Quench April 2015

XAdPILLERS TO COME

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Paella, paella, paella. Say that three times fast.

0381JP.indd 1 3/3/2015 8:45:44 AM

APRIL 2015 × QUENCH.ME × 3

IN-DISPENSE-ABLE? × 22 IS A HOME WINE DISPENSER THE NEXT BIG THING? BY LISA HOEKSTRA

CLOSE COUSINS × 25 WHAT DOES GALICIA, SPAIN SHARE WITH CELTIC ENGLAND? BY TIM PAWSEY

DEMON × 28 LEND ME YOUR EARS, MY CHILDREN, AS I SPEAK OF AN ILL WIND A-BLOWIN’ ’ROUND THE BARSTOOLS. BY REV. FR. PAPPY JACK DICKEL DANIELS

NO REPOSANDO × 30 ENJOYING TEQUILA NEAT. BY TOD STEWART

THE RIGHT WORDS × 33 DOES A BC UPSTART HAVE THE RIGHT TO USE THE TERM FIRST GROWTH? BY RICK VANSICKLE

THE RISE OF THE PHOENIX × 36 HAS AUSTRIA’S RED WINE FINALLY COME OF AGE? BY EVAN SAVIOLIDIS

SICILY EN PRIMEUR? × 38 USING INDIGENOUS GRAPES HAS MADE SICILY A PRIME LOCATION FOR THOSE LOOKING FOR INTENSITY. BY SEAN WOOD

A CASK TO REMEMBER. × 41 THERE IS NO OFF SEASON FOR BREWERS. BY TOD STEWART

CANARY × 44 THESE SMALL SPANISH ISLANDS OFF THE COAST OF AFRICA HAVE ARRIVED ON THE WINE SCENE. BY GILLES BOIS

ALL IT’S CRACKED UP TO BE × 46 HAIL TO THEE, O’ MIGHTY PEPPER, THE KING OF SPICE! BY SILVANA LAU

33

WHAT’S SO GREAT ABOUT KALE? × 52 CAN WE ALL AGREE THAT NOT EVERYTHING WE COOK MUST INCLUDE KALE? BY NANCY JOHNSON

NOTED × 54 EXPERTLY-TASTED BUYING GUIDE FOR WINES, BEERS, CIDERS AND SPIRITS FROM AROUND THE WORLD.

A BIT OF EVERYTHING × 64 I EAT AND DRINK FOR A LIVING. HERE ARE SOME OF MY FAVOURITE SPOTS. BY GURVINDER BHATIA

THIS IS THE NEXT BIG THING ISSUE. × 66 IF I’M ALLOWED A SAY IN THESE THINGS, MY VOTE FOR THE NEXT BIG THING IS VERMENTINO. BY TONY ASPLER

DEPARTMENTS

46

QUENCH MAGAZINE APRIL 2015

4 × @QUENCH_MAG × NEXT BIG THING ISSUE

WE ALL LOVE TINKERING IN OUR KITCHENS. AND WHEN I SAY WE, I DO MEAN ALL OF YOU TOO. But mostly I’m referring to those tireless freelancers and editors who crowd the pages of Quench.

We spend a lot of time working on recipes, layering flavours and ingredients while trying to put tradition on its head. Then we spend copious amounts of time eyeing and shoving our noses into glasses, all in an attempt to define

what we taste. We are seasoned profes-sionals whose curiosity drives what we put into the pages of this magazine.

In order to help you better under-stand our process — what goes in and what doesn’t — I’ve started a semi-regular newsletter. For those of you that have been to my talks, you’ve noticed I enjoy not taking things too seriously. It’s my light touch and voracious appetite for new things that I hope to show you. Aptly called Off Menu, we’ll be discovering, together, some of the subjects making its way into the pages of Quench. If there

was a success in the kitchen, you’ll hear about it. If it was a disaster, well you’ll also hear about that. New liquid dis-covery … there it is, in your inbox.

We’ve always prided ourselves on putting a human face to the bottles and dishes you love so much. Now it’s our turn to do that for the pages you love eight times a year.

To subscribe to Off Menu, visit www.tinyletter.com/quench.

“I love Hannibal (the show, not the person…) Not once did I think about who prepares the meals that Hannibal serves on the show, so “A Feast for the Eyes” was a surprising peek behind the scenes. Now, every episode I really look at the food.”Desiree Augustin, email

“I cannot believe how popular distilled spirits are nowadays. I personally haven’t jumped on that band-wagon yet. I’m not sure I ever will. That being said, I have found Quench’s articles on distilled spirits very intriguing. You may just convince me to test out a whisky or gin someday yet.”Jeremias Papst, Regina

“The wine world is truly amazing; as Tim wrote in ‘Non-Traditional’, everything and everyone seems to be interconnected. But what if this is making the wine world smaller – my mind plays out this worst case scenario where all wine styles have homogenized into one, making wine boring and predictable. Tim’s article is reassuring in that he mentions how this interconnectivity combined with modern technology is allowing for a truer expression of the grapes. Made me realize I should probably stop worrying and just pour myself a glass of Malbec.” Michael Svenningsen, email

@quench_mag Follow, like and connect with us online.

on twitter: @quench_magfacebook: fb.quench.metumblr: living.quench.mepinterest.com/quenchmagazinevideos.quench.me

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join us in the conversation

SIGN UP TO THE SEMI-REGULAR look at the food and drink world through the eyes of Quench edi-tor-in-chief, Aldo Parise. Kind of funny, always engaging, come follow us as we go Off Menu.

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XAdTRE STELLE

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XAdOPIM IN FOLDER

Date: February 19, 2015

Client: Opimian

Docket: 4219

Application: Print, 8.125"w x 10.875"h, 4C

AD: Carter

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Media: Quench

PLEASE NOTE This file has been optimized for its intended application only. For uses other than intended please contact Seed for alternate formats.

REVERSE

Opimian sparks conversation, creates friendship and connects Canadians to winemakers worldwide through their love of wine. As Canada’s premier wine club since 1973, Opimian forges bonds between the men and women behind the wine to the people who enjoy it most – our members. Beaujolais is aptly named; “beau”, French for beautiful, and “jolais”, a derivative of the latin “jogum” - hill. This scenic region is a picturesque landscape of rolling hills and valleys, most of which contain the oh-so-familiar vines. Found among the tranquil roads and bustling vineyards are the bijoux of the industry – small, family-run wineries that make quality wines without compromising for quantity. Many will never know that these estates exist, as the winemakers focus on winemaking rather than marketing. Fortunately, négociants Bernard and Blandine Perrin exist, searching out these special estates to offer their wines to niche markets such as Opimian. A familiar name in Opimian’s Cellar Offerings, Bernard and Blandine source quaint wines as well as offering a selection of wines from their estate – Domaine de Milhomme. They are the best guides when it comes to exploring the evolving flavour of Beaujolais – discover these bijoux wineries for yourself.

Discover Beaujolais’s Bijoux Wineries with Opimian…

Cellar Offering 233

Domaine de Milhomme, Vigne Centenaire, 2013, AOC Beaujolais A large proportion of the vines at Domaine de Milhomme are old, but the vines used for the Vigne Centenaire are especially so, having been planted in 1887. At that time, phylloxera had devastated France’s vineyards working its way around the country from region to region. The cause took years to identify and the solution remained unknown. If it hadn’t been for the efforts of locally-born ampelographer Victor Pulliat, who knows what would have happened to French wines. Pulliat actively promoted grafting vines onto phylloxera-resistant rootstock; what has become the norm today in many of the world’s wine regions, but which at the time was not widely accepted. Following his advice, Bernard’s great-great-grandfather did so, grafting Gamay Noir à Jus Blanc onto Viala rootstock - et voila! Low yields of concentrated grapes were produced in 2013. The wine has spices, white pepper, black fruits and meaty aromas. It is structured with good acidity.

Gamay Noir à Jus Blanc 16° C

Meaty, white pepper 2015-2017, M8 D9

Dark fruits, spice Lamb chops

Share The Total Wine Experience and discover Beaujolais.

1.800.361.9421 • opim.ca


Editor-in-chief Aldo Parise [email protected]

WINE EDITOR Gurvinder Bhatia [email protected]

Food Editor Nancy Johnson [email protected]

Associate Editor Rosemary Mantini [email protected]

Contributing Editor Tod Stewart [email protected]

Copy Desk Lee Springer, Kathy Sinclair

Columnists Tony Aspler, Peter Rockwell, Tom de Larzac, Christine Sismondo, Katia Jean Paul

Contributors Lisa Hoekstra, Tim Pawsey, Rick VanSickle, Evan Saviolidis, Sean Wood, Gilles Bois, Silvana Lau

Tasters Tony Aspler, Gurvinder Bhatia, Tod Stewart, Evan Saviolidis, Rick VanSickle, Ron Liteplo, Harry Hertscheg, Sean Wood, Gilles Bois, Crystal Luxmore, Jonathan Smithe

Quench Digitaleditorial Lead Lisa Hoekstra

Deputy web editor Shannon Fitzpatrick [email protected]

Creative by Paris AssociatesAssociate Art Director Elvis Deane

Production ww+Labs, cmyk design

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Quench Magazine and Quench digital are published by Kylix MediaPublisher Pierre Chanzonkov [email protected]

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Subscription Rates: Canada: $36 per year, $58 per 2 years; USA: $55 per year; Other: $75 per year. Single Copies: $5.95.

Quench, Food and Drink Magazine, a registered trademark of Kylix Media, is published 8 times a year: (February/March, April, May/June, July/August, September, October, November, December/January).

Opinions expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the publisher.

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AUDITED BY

CONTRIBUTORS

When encouraged as a child to “take a bite from the Apple of Life,” contributing editor Tod Stewart proceeded to eat the whole thing. He has since committed to a life of excess, living by the motto: “Everything in moderation … including moderation.”

Food editor, Nancy Johnson, logged 30 years in the music industry before segueing into writing about food, wine and life. She never turns down a glass of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Or any other wine for that matter.

Tom de Larzac has a true passion for all things food. Whether it be catering friends’ parties or experimenting on dinner guests, the creativity and sheer enjoyment of cooking has never escaped him. Rustic, imaginative and a disregard for proper plating is the best way to describe his cooking style.

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À LA CARTEQ SCHOOL × 10 PLATE LIKE A PRO.

GOOD FOOD BY NANCY JOHNSON × 13 COOKING THE PERFECT EASTER HAM.

UMAMI BY KATIA JEAN PAUL × 15 THE ART OF THE POUR WITH MIKE SHUM.

NEXT STOP × 16 IZAKAYAS — COZY PUBS WHERE FRIENDS GATHER OVER A GLASS OF SAKE AND TAPAS-STYLE EATS — HAVE BECOME IN-CREASINGLY POPULAR OUTSIDE THEIR NATIVE JAPAN.

FEED BY TOM DE LARZAC × 18 ASKING FOR HELP IS THE HARDEST THING TO DO.

LAZY MIXOLOGIST BY CHRISTINE SISMONDO × 19 RECIPE FOR A BITTER LIFE.

PREP × 20 MACARONS ARE THE FRENCH CLASSIC THAT SCREAM, “I’M A FRENCH CLASSIC!”.

BON VIVANT BY PETER ROCKWELL × 21 WHAT DOES SUSTAINABILITY HAVE TO DO WITH WINEMAKING?


Q SCHOOL

WELL-PLATED FOOD GIVES US the assurance that the ele-ments on the plate are as delicious as they look. The myth is that it takes a pro to properly plate; the reality is that you, too, can make your dinner party guests squeal with delight.

PLAN IT

TASTEChoose the main item of each course. Everything you add to that plate must complement it. For each addition, ask: “Will this taste good when eaten with the other flavours?”

TOUCHTry to have three different textures on the plate. Planning a mushy risotto? Add a slice of flaky fish and crunchy scallions.

SIGHTColour is your best friend. The more the better. Aim for high-contrast combinations. Interesting shapes and cuts add dimension — trim your vegetables at angles instead of slicing them straight, or substitute a circle of meat for a straight slab.

SMELLMuch like taste, you want the smell of the food on the plate to harmonize. The main item should be at the forefront of your nasal palate, with the other scents supporting it.

PLACE IT

CANVASThe plate is your canvas and the food the art. Ensure the plate is the right size and colour. When in doubt, use a plain white dinner plate — it lets the food speak for itself. Create “negative space” by filling only two-thirds of the plate; the extra space showcases the food.

FOCAL POINTYour main item for each course is your focal point. Decide where it will be best displayed and frame it with the other components.

LAYERSAdd height by layering: pour sauce on the place and top it with your main dish, or crown a mound of rice with a circle-slab of chicken.

GARNISH ITThis spot of colour is the final flourish that completes the aes-thetics. Use herbs, swirls, drizzles or even edible flora. But don’t add a garnish just for the sake of adding a garnish. Ask yourself if your plate really needs that splash of green thyme. If the answer is no, put the little leaves back.

TIPS & TRICKS • Remove smudges and drips before serving. • Refresh dry-looking food by spritzing it with water. • Use concentrated sauces for swirls and drizzles. • Strain saucy food (stews, chili) and put the chunks on the plate,

then add an appropriate amount of sauce. ×

PLATE LIKE A PRO

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GOOD FOOD BY NANCY JOHNSON

HAM IS USUALLY THE STAR AT THE EASTER SUNDAY TABLE AND FOR GOOD REASON — IT’S ALREADY COOKED, SO ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS WARM IT. Plus it’s the roast that keeps on giving — leftover ham sandwiches are fabulous between fresh rye bread, slath-ered with grainy mustard, and topped with lettuce and tomato. When shopping for a ham, your best bet is a bone-in ham. The bone helps keep the meat juicy, and you’ll be able to make ham and bean soup the next day. There are many hams on the market; look for the best quality you can find, preferably packed in natural juices.

EASTER SUNDAY HAM WITH APRICOT GLAZESERVES 6 WITH LEFTOVERS

1 ready-to-eat bone-in ham (5-6 lb) 1/2 cup wine, juice or chicken broth

1. Preheat oven to 325˚F.2. With sharp knife, score top of ham in diamond pattern. This will allow the glaze to seep in and flavour the ham; plus, it looks nice. Place in a baking pan. 3. Add wine, juice or broth. Cover pan tightly with foil. Bake ham for 1 1/2 hours or until internal temperature is 140˚F, add-ing a bit of additional liquid if needed. 4. During last 30 minutes, remove foil and baste ham with glaze. If glaze isn’t caramelizing, turn oven heat to 450˚F and watch carefully so glaze doesn’t burn. 5. Remove from oven, brush with a bit more glaze, tent loosely with foil and let stand 20 minutes before carving. The ham’s internal temperature should rise to 145˚F.

APRICOT OR PEACH GLAZE

1/2 cup apricot or peach preserves 1/2 cup dry white wine or sherry 1/2 cup honey Juice of two large oranges

In a saucepan, simmer preserves, wine, honey and juice over medium-low heat until reduced to about 1 cup, about 25 minutes.MATCH: Try either a Pinot Gris or Pinot Noir with the ham. ×

Ham it up

XAdREIF

Established1982

FamilyEstate

One of Niagara-on-the-Lake’s founding-family wineries, Reif opened in 1982, after founder Ewald Reif planted its vineyards in 1977; the

property was later acquired by nephew Klaus W. Reif. Today, the large 50-hectare site produces a complete range of varietals, including

Vidal Icewine, a perennial medal winner. Premium “first growth” reds from the oldest vines are turning heads as well. The winery boasts

one of the most sophisticated, educational tasting room experiences in Niagara, complete with themed flights, blind tastings, food

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UMAMI BY KATIA JEAN PAUL

ENTER THE PLUSH RESTAURANTS, MODERN SPEAK-EASIES and friendly neighbourhood watering holes from coast to coast and, chances are, the bar is not how you remember it. Cigar-infused aqua vitae, caviar alcohol and libations set ablaze: since the early aughts, the mixing going on behind it is looking increasingly like the first-rate liquid cookery of the pre-Prohibition era.

Patrons still have their pick of traditional cocktails, be they Manhattan, Negroni or gimlet. Modern-day bartenders are imparting fresh life to those as well as fashioning new classics with bitters, garnishes, unique and often seasonal ingredients, making tailor-made potables on the spot and serving them up in everything from a Collins glass to apothe-cary jars. Call it a cocktail renaissance with the barkeep — or given the artistry, skill and ingenuity involved, the mixologist — at the helm. One such mixologist is Mike Shum. A rising star on the competitive circuit, he’s made The Lobby Lounge and RawBar at the Fairmount Pacific Rim hotel in Vancouver his laboratory, or rather his kitchen.

“The lines between the kitchen and the bar are blurring ev-ery day,” says Shum. “Eggnog is just boozy crème anglaise, after all. And skills with a paring knife don’t hurt either. Taking time to bandage up a cut on a busy night is never good!”

A self-professed wine, food and spirits geek, in 2010 Shum, then a server, began mixing drinks at the Hamilton Street Grill steakhouse in Yaletown on the suggestion of the bar manager. Once behind the counter, the mint julep cemented his alle-giance to Cocktail Country. “There are only three ingredients [bourbon, sugar and mint], but it requires skill to execute well and is full of history,” says Shum.

Now stationed at the Lobby Lounge, professional devel-opment courses coupled with autodidactic learning — Shum is currently completing his Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) diploma level 4 at the Art Institute of Vancouver — have sharpened his skills. “I read cookbooks cover to cover and spend many nights up late experimenting with cocktails,” says Shum. “With enough practice, though, you can almost ‘taste’ drinks by looking at a recipe you’ve written down before you’ve made it.”

Shum’s dedication is paying off. The fledgling mixologist made the Top 10 at last year’s Diageo World Class Canada mixing competition held in Vancouver. Shum also nabbed a coveted spot at the 2014 Disaronno Mixing Star Lab in Cantine Florio, Sicily thanks to his original twist on the Dis-aronno sour. He also placed first at the Made With Love 2014 National Mixing Competition in Montreal with La Maison d’Escoffier, a dessert drink melding cognac, vermouth, sherry, homemade spiced and bittered maple syrup, and Scrappy’s Cardamom Bitters, stirred over hand-cracked ice, strained in a chilled coupe and garnished with a shaving of white truffle. Ice, Shum asserts, is just as crucial a component in the mak-ing of a quality cocktail as the ingredients. “When done well, the whole is better than the sum of its parts.”

What’s next for Shum? Made With Love 2015, taking place next month. Until then, he can be found mixing things up behind the bar, where bartending and the art of mixology converge.

“They’re different and the same at the same time,” says Shum. “A mixologist may spend more time on the creative side of things but at the end of the day, the skills that the bartender brings are paramount to his craft.” ×

Art of the pour


NEXT STOP

HAPA IZAKAYAwww.hapaizakaya.comWhile each of its seven locations spanning three cities (Van-couver, Calgary and Toronto) have a sleek look and feel all their own, the common thread is a singular east-meets-west cuisine peppered with seasonal, local fare hearkening back to each locale. Kitsilano’s Hapa serves up casual grub, like kobe beef sliders and karaage (deep-fried boneless chicken), while Coal Harbour puts downtown gastronomy like a sous-vide short rib with wasabi sour cream centre-stage. No matter the Hapa, the drink menu has something to suit all tastes.

IZAKAYA TOMOwww.izakayatomo.netEdmonton’s Izakaya Tomo offers classic fare from the Land of the Rising Sun — think crispy takoyaki (fried octopus balls topped with dried bonito shavings), and burdock root and carrot kinpira stir-fried in sesame soy sauce — though the menu is tinged with fusion cuisine. Case in point: the house’s filling carbonara udon noodles. Since drinking is an izakaya’s raison d’être, the libations, an enticing mixed bag of sake, sochu and traditional Western cocktails, are equally satisfying.

Irasshaimase!Izakayas — cozy pubs where friends and colleagues gather over a glass of sake and tapas-style eats — have become increasingly popular outside their native Japan. Serving up traditional East Asian fare in generous shareable portions with Western influences throughout, Canada’s own Japanese-style taverns are proof there’s more to Japanese cuisine than the proverbial sushi roll.

BIG IN JAPANwww.biginjapan.caOpen until 3 am, night owls and late-night revellers flock to this eclectic izakaya on the Main for its traditional-meets-modern Japanese comfort food. On offer: meat sandwiches playfully nicknamed “dog,” tuna tataki served with a tomato, feta and caper salad, and a shareable roasted half chicken with kimchi sauce, curry rice, grilled vegetables and a sunny-side up egg, to be enjoyed with wine, beer or a cold glass of sake. The retro refurbished seating from erstwhile Montreal snack bars and Japanese etchings aloft give it a pleasantly kitsch touch.

KINGYOwww.kingyo-izakaya.caWith its dim lighting and rustic decor, including an imposing partition of bamboo shoots along a long communal table, Kingyo Izakaya in Vancouver has an authentic feel. Like its plush interi-or, this Japanese pub beckons with a sophisticated menu — sock-eye salmon carpaccio, tantan noodles (in pork-bone and shrimp broth seasoned with sesame, miso and cashew nuts topped with ground pork, chili-marinated Chinese chives and black sesame) and the all-around favourite: stone-grilled beef tongue. ×

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FEED BY TOM DE LARZAC

VANILLA BREAD PUDDING

4 cups half-and-half 1 cup whole milk 5 eggs 1 1/4 cup dark brown sugar 1/2 tsp salt 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1/4 tsp nutmeg, grated 1 whole vanilla bean, split and seeded 1 cup walnuts, chopped 10 cups brioche bread, cubed 2 tbsp butter

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. 2. Combine half-and-half, milk, eggs, 1 cup of the sugar, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in a large mixing bowl. Beat all ingredients together until mixture is smooth (2 to 3 minutes). Scrape vanilla seeds into the bowl and stir in.3. Over medium heat, toast walnuts in a pan until golden brown.4. Combine bread and nuts into the egg mixture. Coat all pieces of the bread. Add vanilla bean to mix-ture for extra flavour (remove before cooking). Let the mixture stand for 1 hour, stirring occasionally to ensure egg mixture is absorbed by the bread. 5. Grease a high-sided ovenproof pan (9” x 9”) with butter. Place mixture in pan, spreading out evenly, but not packing it down. Sprinkle remain-ing sugar over top.6. Place in oven for 50 minutes. Remove and let stand for 10 minutes. MATCH: Serve with a glass of late harvest or a soft, peaty scotch. ×

AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, COOKING IS SOMETHING THAT GETS ME EXCITED, AND IT IS SOMETHING THAT I OF-TEN LOOK FORWARD TO — PARTICULARLY WHEN I GET TO COOK FOR OTHERS. But recently, I got to experience the same sensation from a different perspective.

I was recently starting my prep for a dinner party and as always, there was a lot to do. I became a little careless and sliced ... it was a serious cut on the top of my finger. It turned out to be fine — in case anyone was worried — but cooking no longer became an option. So in jumped my fearless wife. While she was happy to help, her cooking ability leaves quite a bit to be desired. We had an hour and half before guests were arriving and still so much to do.

She knew the menu, as she often decides what we (I) make, but not how to actually make it. For the first time in my own kitchen, I had to take a back seat and let someone else do the cooking. I walked her through the steps of making each item. I tried along the way and stirred where I could. I watched her carefully and timidly bringing her menu to life. She did fantas-tic. I think she even surprised herself with how well she did.

I definitely learned how hard it is to explain how to execute a dish. For example, not everyone can simply tell when something is done and not everyone, even my wife who has watched me cook for years, tastes their food to make sure it is seasoned properly (helpful tip: season lightly, taste and season more if necessary). The most important lesson I learned, though, is that everyone can cook a great meal with the proper directions and guidance.

Watching someone cook a great meal or even a dish that they would normally never try was a great feeling. Seeing the pride my wife had with the meal she had made was also pretty neat. With proper direction, I think everyone can cook great food, and I hope that I can continue helping people make memorable meals.

PINCH HITTERS


LAZY MIXOLOGIST BY CHRISTINE SISMONDO

× Visit quench.me/search-mixed/ for more drink recipes

WHEN I STARTED BEHIND THE BAR, some 20-plus years ago, there was always one constant, no matter where I worked — one dusty little bottle of Angostura bitters.

Nobody ever used it. Few probably knew why they even had it. Bar owners must have bought it as a talisman or in accordance with some long-stand-ing bar tradition. But then, somewhere in the early years of the new millennium, a few curious souls dusted off the bottle and decided to see if a Man-hattan could be improved by following its original recipe and adding a dash of bitters.

It was nothing less than a transformation and, it turned out, wasn’t even the only application. Bitters add a much-needed dimension of flavour to a range of cocktails, from sturdy, spirit-forward numbers that need a little perking up, to sweet tiki drinks, in which sugar spikes are corrected by a dash of bitters.

Angostura is hardly the only brand anymore either, with hundreds of new craft bitters companies producing esoteric flavours such as jerk spice, choco-late mole and cranberry bog. Seriously. Sometimes it seems as if a crazy new label is being launched daily. Rather than trying to keep up (an impossible task), most bartenders buy the old standards and pick a few aromatic concoctions that really speak to them.

In Toronto, few brands can boast the loyalty that Coster’s Prescription Bitters have garnered. It’s a boutique bitters brand with a clutch of devotees who love the signature flavours: Burnt Citrus, Coffee and Smoke, and Blackstrap Ginger. Mark Coster, founder, started making bitters to learn more about the taste elements he was adding to his cocktails.

“When you make your own, you think of flavours in a much more visceral sense than when you’re just buying off the shelf,” he explains. “It’s good to under-stand the process.”

Coster warns, though, that it took time and a fair bit of trial and error to figure out how to balance some of the more complicated flavour profiles he works with. His extremely popular Burnt Citrus bitters was a happy accident. He forgot to take his citrus peels out of the oven and discovered he liked the flavour better anyway.

Coster is kindly saving our readers a little trouble by passing on his tried-and-true formula for grape-fruit bitters, perfect for adding a touch of brightness to both gin and tequila cocktails.

Recipe for a bitter life

COSTER’S PRESCRIPTION GRAPEFRUIT BITTERS Zest from 5 large grapefruits 1 stalk lemon grass 1/4 tsp gentian root 750 ml overproof vodka 4 heaping tbsp of honey

In 3 separate mason jars, divide vodka into volumes of 400, 200 and 150 ml. Add grapefruit zest to the mason jar with 400 ml of vodka. Chop stalk of lemon grass and add to 200 ml jar of vodka. Add gentian root to the 150 ml jar. Let all infusions sit in a dark, cool place for a week.

When infusions are ready, add all 3 to the 4 tablespoons of honey. Mix and gently heat in a saucepan for 5 minutes. Cool and bottle. ×


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1 3/4 cup confectioner’s sugar 1 cup ground almonds 3 large egg whites, at room temperature 1/4 tsp cream of tartar Pinch of salt 1/4 cup superfine sugar 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 375˚F. 2. Combine confectioner’s sugar and ground almonds in a food processor. Make sure it is mixed well.3. Using a mixer set to medium, whisk the whites until foamy. Add cream of tartar and whisk until soft peaks form. Reduce speed to low, then add superfine sugar. Increase speed to high and whisk until stiff peaks form, about 6 minutes. 4. Sift confectioner’s sugar and ground almond mixture over whites and fold until mixture is smooth and shiny.5. Prepare parchment-lined baking sheets. Transfer batter to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain round tip and pipe 3/4-inch rounds about 1 inch apart, dragging pastry tip to the side instead of forming peaks. Tap bottom of each baking sheet on work sur-face to release trapped air. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes. 6. Reduce oven temperature to 325˚F. Bake 1 sheet at a time, rotating halfway through, until macarons are crisp and firm, about 10 minutes. Before you start a new batch, increase oven temperature to 375˚F, heat for 5 minutes, then reduce to 325˚F.7. Let macarons cool on sheets for 2 to 3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. 8. Now it’s time for the filling. Let you imagination run wild. Sandwich 2 macarons with about 1 tsp of filling. Serve immediately or you can freeze them for up to 3 months. ×

MACARONS ARE THE FRENCH CLASSIC that scream, “I’m a French clas-sic!” Although it’s easy to find them now-a-days, you might want to try your hand at making your own. This recipe yields about 36 macarons.


BON VIVANT BY PETER ROCKWELL

× Ask your questions at [email protected]

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I know, just what the wine world needs: another seemingly con-voluted buzzword that takes everything short of a puppet show to explain. To come clean, I wasn’t that sure what sustainability really meant to the wine industry until I spent some time in New Zealand, a country that has embraced the philosophy with an Incredible Hulk-like grip.

While the Kiwis aren’t the only winemakers digging their dirt (Canada, California, South America, South Africa and Australia have documented bragging rights too), they can claim a 94 percent adoption rate to the country’s well-thought-out sustainability rules and regulations.

In the vineyard, sustainability is an environmental master plan winemakers have adopted that, at its most basic level, has them borrowing their land from future generations rather than using and abusing it for short-term gain.

The organization Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand explains it like this: “[our] members are committed to protecting the unique places that make our famous wines by reducing the use of chemicals, energy, water and packaging, and wherever possible. reusing and recycling materials and waste.”

What does sus-tainability have to do with wine-making?

While that mouthful may be a bit hard to digest all at once, think of sustainability as a winery’s way of monitoring, measuring and reducing its influence on its natural surroundings while returning any distressed property to its former glory.

If it all sounds like vine-hug-ging gobbledygook, put a con-versation with a New Zealand winemaker on your liquid-edu-cation bucket list. Humble to the point of almost being Canadian, they will all happily yak your ear off about what preserving their amazing part of the world means to them well before you ever get to take a sip of their wine.

Like a good Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, sustainability is refreshing in its approach and wor-thy of every wine fan’s support.

What’s the difference between Barolo, Barbaresco and Nebbiolo?Well, for starters, you’re confusing place with plant. It’s a com-mon mistake when trying to get your head around the Italian wine-scape. Over the years, Italy has been able to inject plenty of terms into the heads and hearts of wine lovers and, like most European winemakers, assumes that just because it knows what they mean, you will too.

The line where grape vines start and geography ends can be as grey as a Pinot Grigio’s grape skin, so don’t be too hard on yourself for not knowing that Nebbiolo is a berry, and Barolo and Barbaresco are wines named after two small Italian townships world-renowned for producing wines from its juice.

Nebbiolo is an ancient Italian red variety most commonly associated with Italy’s northwestern region of Piedmont. It creates wines that are light in colour, which belies their dense fruit flavours and high tannin levels. Famous for their ageability, Nebbiolo-based vino from superior vintages can last decades.

Nebbiolo isn’t Piedmont’s only celebrity grape. Moscato, Barbera and Dolcetto all call the region home, but none draws the attention of wine geeks with the same magnetism as Nebbiolo.

Piedmont is arguably Italy’s grandest wine region, with a vibrant wine and food culture based on small artisan producers and eclectic cuisine influenced by centuries of foreign takeovers.

Barolo and Barbaresco have claim to some of Italy’s most valuable wine real estate, and it’s there that Nebbiolo rules.

Though Barolo wines command more attention (and higher prices) thanks to their bolder, palate-pounding personalities, the lighter tannic profiles massaged to perfection in Barbaresco make them more universally appealing. Just remember, if you ask an Italian for directions to Nebbiolo, he’s going to point you in the direction of a glass. ×


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by Lisa Hoekstra

We’ve all had that moment in a restaurant or bar, where we’ve or-dered a glass of expensive wine and internally cringed at the knowl-edge that the rest of that bottle might be going to waste. Or shud-dered at the thought of drinking from a bottle that was opened two days ago and left to deteriorate. Those shudders, however, were made unnecessary with the advent of the wine dispenser.


If you haven’t heard of it before, a wine dispenser is an appli-ance that is designed to serve wine by the glass without ruining the rest of the bottle. These handy devices are most commonly used in wine bars and restaurants, where the “by the glass” pro-gram generates revenue.

To get the inside scoop on wine dispensers, how they work and how to pick one out for the home, I spoke to Ken Fournier, marketing director for Rinaldini Distribution, the North Amer-ican distributor for WineEmotion; Sarah Wight, marketing manager for Enostore, the Canadian distributor of the dispens-er Enomatic; and Daenna Van Mulligen, a Vancouver-based wine journalist, international wine judge, accredited sommeli-er and publisher of winediva.ca.

There are several patents on record for dispensers, with the first dating back to 1985. French oenol-ogist Jacques Foures patented the “process apparatus and system for preserving and dispensing wine.” This system eventually became known as the Cruvinet system and is the grandfather, so to speak, of all dispensing systems.

“The Cruvinet systems were a wonderful invention,” says Fournier. “But like all innova-tions, they evolve. The major dif-ference [between the Cruvinet and modern systems] is the pour control. It eliminates over-pour-ing by the staff, which saves a lot of lost revenue over a period of time.”

In 2002, Riccardo Gosi and his colleagues patented the bev-erage dispenser that would later become known as Enomatic. “It was created to deliver commer-cial clients a full-service system without limitations,” Wight says. In line with the spirit of the Cruvinet systems, Enomat-ic was designed to preserve the character of the wine for up to 40 days. Wight explains that the additions to that original system were self-cleaning functions and three pour amounts, among other things.

When Enomatic first appeared in Canada, Van Mulligen was working as a buyer and sommelier at a Vancouver wine bar and its attached wine store. “We set up the wine store to draw interest and to allow customers to sample some of the products we sold,” says Van Mulligen. While using the dispensers, she noted, “when sampling such small amounts over many days, it stayed fresher, was easier to handle and was kept at a suitable temperature.”

“The systems use Nitrogen or Argon gas to preserve a wine’s characteristics,” explains Wight. “When a bottle is installed in the system, the gas is activated and protects the wine from being altered by oxygen. With the pressure constantly injected inside

the bottle, the gas takes the place of the wine when it is poured. Essentially, the wine ‘doesn’t know’ it’s been opened.”

Eventually, Gosi sold Enomatic and pursued a new direction for dispensers in WineEmotion. “He took a step back toward simpler mechanical components,” says Fournier. “Gosi believes the wine dispensing system should act as a beautiful display for the main subject, the wine.”

Like the Enomatic, WineEmotion dispensers also use Argon or Nitrogen gas “to preserve by creating a barrier between the wine and oxygen,” says Fournier. “Other features like the precise pouring and variable volumes are applications for a commercial setting.”

But commercial settings aren’t the only venues in which the dispenser can be useful. Enomatic, WineEmotion, Eurocave and Krug, among others, have started their move toward your home.

“Since Enomatic’s inception, restaurants, bars and hotels have been the main clientele,” Wight continues. “But in the past few years, we’ve seen a significant increase in the number of private collectors and wine aficionados who see the benefit of having a system in their home, giving them the ability to enjoy a fine wine over time.”

These aficionados and collectors are using the home units — smaller models that sit on your kitchen counter like any oth-er appliance and give you access to multiple bottles at one time, without the worry that the wine will oxidize. The appliance itself is a conversation piece at many parties.

“The wine dispensing system is an attention-grabbing amen-ity, anyone who incorporates one is sure to draw attention from guests,” says Fournier.

WineEmotion’s Erogatori is only one of a growing crop of wine dispensers making their way into homes.


“Home units are ideal for the executive who has a passion for wine,” Fournier continues. “Maybe on Sunday night, while prep-ping for their week of business travel, they want to open a nice bottle of Cabernet, but only want one glass. With a home wine dispensing system, they can return on Friday and easily pour a glass as fresh as the day they opened it.”

The preservation of a wine in the bottle is at the top of almost every wine lover’s list. “We all appreciate the traditional process of opening a bottle and pouring it by hand,” says Fournier. “But more so, we appreciate fresh wine.”

Though not all households will need a dispenser to preserve the wine. “In my house, once a bottle is opened it rarely lasts a second day,” says Van Mulligen. “I’m not sure why someone might use a wine dispenser unless they are used to having such small pours over many days/weeks.”

This is when the variety that dispensers provide comes in handy. Sometimes you’re in the mood for a glass of a different wine each day: a Merlot on Monday, a white on Wednesday or a Syrah on Saturday. Being able to try different things in one night, for example, without wasting the wine seems like a miracle.

Wine dispensers provide the opportunity to open a wider selection at any one time, such as at a small dinner party (or a large one for that matter). “Whether they are serving themselves or making a selection from a wine list, people are excited by the choices available to them and appreciate the opportunity to sam-ple so many new wines,” says Wight.

Enomatic and WineEmotion aren’t the only two dispenser producers on the market; there are a wide variety, each coming in different shapes and sizes. Finding the one that’s right for you can be a bit of a challenge.

“If I were to purchase one for myself or as a gift, the most im-portant thing would be cleanliness,” states Van Mulligen. “How easy is it to keep clean?” She points out that dirty hoses could be

contaminated with old wine and oxygen. “My biggest fear is al-ways contamination. I know technology has come a long way to avoid [this] but the machine is only as good and fastidious as its user.” The next important item on her list is ease of use.

“Keep in mind how much space you can allocate to a system,” advises Wight. “If you’re still in the planning stages, you can work around a larger system and create cabinetry for the gas tank.” Whereas, if you have limited space, Wight mentions a two-bottle system, which Enomatic created last year specifically for home use.

Meanwhile, Fournier provides this piece of advice: “It is im-portant to realize that you get what you pay for.”

Even though dispensers are seeing an increase in home-use sales, the trend may not move forward. “I cannot see [wine dis-pensers] taking off for home use,” says Van Mulligen. “I’m gen-erally underwhelmed by them — but they are showy (very high-

tech looking) and allow wine bars and wine stores to sample a vast array of wines over a longer period of time without fear of them going bad.” The average person may not need one, but per-haps the aesthetics and the appeal of having the opportunity to save your bottles will persuade them.

“Wine dispensers are a toy for wine connoisseurs or budding connoisseurs,” says Van Mulligen. “Saying that, my best friend does have Prosecco on tap in her home … lucky girl.”

Ultimately, before you rush out to buy this ingenious new ap-pliance that will save your wine and look really cool while doing it, ask yourself if you’ll really need to save your wine for that long. Make a note of your drinking habits because it may be that you don’t need that kind of lasting power.

But then if variety is your spice of life, having a four-bottle (or even a two-bottle) dispenser could be an asset to your kitchen. Or you can just go out to one of the many restaurants with an im-pressive by-the-glass program. It sometimes beats staying home to the familiar pop of the cork and glug of the pour. ×

“Home units are ideal for the executive who has a passion for wine. Maybe on Sunday night, while prepping for their week of business travel, they want to open a nice bottle of Cabernet, but only want one glass. With a home wine dispensing system, they can return on Friday and easily pour a glass as fresh as the day they opened it.” Ken Fournier, marketing director for Rinaldini Distribution

“In my house, once a bottle is opened it rarely lasts a second day. I’m not sure why someone might use a wine dispenser unless they are used to having such small pours over many days/weeks.” Daenna Van Mulligen, wine journalist


MENTION GALICIA TO MOST PEOPLE AND CHANCES ARE THEY’LL JUST STARE AT YOU BLANKLY. Bring it up in wine terms (even drop Albariño in there) and they’ll maybe nod politely but still vaguely. Maybe it should come as no surprise. For in some ways, Galicia is to Spain as Cornwall is to the rest of England. Or, for that matter, as Newfoundland is to Canada.

Galicia is decidedly and refreshingly different. And the Cornish reference is not by accident. The very first time I set foot in this remarkable wind-swept corner of northwest Spain, I was hooked. I’d been lucky enough to travel and taste in many other parts of the country before — from Jerez to Rioja, Peñedes, Duero and Murcia. But I wasn’t prepared for the unabashed individuality and marked contrast of the rugged coast and lush green land that defines this little piece of Spain — separated by the Minho River from Portugal and much of neighbouring Asturias.

Galicia has also been historically connected over the years to Celtic counterparts Scotland, Ireland and Wales (as well as to Cornwall, the Isle of Man and

Brittany) through various alliances and settlements, which have even resulted in such cultural commonal-ities as kilts and bagpipes.

In fact, when it came to fashion, the early Gali-cians were trendsetters. Artifacts show their kings were wearing the kilt — and tartan kilts at that — some 500 years before the Scots and the Irish. Need-less to say, it’s a claim that’s hotly contested.

The Galician coastline is impressively rugged and easily reminiscent of the southwest of England or the Irish coast. That’s also perhaps no surprise: if you charted a course due south of Cork or Cornwall’s Liz-ard, chances are you’d wind up close to, if not wrecked on, Galicia’s Cape Finistere (Cabo Fisterra).

Gaelic crosses define more than a few Galician village squares. The winter weather can be decidedly Celtic, with no shortage of wind and rain.

Maybe it’s for all these reasons and more that someone who grew up in the west of England can be so easily seduced by Spain’s northwestern Autono-mous region. Plus the seafood. Oh yes, by Albariño.

Close cousinsby Tim Pawsey


Even the most casual wine drinker knows that “Spain” equals “red wine.” But that’s not the case in Galicia, which occu-pies itself almost entirely with Albariño. While there are a smattering of pretty interesting reds around (as well some other white varieties and a few excellent sparklers), most people either can’t find them or just don’t think to drink them. But Albariño — especially with just about any-thing the Galicians cook that comes fresh out of the sea — can be spectacular.

It’s not hard to pinpoint why this grape has emerged as the perfect match for the region’s seafood, which is usually simply prepared with the minimum of embellish-ment. The fact is, if they’re fresh (which they usually are) the razor clams, octo-pus (pulpo), lobster, turbot, swimming scallops, mussels and whatever else taste even better with Albariño’s bright acidity and often assertive streak of minerality, yielded by the region’s distinctive granite soils and marine edge.

It’s no wonder that in Galicia, Albariño reigns supreme. The variety makes up well over 90 percent of all Rias Baixas produc-tion. Depending on the sub-region from which it comes, it can display a range of styles from flinty and mineral to floral, citrus and tropical notes. But it’s those in-triguing streaks of salinity and mineral un-dertones that seem to elevate it to so per-fect a match for such fresh oceanic fare.

Even though the focus on Albariño has only taken place since Rias Baixas was de-clared a DO in the early 1980s, the culture of grape growing and winemaking has been entrenched in Galicia for centuries.

Most of the grapes are produced by some 6,000 small landowners (the average hold-ing is only about an acre) who might also be involved in other agricultural pursuits.

Walk into a Galician vineyard — par-ticularly in the north but also elsewhere — and what strikes you immediately is the lack of wood used. The vines are wire-trained on substantial granite concrete pillars. Known as pergola, they keep the fruit some six to eight feet off the ground. The resulting wind tunnel is key to ward-ing off mildew, the vine’s mortal enemy.

Aside from being key to growing grapes in what is often an unrelenting misty, foggy and humid environment, the pergola ar-rangement also yields the benefit of provid-ing lush grazing for farm animals — with the ripening grapes well out of reach.

However, opinions differ as to which works best, pergola or “conventional” trel-lising, which offers better exposure to the sun, when there is sun. While most still work with the traditional concrete sup-ports, the latter is preferred by a few larg-er producers, particularly in the warmer south, where humidity is less of an issue.

Production of pergola-grown grapes is also expensive and more labour inten-sive since you harvest the higher up fruit. It’s unlikely that sites in the more directly ocean influenced areas will change, how-ever, as wood is just too short-lived in such overtly moist marine conditions.

Santiago Ruiz winemaker Luisa Freire (who employs a modern trellis system) jokes that Roas Baixas must have “the happiest mildew in the world.” However, the substantial vineyards are situated in a warm microclimate, just across the Minho from neighbouring Portugal. She makes the winery’s only wine (O Rosal), a blend of Albariño and indigenous grapes, which is among the region’s oldest. Santiago Ruiz is often referred to as the “grandfather of Albariño.” His daughter, Rosa Ruiz, is to-day the custodian of her father’s original winery, complete with artifacts and hum-ble (though artfully restored) dwellings that date from the mid 19th century.

Perhaps with a nod to the neighbours (Portugal drinks much of its Alvarinho as Vinho Verde) most Galicians prefer to consume their Albariño within two or three years, although several producers now focus on aging — a welcome develop-ment. Older Albariño, thanks to its acidity, not only retains its structure very well but can also develop appealing nutty and hon-ey notes — not unlike aged Sémillon.

A vertical tasting with winemaker and viticulturist Miguel Alfonso at his

pioneering Adega Pedralonga reveals the full range of Albariño’s remarkable aging potential in skilled hands: from the bright citrus and floral tones of the current vin-tage (2013), through the impressively min-eral, schist toned and herbal 2011, even more complex (and mineral) 2010 to the impressively fruit driven, still very much alive, sleekly viscose and elegant 2001.

Increasingly, some winemakers are experimenting with careful use of oak (sometimes Galician oak), extended lees contact and other modern techniques. Others are working hard to re-establish those indigenous varieties, which, a few years back, had all but vanished.

At Bodegas Terras Gauda (also close to the Portuguese border), winemak-er Emilio Rodriguez likes to work with Caiño and Loureiro blended with Al-bariño. Rodriguez, who estimates he has about 90 percent of the variety’s plantings in the DO, says Caiño can bring length and add a spicy element, often with orange citrus and saline notes. Almost without exception, his blends across the board show depth and complexity. Terras Gauda La Mar 2011 (85 percent Caiño Blanco, 10 percent Albariño and 5 percent Lereiro) sports tropical, mineral and citrus, with herbal aromatics such as verbena, and is almost reminiscent of Marsanne.

Overall, though, there’s no doubt that Albariño rules and with good reason. At Area Grande, a sunny restaurant on the rocky coastline not that far from stormy Cape Finisterre, you can find some of the best seafood anywhere, paired with wines from across the region. Dish after dish (Galicians have an impressive capacity for their seafood) arrives, perfectly cooked — and easily matched with Terras Gauda Al-bariño, which only adds to their lustre.


PACO & LOLA ALBARIÑO 2012 ($22)From one of the largest (430 members) co-ops in the region. Honeyed, floral and sage top, orchard stone fruit palate with lingering citrus and floral notes. Fresh and complex with some creamy notes and lingering mineral in close.

PAZO BAIÓN SINGLE VINEYARD ESTATE ALBARIÑO 2013 ($20)Stony notes on top with hints of orange that carry through to a balanced palate, with clean mouthfeel and great length before a definite mineral close. Grown on a beautiful, storied estate with small château soon to become a hotel and resort.

CONDES DE ALBEREI EN RAMA 2010 ($30)Old vines Albariño is kept on lees for up to 3 years. Pronounced minty and tropical aromas, with bright fruit balanced by fresh acidity and saline, mineral undertones. Elegant and developed, still with aging potential.

TERRAS GAUDA ‘BLACK LABEL’ 2012 ($33)Albariño (70%) with 20% Loureiro and 10 Caino. Barrel fer-mented and lees aged. Lifted, bright fruit aromas of apple and orchard fruit. A creamy palate underpinned by good acidity and length with quince and citrus in a lengthy, sensual finish.

ADEGA PEDRALONGA 2011 ($30)Mineral and schist notes on top before a luscious marriage of fruit and keen minerality. Herbal hints of lemon balm and fennel, before a lingering, clean finish.

ALBARIÑO DE FEFIÑANES 2013 ($32)Distinctly mineral with up-front stone fruit, floral notes, and apple and pear hints. Very crisp and clean in the mouth with complex mineral and schist flavours through a lengthy close.

PAZO DE VILLEREI 2013 ($25)Tropical, floral and light herbal notes followed by a luscious and juicy stone fruit palate with good acidity and a lingering finish.

LA VAL ALBARINO FERMENTADO EN BARRICA 2011 ($24)Hand-picked estate-grown grapes, fermented in Alliers, barrel aged with battonage and lees stirring over 6 months. Up-front vanilla and toasty notes with a creamy, citrus palate and well inte-grated oak that allows the fruit to show through the finish.

TERRAS DE LANTAÑO 2013 ($25)Up-front fresh fruit and floral notes with juicy orchard and stone fruit hints on the palate. Lingering salinity with a zesty finish.

SANTIAGO RUIZ O ROSAL 2013 ($26)A unique blend of Albariño (70%), Loureiro, Caiño white, Treixa-dura and Godello adds up to a well-balanced blend. Citrus and floral aromatics before pear and orange notes wrapped in bright acidity with a mineral tinge.

ADEGA EIDOS VEIGAS DE PADRIGAN 2013 ($24)This small, modern, family-owned winery right on the coast in Val do Salnés makes wines from its own 5-acre vineyard. Citrus and herbal notes on top followed by definite mineral and saline notes with keen acidity.

VIONTA ALBARIÑO 2013 ($27)Owned by Friexenet Group. Slightly yeasty, melon and tropical notes followed by a lively, fruit-driven palate with good acidity and a little zest in the finish.

PAZOS DE LUSCO ZIOS 2013 ($25)Up-front floral and citrus notes with orchard fruit on a generous palate, wrapped in distinctive mineral notes before a zesty finish. ×

Pazo Baión’s José Hidalgo

Luisa Freire from Bodegas Santiago Ruiz


demon


I’m not sure when the slide into the abyss first started for our beloved booze, but I damn well know what helped it along with a good swift kick: vodka. Now, I ain’t got nuthin’ against vodka per se, though I don’t much fancy the Siberian swill myself, being the type what don’t typically take a shine to things that are tasteless. Don’t gimme that look!

Anyway, as I was sayin’ before you shot me the stink eye, it’s not vodka that really put the demon in demon drink; t’was flavoured vodka! Oh, it started innocently enough, to be sure. A little citrus here, a dash of vanilla there, perhaps some chocolate. As I said, real innocent like. Then the proverbial Still of Hell belched forth from its rectifiers a torrent of ungodly potions: root beer-flavoured vod-ka, bubblegum, icing sugar, PB&J … bacon flavour! Bacon, for the love of Pete! The sacred fabric of … of… well, of something, must have ripped wide open to unleash these banshees! Not even the Cossacks coulda stopped ’em, had they been available to do so.

However and luckily, most sensible types kinda gave these beasties a wide berth once the initial horror — and hangover — wore off. But don’t think for a minute Jucifer didn’t have other unholy orders with which to corrupt our pure and heavenly spir-its. No! What has followed the flavoured vodka plague is true evil incarnate. Something so vile, so repugnant, so … obscene … that it makes an atrocity like pickle-flavoured vodka seem as tame as a meek little lamb. To wit:

Flavoured. Whisky.I know! I know, my children! This is surely the bile that fills

the canteens of the Four Horsemen! What sort of maggot-rid-dled mind could conceive of such a spectre? To take the Lord’s greatest gift and corrupt it with (forgive me, My Father, for the

mere utterance) maple! Spice! Honey! Bl … bla … black cherry! (In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.) Such debasement of our noble elixir renders it no longer aqua vitae, uisge beatha, water of life! It is now the Angel’s Share of Death! I have heard, from good shepherds throughout the land, that these grain-debased poltergeists are causing more havoc among oth-erwise devout drinkers than the vile vodkas.

What are the innocent and pure souls like you, my children, to do to resist this onslaught? Even shunning the grain and em-bracing the grape is fraught with peril in these turbulent times!

Exercise extreme caution when reaching for what you may anticipate to be a goblet of Grenache, Gamay, Graciano, Godel-lo or even Grignolino … It may turn out not to be the pure blood of the vine wrought from the sacred earth by the hands of man, but Frankenwine, flavoured to taste like strawberry shortcake, cheesecake or black forest cake! Even “naturally” made wines are starting to taste like anything but wine. Chocolate-flavoured Californians and sweet, syrupy Shiraz. Even Pinotage — once the wildest, funkiest, most barnyard-y and “out there” of them all — can’t be guaranteed not to taste like your morning latte!

Disciples of the drink must unite and resist. Resist the temp-tation of the Tennessee Honey! Resist the seduction of the Spice-box! Resist the reach of the Revel Stoke and the Red Stag! And shun “wines” with names alluding to cake, chocolate or coffee! Together we have the power to banish the heathen Devil Drinks and prevent them from fermenting further.

Ale Men!EDITOR’S NOTE: the views of this writer are not necessarily those of the publication. To comment, tweet us using the hashtag #quenchme. ×

LEND ME YOUR EARS, my children, as I speak of an ill wind a-blowin’ ’round the barstools.

Call me a purist. Call me a fuddy-duddy whose views on things are gummed up in the sediment of an old vintage (possibly oxidized) mind. Call me worse things (I’ve probably heard most of them already … sticks and stones and what have ya). But I’ve been sailing the Seas of Hooch since long before cryoextractors, autovinifiers, Riedel glasses and wine scores (blast them!) were even invented, and I’ve borne witness to plenty of strange goings-on over the course of time (screwcaps!). Yet from where I’m perched today, I can see some ominous and frightening things rising up from the ever-fertile pasture of potables that just aren’t natural. Abomina-tions are what they be. Mutations of things good ’n pure, the likes of which the Good Lord had no hand in. Devil drinks!

A call to action from the Rev. Fr. Pappy Jack Dickel Daniels


It’s dusted itself off, cleaned up its act and is hoping you might give it a second chance. Though it didn’t earn the nickname, “te-killya” for nothing, the blanco, reposado and añejo tequila coming out of Jalisco today, made from 100 percent blue aga-ve, bears no resemblance to the embalming fluid you (perhaps reluctantly) knocked back in your student days (be those uni-versity, high school or grade school). Here are a few upscale numbers recently enjoyed (neat, I might add).

by Tod Stewart

No Reposando


WHAT’S IN A NOM?If you look closely at the labelling of a bottle of tequila, you’ll come across a somewhat cryptic alpha-numeric code; specifically, the let-ters NOM followed by a series of numbers (NOM 1102, NOM 1431, NOM 1536, etc.). ¿Qué pasa?

Well, the NOM is the Official Mexican Standard of Tequila (full name NOM-006-SCFI-2005). Regulated by the Mexican govern-ment, the NOM is to tequila what the VQA, DOC and AOC are to wine. In a nutshell, the NOM lays down the standards for the legal production of tequila, including geographical delimitations, pro-duction techniques, testing meth-ods, quality control and so forth.

While this is a good indicator for consumers as to the authen-ticity of the hooch in the bottle, where things get interesting is tracing the number of tequila brands associated with a single NOM. For example, the Don Camilo, Tres Manos, Santos and Tepeyac brands (among others) are all made by Fabrica de Tequi-las Finos, S.A. de C.V.

This can help explain why certain similarities can be found among tequila brands that (appar-ently) have nothing to do with each other. It also makes claims such as “individual,” “unique” and “artis-anal” somewhat suspect when it is revealed that a tequila trumpeted as such is made in the same facility as half a dozen other brands.

needle-like freshness to it. Fairly gentle and refined on the palate, with typical peppery notes, a dash of caramel and a moderately long finish suggesting to-bacco leaf. Classy and refined. An añejo version has recently been added to the Casamigos family.

DULCE VIDADULCE VIDA PREMIUM ORGANIC TEQUILA BLANCOCertified USD organic, Dulce Vida tequilas are distilled from Pacific Coast highland agave and bottled at a strength the producer feels allows more of the true agave flavour to shine through. They must be on to something considering the number of awards these tequilas have racked up. The blanco earned a Double Gold Medal when it made its debut at the 2010 World Spirits Competition.

DULCE VIDA PREMIUM ORGANIC TEQUILA REPOSADOFew tequilas on the market are bottled at much more than 40 percent ABV, but the higher octane does seem to enhance the Dulce Vida line. A dash of water to cut the heat slightly also helps unlock aromas, in this case, a slightly resinous character with hints of underbrush, wet earth, sweet agave, cut grass, and spicy wood. Rich and complex in the mouth, with an engaging combination of sweet agave, citrus, hot pepper and minty/grassy notes.

DULCE VIDA PREMIUM ORGANIC TEQUILA AÑEJOComplex aromas of mint, cinnamon, cola, ginger, toasted nuts, earth, mushroom, honey, caramel and, still detectable among the mosaic of aromas, fresh agave. Smooth and viscous on the palate, with hints of vanilla, traces of oak, fresh herbs, mild smoke and a dash of ground pepper. Nice warmth on the long, smooth finish.

CASAMIGOSCASAMIGOS BLANCOGuys looking to hate George Clooney for yet another reason now have this: he has his own tequila. Gals looking for Mr. Hunko’s autograph now have a way to get it: it’s on his own tequila bottle. Clooney and Co.’s blanco offers up very clean, fresh, fragrant aromatics with suggestions of green apple, gunflint, citrus, cracked pepper and mint. Elegant and smooth with fresh agave, a touch of citrus and a gentle smoky/mineral finish.

CASAMIGOS REPOSADOThe Casamigos reposado strikes a nice balance between subtle wood notes and clean herbal/floral notes. 7 months resting in ex-whisky barrels imparts hints of sandalwood and cedar with some underlying nutmeg and toffee, but there’s also a crisp, bright, almost pine


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HORNITOSHORNITOS REPOSADOThis well-priced reposado spends 2 months (the legal minimum) “resting” in oak barrels. The relatively short time tied up in the warehouse may partially account for the price — but it also accounts for its fresh, slightly salty, agave-forward nose that also hints at lime and cut grass. White pepper, a mild smokiness, mint, herbs and sweet, cooked agave on the palate.

HORNITOS BLACK BARRELThe concept of “finishing” a spirit in unique barrels is old hat to the whisky world, but now it’s seeping into other realms, like rum and tequila. The newest offering from Hornitos takes añejo tequila (oak aged for 12 months) and introduces it to deeply charred barrels for 4 months, then into toasted oak barrels for a final 2 months. The result is rather unique. Whisky notes are definitely there (cara-mel, toasted oak), but they don’t mask the baked agave aromas. Cherry/vanilla cola, ginger, nutmeg and pepper also make appearances. Zippy spice in the mouth, along with sweet/smoky oak, tobacco leaf, caramel and cooked agave nuances.

PATRÓNPATRÓN REPOSADOIn keeping with the Patrón style, the over-all impression here is of a reposado that emphasizes a fresh, almost fruity aromatic profile rather than the more common earthy/mushroom footprint. There’s also a hint of fresh herbs and a subtle dash of mineral. Crisp, clean and smooth with some fresh agave, a touch of cut grass and a dash of fennel. A faint whisper of oak and a dash of white pepper are detectable of the long, intense finish.

GRAN PATRÓN BURDEOS AÑEJOThe Gran Patrón line takes the term “luxury” to a bit of a new level (and into the mid-to-upper-triple-digit price range). The Burdeos spends 12 months in a com-bination of American and French oak. It is then redistilled and re-matured in vintage Bordeaux barrels. A very distinctive smoky, orange peel, tobacco, caramel

and cooked agave aromatic profile. Perfectly balanced, it shows spicy/woody notes, traces of vanilla, dark chocolate and caramel. However, the unmistakable clean agave notes are still there. Incredi-bly smooth and long on the finish.

GRAN PATRÓN PIEDRA EXTRA AÑEJOJuice for this super-luxury añejo is extracted from the cooked agave piñas using the centuries-old Tahona process, which breaks down the agave fibers via a 2-tonne volcanic rock wheel. The distillate is then aged for over 3 years (hence the “extra” part) in new American and French oak casks. Mild cedar, polished wood and black pepper/chili pepper all show up on the nose. The palate, as expected, is velvety smooth with spicy/woody Cognac/Armagnac notes, a hint of tobacco and sweet caramel. Incredibly well balanced with a long, moderately dry finish.

OMEGAOMEGA BLANCOThough it doesn’t say it on the label (yet), the Omega tequilas are distilled from organically grown blue agave. The blanco is quite intense on the nose with forward aromas of wet stone, anise, chili pepper and some underlying herbaceous elements. Clean and smooth with a medium to full body, it’s mildly earthy and quite intense overall with a slight — and not unpleasant — touch of bitterness on the finish.

OMEGA REPOSADONice complexity here with some nutty/briny nuances complementing the somewhat smoky/vanilla profile. The impact of the wood maturation is subtle, though evident, with hints of caramel and sweet vanilla trail-ing off into mineral-tinged end notes.

OMEGA AÑEJOThe additional wood maturation makes its presence known in the guise of caramel, cin-namon and cocoa powder with the vegetal/agave notes playing second fiddle. Supple and slightly oily in texture, the flavours mirror the aromas with caramel, vanilla and cocoa all present, along with a dash of what might be a trace of caraway seed. ×


Brokers of the day, in Bordeaux, were given the task of breaking down the prop-erties, all from the Médoc but one, Château Haut Brion from Graves, into five levels of quality. At the end of the exercise, four sat at the top of the hierarchy — Château Lafite Rothschild, Château Haut-Brion, Château Margaux and Château Latour. They were colloquially called First Growths, with the other 54 properties relegated to Second, Third, Fourth and Fifth Growth status.

The list was determined primarily by the prices these wines fetched back in the day. The so-called 1855 Classification has, for the most part, remained sacrosanct throughout history with one major alter-ation — the elevation of Château Mouton Rothschild to First Growth status in 1973 after then agriculture minister Jacques Chi-rac finally passed a long-desired decree.

With the 1855 Classification came the outrageously high prices we pay to-day for these First Growth wines (thanks a lot, Napoléon III!), sometimes $1,000 or more per bottle on release and far more by the time they are traded at auc-tions around the world.

Other classifications exist for wines — mostly in Bordeaux, Burgundy and Al-sace — but none with the clout or audac-ity of the 1855 decree that continues to impact prices today.

There is history there, with a healthy dose of French swagger, mystique and intrigue. One thing is abundantly clear: It would be near impossible to duplicate such a bold system of rating estates — or wines — by their pedigree alone anywhere else in the modern wine world.

Not that it hasn’t been tried, mind you.

British wine writer Hugh Johnson famously declared Penfold’s Grange the “First Growth of the southern hemi-sphere.” Napa Valley’s Harlan Estate says in its vision statement that its goal is to produce a California “First Growth” from the hills of Oakville. Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars writes in its mission state-ment that it “has a long and distinguished wine reputation and is considered a Napa Valley First Growth estate.”

The Robert Mondavi winery in Napa Valley, now owned by Constellation Brands, refers in hushed tones to “Grand Cru” and “First Growth” when referring to the Cab-ernet Sauvignon from its most famous and historic property, the To Kalon Vineyard. According to Master of Wine Mark de Vere, a spokesman for the winery, terms like Vil-lage, Premier Cru and Grand Cru are used

You could just blame the incredibly large ego of Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte who, in his quest to showcase all that was great and cultured in his tidy little empire of

France, ordered his minions to create an arbitrary classification of the red wines on the Gironde, which were unveiled at the Paris Exposition Universelle in 1855.

THE RIGHT WORDS

by Rick VanSickle


“more as a metaphor” to describe the vari-ous parts of To Kalon.

“I think it is fair to suggest that To Kalon is one of the ‘Grand Cru’ sites of Napa Valley,” de Vere told me during a visit a year ago. “And I like to suggest that the Robert Mondavi Winery Re-serve Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the ‘First Growth’ wines of Napa, using the

Bordeaux analogy: not only is it based off a great vineyard, but there is a 40-plus-year track record of consistently produc-ing wines that can sit easily alongside any of the other great wines from Napa.”

Mondavi, Harlan, Stag’s Leap and Grange have history on their side or a prov-en track record to produce wines at the top echelons of quality. Many would argue (the Bordelais most vehemently) that us-ing First Growth in any context outside of Bordeaux is just plain blasphemous, but if you have the wine to at least stretch the imagination even a tiny bit, you might be able to deflect some of the criticism, right?

So, you can forgive the raised eye-brows and swift visceral reaction this past fall when an upstart wine project from the Okanagan Valley arrived in the world as a

self-anointed “First Growth” wine and po-sitioned the debut release at an incredible $165 a bottle (a three-bottle purchase at $495 per person).

There it is in stark white on black type on the splash page of the One Faith Vine-yard website:

“A First Growth from the Okanagan Valley.”

Ballsy? Yes. Appropriate? Yes/no/maybe.

Says Vancouver-based wine consul-tant and writer Kurtis Kolt, “Some brava-do, particularly if there is already acclaim, is totally cool — I mean, all wineries em-ploy hyperbole. My issue is with the mar-keting inference that they are the absolute best, the Okanagan’s first ‘First Growth’ wine. It’s dismissive of the quality and hard work done by those who have come before them (and helped pave the way for them) in the region.”

Toronto-based wine writer Tony Aspler agrees with Kolt: “The term First Growth in Canada is meaningless. It’s a Bordeaux clas-sification. It’s a marketing device aligned with the price. It’s the market that deter-mines if it is a ‘First Growth’ or not.”

That aside, Aspler adds, “in the New World, there is no reason to adopt a hier-archical classification.”

The owner of One Faith Vineyard, Bill Lui, a first-generation Chinese Ca-nadian and successful Vancouver busi-nessman, is well aware of the controver-sy surrounding his debut vintage of the Bordeaux-style red he has just released. But he also knows how much hard work, planning and expense that has gone into producing the wine.

Lui assembled a top-notch team that includes celebrated Napa Valley-based winemaker Anne Vawter, well-respected viticulturist Richard Cleave and business advisor Harry McWatters, an icon in the BC and Canadian wine industry.

The grapes for the blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc are grown to Lui’s specifications on Oli-ver’s coveted Black Sage Bench (on lease from McWatter’s Sundial Vineyard) with insanely low yields between one and two tonnes per acre. Each varietal lot, which is hand-picked and hand-sorted, is whole-fruit cluster fermented in premium first-use French oak barrels.

To maximize the intensity of aromat-ics and flavour, the winery bleeds off 10 to 15 percent from each fermentation, thereby concentrating the final red blend. The drawn wine is bottled separately as a rosé and sold under “The Girls” label, with all of the profits donated to breast cancer research in BC.

The wine is finished and aged for 22 months in top French oak barriques and is not fined or filtered prior to bottling. Only 144 cases were made, with a goal in the future of no more than 500 cases with distribution spread between BC and Asian markets.

“My concept is about elegance, with balance between acidity, flavour and oak with nothing over-powering the other,” says Lui, who was weaned on the wines of Bordeaux, and in particular, the First Growth wines of Bordeaux.

Lui saw a lot of Bordeaux in the reds of the Okanagan when he tried his first bot-tle over six years ago with his viticultur-ist Cleave. “It was rich and flavourful,” he says, “but when compared to French wine, it wasn’t quite right. I thought I might be able to make it more to my taste, a more el-egant wine. I made a challenge to myself.”

With One Faith, Bill Lui believes using the term First Growth evokes an image of elegance people will find attractive.


The wine is remarkable, no ques-tion about that. It shows concentrated berries, currants, ripe black cherry and gorgeous oak spices on the nose. It is the structure, texture and finesse on the pal-ate that sets this apart from others, along with the concentration of fruit and spice through a long finish. It is an impressive wine out of the gate.

IF YOU ASK LUI now about the brazen statement on his website, the words that have rankled so many — “A First Growth from the Okanagan” — he will tell you that it’s an objective, not a proclamation.

“It’s actually our goal to produce a ‘First Growth’ in the Okanagan Valley. It is a mission. And I think, in time, people will view it as a First Growth in the Okanagan.”

The early buzz for the wine has found support in high places. Noted BC wine critic and writer, John Schreiner, wrote: “If One Faith succeeds, and I believe it will, this wine is a game changer for the Okanagan. If Bill can get collectors to pay Bordeaux prices for Okanagan wines, his peers will be able to do the same.” Sch-reiner gave the wine 95 points in one of the first reviews recorded.

This from McWatters, who has a vest-ed interest in the wine: “I believe that they’ve not only accomplished but also

exceeded their goal in producing Canada’s finest wine. Of all my years in the wine business in BC, this is without a doubt the most complex, well-balanced wine I’ve ever tasted from BC, and for that matter, probably from all of Canada.”

High praise, indeed.But not everyone is complimentary or

excited by the new kid on the block.“This project is obviously geared to-

wards the Asian market, which will of-ten pay ridiculous, inflated prices for BC wine,” said Kolt. “So as far as I can tell, other winemakers and wine proprietors see it for what it is. Word on the street is that it’s a great wine, but I don’t know anyone who says it’s worth $165. I hav-en’t tried it. Even if most thought it was worth $165, the issue most have is with the term First Growth, which is dismis-sive of colleagues … and can also lead to consumer confusion.”

One Canadian winery that has used the term “First Growth” on its labels since 2001 is Reif Estate Winery in Niag-ara-on-the-Lake. And it has been doing so without a whiff of controversy.

President of Reif, Klaus Reif, came up with the words First Growth from his native country of Germany. “Erstes Gewächs,” which means First Growth, or Grand Cru, is the Rheingau’s way of clas-sifying the top wines in that region.

“I was looking for something special to describe my designer wines,” says Reif.

Winemaker Roberto DiDomenico and Reif only bottle their “First Growth” wines under near-perfect conditions and only under the following strict guidelines: • No more than two-and-a-half tonnes per acre of fruit

• Vines have to be at least 12 years old • Picked at 24 Brix minimum • 24 months in new oak • The wine has to meet strict taste stan-dards (or it is declassified into other tiers)

“When all these requirements are met, we have our First Growths,” Reif says. They have only bottled these wines in 2001, 2002 and 2007 with 2012 re-maining a possibility.

Reif and DiDomenico both agree that they are not advocating for a classification system like the one used in Bordeaux or the Rheingau. “I would never be as arro-gant to say ‘my wine is a First Growth,’” he says. “It’s winery-specific, the best we can make at our estate.”

Arrogance? Confidence? Provocative marketing? Whatever you may think of the leap of faith Bill Lui has taken with his wine, no matter how good it is or how expensive, one thing is certain: Only the passage of time will determine One Faith Vineyards’s rank in the pecking order of Okanagan wines. ×

Klaus Reif and winemaker Roberto DiDomenico don’t shy away from the term First Growth. They’ve been using it since 2001.


FOUR YEARS AGO, ON MY FIRST VISIT TO AUSTRIA, MY OBJECTIVE WAS TO IMMERSE MYSELF IN THE WORLD OF GRÜNER VELTLINER AND RIESLING. Combined, they are the vinous ambassadors, a perceived high-quality duo, and represent the majority of plantings. That was then. On my return last year, it was time to turn my attention to a darker shade. Pro-ducers are in the middle of releasing their 2011 and 2012s — two standout back-to-back vintages, which are considered on par with the superb 2009s and 2006s.

RED WINE CHALLENGEAccording to Christian Zechmeister, managing director of Wein Burgenland, “the big challenge for our winemakers is to com-pete with top products from all over the world. In blind tastings, Austrian red wines are regularly one of the top — so we are do-ing quite well. The only real problem is the small amount of wine that we are producing. Austria will never be a big player quanti-ty-wise, but quality-wise. Quality is our chance!”

35 years ago, red plantings accounted for 15 percent. Today, the ratio is almost one-third. That said, most feel that red plant-ings have been maxed out due to two factors: first, demand for premium whites, both on the local and international markets is at an all-time high; second is the limited terrain, which is directly affected by the confluence of the Pannonian and Mediterranean climates that run between the 47th and 48th parallel. The Panno-nian climate produces the highest levels of sunshine (over 2,000 sun hours) in all of Central Europe. The Mediterranean climate creates the warmest temperatures in Austria. Combined, they push red grapes to full maturity. In the evening, temperatures turn cool, which preserves acidity, creating wines that feature a combination of ripe fruit and refreshing personalities.

THE GRAPESAustria grows 13 red varietals and has based its industry, primar-ily, on indigenous varietals. After tasting through hundreds of reds at last year’s VieVinum, Austria’s largest international wine festival held at the glorious Hofburg Palace in Vienna, I have put the following overview together.

ZWEIGELTIn the past, I have described Zweigelt as Austria’s equivalent to Gamay in Beaujolais. Both grapes are prone to high yields and, when left to their own devices, they tend to produce simple wines. With regimented vineyard practices and ethical treatment in the winery, quality is fabulous.

Today, unequivocally, Zweigelt is Austria’s top performer in terms of quality. This crossing of St Laurent and Blaufränk-isch was created in 1922 and now accounts for 14 percent of all plantings. It is early ripening, producing rich wines with a purple-red colour, soft tannins and a distinct cherry flavour. Both oaked and non-oaked versions exist. It is also blended with other national and international varietals to produce a selection of top end cuvée wines.

BLAUFRÄNKISCHThis noble grape’s origins were first documented in Austria back in the 18th century. Elsewhere in Europe, it is known as Lemberger and/or Kékfrankos. Stylistically, the wines tend to be sturdier when compared against the opulence of Zweigelt. Age helps to show its pedigree, as there is usually a high level of tannin. Red and dark fruit, as well as a pleasing earthiness, help to define the grape.

“Austria’s red wine culture only started in the mid-‘80s and the real potential of Austrian red is a new phe-nomenon — even for ourselves!”Willi Klinger, Managing Director of Austrian Wine

the rise of the phoenixby Evan Saviolidis


PINOT NOIR (BLAUBURGUNDER, BLAUER SPÄTBURGUNER)It makes sense that this cool-climate varietal has found a place in Austrian viticulture. Pinot Noir probably came to Austria with the German Zisterziensern Monks. Between 1999 and 2009, acreage increased 58 percent, but it only accounts for less than two percent of all plantings. For such a small production, quality tends to be high, and for my dollar, is tied with Blaufränkisch for second place in terms of quality.

Still skeptical? In the last three years, Austrian Pinot Noir has bested the world elite in blind tastings, twice. This includes the famed Burg-hound DRC (Domaine de la Romanée Conti) vs The World blind tasting. Impressive stature indeed!

ST LAURENTThe name for this grape is derived from St Lawrence Day (Au-gust 10), when the grape starts its verasion. Many producers extoll the virtues of this grape, which accounts for less than two percent of plantings. That said, the majority of what I sam-pled tended to be hard and austere — and my least favourite of the indigenous varietals.

BLAUER WILDBACHERThis old variety, which was probably cultivated by the Celts, was first documented back in the 16th century. Its home is in the Styria region, where the climate is the warmest, helping the grape to stave off frost and rot while ripening late into the season. Hallmarks of this varietal tend to be red fruit and herbs.

CABERNET SAUVIGNON AND MERLOTThe majority of both these varietals were planted between the late 1980s and 1990s, and have now plateaued. Combined, they account for less than three percent of all plantings. Many feel that Merlot is well suited to the Austrian terroir because of its early ripening nature. In practice, only a few winemakers pro-duce a varietal Merlot — most use the grape as a blending partner with Cab Sauv, producing superb medium- to full-bodied reds with classic Bordelaise flavours.

You can also find the occasional Franco-Austrian cuvée that includes Zweigelt, Blaufränkisch and/or St Laurent, which are singular and tasty.

THE OTHERSBlauberger is a soft and easy drinking variety that grows well in most soils. Because of its dark colour, it is usually used as blending fodder with the occasional mono-varietal making an appearance. Blauer Portugieser arrived from the Douro Valley circa 1770. Since the end of last century, its acreage has dropped by 31 per-cent and now represents only three and a half percent of all plant-ings. It produces rather simple wines with pale colour. And then there is Syrah. Its climactic malleability allows peppery Northern Rhône versions and opulent New World styles to be made.

PRIME LANDAustria’s red growing areas are located in the east, south of the capital of Vienna, where the climate and soil conditions are nearly perfect for producing top-quality red wines. The main region is Burgenland, but there’s also Thermenregion and Carnuntum, two smaller areas that produce high-quality reds on a regular basis.

BURGENLANDThis, the most famous area, has been dubbed the land of sun-shine. Contained within are four smaller appellations. The first, Neusiedlersee, which borders Hungary, makes reds from Zwei-gelt — either mono-varietal or blends. The pure Zweigelts will be labelled with the term “Klassik|. The blends must contain a minimum of 60 percent Zweigelt, with the remainder indigenous varietals, and will be designated Reserve.

To the west of Neusiedlersee is Leithaberg, which produces Blaufränkisch wines. Theoretically, the wines can contain up to 15 percent other red grape matter. In practice, it is usually 100 percent. The law here mandates one year of aging in barrel and a minimum alcohol of 12.5 percent.

Mittelburgenland is the centre of red wine production and is best understood by its nickname, Blaufränkischland, as the majority of the 5,000 acres is planted to the variety. Once again, there are two levels of quality: Klassik and Reserve, with the lat-ter requiring longer aging and a slightly higher alcohol content. There are also some fine Cabernet/Merlot blends to be had.

Eisenberg essentially copies its neighbour to the north, Mit-telburgenland. It is all about Blaufränkisch, albeit on a smaller scale; both Klassik and Reserve designations are in play.

CARNUNTUM AND THERMENREGION Both appellations are located within Niederösterreich (Low-er Austria), border Burgenland and share the same climate. Carnuntum, with its sandy soils, means that Zweigelt, Caber-net Sauvignon and Merlot have found a symbiotic relationship. There is also some serious Blaufränkisch now being made. The other, Thermenregion, has over 2,000 years of wine-making history, first with the Roman legions and then by the monks, who rejuvenated viticulture during the middle ages. All said, the northern portion, which is cooler, produces white; while the southern portion produces red in the form of Pinot Noir and St Laurent.

WESTEIRMARKLocated on the Slovenian border, within the larger Steiermark (Styria), Westeirmark is famous for producing wines from Blau-er Wildbacher, a red grape with nebulous origins and a cult fol-lowing. It is famous for producing a dry rosé that goes by the name Schilcher, which is meant to be drunk in its youth. The same grape can also produce powerful, dark and tannic reds. These wines can be easily identified by the picture of a Lippizan-er stallion on the bottle. ×


01 Even though indigenous grapes are king in Sicily, a lot of French varietals are making their way into the vineyards; 02 Graci’s Alberto Aiello; 03 Michele Faro from Pietradolce; 04 Feudo Maccari’ s Dr Antonio Moretti Cuseri; 05 A soft touch in the vineyard adds to the complexity of the wines

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THE RESURGENCE OF SICILY AS ONE OF THE GREATS IS ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING STORIES OF THE LAST COUPLE OF DECADES. Gone are the days when the island was known only for the sweet wines of Marsala and cheap, poorly made table wines. Though a few stalwart pro-ducers such as Duca di Salaparuta made some decent bottles during the long lean years, it wasn’t until the late 1990s that the real revolution happened.

I attended a tasting at VinoVip in Cortina d’Ampezzo in 1998, where the major luminaries of the Italian wine world were as-sembled with their top offerings on hand. There was a major buzz in the room about an upstart Sicilian winery named Planeta. Its wines were original, exciting and obviously very high quality. Led by the Planeta family, the Rallos of Donnafugata and several oth-ers, Sicilian wine has subsequently continued to build steadily on quality and growing originality to stake its claim among the top Italian wine regions.

Initially, New Wave Sicily focused on international varieties. At a small gathering in 2011, Alessio Planeta, who heads up the family-owned operation, confided that his strategy was to excel at producing wines made from the same varieties that were made by winemakers on five continents. Only then, he felt, would Sicil-ian wines really be taken seriously.

Growing confidence and international acceptance has also brought with it a vibrant revival of ancient indigenous varieties. Sicily boasts over 20 such varieties, some quite localized and others that are much more widespread. About a dozen of these grapes are of real interest and some are good enough to hold their own against the most prestigious international varieties.

2004 marked the inception of Sicily en Primeur, an annu-al event showcasing to the international wine press the latest vintages and those currently on the market from the wineries belonging to Assovini Sicily, the leading Sicilian wine asso-ciation. The 11th edition took place last May, on the island of Vulcano in the legendary Aolian island chain. The still very active volcano, Stromboli, made a particularly dramatic back-drop to the proceedings.

Prior to the main event, some of the 70 wine journalists from Italy and around the world, split into smaller groups touring var-ious regions of Sicily. Having visited several in the past, I chose the south-eastern tour, from Butera to Noto, which was new ter-ritory for me. The wine notes that follow include tastings at these south-eastern wineries as well as the formal tastings of wines from 35 producers from all regions represented on Vulcano.

THE UNIQUE ETNA REGION Fine wine is made almost everywhere in Sicily, but the volcanic soils on the slopes of still-erupting Mount Etna are delivering truly remarkable bottlings. The resurgent Etna region has gained growing prominence mainly for outstanding red wines made from the Nerello Mascalese grape. Though grown elsewhere in Sicily, it is in this unique terroir that this local variety approach-es greatness. Nerello Mascalese, like Cabernet Sauvignon, can be a little forbidding by itself. Blending with small quantities of a secondary grape, Nerello Cappuccio, makes it more approach-able as well as providing greater complexity, much the same way as Merlot does for Cabernet Sauvignon in Bordeaux.

Although the Etna story has been mainly about the reds, some outstanding whites, made primarily from the local Car-ricante grape, are now gaining prominence in their own right. These finely focused, aromatic, minerally wines have great acid-ity and age-worthiness.

WHITEBARONE DI VILLAGRANDE 2013, ETNA BIANCO IGT ($14)Mellow yet subtle yellow fruit scents backed by a firm whiff of mineral lead into a quite austere yet elegant palate with excellent minerality and acidity softened by light creaminess on the finish.

BARONE DI VILLAGRANDE 2010, ETNA BIANCO SUPERIORE IGT ($14)Deep golden colour with good depth of lemon citrus fruit, contrasting creaminess, stern minerality and pronounced acidi-ty with a touch of melon, crisp stone fruit and a lick of cream-ery butter on the finish.

COTTANERA ETNA BIANCO 2013, SICILY IGT ($16)Very pale green showing green fruit and pronounced green herbal notes; this one seems rather clumsy and underripe.

GRACI ETNA 2013, ETNA BIANCO DOC ($30)Fragrant melon and citrus on the nose with similar themes playing through in the mouth. Shows great acidity and gravelly mineral balanced by attractive creaminess on the very dry finish. Polished, age-worthy wine.

Sicily en Primeur?by Sean Wood


PIETRADOLCE 2013, ETNA BIANCO ARCHINERA DOC ($20)Made from pre-phylloxera Carricante grapes, this deeply co-loured wine yields up ripe yellow pear with light buttered toast and a trace of floral and fruity perfume. Characteristic mineral and acidity kick in on the palate, nicely balancing the depth of fruit. A fine and very interesting wine.

BAGLIO DI PIANETTO FICILIGNO 2013, SICILY IGT ($13)A blend of Insolia with around 12% Viognier, this is a harmo-nious wine revealing floral and rounded stone fruit aromatics with white peach, mineral and lightly buttery sensations on the palate. With its adroitly balanced acidity, it is a fine apéritif or accompaniment for lighter seafood.

COS PITHOS BIANCO GRECANICO 2012, SICILY IGT ($20)Good aromatic depth reveals tropical floral perfume and honeyed yellow fruit. Flavours are gentler than the nose suggests with sub-tle citrus, mango with a trace of banana and creamery butter. Con-trasting mineral and refreshing acidity provide grip on the finish.

CUSUMANO CUBIA INZOLIA 2012, SICILY IGT ($15)Peach, apricot, lemon with a touch of honeycomb come through in a well-rounded body balanced with good acidity and light minerality. Finishes with a touch of butter cream and mineral grip. Very stylish wine with definite crowd appeal.

DONNAFUGATA SURSUR GRILLO 2013, SICILY BIANCO DOC ($12)Light floral and citrus scents with a hint of minty herb shift to subtle apple-pear flavours on the palate. This is a mildly fla-voured white, ideal as an apéritif.

FUEDO MACCARI GRILLO 2012, SICILY IGT ($15)Displays crisp white peach, great chalky minerality and lively acid-ity. Although from a cool vintage, shows excellent focus, though a little less fruit than is typical.

VALLE DELL’ACATE TENUTA IBIDINI 2013, INSOLIA IGT ($14)Very lemony, almost like fresh squeezed lemon, with delicate creamy texture and contrasting mineral grip. Clean as a whistle on the finish. Simple, but elegant.

TENUTA GATTI INZOLIA/GRILLO 2012, MAMERTINO DOC ($17)Intriguing combination of aromatic lemon drops, grapefruit and spring flowers shifting towards stone fruit and crisp grapefruit with contrasting creaminess in the mouth. Shows a trace of smoky mineral on the finish.

MUSITA REGIETERRE GRILLO 2013, SICILY IGT ($16)Limpid fresh green apple and citrus fruit are melded in a har-monious, lightly buttery package, shifting to very dry mineral grip on the finish.

REDSMARCHESI DI SAN GIULIANO ROSSO 2008, SICILY IGT ($20)The blend is predominantly Syrah with a lesser amount of Petit Verdot. Complex and powerful bouquet presents refined and developed fleshy red fruit in combination with layers of elusive spice. Muscular Syrah dominates in the mouth, with great depth as well as finesse. Superbly integrated fruit, spice and supporting oak on the finish.

PRINCIPI DI BUTERA DELIELLA 2012, SICILY DOC ($50)100% Nero d’Avola, Sicily’s signature red grape, with red berry, peppery and lightly astringent tannic notes on the nose. Good depth of raspberry fruit in a creamy rounded, milk chocolate accented texture with chocolate lingering on the finish.

PRINCIPI DI BUTERA SYMPOSIO 2012, SICILY IGT ($25)A Sicilian “Bordeaux” blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot showing refined dark fruit of blackcurrant, black cherry, cinnamon and clove with a splash of milk chocolate on the dry tannic finish. Needs 3 to 5 years in the cellar.

FUEDO MACCARI SAIA 2012, SICILY IGT ($20)Notes of sweet redcurrant, red cherry with oaky astringency, a faint herbal overtone, milk chocolate smoothness but finishing with very dry tannic grip. Needs time to integrate more fully.

PLANETA FRAPPATO 2013, VITTORIO DOC ($27)Attractive fleshy red fruit with red cherry in the foreground backed by stony mineral, and sound tannic-acid balance. Culmi-nates in a dry finish accented by a light lick of chocolate.

PLANETA 2007, CERASUOLO DI VITTORIO DOCG ($20)Cerasuolo di Vittorio remains Sicily’s only DOCG Appellation to date. The blend is 60% Nero d’Avola and 40% Frappatto. It is the lesser-known Frappatto that seems to add the necessary complexity to bring out the best in Nero d’Avola. Notwithstanding the bottle age, this fine example offers fragrant fresh fruitiness with some savoury notes, a light touch of earthiness and subtle red cherry, finishing with a hint of chocolate and slightly drying tannic grip.

FUEDO MACCARI SYRAH 2012, SICILY IGT ($25)Another example of Syrah’s ready adaptation to Sicily, showing raspberry and peppery spice scents with rounded fruit and good depth of flavour, a touch of chocolate and typically dry tannic finish. Give it 3 years more in the cellar.

DESSERTPLANETA PASSITO DI NOTO 2012, NOTO DOC ($45)Intense floral perfume shows blossom, honeyed and dried citrus character. Flavours are sweet but not cloying, with honeyed citrus and fruit perfume lingering on the finish. ×


A cask to remember.

THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES WHEN I’VE BEEN DYING FOR A COLD BEER. But I never imagined dying of cold for a beer.

Okay, I wasn’t exactly “dying,” but I was definitely underdressed and quite thoroughly chilled, out on the patio of Toronto’s Mill Street Brewhouse on a frigid night in November. The occasion? The tapping of the first of the company’s “12 Casks of Christmas” specialty beers. Adam Stiles, meteorologist for CityNews television, was given final pointers on the delicate art of spigot ramming by Bridgid Young, brewer at Mill Street Brewery, before winding up and having at it.

Half expecting to be showered with freezing, pear-infused Tankhouse Ale (a partridge in a pear tree in keeping with the theme, right?), I strategically stationed myself behind the CityNews cameraman. Him being bigger than me ensured adequate protection in the event of a caskplosion. Also, being behind the camera guaranteed I wouldn’t actually be caught on it, protecting my identity from those seeking to do harm (CRA, OPP, CSIS, North Korea, wine producers whose wares I’ve scored less than 85, etc). Turns out Stiles was actually a rather gifted “tappist,” and the gaggle of media types gathered around each wound up with a glass full, rather than a face full, of the subtly fruity, definitely hoppy brew.

by Tod Stewart


OVER THE NEXT COUPLE WEEKS, 11 more “themed” casks would be tapped at Mill Street, including the likes of Calling Birds (a cask-conditioned Chai Porter), Pipers Piping (a peppermint-infused, cask-conditioned number) and the Maids A-Milking Chocolate Milk Stout.

Since beer, unlike wine, can be crafted throughout the year, brewmasters have the luxury of creating them when they choose as opposed to when nature necessarily dictates. And because brewmasters seem to love experimenting, they are free (or as free as corporate dictates and consumer palates decree) to indulge in some rather creative interpretations of your standard suds. Wel-come to the frothy world of “seasonal” and “specialty” beers.

Before getting into the nuts and bolts of these brews, it’s probably not a bad idea to define exactly what we are talking about. Most breweries have their core lineup that is more or less always available. Seasonals and specialties obviously fall outside this range. But what differentiates one from the other? Isn’t a seasonal simply a specialty brewed at different times of the year?

“A specialty beer is one that doesn’t fit a specific category — most of the time using unusual brewing techniques or unusual ingredients,” explains Jerry Vietz, brewmaster at Quebec’s re-spected Unibroue craft brewery. “A seasonal beer is one offered for a limited time during a specific time of year.”

Okay, so seasonal beer could be a specialty beer as well?“It depends on the brewer,” suggests Young. “We brew the

same seasonals every year and release them at the same time. We also brew specialty beers. I don’t want to say these are ‘one-offs,’ because some, like our Barley Wine, are brewed every year at the same time, which makes them almost ‘seasonal specialties.’”

Vietz concludes that a seasonal beer could fit into the spe-cialty classification as well, so long as it doesn’t fit into a specific category, and if it is intended to be brewed only for a limited time.

No matter how they’re defined, it’s pretty clear that both sea-sonals and specialties are unique offerings that differ, usually fairly substantially, from a brewery’s everyday stock. That being said, sometimes a seasonal or specialty turns out to be so suc-cessful that it merits a place on the standard roster.

“This happened once,” informs Dougal Sharp, CEO of Scot-tish crafter brewer Innis & Gunn. “We first brewed and released Innis & Gunn Rum Cask in 2008 and it flew off the shelves, prov-ing to be a huge success. From then, we fielded so may enquires … that we decided to brew it again in response.”

The Innis & Gun Rum Cask was released as part of both the 2009 and 2010 gift packs. As of 2011, it became a core brand with a name change to Rum Finish to reflect the use of the company’s in-genious Oakerators to mature the final product, as opposed to aging in actual rum casks. (Check the company’s website for full details.)

Vietz recalls a similar situation where one of his one-offs be-came a yearly staple, in this case, the Unibroue 17.

“The original batch bottled in 2007 was awarded an interna-tional platinum medal three years in a row and the prestigious title ‘World’s Best Dark Ale’ and ‘Best Strong Dark Ale’ at the World Beer Awards,” Vietz recounts. “The overwhelming suc-cess of this specialty brew made it obvious that we could not let such a great ale slip into the anonymity of retirement. So in 2011, we proudly brought back 17 with the ‘Grande Réserve’ appella-tion as a fitting endorsement of its exceptional quality for aging.”

Vietz has a particular soft spot for the hugely successful 17. He notes that back in 2007, the practice of maturing beer in oak casks was a growing trend and Unibroue fans were suggesting he try his hand at it. Vietz did, but with a bit of a twist. Craft beers were (and are) often matured in ex-spirit barrels (whisky, rum, etc). But fol-lowing this (or any other) trend was not Unibroue’s thing.

“As a pioneer and a leader in the world of craft brewing, we do not want to follow a trend,” Vietz admits. “Against the pop-ular trend, I decided to use new French oak rather than barrels in which another product had been aged. The goal was to come out with a beer where the oaky character would not take over the other flavours and aromas, but just confer a pleasant, clean, oaky finish with subtle vanilla undertones.”

Vietz’s instinct proved spot-on. To date, this yearly brew has racked up 14 international medals.

Of course, as much as the freedom to experiment appeals to creative brewers, not every whimsical stroke of alchemy results in award-winning ambrosia.

“There have been a few flops,” Young concedes, yet adds that some that miss the mark, as far as she and brewmaster Joel Man-ning are concerned, may still end up doing rather well commer-cially. “We still get emails requesting the return of beers we knew we’d never do again, which leaves us kind of scratching our heads. I mean, as brewers, we know that it didn’t turn out as intended, but our customers aren’t privy to that behind-the-scenes conver-sation and can approach it in a completely unbiased way.”

Dougal Sharp from Innis & Gunn


It’s a good point. Wine lovers may recall the story of white Zinfandel. It was an experiment that, in the winemaker’s eyes, went totally off the rails, but it ended up spawning a wildly profit-able new category … for better or worse.

UNLIKE WINEMAKERS, BREWERS HAVE A RATHER WIDE PALETTE OF FLAVOUR ENHANCERS AT THEIR DISPOSAL. But how do they decide what to use? Do seasonal beers follow any specific flavour patterns and where does the in-spiration for specialty brews come from?

“Our team usually comes up with a number of ideas for our seasonal releases,” says Sharp. “In fact, everyone in the company is encouraged to make suggestions. We [also] take into account what style of beer people prefer to drink at specific times of the year and try to time our releases accordingly. Summer releases could be more refreshing, lighter and/or fruitier. Fall for many companies would be pumpkin or spiced, although we tend to look to something with a medium body and stay away from those types of flavour profiles. For winter, we look for a more robust styles, such as a porter or stout.”

Most brewers I spoke to follow a more or less similar ap-proach, with the crisper/fruitier beers of spring and summer leading to richer/spicier brews in the fall, which, in turn, usher in the winter ales and barley wines. Inspiration, however, is a bit more individual.

Customer comments and demands certainly play a role in helping a brewer decide what to try next, but the final call is of-ten more personal.

“I really enjoy cooking as well as brewing,” Vietz reveals. “Therefore, in the brewhouse, as in the kitchen, the secret of success lies in balancing multiple flavours. My goal is always to create a flavourful beer. That’s why, when I create a beer, I do not use only the typical ingredients normally used for beer, but also … spices, herbs, flowers, fruits, etc. The choice and dosage of ingre-dients is crucial to achieve the harmony that leads to a perfectly balanced and flavourful product.”

If a little experimentation can be a good thing, can too much experimentation take things over the top? There’s been a fair amount of chatter in beer geek circles about brewers who have been judged to have taken it all too far. The result, they claim, is the creation of potions that are hardly even recognizable as beer. Young puts a more positive spin on it all.

“I don’t want to say things have gone too far,” she cautions. “At the end of the day, the nice thing about the craft beer move-ment is that, as a consumer, your options continue to get great-er and greater every single year. So if you’re a puritan, then you can be happy because every year there will be more and more brewers adhering to those traditional styles, digging back into historic recipes to find ways of leaving their own, subtle mark on the tried and true.

“If you swing way over to the other side and are interested in experimental things no one has tried before, you have that option as well. It comes down to a balance between the brewmaster’s creative philosophy and what, in the end, the consumer wants. I’d never say there’s something wrong with having all the choices. It’s great for everyone.”

Cheers to that! ×

UNIBROUE LA RÉSOLUTION 10% ABV, QUEBEC ($9)A limited edition, spiced dark ale based on a recipe brew-master Jerry Vietz concocted for his friends. “I wanted to offer my guests a spicy ale with fine bubbles, a rich, persistent head and a full flavourful taste experience,” he says. By all accounts, he succeeded. Almost black in colour with forward, fruity/gingery notes supported by toffee and caramel. On the palate, gingersnap (with the 10% ABV adding snap to the snap), fruitcake, and caramel. A touch of sweetness. Perfect balance.

INNIS & GUNN MALT WHISKY TRAIL 7.4% ABV, SCOTLAND ($3/330 ML)The base for this cask-matured beer is a 90-shilling ale — also known as a “wee heavy.” It was matured in casks sourced from five distilleries representing the main distilling regions of Scotland for 30 days prior to blend-ing. Cereal grains, malt, dried fruit, oatmeal, and maple aromas segue into a rich, layered palate that conjures flavours of carrot cake, brown butter, treacle and toffee. Finishes long and smooth.

INNIS & GUNN CANADIAN CHERRYWOOD FINISH 7.4% ABV, SCOTLAND ($3/330 ML)Both this and the Malt Whisky Trail are personal favou-rites of Innis & Gunn CEO Dougal Sharp. “Canadian Cherrywood was a challenge to match a really complex malt grist with black Cherrywood and maple syrup in the maturation,” he admits, adding: “The end result was really delicious.” No argument here. Aromas lean toward peachy fruit, buckwheat honey, raisin and maple; flavours suggest liquorice, sultana, maple syrup, caramel and toasty malt.

MILL ST BREWERY DAMMERUNG DUNKEL 5% ABV, ONTARIO ($3/330 ML)Sold as part of Mill Street’s 2014/15 Seasonal Sampler six-pack, this German-style dark lager incorporates four types of malt and aromatic German hops. Rich, roasted malt top notes with dark chocolate and coffee following though. The palate is rich with smoky/malty nuances, a whisper of bitter chocolate, and toasted dark bread notes. Finishes crisp and dry.

MILL ST BREWERY A WINTER’S ALE 7% ABV, ONTARIO ($3/330 ML)Another selection from Mill Street’s 2014/15 Seasonal Sampler six-pack. A traditional English-style “Old Ale” flavoured with honey and spices. Ginger, buckwheat honey and caramelized brown sugar aromas lead in to a medium- to full-bodied brew with flavours of baking spice, gingerbread and honeyed malt. A touch of sweetness can be detected, though the finish is long and dry.


THIS SPANISH ARCHIPELAGO, symbolized by the little bird, consists of seven islands located in the Atlantic east of the Afri-can coast near Morocco, about 1,100 km south of the mainland. The islands are of volcanic origin, young ones at that, so steep that the landscape has been described as a natural roller coaster. These are the Canary Islands.

But the landscape isn’t the only roller coaster. The climate to the north is often shaded by a “sea of clouds,” which results in hu-mid oceanic air blown by strong winds butting against the moun-tainside and cooling as it rises. That means a good deal of rain — about the same as in eastern Canada. The south face is under a different influence. Here there is dry air coming from the nearby African coast, a lot of sunshine and the occasional sandstorm. In all cases, the Atlantic waters keep the temperature to a stable 17 to 25˚C all year long, going down to 13˚C on the mountaintops.

There were no grapes on the islands prior to the arrival of Spanish and other European immigrants in the late 15th and ear-ly 16th centuries. The wines were prized in England until the end of the 17th century, when abusive price practices and an oidium epidemic killed the industry. Reduced to local consumption, the wines were long forgotten, but the 1980s saw a revival, fuelled by the arrival of a new generation of winemakers.

They realized the potential: for 500 years, the vines had evolved in isolation from the rest of the world. Phylloxera did not make it to those shores, so no grafting was used and vines more than 100 years old could be found. Today, most varieties have lost their original names, but many have actually evolved and taste different than their parent. The strong influence of the volca-nic soil also contributes to their uniqueness. If some reds still have an air of “work-in-progress,” many of the whites seem quite achieved and are drinking beautifully.

WHITESBODEGAS LOS BERMEJOS DIEGO SECO ECOLOGICO 2013, DO LANZAROTE ($26.50)100% Diego, a local name for Vijariego originating from Anda-lucía in Spain, where it has almost disappeared. Lanzarote is the DO of the island of the same name. Of pale colour, the nose is minerally with discreet fruit. Sharp and delicately flavoured, its texture is fatty. The finish is long and slightly oily.

BODEGA FRONTOS BLANCO SECO ECOLOGICO 2013, DO ABONA ($24.50)100% Listan Blanco, which is Palomino fino (as in sherry). Abona is one of the 5 appellations located on the main island of Tenerife. Powerful nose of cat’s pee, floral and mineral. Light bodied, thanks in part to residual carbonic gas; it tastes almost salty and very fresh.

BODEGAS FRONTON DE ORO ALBILLO SECO 2013, DO GRAN CANARIA ($21.50)The DO Gran Canaria covers about 75% of that island. Golden colour. Intriguing nose of exotic fruit, and very soft spicy and fresh menthol-like notes, reminiscent of a sweet Muscat but it is dry with a clean taste. Well balanced. Very good. 100% Albillo Criollo appears to exist only in the Canaries.

BODEGAS EL PENITENTE ARAUTAVA FINCA LA HABANERA, DO VALLE DE LA OROTAVA ($28.50)Orotava occupies the central portion of Tenerife. Very pale colour. Intense nose of mineral and floral notes with a touch of lemon. Medium body with a racy, slightly tartaric acidity. Long finish. Would go amazingly with a lemon pepper and panko encrusted white fish.

BODEGAS VINATIGO MARMAJUELO 2013, DO YCODEN DAUTE ISORA ($28)From the island of Tenerife, it shows a very pale yellow colour. Fine nose, perfumed with a light touch of wet wool. Light on the palate, it drinks well on its own with its intense finish lifted by acidity. 100% Marmajuelo, indigenous to the islands.

BODEGAS VINATIGO VIJARIEGO BLANCO 2013, DO YCODEN DAUTE ISORA ($25)Pale golden colour. Intense, ripe nose, slightly oaky with tobacco and a hint of white flowers. Very dry; flavours are chiselled by acidity, its fatty texture fills the mouth. Good length, too.

BODEGAS VINATIGO GUAL 2012, DO YCODEN DAUTE ISORA ($25)100% Gual, the local name of Portuguese Malvasia Fina. Very pale. Delicate, pleasant fruity nose. Light and clean with precise flavours; perfectly balanced, it drinks beautifully. Great on its own as you dream of summer.

by Gilles Bois

CANARY


BODEGAS MONJE DRAGO BLANCO 2013, DO ISLAS CANARIAS ($24)Inviting, candied fruit nose, perfumed and nicely fresh. Round on the palate with only moderate acidity. Semi-dry texture. Very pleasant.

BODEGAS TAJINASTE AFRUTADO 2013, DO ISLAS CANARIAS ($21.50)Listan Blanco and 5% Moscatel (Muscat d’Alexandrie). Very pale. Perfumed, floral and citrusy, it seduces the nose. Lively acidity accompanied by a fatty roundness in the mid-palate and a semi-dry medium body.

REDSBODEGAS LOS BERMEJOS LISTAN NEGRO M.C. 2013, DO LANZAROTE ($24.50)100% Listan Negro, an indigenous variety according to DNA anal-ysis, but long believed to be a colour mutation of Listan Blanco. Very young (purplish) colour and nose of red fruit (raspberry, cherry). Without oak, its drinkability and generous fresh fruit taste is reminiscent of vin nouveau (M.C. stands for macération carbonique), but in a more concentrated interpretation.

BODEGA FRONTOS TINTO CLASSICO 2013, DO ABONA ($39)Dark ruby. Intriguing nose of strawberry shortcake, sweet apples and sugar candy. Light to medium body with chewy tannins turn-ing a bit rough on the finish. 100% Baboso Negro, the local name of Alfrocheiro, a Portuguese variety.

BODEGAS MONJE TINTO MONJE 2013, DO ISLAS CANARIAS ($24.50)Listan Negro with 5% Listan Blanco and 2% Negramoll. Negramo-ll is the local name for Spanish Mollar. Ruby purple. Soft spices and red fruit, candied but not jammy. Medium body, supple tan-nins; well-balanced but it lacks in finesse. Nice tight finish.

BODEGA TAJINASTE TINTO ROBLE 2012, DO ISLAS CANARIAS ($27.50)Dark ruby. Black fruit, eucalyptus and charred oak. The firm acid-ity accentuates the feeling of the tannins that seem a bit dry in a medium-bodied mid-palate. Dry finish.

BODEGAS VINATIGO VIJARIEGO NEGRO 2012, DO ISLAS CANARIAS ($32.50)100% Vijariego Negro (local name for Spanish Sumoll). Medium ruby. Light fruity nose with notes of fruit pits. Simple but pleasant fruity taste, medium body and acidity. Well balanced.

BODEGAS CANDIDO HERNANDEZ PIO BALCON CANARIO TRADICIONAL 2013, DO TACORONTE DE ACENTEJO ($23.50)70% Listan Negro, 30% Negramoll, 10% Tintilla. Tintilla is the grape known as Bastardo in Spain, but it is really French Trousseau. Tacoronte-Acentejo is one of the 5 appellations of Tenerife Island. Purplish. Delicate notes of blackberries, spices and oak. Medium bodied and supple, it tastes mostly of fruit and is easy to drink.

BODEGAS EL PENITENTE FERMENTADO EN BARRICA 2012, DO VALLE DE LA OROTAVA ($29.50)Dark ruby. Blackberries, tar-like notes and a good deal of oak. Thick texture, lots of dry extract and fruity, clearly perceptible acidity adds a little bite.

BODEGA TAJINASTE CAN 2012, DO VALLE DE LA OROTAVA ($49.50)Listan Negro and Vijariego Negro in 50/50 mix. Dark colour. Notes of black fruit, balsamic, strong oak content with obvious coconut announcing a powerful palate but it is surprisingly only medium-bodied with supple tannins. Good balance in the compact, short finish. ×

CANARY

Bodegas Vinatigo’s Juán Jesús Méndez

Manuel, Hugo and Fernando Luengo from Bodegas Frontos


ORIGINATING FROM THE MALABAR COAST OF INDIA, PEPPER IS ONE OF THE OLDEST AND MOST COVETED SPICES. Referred to in ancient times as “black gold,” it was so prized that it was often used as a currency, particularly in Greece and Rome. During the middle ages, peppercorns replaced money for dowries and rents, hence the term “peppercorn rent” (a nom-inal fee to rent property, which still exists in modern day legal parlance). These days, good ol’ fashioned black pepper is such a pantry staple that we take “the king” for granted.

To help me prove pepper is no yawner, I paid a visit to Andrea Brockie (aka the Salt Queen, who also happens to know a thing or two about the king of spice), owner of Selsi Searocks in Toronto’s renowned St. Lawrence Market. Selsi’s wares are the gourmand’s rebuttal to boxed iodized table salt and lifeless ground pepper. Brockie offers an exotic array of salts and peppers from all over the world. Though Indonesia and India are the largest producers of peppercorns, she reveals that those from Vietnam and Cambo-dia are coming on strong. All “true” peppercorns, be they black, white or green, are offspring of the Piper nigrum pepper vine, Brockie explains, adding that the berries grow in clusters and are harvested at different stages of ripeness and processed different-ly. Each colour represents a different stage of maturity.

Green peppercorns are the first ones to be plucked from the vine. These unripe berries retain their deep green hue. They have a spicy, fresh, bright herbal aroma, and are milder in flavour than their black counterparts. You can eat them whole and still smile! Try them in a green peppercorn steak sauce; add them to a beef Penang curry; use them whole or chopped in soups, potato salad and pasta sauces. If you ever come across fresh green pepper-corns, buy them … and a lottery ticket! Since they are harvested when the berry is still green and unripe, fresh peppercorns are usually only readily available in pepper growing regions. They decay quickly if not dried or preserved, so they are rare and hard to come by. “October is the peak season for fresh green pepper-corns,” explains Brockie. It was my lucky day when I received a few clusters from a friend of mine (I also bought a lottery ticket that day). If you aren’t so fortunate to come across them (or lucky enough to have a friend like mine), you can find them air-dried, freeze-dried, as well as nestled in a jar floating in vinegar or salt brine at speciality grocery stores.

The ubiquitous black peppercorns are the next to be har-vested by the pepper guillotine (that could be in the form of hands or machines — Selsi’s peppers are all harvested by hand). Picked at the midway point of ripeness, black pepper-corns have a stronger flavour profile than green ones. Being left to dry and shrivel results in their trademark black colour. The outer husk imparts citrusy, woody, floral notes. Sniff with caution or else! Pepper, regardless of the variety, contains a chemical called piperine, which gives the berry its distinctive spicy flavour. The same thing that makes the pepper spicy to the tongue makes it irritating to the nose.

Black peppercorns are available whole, cracked or in pre-ground form. The smell and taste of pre-ground pepper fades quickly so, much like coffee, it’s best to purchase whole pep-percorns. When you’re ready to use them, grind, crush them by hand or even with the bottom of a heavy pan. For an unconven-tional way of using pepper, try grinding freshly cracked pepper on strawberries and see how it enhances the flavour of the berry. Ho-hum to yum-yum in a flash!

But my ultimate use of black pepper? I reunite black pepper with his loyal companion, sea salt, and good quality dark choco-late. The fruity pepper and the enhancing crunch of the salt add to the chocolate for a gastronomic trifecta! And, believe it or not, vanilla ice cream topped with cracked black pepper and a splash of peaty scotch (like Ardbeg) is also a unique palate-zapper!

White peppercorns are fully mature berries (which are ac-tually red or pinkish in colour) that have been soaked so the outer skin and flesh are removed to reveal the inner white seed. They lack the aroma of black pepper, but they have an intense, powerful flavour with a slightly earthy taste and smell from the soaking process. They can be found in whole or pre-ground form. While black pepper is more popular in North American kitchens, white pepper is commonly used in European cooking for aesthetic reasons. Blame it on the French (or Julia Child). She wasn’t a fan of seeing black pepper flecks in white sauces. The white pepper is also used in many Asian cuisines for its specific flavour. Recognized for its sharp bite, it is used to boost extra flavour in aromatic Vietnamese soups (pho), Thai meat marinades, spicy stir-fry and Chinese soups. Whenever I feel like I am coming down with the flu, I pay a visit to my local Chi-

ALL IT’S CRACK- ED UP TO BEHail to thee, o’ mighty pepper, the king of spice!

by Silvana Lau



nese restaurant and order a big bowl of hot and sour soup (aka “clear your sinuses” soup). The distinct pungent heat from the white pepper (the “hot”) clears my sinuses both when I am eat-ing the soup and inhaling the fragrant steam.

WHAT DO YOU MEAN THEY AREN’T PEPPERS?Here’s a revelation: what are sold as “pink peppercorns” and “Sichuan peppercorns” are not true peppers. Don’t let the word “peppercorn” confuse you. Although both the berries resemble peppercorns, they are not part of the Piper nigrum family. To add to the confusion, the term “pink peppercorns” is also used to re-fer to the ripened berries of the true pepper vine.

“Pink peppercorns are part of the Schinus bush, they are not true peppercorns. They are low-lying bushes that originated from South America,” clarifies Brockie. When dried, these rose-hued berries have a thin, fragile skin and have a pine-like flavour, resembling juniper berries with a lemony essence. As Brockie further explains, “traditionally, they are used in salads, desserts and with foie gras dishes where you don’t want the heat but you want the pepper taste.” However, those with tree nut allergies should err on the side of caution; these innocent-looking ber-ries are members of the cashew family (Anacardiaceae) and can cause the same serious, life threatening allergic reactions.

Not only used in food, pink peppercorns have been showing up in craft beers around the world, primarily lambic and saison styles. When added in small quantities, along with other herbs and spices during the brewing process, the beer takes on a fruity quality resembling golden raisins, plums, and/or juniper berries. These jewels were so tasty that I was snacking on them whole while sipping on a Double Imperial Ale from a local microbrew-ery. The sweet and citrus flavours of the peppercorn surprisingly (in a good way) complemented the tropical fruit, blueberry and cedar aromatics of the beer.

Sichuan pepper is another “pepper that isn’t.” An aromat-ic berry related to the prickly ash shrub, its rust-coloured husk splits to reveal a tiny black seed. It has a unique aroma and flavour that isn’t hot like other peppers. “Sichuan peppers are not hot at all, however they become hot and spicy when mixed with chili,” explains Brockie. Native to the Sichuan province of China, they are known as hua jiao, or “flower peppers.” In the ground form, Sichuan pepper is one of the ingredients for five-spice powder. The “peppercorn” has a faint lemony note and creates a slight, almost electric, buzzing numbness in the mouth that people can easily confuse as heat. Sichuan peppers are found as whole, split berries and require a little bit of prep work before using them. “The black seeds between the berries should be removed, they taste horrible and gritty,” Brockie winces. “Dry roasting them re-ally brings out the fragrance and changes the texture so that they aren’t too chewy.” Don’t let the prep work discourage you. Trust me, you will be rewarded for your efforts when you use them as a spice rub prior to roasting rich, fatty foods like duck or even as a condiment when mixed with salt to form a dip for crispy, deep-fried chicken wings. The tingling electrifying buzz that envelops your lips and tongue is truly addictive!

When purchasing any type of peppercorn, Brockie says to look for “whole uniform peppercorns with no twigs. Ground pepper loses half its flavour within one hour of grinding. Fresh-ness is based on when you grind.” Dried whole peppercorns kept in a tightly sealed container in a cool, dark, dry place will keep almost indefinitely, while ground pepper will stay fresh for only about three months.

Finally, pepper is full of beneficial antioxidants; a little pep-per can be a big boost for your health. A dash here to calm a cold, a sprinkle there to detox your skin, a pinch there to help in diges-tion. Pepper is hot stuff in more ways than one!

In any case, forgo the old grind (of pre-ground pepper). Epi-cureans around the world may still be swooning over Himalayan pink salt and fleur de sel, but I think it’s time to shake the salt habit! Turn the spotlight on Balinese long pepper, comet tail and grains of paradise, and shake up the pepper mill.

Store peppercorns in a cool, dry place and grind only when you need them. Ground pepper loses its potency after 4 months. For brined peppercorns, they need to be refrigerated after opening and used within a month.


LET’S TASTE THEMWith a box of tissues on hand for a possible sneezing session, I ground each peppercorn with a mortar and pestle, and sampled flavour and aroma. All these exotic peppercorns can be found at speciality spice stores.

TELLICHERRY BLACK PEPPERCORNS (INDIA)Like other regionally protected products, pepper-corns can only be called Tellicherry if they are from a specified region on the Malabar Coast of India. The Tellicherry is one of the finest peppercorns in the world. It has a full, robust flavour and bright fruity freshness. Very balanced and makes a great all-pur-pose pepper in your kitchen.

VIETNAMESE HOT BLACK PEPPER (VIETNAM)Although Vietnam and most other Asian countries predominantly use white pepper in their cuisines, Viet-nam is the world’s greatest exporter of black pepper, as a result of its favourable climate conditions and the traditional cultivation of the berry. When cracked, the berries released a hint of citrus fragrance and even some fennel aromas. The taste profile of these berries evoked smoke, black tea, and wood, which would perfectly complement any duck or game dish. I should have been forewarned by the word “hot” printed on the package. There was an intense heat right away that left a long, lingering, spicy finish. Perfect for those seeking a pepper kick!

SRI LANKAN ORGANIC BLACK PEPPER (SRI LANKA)Indigenous to Sri Lanka, this black pepper was the most powerful spice before spicy peppers arrived on this island during the colonial days. Compared with the Vietnamese black peppercorns, the shape of the berries is more uniform. This pepper is fruitier and has a subtle heat that builds over time, as compared to the direct heat that I got from its Vietnamese counterpart. In ode to the history of this pepper, the next time you make a curry, replace the spicy chili peppers with Sri Lankan black pepper. Black pepper curries are the original flavours of the island’s pre-colonial days. The rounded warmth you get from the pepper will be much more subtle than the chili pepper.

BALINESE LONG PEPPER (INDONESIA)The taller cousin to black peppercorn, the long pepper was once prized by the ancient Romans. This pepper is used traditionally in Indian (India also grows long pepper), Indonesian and Malaysian cuisines. Grown in the mountainous central highlands of Bali, this pepper is making a comeback in the culinary spotlight. This long

pepper looks like a tiny pinecone and is Brockie’s favou-rite. “It is the most interesting one out of the bunch,” she admits. “Use it as you would where a recipe calls for black pepper. You need to respect it, as a little goes a long way.” Indeed a little does go a long way. Much like a chili pepper, the tiny seeds in this pepper are what give off the heat. Brockie warns, “don’t grind the seeds; the seed is where the heat is. There is not a flash heat once in your mouth, but the heat slowly builds over time and stays in your throat.” Long peppers can be crushed in the mortar and pestle, in the pepper grinder or even simply by snapping the pepper in half. Once crushed, the pepper released an earthy pungent heat and a sweet blend of cardamom, cinnamon and nutmeg — the garam masala of peppers. This pepper is like a hybrid of black pepper and chilies; add it to recipes where you want considerable complexity and flavourful heat.

COMET TAIL (INDONESIA)Also known as tailed peppercorn, comet tails look simi-lar to black peppercorns but have their stems attached, resembling small pushpins. They are hollow and smell very similar to allspice. They have a unique flavour that is very fragrant (lavender), astringent and leaves a slight bitterness that lingers in your palate. “This is a very traditional spice used in Bali. The Balinese eat the crushed peppers on top of a bowl of steamed rice,” Brockie reveals. The Indonesians also claim that the peppercorn is an aphrodisiac. For an easy-to-prep date night, perhaps a bowl of steamed rice sprinkled with a few crushed comet tails?

GRAINS OF PARADISE (WEST AFRICA)A beautiful name for a beautiful little spice. The name came about during medieval times when there was a peppercorn shortage and the spice traders were looking for ways to inflate the price of this cheaper substitute for pepper. How times have changed! Origi-nating from West Africa, this spice is used extensively in Ethiopia, Morocco and West Africa. Grains of Paradise are now rare and expensive in North America. The seeds are reddish brown and shaped like pyramids. On the nose, there was an intense, woody, almost forest-like aroma. Being cousins of cardamom, they have a zesty flavour reminiscent of pepper, hints of flower, coriander and, of course, cardamom. The heat lingers for a while, not as a tingle or a burn, but as an assertive, gentle blaze. This tiny jewel should be used as a finishing spice. Try using Grains of Paradise as a substitute for recipes that call for cinnamon, cardamom or black peppercorns. Brockie suggests, “[these are] very versatile pepper[s], my customers like to use them in a spicy apple pie, a rub for pork. With the cardamom taste profile, they can go both sweet or savoury.”


PUNCH IT UPPINK PEPPERCORN G&TIf pink peppercorns can be used to brew beer (and be snacked on), why not add a few of these pretty-looking berries to your G&T at your next cocktail party? The pink peppercorns will highlight the background aromatics of juniper found in gin. Impress your guests and transform the humble drink into a gourmet experience.

SPICED OLD FASHIONED 2 oz Knob Creek bourbon 1/2 oz spiced simple syrup (see below) 2 dashes Angostura bitters

In a mixing glass filled with ice, combine ingredients and stir for 1 minute. Strain into an Old Fashioned or Rocks glass over a large ice ball or cube. Garnish with an orange zest.

To make the spiced simple syrup:In a large pot, combine together 500 ml water, 300 ml ma-ple syrup and 200 g coarse brown sugar over low heat. Stir until all the maple syrup and sugar has dissolved. Add in 20 pink peppercorns, 3 star anise, 3 green cardamom pods, 2 vanilla beans (split), 4 cinnamon sticks, 8 cloves, 2 nutmeg (split), 10 allspice and 2 full orange peels. Let simmer for

approximately 15 minutes then remove from heat. Once chilled, strain into 2 750 ml bottles. Makes approximately 1 L of spiced simple syrup.

LINCOLN SOUR 1 1/2 oz Knob Creek bourbon 1 oz fresh lemon juice 1/2-3/4 oz pepper syrup (see below) Egg white/shaken Dust of black pepper on top

Stir together in a shaker, strain into glass, dust with black pepper.

To make the pepper syrup:Bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add the following and let sim-mer on low for 10 minutes: 1 vanilla bean, halved; handful (maybe 1 oz shot glass worth?) of whole black peppercorn, and the same of ground pepper; pinch of clove, allspice and star anise. Put in sealable container and store overnight at room temperature. Strain through cheesecloth or coffee filter. Bring peppered vanilla water back to boil, remove from heat and gradually stir in 2 cups raw sugar, to taste.

PEPPER BITTERSAdd 1 oz of black peppercorn to 375 ml bottle of Angostura and let sit for 2 weeks. Strain away and rebottle.

The beautiful marriage of east and west — Sichuan pepper and salt. Traditionally, the Chinese use this mixture to cut the rich oiliness of deep-fried food. Perfect as a dipping salt for deep-fried chicken wings or as a spice rub for roasted duck.

Equal parts kosher salt and Sichuan peppercorns

1. Remove the black seeds. Discard any twigs or thorns found in the peppercorns.2. In a wok or skillet, roast the peppercorns and salt on low medium heat. Constantly shake skillet or turn mixture until fragrant (about 3 to 5 minutes). The salt should take on the same colour as the peppercorns (beige). Let mixture cool.3. Grind mixture with mortar and pestle or an electric grinder.4. Sift through a fine sieve and discard any husks. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

SICHUAN PEPPER-CORN SALT


The pan sauce made with the king of spice is so deliciously rich, it’s fit for a king! If possible use fresh green peppercorn, it’s sublime.

2 rib-eye steaks, 12 oz (or your favourite cut of choice) Olive oil Kosher salt, to taste Freshly ground black pepper, to taste 1 shallot, finely diced 2 clusters of fresh green peppercorns or 2 tbsp brined

green peppercorns (drained) 1 cup beef stock 1/4 cup brandy 1/2 cup heavy cream 2 stalks of chives, thinly sliced

1. Heat heavy pan over medium high heat. Season steak with salt and pepper. Add oil to the pan. Once the pan is hot enough (you will see the oil shimmer), add steaks to the pan and cook to your desired doneness. 2. Transfer steak to a plate. In the same pan, reduce heat to medium, add a little oil to the pan. Add the shallot and cook until softened. Deglaze the pan with the brandy, scrape the bottom of the pan and all the deli-ciousness with a wooden spoon. Let it reduce by half.3. Add the stock and the peppercorns to the pan. Bring to a boil.4. Stir in the cream, season with salt and pepper if necessary. Once the sauce has slightly thickened, turn off heat.5. Drizzle the sauce on the steak.6. Garnish with fresh chives. ×

GREEN PEPPERCORN STEAK AU POIVRE


BOUQUET GARNI BY NANCY JOHNSON

× Search through a wide range of wine-friendly recipes on quench.me/recipes/

Can we all agree that not everything we cook must include kale? Although I’ve rarely met a vegetable I don’t like, this culinary darling has gotten just way too much attention lately. Yes, it’s chock-full of essential vitamins and minerals, and has over 1,000% more vitamin C than spinach, but can I be honest? The year bacon crested the wave was a much better year for me.

WHAT’S SO GREAT ABOUT KALE?


I’m always eager to follow the trends, so I have worked kale and ancient grains into my diet without completely letting go of my beloved bacon and cream. These are a few of the dishes I’ve made lately. Feel free to add kale to any one of them.

FARRO SALAD WITH CRANBERRIESSERVES 4 AS A SIDE DISHI like farro for several reasons: it’s an ancient Italian grain, it’s easy to cook and it has a satisfying nutty crunch. This recipe is not a science. Toss in whatever you’d like, including kale. Farro comes as perlato and semi-perlato. The latter has more of the bran, but takes longer to cook.

1 cup perlato farro 2 cups water Salt and pepper, to taste 1/4 cup dried cranberries 2 tbsp parsley, minced 1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 1/4 cup goat cheese, crumbled

1. In a saucepan, add farro and water. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to low. 2. Simmer, 30 minutes or until farro is tender and liquid has been absorbed. Add salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to serving bowl. Mix in cranberries and parsley. 3. In a small bowl, whisk balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper and Di-jon mustard. Whisk in olive oil. Garnish salad with goat cheese. MATCH: Enjoy with a French rosé.

MANCHEGO POTATOESSERVES 6This is a delicious side dish for Easter dinner. Manchego cheese is my absolute favourite; it’s a firm cheese from La Mancha, Spain with a creamy buttery flavour. It’s easily identifiable by its tawny herringbone rind. Use a mandolin to slice the potatoes to the same thickness. Make this dish the night before as it must be refrigerat-ed overnight to pull the starch from the potatoes.

2 1/2 cups heavy cream 4 lb baking potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced 6 cups Manchego cheese, shredded

1. Pour 1/2 cup cream in the bottom of a 9” x 13” baking dish. Arrange one layer of potato slices. Pour 1/2 cup cream and 1 cup cheese over potatoes. Season with salt and pepper. 2. Repeat, making four layers total. Top final layer with re-maining cheese. Cover dish and refrigerate overnight. 3. Preheat oven to 375˚F. 4. Cover dish with foil and bake 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake 45 minutes longer. Remove from oven and let rest 30 min-utes before serving. MATCH: A Spanish Albariño is delicious with this dish.

COLA-BRAISED BRISKETSERVES 4 TO 6 WITH LEFTOVERSI think of this as a cheater’s recipe because it’s so darn easy to make — no “from scratch” cooking here. But it’s also so good, I can’t get enough of it. It’s delicious served with mashed potatoes and a veggie (try kale!) and also great on kaiser rolls with a side of coleslaw. Refrigerating the dish overnight allows the fat from the sauce to congeal and rise to the top for easy removal, plus the brisket tastes better the next day.

3-4 lb brisket 1 tbsp canola oil 1 packet dry onion soup mix 1 jar old-fashioned chili sauce 1 can cola

1. Preheat oven to 325˚F.2. In Dutch oven, brown brisket on all sides in hot oil. In a small bowl, mix dry soup mix, chili sauce and cola. Pour over brisket. 3. Braise, covered, for 3 to 4 hours. Store sauce and brisket in separate containers in the fridge overnight. 4. Preheat oven to 350˚F. Slice brisket. Remove fat from sauce and pour over meat. Cover and bake for 45 minutes or until heated through. MATCH: Pair with a full-flavoured Merlot.

MILICH’S HOT SAUCE SORT-OF JAMBALAYASERVES 4 TO 6This is my failed attempt at trying to make a speedy jambalaya, but it tastes nothing like jambalaya. It does, however, taste like a rice dish served at an Ohio restaurant called Milich’s. It special-izes in Southern-fried chicken dinners served with a mountain of fries and a side of rice curiously called “Hot Sauce.” This dish freezes well in small portions, which I nuke and eat when I need a quick fix of hot sauce. You can add kale if you’d like.

250 g smoked kielbasa or other smoked sausage, sliced 1 tbsp olive oil 1 large onion, chopped 4 stalks celery, chopped 1 red bell pepper, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined 1 large can San Marzano tomatoes, chopped in

the can with scissors 2 cups cooked rice 2 tsp Tabasco sauce Salt and pepper, to taste

1. In a large skillet, sauté kielbasa in hot oil for 2 minutes. 2. Add onion, celery and red pepper. Sauté 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add garlic. Sauté 1 minute. 3. Add shrimp and cook, stirring occasionally until shrimp is cooked through, about 3 minutes. 4. Stir in tomatoes and rice. Cook about 5 minutes or until shrimp are cooked. Add Tabasco, salt and pepper to taste. ×


94 THOMAS BACHELDER WISMER VINEYARD CHARDONNAY 2012, NIAGARA ($45)Another benchmark Chardonnay from Bachelder’s tri-regional project. Such a gorgeous nose of elegant poached pear, flinty minerality, gorgeous oak spice, vanilla toast, apple and citrus. While very young and tightly wound, the fruit still shows persistence as it unfolds on the palate revealing its pear, baked-apple and citrus flavours with wonderful subtle spice notes through a long, glorious fin-ish. This is a Chardonnay you can enjoy for years to come. (RV)

92 BARTIER BROS SYRAH CERQUEIRA VINEYARD 2011, OKANAGAN ($34)Dark, peppery, complex and elegant with loads of mineral; juicy, dark fruit. Meaty and savoury with firm but velvety tannins. Seamlessly balanced, finishing with remarkable intensity, tension and refinement. Powerful, vibrant and fi-nessed. Everything a southern Okanagan Syrah should be. Pairs well with any sort of meat or earthy vegetarian dishes, but amazing just on its own. (GB)

92 CHÂTEAU MAGDELAINE 2011, ST-ÉMILION 1ER GRAND CRU CLASSÉ B, BORDEAUX, FRANCE ($79)Light ruby. Seductive, pure nose of red fruit and luxury oak. Nice freshness in the mouth with silky texture; very elegant. Long finish. This is the last vintage as it will be combined with Bélair-Monange (see below) starting in 2012. Tasted side-by-side, a blend was done in the glass as an experiment. The result is convincing, combining the strengths of each wine for a score of 93. (GBQc)

88 SECRETO PATAGÓNICO CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2012, PATAGONIA, ARGENTINA ($18.95)Here is a straight-up, unpretentious steak wine with masses of dark fruit, cocoa, clove, earth and tobacco smoke. There is very good length, supple tan-nins and some heat, so put a slight chill to it before diving into that medi-um-rare cut. (ES)

90 LA PIEVE BAROLO 2010, PIED-MONT, ITALY ($31.95)Don’t mind the mature ruby colour; this wine has legs in both senses of the word. Dry cherry nose with a mineral note and a light floral scent. Full on the palate, dry, firmly structured. Sentence it to another 5 years in the cellar. (TA)

88 EL ROBLE TEMPRANILLO 2011, SPAIN ($10/500 ML) Clear medium-deep garnet with a pink tinge. Scents of raspberry and some nicely integrated oak with cassis in the background. With time in the glass, blue-berry and maple-syrup aromas emerge. On the palate, it is medium-bodied with good acidity and minimal tannins supporting blackberry and cranberry flavours that are starting to fade. A quick finish. This is made for early consump-tion; drink up. (RL)*

BRUICHLADDICH PORT CHARLOTTE SCOTTISH BARLEY HEAVILY PEATED ISLAY SINGLE MALT, SCOTLAND ($110)Bruichladdich is happy to appeal to smoke-seekers with this peated expres-sion. Smoked to 40 ppm, the Port Char-lotte isn’t quite as aggressive as, say, Ar-dbeg, but as any malt lover knows, it’s all about balance, and that’s where this dram shines. Opening with sweet/smoky notes, it drifts into kelpy/briny seas, awash in ozone, lemon, charred heather and anise. Intense but poised with a replay of the smoky/sweet elements enhanced with suggestions of orange chocolate, spice, caramel and dark fruit. (TS)

NOTED

× Find a collection of tasting notes for wine, beer and spirits at quench.me/notes/


NOTED Each wine is judged on its own merits, in its respective category. Our scores are based on the wine's quality as well as price point. Readers should assess these, and all wines,

using the same criteria. Carefully study the commentaries to get an idea of whether the wine might appeal to your taste. The prices listed are suggested retail prices and may vary from province to province. Since a large number of these wines can be purchased across

Canada, check with your local liquor board or private wine store for availability.

Our tasters are Tony Aspler, Gurvinder Bhatia, Tod Stewart, Evan Saviolidis, Rick VanSickle, Ron Liteplo, Harry Hertscheg, Sean Wood, Gilles Bois, Crystal Luxmore and Jonathan Smithe.

QUENCH USES THE 100-POINT SCALE95-100 = Exceptional90-94 = Excellent85-89 = Very good

80-84 = Good75-79 = Acceptable70 & under = Below average*Available through wine clubs

SPAR-KLING91 CAVE VINICOLE DE HUNAWIHR CRÉMANT D’ALSACE CALIXTE BRUT CHARDONNAY NV, AOC ALSACE, FRANCE ($16.50) 100% Chardonnay. Pale gold colour with a fine mousse. Very yeasty nose with ripe apple and citrus in the background. In the mouth, there is a veritable explosion of bubbles over just off-dry lemon, citrus and peach flavours, with excellent acidity. Drink when it gets in the door. (RL)*

90 FREIXENET ELYSSIA GRAN CUVÉE BRUT CAVA, PENEDÈS, SPAIN ($19.95)This is a charming sparkler at a great price. It presents a nose of new leather and honey with a floral note. Creamy mouthfeel, medium bodied, dry, elegant and well balanced. (TA)

90 DOMAINE DU CLOS DE L’EPINAY BRUT TÊTE DE CUVÉE 2007, VOUVRAY, LOIRE VALLEY, FRANCE ($21)Pale golden yellow. Shy nose of white fruit and flintstone. Very dry, sharp. Delicate fla-vour but impressive presence and balance with a lasting finish. Great buy. (GBQc)

89 CA’ DI RAJO EXTRA DRY PROSEC-CO DI VALDOBBIADENE SUPERIORE DOCG 2013, VENETO, ITALY ($18)Floral notes on the nose. Lively mousse and citrus flavour on the medium body.

Long stone-fruit finish with well-bal-anced off-dry sweetness. Perfect with seafood appetizers. (HH)

88 JAUME SERRA CRISTALINO CAVA BRUT NV, SPAIN ($13)Fresh scents of apple, lemon and toasty almond. The lively palate delivers crisp apple, juicy stone fruit and lingering cit-rus. Finishes lemony clean and refresh-ing. An apéritif bubbly for salty bites: French fries, olives, anchovies, etc. (HH)

88 CA’ DI RAJO CUVÉE DEL FONDATORE BRUT PROSECCO DI VALDOBBIADENE SUPERIORE DOCG, VENETO, ITALY ($25)Faint floral scents on the nose. Bright flavours of apple, pear and citrus on a medium body. Dry, fine mousse leads to a mineral finish. Slurp with oysters. (HH)

87 JACOB’S CREEK CHARDON-NAY/PINOT NOIR BRUT, AUSTRA-LIA ($13.99)Now selling for a few dollars less than in the past, this is affordable, everyday bubbly. It leans a little to tropical-fruit ripeness, but is otherwise pretty stylish with good weight, persistent mousse and appealing creamy smoothness. (SW)

87 HENKELL ROSÉ DRY SEKT NV, GERMANY ($16)Faint cherry blossoms on the nose. Lively, gentle mousse. Ripe with gen-erous strawberry and cherry flavour action. Clean, tart finish makes for an appetizing brunch partner with Belgian

waffles accented with strawberries and whipped cream. (HH)

85 HENKELL TROCKEN DRY SEKT NV, GERMANY ($16)The aromas of citrus, apple sauce and hint of dough collaborate to create a wake-up call for a brunch-time bubbly. The juicy, lemon, green apple, lime notes whet the appetite. Clean, zesty finish satisfies. Made from a selection of grape varieties, vintages and sites. (HH)

WHITEAUSTRALIA89 MCWILLIAM’S HANWOOD ESTATE MOSCATO 2013, NEW SOUTH WALES ($14.40)Delightful off-dry apéritif. Straw colour with a spicy, aromatic orange-blossom nose; sweet and grapey — like biting into a Muscat grape straight from the fridge. Nicely balanced, fresh and lively in the mouth. Clean and true to the variety. (TA)

AUSTRIA87 GROONER GRÜNER VELTLINER 2012, NIEDERÖSTERREICH ($16.99) Aromatic green fruit with floral and light, white-pepper notes on the nose. Green apple and grapefruit with a touch of gritty mineral and lingering fruit on the zesty dry finish. (SW)


NOTED CANADA94 CAVE SPRING CELLARS CSV RIESLING 2012, NIAGARA ($30)This was the best white wine I had from Niagara in 2014, a stunning Riesling and perhaps the greatest ever produced in Canada. It is an enthralling wine from start to finish with a nose of Asian pear, apple blossom, orange rind, lemon, lifted white flowers, stony minerality and bees-wax. It is so beautiful on the palate, with substance, electricity and flavours that range from pear and ginger notes to apple, apricot, anise and honeycomb. This beauty grabs you from the first sip with its range of flavours, subtle spices and mouth-wa-tering acidity to the complex array of flinty minerals and nuances that build in inten-sity. It is lithe, yet assertive. It is succulent, yet focused. It is, in a word, seductive. (RV)

94 HIDDEN BENCH CHARDON-NAY TÊTE DE CUVÉE 2011, NIAGA-RA ($45)Such an alluring beauty, always vying for the top Chardonnay made anywhere in Canada in any given year. All the organic fruit is hand-picked, meticulously sorted and whole-bunch pressed. The poached-pear aromas are joined by toasted vanilla and hazelnuts; a bit of marzipan enters the fray. Has that gushing Beams-ville-Bench minerality that gives the wine its sense of place, its complexity. It is young with a glorious future wait-ing, but in the mouth it still shows a juicy-yet-vibrant core of stone fruit and perfectly balanced spice and minerals. It is complex and finessed, leading to a long, delicious, refined finish. (RV)

93 SOUTHBROOK VINEYARDS PO-ETICA CHARDONNAY 2012, NIAG-ARA ($50)The 2012 version of Southbrook’s top wine, made from organic and biodynam-ically grown estate grapes, is as beautiful as I can remember. It has a nose of ripe pear, toasted cashew, baking spices, grapefruit and a subtle reductive note. It is seductive and textured on the palate with creamy, rich fruit, toasted vanilla and spice that’s lifted by vibrant acidity through the finish. (RV)

92 THOMAS BACHELDER SAUN-DERS VINEYARD CHARDONNAY 2012, NIAGARA ($45)The Saunders Vineyard has always played a supporting role in comparison to the Wismer Vineyard, but it’s all a matter of style. This is a highly elegant wine, a bit closed at the moment but still imparting spiced apple, creamy vanilla and pear aro-mas. On the palate, look for layered fruit, stony minerality, oak spice and finesse through the finish. (RV)

90 REDSTONE WINERY CHAR-DONNAY 2012, NIAGARA PENIN-SULA ($18.95)Barrel-fermented and aged for 12 months, the wine exudes ripe pear, apple, peach, honey, spice, white flower, vanilla, cream and toast. It is medi-um bodied with excellent length and refreshing acidity. Lobster ravioli in a beurre noisette sauce or filet of halibut are well suited to this wine. (ES)

90 BARTIER BROS SÉMILLON CERQUEIRA VINEYARD 2013, OKANAGAN ($25)Bright, fresh, lively aromas and flavours of citrus, lime and apricot with a racy crisp-ness, great balance, minerality and lifted acidity on the refreshing finish. (GB)

90 LE CLOS JORDANNE CLAY-STONE VINEYARD CHARDONNAY 2011, ONTARIO ($40)A classy Chardonnay from the Niagara Peninsula. Straw-coloured with a minerally, smoky nose opening on the palate to rich flavours of apple, pear and green pineapple; full in the mouth with great length. (TA)

89 CAVE SPRING ESTATE BOTTLED CHARDONNAY 2012, ONTARIO ($18.95)Good vintage. Good value. Straw-coloured with a nose of apple and vanilla oak; medi-um bodied, dry. Apple flavour with well-in-tegrated oak. A versatile food wine. (TA)

88 BACHELDER CHARDONNAY 2012, NIAGARA ($29.95)This wine has graduated to the LCBO Vintages Essentials program. Rather

easygoing, this Chardonnay features moderate aromatics in the form of peach, toast, apple, pineapple and anise. It is a carbon copy on the palate, with minerals and a slight nuttiness. Very good length and ready to drink. (ES)

CHILE87 AMARAL SAUVIGNON BLANC 2014 ($14)Chile is making some very nice (and affordable) Sauvignon Blancs with freshness and packed with flavour. The nose shows guava, tropical fruit, fresh-cut grass and white flowers. It’s crisp and refreshing on the palate with grapefruit and tropical fruit flavours. (RV)

FRANCE95 CAVE VINICOLE DE HUNAWIHR PINOT GRIS GRAND CRU ROSACK-ER 2013, AOC ALSACE ($21.83) Clear medium-deep yellow. Appealing nose of peaches, pears and apples. On the palate, it is full bodied with a beautiful balance of sweetness and acidity carrying citrus, floral, apple and caramel flavours to a long finish. Starting to drink well now; will last another couple of years or longer. (RL)*

91 PIERRE SPARR RÉSERVE GEWÜRZ-TRAMINER 2012, ALSACE ($18)You won’t find a better Gewürz at this price: pale straw colour with a spicy, ly-chee and rose-petal nose; richly extracted fruit, lovely mouthfeel. A pleasure. (TA)

90 CAVE VINICOLE DE HUNAW-IHR RIESLING 2013, AOC ALSACE ($15.50) Clear pale gold. Understated nose of flow-ers and lime; also a bit of apple and celery leaf. Light bodied and dry, with bright acidity, lime and orange flavours leading to a long finish. Made to accompany smoked salmon. Drink over the next 2 years. (RL)*

90 CAVE VINICOLE DE HUNAWIHR GEWÜRZTRAMINER 2013, AOC ALSACE ($17) Clear medium-deep yellow. Powerful


nose of roses and lychee with a hint of oregano. Full bodied and viscous. On the palate, it is soft and off dry with low acidity, followed by a long finish. Good for another couple of years. (RL)*

90 DOMAINE DUJAC MO-REY-ST-DENIS BLANC 2012, BUR-GUNDY ($85)Elegant and refined; medium bodied with apple and mineral, a touch of vanilla and wet-earth character blending nicely with notes of honey and ripe fruit. A long, balanced, uplifted finish. (GB)

89 JARDIN EN FLEURS VOUVRAY 2013, LOIRE ($19)This Chenin Blanc has a delicate and floral nose of pear, citrus and hints of fresh-cut apple. It is simply gorgeous on the palate with grapefruit, honey- infused pear with bright and refreshing acidity. A great match with pork, duck and spicy cuisine. (RV)

89 LA CHABLISIENNE LA PIER-RELÉE 2012, CHABLIS AC ($27.99) Shows ripe green apple and citrus on the nose with floral, mineral and leesy overtones. Lively green apple and crisp mineral lead on the palate with zesty acidity and crunchy apple reprising on the finish. True Chablis character at a more-than-fair price. Lovely with a light rabbit dish. (SW)

88 DOMAINE LA HAUTE FEVRIE MUSCADET SÈVRE AND MAINE SUR LIE 2013, LOIRE ($14)This Melon de Bourgogne has a lovely nose of lemon curd, grapefruit, lime zest and lifted white flowers. It’s pure and fresh on the palate with lemon-lime, ap-ple and pear flavours is a fresh and lively style. Bring on the oysters! (RV)

88 BOUCHARD PÈRE ET FILS MÂCON-LUGNY SAINT-PIERRE 2012, BURGUNDY ($16.50)A good introduction to white Burgundy at an affordable price. Medium straw colour; fresh bouquet of apples and green pine-apple; well-balanced, medium-bodied, dry and versatile. You can bring out your favoutite fish recipe. (TA)

87 CAVE VINICOLE DE HUNAW-IHR PINOT BLANC 2013, AOC ALSACE ($14.83) Clear medium-deep yellow. Simple apple and floral aromas. Medium-bodied and dry with subtle apple and citrus flavours. A slight bitterness on the finish keeps this from being boring. Its neutrality makes it a versatile food wine. Drink soon. (RL)*

87 HENRI BOURGEOIS LE PETIT BOURGEOIS 2013, VIN DE PAYS DE VAL DE LOIRE ($16)Pale yellow. This Sauvignon Blanc cuvée has a delicately grassy nose with pleas-ant citrus notes. Fresh and lively; body is light with well-characterized Sauvignon taste. The finish features hints of Bart-lett pear. Drink now. (GBQc)

ITALY91 PIEROPAN SOAVE CLASSICO DOC 2013, VENETO ($20)This blend of 85% Garganega and 15% Trebbiano di Soave spent only a few months in large, neutral oak. Apple, almond and ripe peach scents. Complex citrusy flavour and zesty acidity on a medium-plus body. Long, minerally finish with a hint of marzipan. Delicious with asparagus risotto. (HH)

88 CA’RUGATE MONTE FIOREN-TINE SOAVE CLASSICO DOCG 2013, VENETO ($22)Made from 100% Garganega. Classic straw colour and lemon-scented nose. Lemon and acacia flavours on the dry medium-bodied palate. Soft and fruity up-front, but firm and minerally on the finish. Pairs very well with seafood. (HH)

NEW ZEALAND89 FRAMINGHAM SAUVIGNON BLANC 2013, MARLBOROUGH ($17.95)Very pale in colour with an intense bouquet of gooseberries and grapefruit. Medium-bodied, dry, rich and full on the palate with a satisfyingly long, lemony finish. Good value. (TA)

87 MOUNT VERNON SAUVIGNON BLANC 2014, LAWSON’S DRY HILLS, MARLBOROUGH ($16.75)Pretty much textbook Kiwi Sauv Blanc, with tropical/grapefruit nuances com-bined with some leafy/cut-grass notes. Crisp and zesty in the mouth with a nice blend of citrus and herbs, and enough ripe fruit to prevent it coming off as shrill. (TS)

SOUTH AFRICA89 SAXENBURG GUINEA FOWL CHENIN BLANC/VIOGNIER 2012, STELLENBOSCH ($19.99) Cool-fermented with long exposure to the lees, the lavishly perfumed tropical blossom and tropical fruit bouquet leads into sur-prisingly clean and crisply dry white peach flavours supported by attractive mineral character and refreshing acidity. (SW)

87 FISH HOEK SAUVIGNON BLANC 2014, WESTERN CAPE ($12.49) The vintage for this crisply fresh, ev-er-reliable Sauvignon has just changed over to 2014. It is every bit as good as ever with fresh lime, passion fruit and grass herbal notes. Finishes dry enough to pair perfectly with oysters on the half shell. Outstanding value. (SW)

UNITED STATES91 RODNEY STRONG RESERVE CHARDONNAY 2012, RUSSIAN RIV-ER, SONOMA ($44.95)One of the best wines I’ve tasted from this winery. Straw-coloured with a spicy, barnyard nose signalling evident oak; more expressive on the palate with a spicy, green-pineapple flavour that lingers. (TA)

87 BONTERRA VIOGNIER 2013, MENDOCINO COUNTY, CALIFOR-NIA ($20)Pale golden yellow with an orange tint. Seductive nose of pineapple and other tropical fruits; hints of honey and wet wool. Pleasant fruity taste, balanced but not especially harmonious in its flavour profile with a slightly oily texture. Finish is sharpened by acidity. (GBQc)


NOTED ROSÉ88 ABBAYE ST HILAIRE ROSÉ LE PRIEUR 2013, COTEAUX VAROIS EN PROVENCE, FRANCE ($30)Bright, fresh and so quaffable with bright cherry, strawberry, citrus, lychee and spice. Crisp, refreshing acidity. A lovely minerali-ty and long, crisp finish. A traditional blend of Cinsault, Syrah and Grenache. (GB)

REDARGENTINA 88 CHAKANA MAIPE MALBEC 2012, MENDOZA ($15)An interesting nose of plums, cherry, spice, violets, vanilla and a minty nuance. It’s soft and round on the palate, and load-ed with ripe plums, cherries, strawberry, spice and smoky wood notes. Pair with roasted red meats. (RV)

88 SECRETO PATAGÓNICO 2012, PATAGONIA ($19)Located in one of the southernmost vine-yards in the world. 100% Cabernet Sauvi-gnon. A lovely red with ripe black cherry, anise, campfire smoke, spice and currants on the nose. It is quite rich on the palate and a touch sweet with plump juicy fruit, eucalypt, spice, currants and pepper. (RV)

88 CATENA CABERNET SAUVI-GNON 2012, MENDOZA ($22.99) Shows good varietal nose highlighting blackcurrant, blackberry, green herb and a whiff of clove. Blackberry and black-currant themes persist in the mouth with solid structure and a splash of dark choc-olate on the finish. Deftly made in classic Argentine style. (SW)

AUSTRALIA90 BEN GLAETZER HEARTLAND STICKLEBACK RED 2010, SOUTH AUSTRALIA ($13.95)A blend of Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon,

Dolcetto and Lagrein. Enticing nose reflects the complex blend of varietals overlaid with a dusting of cinnamon and a light kiss of clove. Layers of red and dark fruit with gutsy tannic structure and food-friendly drying finish. Drink with grilled steak, roast lamb or other robust red meat dishes. (SW)

AUSTRIA89 WINZERKELLER ANDAU ST LAU-RENT 2010, BURGENLAND ($30)Bright and spicy with wild plum, cherry and blueberry flavours, and notes of an-ise; a supple, fresh and minerally finish with hints of pepper. Delicious with roasted quail. (GB)

CANADA93 SOUTHBROOK VINEYARDS PO-ETICA RED 2012, NIAGARA ($55)Winemaker Ann Sperling looks for “elegant wines that get bigger” in her Poetica tier. The red version is a blend of Cab Sauv, Cab Franc, Petit Verdot and a touch of Merlot. Such a wonderful and expressive nose of rich, meaty black-berry, cherry and a complex array of oak spices. This has structure and grip with lovely red and dark fruit that build on the palate and meld with an array of spices and firm tannins. Needs time to integrate, but the rewards will be worth waiting for. (RV)

92 BACHELDER PINOT NOIR LOWREY VINEYARD 2012, ST DAVID’S BENCH ($44.95)Back in 1993, Inniskillin partnered with the Burgundy house of Jaffelin to produce Alliance, Ontario’s first premium Pinot Noir. That wine and partnership have long ago given up the ghost, but those old vines have now been scooped up by Thomas Bachelder for his Niagara project. The pale colour might make you think that this is a timid wine, but don’t be fooled. The bouquet of cherry, plum, toast and earth meets up with spice and sage on the palate. Excellent length. Drink until 2020. (ES)

91 REIF ESTATE WINERY MERITAGE 2012, NIAGARA RIVER ($34.95)For the number lovers, this is a blend of 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc. For the wine lovers, this is a full-bodied red with a complex bouquet of sweet vanilla, cassis, violets, raspberry, cocoa and mint. Length is fabulous with tannic structure to en-sure a decade of aging. (ES)

90 REIF ESTATE WINERY MERLOT RESERVE 2012, NIAGARA RIVER ($25.95)There is almost a port-like quality with all the overripe plum, blackberry and cherry qualities. Add in the spice, cocoa and earth, as well as a rich texture and great length, and you have one fine bottle of Merlot, which will age gracefully over the next 5 years. (ES)

90 CHÂTEAU DES CHARMES ST DAVID’S BENCH VINEYARD MERLOT, NIAGARA ($29.95)This is one serious Merlot, which has ben-efited from the heat of the 2012 vintage. Full bodied, it hits the senses with plum, blackberry, vanilla, cocoa, vanilla, anise and dried herbs. Concentrated; there is a long finale and gritty tannins, which require some more bottle age to sort them-selves out. Drink from 2016 to 2021. (ES)

90 BARTIER BROS MERLOT CERQUEIRA VINEYARD 2011, OKANAGAN ($34)Firm, structured and supple with blackberries, black cherry, mocha and savoury, fresh herbs; full, layered and complex with a long, vibrant, fla-vour-packed finish. Love the character that the addition of some Cabernet Franc brings to the wine. (GB)

89 ROCKWAY VINEYARDS RE-SERVE MERITAGE 2012, TWENTY MILE BENCH ($19.95)This wine proves why we blend Cab Sauv, Franc and Merlot together; each vari-etal complements the others! This rich and velvety red doles out the dark fruit, mocha, vanilla, anise, coconut, mint and violets. It is stylish with excellent length. Drink over the next 8 years. (ES)


89 ROCKWAY VINEYARDS SMALL LOT BLOCK BLEND MERLOT, TWENTY MILE BENCH ($21.95)The deep ruby colour heralds the plum, cherry, vanilla, mocha, herbs and graphite. The palate is a combination of richness and tannin, which will allow for 5 years of aging ahead. Duck confit or a bison burger are perfect partners for this rock-solid Merlot. (ES)

89 SOUTHBROOK TRIOMPHE CABERNET FRANC 2012, ONTARIO ($21.95)The red variety that Niagara does best. Dense purple-ruby colour; spicy blackberry and vanilla-oak nose. Medi-um-bodied, dry, blueberry and blackberry flavours with a creamy mid-palate feel. A finely balanced wine. (TA)

89 ROCKWAY VINEYARDS SMALL LOT BLOCK 11-140 CABERNET FRANC, TWENTY MILE BENCH ($25)With 18 months of barrel aging under its belt, this medium- to full-bodied Franc shows off raspberry, coconut, herbs, cassis, violets and vanilla qualities. There is very good length as well as some unresolved tannin, which suggests aging until the end of 2015 and then drinking until 2022. (ES)

89 REDSTONE WINERY PINOT NOIR LIMESTONE VINEYARD 2012, TWENTY MILE BENCH ($29.95)Even though this Pinot comes from the warm 2012 vintage, it displays poise and elegance. The brilliant ruby colour heralds plum, raspberry, cherry, earth, cocoa and spice. The acid is fresh and the tannins are supple, so drink now over next 2 to 3 years. Pair with charcuterie or ahi tuna steak. (ES)

88 HENRY OF PELHAM FAMILY TREE 2012, NIAGARA ($18.95)This is a delicious blend of 48% Shiraz, 23% Cabernet Franc, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and 9% Merlot. It offers enticing flavours of pepper, plum, cassis, roasted peanuts, cocoa, roasted herbs, vanilla and incense. There is richness on the palate before the juicy acid, and round tannins fill in the finale. Very versatile as a food wine! (ES)

88 SCORCHED EARTH WINERY PASK THE PINOT NOIR 2012, OKANAGAN ($19.90) Aged in French oak barrels, 30% new, this 100% organic estate Pinot from a small boutique producer proffers delicately scented cherry fruit with a light overlay of spice. Richer black cherry flavours kick in on the palate, backed up by lightly firm tannic structure. Finish harmoni-ously integrates fruit, spice and discreet supporting oak. Better with another 3 or 4 years in the cellar. (SW)

88 REDSTONE WINERY CABERNET 2012, NIAGARA ($19.95)This blend of 70% Cabernet Franc and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon is the red “Bistro” companion for the Chardonnay. Mid-weight; a perfume of raspberry, cas-sis, smoke, tobacco leaf, violets and herbs carries over to the palate. Very good length and ready to go with steak frites. (ES)

88 ROCKWAY VINEYARDS SMALL LOT BLOCK CABERNET SAUVIGNON 12-120, TWENTY MILE BENCH ($23)This Cabernet Sauvignon reveals a combi-nation of fruit and savoury. Cassis, vanilla, Indian spice, coconut, mint and herbs are supported by some solid tannin. Hold until 2016 and then drink until 2023. Rack of lamb was made for this red. (ES)

CHILE94 VILLARD LE PINOT NOIR 2010, CASABLANCA ($23.17) Clear medium-deep plum red. Pronounced nose of good PN typicity: raspberry and violets with interesting hints of barnyard, spice, smoke and even menthol. Medium bodied, presenting a mouthful of crushed red berries, especially raspberries, over soft tannins and refreshing acidity. Definitely not a faint-hearted PN, this will mature for another 2 years. The perfect match for roast smoked duck with a spicy berry sauce and potatoes au gratin. (RL)*

89 LUIS FELIPE EDWARDS GUARD-IAN RESERVA RED BLEND 2012, COLCHAGUA VALLEY ($15.79) An intriguing oak-aged blend of Cabernet

Sauvignon, Carménère, Merlot and Caber-net Franc. Offers dark berry, blackcurrant, minty herbal and spicy scents with well-in-tegrated dark fruit flavours, good weight and structure, and lingering fruit, spice and dark chocolate on the finish. (SW)

FRANCE95 CHÂTEAU TROTANOY 2011, POMEROL, BORDEAUX ($210)Full ruby. Seductive nose; full and deep with obvious luxurious oak. Full-bod-ied, fleshy and thick texture; dense with fruity extract wrapping the high-quality tannins. Very long, harmonious finish. A great wine by all standards. (GBQc)

94 CHÂTEAU PROVIDENCE 2011, POMEROL, BORDEAUX ($115)Full ruby. Irresistible nose of small red fruit; perfectly balanced sophisticated oak notes. It charms by its roundness on the palate, intensity, and tight, fine texture of its fruity extract and tannic structure. Finish is long and full. A great wine. (GBQc)

93 PENSÉES DE LAFLEUR 2011, POMEROL, BORDEAUX ($149)Ruby-purple. Deep nose of red and black fruit, well-dosed new oak and a balsamic note. Rich and velvety; very supple tannic backbone, dense fruity core all contrib-ute to roundness in the mouthfeel. Great finish to match. (GBQc)

92 CHÂTEAU BÉLAIR-MONANGE 2011, ST-ÉMILION 1ER GRAND CRU CLASSÉ B, BORDEAUX ($139)Full ruby. Red and black berries, not yet integrated oak notes. Full bodied; clearly more powerful than Magdelaine and with better aging potential. It shows less elegance and immediate drinking plea-sure by comparison. Wait 7 to 8 years or more. (GBQc)

91 CHÂTEAU HAUT NIVELLE 2008, AC BORDEAUX SUPÉRIEUR ($12) Clear medium-deep garnet. Aromas of cherry, raspberry, smoke and oak with a tinge of raisin. Full bodied with strong tannins and high acidity covering raspber-


NOTED ry and cranberry flavours that are starting to fade. Long finish. Drink up. (RL)*

91 DOMAINE CHANSON CLOS DES MOUCHES 2010, BEAUNE 1ER CRU, BURGUNDY ($79)Medium ruby. Light perfumed nose of small red fruit, subtle oak notes, tea leaves and a hint of cooked vegetables. These 2 last aromas are a sign of early evolu-tion. Medium body, expansive and filling mid-palate, smooth texture, lively acidity. Nice long finish. Very satisfying right now but limited aging potential. (GBQc)

90 CHÂTEAU BEAUSÉJOUR HOSTENS 2010 ($22.95)A superb claret for the price. Dense pur-ple in colour with that characteristic nose of cedar, blackcurrant and vanilla oak. Quite forward, elegant and beautifully balanced with a firm finish. Drinking well now but will cellar for a decade. (TA)

90 CHÂTEAU GRAND VILLAGE 2010, BORDEAUX SUPÉRIEUR ($23)Ruby red. Nice red-fruit nose, fine oak notes and a touch of torrefaction. Supple texture, medium body, balanced from the mid-palate to the long finish. A nice glass of Bordeaux at a reasonable price. (GBQc)

90 CHÂTEAU GAZIN 2011, POMER-OL, BORDEAUX ($79)Deep, fruity nose with generous oak. Thick and even a little rough at this early stage, it needs time to round off its edges. Very tight near the finish. Wait. (GBQc)

89 CHÂTEAU LE GRAND HUMEAU 2010, AC BORDEAUX ($11.17) From a good year, clear deep plum red. Medium-intensity nose of black cherry over dark chocolate and cedar. Medi-um-bodied with very strong tannins and good acidity somewhat overwhelming the cherry, blueberry and green olive flavours. The tannins promise more life, but the fruit won’t last — drink now. (RL)*

89 CHÂTEAU DE CIFFRE TERROIRS D’ALTITUDE 2011, ST-CHINIAN, LANGUEDOC ($18)Dark ruby. Soft spices, blackberries, slightly jammy on the nose with well-in-

tegrated oak. Richly textured, full bodied and well balanced, it tastes ripe yet fresh with finely grained tannins. Ready to drink. (GBQc)

89 CHANTE-PERDRIX SYRAH 2013, RHÔNE VALLEY ($26)Silky mouthfeel with nice weight and structure; aromas and flavours of black-berry, black plum, tea and savoury spice with a firm backbone and bright finish. Pairs well with roasted lamb. (GB)

89 DOMAINE ROCFONTAINE CAB-ERNET FRANC VIEILLES VIGNES 2012, LOIRE VALLEY ($30)Fresh and racy with plum, bitter-cherry fruit, tobacco leaf, olive and fresh herbs. A savoury edge and mouth-watering finish. (GB)

89 JEAN-PIERRE MOUEIX POMER-OL 2011, BORDEAUX ($33)Appealing nose with touches of ripe red fruit and flowers, a little oak. Distin-guished on the palate; supple, but you feel the firmness of the tannins in the background. Well made. (GBQc)

88 CHÂTEAU LES AUBASTONS 2009, AC CÔTES DE BOURG ($12) From an excellent year. Clear, deep plum red turning to garnet. Light nose of pipe tobacco and spice with a little cherry and blueberry and a slight barnyard overlay. On the palate, it is medium bodied, very fruity (cranberries), nicely balanced by zesty acidity and soft tannins. Your basic claret. Drink now. (RL)*

88 VILLA PONCIAGO BEAUJO-LAIS VILLAGES 2012, BEAUJOLAIS ($14.95)A bargain-priced Beaujolais. Pale ruby colour with a nose of cherries; light on the palate, fresh and fruity with a sour cherry flavour. Best drinking chilled or at room temperature. (TA)

88 LOUIS LATOUR GAMAY 2011, BOURGOGNE GAMAY AOC ($26)This new appellation requires a minimum 85% Gamay from Beaujolais Cru vine-yards (Chénas and Régnié in this inaugu-ral release) and maximum 15% Burgundy

Pinot Noir. Abundant cassis, raspberry, plum and cherry. Fresh acidity balanced by lithe tannins. Lingering savouriness on the thirst-quenching finish. Delightful with charcuterie and cheese. (HH)

87 CHÂTEAU HAUCHAT FRONSAC 2011, BORDEAUX ($16)This estate is located just west of Pomer-ol and is made with 100% Merlot. The nose shows meaty red fruit, ripe cherry, toasted spice and vanilla. It has round, ripe fruit on the palate with soft tannins. Affordable baby Bordeaux. (RV)

HUNGARY88 TELEKI VILLÁNYI KÉKFRAN-KOS 2012 ($14)A nice little red from the Hungarian grape Kékfrankos. It has a pretty nose of ripe cherry, raspberry and a hint of spice. It’s a smooth and flavourful wine on the palate with ripe red fruit and soft, integrated tannins. Great value! (RV)

ITALY90 CA’ DI RAJO SANGUE DEL DIAVOLO RABOSO DEL PIAVE DOC 2010, VENETO ($30)Deep ruby colour from the dark-skinned Raboso grape. Herbal scents on the nose. Dark fruit on the medi-um-bodied palate, bolstered by firm tannins. Finishes with dried herbs, dried fruit and lingering savouriness. Serve with the meat course. (HH)

90 TONY SASA MARTINA BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO 2008, TUSCANY ($37.95)Dense ruby colour with a mature rim. A lovely nose of blackcurrants and cherries; full on the palate with velvety mouthfeel. Dry, elegant and firmly struc-tured with good length. (TA)

90 PIEROPAN VIGNA GARZON AMARONE DELLA VALPOLICELLA DOCG 2010, VENETO ($64)Made from 60% Corvina along with Corvinone, Rondinella, Croatina and a


5% mix of old traditional varieties. Dark, fruity aromas like blackcurrant, black cherry and plum. Rich cherry and choc-olate flavours. Packs a little peppery heat on the long finish (16.5% alcohol). Pairs well with rich red meat. (HH)

89 RAPHAEL 2012, ROSSO PICENO DOC ($14.99) Intriguing piquant redcurrant, cinna-mon, clove and a whiff of minty herb shift to more characteristic appetizing bitter-cherry flavours, mouth-watering acidity, good weight and structure, and food-friendly dry finish. Great value. (SW)

89 FATTORIA DI PIAZZANO CHIAN-TI 2012, CHIANTI ($15)A great-value Chianti with a nose of cherry, raspberry and fresh summer flowers. It has wonderful freshness on the palate with pure cherry fruit all lifted by bright acidity. Pair with a nice charcuterie plate. (RV)

89 CA’RUGATE RIO ALBO VALPOLI-CELLA 2014, VENETO ($17)A blend of 40% Corvina, 30% Rondinella and 30% Corvinone. Complex aromas of floral, herbs and some captivating gam-eyness. Youthful black cherry flavours on the medium-body palate. Lots of verve on the palate with some support-ing tannins. Long, mineral finish. Serve with chicken. (HH)

89 MORIS FARMS MORELLINO DI SCANSANO 2012, TUSCANY ($20)I’m a great fan of Morellino di Scansano, a Sangiovese grown in Maremma on the Tuscan coast, which is lighter in body and more playful than Chianti Classico. This wine is ruby-coloured with a spicy cherry nose; medium-bodied, juicy, dry and elegant. (TA)

89 PIETRADOLCE 2012, ETNA ROS-SO DOC ($29.99)Quite light in colour and medium weight, this one belies its 14.5% alcohol. Nose is already refined and complex, showing redcurrant and subtle spice, but needs 3 to 5 years or more to inte-grate and soften the hard tannins and youthful acidity. (SW)

88 CANTELE SALICE SALENTINO ROSSO RISERVA 2010, PUGLIA ($15)Medium ruby-purple. Hints of cherry, raspberry, spices and vanilla fill the nos-trils. Medium bodied, it has a nice fruity taste, soft mouthfeel and supple finish with good volume and freshness, even if it is a little warm. This 100% Negroamaro wine drinks well right now. (GBQc)

88 CASCINA ROCCALINI BAR-BARESCO 2010, PIEDMONT ($75)Elegant and bright with plum, cedar, underlying ripe fruit and roses, fine, silky tannins, and a wonderful balance of fruit, acid and restraint. Perfect with roasted pig’s head. (GB)

SPAIN90 MONASTERIO DE LAS VIÑAS 2006, CARIÑENA DO ($14.99) An outstanding Garnacha/Tempranillo/Cariñena blend showing developed fleshy red and dark fruit with a pinch of cin-namon on the nose. Black cherry, plum, sweet spices and a splash of dark choc-olate in the mouth with good tannic and acidic grip offsetting the richness. (SW)

88 CASTILLO DE MONSÉRAN GARNACHA 2009, CARIÑENA DO ($14.99)Sourced from 50-year-old vines, this is a deeply concentrated unfiltered wine with plenty of redcurrant fruit, spice and rounded tannins. It is full bodied with weight and structure to pair with robust red meat and matured cheese. (SW)

UNITED STATES93 ROBERT MONDAVI CABERNET SAUVIGNON RESERVE 2010, NAPA ($139) Something to put on your birthday wish list or just to spoil yourself. A blend of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petit Verdot, 2% Cabernet Franc. Dense purple in colour with a spicy, blackcurrant and vanilla oak nose. Beautifully balanced and richly satisfying on the palate. Drinking well now but will cellar well. (TA)

92 BACHELDER PINOT NOIR JOHNSON VINEYARD 2012, YAMHILL-CARLTON DISTRICT, OREGON ($55)2012 was a great vintage in Oregon. The combination of low yields and constant warmth throughout the growing sea-son, with little rain, produced ripe and elegant wines. This medium-bodied organic Pinot typifies said style. It starts off with cherry, cranberry, iron and toast qualities; then the plum, cocoa, earth, red flowers and spice chime in on the long finale. Tannins are suave, allowing for 5 years of cellaring. (ES)

DESSERT93 TWO SISTERS CABERNET SAUVIGNON ICEWINE 2013, NIAGARA ($50/200 ML)It’s not every vintage that nature allows for a Cabernet Sauvignon Icewine, but when it happens, it creates magic. A decadent nose of pure strawberry extract, crushed currants and rhubarb. It’s thick and lush on the palate with strawberry pie and rhubarb flavours that are persistent and mouth-filling. There is enough acidity to provide vibrancy through the finish. (RV)

89 TAYLOR FLADGATE LATE-BOT-TLED VINTAGE PORT 2008, POR-TUGAL ($24.79) Maraschino cherries and wood-soaked spirit — together with an array of spices and clove in the foreground — open the way for sweet red fruit, plenty of spice and milk chocolate against a background of drying tannins. Finishes with a welcome touch of fiery warming alcohol. (SW)

89 GRAHAM’S SIX GRAPES RESERVE PORT NV, OPORTO, PORTUGAL ($28)Blended from their darkest, full-bodied lots. Exudes a young, intense Vintage Port style with its blast of dark fruit and menthol on the nose. Rich, concentrated, structured and loaded with ripe black-berry, plums, cherries, cedar and baking


spices. Satisfyingly sweet finish. A loyal friend of chocolate. (HH)

BEERDUVEL BELGIAN GOLDEN ALE BOTTLE CONDITIONED, BELGIUM ($3.69/330 ML)A classic Belgian-style golden ale that has a very persistent, light frothy head. Shows dry malty aromas with zesty malt and dry bitterness on the palate. The 8.5% alcohol seems hardly noticeable as it slides down all too easily! (SW)

WHISTLER BREWING COMPANY BIG SKY UNCOMMON LAGER, CANADA ($4.25/650 ML) Shows light amber in the glass with creamy persistent head and lightly aro-matic herbal hoppy, malty aromas. Fruity, malty and dusty dry hoppy flavours are nicely balanced, finishing with long herb-al bitterness. (SW)

MELVILLE’S GINGER BEER, SCOT-LAND ($2.95)Pronounced fresh ginger on the nose with underlying nuances of hops and lemon. Ginger and pepper on the palate with a long, piquant finish. Perhaps a tad sweet for some, but balanced and refreshing nonetheless. Why not try with sushi? (TS)

SPIRITSBRUICHLADDICH THE CLASSIC LADDIE SCOTTISH BARLEY ISLAY SINGLE MALT, SCOTLAND ($70)Unpeated Islay malts are not all that common, but this example from Bruichladdich is certainly proof that you don’t need smoke to create com-plexity. Sweet barley, a whiff of spice, citrus (which becomes more intense with a dash of water) and honey notes combine with a whisper of sea spray on the nose. Smooth and silky in the mouth, it perfectly balances traces of lemon, honey, caramel and crème brûlée with a long, subtly peppery finish. (TS)

BRUICHLADDICH OCTOMORE 6.1 SCOTTISH BARLEY ISLAY SINGLE MALT, SCOTLAND ($200)At 57.5% alcohol by volume, and peated to a staggering 167 ppm (making it the world’s most heavily peated whisky), you might expect the Bruichladdich Octomore (6th edition) to be simply overpowering. The thing is, it’s not. Sure, the smoke is there, but so is the Bruichladdich character. There’s ele-gance, complexity and fruity overtones nestled in among the earth, seaweed, black pepper, vanilla and bog myrtle. Salty/peaty on the palate, with minty/menthol notes, vanilla and toasted nuts. Profoundly long on the finish with a final dash of black pepper. (TS)

ST-RÉMY SMALL BATCH RESERVE LIMITED EDITION BRANDY BATCH NO 1886, FRANCE ($59.95/700 ML)When it comes to French brandy, you typically have a choice of the “standard” stuff, or high-end Cognac/Armagnac. St-Rémy has stepped in to offer an alterna-tive with its Small Batch Reserve. Dried fruit/fruitcake aromas combine with vanilla, nutmeg, sultana and toasted nuts. Smooth, spicy, round and warm in the mouth with complex notes of toffee, dried fruit, orange peel and soft oak. (TS)

MOUNT GAY BLACK BARREL RUM, BARBADOS ($39.90)Having undergone its usual aging and blending regime, Mount Gay’s newest offering is then aged a second time in charred bourbon barrels. The charred bourbon is evident in the rum’s defi-nite smokiness, but master blender Allen Smith ensures that, in the end, it’s still most definitely rum. Vanilla, caramel, marmalade, cloves, nutmeg, and charred oak on the nose. Big and peppery with smoky dried orange peel, caramel, vanilla bean and a hint of sweet bourbon. A nice mixer, to be sure, but try as you would a whisky — neat with a few drops of water. (TS)

WYBOROWA VODKA, POLAND ($25)The same grain that gives rye whisky its characteristic spicy zip imparts similar spicy/white-pepper notes to this well-structured vodka, along with

hints of vanilla and citrus fruit. Smooth, moderately viscous and very clean, it finishes quite long with hints of vanilla, liquorice and spice. (TS)

SOBIESKI VODKA, POLAND ($25)Another rye-based Polish vodka that seems to share many of the positive as-pects of the Wyborowa (clean, peppery, vanilla-tinged aromatics — this time with slight herbal nuances). Clean with nice body and texture, and the pro-nounced peppery aromas characteris-tic of rye-based spirits. Distilled since 1864, the brand is partially owned — and fully endorsed — by actor Bruce Willis. Yippee ki-yay, martini lover. (Sorry, couldn’t resist.) (TS)

SAKEMIZBASHO JUNMAI GINJO SAKE, JAPAN ($18.50/330 ML)Fresh, clean, forward and mildly fruity/floral aromas with hints of marzipan, candied almond, banana, a dash of pepper and subtle, earthy/mineral nu-ances. Creamy on the palate with bright acidity and some suggestions of tropical fruit. The finish is surprisingly long with a peppery, even slightly spritzy end notes. Leave your sake bias at the door and try this stuff! Your first thought might be sushi but why not try with a glazed duck or braised beef short ribs. (TS)

TENGUMAI JUNMAI UMAJUN SAKE, JAPAN ($24.95/720 ML)Admittedly, I’m still a bit of a newbie when it comes to sake. However, I’ve tasted 3 samples over the past little while that have convinced me that the high-end stuff is not only worth serious consideration, but that when it comes to sake, you really do get what you pay for. This number from Shata Shuzo displays intriguing aromas of subtle vanilla, mineral, pear, pumpkin seed, sea breeze, mushroom and earth. Flavours lean toward fruity/earthy with hints of almond and brine. Round and silky with a refreshing balance of acidity and mild bitterness. (TS)


87 FREIXENET ELYSSIA GRAN CU-VÉE BRUT CAVA, SPAIN ($20)Very pale yellow. Fine bubbles. Delicate notes of white fruit and wet stones; salty. Only moderate acidity yet nicely re-freshing and thirst-quenching. Not very flavourful but the taste is pleasant from start to finish thanks to its good balance. Drink now. (GBQc)

93 ONE FAITH VINEYARD GRAND VIN 2012, OKANAGAN ($165)The newest wine from the Okanagan Valley strives to be a “First Growth” (see page 33) and certainly makes a bold statement in its debut. This Mer-lot, Cab Sauv, Cab Franc blend shows concentrated currants, ripe black cherry, cassis, gorgeous oak spices and a floral note on the nose. It is the structure, texture and finesse on the palate that sets it apart from others, along with the concentration of fruit and spice through a long and polished finish. Cellar 10 or more years. (RV)

91 DOMAINE DE LA CÔTE PINOT NOIR 2011, SANTA RITA HILLS, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES ($65)Quite stylish with rich fruit without being overdone. Lovely and engaging; full bodied with ripe cherry, plum and earthy mineral notes that are beau-tifully balanced. A firm core, finishing long and persistent. (GB)

90 MONTELVINI TREVISO SPU-MANTE EXTRA DRY PROSECCO DOP, VENETO, ITALY ($34)Made from the Glera grape, which used to be called Prosecco. Delightful floral, peach, acacia and almond aromas. Softly textured mousse, light body and bright peachy flavour. Finishes off-dry with notes of spice and almond. Pure pleasure as an apéritif. (HH)

96 K1 SHIRAZ 2008, ADELAIDE HILLS, AUSTRALIA ($23) Clear, inky-deep plum red. Powerful and complex nose of cherry, leather and blue-berry with a balsam accent. Full-bodied with lots of cherry and blueberry fruit, high acidity and herbal notes that effec-tively tame the high alcohol level. Long finish. Ready to drink now; will be good for a couple more years. (RL)*

90 LOUIS LATOUR CHARDON-NAY 2012, BOURGOGNE AOC, FRANCE ($25)Compelling aromas of lemon meringue pie, spicy muscat, white pepper and vanilla. Rich, round palate balanced by vivacious acidity. Generous lemon custard, freshly baked apple pie and aca-cia notes. Smooth, complex finish with toasty nutmeg. Partners fabulously with fish or white meat. (HH)

95 CAVE VINICOLE DE HUNAWIHR GEWÜRZTRAMINER VENDANGES TARDIVES 2012, AOC ALSACE, FRANCE ($33.33) Shrivelled ultra-ripe grapes were harvested in November. Clear me-dium-deep yellow. Strong nose of botrytis, lychee, roses and vanilla. Full bodied, viscous with complex flavours of peaches, pears, honey and a hint of thyme. Excellent balance of sweetness and acidity; very long finish. Will repay cellaring up to 20 years. (RL)*

86 HENKELL RIESLING DRY SEKT NV, GERMANY ($17)Light golden colour with greenish flecks. Aromas of apples, pears and citrus peel. Palate-cleansing mousse rides atop flavours of apple sauce, mandarin orange and white peach underneath. Lem-on-lime notes on the finish. Your go-to bubbly for Chinese takeout. (HH)

91 TAWSE WINERY QUARRY ROAD GEWÜRZTRAMINER 2013, VINE-MOUNT RIDGE, ONTARIO ($24.95)Without a doubt, this is a brilliant off-dry Gewürz! It serves up peach, honey, rose water, cardamom, ginger, cold cream, lychee and pineapple. The palate is thick with soft acidity, 12% alcohol and a su-per-satisfying finale. Drink until 2016 to take full advantage of its exuberance. Pair with foie gras or Thai food. (ES)

WELL NOTED


DAVINE BY GURVINDER BHATIA

I EAT AND DRINK FOR A LIVING. I’m fortunate because my profession is also my passion and I get to do it around the world. My travels for work or plea-sure take me to many countries each year, which may be the best part of being Quench’s wine editor. Being exposed to different cultures, being able to put food and wine in the context of the people, places, culture and history of its home creates not just a better understanding of where the dishes come from, but provides a sense of veracity and authenticity.

The list is long and delicious. Here are some of my top tastes of the past couple of years.

Chicken and waffles at Table 52 in Chi-cago, Illinois: So many restaurants are at-tempting to capitalize on the popularity of this classic dish but few are doing it well. Table 52 nails it, with its crisp, tender and juicy, perfectly fried (not greasy) chicken and the light, fluffy waffle with the nice, slightly crunchy exterior.

Smoked antelope tartare; lobster and grits with Tasso ham, melted shallots and lobster veloute at The Gage in Chi-cago, Illinois

Radicchio and taleggio arancini at Corso 32 in Edmonton, Alberta: The slightly bit-ter radicchio with the creamy and pungent taleggio cheese provide the ultimate fla-

vour surprise when biting into this crispy fried risotto ball.

Lengua tacos at Mi Familia Market in Napa, California

Al pastor tacos at Tres Carnales in Edmon-ton, Alberta

Carrot agnolotti with chickpeas and beet purée; Ontario capon ‘cacciatore’ with white bean, soffritto, artichokes and hunt-er-style gravy at Campagnolo in Toronto, Ontario

The Loosey at Oddseoul in Toronto, Ontario: This burger is a sloppy flavour explosion with brisket and ribeye patty topped with, among other ingredients, kimchi and a creamy special sauce spiked with kimchi juice. An incredible few bites.

Coconut cream pie from Duchess Bake Shop in Edmonton, Alberta

Gnocchetti con Monte Veronese e tartufo at Trattoria da Guido in Bussolengo, Italy

Jackfruit in black cardamom and cumin curry; vegetarian koftes filled with almond masala in sour cream curry at Vij’s in Van-couver, BC

Crispy pork and polenta croquettes at Wildebeest in Vancouver, BC

Soft-shell crab sliders with wasabi mayo; nine-week dry-aged rare beef salad with Thai herbs and chili dressing; beef rendang and lamb penang with Malaysian roti at Sansho in Prague, Czech Republic: This may have been my most memorable meal of the past two years, partially because it was so unex-pected (a last-minute recommendation). Perhaps one of the most underrated restaurants in Europe.

Schwarzauer mountain trout with melon, cucumber and pea shoots; pan-fried gray-ling with sesame, baby artichokes and rose mallow; cheese cart (82 types); bread cart (32 types) at Steirereck in Vienna, Austria

Pork belly with pickled daikon and carrot, chili mayo and cilantro sandwich at Drift Food Truck in Edmonton, Alberta

Lobster roll at Sam’s Chowdermobile in San Francisco, California

Grass-fed steak tartare Vietnamese-style with lobster crackers at RN74 in San Fran-cisco, California

Crispy polenta fries with smoked duck at Dans les Landes in Paris, France

L’oeuf cocotte à la crème légère d’écre-visse et truffe noir at L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon Saint Germain in Paris, France

A BIT OF EVERYTHING


Chocolate and sea salt macaron from Cacao et Macarons by Grégory Renard in Paris, France: Ladurée and Pierre Hermé may receive more press and be better known, but Grégory Renard’s macarons are second to none (yes, we did a blind tasting). Best when fresh. Don’t even think of bringing a box back home to Canada with you; if he knows you are thinking of transporting them for more than a few hours, he won’t sell them to you.

14-month-aged Roquefort from Fromag-erie Androuet in Paris, France

Slow-roasted suckling pig sandwich with red cabbage slaw and aioli at Bones in Paris, France

Amuse of foie gras mousse, port reduction and parmigiano foam; chocolate souffle with pistachio ice cream at L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon Etoile in Paris, France

Lamb kebab and paneer tikka mixed wrap at street food stand at Whitecross Street Market in London, England

Grilled langoustines; fried courgette flower stuffed with goat cheese and drizzled with orange-honey glaze at Fino in London, England: Classic Span-ish flavours. I felt like I was back in San Sebastian.

Delicias (stuffed Persian dates with serrano, Manchego, walnut and pome-granate molasses) at Ox and Angela in Calgary, Alberta

Roti canai at East in Edmonton, Alberta

Pizzoccheri (buckwheat pasta with pork belly, winter squash and sage) at Domeni-ca in New Orleans, Louisiana

Fried chicken; fed beans and rice at Willie Mae’s Scotch House in New Orle-ans, Louisiana

Rabbit and dumplings at Cochon in New Orleans, Louisiana: Known for pig, but this rabbit dish was the real star.

Seared scallops with beet relish at RGE RD in Edmonton, Alberta

Mascarpone banana cream pie from Wild Tangerine in Edmonton, Alberta

Every flavour of gelato from Gelateria Dondoli in San Gimignano, Tuscany, Italy: I’ve loved ice cream from a very young age and I never miss the opportunity to indulge in gelato when I am in Italy. The purity of the flavours and the incredible texture of Sergio Dondoli’s gelati are why he is known as the world’s best producer of artisan gelato.

Lampredotto (4th stomach of the cow) sandwich; mezzemaniche con zabaione di parmigiano e pistacchio catered by Gala-teo in Florence, Tuscany, Italy

Iberian ham croquettes; Spanish tortilla with piquillo peppers at Miguel Torres Restaurant in Santiago, Chile

Grilled octopus (multiple preparations); ti-radito nikei (tuna and salmon carpaccio with tamarind sauce and hot sesame oil); sautéed shrimp and mere over yellow chili risotto; bombostinos (mixed chicken and shrimp with orange honey sauce wrapped with sweet potato) at La Mar in Santiago, Chile

Boga (river fish) from Paraná River with pecan nut purée and eucalyptus at Chila in Buenos Aires, Argentina

Grilled vegetable Rogel with Perdriel goat cheese, roasted beetroot cream, wheat porridge and pine mushroom truffle at Bodega Ruca Malen‘s winery restaurant in Agrelo, Mendoza, Argentina

Beef sushi at Casa Coupage in Buenos Aires, Argentina

Gnocchi soufflé with squid and orange saffron sauce; shrimp roll wrapped in shredded phyllo pastry on hot stone with shrimp bisque at Aramburu in Buenos Aires, Argentina

Fonduta agnolotti del plin with sage butter and parmigiano at Bar Bricco in Edmonton, Alberta

Collard greens; grits at Sylvia’s in Harlem, New York City, New York

Cotechino with turnips, krauti and Bauer’s mustard at Birreria in Eataly in New York City, New York

Kip-kap (cured meat made with pig cheeks/snout suspended in gelatin) at Poechenellekelder in Brussels, Belgium

Cheeseburger à cheval with thick-cut peppered bacon at Au Cheval in Chica-go, Illinois

Hudson Valley foie gras ravioli with hazelnuts, rhubarb, sunchoke, 12-year balsamico; risotto di mare with lake perch, Manila clams, oyster, neonata at Spiaggia in Chicago, Illinois

Crab with green chili paste and fresh coconut; pulling threads with sweet-breads, taro root and banana at Next in Chicago, Illinois: The food is inventive without being gimmicky and, most im-portantly, the flavours work, but it is the complete dining experience at a Grant Achatz restaurant that everyone needs to add to their bucket list.

Frijoles charros at Rostizado in Edmon-ton, Alberta

Crispy duck panang at Lotus of Siam in Las Vegas, Nevada

Foie gras herb tortellini in bouillon with ginger and white soy sauce at L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon in Las Vegas, Nevada

Pumpkin soup with roasted chestnuts and mushrooms at Hotel Domaine des Peyre in Robion, France

Massaman nuea (braised beef cheeks in massaman curry paste, coconut milk, burnt shallots, potatoes) at Kin Khao in San Francisco, California

CA state bird with provisions (butter-milk-fried quail); duck liver mousse with almond biscuit at State Bird Provisions in San Francisco, California ×


AFTER TASTE BY TONY ASPLER

ILLUSTRATION: FRANCESCO GALLÉ, WWW.FRANCESCOGALLE.COM

IF I’M ALLOWED A SAY IN THESE THINGS, MY VOTE FOR THE NEXT BIG THING IS VERMENTINO. This light-skinned grape, masquerading under 40 different synonyms, is planted mainly in Corsica, Sardinia, Tuscany, Liguria (where it’s known as Pigato) and Piemonte (as Favorita). There are also plantings in the Languedoc and Roussillon (where it’s known as Rolle); but its finest expression comes from Sardinia, where it rep-resents the most widely planted variety, red or white.

In other words, Vermentino is a grape that likes warm, dry weather, which is why it can be found in the following Califor-nian wineries’ portfolios: Tablas Creek in Paso Robles, Mahoney Vineyards in the Napa Carneros, Uvaggio Vineyards in Lodi, and Thornton Winery in Temecula. Also, over 80 wineries in Aus-tralia, from McLaren Vale to Margaret River, grow this varietal. So why haven’t we heard more about this interesting wine in Ontario rather than being subjected to the oceans of Chardon-nay and Pinot Grigio that flood the shelves? The SAQ lists 16 Vermentino offerings; the BC LDB, three; and the LCBO, one.

I first tasted Vermentino 11 years ago over lunch in the Can-tinetta Antinori in Florence (the restaurant on the ground floor of the Antinori palazzo — a “must stop” for anyone visiting that amazing city). The wine was a revelation — crisp and delicate with a light aromatic note and flavours of white peach and citrus fruit with a thread of minerality. I asked my host Piero Antinori about it and he told me the grapes came from the family’s Guado al Tasso estate in Bolgheri on the Tuscan coast, but only a small quantity was produced, which is why we didn’t see it in our market.

In the following years, I have sought out Vermentino on wine lists wherever I’ve dined and happily, it is beginning to show up more often. And last December I visited Sardinia, the spiritual home of the grape.

DNA analysis suggests that Vermentino might be related to the Hungarian Furmint, the principal grape used in the pro-duction of the dessert wine Tokaji; certainly the dry version of Furmint is quite similar in style to Vermentino. There is some question, however, as to whether the variety was imported into Italy from Hungary or whether the grape migrated from Italy to Hungary. Whatever its provenance, it has become the signature wine of Sardinia.

On Italy’s second largest island — after Sicily — Vermentino is grown in the northern province of Olbia-Tempio in an area known as the Gallura region. The earliest reference to Vermen-tino being cultivated here goes back to the 14th century. These vineyards are usually planted on slopes facing the sea so that the reflected light assists the ripening process. The salt-sea air does impart a discreet salinity to the flavour of the wine (rather like the coastal Manzanilla sherries of Sanlúcar de Barrameda). While the Gallura denomination — a DOCG — is considered the best expression of this grape, Vermentino is also grown in the south of the island where it is produced mainly as either a sweet wine, a blended wine or a sparkler.

Producers of Sardinian Vermentino to look for are Costamolino from Argiolas, Funtanaliras from the Cantina del Vermentino Monti, Cantina di Gallura, Surrau Branu Ver-mentino di Gallura and Sella & Mosca La Cala; in its sparkling version, Piero Mancini Vermentino di Gallura Spumante Brut. From other Italian regions, look for Castello di Volpaia Prelius Vermentino from Maremma, Banfi La Pettegola Vermenti-no from Bolgheri, and from Antinori’s estate Le Mortelle, in Castiglione della Pescaia, a wine called Le Mortelle Vivia: a blend of Vermentino, Viognier and Ansonica — one of the most exciting Italian whites I have tasted. ×

THIS IS THE NEXT BIG THING ISSUE.

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