he said "We pick 20%". And so we did! We picked only those golden grapes (and they were so easy to recognize); we fermented it, put it through malo-lactic, then matured it separately in oak. This first wine we made for the mouth-feel, for the pure viscosity and generous nature with its big aromas.
Kristof:   Ok - I'm with you so far.
John:   Then it was only a week after we picked that first wine that we picked another 60% of the vineyard. This was not put through malo and this was the bulk of our wine. This was going be our brightly acidic backbone and so once again, fermented separately, matured separately.
             And then there was the remaining 20% that we let hang for at least another week - and that's all about super-ripe fruit... all of these wines had separate yeasts, separate fermentation, separate maturation and we end up with these vastly different building blocks. We get this rare opportunity to craft a genuinely layered and textured single-vineyard wine.
Kristof:   It's a very unique winemaker, and winery owner to be honest, who has this kind of commitment to quality in any part of the world, much less in the New World. My hat is off to you sir.

It was at this point that we began a long and somewhat rambling diatribe on the state of current affairs in the BC wine industry. I had always recognized and respected the quality of Painted Rock wines, but it was a completely new level of humble awe to listen to John's rendition of how a truly world-class consultant like Alain was out on the slopes and teaching centuries of technique here. I didn't mean to blow smoke up John's ass, but I told him unequivocally how impressed I was.

We here in BC have experienced over 600% growth in our wine production in a generation, but beyond that we have experienced a growth in quality that most regions can still scarce believe. How is it possible that a winery less then 10 years old, is producing Chardonnay with precision and concentration to rival Pouilly-Fuisse? And at a reasonable price?

It must be because of the dogged determination of a few. A few winemakers, vineyard managers, cellar-hands, distributors... perhaps even because of the writers who try to tell their story. My only regret right now? That the Chardonnay in question wasn't finished yet and so I didn't get the chance to write about it. But I did get to taste these beauties and, just maybe, you'll be able to get your hands on a few bottles as well. Worth the price??? The proof is in the glass my friends - just ask John!

2010 Syrah

91+ points

$40 CAD

Skaha Bench, Okanagan

18 months on 80% new oak (60% French, remainder American)

• visual:   clear; deep bruised plum core with slightest bright cherry rim
• nose:   clean; medium+ to fully intense and youthful aromas of bright red cherries, raspberries, dark cocoa tones, black peppercorns and intense white pepper, slight Thai chili finish mixed with savory herbaceousness (south Okanagan sous-bois)
• palate:   clean; dry, medium+ red raspberry/currant acid, medium+ to full chewy/meaty tannin, medium+ body, medium+ to full alcohol (14.8% ABV), fully intense and developing flavors in-sync with the nose; awash in red berry tones the palate gives way to warm oak and savory cocoa with a lightly spiced pepper finish. Very good balance, excellent structure and long length
• conclusion:   an excellent example of Syrah/Shiraz, this wine drinks well with serious decanting now, and will reward cellaring with moderated tannin structure. Drink 2013-2020++
• FOOD PAIRING:   I have several good friends/colleagues in the wine industry in Australia (hello McLaren Vale~!!!) and all I want to do is invite them to over for BC Shiraz and BC steak: grilled Pemberton ribeye steak with coarse seasalt rub, charred leeks, BC vinegar brushed portobello mushrooms and steamed new potatoes in Island Farms whole butter #HellYeah

2009 Merlot
92+ points
*unofficial score from the 2013 International Wine Bloggers Conference in Penticton, BC ranging from 91+ to 93 points
$40 CAD18 months, 95% new French oak

• visual:   clear; solid garnet core with slight cherry/brick rim
• nose:   clean; fully intense and youthful aromas developing with bright raspberry jam, red currants, hints of menthol and pine, savor sous-bois underbrush, distinct blackberry mineral finish
• palate:   clean; dry, full red currant acid, full grippy tannin, medium body, medium+ alcohol (14% ABV), full intense and youthful flavors developing much the same as the nose; bright red berries burst on the palate, followed by a dense concentration of wood/earth/savory underbrush characteristics... darker berries follow with some dark tea notes. Excellent balance and structure with long length
• conclusion:   only just coming into it's own, this is really a food wine at present but will develop into a "thinking man's wine" with another half-dozen years of patience. Enjoy 2013-2023 and possibly beyond
• FOOD PAIRING:   the crisp young acids crave fat and the tightly wound tannin crave substance; pull out all the stops for this!! spinach, wild mushroom and blue cheese stuffed beef tenderloin; slow roast, finished with wild thyme butter. Charred eggplant stuffed with tomato compote and caramelized onions. Fresh country bread...   

2009 Red Icon
92+ points
$55
WINNER OF A 2012 LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR'S AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN BC WINESBEST RED BLEND IN CANADA, 2011 WINE ACCESS CANADIAN WINE AWARDS

18 months in 95% new French oak
Merlot 30%,  Cabernet Franc 29%, Cabernet Sauvignon 25%
Petit Verdot 15%, Syrah 1%

• visual:   clear; solid garnet core with slightest cherry rim, ruby highlights
• palate:  clean; medium+ youthful yet developing aromas; Okanagan sous-bois savory herbaceousness (think wild sage, thyme, rosemary), an array of red and black berries, warm leather, old wood, cedar tones, black tea
• palate:   clean; dry, medium+ black currant acid, medium++ chewy/chalky tannin, medium+ body, medium alcohol (14.3% ABV), medium+ youthful yet developing flavors much in-line with the aromas; a touch of greenness to the fruit as it washes the palate in apple, cherry and plum notes, followed by rich black tea, warm wood and that omnipresent savory herb compound... developing on the palate the longer it sits... excellent balance and structure with long length
• conclusion:   a babe; if you must drink this now, then do it the honor of a double-run through the aerator or a 1-hour decant. Enjoy 2015-2022 and possibly beyond
• FOOD PAIRING:   tonight I came home from a long day, I spent time with my wife, then put my daughter to bed and relaxed with this wine and some country pate, fresh bread, spicy plum compote... to be honest, it may have been one of the best pairings I've ever made.

And so I came to the end of a great chat with a colleague, and a brilliant showcasing of BC terroir (and winemaking skill). I had had my eyes opened to the possibilities that exist when someone genuinely passionate and tenaciously driven decides to accomplish a goal, seemingly impossible though it may be. If someone had said in a professional wine-circle 10 years ago that BC wines would be competitive on a global level.... well, that person probably would have faced a fair amount of derision.

Today the derision would only be directed at those who don't know that that is exactly what the leaders in our industry are doing. But one thing especially stuck with me as I was leaving John's house; the ardor of our wine-geek-chat still making my mind race with dreams of future vintages:

Wine is a business. Wine is a business like any other in that the producer produces a product that hopes to gain acceptance in the market, and the consumer hopes to find a product worthy of consumer-dollars.

But it's also an industry unlike any other in that there can be such fanatical devotion to a label, winery, winemaker, and all due to an incredibly volatile and subjective sensory perception called Taste.

the Skinner family

Very few wineries (in the grand scheme of things) are producing on both levels. Few and far between are the business-people who aspire to creative genius, and few of our most artistic visionaries are savvy business-people. I can say with pride that Painted Rock winery is one of those examples. I say "with pride" because even when I was less then a year into my wine-education, I had figured out as much.... first tasting of the wine, first meeting with John, and I knew that this was a class-act. What I didn't count on what the Skinner sense of propriety:

Painted Rock could sell their wines for more money. Much more. Need an example?? Check out Napa Valley Chards or Bordeaux blends and then tell me that $55 is too much for an award-winning wine from BC~! I asked John about this before I left and, in essence, he said

"Kristof, we put the quality there - that's what wins awards. It's putting the value there that creates a great winery."

Amen.

As always, I welcome your thoughts here or on Twitter @AStudentOfWine

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

Kirkland 10-year Tawny Port. No, really.

Fonseca Guimaraens ( http://www.fonseca.pt/ ), one of the oldest and most prestigious producers of Vinho do Porto (Port  wine) in the world.

COSTCO, one of the biggest producers of inexpensive bulk items in the world.

How, one may ask, could the two of these meet in the middle? The answer lies within a bottle of 10-year Tawny Port made by the former, and sold by the latter. And what exactly is Tawny Port?

    

     It is fortified wine, made in the Douro region of Portugal, fortified by the addition of a spirit known as aguardente which is a native product of Portugal. Tawny Port is also aged in wooden barrels using the Solera system, just as in Sherry production in Spain. For this, I am at this moment eternally grateful, as I believe it gives much to the wine that may otherwise be somewhat lacklustre.

     I realize that many of you are still shaking your heads at the notion of COSTCO brand Port, but read on dear friends and colleagues. This is the same company we buy our eggs and cheese from, our tissue paper and short-sleeve shirts, even our gas. They've always done a solid job with everything else, right? Right. Otherwise we would have taken our hard-earned money elsewhere by now. So why not put away the snobby-hat and give COSTCO brand Port a chance?

Kirkland 10-year Tawny Port, NV  Douro Region, Portugal

$17 USD, 20% ABV, Very Good Value

• visual:    moderately intense caramel centre, light cherry/brick rim
• nose:     moderately intense aromas, mostly sugary sweetness, some stonefruit especially cherry, old raisins, light leathery notes, vanilla, touch of cedar
• palate:   moderate+ acids, moderate tannins, moderate+ intense flavors once again focused mainly on sugar. That being said, there are layers under the sugar that mimik the nose well. Moderate+ body from the sugar levels, decent structure with a slightly bitter aftertaste & noticeable alcohol.
• PAIRS WITH:   this, to me, is a beginners Port. If you have never tried Port before, this will go down quite smoothly and will leave a fairly nice aftertaste, especially for the price. Try it with Gorgonzola cheese, spicy candied walnuts & toasted anise bread & I think you'll find it more then adequate after a meal.

     Please understand, I'm not trying to subjugate anyone to the will of Mass Business. Quite the opposite. However, I feel it only right and proper to try and display the facts as I see them and not be swayed in either direction from a label. We can find greatness in the most unexpected places!

     This is not a great Port, but for a Canadian, it is a very reasonable product for the price. I would, and will, purchase this again, and feel very comfortable having a sip any old time... as opposed to a Colheita 1951  from Fonseca, which I would horde and feel a little guilty every time I walked past the dreadfully expensive bottle, but that's another story!

CINCIN !!   SLAINTE !!   CHEERS !!