To Merlot or not to Merlot

Someone said once “A truth is a lie convened upon by many.” I don’t know if I concur fully with the idea, but got to say that in the case of Merlot it really hit it right on the nose. Back in the 90’s, when Merlot became popular in North America, nobody seemed to object to the velvety varietal. As with any other wine, there are good and not so good versions, so condemning all the wines made from the grape just because some (or many) were of lesser quality, doesn’t ring right. But that is exactly what happened. The (in)famous movie Sideways spread the message that the cool thing to do was to order “anything but Merlot” (ditto for Chardonnay). Until then little known Pinot Noir became all the rage, at least among wine geeks. In spite of the movie’s negative light, Merlot kept selling -and still does- a lot more than Pinot Noir. But for some people the stigma remains, which is unfortunate, because Merlot is one of the highlights of the world of wine.

The variety originates in Bordeaux, where it is the ideal complement to bony Cabernet Sauvignon in all those legendary wines that are so far from reach –pocket depth wise- that most of us may never taste them. At that level, where appellations like Pomerol and St. Emilion shine, Merlot yields wines of tremendous richness, pronounced flavor intensity and with the typical velvety texture, provided by properly tamed tannins, round and smooth.

Fortunately, you don’t need to spend megabucks and buy a legend to taste a good, juicy, soft Merlot. There are several varietals made in the new world (and old) that will provide a good idea of what Merlot can do when well made. Let’s take a look at what is available at Everything Wine.

Thelema Merlot. South Africa. $37.99. Opulent, dense, will leave you breathless with its soft spice and mouth filling fruit.

Marques de Casa Concha. Chile. $29.99. A dash of Carmenere makes it deliciously smoky spicy. Full bodied and saturated with dark fruit flavor.

Christian Moeuix 2005 Merlot. France. $19.99. Moueix is the guy who makes the Californian cult reds under the Dominus label. This Bordeaux Merlot is rich and delicious and has that “je ne sais quoi” that only good French wine can boast of.

Stimson, Washington State. $19.99. Medium bodied, easy driking and soft on the tannin. A good entry level by Chateau St. Michelle.

Church & State, British Columbia $31.99. Merlot is one of the black grapes that do really well in British Columbia. This gold medal winner is truly delicious, with a sweet-fruit entry and nicely managed oak.

Velvet Devil, Washington State. $27.99. Big, assertive in its fruit forwardness. A great example of what the reds from our immediate neighbor to the south can do.

Woodbridge, California. $13.99. A house wine in many restaurants in Vancouver, yummy and juicy.

Diego Murillo, Argentina. $9.99. Organic, tasty and coming all the way from Patagonia. Doesn’t get better for budget Merlots.

Homework: find a Pinot at the price points above and see which one –blind tasting- you like better.
 

With the Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival fading away in the distance, it is time to pay some attention to the land of Che Guevara, Evita and Maradona. That Argentina is producing wines of great value is news to nobody. We all are familiar with all those under 10, 10-15 and under 20 dollars Malbecs that embellish our tables and bring joy to our parties. In this category, there is a winery that really is scoring goal after great tasting goal.

I am referring to Finca Las Moras, or “mulberry estate” as it would be in Spanish, which is the language spoken in the south American country. I make this point clear because, had you the chance to meet an Argentinian you may think he comes from somewhere in Europe. Argentinians gesture like Italians, have the bravado of Spaniards and the pomp of Englishmen but they are just Argentinos. Never mind. Us, fellow south Americans love to make fun of them; we call them che’s (like in “Che” Guevara), but we all know well they are true masters at three things:

-fútbol, football (soccer, as the unbelievers call it)
-sound and fury
-vino, mucho vino

They also have the best meat in the world, but I don’t intend to offend vegetarians, vegans and those practicing abstinence here…

Las Moras, unlike most che wineries known here in Vancouver, is not located in sunny, dry, hot, beautiful Mendoza but a little further North, in sunnier, drier, hotter, beautiful San Juan. Soils and climate there suit non-wimpy grapes, as in the case of Syrah. San Juan’s best wines today are produced in the Tulum Valley, which is where Las Moras has its viticultural headquarters. The winery’s vineyards lie at 630 metres above sea level and conditions are such that there is very little -or no- need for the use of pesticides, making the wines virtually organic.

In Vancouver you can find some of their varietals and blends. Best marks go to their exquisite Malbec, Tannat, Shiraz, Cabernet/Shiraz and Chardonnay, all priced between 15 and 17 dollars. In the higher price bracket, the Gran Shiraz 3 Valleys is one yummy sip at 25 cdn. All these products offer excellent value and have in common an onslaught of ripe, full-flavored fruit coming off and out of the glass.

The first four products are really worth every penny you pay. Particularly impressive is the Malbec ($16.99), juicy and plump, hard to beat in this price category. The Tannat, which is a more recent entry in the City of Glass, is surprising in its mouth filling fruit but particularly in its tannins, abundant but very fine grained, smooth as no French Tannat will be. (Many Madiran Tannats are blended with Merlot to soften the otherwise excruciatingly raspy tannins). The Shiraz ($16.99) is also very competent at the price, mellow and with sweet tannins and the right dose of spice. Las Moras Chardonnay ($16.99), the only white from this house to be found in Vancouver, is lovely, balancing good appley acidity with popcorn butter, although those not fond of oak may not enjoy the latter characteristic. It is good advice to try and go past these wine hang ups. Wine lovers will benefit from drinking all across the board; from the anorexically lean to the Boteroesquely curvaceous.

To finish this entry, all in all, top marks for Las Moras.
 

When summer hits hard, nothing is more appealing than a sip of your favorite well chilled white wine. Gleaming under the sun with its straw yellow, light green or golden hues, the droplets of condensation sweating over the glass goblet, few things are so inviting after a long day of work or after playing in the scorching heat. And when it comes to white, most people still reach out for the usual suspects, i.e. Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio. This is the case on this side of the world, anyway, because if you look at what Italians drink when they want a refreshing sip, they have a plethora of possibilities. With over 2000 varieties, there are scores of names most of us have never heard of. Fortunately, some of those wines are available in British Columbia. Although many Italian whites are expensive, there are several examples of good quality wines at affordable prices. Let's take a look at a few delicious examples.

Cortese. This popular grape from Piedmonte is usually sold under the appellation name Gavi. It is simple, fresh and quite dry, usually in a Frizzante style, that is, slightly sparkling. Good for sipping and excellent with simply cooked white fish, like pan fried. Look for Araldica (16.99) , San Silvestro (15.99) or Casalone (19.99) .

Veneto's Soave is experiencing a revival, after its reputation fell due to mass production of bland, uninteresting, cheap wines. Made with the Garganega grape, good Soave does not impress on the nose but the palate is dry and mellow, usually with hints of almond and a touch of bitterness in the finish. These wines are good on their own or with a variety of seafood or salads. The best ones are Soave Classico and among them Inama (29.99) is a must try. Masi (15.99) and Bolla (12.99) are also good examples.

Verdicchio, the most famous grape from the Marche region offers a nose with green apple and nutty aromas. It is deliciously fresh and dry on the palate, with a large acidic footprint. Verdicchio makes a great patio wine. Umani Ronchi (16.99) and Marchetti (27.99) are tasty choices.

Arguably the tastiest whites come from Italy's South. Sicily's Grillo can produce medium to full body wines with the lemony backdrop typical of the island's vineyards. Feudo Arancio Grillo ($19.99) is an excellent example, with tropical fruit and refreshing palate, flying off the shelves for all good reasons. Giacondi (12.99) is a good entry level product that will give you an idea of what this grape can deliver.

Greco comes from Campania, originally from around the village of Tufo, which is what you will usually see on the labels. Its delicate floral and fruit aromas are somewhat reminiscent of Viognier. Dry, full bodied San Gregorio is a gem of finesse and flavor at 36.99. Mastroberardino (29.99) is also quite the wine. In Sicily Greco is sometimes blended with Fiano, as in the case of the A-Mano (20.99), a delicious wine with great body, fresh fruit and firm acidity.

Fiano can also be a pleasant surprise. Sicily's Mandrarossa (15.99) and Puglia's Cantele (25.99) have a rich, wavy texture and herbal and mineral hints.

Muller-Thurgau is not precisely Italian in origin, but when produced in Alto-Adige (coincidentally the only German speaking area of the peninsula) it can be quite exciting. For sheer refreshment, minerality and incisive acidity that are quite what you need in hot weather, try Canaletto's rendition. Lovely at 15.99 and with the added value of not having one of those uber-complicated German labels.

Chi Veddiamo!
 

I spent this past weekend, and my 29th birthday, touring around the Okanagan, tasting wines that I hadn’t had the chance to try at home. I visited 6 wineries between Keremeos and Kelowna and the stand-out of the day, in terms of best bang for your buck and selection, was See Ya Later Ranch in Okanagan Falls. The winery’s tasting room and wine shop are housed in the estate’s well-restored, heritage stone home, which dates back to the early 1900s. You’ve seen these wines before, the ones with the picture of the white dog with angel wings. In fact, many of the wines are named after old farm dogs, who are buried in the doggy cemetery right out front of the old stone house. Names like Nelly, Jimmy and Rover adorn small headstones in the 10’ x 10’ dog cemetery. 

Perched atop Hawthorne Mountain, a 5km drive from the main highway, See Ya Later Ranch has a stunning view of the lake and valley below, vines as far as the eye can see, and a modern tasting room (complete with view) and outdoor patio where they now serve lunch. 

Upon arrival, we were greeted by the friendly staff, asked if we were interested in having lunch on the patio (which of course, we were) and set up at the tasting bar for a complete portfolio tasting. Of all 13 wines offered for tasting that day, there were more than a few that I considered to be excellent value. 

See Ya Later Ranch Pinot 3 2008

Light and crisp, with apple, melon and peach aromas. Interesting and well balanced.

$16.99 at Winery

See Ya Later Ranch Chardonnay 2008

Crisp melon and orange rind add to the butter and vanilla notes from the oak and the weekly stirring of the lees. 

My choice for best $20 Chardonnay in the Okanagan. A must if you like oaky Chardonnays.

$19.99 at Everything Wine

See Ya Later Ranch Pinot Gris 2008

Rich and complex nose with some vanilla (from partial barrel fermentation), peach pit and spice with a round mouth feel and smooth finish.

$19.99 at Everything Wine

See Ya Later Ranch Riesling 2008

This dry Riesling displays fresh, vibrant, bright aromas of lemon, lime and green apple. Holy acidity!!! The finish is clean and bright. A fabulous food wine, you could pair this with asian cuisine, salads, pork and many cheeses. This is excellent value Riesling.

$15.99 at Everything Wine

See Ya Later Ranch Gewurztraminer 2008

This Gewürztraminer bursts with rich, exotic flavours of lychees and ripe melons with crisp acidity and an off-dry finish. 

Great with spicy dishes as the hint of sweetness offsets heat.

$16.99 at Everything Wine

See Ya Later Ranch Nelly Rosé 2008 

A refreshing rose, great for patio season. Nelly is brimming with aromas of raspberries, cherries and a hint of watermelon.

Perfect for pairing with bbq chicken, salmon, and a variety of summer salads.

$16.99 at Winery

See Ya Later Ranch Brut Non Vintage (Sparkling)

Nutty, yeasty, toasty and very vibrant with citrus and orchard fruit and a lot of complexity. 

This Brut really wakes up and cleanses your palate. A great choice for toasting at those summer celebrations.

$23.99 at Everything Wine

After tasting the entire portfolio, we were seated on the patio for lunch. I chose the Ploughman’s Lunch, consisting of a baguette, salami and aged cheddar with mustard and fruit relish ($14.99), and had a glass of their Nelly rosé; it was too hot out for red wine, and just goes to show you that you don’t always have to follow the rules when it comes to choosing your wine and food matches – drink what you enjoy! Dan, my partner, chose the pulled pork sandwich ($14.99) and paired it with a glass of their Chardonnay. Great service, great food, great wine, great patio, great view… all made for a great day!
 

Summer has arrived in Vancouver. Although the sun has not shown up as much as we would love it to, temperature is creeping up and with it comes the need for lighter, fresher meals to keep the heat at bay. And when it comes to light, cold dishes, nothing like seafood! Lucky for us, we live right on one of the cleanest maritime areas of the world and the quality and diversity of our fruits de mer is second to none. Seafood is still a bit of terra incognita for a large proportion of consumers and when it comes to choosing the best wines to pair with a fish or shellfish dish, the subject can be outright obscure. “White wine with seafood, red wine with meat” goes the old saying, and for the most part it is a solid guideline. Having been raised sea side in Lima, and having worked for my family’s ceviche restaurant, my diet relies heavily on seafood. After moving to Canada, and being a wine apasionado, I have had no alternative but to test and try wines and local seafood in my adoptive homeland, findings that I now share with Everything Wine blog readers.


First of all, and before the season is over, get your hands on some spot prawns, sustainably harvested off the coast of British Columbia. Garlic butter is one of the most popular sauces to accompany this beautifully tender, naturally sweet tasting crustacean. A classic match is a lush, full flavored Pinot Gris, like New Zealand’s Sileni (15.99), Argentina’s Lurton (13.99) or Hungary’s Dunavar, which, at 9.99 offers tremendous value. More adventurous seafood lovers may like to add some wasabi and soy sauce to their garlic butter, which results in a delicious mélange. The cooking temperature takes away some of the wasabi’s aggressive heat but keeps its flavors. In this case a wine with more weight on the palate is in order. Kettle Valley’s Pinot Gris (24.99) is a good call. Even better, try Alsace’s Hartenberger (23.99) or Pierre Sparr Reserve, which at 29.99 has a massive presence on the palate and abundant, flavor-packed fruit that stands up to the spot prawn challenge.
 

Oysters deserve a post of their own. The mind boggling diversity and their aptitude to reflect the “sea-rroir” make the bivalves analogous to wine. East and West coasters taste different, and within the West Coast, they will have different taste and texture depending on whether they come from farms in Washington, Oregon or British Columbia. Keep in mind that in the case of oysters, farmed is better than wild for a number of reasons that would take too long to discuss here. Suffice to say that environmentally farmed oysters take the pressure off natural stocks, besides the fact that they are fed only clean ocean water and nothing else, no vitamins, hormones, antibiotics or dyes. Although Chablis (the real thing, from France, not the spurious sweet plonk made in California) is the classic match, we will look here at the best pairing for West Coast slimes: Sauvignon Blanc. Effingham oysters have a distinct savory taste, which calls for a wine that reflects that character. Wither Hills Rarangi, from Marlborough (26.99) comes immediately to mind. For the budget minded, Southern France’s Tariquet (15.99) will rise up to the job. Kumamotos and Kusshis have a sweeter, fruitier profile. Riper fruit is what you should look for in your Sauv Blanc. Napa Valley’s St Supery (37.99) is an excellent choice. A bit pricey, point taken, but then you are slurping the aristocracy of mollusks. Not convinced? Go for Argentina’s Mapema (20.99) or Paula (16.99). If you are rooting for Chile and not Argentina in the World Cup and don’t want to buy a Tango wine, then grab Casas del Bosque (17.99), a delicious Sauvignon of high fruit profile and persistent acidity.

Dungeness crab is another critter that British Columbians love to have on their table. The white, firm meat is packed in both legs and body. It is so tasty that for the most part all you need to do is cook it in boiling water (crustaceans have well developed nervous systems so please put them to “sleep” in the freezer for 20 or 25 minutes before you scald them). Dungeness, like King Crab, has a distinct touch of sweetness sparkling over the rich flavor and texture. Find a wine of analogous fat character, like a good Chardonnay. Los Alamos (14.99), Liberty School (23.99) or Oyster Bay (19.99) will do the job. For those who don’t mind a touch of sweetness in their wine, the Madrone (which is blended with 8% Muscat) should be the perfect match at 18.99.

Before closing this note, how can you write about West Coast seafood without mentioning the king of our waters, the mighty salmon? Here is when you can bend the white-for-fish-red-for-meat rule. Barbequed or poached salmon will be enriched by a fleshy Chardonnay but it has enough flavor to stand up to lighter reds. First in line, C’est la Vie, an idiosyncratic Southern French blend of Pinot Noir and Syrah is a great candidate at 16.99. A soft Pinot Noir, like the Tabali Reserva (29.99) or the Coldstream Hills (33.99) are also great picks. For the budget minded, the J.P. Chenet Limited Release (1.99) or the Morande Pionero (15.99) are the ones to look for. Look for troll caught salmon, as it is the tastiest and the fishing method is environmentally responsible.

Grenache (aka Garnacha) is another red that enhances strong flavored fish. Seared Albacore tuna, which is harvested sustainably in British Columbia (barbless hooks minimize bycatch of other species) pairs wonderfully with a light Grenache like Vive La Revolution or Spain’s No Time Garnacha (both at 15.99). Not into light reds? No worries. You would still have a good pairing with something like the Wallace Shiraz Grenache (29.99).

Seafood and wine pairings are a bit tricky but when you find the right match, they are so terroir oriented that the synergy is rarely found in other pairings. When in doubt, just come to Everything Wine and the staff will give you a few ideas. And don’t forget to look for sustainable harvested fish and shellfish. That is the only way to keep the bounty of our oceans healthy and available for us and for future generations.
 

Contrary to what most people believe, you don’t have to spend large sums of money to get a wine cellar started. In fact –according to expert Michaela Morris- if you have only one or two bottles that you are reserving for future drinking, you already have a cellar. Michaela, together with Michelle Bouffard are the owners of house wine, a business dedicated to wine education and consulting. In an informative and fun session at the Listel Hotel, they quenched the audience’s thirst for wine tips.

The first thing you should know before you start a cellar is how you like your wines. If you like them fruity and fresh then perhaps cellaring is not a good idea. If you like to taste past those vibrant fresh fruit tones and discover strokes of barn, forest floor and earthy minerality, then ageing wine is for you. Once you decide to start cellaring wines, you need to find a place where the temperature will be relatively stable and unlikely to get too hot. Usually this place could be a basement or if you live in an apartment, a closet which door should be kept shut to fend off temperature variation. Ideally the temperature should be around 12-15C. Lights should be kept off as much as possible and a humidifier comes in handy if the natural air moisture is low.

Michaela and Michelle explained that wines you choose to cellar must be the ones you like. Once that point is checked you need to taste the wine and ponder three qualities: acidity, tannin and fruit. If the wine lacks acidity then is not a good candidate for long term cellaring. This is because acidity underpins the fruit flavors of the wine and with low acidity the wine will taste flat and will lack freshness. Tannin is the other element to consider, especially when picking red wines. Tannins are compounds found in the grapes’ skins as well as in seeds and other woody tissues. Tannins have an antiseptic role as well as an anti-oxidative one. These qualities will allow the fruit to remain free of oxidation, showing its flavor through time.

As for the number of bottles you need to purchase to start your cellar, house wine experts recommend to buy three as a minimum. The first one you can open after a couple of years. This is a testing time also, since the wine will show its capacity to age. If it still maintains good level of fruit and acidity and tastes better than the original product, you can keep the other two bottles and open one at year four or five and the last one at year seven. However, if the flavors already start to decline it is the moment to drink. Further ageing will disappoint you with lack of flavor and sluggish acidity. Finally, when assessing wines to age, acidity is the main indicator for whites and tannin for reds. In both cases time will turn the color towards brown. Red wine will have a brick red hue; white will become golden or even amber.

Wine Recommendations

Good white varieties to age, due to their natural high acidity include Riesling and Semillon. The first one will develop a diesel-like aroma, with fruit going from the green apple initial to riper apple, stone fruit or even tropical notes. Semillon is known to age well for decades due to its unflagging acidity and develops deliciously toasty flavors. Good choices include Nederburg (12.99), Hattenheimer (22.99) or Markus Molitor Himmelreich (53.99) for Rieslings. Excellent candidates for Semillon or Semillon-Sauvignon Blanc blends are Poacher’s Blend (12.99), Brokenwood (22.99), Black Hills Alibi (36.99) and Bordeaux’ Chateau Mirambeau (43.99).

Tannic load, as mentioned before, will increase the capacity of a red wine to age gracefully. Little known Xinomavro grape is one of the best Greek varieties for this purpose. Boutari Naoussa Reserve (21.99) will improve greatly with five years in the cellar, enhancing its natural dry cherry and fig flavors. Italy’s Nebbiolo grape always benefits from ageing. Barbaresco by Produttori (42.99) is a great option. Also from Italy, but this time in the south, the Aglianico grape with its fiery tannins gets only better after a few years of rest. Red Cello (14.99) will see its fruit shine and its tannins soften up. Other reds to put away for a couple of years include Volteo Cabernet Tempranillo (19.99), Morande Pionero Pinot Noir (15.99) and Agua de Piedra Cabernet Sauvignon (13.99).

There are so many options available at EW that it would take pages to list them here. If you feel ready to start a cellar, come to the store and the staff will be happy to help you pick the wines that suit best your taste and budget.
 

Whether you’re heading up to the Okanagan, across the border into Washington, or all the way down to Napa or Sonoma, summer time is peak season for touring and tasting in the wine regions of Canada and the United States. I recently spent two days touring Napa & Sonoma and I’ve put together a list of Do’s and Don’ts to make your summer touring and tasting a success. A few small details can make the difference between a great day and a splitting headache.

Do – Bring water. Bring lots of water for drinking, especially since the sun is hot in all grape growing regions. It’s also nice to have the water to cleanse your palate in between tastings. (hint – I just discovered that a couple slices of cucumber in your water helps to neutralize the PH in your mouth, especially after a long day of wine tasting, plus it is a nice and refreshing flavour).
 

Do – Spit. Most wineries provide a spittoon on their tasting bar. If you don’t see one, ask for one. And yes, it’s perfectly normal that you get a splash of wine in the face or a dribble down your chin when spitting… it happens to the best of us.
 

Do – Have a designated driver. 17 year old kids are great, however, they make require a little bribing.

Don’t – Try to visit EVERY winery on the way. Pick a few key stops on your route, and focus on quality over quantity.

Do – Bring a cooler if you plan to purchase wines. The sunlight and heat can “cook” wine in your car in less than 30 minutes, so it is a good idea to put the wine in a cooler or insulated container while you are touring, and keep it up front in the air conditioning with you instead of in the trunk.

Don’t – Bring young children. It’s no fun for them which = no fun for you.

Do – Bring snacks. Too much wine + long hot day + empty stomach = sleepiness, upset stomach, headache… you get the point.

Do – use your GPS system. You can plug in the address of the winery and be sure to arrive at your destination. Forget about trying to read the wine country map you picked up along the way as it likely does not show all the small side streets and can be very confusing.

Do – Ask questions at the tasting bar. Most people behind the bar are “wine geeks” and love to talk about wine. It’s a great way to learn a little, or a lot, about the winery, the area and wine in general.

Do – Keep track of what you taste. If you are not a serious note taker, ask for the tasting note sheet and use your own system for keeping track of wines you like. I use * for wines I taste, “ok” for wines that are decent, and a series of check marks for wines I like… 1 = like, 2 = really like, 3 = gotta have, must buy now. 

Don’t – Be afraid to Swirl, Sniff, Slurp and Spit. 

Oh and last but not least. Bring a toothbrush with you, or even a package of wine wipes. A day of good tasting is sure to result in a purple mouth.

If you happened to be in North Vancouver and driving past Everything Wine shortly before 7:30pm last Wednesday, you probably already know that something festive was going on. Eager faces waited outside the doors as staff scurried around to finish helping their last customers for the day, and bring out the food and wine.

I’m talking about Everything Wine’s second annual Summer Solstice Wine Festival, one of the most-anticipated events the store hosts. From the intensely-coloured tablecloths, paper lanterns, and tethered balloons, to the whimsical flowers and parasols, the warehouse-style store was transformed, for a night, into a pretty, intimate, social gathering place. Summer is finally here!

Friendly and knowledgeable representatives from various wine distributors poured offerings from tables situated around the store, and wine lovers enjoyed their samples with live music and snacks from Thrifty Foods.

The most happening place to be at any time during the 2-and-a-half hour event was the impressive Vintages Room, where Jaime Kowan poured J. Lohr and Black Hills wines from his Landmark Selections portfolio, and educated a captivated audience. The Alibi Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon was lively and delightful, like the atmosphere, and the soft, juicy J. Lohr Petite Sirah, with its blackberry pie finish, was the most popular girl at the party. Other party favourites were the Sottano Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon, the Greg Norman Sparkling, and the Altos de la Hoya Olivares Rosé.

The most memorable moment, at least for me, was when a certain well-known and loved visitor to Everything Wine approached a table, held out her glass, and asked with some great enthusiasm for a taste. When she realized her glass was still full from the last table she visited, she cried out in a charming Scottish accent, “Oh, I’m so embarrassed!” Everyone laughed as she emptied her glass, held it out again and pronounced happily, “Okay, I’m over it.”

As the evening came to a close, boisterous people finished their last sips, purchased their favourite bottles, and started talking about next year as they received their complimentary taxi vouchers and filtered out the door.

Prizes were drawn the following morning: over 20 bottles of wine, A Mission Hill Affinities Tour including a food and wine pairing in the acclaimed Terrace Restaurant, and a Grand Prize $250 Gift Certificate to the Observatory Restaurant on Grouse Mountain were awarded to some lucky Summer Solstice attendees.

Thanks to all who came out and made it such a fun and friendly evening.  See you next year!

One of the benefits of working for Everything Wine is the opportunity to taste wines on a daily basis, from the top appellations and most aristocratic names to the most humble bottles produced in huge volumes to quench the thirst of the global masses. You may think that after tasting so much and so often, blind tasting should be easy. Well, it is not that simple and anyone who knows a little about wine is aware of that. But myself, armed with a WSET level 3 certification and having tasted wines from virtually every corner of the world, walked confidently into the Bordeaux Blind Challenge, led by Chris Sharpe, Vintages Room expert at Everything Wine's North Vancouver store. It was a humbling lesson.

The challenge was to pick out the only real Bordeaux wine out of a flight of eight wines, all of them Bordeaux style blends from the new and old world. At 50 dollars, this wine education opportunity was a great deal! All eight wines were priced between 45 and 100 dollars, plus there was a brief introduction to Bordeaux grapes and blends by Chris. In the classroom the reds had already been poured into large Riedel glasses. Pens and tasting sheets were neatly placed on the tables and a generous tray filled with fruit, French cheeses and baguette slices was provided to counter the tannic loads and to clean one's palate for further tasting.

From the nose alone, I immediately identified the South African and Italian blends. It turned out those would be my only correct tasting ID's. Blind tasting is tricky business. One tends to follow a hunch, a smell, something that reminds you of a wine you definitely know. And you should follow your instinct. But this is when you have to let go and go for a second analysis. I made a mistake that is all too common: Jumping to conclusions before getting as much info as I could. You should go back to the wines, drop your pre-conceptions and find more characters that you may associate to facts you know that define specific appellations. Having said that, over analyzing is not a good idea either: after going over the wines 3 times you should make up your mind. If you do not, everything starts to taste the same, and if you listen to somebody else's opinion it gets even worse.

After some 40 minutes of going over the  semicircle of glasses, inhaling the vinous vapors, swirling, swishing, spitting (although it looked I was alone on this) and consulting back and forth with other participants, Chris revealed which wine was the real Bordeaux. It turned out to be the first wine of the tasting. The aromatic, smoky nose had led me to believe this one had quite a bit of Carmenere in it, making it taste "Chilean". Chris explained that wines from the Graves appellation (Bordeaux’ “left bank”) can have that characteristic. This was evident on the 2006 Chateau Bahans Haut Brion (79.99). Only five people, from the group of 14 picked this wine correctly. It was tasty with good fruit and supple texture. The acidity and tannin should allow it to
further improve with a few more years in the cellar.

I received nods of approval when I confidently announced to others that wine number 2 was South African. It was indeed the 2007 De Toren Fusion V (44.99), which shows a nice garnet robe producing gamey, minty aromas that give away its origin. It has good black fruit and a clean, long finish defined by good acidity and smooth tannin. I was beaming with pride. But that did not last too long.

The third wine, which I mistook for a Washington State wine, turned out to be the 2005 Santa Rita Triple C (57.99), a Chilean blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Carmenere. Sweet fruit and floral tones could be found on the nose, eucalyptus evident on the palate, with a solid body and firm acidity.

The fourth entry was a surprise to many who picked it as the Bordeaux blend. A ruby to garnet robe with a translucent rim was followed by a Merlot-ish, elegant nose. In the mouth was balanced, with abundant, fine tannin and a good finish. “Gotta be the French one” I thought. What a surprise when its origin was revealed. The 2006 Osoyoos Larose Le Grand Vin (45.99) will definitely change many people’s minds about what BC wines can achieve.

The fifth wine had a dark purple, attractive color. The sweet, ripe full nose and palate, coupled with a fruit driven finish convinced me that I was tasting something from the Golden State. Wrong again. It was the 2004 Andeluna Pasionado blend (62.99) from the land of Evita, Maradona and sudden financial meltdowns. Those incredibly smooth tannins, a hallmark of
well-made Argentinean wines should have been the give-away clue.

When the sixth wine was revealed I sighed with relief. My second correct guess of the night! It is hard to miss the Italian character in this earthy, downward nosed blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. The palate was also very Italian, with austere acidity and intense, mouth drying tannins. I guess I cheated a little because I had tasted the little brother to this 2005 Poliziano Le Stanze a week before.
At 96.99 this one will only get better with another 5 years in the cellar.

Washington State's 2006 Long Shadows Pedestal was wine number seven. Mostly Merlot, this 95.99 dollar red has garnered high scores left, right and center. Intense, ripe candied fruit in the nose, followed by a full, sweet palate, shows the quality that the wines our southern neighbor has achieved. A tad alcoholic on the finish suggests this one would also benefit from some more time to develop.

The last wine of the night was one of Chris' favorites, the 2006 Ridge California Santa Cruz Mountains Estate . Ripe fruit, very soft tannins and packed with flavour, at 54.99 this blend is ready to drink and lends an idea of why Californian reds have acquired such high reputation.

The evening was closed with friendly conversation, exchanging notes and snacking on grapes and framboises. A highly educational experience for wine lovers, events like this are offered monthly by Everything Wine. I walked home a bit disappointed with my knowledge of fine wine. As a consolation I woke up early the morning after to write down my notes and watch Argentina route South Korea 4-1. Darn. I should’ve been able to guess correctly on that Pasionado!

 Most non-estate wineries in BC buy grapes that are grown BC, but this is the only BC winery that I know of that sources their fruit from Northern California. Pacific Breeze winery hauls their grapes a thousand miles in refrigerated trucks to press the wine in New Westminister. That’s a real long distance relationship.

Pacific Breeze is the first "Garagiste" (Garage Winery) in Canada. It was opened six years ago
by winemakers Frank Gregus and Maurice Hamilton to make big, bold and powerful wines. When I visited the garage last year, I asked Maurice why they didn’t use grapes from closer sources to save a little money on gas and labor.

“I just love California grapes,” he said. “It produces the kind of wine we want to make, and we’re not going to change the style because another source is closer.”Well, that part is history since Pacific Breeze is now using fruit from Oregon and Washington. At the EW’s Pacific Breeze tasting last week, I was brought up to date with three of their California bottlings.

The Pacific Breeze 2008 Chardonnay is made with fruit from Sangiacomo Vineyards, in the windy, cool climate of Carneros. It has ripe, tropical fruit and green apples and a lush, luscious mouthfeel. Like a typical California chard, it’s well oaked and buttery, with elegant notes of vanilla and spice. Still, there is a hint of steel and enough acidity to serve with baked salmon.

The 2007 GSM – Grenache, Syrah, Morvedre – has a lot going on and could be mistaken for a real Rhone. Spicy, woody red and black fruit and mocha show on the nose and continue on the well-balanced palate, which turns meaty and earthy with hints of licorice. The finish is long and spicy. Kinda wild and bracing, I could see it at a barbeque.

Hawk & Horse Vineyard 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon is made from Alexander Valley fruit, and is powerful and hefty. Huge blackberries and cassis aromas jump from the glass and combine with layers of ripe plum leather, sage, soil, treebark and chocolate in the chewy mouth. The finish is sweet, thick and long. Very satisfying. So the next time you get a jones for California wine, head to New Westminster to Pacific Breeze.

So, this concludes my last blog on the Everything Wine site and I hereby put my duties into the capable hands of Jessica Bryans, EW’s new E Commerce Manager. It’s been a blast to launch this blog – one year ago this month – and I hope Jessica and the EW scribblers have as much fun with it as I have.

You can keep up with me at www.tastingroomconfidential.com and on twitter @marikane. Adios!