Jan 06, 2016
Each year brings new opportunities, added connections and of course, challenges.
I can't speak for everyone but 2015 felt like a doozy of a whirlwind.
January
Coming off the annual high of the holidays, it's always nice to have a breather before the year begins to really ramp up.
That rarely happens and it didn't.
I'd be tasting in excess of 3,000 wines this year.
I had just completed the article The Soul of Sardinia after a trip to this Mediterranean island and Piedmont a month earlier.
After initial deadlines were met and pieces/reviews sent into editors it was again time to focus on getting my annual Budget Bottles part 1 and Budget Bottles part 2 (wines under $16) lists ready.
In preparation for the annual Vancouver International Wine Festival media are invited to get a taste of the upcoming festivities to pique our interest and introduce the theme region.
In 2015 the event was held at Forage at the Listel Hotel and the theme region was Australia.
On the shelves
►TASTE Magazine, winter 2014/2015: I interview Bar Star and entrepreneur, Lauren Mote of Uva (p.54); Chef Nico Scheurmans of Chambar (p.94) and take you to Portugal in Dazzling Douro (p.58).
►Vines Magazine, winter 2014/2015: In Fresh Press | Domaines I tell the story of Spanish wine giant J.G. Carrion in The Unstoppable: A New Force In Spanish Wine (p.14); visit the historic Port houses of Taylor's Fonseca and Croft in The Tears of the Douro (p.27); Wine Buyers Guide (p.45).
February
The challenge: I arrived exhausted in Florence at midnight after spending nine hours in Frankfurt airport due to a delayed flight from Canada, which departed on February 13th. Not the best way to spend Valentines Day, but onward and upward.
Morning came early and I was repacked and out the door dragging my carry-on through the cobblestone streets of Florence with a few dozen other international journalists.
We were attending the Antiprime Toscane, an annual event to release the wines of Tuscany and introduce them to wine writers and critics.
Over the next five days we were bussed to several locations and accommodations, culminating in the return to Florence.
My tasting notes come from San Gimignano tasting Vernacchia, in Getting to Know Vernacchia, from Montepulciano tasting Vino Nobile, from Montalcino tasting the uber-successful 2010 Brunello vintage in Benevenuto Brunello and of course, the massive Chianti Classico Collection 2015 media tasting in Florence.
While there, I visited two individual producers, Salcheto and Poliziano, and wrote about them in Montepulciano.
I had the great pleasure to dine at the acclaimed Dei Fresobaldi (pasta, right) in the heart of of Florence. I wrote about the gastronomic delight in Feasting in Florence.
Back in Vancouver, the Vancouver International Wine Festival began on February 23rd.
1750 different wines were poured at 53 events around the city by 170 different wineries over eight days. And those are merely the event wines. Trust me, there's a lot of wine being drunk that week, above and beyond.
I was thrilled to co-host a seminar called The Sherry Revolution with Gonzalez-Byass family member, Vicky Gonzalez-Gordon.
Additionally, I hosted two-one hour segments of Tasting Room Radio, which we had been doing for six years during the festival. It included an international lineup of wine producers, personalities and winemakers from around the world. Terry David Mulligan was traveling and could not be there to co-host. Listen in podcast: Part 1, Part 2
Later that night, Wines of Australia hosted a special media dinner at Crosstown favourite, Chambar. Plenty of outstanding Aussie wines were poured.
March
While things slowed down slightly in March it provided the opportunity to catch up and meet deadlines.
Italy came to town twice. First with a Brunello tasting at the Terminal City Club on March 5th and secondly an Italian Food & Wine tasting at the Westin Bayshore on March 26th.
Meanwhile, I had received a request from New Zealand asking me to be one of the international speakers at the inaugural Sauvignon 2016 Conference: A Sauvignon Blanc Celebration, in Blenheim, Marlborough in early 2016.
On the web
►Church and State launched a cheeky new label, which was doled out to local media with enthusiasm. A successful launch if there ever was one. I wrote about it here in Lose Your Inhibitions.
 April/May
Let the games begin.
April in Paris.
As it turns out we missed the glorious week of patios and sunshine by a few days, but it was Paris nonetheless. Overall, the weather was okay with just a splattering of rain and some brisk winds.
I usually get to Paris once per year and make a point to stay a night or two.
A creature of habit, I book a room at the same boutique hotel in the heart of the narrow but bustling streets of the Quartier Latin just off the Seine, alongside Notre Dame. Having lived in the 5e when I studied here in the 1990s, I know the area well. This time I brought my husband. He had visited only once before and it has been more than 20 years ago.
We enjoyed strolling and a bottle of rose with lunch each day (as you do) and made zero plans.
That's an absolutely brilliant thing when as a writer you have a formulated schedule (often to the minute) when on press tours.
After our relaxing few days in the city of light, Barry headed home and I went on to Champagne on May 1st.
The challenge, May 1st is a holiday in France, so I didn't get many visits in.
However, I did visit Nicolas Feuillatte in Paris and the article I wrote on my visit to Taittinger appears in the first issue of Vines Magazine in 2016.
After Champagne I boarded a train to Chablis for an intensive five day immersion into the geography, soils and styles of Chardonnay from this classic region.
I  wrote about this comprehensive visit in a piece called From ABC to CCC: The Rising Popularity Of Cool-Climate Chardonnay Takes Us Home.
I include loads of tasting notes and coverage of numerous producers in the region, including the following: Chablisienne, Isabelle et Denis Pommier, Chateau de Beru, Domaine Hamelin, J. Moreau et Fils, Domaine Jean-Paul et Benoit Droin.
May 14th: New Zealand Wine returned to town with their annual tasting and road show. I was eager to say kia ora and get reacquainted with the Kiwis for my upcoming January 2016 return.
May 15th: David Guimaraens Fonseca returned to Vancouver to share some of his family's wines and to celebrate a huge accomplishment in longevity. I wrote about it in The House of Fonseca: 200 Years, 1815 to 2015.
One week later I was on a flight to Madrid.
On the web
►Nicolas Feuillatte Champagnes
►A new brand comes to BC, Alta Alella from Catalonia, is located right outside of Barcelona. They offer fantastic wines at similarly awesome prices. I sat down with them at Maenam for lunchand loved the introduction.
On the shelves
►TASTE Magazine Spring 2015: I get Spring Fever and share my secrets to a new season of wines (p.4), Share wine writer's lingo in Ask An Expert (p.134), interview Bar Star Danielle Tatarin (p.62) and owner/chef Scott Jaeger of The Pear Tree (p.94)
►Vines Magazine: Buyers Guide
June
After one of the most unique trips I'd been on in a while, I came home to document my travels.
Grades Pagos de Espana is a collection of thirty special estates and vineyards in Spain. They are an independant association of terroir-driven, like-minded small (generally) producers who work together to get the word out. The sum is greater than the parts. I wrote about this unique, but struggling to be recognized association, in Get to Know Grandes Pagos de Espana.
The trip was merely six visits among dinners and lunches. The reason so few, the distance needed to travel each day. Many of the sites were in far flung areas, often way off the beaten track.
The first stop after leaving Madrid was Jerez in the southerly Andalusia where we visited Valdespino's Mancharnudo Vineyard.
Read: Inefficient, Crazy, Romantic: Sherry
From there we headed to the new estate of Moncloa in Arcos de la Frontera, about 30 minutes from Jerez.
Read: Tradition + Creation.
That night, we spent in the must-visit historical town of Ronda - undoubtedly one of the most fantastic towns I've ever seen.
After a night of tapas we awoke the next day and headed out of town to the 800-hecatre estate of Cortijo los Aguilares (the place where eagles live).
Read: An Inspiring Renaissance in the "Land of the Vines".
Heading southeast after a return to Madrid we arrived in Albecete, in Castile-La Mancha. Former Spanish actor Manual Manzaneque pioneered a new wine region and planted from scratch.
Read: Risk and Reward at Manuel Manzaneque.
Finca Sandoval, owned by one of Spains' most famous journalists and twitter-lover Victor de la Serna was our next stop. De la Serna is a founding member of Grandes Pagos de Espana and he is the proud owner of his own DO, Finca Elez. De la Serna lives in Madrid but takes the train to Albacete then drives to his winery in Manchuela whenever need be.
Read: Wines of Influence.
The last but by no means least visit on the trip was to Bodega Mustiguillo, Toni Sarrion's pride and joy in Valencia. Sarrion is known for bring back the native Bobal (right) from near extinction.
Read: Prophet of Bobal
►Luc Bouchard, returned to Vancouver for his annual visit to taste the range of wines from Bouchard Pere et Fils with a few media on June 1st.
While the last few vintages have indeed been tough in Burgundy, I did find a few favourite (as always) in the 2013s.
Reds
Bourgogne 2013 - Due to a tough vintage, some fruit needed to be declassified and the Bourgogne benefited. Sweet almost confected berry flavours such as strawberry jam, sunwarmed raspberry and candided violets. High-toned fruit in the mouth with overall good vibrancy. Expressive and enjoyable.
Volnay Caillerts Ancienne Cuvee Varnot 2013 - Fresh red fruits, tobacco with hints of blueberry and violets. Perfumed and expressive, delicate, almost ethereal.
Chambolle~Musigny 'Les Noirots' 1er Cru Cote d'Or, 2013 - Precise, floral, cherry, cedar chips, pipe tobacco. Very good concentration and intensity with attractive fleshiness. Firm tannins cling to the palate for an impressive amount of time.
Beaune Greves 'Vigne de L'Enfant Jesus' 1er Cru, Cote d'Or, 2013 - A iconic wine meant to be aged. This vintage  is showing well, expect gravel/mineral, saddle leather, wild red berries and smoke. It is chic and finessed on the palate with textural tannins nicely woven in.
Le Corton Grand Cru, Cote d'Or, 2013 - Bright and juicy red fruits, tobacco and mineral. It is stylish and lively, fresh not fleshy. Amazing focus and precision.
Chapelle~Chambertin Grand Cru, Cote d'Or, 2013 - So pretty with its blueberry, raspberry, violets and anise seed. Fine-boned almost delicate, refined, perfumed and delicious.
Whites
Macon~Lugny Saint Pierre, Maconnaise, 2013 - Oak spice, golden fruits, buttered nuts on the nose. Supple, fleshy and buttery with good balance. Tasty.
Montagny 1er Cru, Cote Chalonnaise, 2013 - Nuts, acacia, golden fruits. Good weight and freshness with spice, citrus and nut flavours.
Meursault Village Cote d'Or, 2013 - Nice overall ripeness and balance. A pristine palate with mineral with spice and expressive fruits highlighted with oak. Approachable and fresh.
Puligny~Montrachet Village Cote d'Or, 2013 - Honey, nuts, citrus and acacia on the nose lead to a juicy, peachy palate with good tension. Good overall structure and balance with some powdery oak tannins on finish.
Puligny~Montrachet 'Les Combettes' 1er Cru, Cote d'Or 2013 - Smoke, exotic spice, pomelo, acacia and toasted oak. Very racy and citrusy in the mouth with a powerful finish.
Chevalier~Montrachet Grand Cru, Cote d'Or, 2013 - A very small production this vintage. It offers rich honey and ripe golden fruits with buttered pastries on the nose. The palate is elegant and structured, flavours of spice and citrus lead to a racy finish. Silky weight and texture.
Corton~Charlemagne Grand Cru, Cote d'Or, 2013 - The nose is fresh and bright, good minerality, fine spice, golden fruits and spring blossoms. A creamy and balanced palate shows some phenolic texture. It has a long, firm and lightly spiced finish. Overall powerful concentrated and luxurious.
►Riccardo Tedeschi made his annual pilgrimage as well, bringing with him an assortment of his family wines from Veneto. We had lunch at Main Street's Campagnolo while tasting, on June 5th.
Tedeschi Valpolicella DOC Superiore 2012 ($18+ private stores) is an every day food friendly red made of Corvina and Rondinella. It is earthy and spicy with both fresh sweet and dried cherries, leather and savoury undertones.
Tedeschi Capitel Nicalo Valpolicella DOC Superiore 2012 is a modern style less earthy and more fruit forward. Juicy, fresh and ripe. Grapes are partially dried. ($23+ private stores)
Tedeschi Maternigo Valoplicella DOC Superiore 2011 - The name is also the name of the vineyard where the grapes are harvested and is derived from Land of Mother, which refers to the Catholic nuns who took in unmarried and pregnant young women. It is a steeply sloped and cooler site. The grapes for this wine are not dried.Cherry, berry, chocolate and spice with cocoa. Good concentration and power yet fruit is high-toned and acid is bang on.
($34.99 BCLDB)
Tedeschi La Fabriseria Valpolicella Classico DOC Superiore ($45 private stores) 2010 - A bit of age here adds complexity but it still has a lovely opulent texture and liqueur-like intensity with black cherry, vanilla, licorice, rose petals and sweet spices.
Tedeschi Amarone Della Valpoicella DOCG ($48.99) is the fastest growing Amarone in BC Liquor Stores. As Riccardo Tedschi says, "We want first to make a great wine and then a good Amarone." It has great intensity and fruit expression with dried cherry, dried flowers, espresso and rich chocolate tones.
Tedeschi Capitel Monte Olmi Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG 2008 - This single vineyard Amarone is able to age up to 35 years according to Tedeschi. It has been produced since 1964. 2008 was a wetter vintage. Made from the variety Oseleta it is chocolaty with sweet dried strawberries, cherries, vanilla, licorice and baking spice. A bit oxidized but excellent length and a powerful finish. The 2007 vintage is more intense and dark offering chocolaty, espresso and earth, succulent sweet fruit, spice (here it's more savoury than sweet) and hints of saline on the finish. Side note: due to hail, there will be no 2013 vintage of this wine.
►On June 13th I recaptured some of my memories of Spain and Chablis on Tasting Room Radio. Listen to podcast
On the shelves
TASTE Magazine summer 2015: I interview Bar Stars Brad Stanton and Robyn Gray of Prohibition in the Hotel Georgia (p.60) and Chef Chris Bisaro of Brix (now Brix & Mortar) in Yaletown (p.94), plus I take you on a tour of my favourite aperitifs in Italy, France, Germany and Spain in Delicious Destinations (p.46).
Vines Magazine June/July 2015: Buyers Guide (p.45)
July/August
Rum Runner
These are traditionally quieter months as Europe is on vacation and very producers travel to our region. It's often a good time to get caught up on reviews and pending articles.
However, I was able to strap on an Authentic Caribbean Rum class and received an ACR Diploma at the Keefer Bar in Vancouver on July 8th. It was hosted by Bar Star Dani Tatarin and ACR ambassadors Neil Morris and Dr. Frank Ward.
ACR represents 70 rum (mostly small) producers on 13 the Caribbean Islands. These producers employ 10,000 people in the islands and sales are roughly 100 billion.
The focus is to support premium aged rums, which have been distilled and fermented in one of the ACR countries.
-
The rum must be made from sugar cane, not sugar beet.
-
It must be distilled below 96%
-
No flavourings can be added (caramel can be added but is rarely used as it can be quite bitter so it's not traditionally used.)
-
The youngest rum in the blend must be what the label says. It is not labeled as an average as for instance Sherry.
-
Must be aged in vats or barrels for a minimum of 1 year.
The rums are made in a mix of pot stills (made of copper) and column still (sometimes copper, sometimes steel, sometimes both). Pot stills are more traditional but can only produce one batch at a time must be emptied and cleaned between each. Apparently quality is less consistent as well.
Column stills were invented in the 19th century to make more consistent, higher quality and volume.
Pot still made rum is considered "English style" while column still rums are considered "Latin or Spanish style".
We tasted 16 rums, here are my four standouts:
Angostura 1919 Trinidad and Tobago - Angostura started their business with bitters in the 1800s and rum in 1949. It has a very unrum-like chracter and aromas of honey and apricot jelly, molasses and dried pineapple. Butterscotchy on the palate with tropical floral notes, stone fruits and a long honeyed finish. Reminds me of a late harvest wine. Fantastic.
Fourstar Rum Distillery Port Cask Finish - Made in a pot still, which they believe adds character to each batch - made in smaller batches in Barbados. Smells like an apple cider cocktail with butterscotch and fruitcake notes. Good roundness on the palate with silky texture. Sweet and fruity with good length and unique finish.
Appleton Estate Rare Blend Jamaica - Appleton was established in 1759. This rum is made in a pot still and has aromas of toffee orange blossoms and apricots. A sweet honeyed palate offers plenty of molasses with spice cake and orange peel with dried pineapple chunks. Nice weight, focused and balanced.
Mount Gay Black Barrel, Barbados The oldest distillery, it was established in 1703, this particular rum is their newest expression. They age in old bourbon barrels with a heavy toast and eight years is the youngest age of rum in the blend. Orange peel, banana and bittersweet cocoa, thanks to the extra charring of the barrels. Smooth, enjoyable and pretty much decadent.
On July 21st Representatives from New Zealand's first Maori winery, Tohu came to town for an annual visit. With dinner at Boulevard in the Sutton Place hotel they served both Kono (second label) and Tohu Sauvignon Blancs. Tohu, which means sign or signature in Maori is just part of a larger company producing fruit, seafood, fruit bars and cider. They have some 3500 owners and make wine from their vineyard in Awatere (a sub-region of Marlborough) as well as Gisborne and Hawkes Bay. As it turns out, Tohu will be my first visit when I return to New Zealand in January 2016.
►Read the review for Kono Sauvignon Blanc 2014
►Read the review for Tohu Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2015
Going for Gold
 A talented group of sommeliers, winemakers and media once again converged on the White Oaks Resort in Niagara on Ausgust 12th. It was our seventh consecutive year. We had been called to action by co-founder and editor of Vines Magazine, Christopher Waters and the team at InterVin International Wine Competition. Personally this was my seventh year as a judge and panel head and it is always a great group of professionals tasting a serious amount of wine over three days. Read how we judge at InterVin, the process and the importance of our system in Swirling, Sniffing and Slurping for Gold.
 August 25th was a day I'll not soon forget. It was the day Britain's famous wine expert Steven Spurrier came to town and joined an esteemed panel of some 20 sommeliers, experts and wine journalists from Western Canada for The Judgment of BC.
During the blind tasting, in an effort to recreate the famous 1976 Judgment of Paris, we tasted two flights. The first, six BC Chardonnays and six international Chardonnays. Later we did it again, this time with six each BC Syrahs and international Syrah/Shirazes. Later Mr. Spurrier joined us and an all star team of chefs at L'abbatoir in Gastown.
►Read how we did it and the results, here.
September/October
It all comes crashing in, come September.
It's back to school, so to speak, for those in the wine industry.
Now in its second year, Top Drop Vancouver Terroir + Craft took place on the 11th and 12th of the month. This time with satellite tastings and dinners to hold a broader appeal. Still in its infancy, Top Drop is, in some ways, the antithesis of the Vancouver International Wine Festival, although everyone plays nice and there's no apparent tug-of-war going on between these two major events. Top Drop bills itself as "A unique two-day consumer and trade event, bringing together international, terroir-focused wineries, craft breweries, cideries, gastronomy and more..."
The event will return for its third annual rendition again this September and it's worth checking out. The line-up of wineries and selection of top notch, smaller production wines is impressive, and growing.
The annual Bordeaux Release at BC Liquor Stores is always preceded with a small media tasting a few weeks in advance. This year it was held on September 14th and my tasting notes of the 2012 vintage wines can be found here.
 Harry McWatters continues to amass an empire. Adding to his labels McWatters Collection and Time Estate Winery is Evolve Cellars. They all fall under the umbrella of Encore Vineyards Ltd.
I tasted the wines alongside dinner at Gastown's Blacktail on September 16th. Read about it here in Encore...
Each year, prior to Whistler's Cornucopia in November a group of local sommeliers and media gather in Yaletown to blind taste the TOP 25 wines being poured at the winter wine festival. On September 21st we did so again.
Summerhill Pyramid Winery held court in the York Room in the Hotel Georgia on September 22nd. In a follow up to their 2012 tasting, which pitted their 1998 Cipes Ariel against Krug Grand Cuvee Brut, this rendition offered a taste of several international bubbles against a selection from Summerhill's cellar paired with lunch from Hawksworth. Read about it in A Daring Comparative...
Tuscany came calling again, this time it was a specific visit to Chianti Classico. This agri-tourism mecca is home to the Castello di Gabbiano, a destination of wine and food in the heart of the region. How often do you get to sleep in a castle and take a Tuscan cooking class (at right)? Read about my adventure in late September in Vines Magazine's Gab Feast (p.19)
Mid-October brought me to the Rhone Valley.
It had been a few years and I was eager to get back to see what changes had taken place. This trip was an immersion into Vacqueyras and Ventoux in the south and Saint-Joseph and Cornas in the north. It is a region not only of great historical importance but of truly complex and inspiring wines, be they Grenache-based southern blends or Syrah dominant northern reds. Additionally, it's always an epiphany to delve into the whites, Roussanne, Marsanne, Viogier, Grenache Blanc et al (photo below right).
Please stay tuned to read more online in early 2016!
John Skinner (proprietor and visionary of Painted Rock wines) and I usually make a point to get together for lunch and discuss what is happening with his wines and taste through the line-up. As always, Skinner is very open about his plans and how his vines are coming of age, that would be 12 years in 2016. With the assistance of Bordeaux-based, international winemaker and viticulturist, Alain Sutre, Painted Rock wines have wowed the world. Slinner's wines can be found in some of the finest restaurants from London to Tokyo and of course, here at home.
Read my reviews and see my scores on Painted Rock's wines.
On the shelves
TASTE Magzine Fall 2015: I interview Bar Star Sabrine Dhaliwal from West Restaurant (p. 82) and visit the Oakwood Canadian Bistro to chat with owner Mike Shea and Chef Ryan Murphy (pg.64).
Vines Magazine September/October 2015: Buyers Guide (p.55)
Vines Magazine 2015/2016: Special InterVin Issue with 820 wine award winners.
November/December
My work travel complete for the year, it was time to put serious fingers to keyboard and get all of my annual lists completed.
But first, Cornucopia. This was my 10th year as a speaker/presenter at Whistler's annual food and wine (and now spirits and beer) event.
My seminars in 2015 included: France, Without the Attitude, WOW wines, Celebrate Argentina! and Bubble-icious (6th annual).
►Later in November my annual TOP 100 wines were revealed. This year, it was my TOP 115 of 2015 - the extra 15 a riff on the vintage. As always, these wines are $20 and less and score 89 points of higher on WineScores.ca.
View the TOP 115 of 2015.
►Soon after I released my TOP 50 wines $20 or more scoring 90 points or higher on WineScores.ca.
►See also my annual Great Gift Bottles and Have a Fizzy Holiday! lists.
On the shelves
TASTE Magazine Winter/Holiday: I interview Bar Star Kaitlyn Stewart from Royal Dinette (p.82) and Chef Umberto Menghi about his reincarnated Giardino (p.66)
Vines Magazine December 2015/January 2016: Gab Feast (p.19) Tuscan Wine Culture at the Source; Kings of the Road: Barolo Producers Needed to Leave Home to Find Their Fortune (p.42); Buyers Guide (p.47).
Vines Magazine 2015/2016: Special InterVin Issue with 820 wine award winners, tasting notes and judges.
Farewell 2015, you were a whirlwind of the best kind!
~Daenna Van Mulligen
|
