Haywire “Lunar New Year” wines

 http://www.haywirewinery.com/

 

The challenge with many people in the wine business is that they start treating wine as art and forgetting that it is a business. In and of itself there’s nothing wrong with viewing wine as art but when it interferes with a business’ ability to remain fiscally viable then the vision needs to change. This has never been a problem for the wise folks at Haywire who manage to blend art and function in virtually every endeavor they create: Lunar New Year wines being the example today.

 When I first heard that someone was crafting a special release for the Lunar New Year I thought “Capitalism at its finest; these folks are just chasing the market” which, really, isn’t such a bad thing if it’s done well. China is now poised to be the largest consumer of wine on the planet… who wouldn’t want a piece of that?!

But as my step-family is Cantonese I cringed inwardly. I had visions of ginger-infused syrupy sadness lacking depth beyond Beaujolais Nouveau and tasting more of my morning ginseng tea. I couldn’t have been any further from the truth. Here are wines that any winemaker would be proud to put his/her name to and showcase not only varietal correctness but also speak in sophisticated ways of their terroir. Truly finessed, each of them, I was a bit humbled and started my due diligence in researching just what this could portend: after all, it was only a few years ago that one of the most highly regarded houses of Bordeaux put a Chinese symbol on its bottle.

It caused a wave of sales that outstripped anything conceived.

So the savvy craftsmen at Haywire decide to follow, but, in an unexpected way; you see, this is one of their first releases and it’s for the “Year of the Sheep”. This is considered a very unlucky year by many Asians and this is especially true for children’s birth years and business. Creating a new wine is certainly like a kind of “birth” and this is most definitely business, so why do it? It wouldn’t be the first time a winery created a release on only certain years.

Well as I pondered this I looked at my 8-month old son who was helping me with this article *(all punctuation is his, not mine). Adam is half Italian and half Irish; his Italian family name actually meaning “sheep” in their dialect. It seemed to me, in that moment, that sheep were actually very lucky for some people like me. And I got past the nay-sayers who conjecture doom and gloom at every corner and found the beauty of the “Year of the Sheep”.

Loyalty. That’s a quality to those born in this lunar year. So is generosity. And kindness. Hard for me to imagine bestowing those traits just because of the month they’re born in, but, I’ve heard crazier explanations for the cosmos before.

And I went back to the wines I was making notes on: so filled with generosity of flavor, brimming with “loyal” representation of the grape and the land and with very “kind” pricing… and so it seems, to this writer, that 2015 will be one lucky “Year of the Sheep”.

2012 “Lunar New Year Red”

blend of (mostly) Gamay Noir, small amount of Syrah

89+ points, Very Good Value

$22.90 in BC

*DOES NOT REQUIRE DECANTING

… to get this quality in Gamay Noir from Beaujolais in the south of Burgundy one would need to invest more then $23 CAD and invest it wisely. This wine carries rich aromas of warm earth, dark cocoa, stewing blackberry/plum/raspberry and the hint of Schezuan peppercorn on the finish (thank-you Syrah). The bright, full, fresh palate carries lively medium+ currant acids that titillate the tastebuds and are a brilliant way to start any meal or simply enjoy on their own as the guests are arriving. The medium fine/slightly grippy tannin carry their weight deceptively as they are finessed well beyond the price-point of the wine and deliver a performance more in line with wines twice the cost. This is a wine that at the same time will impress the ardent connoisseur in your midst and be perfect for the friend who “really is more of a beer person” – or so they say. Food pairing options abound from ginger and lemongrass infused beef/pork to the salty treat of soya crispy skin duck; the bold red and black fruit tones will balance salt and yet the warm earthy/spice/pepper tones will delight in bringing balance to Asian flavors. Meant for consuming now (Stelvin enclosure) this wine can age well for several years but will not develop in bottle. Enjoy 2014-2017

2013 “Lunar New Year White”

blend of Gewurztraminer, Chardonnay, Viognier

90++points, EXCELLENT VALUE

$19.90 in BC

*DO NOT SERVE TOO COLD; 12C MINIMUM TO PRESERVE THE AROMATICS

… this might be the prettiest wine I tried in 2014! Whilst normally this style isn’t a “go-to-wine” for me, this particular blend is impressive on many levels: aroma, balance, structure and value. The aromas are seductively layered with notes of lychee fruit, pink grapefruit, honey and exotic flowers… it’s an incredibly easy wine to want to drink which brings me to the palate. The balance and structure are absolutely flawless for under $20; bright/fresh/zippy medium+ lemon and grapefruit acid dance in unison. This wine loves south Asian flavors: Vietnamese, Cambodian, Thai… coconut milk, ginger, lemongrass and galangal all delight in the nuanced levels here. Which brings me to value: STUNNING. Want a blend like this from outside of BC? Firstly I don’t know any region blending these varietals but secondly something similar would start at $25 and work its way up… buy a few extra bottles as this gem will easily last a few years in the cellar/wine-fridge if you can resist 

“lucky money” from Canada in the Year-of-the-Sheep

Many thanks to Haywire Wines and their PR firm TownHall Brands (  http://townhallbrands.com/ )for taking the time and expense to send these lovely wines to me.

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

2014 Vancouver International Wine Festival: Consumer Tasting

http://www.playhousewinefest.com/

Over 20,000 people came to the Vancouver Convention Center last week for the 2014 @VanWineFest; the expected crowd of doctors and lawyers but also mechanics, secretaries and firefighters... for too long I've heard the rhetoric from people explaining to me how much they love wine but how they wouldn't feel comfortable coming to a Wine Festival.

"It's too stuffy for me. I just want to enjoy the wine!"

Gustavo Crespo, Managing Director Blends Wines

Take a look at my friend Gustavo from VistAlba wines, Argentina. He sure looks like he's enjoying the wine! The @VanWineFest is, to me, what people want it to be. This was my third year of delving deeply into the inner dimensions not only of wine, but the people behind the wine. That was the true allure and what has me hungry for the 2015 Wine Fest already. I mean, if the event is about people then the year that was focused on France obviously had its highlights... but Australia next year? If there's going to be one wine event you go to - this is it. And it won't be stuffy, that much is for certain!

In the space of three days I spent time with winemakers from France, marketing directors from New Zealand, sales gurus from Chile and vineyard managers from California. I sipped outrageously expensive champagne with a man who traces his family back through 8 generations of winemaking and then swapped Okanagan stories with a recent transplant to Canada who felt that this was his new home... all under the canopy of the Coal Harbor vista and surrounded  by thousands of people enjoying themselves as much as I.

Here is a small smattering of the decidedly divine wines I discovered, and the stories of the people behind them.

1.  Villa Maria "Private Bin" Sauvignon Blanc

Marlborough, New Zealand

90 points, GREAT VALUE

http://www.villamaria.co.nz/

$18.99 listed in the http://www.bcliquorstores.com/

 . Fantastic~! This winery is 100% family-owned and run, having just finished its 51st vintage and with a more then sizable production. The quality that goes into this modestly-priced white impressed me, and all the more when I started to learn their techniques: multiple passes through the vineyards when harvesting is one. What this does is allow the pickers to choose only the perfect grapes meaning that what then gets pressed for juice (and then wine) is also perfect. This is a sustainable winery, employing some of the highest-standards in organic viticulture in New Zealand and is driven by the fastidious George Fistonich, proprietor. Remember those grapes? I asked my friend who works with them, "What happens if the grapes aren't up to Georges standards?" "George doesn't believe in "good-enough" was the response. "Either they're perfect, or we pass. That's how he built this company and it's not changing."

. THE WINE: aromas of young yet well-balanced stonefruit and floral tones... apricots, peaches, wild flowers. Fresh, clean and very inviting! The palate offers medium+ grapefruit acid which is refreshing on it's own but carries enough weight and structure for great food pairings: brilliantly precise minerality made me immediately want to serve this with oysters, but would be a natural for many seafood dishes including Thai/Vietnamese/Indian seasoned food.

2. Poplar Grove Pinot Gris

Penticton, BC *Okanagan Valley DVA*

90+/91 points, GREAT VALUE

http://www.poplargrove.ca/

 . also 100% estate fruit, I asked Ian Sutherland, winemaker what brought such concentration and finesse to the wine. "We had the courage to wait" he replied. He told me about that particular vintage and how, in the Fall, the fruit just wasn't ripe enough. They could have picked a little early... the grapes wouldn't have been perfect but it's better then letting the bears eat them, or the deer. Or watching them washed away by heavy rains or frozen on the vine by a cold-snap. I'm only one-generation off the farm and so when Ian told me about how nervous he got, watching the weather, watching the grapes, until that late warm spell when a week of sunshine came. Well, I understood what he was saying. "It's about freshness, ripeness and aromatics" he continued, "there needs to be a balance between all of the components. And that, that comes from the vineyard. If we don't do it right out there, then it just doesn't happen." Any of my readers with a vegetable garden will understand Ian as well as I do, I think.

.  THE WINE: a fully expressive wine with rich aromas of warm peach cobbler and grapefruit marmalade... crisp young acid, well balanced and a terrific representation of the World-Class work BC can produce. Food pairings? Sure the seafood dishes will work but BC salmon will lend a certain fattiness to create beautiful balance! Another? Duck is a perennial favorite of mine: same reason.

3. LaPostolle Cabernet-Sauvignon

Colchagua Valley, Chile

91 points, EXCELLENT VALUE

http://www.lapostolle.com/

$28.99 listed in the http://www.bcliquorstores.com/

. "French by birth, Chilean by nature" is the motto here and, after tasting the wine, I can understand why. "French by birth" is a nod to the restrained, elegant style of wine; a harmony of fruit, earth and floral tones I knew as soon as I tasted this that I had found something special. But it was the "Chilean by nature" that really got me because, for all the finesse, all the stylish charm of the wine, the gusto was pure Chile. It's as if what the wine says is Chilean, but it says this in a French accent! I was hooked, having loved the power and concentration of Chilean Cabs for years but am currently discovering the nuances of Bordeaux. This winery was started by Alexandra LaPostolle, daughter to the head of that famous family that has owned and grown the Gran Marnier brand into a world-wide phenomena. But she wanted to do something of her own and when she walked the vineyards of the Colchagua Valley found that she was humming to herself... she had found a place to call her own. 15 years later and you and I get to reap the benefit of Alexandra's belief that Chile still has much it can show the world, and itself, about the heights of quality it is just beginning to reach. This is the kind of value that is Very Hard to find - even for me.

. THE WINE: so restrained, but with such force, such concentration... red and black berry aromas melting with roast beef and savory herbs warming in the garden. The palate opens with a burst of lively red current acid then is followed by earth/wood tones and that same herbaceousness from the bouquet. Well integrated tannin with plenty of chew to them, this is a brilliant wine for top-tier beef and while it can be enjoyed now - cellar it for a decade or more and watch it turn into a sophisticated powerhouse!

4. Georges du Boeuf, Fleurie

Northern Beaujolais, Burgundy, France

90+ points, EXCELLENT VALUE

about $25 in BC, http://www.duboeuf.com/

. when Laurent Gamonet, brand ambassador for Les Vins Georges Duboeuf and I met, I knew that I had found a kindred spirit. A ready smile, a firm handshake, and an eagerness to share the joy of the Duboeuf story (and wine) - Laurent is not only a true gentleman, but a kind one as well. It was a welcome reprieve from a very long day when I shared a table with him and listened as he spoke with genuine passion about the dedication that Georges has had since the beginning. One story stuck with me of how when Georges was barely 20 years old the local merchants refused to pay him enough money for the high-quality grapes his family vineyard was producing. Rather then sell himself short, or stint on quality, Georges decided to start making wine himself! And when the wine was made, off he went on his bicycle and sold it by hand to restaurants in the local villages. Now 81 years old, George's business sells 2.5 million cases annually. It reminds me of a Kevin Costner film: "If you build it, they will buy it..."

. THE WINE: what an elegantly perfumed, slightly-sweet raspberry and red flower bouquet. Nuanced hints of wild scrub-brush (known as sous-bois or under-growth) and a brilliantly keen/precise mineral backbone. Ultra fresh yet inviting acid, very fine tannin - it would be very difficult for most people to tell this Gamay Noir from Pinot Noir. The difference however is that this is about half the price (or less) then the same quality in Pinot from just across the border into Burgundy proper. Food pairing? There's a reason we called braised beef with mushrooms Beef Bourguignon!!!

5. Bodegas Santa Ana sparkling Malbec rose  (15% Pinot Noir)

Argentina

90 points, EXCELLENT VALUE

about $14 in BC

http://www.bodegas-santa-ana.com.ar/

. If I hadn't been impressed by the fact that this company is just around the corner from celebrating its 125th anniversary, I was most certainly impressed by tales of "Opi" Sadler, its current winemaker. You see Opi, as he likes to be known, has been working here for 27 years... so what you ask? Well, this was Opi's very first (and only) job. He has never worked anywhere else, nor could he imagine it. Opi is the third generation in his family to work as winemaker and the only thing he likes more then telling a bad joke, is telling people about the history of Santa Ana and his family. Opi loves to talk about when he was a little kid, maybe 5 years old, and the family would congregate at his grandfathers house for a feast. Grandpa would ask little Opi to go down to the cellar and grab a few bottles of wine but Opi was scared of the bats that lived down there! That is, he was scared until he learned to look at it a different way: he started to see the bats as the Guardians of the Cellar, the Protectors of the Wine. Now he is the Protector and it is us he protects the wines for; careful stewardship of the land, passion, commitment... these are the things that I could taste in the wine. One of the best values in sparkling wine I have ever had.

. THE WINE: so utterly fresh! Lightly spiced young raspberry aromas with complimentary tones of pink roses and clean minerals... the palate also so vibrantly alive: fresh cherries at the beginning of ripeness, red raspberries and the same mineral/floral bouquet. Great balance, this over-delivers for the price! Food? The start of a meal with light appies, the end of a meal with creamy dessert, after a meal with the one you love... you decide! If you need more choices, this wine will SING with a variety of sushi especially tuna, scallops and salmon.

my friend Laurent from Georges Duboeuf

And this literally was the tip of the iceberg. The wines were as beautiful as they were plentiful. Always something to nosh on if you're so inclined, great people from all over the world to talk to - it's easy to understand now how people can book the week of WineFest off and absolutely fill it with activities. France may have been the focus region this year on paper, but to me I will remember this year as focusing on the human heart. Perhaps it was just all the bubbly wine? But every time I turned my head I saw another smile, heard another laugh and felt another genuine person standing across from me - just wanting to share the story of their families passion.

My thanks to the @VanWineFest and Heth PR ( http://hethpr.com/ ) for access to the Consumer Tasting room and for coordinating such a stellar event so close to home.

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

on Twitter @AStudentofWine

on Facebook @www.facebook.com/TheChefandTheGrape

Domaine de la Sionniere, Moulin-a-Vent

Burgundy, and as a result Beaujolais, has an aspect to its personality that is both a true pleasure and a source of frustration to wine-lovers around the world.

   Burgundy has not only more AOCs then anywhere else in France, it also has perhaps a greater winemaker-density then anywhere else. Actually I take that back, there's no perhaps about it: with some famous plots of land having as many as 70 separate owners over only a few hectares, some owners controlling as little as a couple of rows of vines. No other wine-region is quite like Burgundy in that respect.

   But that's part of the charm, as I said. We grow fond of the small wineries who cherish each curve of the hill reaching for sunlight, each dip in the slope where water accumulates and each glade of trees with it's undeniable  aromas of "sous-bois" as they say.

   There should be a natural inclination towards superior quality in any wine made from such attention, such devotion bordering on affection. Well, there should be superior quality but invariably what results is just superior degrees of variation.

   One region where quality is rarely an issue is Moulin-a-Vent. Tucked into the north-east corner of Beaujolais and bordered by the Saone river racing towards the Mediterranean, Moulin-a-Vent is a pantheon of the region and its wines considered the greatest of Beaujolais. These are wines can age gracefully for 10, 15 and sometimes even 20 years reaching peaks of elegance usually only scaled by the mighty Pinot Noir of the (arguably) more distinguished neighbours to the north.

   How? Why? Some might say (and they would be right) that it's due in large part to the ancient and decomposing granitic topsoil... this topsoil is easy for the vines to penetrate in their youth and encourages them to dig deep. Down, down, down they go to the subsoil sometimes referred to as "gore" which is an accumulation of sand, clay, mica, schist and granite that give the wines their unmistakable mineral edge.

old Manganese mine in Romaneche-Thorins

   And here, in the rural sprawl of vineyards sitting atop these soils, lies the sleepy commune of Romaneche-Thorins. It's small by anyone's standards (population around 800) but the locals are doing big things with Gamay Noir and have been doing so for centuries! One of the secrets to their success is a high concentration of Manganese found only in the local soils... there have even been mines dedicated to its extraction for over a hundred years.

   Now in come Estelle and Thomas Patenotre, owners of the Domaine de la Sionniere (http://www.vins-bernard-perrin.weonea.com/produit/55431/ ). Thomas came to North American attention recently when in 2007 the owner of Domaine Diochon  wanted to retire, but had no heir for the prestigious property. Long-time employee (?) Thomas was offered the honor and, lucky for us, he accepted.

   And so Thomas has brought the ancestral methods of the region roaring back to life in not just one, but two separate properties in Moulin-a-Vent... this is where yields are intentionally kept minimal, vines are left to age to graceful puissance, and the Gamay grape that most often receives scorn in the New Age of wine connoisseurs is aged in oak barrels to promote long-life.

    You doubt that Gamay Noir can develop into something as sophisticated as the great Pinot Noirs  of Burgundy? The proof, as always, is in the glass my friends.

2011 Domaine de la Sionniere , Romaneche-Thorins, Moulin-a-Vent

12 Euro (FRA)

20 pounds (ENG)

$25+ USA (Kermit-Lynch wine merchants)

$20+ CAD (Opimian Society www.opim.ca)

 90 Points

varietal:      100% Gamay Noir a jus blanc

soil:              decomposing granite and schist

vine age:     between 40 and 60 years old

vineyard:   13 HA

training:    goblet

harvesting  100% manual, hand-sorted

maturation  up to 18 months in oak barrels

•  visual:   clear; light ruby core with cherry rim
• nose:   clean; moderate+ to fully intense and youthful aromas of candied red berries (think strawberry compote), a hint of sous-bois or underbrush, mineral tones and a leathery finish
• palate:  clean; dry, moderate red currant acids, moderate+ to full chalky tannins, light body, moderate abv (13%), moderate+ concentration of youthful flavors; explosion of youthful currants, strong mineral undertones and the recent barrel aging is still unruly. Very good balance and structure with medium+ length
• conclusion:   whilst a great wine, this is also terribly immature and so I may or may not being giving justice to the review... best consumed 2015-2021+
• FOOD PAIRINGS:     a perky little wine for a friendly summer day, take this lightly chilled on your next picnic with charcuterie, soft cheese and fresh bread... 

a summer day i n Romaneche-Thorins

   Most of my faithful readership know that I've been singing the praises of northern Beaujolais wines for most of the year. I have found that dollar-for-dollar, the wines from this region are truly competitive on a global level and I am hard-pressed to find their equal anywhere. Domaine de la Sionniere is a fine example; true enough this may be a fairly simple wine right now, but on a Sunday afternoon with your girl and a bit of sunshine, that may be just what the doctor ordered!

As always, I welcome your comments and questions.

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

Dominique Piron , AOC Morgon, Cote du Py, cru Beaujolais

Wouldn't it be great if someone came along and made your life easier?

   It wouldn't have to be in an extreme way, at least not for me, just any old thing that made my day easier then the one before would be much appreciated. Well then, what if someone helped you organize your life, how would that make you feel?

   "God-bless-you" I would say, and mean it.

   Someone has done that for all of us, and that someone is the INAO or Institut National des Appellations d'Origine. What did they do for us? They organized all of the wines of France. Yeah... and just for you (and me).

   France is an amazing country, with more diverse regions then almost anywhere else on earth; several hundred. And of those several hundred exactly delineated areas, Burgundy (Bourgogne) has more then anywhere else in France. In fact, they have so many that although the wines of southern Burgundy and northern Beaujolais can be incredibly similar, they are noted as being from different regions.

   Ahhh Beaujolais; the one-time stomping ground (pardon the atrocious pun) of Beaujolais-Nouveau; candied juice of the grape. Well, much as I said in my previous article on AOC Morgon (http://astudentofwine.blogspot.ca/2012/01/jean-foillard-beaujolais-morgon-cote-du.html ), if that's what you think of Gamay Noir/Beaujolais then you have alot to learn.

   Cru Beaujolais is divided into 10 AOC's, which range in quality from cheap, cheerful and best consumed whilst young to rich, nuanced, and capable of Burgundian levels of quality as they mature. In fact, in Beaujolais there is a local word to describe what happens to these wines "Il Morgone" = "It Morgin-isizes". These winemakers are saying that when Gamay Noir approaches it's fifth, or seventh, or 12th year with dignity, grace, finesse and puissance, then it can say that it has Morgoned. (In local dialect it is sometimes called Pinoter ,or, to develop Pinot Noir like qualities)

   Wow, that's a huge compliment but also alot to live up to.

Dominique and his delivery van

   14th generation winemaker Dominique Piron (http://www.domaines-piron.fr/) is more then capable. He and his wife Kristine have more the 60 hectares of cultivated vineyard in Beaujolais; running the gambit of levels of finesse. One of their most prized parcels is in the afore-mentioned AOC Morgon. Morgon lies in the north of Beaujolais, and has a large hill in it know as the Mont de Py, which winemakers yearn to plant with vines on the southern and south-eastern exposures know as the Cote de Py. It is here that Dominique coaxes exacting quality at approachable prices.

   And so, around the commune of Villie-Morgon (twin hamlets that joined together long ago), over 250 producers work much like Dominique does. It is not a new story, in this part of southern France... working with ancient schistous-granitic soil which is so weathered and tamed by millenia that it is called "rotten rock" for its appearance. They are firm believers in organic and bio-dynamic principles, and have been doing so in some cases (like Dominique) for centuries. Perhaps they aren't certified, but many growers in the region don't see the need to spend money on certifications for practices that have been passed down for generations.

   Regardless, the proof is in the glass, n'est-pas? And Morgon has built a reputation for being one of (if not the) the foremost examples of greatness in Gamay Noir and the Beaujolais. Care to dispute it? You'll have to try them first~! And if you were curious, it's not just Gamay Noir in Morgon (accounts for 85% of all blendings), they also grow Chardonnay, Aligote and Melon (for the remaining 15% of all blendings).

2009 Morgon Cote du Py

by Dominique Piron

$30         92 points

http://www.fireflyfinewinesandales.com/

*** Best of Show: Vancouver Magazine top 100 value wines, 2012 ***

• visual:   clear; fully intense plum-garnet core with slightest cherry rim
• nose:    clean; fully intense and youthful bouquet of red cherries, red currants, bright strawberries, an explosion of red floral notes, candy background with an undercurrent of savory earth
• palate:    clean; dry, moderate+ to fully intense (red currant) acids, moderate+ (slightly grippy) tannins, moderate body, moderate ABV (13.5%), moderate+ intense and youthful flavors mimicking well the nose; sultry earth and floral notes are first, followed by red berries and then the lingering earthy notes return. Stunning balance, excellent structure and long length
• conclusion:   A stunning wine, this is still in it's infancy. Drinks best 2015-2018 and keeps to 2020 I would imagine but will not improve after 2017/18
• FOOD PAIRINGS: as young as this wine is, best not to complicate matters; venison carpaccio on toasted rye with caramelized onion compote. Let the venison play off the fresh red berry notes and the rye will warm to the earthiness whilst the sweet onion will bring the slightly acidic berries in the wine back in-line

   The proof is in the glass I say. Why then, since AOC Beaujolais was recognized in 1936, do people pay hundreds of dollars a bottle for wine from one side of the border and balk at $50 for a great Morgon? Why? Well perhaps we can lay it down to marketing and brand-awareness; many of you know that I am a fierce proponent of using the brand-awareness against itself...

    And this is a perfect example: buy a stunning Gamay Noir for $30 or less, hold onto it until it's 6 or 7  years old and you will have a wine the equal of a $200 Burgundian Pinot Noir. No, no, no, I'm not saying that it will be the same, but I am most certainly saying that it will have the same quality.

    And what are you really paying for when you buy a bottle of wine? Are you the person who buys a name, or buys quality?

As always, I welcome your questions and comments.

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

Jean Foillard Beaujolais, Morgon "Cote du Py"

Beaujolais; you may think you know gamay noir, but until you've tried the masterpieces of Jean Foillard, you really don't know what the varietal is capable of. Greatness.

Jean Foillard (courtesy of WineTerroirs.com)

   Jean Foillard bought his vineyard in the appellation Morgon in the Cote du Py of Beaojolais in the early 1980s... the vineyard was in complete disarray and needed years of dedicated work before winemaking could even enter Jean's mind. Now visitors (like the fastidious Bertrand @ http://www.wineterroirs.com/) can stay in one of several private rooms in the chateau and enjoy the tasting room downstairs without fear of how to get back to the hotel after a bit too much joie-du-vie!

   Early in Jean's career, he was introduced to Jules Chavet and became an un-official member of "La Bande à Marcel" (http://www.vin-bio-naturel.fr/morgon-cote-du-py-2009-domaine-jean-foillard-vin-rouge-beaujolais,fr,4,BJCP07.cfm). Chavet's mantra or philosophy was (a radical view for the time) that winemaking should be a natural process; he felt that great winemaking started in the vineyard with vigerous canopy management, absolutely no use of chemicals on the vines, low or no use of sulphur, etc etc. To Jean this all made sense and what's more; it makes sense in the glass.

   If the appellation of Morgon in the Cote du Py region  is known for one thing, it would have to be the soil. Crumbling granite and ancient schist are trademarks of the regions soil, even sandstone makes an appearance to enhance vines with a perfumed edge. The Gamay Noir for which the region is most famous is made what it is because of the soil it grows on (much like all great wines)... but this wine is dulled with the use of chemicals, it is masked with "designer yeasts" and it is ultimately foiled by filtration. To people like Jules Chavet and Jean Foillard it was simple logic: they as winemakers needed to do everything they could to allow maximum expression of Morgon in the bottle (or glass).

   And so Jean does the work necessary in the vineyard to allow the fullest expression of the varietal and the terroir of his wines. This even extends to working with the barriques or foudres (3000L cask) himself; not that far out of his comfort zone as his father was a well-known cooper in the region. Every part of the winemaking process is integral to creating a final piece worthy of his efforts, much like every part of a puzzle is necessary to create a complete picture.

2009 Morgon "Cote du Py" by Jean Foillard

$40 CAD    ***** BUY THIS IF YOU CAN *****

varietal:      100% Gamay Noir

age of vines: up to 100 years old!

cultivation:   manual, completely organic and partially bio-dynamic (not-certified)

vinification:  traditional carbonic maceration

aging:    12 months in neutral foudres (some up to 40 years old)

awards:   93 points, Stephen Tanzer

• visual:   clear; medium ruby core with light cherry rim and no bricking; faint sediment
• nose:   clean; fully intense and youthful bouquet of red cherries, young raspberries, light red currant, ripe strawberries, rose blossoms in Spring, red candies, fresh blueberries, light spice afternotes
• palate:   clean; dry, moderate (well integrated red currant and cranberry) acids, moderate-to light (soft, silky) tannins, light body, light alcohol (13.5%), moderate+ intense and youthful flavors that mimick well the nose; heavy emphasis on candied red berry notes typical for a Beaujolais but with a distinct minerally-earthy backbone. Excellent balance and structure, long length
• conclusion:   whilst this wine is drinking well now, because of the careful viticulture and age of vines this will age well for another decade. Drink 2011-2020; aging will develop earthy notes and the bright candied berries will soften
• FOOD PAIRINGS:   with the wine so young; the vibrant acidity and the bright red berries, duck is a natural! Consider bergamot smoked duck breast on celeriac and green apple rosti with steamed gai-lan (or swiss chard) with confit of sweet onion

   Jean Foillard once explained how the huge foudres he uses are brought into his ancient and modest winecellar: they are taken apart and re-assembled in the cellar plank by plank. It is a meticulous job he stipulated, stressing the importance of every piece being brought back into alignment. It was also worthy of note that the work needed to be finished within 24 hours or the pieces would have shifted slightly, almost imperceptibly, and would never re-assemble properly.

   It struck me as I read those words (thank you again Bertrand) that this was the same manner that Jean (and Jules Chavet and Marcel LaPierre and others) approached their work with the vineyard: everything has it's own place. It isn't the winemaker's job to impose his or her own sense of order to the vineyard, it is the winemaker's job to discover the vineyard's own sense of order.

   My sense of order is, these days, imposed by a much greater force then my own.

As always, I welcome your comments and questions.

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

Melange Noir, Mt. Boucherie estate winery

In a place where winemaking is a relatively new process, and most vineyards are keeping their history in years rather then decades or centuries, the Gidda family and Mt Boucherie estate winery are making their mark (http://www.mtboucheriewinery.com/) .

Mt Boucherie vineyard in West Kelowna

   1968 was the inaugural year that saw them growing grapes for winemaking and now, over 40 years later, brothers Nirmal and Kaldeep are continuing to grow the family passion to greater heights. Although their state-of-the-art facility for processing, fermenting and bottling wine is in West Kelowna, British Columbia, the family now has over 300 acres of vineyards in the West Kelowna area, Okanagan Falls and Similkameen Valley near the township of Cawston. All of their wines are made using 100% estate sourced grapes to ensure quality can be guarded as closely as possible.

location of Cawston, Similkameen Valley DVA

   Cawston has become a recently "hotbed" of viticulture activity and the Gidda family aren't the only ones sourcing new land there. Cawston has a population under 1000 and yet still has 2 fruit processing plants, the newer of which has been built solely for organic produce... the number of wineries and vineyard is growing by double digit percentages as well.

   And what are these new vineyards growing? Well in Westbank one of the grapes of choice is Michurinetz, which is an Eastern European varietal extremely well suited to cold climates; high in acid it is now blended successfully with a varietal like Merlot which will balance the acidity and give some plushness to the thin juice. Michurinetz is also capable of greatness when the vines reach maturity, but in their youth can produce wines that are thin and acerbic. Marechal Foch, a hybrid developed in the early 1900's, was named in honor of one of the French generals instrumental in the peace treaty ending the First World War. This varietal also is grown successfully in Westbank and the Similkameen owing to it's cold-weather hardiness and also lends a vibrant acidity to blends...

2005 Melange-Noir summit reserve, Mt. Boucherie estate winery

West Kelowna, Okanagan Valley DVA, British Columbia

http://www.mtboucheriewinery.com/

$22 CAD   *** Very Good Value ***

http://tagliquorstores.com/fox-reach/

varietals:         100% estate grown Marechal Foch, Michurinetz, Merlot and Gamay Noir. 14% ABV

fermentation:   cold soak, then 7 days warm ferment

maturation:     19 months new and used French oak

• visual:   clear; fully intense purple-garnet with cherry-brick rim
• nose:   clean; fully intense and developed aromas of blackberries, dried saskatoons, dark cocoa, black florals, black cherries and cherry blossoms, black raspberry compote
• palate:   clean; dry, moderate+ (red/black currant) acids, moderate (green, grippy) tannins, moderate+ alcohol, moderate body, moderately intense and developed flavors of red and black currant, raspberry compote, blackberries, old leather, red and black cherries. Good balance, very good structure, medium length
• conclusion:   drink now to 2013; will not develop further and is already losing concentration of flavor
• PAIRINGS:   vibrant acids want some fat; I would use this for it's Gamay Noir and pair with boeuf bourguignon because the cream will balance the acids and the dried red berry flavors and aromas will love some red meat - consider using venison is you're daring and I think it will pay off~!

view from Mt Boucherie winery deck

   An interesting blend from an established BC winery, this was a unique experience. Paired with the right food I believe this wine can truly sing, but I would really like to come back and try it again when the vines have had a chance to develop further.

As always, I welcome your comments and questions.

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

Desert Hills, Black Sage Bench

Desert Hills Estate Winery ( http://www.deserthills.ca/ ) was kind enough to send me some of their recent award winning wines. Wow, what a treat! True enough, Canada (and BC) are producing some excellent wines these days... truly artisan craftsmanship all across the country. But - but these really were lovely wines.

Starting with the Viognier, I wasn't really sure what to expect. I don't have alot of experience with them, and what little I do have is most recently because of John Clerides @ Marquis Wine Cellar ( http://www.marquis-wines.com/ ) and his passion for Alban estates ( http://www.albanvineyards.com/ ). John Alban makes wines in the Rhone style, and I will have to take everyones word for that because I really can't remember the last time I had a Rhone Viognier... but I know I like John Alban's Viogniers. Rich stonefruit flavors and a bouquet of flowers, that is how I know this varietal. Desert Hills version is quite different:

2009 Viognier

*winner gold @ The All Canadian Wine Championship 2010

13.3%, $20 approximately *Very Good Value

• pale gold straw color
• moderately intense nose of waxy-petroleum, orchard fruit especially rich pear, hints of chamomile, austere terroir
• moderate+ acids, palate is a match for the nose, with intense flavors of lime & grapefruit showing throughout
• very long structure, good balance and light to medium body - this wine does best when served at cellar temperature or just below

Loved the wine; a completely new style of Viognier for me! Austere acids and light-medium body made me think this could be an instant Summer hit. Absolute perfect pairing with salmon, we ended up having it with braised chicken with fresh herbs & loved every drop.

_________________________________________________________________________________

Next was the Pinot Gris that we've had before, and enjoyed every time. We had friends over for dinner last night, and one friend is a vegetarian... thus I made a roast acorn squash stuffed with wild rice pilaf mixed with BC chevre (goat's cheese). On the side was a compote of cranberry, orange and caramelized onions, and grilled asparagus with grilled field tomatoes tossed in olive oil and balsamic reduction. Ah - to savor fine food in the company of good people (or is that good food in fine company?)... we had a fire in the outside fireplace and loved the balance of wine & food.

2008 Pinot Gris

*award winner in 3 competitions 2010

14%, $20, *Very Good Value*

• moderate- intense nose of pineapple, citrus & candied fruit
• moderate++ acids, balanced by moderate intense palate of green apples, bright lemony citrus and a minerality reminiscent of Muscadet or Alvarino
• light to medium body, very long structure, very good balance - once again I would (and do) serve at or just below cellar temperature

This wine adores chevre! Anything goat cheese will be an instant success with this wine.

_______________________________________________________________________________

2007 Small lots Cabernet-Merlot

*gold medal @ Tasters Guild International 2010

14%, $25, **EXCELLENT Value**

• deepest plum color, minimal brick rim
• fully intense bouquet of leather, gamey meat, blackberries, hot alcohol, dark chocolate
• moderate acids, moderate++ tannins, moderate+ intense flavors that match the nose: dark chocolate shows through especially well with a herbaceous finish
• moderate+ body, great structure and great balance

In My Humble Opinion, a brilliantly crafted Rhone-styled blend. It has everything you could want in a $40 for $25... need I say more? Try it with a free-range beef tenderloin or even grilled merguez sausage.

________________________________________________________________________________

2009 Gamay Noir

**Best of Class, gold, Los Angeles Wine & Spirit Competition 2010

14%, $20, **great value**

• moderate garnet centre
• moderate+ intense nose of heirloom tomatoes, old fashioned black licorice, leather & garrigue (savory herbs)
• moderate++ acids, moderate+ tannins, moderately intense flavors that mimic the nose. Emphasis is tomatoes in all their glory & savory herbs

Great wine, much improved by serving it as my friend and colleague Sebastian LeGoff does: slightly chilled, it tames the acids down a shade to allow the fruit to show through. And what wonderful acids - and what wonderful fruit... a pleasure to drink on it's own: try it as we did with a roasted pepper & roma tomato pasta, or sitting on the deck with a little charcuterie of sausages, cheeses & olives!