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

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

Ron Barcelo "Imperial" Dominican rum

http://www.ronbarceloimperial.com/english.html

When I read that the BTI (Beverage Tasting Institute) of Chicago has rated a rum 97 points not once, but twice, then I take notice. You see, 97 points is the highest score they have ever given a rum.

So I do some digging, find out that they guys at Ron Barcelo have accumulated a succession of medals that would make any distiller dizzy with pride: 10 gold medals, a double-gold medal in Miami where it was also voted "Best in Class". The list goes on... pretty good legacy for the company that Julian Barceló started in 1929 when he emigrated to the Dominican Republic from Spain.

The company grew out of a vision of quality, quality, quality. So much so that even the locals ditched their hither-to favorite libations in deference to the Barcelo brand. Time passed and the natural progression of a company with strong vision and the support of the community: Barcelo rum became the most popular brand in the country! Impressive! But there's always room to grow, right?

In 1980, Miguel Barcelo (?grandson to Julian?) created the new icon: "Imperial" label. A testament to the family/company values, only the best would do and the company invested heavily in their infrastructure: from the sugarcane plantations to the molasses refinery to the labs to the aging cellar. Quality because more then a catch-phrase for the Ron Barcelo company (Barcelo Export Import S.R.L.), it became the Prime Directive.

The led to great accomplishments: the company earning the first ISO 9001:2000 Certification in the Dominican Republic spirit industry and the second in all of the Caribbean, international expansion to 10 countries in the 1990s,  the company winning a team of highly skilled, highly motivated Spanish rum professionals and by 2010 a distribution plan the extends to over 50 countries world-wide.

The massively accelerated growth can be directly linked to that 97-points I started talking about: it's the octane in the Barcelo fuel. But obviously grandson Miguel would never have been able to push such dramatic expansion without the leg-work of grandfather Julian. When a company starts with such a determined vision or goal then anything is possible.

My one challenge with the Barcelo company propaganda is that they state the "Imperial" is made in "limited quantities to maintain its mystique... its uniqueness". The Barcelo company is immense, employing many thousands of people, and exporting its own ocean of distillate to over 50 countries. To a country-lad such as myself, this doesn't seem much like "limited production". That being said, the spirit is quite good, so let's move straight to the tasting-notes:

"Imperial"

no age given: research shows from 6 to 10 years, but flexible depending on the year

91 points

$42+ CAD (Quebec)

$35+ US (Washington)

• TO THE EYE: a pretty rum, it shows so well in the glass with it's dark coppery hued amber tones
• ON THE NOSE: it displays rich, unique salt-water toffee, young pineapple and mild Szechuan pepper aromas
• ON THE PALATE: is where the score starts to dip for me: clean flavors of dark toffee, coffee and warm wood-tones are reminiscent of great Bourbon (positive) but some of the spirit in the blend is a tad juvenile/rough and clumsy and burns (negative). The structure is quite good, but not all of the flavors truly seem to marry together and this particular vintage seems to have some bits and pieces sticking out on their own. Well made but perhaps benefiting from further maturation.
• How to serve it? Too good as a blender with cola or fruit-punch, too much ice will also dampen the more subtle aromas and leave it somewhat mono-dimensional. I found that room temperature, with a splash of water allowed it to open more in the nose and left the palate in better balance.

So a good little sipping rum, from a company with a strong history of over-delivering. Just the type of company I like to support! This rum is a great gift for you celiacs out there who find yourselves missing a splash of Bourbon or Kentucky whiskey... similar flavors and will do in a pinch on your veranda one lazy afternoon. 

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

on Twitter @AStudentofWine

on Facebook @www.facebook.com/TheChefandTheGrape

Cristalino Cava, Garcia Carrion wines, Spain

www.GarciaCarrion.es

 What can I, peasant that I am, say about a company that has won the prestigious award for Best Winery of Spain not once, but twice in a row? A winery that has been growing, developing, challenging the status-quo since the 1890's. A winery that has garnered more awards then a strong man could carry with ease.

I don't think that there's much I could say about such a winery that others haven't stated in a hundred different ways, and so I shan't even try. What I will do is express my admiration and respect:

All who read my work know that I have a "penchant" for telling the family story, the story of working for more then just one's self. How inadequate then I feel, reading the story of this family which in 1890 built it's first commercial winery in Spain. And why should I feel inadequate? How can a man who can barely trace his lineage back 100 years begin to understand a family business that in 1890 had already been in viticulture for centuries... in fact, the Garcia Carrion family has no idea how long they had been making wine because the records don't go back far enough.

And here I sit just outside of Vancouver, British Columbia, which in 1890 got it's first steam clock, laid the first foundations for the sugar refinery and had a population of 1,000 souls. It was only 100 years before that (1892) that Captain George Vancouver set foot here for the first time.

And the Garcia Carrion family had already been in the wine business for centuries.

But it's one thing to be in business, and quite another to become the largest winery in Europe, fifth largest in the world~! And how does a family facilitate such a massive feat of business engineering? Well in their own words (to paraphrase), one needs to: "Be adaptable, listen to the customer, and be willing to Risk."

And risk they did when they sought financial backing in the early 1990's to expand their production of fruit juices, soda and fruit products. The risk paid off though when the backers sold their shares within a few years for 1.9 times the purchase price and Garcia Carrion had re-established itself as a Player. 

Gazpacho and wine? You're confused by the line of thinking? Well in business one hand scratches the other and the families growth in this segment strengthened its position to chase down growth in the wine industry. Fulfilling that objective, Cristalino Cava has now grown its sales in North America by 50% per year for two consecutive years. This translates to 60 million bottles of Cava for 2014.

Small wonder in my mind. In fact, I'll be stunned if the story doesn't remain much the same for the next year and possibly beyond. And why such a heavy prediction? Seriously: 50% growth for any company in any year is amazing, so why predict it three years in a row? It's because of something that a truly gifted businessman and winery own (John Skinner @ www.paintedrock.ca ) taught me... I'll paraphrase a bit again when I recollect John saying "Many people can make good wine, and that creates good business. But selling great wine at a great price creates a family legacy. And that's completely different."

But enough of my ranting. There's only one place to find true proof of quality and  that, my friends, is in the glass~!

Brut Nature, n/v

89 points

under$15 in BC, as low as $7 in some North America markets

• this sparkling wine is a sommelier's dream; aged for 15 months at the winery it has developed layers and nuances far beyond its' modest price-point... aromas of green olives, apples, chalky minerality are followed by a bone-dry palate of creamy/mousse-like bubbles and lingering flavors of green apple and lemon zest. Great balance and structure - it has power to handle complex food and sophistication to be sublime on it's own. Certainly appeals to an older palate as youngsters may find it too dry on its own

Brut n/v

89 points

under$15 in BC, as low as $7 in some North America markets

• well if the BRUT NATURE is for the sommeliers, then the BRUT is for the ladies. Yes Sir, this cava opens very similarly to the predecessor, but whilst the aromas contain brine/green olive/almonds notes, they are warmed by tones of ripe peaches and apricots. The palate is dry, obviously, but not strikingly so and can easily... far too easily... be quaffed on it's own. The structure, balance and length are excellent as is the Value For Money~! Your girlfriend/wife/sister/Mom's new favorite sparkling wine - buy an extra bottle or two to have on hand because really, at this price, anyone can afford Sunday Mimosas :)

Rose Brut n/v

91+ points

Under $20 in BC, as low as $10 in some North American markets

• My choice for Top Bubbly of 2013~!!!
• A stunning wine: crisp aromas of red berries (raspberries, cranberries) and clean mineral tones permeate my glass, transcended by a palate awash in fresh acid drenched in the same crab/raspberry flavors and always, always that distinct and utterly precise mineral focus. Much longer length on the palate then the other two wines (which are beautiful), this rose has capacity to develop on the taste-buds for 30 seconds and longer... truly an exceptional find for the price, I admit that I haven't been able to find its equal. A delight with your fish and seafood meals, it is an utter joy to consume on it's own. 

And so I conclude another year of Swirl, Sniff, Sip and Spit (optional).

These three wines represent, to me, some of the absolute best value in wine that I know of. They are eloquent, full of concentration and balance, and resonate both with food and without. But... But the part of all of this that would make my Dad most proud of the work that I do is that all three of these wines are under $20.

It's (relatively) easy to find quality in wine, sparkling or not, when one flourishes $50 or $100. For $100 I should be getting good wine! But it takes a bit more resourcefulness to track down gems such as these. And it's wine like this that can become a regular part of regular lives in the New World, where we're only just coming around to the notion that sparkling wine (in whatever form you choose: Cava, Prosecco, Champagne, etc) isn't just for special occasions. Drink bubbly with Sunday brunch! Drink bubbly with Tuesday pizza! Drink bubbly as you take the train home from work :)

As a mentor once encouraged me: Don't save your special bottles of wine for special occasions. Use your special bottles to create special occasions.

To me, Cristalino is always a special bottle, and anytime I open it becomes a special time for those I share it with.

Many thanks to the Christopher Stewart Wine Agency, representatives in Canada, for the sample bottles. www.christopherstewartwineandspirits.com

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

Desert Hills Estate Winery, BC VQA Okanagan Valley

 www.DesertHills.ca

brothers Randy and Jessie

 It’s the Holiday Season so I’m a sucker for a “feel-good” kind of story. Like 3 brothers who move in the mid ’80s to British Columbia from India and start working the new family farm…

Not a big stretch, right? They had a farm back home, Dad gets a little property in the Okanagan just outside of Oliver, and now they’re growing fruit. But the 3 brothers look around – undoubtedly noticing the large sign as one enters town that proclaims Oliver as “The Wine Capital of Canada”. True? Not for me to say, but there are a lot of wineries there… so the brothers go to Dad and say “Dad, let’s grow grapes. We can sell them for more then apples or peaches!”

Dad thinks about this, decides to go out on a limb and trust his boys. Much expense later, the family is producing wine grapes and selling them to local wineries and making more money. Good right? But not good enough for the Toor brothers who now go back to Dear Old Dad and say “Hey Dad, the grapes are really good. I mean really good… let’s start making our own wine.”

Dad goes back out on the limb, the family goes into the wine-making business now. And guess what?

Oh damned. You weren’t supposed to actually guess it… yes! The wine was also good. I mean really good. Good enough that they have won the prestigious Lieutenant Governor’s Award for excellence in winemaking (TWICE) and the winner of Canada’s Best Red.

And they planted the first Syrah in the South Okanagan.

This means that they’ve got some major determination, but also the foresight to look ahead of the curve and anticipate what might be lying there. That’s a good story in my books, and more then a little inspiring. But the best part to selfish-me is that these wines are widely available and at very reasonable prices. And my proof? Right there in the glass my friends:

2012 Chardonnay (unoaked)

solid 90 points

320 cases produced

*BEST WITH ONE/TWO RUN(S) THROUGH THE AERATOR

• a bouquet that’s generous in floral and mineral tones, this wine is expressive of whence it comes from. The crisp, clean palate is rich in the same minerality and accentuated by flavors of wild summer flowers, white tea and young stonefruit (such as apricots and peaches) with a healthy dose of warm Golden Delicious apples thrown in for good measure. Well balanced, with good structure and decent length on the palate – this wine does as well on it’s own as it would with food. And what food?? As this is much more French in it’s approach then Californian, I would opt for a French classic like poulet aux quarantes l’ail (chicken roast with 40 garlic) or perhaps butter poached scallops with asparagus and hollandaise… there are enough acids to handle more robustly fatty meals 

2011 Viognier, Sira’s vineyard

89+/90 points

1000 cases produced

*BEST WITH ONE/TWO RUN(S) THROUGH THE AERATOR

• once again, very French in it’s approach, this is an understated version of Viognierwith tight acid and a bouquet quite eloquently speaking about apricot compote, white tea and crushed-slate minerals. The balance is good, and the structure is even better with the length on the palate being considerable at 15-20 seconds before fading. I would have gladly scored this 91+ points if the bouquet was as expressive as the palate, which is as delicious as it is professional… a perfect pairing with WestCoast cuisine, this is brilliant with brown-sugar barbequed salmon, buttered fiddleheads and steamed new potatoes. And a word of caution; ensure you serve this wine under 15c/59F – too warm and the acids become unbalanced and bitter

2012 Gewurztraminer

91+ points

575 cases produced

*DECANTING/AERATION UNNECESSARY

• an icon from the Desert Hills line-up, this varietal shines on their terroir. Bold aromas of lychee, pink and white grapefruit, exotic flowers and guava erupt from the glass with a keenly edged full acid on the palate to keep it in focus. Generous mid-palate flavors that mimic the bouquet brilliantly, good balance and structure with a medium length palate that is fun on it’s own but can pair with some serious food. This is for your gourmet Thai/Vietnamese cuisine and will make you look like a superstar when paired with the flavors of Thai basil, ginger, galangal and curry~! Once again though, a caveat: don’t serve over 15c/59F or the acids will appear unbalanced

2012 Gamay (Noir)

91+ points

*DECANTING/AERATION UNNECESSARY

• if Gewurztraminer would be their flagship white varietal, then Gamay Noir would most certainly be (in my humble opinion) Desert Hills flagship red. Made famous, or infamous, by the Beaujolais Nouveau craze of the late 80′s/early 90′s (and modern day Japan) – Gamay Noir is capable of greatness when produced on the appropriate soil and crafted by artisans. This is certainly on the same level as many top-producers in Fleurie or Moulin-a-Vent~! A wildly expressive nose with aromas of worn leather, warm earth, pencil shavings, lightly candied blackberries and black currants, and a last hint of savory herbs… the palate follows suit with moderate acid, fine silty tannin and a generous expression that has balance, structure and medium+ length.
• Food pairing?? Try this with your simple food to allow the wine to shine: artisanal Tuesday-night pizza with spicy Capicolla, local chevre (goat’s cheese), sun-dried tomato, artichoke hearts and a drizzle of white truffle oil

2009 Cabernet Franc

Eagle’s Nest Vineyard

88 points

302 cases produced

*DECANTING/AERATION UNNECESSARY

• soft aromas of green pepper, warm earth and graphite-like pencil shavings greet the consumer while the palate delivers a modicum of tight red current acid overlayed by grippy young tannin. Whilst the balance is quite good, the structure is fair at best and the length on the palate is short to medium. This is an excellent candidate for Summer sangria and Winter mulled wine and, should you have some in your cellar, is best consumed sooner rather then later.

2008 “Mirage”

Cab-Sauv driven Bordeaux-styled blend (Left Bank)

91 points

980 cases produced

• yes, Bordeaux styling can be found in the most northerly of wine-growing regions. It can even be eloquent, as exemplified by the “Mirage”; sonorous aromas of warm earth, old leather, graphite minerality, blackberry/blueberry/currant jam, wild herbs growing on the hillside all marry together quite seamlessly. The palate is driven by the bright red berry tones turning darker with the five years of aging, and held together by the clean and lean mineral edge. Very good balance and excellent structure, this palate holds well at medium+ or over 20 seconds developing on the tastebuds. Excellent now, hold in your cellar for several years
• A wine of this structure merits food with equal thoughtfulness and consideration. Perhaps sous-vide beef tenderloin stuffed with Fraser Valley roast chestnuts and Qualicum blue cheese with a fresh rosemary jus, parsnip pave, candied eggplant crisps and charred radicchio salad…  intense flavors all, and all will draw strong notes from the wine

relaxing at the end of a hard day

Three brothers who turn a modest family business into a family legacy in the space of a generation. A good story, but then there’s the icing on the cake… it turns out that the brothers have taken some of the profits from the winery and built a sports arena in their hometown in India. Not content with merely flashing money around to look good, or assuage their egos, these fine men make a point of returning home every year to catch-up with family and friends, and ensure the arena is being run properly.

Because they care, these Toor brothers. They care about their family, they care about quality, and they care about their community: the New World and the Old, merging into something better then either was on it’s own. And that’s a good story, a really good story and more then reason enough for me to seek out their wines on a habitual basis: the Gewurztraminer a perennial treat for my beautiful wife.

Ask yourself, what do you respect about the last winery you supported with your consumer dollars?

Many thanks to Renaissance Wine Merchants, representatives of Desert Hills, for the sample bottles.  www.renaissancewine.ca

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

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