Wente vineyards Nth Degree Cab-Sauv, Livermore Valley AVA

https://wentevineyards.com

Wente vineyards. The very name is synonymous with the highest caliber of wine-making and the upper echelon of pedigree in the New World. What, then, does one say about their work, their craftsmanship, that has not been said a hundred times or a hundred-hundred times before?

Well. Sometimes we need to repeat ourselves in order for the message to sink in. And so I relieve myself of the burden of trying to find something novel, something unique, to say about this illustrious family which has literally carved itself a permanent fixture in the North American wine culture. And I will continue by repeating what sommeliers more learned then myself have been saying for decades and more:

This is amazing wine.

A trite statement? Methinks not my friends. Sometimes the simplest phrase carries the strongest message. Let me re-iterate:

This is absolutely amazing wine.

The only questions that you should be asking are A) why? and B) how do I get my hands on some? And not necessarily in that order. Let me respond to the easy question first:

B) How do I get my hands on some?? Well when one is talking about a winery that’s been producing for as long a Wente has, the lines of distribution are like a well-tuned orchestra. Lucky you, it seems that Wente is in pretty much every state of the union. Lucky still if you happen to live outside of the USA (as over half of my readers do) as Wente exports to over 70 countries world-wide, negating the need to order directly from the winery. Now as for vintage wines, those are scarce. It seems that “people-in-the-know” are always making room in their wine cellar/storage locker for yet another case or three and laying them down for a spell.

Why’s that? Because as much fun as they are when fresh, these wines have strength, concentration and vigor to last for years… which brings me back to the first question.

A) Why? Why are these wines consistently rated as some of The Best not only in the Livermore Valley, or California, but in all of the USA. *Note that Wine Enthusiast, eminently qualified to say so, voted Wente as the American Winery of the Year- 2011* www.wineenthusiast.com

Why?

You all know that I’m a firm believer that what starts at the top works it’s way to the bottom: great leaders, great troops. And so when I read the history of Wente Vineyards I knew instinctively that I had found both a company and a family that believe the same. Carl Wente came to California in 1883 and immediately found 40 acres of land in the Livermore Valley to call his own. In a time when the calling-card of California was the great Gold Rush, Carl sought fortune in grapes.

I’ve spoken many time of the utter need for we as wine-consumers to consider longevity of production when trying to assess the potential quality and value of wines we haven’t tried before. Look at a label, pull out your Iphone and Google: “how long have these folks been in business?” Whilst not always certain to be a mark of value, more times then not when a family or company has been working at a thing for 50, 60, 200 years – well, they get pretty good at it.

You all know that I’ve declared my admiration and respect for the brave adventurers who forged the California “wine-community” in the 1960′s and 70′s: such iconic names as Schug, Winiarski, Mondavi and Tchelistcheff. I look for great value in California and continually return to those houses who now have 40,50 years or more of working with their land and coming to that Grande Burgundian sense of terroir. So then consider this: when Warren Winiarski created Stags Leap in 1970 the Wente family had already been learning the lay of their land for 90 years.

Five generations of Wentes have poured their sweat, their hearts, their passion into the soil. Results? The Wente family were co-founders of the California Wine Institute. They created the first varietal-labelled wines in the country. Ever. These were the pioneers who set the framework for men like Andre Tchelistcheff to come in 1938 and raise the entire industry to a new level. Were it not for families like the Wentes, perhaps Andre would have stayed in Europe and The Judgement of Paris would have gone very differently.

vineyards @ Wente

Many of us know that Chateau Montelena was voted the best Chardonnay at that infamous blind-tasting, and Stags Leap voted best red. Fewer remember that California actually won (for whites) first place, third place and fourth place. Stunning the world, California had won 3 of the top four spots for Chardonnay.

The clone that almost everyone in California (and now all of the Americas) was (and is) using: Wente clone.

And so as I’m a “Cab-man” when I found this treasure of a wine I couldn’t pass on it. Just as I know that, powerful as they are, these words are frail compared to the wine itself… the proof is in the glass!

2004 Nth Degree Cabernet Sauvignon

Livermore Valley AVA, Alameda County, California

92+/93 points

$75+++ USD (back-vintages are scarce)

indicative blend: 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 3% Petite Syrah

*MINIMAL DECANTING REQUIRED*

• an impressive wine; immediately upon opening the bottle aromas pour forth: fine tobacco, dark chocolate, pencil lead, darkening blackberries and raspberries, a warm savory herbaceousness. Truly World-Class bouquet by any standards, and the nose is followed by an equally well structured palate with crisp/vibrant young acid, fine/well-integrated tannin and flavors that will develop for a good 30 seconds and longer. Rich flavors indeed but the palate is perhaps more subtle then the nose, which should not be taken as criticism. Brilliant quality, this would easily sell for $100 more if it came from Margaux or Pauillac.
• a long life left in it still, this wine has years of development and an easy decade further cellaring. Enjoy 2014-2024+

Karl Wente, winemaker

Impressive. The first vintage of the “Nth Degree” stands out as a testament to  dedication and, really, as a testament to its founder. For fifth-generation family winemaker Karl D. Wente, great-great grandson of Carl Wente, has created a new label for the vineyard that declares: excellence is a pursuit that never dies, never grows old. I respect that Wente vineyards was created by a brave man with strong vision for the future and a need to create a legacy for his family. I respect even more the generations that followed and carried that vision to the next level, but I love that all of this comes with a price-tag that even a writer can afford~!

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

on Twitter @AStudentofWine

on Facebook @ www.facebook.com/TheChefandTheGrape

Pusser’s Rum, British Virgin Islands, West Indies

www.PussersRum.com

Pussers Rum Public House, Tortola

I’m a man who craves routine; yearns for some semblance of pattern in the chaos that is life with a two-year old, and so, it is with no small amount of nervousness that I recount the tale of 330 years of tradition, routine and pattern, shattered.

The British Navy had issued it’s fighting men a daily dose of rum for centuries and, suddenly, while reading this I can understand the allure of leaving home to sail the sea for years at a time. Waves, the tropics and a bottle of rum? Heck yeah! But in 1970 that all changed when the Navy quoted Bob Dylan by stating that “The times had changed…” though I’m sure even Bob didn’t know they were changing this much. And so to this day sailors re-enact the dark day the rum stopped in an annual ritual which is well attended and draws the finest sort of people. My kinda people.

So it’s 1970 and the rum ends, but a few sailors keep the odd bottle and such in a footlocker for a rainy day. Enter to the story a Mister Charles Tobias ( www.CharlesTobias.com ) who crossed the British Navy on a (metaphorically) rainy day in 1978: taking his ship from Gibraltar to Barbados, a small pump stopped working. Not an optimistic way to start a long voyage, the Navy is close by and so Charles hails them, hoping for a spare part. Whilst convening with the ship’s captain, said captain offers Charles a parting gift to soften the rough trip ahead: a 2-gallon cask of Pusser’s Rum. Now remember: this had never been sold privately before, and had been “off the market” for 8 years! It’s a challenge for me to keep rum in my house for a year… so a treasure to be certain.

Well the rum didn’t last as far as Barbados and Charles ended up with the happiest crew in the Atlantic that month. But beyond that, Charles had an experience; for he had never tasted rum with such depth, such dimension, such character.How, how could he get more???

He couldn’t. The producer had closed, the patent locked, the recipe in the hands of the Admiralty. Hopeless. Well, being a rummy myself, I understand all too well the impetus for Charles to march himself to said Admiralty and ask for the recipe in order to restore the vintage Pusser label back-to-life. As anyone who has ever dealt with government, much less military government, will understand: I admire Charles Tobias for his tenacity, and must believe that he has angels looking out for him that it only took 2 years for the British Navy to accept Charles’ proposal.

And the part that clinched the deal for Charles and the re-born Pusser label was the commitment from Charles to donate a significant portion of every sales dollar back to the Navy sailor’s fund. How significant? Over a million pounds Sterling since 1980, making it the biggest source of income for the Fund outside of it’s seed-money. That’s not window-dressing, that’s not publicity, that’s genuine, responsible business… to give back to our community is one of the truest marks of profitability.

But let me get off the soap-box and back to the rum!

wooden pot still, circa 1792

What makes it so flavorful? So full of life and energy? Well a little secret, that I’ve written about before, with two parts: the pot-still and the wooden-still. Pot-stills are shunned by many (read: most) large distillers due to it’s low efficiency and slowness of production. On the flip-side, master-distillers and connoisseurs adore pot-stills for their ability to evolve the production of a spirit into a work of art. Column stills, in general, produce a lack-luster product that is bereft of dense flavors, but technical sound, and do so in a matter of minutes as opposed to hours.

And then there is the matter of wood over metal: as anyone who knows wine will well understand, wood imparts flavor on liquids be they wine or spirit. A wooden still which has some age to it can then impart nuances of flavor from each and every successive vintage before… Pusser’s Rum is not the only distillery to adopt this practice, but they certainly are in the upper-echelon of practitioners with this behemoth which has been in constant production since approximately 1792. It’s craftsmanship like this which yields a rum so full of flavor and dimension that there are no additives. 100% natural product. And what difference, really, can such tools and such dedication make to the end result?

The results are in the glass~!

British Navy Pusser’s Rum

92+ points

$50+ CAD in BC

Gold Medal Winner, Best Dark Rum, London 2001
Gold Winner, San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2005
Double Gold Winner, San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2003
Gold Medal Winner, IWSC International Wine and Spirits Competition, 2011
Double Gold Winner, The Fifty Best, New York 2012
Double Gold Winner, The Fifty Best, New York 2012
Gold Medal Winner, IWSC International Wine and Spirits Competition, 2011
Gold Winner, San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2005
Double Gold Winner, San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2003

• TO THE EYE:   beautifully rich amber/gold liquid, light apricot tones
• ON THE NOSE:   full bodied aromas of Winter spices, molasses, hard-candy, ripe peaches and apricots
• ON THE PALATE:   Intense! Big, bold flavors ranging from aged tobacco to warm apricot compote to salt-water toffee. Brilliant structure and balance, I find that at 42.5% ABV it benefits from a dram of water like great single-malt
• How to serve it?:   rum like this needs no fruit juice or soda to make it quaffable and I delighted in this bottle on its own, with the barest whisper of water. Ice I find dulls the aromas. I sat on the veranda many times with the rum and a good cigar, and with a friend was the perfect treat at the end of the week.

British and Russian sailors celebrate Victory Day

So what the heck does Pusser’s mean anyways? It’s slang for purser: the officer on-board who was responsible for handling the ship’s money. And while this bottle certainly was a bit of money, it was a worthy investment. All the more so now that I learn that I’m not alone in my appreciation of the decidedly artisanal approach this company has taken. I’m also not alone in appreciating that, quietly, they have also been supporting the men and women of the British Navy for decades. I don’t pretend to be vigilant enough with my consumer dollars… I need to research more and spend less much like many (read: most) North Americans. That being said, it made me smile to see the photo of a few crusty sailors having one last kick-at-the-can with a bottle or three of Pusser’s rum. It’s a privilege, to me, when we can repay those who have served our society selflessly. That I can help by choosing a great bottle of rum – well that’s just dandy with me!

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

on Twitter @AStudentofWine

on Facebook @www.facebook.com/TheChefandTheGrape

Maison Louis Latour, Montagny 1er cru 2009

www.louislatour.com

There’s a minute group of businesses who belong to a special club; an “uber” tier to the concept of family-run companies called the Henokiens. The membership is limited to companies that are leaders in their respective fields, remain family owned, have a history of 200 years’ experience and still bares the name of the founder… you won’t be surprised now to learn that the membership is currently stuck at 30 companies. In the entire world.

So my last trip down to Las Vegas I was recommended this little gem by my good friends at the Double Helix in the Venetian ( www.doublehelixwine.com ). These are my same highly proficient colleagues who introduced me to the Chateau LaFleur St Jean which is right across a country road from Petrus and yet sells for less then $100 USD a bottle… with 3-4 years of cellar age on it~!! So anyways, when these people make a suggestion I perk both my ears and prepare to learn.

the Latour wine-making facility

And opening this bottle was certainly a learning experience. This has balance, structure, precision… in short it has all of the qualities that one could ever hope for from Burgundy and it has them in ample quantity. Best part? It only runs about $50-60 USD so about half the price of what I would pay in British Columbia (the second highest liquor tax in the world).

I knew enough from my FWS (French Wine Scholar) program to know when I smelled, swirled and tasted the wine that it was something special, but it was when I read about the company that I discovered just how unique this really is. Since 1797 the family has been refining their skills as negocients or wine-brokers… but to call them brokers is really a failure in translation as there is so much more then that. This is a family that for 10 generations, from father to son, has bequeathed a legacy of winemaking that has little comparison. For how does one compare any modern winery against this kind of collective wisdom? Centuries of studying their soil, the aspect, the slope, the way the wind flows in Autumn… a thousand minute details collected, organized and put to good use. Who can really hope to equal the Burgundians when it comes to knowing one’s land?

And here is the family, still working the land and honoring tradition whilst being leaders in innovation. Of particular note is their intricate wine-making facility in which all handling of the juice from the grapes is done through gravity to eliminate unnecessary oxidization.

I could go on, but the best proof of a wineries work is still to be found – in the glass~!

2009 Montagny 1er cru “La Grande Roche”

Cote Chalonaise, Cote D’Or, Burgundy

91+ points

soil: limestone, chalk, clay

*NOTE: DO NOT SERVE TOO CHILLED! UNDER 15c/68F WILL INHIBIT AROMAS/FLAVOURS

• This wine sings with precision from the initial aromas to the end of the palate: a textured bouquet of clean hay/almonds/crushed seashell minerality is brilliantly balanced by crisp/lean acids driven by that self-same seashell mineral focus. The structure is impeccable and the length a generous 20-30 seconds… a natural pairing for seafood, but especially richer Oyster Affairs such as the classic Oysters Rockefeller 

As a New World consumer, it’s difficult sometimes to truly understand the Old World systems: premier cru, grande cru, premier classe, vielle vignes, appellation… how do any of these words have bearing on California, Washington or Ontario? Well as a much wiser man explained to me, if wine were art then the French vineyards are Degas, Cezanne or Matisse. The vineyards, and the people who have helped shaped them into what they are, have defined a style of wine-making that all must learn if they are to ever develop their own art. Burgundy and the Cote Chalonnaise are not the be-all/end-all of what Chardonnay is~!

But. But it’s families such as the Latours who inspired people like the Wente clan of California; without whom there would be little in the way of Chardonnay in the New World, and even less quality. It isn’t obligatory to honor these pantheons for their own sake, but respecting centuries of dedication seems the least we New World consumers can do. And so I raise the last of my glass to the great artists of Burgundy and invite you, when you want to taste Old School precision to do the same.

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

on Twitter @AStudentofWine

on Facebook @www.facebook.com/TheChefandTheGrape

Domaine Billard Pere et Fils, "Les Tavannes" Pommard

I recently saw a photo of Jerome Billard tilling between the vines at one of his vineyard parcels. His son (about 5 years old) was on his lap and it was obvious from the photo that Jerome was explaining things to his son. Domaine Billard Pere et Fils ( http://billardetfils.free.fr/index.html ) ... I read the name on the bottle of wine and thought that it must be another antique winery with a dusty history; filled with remarkable lineages and a family tradition built upon generations.

I didn't realize that it was the story of a man tilling the fields with his 5-year old; starting a new lineage, a new tradition with the newest generation.

Jerome Billard came to purchase his property 15km south of Beaune in the village of Rochepot in 1999. With 17 HA to his name, Jerome had given himself a sizeable amount of work but passion and dedication (always key-words) gave him the energy to devote himself to creating a quality product.

Principles of maximum intervention in the vineyard and minimum intervention in the winery were key to Jerome's early success, both with critics and the public. "Expressing the typicity of the terroir" is the way Jerome explains it.

But what is Pommard, and thus, what is the terroir of Pommard?

We can look at the statistics ( http://www.terroir-france.com/region/burgundy_pommard.htm ) and come to some conclusions, but the essence of terroir is about much more then stats. It's about the people who work the land as much as the land itself... it's about the spirit of a place as much as the composition of the soil.

Pomard is the second largest producer in volume after Beaune, but it's a small place... just over 10 square km it's a blip on the radar, a bump in the road when one drives the infamous Route des Grands Crus. Yes, almost a forgettable town with its single bell tower, and vineyards bereft of Grand Cru status. And a dwindling population.

Pomard's population has dropped by a third in the past 50 years and now is just barely over 500. But this is where Jerome Billard came to start a new life with his wife. This was where he envisioned building a home and future for his family. No Grand Cru vineyards here, 'tis true, but a plethora of Premier Cru that are respected worldwide again for their craftsmanship.

And perhaps Pomard is a bit like Jerome. Pomard was once one of the darlings of Bourgogne (Burgundy) and renown for quality long before the AOC system came into being in 1935, and before it itself received AOC status in 1937. Pomard was an easy to remember name for non-French speakers and for the French it spoke of value.

But then the people began to leave.

A new generation moving to the meccas of Rouen, Lyons, Marseilles and an aging population; not a recipe for success. Slowly, consistently, the work of decades began to erode. Consumer confidence waned and greener pastures were sought... then a renewal! There is a brushfire of excitement about Pommard wines again and if men like the Billards have anything to do with it, the brushfire will soon become a tempest.

Doubt me? The truth, as always, is in the glass my friends.

2010 Domaine Billard Pere et Fils, "Les Tavannes"

Pommard, Bourgogne, France

$50 USD, 

n/a in Canada (except through the Opimian Society www.opim.ca)

93 Points

soil:               stony with clay-lime and calcareous deposits

elevation:    between 250-400 metres

vineyard:    0.22 HA, no use of pesticides/insecticides

varietal:       100% Pinot Noir  

maturation:   15 months in Futs (large barrels), of which one third is new oak

• visual:   clear; light ruby core with cherry rim and slightest brickish tint, no sediment, bright
• nose:   clean; medium+ to fully intense and youthful aromas; bright fresh red berry notes abound with strawberries, ripe raspberries, sweet summer rose-like floral notes
• palate:   clean; dry, medium+ to full young raspberry acids, medium fine/soft well integrated tannins, light body, medium- to light abv (13%), medium intense and youthful flavors that mimick well the nose; red berry notes burst with flavor followed by clean mineral tones and the lightest spicy finish. Excellent balance and structure. Long length
• conclusion:   enjoyable in its youth, this will reward another 12-24 months of aging... drink 2013-2016
• FOOD PAIRINGS:   use the bright acidity to open a meal, or serve slightly chilled in the heat of the day... consider rillettes du porc  or confit du canard  served quite simply with fresh bread and seasonal fruit

    I can imagine my wife and I on one of those hilltops that overlook the village of Pommard... we would eat some of that rillettes and bread with a bottle of Jerome's wine and watch our daughter chase butterflies through the cherry trees.  Of course, it's a dream right now... but then again, so was Jerome's vision not so long ago.

As always, I welcome your comments and questions.

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

The Post Hotel Wine Summit 2012

The start of anything is exciting; the first day of school, the opening of a concert or the first time you see your child smile at you… all exciting, all moments of beauty.

snow falling in May at the Post

So how much more exciting could my first Post Hotel Wine Summit (http://www.posthotel.com/ ) be? There are no words that can explain how I felt when I arrived (ok, just a few words then)! A list of top-level winemakers from around the globe that would make any serious wine-geek truly delirious (Louis Jadot, Ornellaia, Lewis Cellars and more, more, more) was just the start of a true experience.

An experience that starts and ends with the Relais and Chateaux rated resort itself (http://www.relaischateaux.com/ ), it's gifted staff of sommeliers, servers, housekeepers, cooks… you get the idea. But then again, perhaps you don’t. Myself, I’ve had a long career in this industry and have seen many claim to be devoted to quality… rarely have I had the pleasure of working beside people who genuinely cared so much. It is, refreshing.

But what about the wines you ask …. Ah the wines.

Day 1: Thursday

We started with a bang! Almost literally!

A traditional cowboy barbeque feast with a live band and plenty of high-quality, easy drinking wines. Ok, maybe not a traditional Albertan barbeque with that much wine instead of beer kegs, but everyone had a blast and we the sommeliers got to taste some brilliantly fresh vino.

2009 Le Volte, Ornellaia

• Bright fresh berry bouquet with light savory fungal undercurrent

• Medium+ to Full acidity, cranberry and raspberry notes open the palate, fully intense chewy tannins… already approachable in its youth this wine will evolve gracefully for several years

2009 Serre Nouve, Ornellaia

• incredibly bright and fresh blueberry notes burst from the glass, deeper savory earthy characteristics found lurking beneath

• medium+ red raspberry acids, fully intense chewy and grippy tannins, rich savory earthy notes from the nose very evident in the palate (driven by Cab Sauv). Excellent concentration and balance but still very young and deserving of more time

2002 Louis Jadot Domaine de Heritiers, Les Boucherottes, 1er Cru

• primal earthy, savory, gamey, musky aromas… full and intense, developed but still lots of life left in it

• palate was marked by a decidedly well balanced and integrated crisp red currant acidity, moderate+ tannin structure which was firm and meaty, layered flavors of red and black berries/leathery earthy notes/red meat and wild game. A very masculine wine that was in its element paired with Alberta bbq

2010 Ornellaia “Poggio alle Gazze”

• lively little Sauv-Blanc, the nose is soft and inviting with warm hay notes, perky grapefruit and a subtle minerality

• much the same on the palate; the moderate acids are balanced, the concentration is medium+, the flavors much the same as the nose… a good summer wine, there is enough in the glass to balance against seafood dishes but cheerful enough to enjoy solo

2006 Louis Jadot Domaine Gagey, Savigny Les Beaunes, 1er Cru

• super bright, fresh red cherry/raspberry/strawberry notes with a gentle mineral undertone… incredibly approachable

• medium+ red raspberry acids, medium chewy tannins, an easy wine to enjoy on its own I think this wine really would come into its element paired with a simple afternoon of cured meats and cheeses and perhaps some fresh bread. Good concentration this is still evolving and will for several years

2009 Louis Jadot Santenay, Clos de Malte

• approachably fresh! medium+ intensity with a strong undertone of minerality (wet slate) with more young stonefruit and a wealth of summer floral hidden behind… the floral notes really start to open when the wine comes to cellar temp

• bright and fresh! Medium+ lemon acids, medium concentration, good cohesion or balance this wine is easy to drink and is undemanding

Day 2: Friday

This is a marathon, not a sprint! The sommelier staff started our morning at 7am down in the cellar, surrounded by 30,000+ bottles of world class wine and more than a few dozen for the five of us to open, sniff, swirl and spit. Or, in the case of the Grand Cru from Burgundy, spitting was optional (and I declined the option).

Granted it may not be right for everyone’s lifestyle, but I actually thoroughly enjoy the process, the cerebral art-form of analyzing a wine from bottle to glass to mouth. But then, I love wine (too much?). On today’s list was:

2001 Louis Jadot, Domaine Gagey, 1er Cru, “Les Boudots”, Nuits-Saint-Georges

• medium+ to fully intense bouquet of primal earthy tones, meaty, gamey/wild, musky… fruit tones are very secondary (red and black berries)

• crisp and slightly brittle medium cranberry acids, medium- soft velvety tannins, medium+ intense red berry flavors still developing with savory musky/gamey notes being secondary. Very good concentration, great balance

2003 Louis Jadot, Domaine des Heritiers Louis Jadot, Grand Cru, “Corton-Pougets”

• very deep plum core with slightest bricking in rim

• medium+ intense aromas starting with a pronounced dry, dusty mineral core followed briskly by worn leather, cigar box and then a secondary wave of darker berry aromas

• on the palate the acidity is moderate+ raspberry with fully intense chalky, grippy tannins incredibly well integrated… fruit flavors burst with moderate+ to fully intense developing characteristics of layers of a variety of raspberries, different cherries and even wild strawberries and currants… minerality is felt most keenly as a strong undercurrent. In summation this wine is a contemplative wine and most worthy of one’s utmost attention

Anthony Gismondi and Randy Lewis

Lewis Cellars, “Reserve” Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, California, 2008

• worthy of note that this wine has 2% Petit Verdot

• color is deep, dark and delicious with no bricking, solid garnet core and generous sediment (fining and filtering is not done)

• moderate+ developing fresh red berry bouquet with light red floral and a lovely spicy/peppery finish

• medium black raspberry acids, fully intense chewy tannins (delightfully approachable in its youth), fully intense and developing fresh red berry flavors taking charge with excellent balance and structure… a truly Huge Wine, its achieves complexity even in its enormity.

Louis Jadot, Chambolle-Musigny “Les Baudes”, Premier Cru, Cote des Nuits, 2007

• color is deep, dark, rich and vibrant

• nose is lush with fruit but also lovely floral quality followed by savory “sous-bois” or vegetal undergrowth

• palate is very focused! Medium+ raspberry/currant acids, medium+ grippy tannins, light body but almost full concentration with savory/earthy/mineral qualities with the sous-bois coming to play near the end… stunning balance and length.

• A truly excellent find for Premier Cru!

Louis Jadot, Pulligny-Montrachet Clos de la Garenne “Domaine Duc de Magenta”, (white) 2009

• Pale straw color

• Aroma is rich in hay notes, ripening orchard fruit with clean slate minerality underneath

• Palate is clean, bright and refreshing!

Day 3: Saturday

This is the big day that I drove about 800 kilometres for; today I will be attending the Maison Louis Jadot Technical Tasting which will prove to be even more intense then I could have anticipated. That lecture will be a forthcoming article unto itself. Let me just say that it was a privilege.

I was also lucky enough to be at the Berncasteler Doctor tasting… one of the most prestigious wineries in Germany (and some would say even the world), we tasted Rieslings young and old but this one certainly stuck out for me!

Dr. H. Thanisch, “Berncasteler Doctor”, Auslese, Riesling, Mosel 1959

• Beautiful rich and luxurious, soft floral notes with lifted acids… the fresh fruit is starting to recede leaving the minerality behind; elegant in its simplicity. A hint of smokiness, a herbal side and even a touch of sea salt in the after taste

• Absolutely no oxidization

• We were told that 1959 was one of the “perfect” vintages, and worthy of note is that these vines are grown on original rootstock, Phylloxera-free

Then after a quick lunch with chef extraordinaire Umberto Menghi came the vast Tenuta dell’Ornellaia Estate Tasting. This was an incredible event for everyone, but as much as my wife is from an Italian family, I really haven’t experienced that many Italian wines. Oh sure, I know a Barolo from a Nero D’Avola but considering there are more varietals cultivated in Italy than anywhere else in the world (over 2000 varietals) I really don’t know jack. That was about to change.

Unfortunately there is only so much room in an article, and so I will conclude with two wines from our Gala Dinner. I started on familiar ground with a Barolo (thank god) and what a lovely expression of the style of wine it was as well;

Michele Chiarlo, “Tortoniano” Barolo, Piedmonte 2001

• Light rose petal/garnet core with substantially bricked rim

• Medium+ developed nose (with room for growth) of dried rose petals, red and black raspberries, black strawberries… very focused

• On the palate medium+ red and black currant acids, full chalky grippy youthful tannins, medium concentration of developed flavors with the dark raspberry note singing high, with more dark berries singing harmony and a crescendo of fading fresh red berries which descends to savory and earthy qualities

• This wine is certainly moving to the mature part of its life, but still has lots of life left. Good concentration and excellent structure, this is a wine worth keeping and/or seeking out

Then, I was then fortunate enough to open, decant and taste 18 bottles of the following;

Maison Louis Jadot, Domaine Louis Jadot, Grand Cru, “Chambertin-Clos de Beze” 1990

• Light garnet core with slightly brickish rim, slight amount of fine sediment present

• Medium+ and obviously developed aromas starting with a bouquet of dried floral, savory earth, meaty gamey venison steak, stewed dark berries akin to raspberry chutney

• On the palate medium+ black raspberry acids, medium+ firm yet elegant tannin structure, medium+ concentration of developed flavors with a great deal of concentration left! Red and black berries, leathery savory herbs, strong herbal presence, almost a baked earthy undercurrent

• Delightful wine with lots of life left still, don’t feel you need to drink this wine now if you have some! Will not develop further but drinking 2012-2018 and potentially beyond

And that, as some would say, was that… I came, I drank (more then I should), I spit (less then I should). About 40 hours of work in 3 days which was less than the General Manager worked, less than the owners, less than the Head Sommelier (a trouper). Really, we sommeliers had it easy!

It was an exercise in diligence, a crash-course in humility. The owners of the Post Hotel are supposed millionaires in their own right, with secluded get-aways on the west coast of Vancouver Island and yet they were up and at work before I arrived in the wine cellar at 7am, and they were always on-hand long after I went to bed at midnight.

Perhaps that is why they are millionaires, and perhaps that is why the Post Hotel and it's Wine Summit draw visitors and wine-makers from around the world. No, no perhaps about it... George and Andre haven't created the Post Hotel as an "Ode to Money", they have created a bastion-like refuge devoted to quality in wine, in food, and in the most real way; in people.

Dr. H. Thanisch

http://www.dr-thanisch.de/

Evening Land

http://www.eveninglandvineyards.com/

Maison Louis Jadot

http://www.louisjadot.com/en/index.php

Michele Chiarlo

http://www.michelechiarlo.it/

Tenuta dell’Ornellaia

http://www.ornellaia.com/

Lewis Cellars

http://www.lewiscellars.com/

the Post Hotel welcome wagon

 

Next years Wine Summit is only months away, you’d best reserve your room now! See you there!

Chablis, Beauroy Permier Cru, Lamblin et Fils

ABC: Anything But Chardonnay

   How many times have I heard that said? Far too many I think, for even hearing someone say it once makes me cringe a little... to condemn an entire varietal because once upon a time there may have been some producers in some parts of the world who, let's say, lacked for finesse.

   Well what about Chablis?? "Oh!" they say with great zeal, "we LOVE Chablis!"

   Really?

   Chablis is Chardonnay. "Oh, well... that's different. It's not oaked."

   Really?

   Chablis is, much like many other times in France, the name for the region and the wine that comes from the region. I have never called a Pinot Noir from the Okanagan an "Okanagan" because no one would know what I was talking about. But when I call a wine a Chablis? You know what I'm talking about.

   That's because 100% of all Chablis is Chardonnay, and it comes from one of the most northern, the most extreme, viticulture regions in the world. The climate is semi-continental (meaning hot summers, cold winters, and clearly defined seasons) with no moderation from the maritime winds. The rains still come in Spring, and sometimes a bit to heavily creating the risk of diluted flavors and unbalanced acids in the grapes, and then there is always the risk of frost. These frosts can be so extreme that in 1957, it was reported that only 11 cases of wine were produced from the entire region of about 12,000 hectares...

   And you think your job security is fragile.

   But what is it about the wine that made Chablis once a global name inspiring confidence? Perhaps above (or at least as much as) all other things it must be the soil: Kimmeridgean clay is the technical name for the rare blend of limestone, clay and fossilized oyster shells that stretches all the way to the east coast of England in varying degrees. It is this soil which gives Chablis Chardonnay it's unique bouquet and flavor profile. The infamous (and rightfully so) Jancis Robinson even declared that this may be the "purest expression of varietal character".

   So what about the oaking? Well tell your ABC friends that they've been mislead... some of the greatest Premier and Grand Cru wineries do, in fact, barrel age their Chablis. But? But they do it with the greatest finesse and respect for the grape, allowing Chardonnay to shine. And the proof?

   As always, my friends, it's in the glass;

 2009 Lamblin et Fils Chablis "Premier Cru"

Beauroy Premier Cru, Maligny-Chablis, France

http://lamblin.com/

not available in BC     $55    92 Points

maximum yield:   58 hl/ha

vinification:        stainless steel, cold-stabilized, fining with bentonite (clay)

maturation:        on fine lees in French oak barrels. Allowed to rest for 6 months in bottle before shipping

awards:             CONCOURS DES GRANDS VINS DE FRANCE DE MACON 2010 *Bronze*

visual:   clear; light gold core with pale watery rim, silver highlights

• nose:   clean; moderately intense and youthful aromas of bright citrus notes, deep/crisp steely minerality, subtle buttery-vanilla tones, some perfume of small summer flowers
• palate:   clean; dry, moderate+ (lemon zest) acids, light body, moderate+ ABV (13%), moderately intense and youthful flavors in-line with the bouquet, the minerality is most keenly felt and the citrus tones develop on several levels. Excellent balance and structure, long length
• conclusion:   whilst already drinking well, this wine will richly reward a patient cellaring. Drink 2016-2020
• FOOD PAIRINGS:   butter poached BC sablefish on celeriac rosti with steamed local spaghetti squash and slightly spicy plum compote.... this works on a number of levels: the butter poached sablefish will balance the young acidity, the celeriac warms to earthy tones and spaghetti squash keeps the palate clean whilst the plums embrace the light floral tones from the best Chablis

   And so what do we say about Beauroy, the afore mentioned Premier Cru of Chablis that this wine hails from? Well, out of all 12,000 hectares of vineyard planted in Chablis, only 7 vineyards have the quality to be hailed as "Grand Cru" by the Institut National des Appellations d'Origine (INAO) although there is an un-offical 8th (another article). Slightly less prestigious, with slightly larger yields, a bit less sunlight and warmth for full ripening of the grapes, perhaps a touch less oyster shell in the soil, well that's Premier Cru.

   That's Beauroy; verging on the greatest quality of Chardonnay in the world.

   And, yes, it's oaked.

As always, I welcome your comments and questions.

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