A Snapshot
It’s no longer cool to say you’re busy, not for busyness sake anyway.
So, let me say that 2013 was a hard-working year, filled with wine (of course), food, travel and awesome encounters.

The fact that I'm getting this out in early 2014 tells it best.

January

The content is all mine as well. I don’t charge for content, as some wine review sites are now doing.

After discovering some my content had been pilfered and posted by another Canadian wine writer, on her own website (her site charges for its content) I had to take some steps to stop the ongoing theft of my content, which is never pleasant.
In retrospect, that hiccup gave me the opportunity to be forthright with readers, who may not fully understand what I, as a wine writer and reviewer actually do, and how I do it. So, I wrote an article (here), full-disclosure, on how I review wines - basically, how it all works.

February

For the past five years I’d been a judge for the VIWF wine list awards (I stepped down later in 2013).
My fellow judges and I would spend a significant amount of time (generally over the course of four to six weeks)
visiting participating restaurants, undercover, to observe the staff, their knowledge of wine, wine service, wine lists and even the glassware. Our goal was to create a level of great wine service and knowledge in BC by giving constructive feedback to the restaurants who were vying for bronze, silver, gold and rare platinums at the awards ceremony lunch, held during the upcoming wine festival. I believe our hard work payed off. Although not all restaurants are happy with the results, having unbiased feedback from a team of knowledgeable judges (restaurant owners, sommeliers, wine educators and wine writers) is worth its weight in gold.

The Vancouver International Wine Festival 2013 started off with a delicious bang at Joey Wine Bar on February 25th.
The annual media event launches the week-long event and gets our mouths watering for a whirlwind of wine tasting, education, dinners, lunches, wine drinking along with a bucketful of camaraderie.  There were a lot of highlights.
Lunch with the charming and very traditional Walter Schug at Diva at the Met reacquainted me with his fantastic
Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays. The week included a delightful dinner at CinCin with some acquaintances, Jon Priest of Etude in Carneros and Christophe Paubert from Stags’ Leap in Napa and another at La Terrazza with Charlie Wagner (Wagner Family of Wine) maker of Mer Soleil Chardonnays and the new Conundrum Red.
I wrote about Charlie's father, Chuck Wagner (Caymus) and his brother, Joe  (maker of Belle Glos), in Vines Magazine, here.
 

March

The tasting tour led us through some of the fantastic Sangiovese-based (aka Brunello) wines from the region around picturesque town of Montalcino in romantic Tuscany. These wines offer riper and plusher versions (bolder and darker fruit characters) of this noble grape than those in nearby Chianti - but they are a bit harder to find.

Mid-March gave way to a stunning dinner at The Acorn restaurant, where Chef Brian Skinner (►I wrote about in TASTE Magazine for Spring 2013 p.86) prepared magical vegetarian partnerships with the wines of Clos du Soleil, from the Similkameen Valley. The omnivores enjoying the wine-paired dinner didn't miss the meat or fish at all!

►I wrote about Bouchard Pere & Fils and the wines I tasted, here

April

In addition, I put together a run down on the regions, the varieties (Malbec and More) and the new, more modern
cuisine I encountered.
►Read more here.

Mendoza was next up. Visits were numerous and I tasted dozens and dozens of wines from an assortment of wineries such as: Bodega Norton, Pulenta Estate, Catena Zapata, Cantinian, Alpamanta and Clos de Chacras, Andeluna, Atamisque, Familia Zuccardi and more. I was able to explore Tupungato in the Uco Valley, Luján de Cuyo, Chacras and Maipu.

►Read about Patagonia, Familia Schroeder, Del Fin del Mundo and Noemia, here.

Photos of Argentina

An annual event, New Zealand Wine generally rolls into town in late April or early May. New Zealand Wine works in conjunction with the consulate of New Zealand to put together an impressive spread of food, products from New Zealand and (of course) wine. The daytime trade tasting slides into an evening event, which allows consumers a taste of what this fantastic country offers.
►To give you an idea, I wrote an Introduction to New Zealand after my return a couple of years ago. 
 

Additional articles you may be interested in:
►Vines Magazine: Modern Indian - Vikram's Choice. Vikram Vij of Vij's in Vancouver. One of my most frequented restaurants and one of Vancouver's elite.

May

►I wrote, Getting to Know Chianti Classico - more about it here, to make it clearer.

If that wasn't enough Tuscany for you (can you ever have enough Tuscany?) the highly regarded Franco Bernabei came to town.

►Photos of my dinner at Q4 and Mazzei wines can be viewed, here

I'd never say no to Cakebread. Having visited the winery a few years back for dinner I was excited to have a chance to catch up on what was happening with the Cakebread family. Dennis Cakebread brought his wines, a great sense of humour and shared both during a delicious lunch at Hawksworth Restaurant.
►Read my article on Cakebread and the wines, here.

June

On a roll.
Italy came in like a storm in the spring and didn't let up until June when the best of the best, the Gambero Rosso came to town in a rare event, brining their Tre Bicchieri World Tour to Vancouver. Tre Bicchieri means three glasses and refers to the best wines in Italy. Participating producers can be awarded one, two or three glasses in the annual Gambero Rosso wine guide. Being awarded the Tre Bicchieri is gold - you can take it to the bank. These wines represent the top tier and icon wines of Italy. There were a lot of thirsty people in room and none of them went home disappointed. 

It was also a lovely reminder of a sultry evening in Rome several years ago when I dined on wood-fire oven pizza rooftop at the Gambero Rosso building at the end of a tour of Umbria, Marche and Tuscany.

At the core of the BC wine industry is Harry McWatters. He established Sumac Ridge in 1980 (later sold to Vincor) and planted vines in a fallow site on the Black Sage Bench in 1992 - now the most prestigious vineyard land in British Columbia (you could argue, Canada). For his 46th vintage he established TIME Estate Winery and launched the wines at Brix, in Yaletown.
►Read more here.

►The Vines December 2013/January 2014 issue offers 5 pages of glorious pictures and well as my thoughts on Alsace -  food, wine and tourism. Pick it up!

In a return visit to Burgundy (I was last  there in 2010) I was able to visit individual producers and spent an amazing morning with Master of Wine Jean~Francois Renaud, who lives in Burgundy and has an encyclopedic knowledge of the region. Jean-Francois led me through vineyards in Puligny~Montrachet from the base of the slopes to the tops, discovering the soils, the expositions and what makes Burgundy so incredibly unique. If that wasn't enough, I also had visits to Domaine Faively, Domaine Comte Senard in Pommard, the wondrous cellars of Bouchard Pere & Fils, and pent an inspirational morning at the Mercurey-based Domaines Devillard tasting their numerous labels (and learning about their new luxury vineyard rental homes ). In addition, I visited a  tiny and very quaint family winery in the village of Meursault, Domaine Sylvain Dussort and dined with the Dussort family and their good friend, ex-pat American and winemaker,  Alex Gambal, at the hottest new dining spot in Burgundy, Auprès du Clocher, in the village of Pommard. 

Additional articles you may be interested in:
► TASTE Magazine Summer 2013 - I wrote about South Africa's Shining Varieties (p.56), BarStar Cooper Tardivel at Hawksworth (p.72) and L'Abbatoir in Gastwon (p. 62)
►Read the articles here

July & August

Inniskillin's soft spoken winemaker, Sandor Mayer visited Vancouver and hosted his first ever wine lunch with a few media at the slick new The Wine Bar (TWB) at Provence in Yaletown. Mayer celebrated his 20th year as winemaker for Inniskillin in 2013.
►Read more here

The next morning had me visiting Tantalus and winemaker David Patterson (he had judged with me a year previously at InterVin - the International Wine Awards). From there I made my way, meandering up Spiers Road to Spierhead Winery above Kelowna and later to dinner on the lawns of Cedar Creek with roughly 60 others for a delightful Visa Infinite Dinner prepared by Vancouver chef, David Hawksworth.

►The photographs from these wineries and these events can be viewed, here

For the past five years, come August, I get on a plane, fly to Hamilton then drive to Niagara where the InterVin International Wine Awards are held at White Oaks Resort. InterVin is associated with Vines Magazine, which I'd been contributing to for more than six years.
My editor, Christopher Waters is the head judge and this year we added three additional judges to keep up with the growing amount of wine submissions. Although each of us tastes what seems to be a daunting amount of wine over three days it's extremely well managed. Each panel of three judges consist of a winemaker, a sommelier (working in the industry) and a media person, such as myself. Even though I received my sommelier diploma more than a dozen years ago, I don't actively work as one so I don't refer to myself as a sommelier anymore.

Once per year I go off the grid. No wifi, no cellular (even if I wanted it) and no vines. It generally happens in August or September and does not include a blow dryer, any stilettos or lip gloss. It does involve rubber boots, a big lens, a sailboat and if I'm lucky a lot of grizzlies, black bears, whales, orca, wolves and any other form of wildlife.

Additional articles you may be interested in:
►Vines Magazine August/September issue. Lasting Legacy - Jackson Family Wines and Chief Winemaker, Randy Ullom (unlinked article)

September

Freshman week - back to school.
It seems no matter how much down time I may get and how much I mentally prepare for the whirlwind, which starts in September, I'm always shocked (like jumping into an ice bath) by how much is happening. I've learned to pace myself over the years. As much as I'd like to attend every event and taste every wine there is no possible way for me to cover it all, be it on the radio, my own websites or in print media. I like to cover (write about) as much as I can and I hate it when stuff gets lost in the shuffle.

In early September I boarded a very small plane to Oliver, in the Okanagan Valley with a few other journalists from the United States and Canada. Our destination, Tinhorn Creek Winery (right). I always look forward to a visit with CEO and winemaker, Sandra Oldfield, who is humble and witty as hell.
►I wrote about my visit to Tinhorn Creek here
►Read my reviews of Tinhorn Creek's wines

It's not often enough I get to do a sit-down sherry tasting. The opportunity presented itself in September in the form of Gonzalez Byass, the nearly 200-year-old family producer from Spain. Winemaker Antonio Flores was delayed due to a missed flight, but sales manager and engaging sherry ambassador , Christopher Canale-Parola stepped up and did a fantastic presentation that would convert anyone to sherry. He was preaching to the converted, but it was an engaging lunch paired with some pretty fantastic Tio Pepe, Leonor, Croft, Noe, Nutty Solera and Lepanto Brandy at Water Street Cafe all the same.

Luc Bouchard returned to Vancouver in September. It was like seeing an old friend for the third time in one year. We tasted through a selection of wines available in our market and enjoyed lunch at Le Parisien on Denman Street.
►Read what I wrote earlier in 2013 about Bouchard Pere & Fils, here.

It had been a number of years since I had seen Kiwi, James Wheeler of Tohu. Wheeler is part Maori and the Tohu winery is set in the beautiful Awatere Valley in Marlborough, on New Zealand's South Island.  I missed visiting Tohu, when I was there in 2011 so I was pleased to revisit some of the pristine wines Wheeler brought with him, while we dined at the cozy Campagnolo on Main Street.
Standouts included two Pinot Gris, the fresh entry level Kono 2012 and the richer Aronui Pinot Gris  2012(this new label was launched earlier in 2013), the 2013 Tohu Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc and 2013 Kono Sauvignon Blanc and the fantastic juicy Tohu Single Vineyard Pinot Noir 2012 and the Tohu Rore Reserve 2012 Pinot Noir.

What a first impression! I've been tasting the wines of Painted Rock above Skaha Lake in Penticton for several years. I had heard about the beautiful site the vineyards and winery were  built upon, by John Skinner and the Skinner family, but had never viewed it myself. In mid-September I flew up to Painted Rock for the grand opening of their new stunning new visitor center. It was a beautiful day for the event and the crowd of friends, family, Okanagan vintners and media enjoyed the views and hospitality.
►Read what I wrote, here.

►View photos of Gonzalez Byass, Tohu, Bouchard Pere & Fils, Finca Decero, Painted Rock, here

Additional articles you may be interested in: 
►My Secrets to Wine & Food Pairings
►TASTE Magazine Fall 2013 - Argentina's Wine Evolution (p22); Barstar Gez McAlpine, Keefer Bar (p78); La Pentola de la Quercia and Chef Lucais Syme (p62)
►Become a Better Wine Taster

October

The hermit comes out of her shell to take on Chile.
I became a bit of a hermit in October.
This is the time the deadlines for my annual TOP 100 ($20 or less 89+ points) and TOP 50 ($20 and more 90+ points) arrive. That means any wines, which are to be tasted and reviewed for these lists arrive, generally all at once.
It's quite the undertaking and my concentration needs to be on these lists. Read how I review wines, full disclosure, ► here.

Saying that, I did attend a lunch (much anticipated) with the co-owners of the brand-spanking-new, Lake Sonoma Winery. Tony Stewart (proprietor of Quails' Gate in the Okanagan Valley) and Napa Valley's Dan Zepponi. The duo had worked together previously on the Napa Valley Plume project and wanted to expand. In August of 2013 they found a historic 62 acre estate, which was established in 1863 and purchased it. The name remained (Lake Sonoma Winery was established in 1977), the label was redesigned but still manages to look classic. They wanted to keep the name Sonoma in the name as a reference to its location and to pay homage to the region - as it turns out there are only three brands with the word "Sonoma" on their labels. The wines have been kept at a very reasonable price to drive interest and the wines are both fresh and flavorful.
The 2012 Russian River Valley Chardonnay ($24+ private stores) is tropical and buttery but nicely balanced and fresh enough to pair wonderfully with Lupo Restaurant & Vinoteca's heirloom tomato and burrata salad (right). Perfect with sage and squash ravioli, the Dry Creek 2010 Zinfandel ($25 BCLDB) offered sweet summer berries, mocha, vanilla and baking spice and came from grapes the winery purchased. The 2010 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($27 BCLDB) presented currents, leather and plum cake with hints of dried mint, coffee and savoury flavours in the mouth - a match with hearty mushroom risotto.

Then came Chile.

Despite being in the thick of things in October I was excited to be heading down to Chile after being away for five years. My invitation came from Santa Rita in Alto Jahuel, just 45 kilometers outside of Santiago (right). The event was a celebration of the release of their newest wine, Bougainville Petite Sirah, one they hope will become as highly sought as their iconic Casa Real Cabernet Sauvignon.
Before the actual release party, Santa Rita did an amazing job of touring us through their vineyards in Casablanca, Leyda Valley, Apalta and the new Pumanque site, also in Colchagua. I was geeking out over soil types, vine training and vineyard management.
►A complete look at my visit to Santa Rita can be found in the February 2014 issue of Vines Magazine, out soon.

In addition, I visited four other wineries not associated with Santa Rita. The fantastic Matetic in San Antonio, the white castle on the hillside in Casablanca called Vina Indomita (a great place for lunch) and I checked out the all natural (made in clay vessels) wines at De Martino in Maipo. Vina Tarapaca (bless them) took me in at the last minute
and as in 2008 I stayed at the historic
mansion on the 1874 established, Isla de Maipo
estate (right). I was fortunate to taste through the Tarapaca wines again with winemaker Edward Flaherty (the California native just celebrated his 20th year in Chile) and the artful and elegant Pinot Noirs from  sister winery, Vina Leyda.
Flaherty visited Vancouver in late November and was able to join Terry David Mulligan and I on a segment on The Tasting Room Radio from West Restaurant on Granville Street.

November

Lists, Big Guns and drinking in Whistler.
I continued to taste and review wines throughout November until the release of my annual  TOP 100 ($20 or less 89+ points) and TOP 50 ($20 and more 90+ points) lists. While doing so I'm also calculating upcoming lists of reviews for sparkling wines, gift wines and wines to pair with holiday dinners. It's a bit like juggling but I've been doing these lists for seven years and I like to think I get better at managing my time although the whirlwind that was 2013 made that an eensie bit more challenging. 
 

November means Cornucopia.
Each year for the past, oh, seven or eight years, I've attended Whistler's Celebration of Food & Wine. I started as a panelist and then five years ago hosted my first seminar, Bubble-icious. Bubble-icious returned this year for its fifth year and is still a highly attended event, but who doesn't love bubbles? No one I know. 

What is a visit to Whistler without a visit to Araxi? I always anticipate both the Big Guns dinner (held on the Friday night of Cornucopia) or Bubbles and the Sea (Saturday night's annual late night sparkling party, which sadly was not held this year).
The Big Guns dinner (right) was just as fantastic as ever. Terry David Mulligan and I enjoyed a sublime multi-course meal by Chef James Walt with wines paired by VIWF Sommelier of the Year, Samantha Rahn.
The night is always one of the most enjoyable of the year!

►View the photos of Araxi's Big Guns dinner and Cornucopia seminars here
 

One last producer visited before the rush of the holiday season began and that was Beatrice Landini, winemaker at Fattorio Viticcio in Greve, Chianti in Tuscany. Beatrice studied winemaking in Bordeaux, graduated in 2011 at age 27 and joined her father on the estate winery he purchased in he 1960s. It is a 35-hectare site that produces 300,000 bottles per year.
Beatrice hosted a dinner at Cin Cin (I wrote about Cin Cin and Chef Andrew Richardson, pg. 98 in TASTE Magazine, here) and brought her fantastic wines: I Greppi Greppicante DOC, 2008, I Greppi Greppicaia Bolgheri Superiore 2007, Viticcio Chianti Classico DOCG 2010 and entry level Vitticcio Bere IGT 2011. If you're ever in Chianti you may want to check out their agritourismo, farmhouse apartments. I know I would.

Additional articles you may be interested in:
►Vines Magazine December 2013/January 2014 - The Eternal - Drinking In the Charms of Alsace (unlinked) p.33
►TASTE Magazine Winter 2013 - Le Crocodile celebrates 30 Years, an interview with chef and owner Michel Jacob (p.96); BarStar Robert 'H' Holl-Allen (p.56)

 

December

It's a wrap!
Like July and August, December is a quieter month with producers staying close to home and tastings rare. But the work continues as my sites are still producing lists such as my annual Gift Giving Guide, Bubbles and 12 Days of Christmas and I'm writing articles for print media that will appear in 2014.
But there's also a sense that I can relax a bit, my days are focused on my laptop rather than being out interviewing and maneuvering through the city to tastings and events. 
►Great Gifts for the Food & Wine Lover
 

It's also a time to reflect on the past year, what has changed what has stayed the same and most of all what I've learned in my travels and tastings.

Mine is a good job - one I love and cannot imagine not doing. It's also a lot more work than people think it is, which makes me chuckle each time someone tells me they want my job. 

In fact, reflecting on this recap of 2013 it was a pretty impressive year!

After tasting close to 2500 wines and being on 26 different planes on three continents I still have a my taste buds, a liver and a healthy respect for wine and all it entails.

 Here's to 2014 and 10 years of WineDiva! Bring it on!

~Daenna Van Mulligen