Between the Vines

YVR Wine Bloggers & Sommeliers Group share an evening of no-pressure and no-pretence wine tasting and education

Congratulations and a huge thank-you go out to Elizabeth Clinton of Seacove Group and Jeff Bashford of Farmstead Wines (and co-organizers of the YVR Wine Bloggers & Sommeliers Group) for putting together such a fabulous wine-tasting, -appreciation, and -education event…and for letting me volunteer.  Many thanks as well to Scott Landon Antiques on Granville Street for opening their show room to the occasion—and us!

 

It was certainly well worth our drive to Vancouver from Mission for the evening. I enjoyed tasting all the wines and meeting so many wine lovers. And it was great for my husband to see that I am not so unusual in my passion and oeno-geeky-ness.

 

There were 10 wine stations placed throughout the antiques showroom, each with its own “fundamental lesson” and wines. The lessons were posed as questions:

1.    What affect does climate have on wine?

2.    Do you agree with the critics?

3.    How many different grape varieties can you name?

4.    Does Argentinean Malbec taste like Malbec?

5.    When was the last time you served a Sherry?

6.    Can you describe what a Riesling tastes like?

7.    Will a glass of bubbly this festive season be your first this year?

8.    Do you consider yourself a red wine drinker?

9.    Do you think artisan wines are worth the money?

10. Do you prefer Molson Canadian or Kokanee?

 

I was pouring at station nine, along with chef and wine aficionado Weston Nawrocki of BeauCharles Wine & Food Consulting. To demonstrate our lesson, we poured the 2008 Rosemount Estate Diamond Label White from Australia and the 2003 Marc Tempe Alliance from Alsace, France.

 

It was wonderful meeting so many peopel in the flesh, so many folks I've known only "virtually" this last couple of years. And I was glad to finally have a real-live, face-to-face conversation with Paul Rickett, Bowen Island's Wine Guy.

 

A definite highlight of the evening was when Pamela Clarke, co-founder and Chocolate Spin Meister (yes, that’s her official title) of xoxolat told me her story:  She has always avoided wine-tasting events because, as much as she loves wine, and as much as she enjoys it with nearly every meal, she feared wine tastings would be intimidating and full of snobbery with wine experts who are all puffed up with their own self-importance. So when this event was billed as "no pretence," she thought she'd give it a try.

 

Pamela was so excited—and I mean excited—to (A) find that the billing was true—ours was a no-pretence, educational event—and (B) share a room jam-packed with people who simply love wine and love sharing their collective knowledge and passion.

 

And, you know what? I think she’ll venture out to more tastings now that she’s seen first-hand that not everyone in the wine world is, well, a snob.

 

Follow these folks on Twitter:

Jeff Bashford

Weston Nawrocki

Farmstead Wines

Seacove Group

Xoxolat

Paul Rickett

 

Salut!

 

Copyright © 2009 Kathleen Rake. All rights reserved.

Learn about the fermented grape at this relaxed, no-pretense (but tons of fun) wine-tasting night in Vancouver

Do you love wine as much as I love it? Ever wonder why you love it? Have you ever thought, "Gee, I'd sure like to know more, but I don't know where to go or whom to ask?"

Well, my dear, you are in luck!

A group of highly passionate and knowledgeable (but no where near stuffy or staid) wine lovers, bloggers, and sommeliers have joined forces to bring you an opportunity to learn about more than 20 different wine regions, styles, and winemaking techniques as you taste your way through 10 stations and 20+ wines in wine-show style.

At each station, you'll come away with a lesson to help you better understand wine fundamentals. And by the end of the evening, you'll have tasted some 20 yummy wines, found answers to your questions, and gained enough knowledge and confidence to boldly go and pick that next bottle of wine from any specialty liquor store shelf or restaurant wine list.

You will be encouraged to grab a glass of your favourite wine of the night to sip while you mingle and make new friends.

Mark your calendar now for next Tuesday, November 10, then click here for more information and to purchase your tickets.

Only 100 Tickets available—purchase online to receive a $10 discount.

Salut!

Copyright © 2009 Kathleen Rake. All rights reserved. 

Friday night dinner at The Keg in Abbotsford

We had an early, impromptu dinner at The Keg in Abbotsford tonight. To start, Rick had a rum & coke and I sipped a single-serving cava as we shared tempura snap peas and asparagus.

For dinner, I had the Prosciutto-wrapped shrimp with prime rib and Rick had a steak with bacon-horseradish cream sauce. Mine was fabulous and Rick proclaimed his as "great."

The wine was a 2008 Domaine Jean Bousquet Malbec (13.8% ABV) from Argentina, "made from organically grown grapes."

I found vanilla, smoke, dark red fruits, and blackberries on the nose, with rose petals, spice, coffee, and ripe black fruits on the palate. The tannins were soft and the finish was longer than I had expected. This wine, not quite as sophisticated as its sister, the 2006 Reserva, is good and rings in at $33.95 at the restaurant and $15.99 at B.C. government liquor stores.

And our server, Joanna Lumley, was out of this world.

If only all servers could be as professional, warm, and appropriately attentive as this lovely young lady. You'd better hang on to her, Mr. Keg Steakhouse.

Salut!

Copyright © 2009 Kathleen Rake. All rights reserved. 

My first attempt at a video wine tasting...

Well, here it is, my first attempt at a video wine tasting. I was nervous. Wasn't loud enough. Should have given more detail. And forgot to have the label facing you, so I took a still photo of it.

But all that's okay because at least I tried. And my next one will be much better.

The wine I tasted was the 2008 La Stella Leggiero, an unoaked Chardonnay.

I'd love your feedback.

Salut!

Copyright © 2009 Kathleen Rake. All rights reserved.

Day three of wine-soaked gal pal weekend (part two)

It's late, I'm tired, but I want to give you all a quick overview of our day, along with some snap shots. I had a groovy video going, but my gal pals got a little sassy so I had to ditch it.

I will, of course, fill in the gaps and expand where appropriate over the next week or two. Maybe three.

7:00, Spirit Ridge Vineyard Resort & Spa: Rise, have breakfast, post on blog, shower, drink coffee, pack, cram car full, and check out.

Mountain view from our balcony at Spirit Ridge

10:00, Chandra Estate Winery

Me 'n my gal pals at Chandra Estate Winery, Oliver's only organic winery

 
Flor Torres pours tastes at Chandra Estate

Mr. Dhillon, owner/operator at Chandra Estate Winery, smiles big!

11:00, Hester Creek Estate Winery

View from the breezeway at the villas at Hester Creek Estate Winery

 
'Floor as art' at Hester Creek's almost-finished new tasting room

12:30, Cock and Bull for lunch

1:00, Inniskillin

JoAnn Peachey takes us for a tour and tasting

It's me between the vines at Inniskillin's Dark Horse Vineyard

Grapes in the Dark Horse Vineyard start to turn colour

2:30, Jackson Triggs

Suzanne Coles, guest services manager, pours three flights for us:
Merlot, Shiraz, and Meritage

4:00, on the road toward home again.

Salut!

More daylight hours = more time for wine on the patio

June means sunshine, the end of the school year, more daylight hours and, of course, Father’s Day. And together these mean more patio time and outdoor living. While I typically prefer a white, rosé, or sparkling wine for the heat of the day or a dusky summer evening... Read more

 

Copyright © 2009 Kathleen Rake. All rights reserved.

Organic B.C. wine and rugby: who knew they'd fit together so well?

Well, they've done it. Donna Bernard, Douglas Okero, and Summer Dhillon have managed to tie rugby to two of my favourite things: wine and food. And with the help of sponsors like BluStone Bistro & Lounge and Chandra Estate Winery, along with food-and-drink partner The Esposito Group, how can they help but be successful?

The tie-in started Thursday evening when the trio formally launched their newest project, the  International Rugby Sevens, a world-class international rugby tournament to take place this summer in the heart of B.C.'s Fraser Valley—Abbotsford. Festivities begin July 23 and carry on until July 25, when we get to the main event, a full day of games followed by awards and an after party.

At the launch, not only were we introduced to dignitaries, rugby players, and other VIPs, but we got to nibble the goodies provided by BluStone and sip Chandra Estate wines, which happen to be lovely, certified organic, and a product of the Okanagan Valley, right in Oliver, B.C. What luck!

I sipped on both the pinot gris and merlot—one at a time, of course. The Chandra Estate pinot gris , named O, is a medium-bodied wine with a bit more acidity than I had expected (I happen to like that, by the way). It presents aromas of peach and nectarine, followed quickly by rose petal and honey. On the palate, this wine is refreshing with flavours of peach, pear, and a hint of honey. I'd pair this wine with my grilled boneless chicken breasts that I serve with a salsa of mango, garlic, lime, and cilantro.

Besides the aromas of plum, ripe blueberries, spice and something vegetal that others described as black olive, the Chandra Estate merlot, named Halo, gives a definite floral scent reminiscent of violets. On the palate, this wine is lush and full of the fruity goodies and easy tannins you'd expect from a merlot. I sipped while chatting and then had more with dinner, a very generous serving of BluStone's slowly braised pork ribs. Yum!

 

Summer Dhillon, Donna Bernard, and Kathleen Rake
share some wine and some laughs.

You can find Chandra Estate wines in select wine stores and restaurants including Kensington Square Wines (Burnaby), Wine Emporium (Langley), Mud Bay Wines (Tsawwassen), Bellevue Wine Company (West Vancouver), Vij's (Vancouver), and Relish (Vancouver).

Salut!

Copyright © 2009 Kathleen Rake. All rights reserved.

2006 Jean Bousquet Malbec Reserva is a purple-hued organic beauty from Argentina

Tonight I had my first sip of Domaine Jean Bousquet Malbec Reserva (2006), an organic wine from the Tupungato Valley in Argentina, comprised of 85% malbec, 5% cabernet sauvignon, 5% merlot, and 5% shiraz.

 

This deep, dark, purple-hued beauty of a red wine (which rings in at under $20 at B.C. liquor stores) is rich and full bodied with a supple mouth feel. On the nose I get black everything: blackberries, black cherries, black raspberries, and cassis, with a mineral undertone that reminds me of a summer rain on warm gravel, which isn’t exactly typical wine-speak, but it’s what comes to my mind.  On the palate, this wine has a little fig preserves in front of more black berry fruits, chocolate, leather, and black pepper.  The palate goes on to prove this wine has good structure, with the tannins and acidity present and working in delightful harmony.

 

This wine is delicious enough to sip solo, but at 14.5% ABV, I prefer to have it with food.  While tonight we had it with a very tasty and rib-sticking home-made shepherd’s pie, it would just as easily work with barbequed pork spareribs, roast beef, or a hearty winter-time soup.

 

Salut!

 

Copyright © 2009 Kathleen Rake.  All rights reserved.