Valentine’s day is essentially the celebration of a good pair, and what better way to acknowledge that than by pairing two of my favourite gustatory delights.  I have asked my wine friends to share their perfect matches so that you can woo your Valentine with wine and chocolate.

The best thing about Valentines Day this year? It falls on the weekend. That’s the perfect excuse to wake up not only to chocolates, but wine too! (technically of course, you could wake up to wine on a work day but in this case, you get to enjoy the option of staying in bed whilst you drink it.). Anyhow, there is going to be no better way to start your Valentines Day and woo your loved one this year than with a glass of fizzy stuff and a sweet treat to match. Champagne is, of course, the perfect bubble to start the day but unless you are a sadist or have no taste buds, champagne, (even the sweetest style, demi-sec) just doesn’t work with chocolate and the most sweet treats. Thankfully, lightly frothing, delicately sweet Michele Chiarlo ‘Nivole’ Moscato d’Asti ($17.99 at select BC liquor and Private liquor stores) does the job very nicely thank-you and its fresh perfume and low alcohol mean you can safely finish the bottle without the threat of a hangover by noon. The grapey, musky aromas of the Moscato grape blend perfectly with chocolate and if you really want to impress your loved one you can create your own perfect pairing as follows: dip some ripe strawberries in melted dark chocolate and let them set over-night in the fridge. A bowl of these chocolate-covered strawbs and a glass or two of moscato when you wake up should give you all the energy you need for your Valentines morning. Preferably a long Valentines morning in bed……

Mark Shipway – Wine Instructor & Department Head The International Culinary School
at The Art Institute of Vancouver

Sometimes, an odd couple is the most endearing—and the most memorable.

Sure, chocolate is gorgeous. I love it. Often. But give me a taste and tongue-touch experience that’s new and exciting, and I achieve euphoria.

Take the first time I had Inniskillin Riesling Icewine from the Okanagan with gorgonzola cheese, for example. When those flavours and textures came together in my mouth—Ka-Boom—true love. To this day, I have a very difficult time finding a pairing that will give me the same feral, sensory rush.

$34.99 will get you a 200ml bottle of the Inniskillin Icewine (10% ABV)at most B.C. Signature Liquor Stores.

Kathleen Rake – Click Media Works / Between the Vines wine blog

Seguras Viudas Lavit Rosado Brut is my favourite dry pink sparkling wine. Spanish and simply the best value sparkler on the market in the under $20 range. Cherry and mineral on nose and palate. Sadly, this might be the last Valentine’s Day that it is available as it is being delisted in the BC market in favour of its slightly sweeter-tasting Brut Rosé sibling. Its still in Government and Private stores – get it while you can. Its one of the 10 wines that I couldn’t be marooned on a Desert Island without, especially for romantic interludes with a bite of two of Green & Black’s dark cherry chocolate.

Paul Rickett – Purveyor of great wines at Bowen Island Cold Beer and Wine and blog

Black Cloud isn’t the kind of name you’d associate with Valentine’s Day but around the household here in the Okanagan Valley, it’s the name of our 2006 Pinot Noir that we love to pair with dark chocolate.

Our Pinot is more robust than the average Pinot.  If Pinot Noir is usually described as ‘feminine’ then this Black Cloud is a female body builder.  Big, bold and rippling with flavours of currant, plum and clove.

It almost goes without saying, white chocolate or milk chocolate would be squashed by this wine.  We choose the Dove 71% Dark Cacao bar to nibble on while we recline on the sofa polluting our minds with network television and sipping Black Cloud. Then we turn to each other, lock eyes, and sigh contentedly, submersed in fond rapture.

It’s available at fine retailers (listed here ) and through our website by dropping us an email.  Currently $19.99.

Bradley Cooper – Winemaker and Blogger

Twenty-four years ago I received a parcel from Germany containing a weirdly delicious item.  It was a Ritter Sport Yogurt chocolate bar, and the exquisitely tangy sweetness wrought by the union of plain white yogurt and creamy milk chocolate has become a lingering obsession.  Only a tangy and slightly sweet wine can work with it. I recommend the Pfaffenheim Pinot Gris from France; its flavours are ripe and late-harvest-like in their honeyed tropical intensity, yet the wine retains only the softest kiss of sweetness to balance its mouthwatering acidity.  Yes, we have the wine if you have the chocolate.

Rose Siemens – Manager & Wine Guide Whatcom Wine & Spirits and Grape Squeeze blog

I hope that these great pairings give you oodles of ideas to enrich the romance (or drown out the ridiculous commercialism of this Hallmark endorsed holiday). Either way, we don’t really need a reason to enjoy chocolate and wine as it is an occasion to itself.  Cheers!

*The winner of the Sweet Valentines Giveaway was Betty Weeds!  Congratulations and I hope that you get some great ideas from this post!

I still get a little ’shelf shock’ when I walk into a wine store filled wall to wall with shiny bottles of wine.  As I maneuver through the aisles like a kid in a candy store I tend to gravitate towards the wines that are familiar to me, but the best wines are always the ones recommended.  In addition to reading reviews by other wine writers, I like to make friends with local wine shops, wineries, and fellow wine lovers; They always have some great suggestions so I asked them if they would help me make a list of 12 Bottles (plus one more to make it a baker’s dozen) that are sure to please your palate as you deck the halls with reds and whites.

Bottle #1: A wine to encourage the Christmas spirit

A fantastic seasonal wine sipping situation can be enjoyed during the hanging of the outdoor Christmas lights. Choose a bold red wine with loads of ripe fruit and at least 14% alcohol to keep your blood from freezing; I like the Sabor Real Tempranillo from Spain for $17. Drinking from a nondescript opaque plastic cup is essential to keep the neighbours from judging you. I also recommend a robust crunchy snack that can be eaten with stiff and possibly dirty fingers; try Stacy’s parmesan garlic & herb pita chips. Yes it will take longer to hang the lights, but you’ll feel warmer and less inclined to utter expletives.
Rose Siemens – Manager & Wine Guide Whatcom Wine & Spirits and Grape Squeeze blog

Bottle #2: A tree trimming party wine

Our choice for a Tree Trimming Wine would be Road 13 Vineyards Pinot Noir ($22.99).  It is a light bodied wine with a silky texture.  Earthy, savoury and fruity, perfect for appies and festive activities.  Think filo wrapped brie with a little cranberries and orange zest.  Mini tarts filled with fig and goat cheese, aged gouda cheese on pecan crisps.  These are quick and easy appies to make or similar items could be purchased.  The wine is available direct from the winery, VQA and private outlets in the lower mainland and Alberta.
Korrine Bremmer – Road 13 Vineyards

Bottle #3: A wine for the construction of a fruitcake

Lucien Albrecht Cremant d’Alsace Brut Rose, NV is a Pinot Noir bubbly that is a super deal, around $25 and available at private wine shops, sometimes at BCLDB stores. It’s pretty pink colour will enhance the bright, glistening pile of candied cherries and fruits you must chop for fruitcake, and the bubbles will mirror all your twinkly lights. Dry, with red fruits and a bit of baked brioche and toasted almond on the palate, it?ll match well with the dough you sneak out of the bowl – yes, even fruitcake dough with its fruit, nut and vanilla essences.
Allison Markin – All She Wrote Consulting

Bottle #4: A wine to impress the whole family (even the tough to please!)

Marc Tempe Alliance 2003 is a naturally farmed blend of Pinot Blanc, Riesling and Sylvaner. Complexity from the bottle age is sure to impress your sommelier friends while the goldilocks acidity will keep your ‘patio wine’ swilling family at bay as well. You shouldn’t have any trouble pairing it with the turkey but I suggest sticking a glass in everyone’s hand as they come through the door. ($26 from private wine retailers)
Jeff Bashford – Farmstead Wines

Bottle #5: A wine to go with your Turducken

2007 Le Clos Jordanne Pinot Noir Village Reserve, V.Q.A., Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada: Bursting with gorgeous vanilla-infused cherries and plums in a liquid package of pleasure. The price is as low as you get for this quality so why not enjoy yourself and loosen up (your purse strings). Layered, medium-bodied, complex and lovely. A long finish. We should be proud as Canadians because this rising tide lifts all the boats. This wine would be perfect for Christmas dinner, whether you’re having turkey, goose, roast chicken or lamb. $25.00  Score: 91/100.
Natalie MacLean – Editor of Google’s top-rated site for wine and food at www.nataliemaclean.com

Bottle #6: A Cawston, BC Christmas dinner Wine

It would be hard to believe that the hard working folks at Cawston, B.C’s Orofino Vineyards didn’t have Christmas dinner in mind when they crafted their Orofino 2007 Pinot Noir. Full bodied and smooth, this wine exhibits an excellent combination of new and old world sensibilities. Hints of cherry and strawberry will dance on your tongue as you tuck into your turkey and dressing. Perfect wine for pairing with poultry, but it’s spicy nose will agree very well with more earthy foods as well. Other than friends and family, this wine is the best possible addition to your holiday dinner table.
Christopher Reid – Manager of Broadway International Wine Shop

Bottle #7: A wine for the ‘Q (and a recipe too!)

Blow the snow off your BBQ and fire up a couple of thick strip loins. Invest in some good ones with the money you save on this killer value of a wine (Almansa Reverva-Piqueras Castillo de Almansa 2003). Dress them simply with a sprinkle of Montreal Steak Spice. I like to drizzle some wine on them first just to make the spice stick to it. And besides, it’s cold out there, so a drizzle or two for the cook is permitted. I recommend the wine for dressing the steak, the cook and–should there be any left when the steaks come off–the dining table, is a voluptuous, full bodied blend of Monastrell, Tempranillo and Garnacha. It has a surprising personality and finish for a mere $12.99 at a BC Liquor Store and a complexity worthy of a wine of twice the price. You will pick out generous notes of red fruit—cherries and plums in particular—with a dash of vanilla, herby spices and a hint of black pepper..
Three or four minutes to a side will preserve a core of moon-howling rareness that a beef loving wine like this calls for. Meanwhile, have your sous-chef sautee some thickly cut mushrooms in butter and pepper. Dash the pepper in the melted butter for a while before tossing in the mushrooms in order to extract the lustful pepperiness that the wine and the steak call for.
A roasted red bell pepper dressed with olive oil and oregano that has sizzled alongside the steak morsels will be a tasty accompaniment.
Bruce Gurney – The WineBeard (My Daddy)

Bottle #8: A home for the holidays wine

I was very excited when I first tried Hillside Estate Old Vines Gamay Noir 2007 last year at the annual Naramata Bench tasting in Vancouver last year. Gamay is a grape that tends to get sidelined in favour of the more glamorous Pinot Noir but in fact it can produce equally delicious wine. This version from Hillside Estate suffers from not one of those negatives, being both light & elegant yet concentrated in flavour and extremely well balanced. Hillside’s new winemaker, Kathy Malone, shows a delicate hand and coaxes bright berry fruits, mineral & earth flavours from the fruit supported by a vibrant acidity and subtle, refined oak. This wine really does set the bar for Gamay in the Okanagan and I can only hope others will want to emulate the style.  It will pair perfectly with the traditional Turkey dinner being a light enough red to not over-power the Turkey yet with enough fruit and acidity to stand up well to the cranberry sauce. Its underlying earthy qualities should play nicely with the supporting flavours of the brussel sprouts, sausage meat and stuffing and the tannins are soft enough not to clash too much with any sweeter sides like butternut squash. ($24.99 at selected private wine stores)
Mark Shipway – Wine Instructor & Department Head The International Culinary School
at The Art Institute of Vancouver

Bottle #9: A party wine

Going to an informal social or potluck where you add your contribution to the kitchen counter? Cantina Tollo Sangiovese in a one litre bottle is a great value contribution that is pretty tasty as well. Sangiovese is the grape used to make Chianti so it goes with most Italian foods like pizza and pasta.  Cantina Tollo also do three others in the same series – Rosso and two whites – Trebbiano and Pinot Grigio.  These wines are also great if you are hosting a larger event over the Season. Super-affordable at $12 in most private wine stores (not in LDB) so its easy to be generous – take two!
Paul Rickett – Purveyor of great wines at Bowen Island Cold Beer and Wine and blog

Bottle #10: A Wine to transport you to warmer places

Take a mid-Christmas-season break from the short bread, cheese balls, and egg nog. Instead, load your plate with chicken souvlaki, kalamari, Greek salad (with lots of feta cheese, of course) and tsatsiki. Pair the works up with a glass of 2008 Boutari Moschofilero (less than $20 in B.C. liquor stores) from Greece. It’s crisp and citrusy and just plain yummy. You won’t be sorry!
Kathleen Rake – Click Media Works / Between the Vines wine blog

Bottle #11: A wine that’s worth the splurge

LaStella Winery: 2006 “Maestoso” Merlot is for splurging. An extremely sinfully, ridiculously low yields of 1 ton per acre. Like the best merlots from around the world: planted in heavy clay based soils. Collectible item: less than 214 cases produced, very sought after and hard to find. $85.00 a bottle and paired with the most expensive cut of meat possible…
Mika Muzychka – Enotecca Winery & Resorts Inc. / La Stella Winery

Bottle #12: An un-wine-ding from the holidays wine

Inniskillin Vidal Commemorative Edition Icewine is the perfect ending for your holiday celebrations: soaked into holiday figgy pudding, paired with hard cheeses or simply on its own! A luscious nectar pressed from naturally frozen grapes on a cold winter night, it’s only fitting to share this treat huddled inside on snowy nights. Celebrating the spirit of the Vancouver 2010, a portion of each bottle supports our Canadian Olympic team. Available at BCLDB stores for $59.95, in Alberta at a suggested retail price of $59.99, in Ontario at LCBO stores for $59.95, and in Quebec for $65.05. For more information, please visit www.inniskillin.com.
Kate Crothers – Coletta and Associates

Bonus Bottle: A Boxing Day treat while you rest your feet

It’s on sale! Normally $840 for a case of 12, Kelowna’s Rollingdale Winery has its lovely, certified organic, Sweet Tooth Series Pinot Noir Icewine on sale for $300 a case, or $180 for six bottles. Order online, then when you’re done with bargain shopping and battling crowds for your half-price calendars and the leather boots you’ve been eyeing, drop the bags in the hall and break out a bottle. Apricot jam on the nose, strawberry and cream on the palate, it’s darn yummy. (Rollingdale Pinot Noir Icewine)
Allison Markin – All She Wrote Consulting

I hope you find a few wines to suit your holiday festivities from this yummy list– I know that I have!  I would like to thank all of these wine-friends for adding some direction with their juicy wisdom.  Have yourself a very merry Christmas and I toast to you a glass of holiday cheer.

In a few short weeks, my fiance and I will be leaving to get married.  Naturally, it will be in wine country– Napa or Sonoma.  Napa would be my first choice because I work in wine and my fiance works in auto parts.  I think that’s clever, but it’s beside the point.  We really want to make this happen as simply as possible on vineyard; between the vines.  To be more specific (due to local laws), we plan on saying our vows with only a pastor and a photographer present.  That’s all.  I’ve got the dress, the shoes, and the guy, but we still need a vineyard on which to make this official.

I am inviting vineyards in Napa and Sonoma to consider hosting our entourage of four on August 18, 2009 for our vows.  We seek a very intimate setting surrounded by the glorious beauty of vines so alive and ripe with symbolism.

My K.I.S.S list:

1. Rose bushes at the end of the rows of vines
2. Picturesque location for Wedding photos
3. Can accommodate four people for about one hour on Aug 18th
4. No staff, or event space required from the vineyard

BONUS: Will hold a video camera for 10 mins or be our witness

***Please note that my K.I.S.S list isn’t set in stone. If you think that your winery and vineyards have something different to offer, I invite you change my mind!***

If you would like to invite us to get hitched on your land, you can email me at winebard@gmail.com with a brief description of your winery and why your vineyard would be perfect for our special day.  I will be posting the entries on WinebardWeds as they come in and notifying the chosen winery on August 14.  The official announcement will be made on the wedding day, followed by a post of how it went.

Please email me no later than August 13 at 4pm PST, this bride has some planning to do!

* If you are Media and would like to participate in spreading the word, please link me so that I can include as a participant on here.  I also have a button for you to add to your blog.

[Wine is] a living thing. I like to think about what was going on the year the grapes were growing; how the sun was shining; if it rained. I like to think about all the people who tended and picked the grapes. And if it’s an old wine, how many of them must be dead by now. I like how wine continues to evolve, like if I opened a bottle of wine today it would taste different than if I’d opened it on any other day, because a bottle of wine is actually alive. And it’s constantly evolving and gaining complexity. That is, until it peaks, like your ‘61. And then it begins its steady, inevitable decline.  – Sideways

There are two elements of wine that cause my imagination to run wild with romanticism (aside from the imbibing part): the barrels and the vines.  Today, the vines became so very alive to me as I studied them from several vantage points.  On our way to Sonoma/Santa Rosa for the Wine Bloggers’ Conference, Kathleen Rake and I feasted our eyes on the fields and fields of vines from our plane.  They were neatly combed into perfect lines covering the countryside in patches and on the hills the vines wound  in soothing patterns like a green zen garden.  Each field was as unique as a fingerprint.  As we drew closer to landing, I could see some fields were younger and the infant vines were spread further apart, reminding me of hair transplants.

Once we had landed and the rogue cab driver drove us along past the vineyards, Kathleen leaned over and asked me if I could hear them calling out to me.  If they could call out, I would hope that they would shout directions to our driver who took us to two wrong hotels before we had to Google directions for him.  But while he gave us the scenic route, my mind wandered some more as we passed by vines who stood like a chorus line, dressed in luscious green leaves with their arms wrapped around each other as if they were about to can-can.  There were other vines pruned so neatly like soldiers with their crew cuts standing at attention, and some appeared more unkempt with their arms flailing expressively as though they had already indulged too much in their own juice.

California vines are so much like celebrities, and their wine is the music or performance.  Over dinner, we discussed the art of wine and how some are like canned music that is easy enough for listening to that it appeals to many without actually being great music, and others are more experimental and crafted in their appeal to an experienced appreciative audience.  Larry Chandler challenged my understanding of terroir to be more than just the earth in which the wine arose, to encompass the influence of all factors that make a wine unique (perhaps using ‘terroir’ for lack of a better word) but the conversations kept returning to the experience– the story and the relationship, to the wine.

The art of appreciating wine starts with understanding yourself and what you love and don’t love, and then adding a story.  Consider the last time you had a wine experience that stirred your senses: Where were you? Of what did it remind you?  How did the wine come alive?  From the hands that tend the soil to the hand that raises the glass, we breathe life into and from every wine we encounter.

This past Saturday and Sunday, Pacific Breeze Winery was showcasing their Spring releases along with some appetizers, music, and sunshine.  My fiance and I started our perfect spring day with a visit to check it out.  I have to admit that I have been hearing good things about this garagiste winery but hadn’t picked up a bottle or stopped by until now.  I am pretty sure now that I have been missing out.

Head Winemaker, Dan Jones, was kind enough to take some time to tell me about the New Westminster winery, the wines, and the barrels.  He outsources his grapes from the Lake Country just north of Napa, has them shipped up here in a temperature controlled truck within 24 hours of being picked, and then stems and crushes them.  It is all as if he were on the vineyard himself with that short timeframe.  He is a true garagiste; the first in BC and one of very few in Canada.  A garagiste is a French term for someone who makes a relatively small production of wine based out of a small building or, you guessed it, a garage.  In this case it was a building in a business park and was full of lovely French oak barrels parked on the racks amongst stainless steel vessels.

When I asked how much of a difference his influence and the changed environment makes on his wine compared to wines made from the same grapes in Napa, he proudly gestured at his many awards.  He has also earned some sparkling reviews from Jurgen Gothe, Deanna Van Mulligan,  Dr. Gary Hayes, and Robert Whitley.

French Oak Barrels at Pacific Breeze

I have a fascination with barrels.  They remind me of hibernating bears or butterflies, sleeping until they are mature enough to fill bottles.  These sleeping beauties were segregated into two areas.  The reds were the largest group stacked in the main area, and the chardonnnay ‘princesses’ had their own temperature controlled room (appropriately named: Chardonnay Room).

Dan deciphered the labels on the barrels for me: The first letter indicate the forest from which the oak originated, the second group of letters indicate the level of toastiness, and the third group (if it applies) indicates if the head of the barrel is toasted.  Why are the barrels toasted?  The answer is simple: toasted tastes better.  The toasting inhibits the oak from transfering and overpowering the wine; the heavier the toast the less oaky the wine, and the lighter the toast the more oaky it becomes.  Everyone has their own preference of how much oak a wine needs.  There are the two extremes of those who prefer unoaked and those, like my hobby wine dabbler father, who ask the question: can there be too much oak?  Most people would say yes.  Yes, there can.  (He created a wine he affectionately named ’splinters’.)  I find myself in the middle-of-the-road depending on the wine.

Pacific Breeze does many different tastings and educational evenings.  Sam Hauck does the teaching based on his experience as a wine maker and wine adjudicator.   Dan was telling me how they once tasted the same wine from different barrels made from different forests and were amazed by the distinctness that each forest added to the grapes.

I enjoyed tasting a few of the varietal wines on their own and then picking out the flavours in the blended wines.  I was blown away by the spring release of P2 as well as the unabashedly oaked 2005 Chardonnay (I am my father’s daughter).  Of course, I left with my arms full of those plus the summer porch friendly unoaked Sauvingnon Blanc.  I am very impressed with the quality of these wines and the artistry of Dan Jones and his team.  The simplicity of a garage creates a perfect canvas to create revolutionary, award winning wines and breaks the mold of the preconceptions that a great wine must come from large establishment.  Sometimes the greatest wines are born out of humility, innovation, and hard work.

Wow!  This week has been incredible and now that it is Sunday night I am going to try to sum it all up for you.  There were some great wine highlights, food, and interesting encounters.  This will be a longer post than usual as I am attempting to cram in most of my week.

I attended more consumer tastings in this week, than I have attended period.  I have only been to a few years of Playhouse Wine Fests and thinking back to my first, I have come a long way… especially because I had my gall bladder removed 3 days earlier and I didn’t have enough sense to spit.  A little wiser now, I still didn’t spit very much but I tasted with more selectivity and restraint.  I am slightly ashamed to admit that I wore a white and black coat on Thursday night (mostly due to lack of time to change beforehand) and managed to avoid any spillage.  If you follow me on Twitter, you will occasionally hear about my unsightly, bib-requiring eating habits.

I focused Thursday’s consumer tasting mostly on, you guessed it, whites.  And bubblies.  A few BC whites grabbed my attention such as Cedar Creek’s Ehrenfelser (highly aromatic with nice residual sweetness), Road 13 Jackpot Chardonnay (I finally got to try it, and you should too), and Twisted Tree Viognier Roussane.  My (short) attention was distracted by the ’shiny’ bubblies and I managed to try some knock-yourself-out-blow-your-mind-deep-pocket sparkling wines.  Topping my list is Champagne Deutz 1998 Vintage Cuvee William.  At $175.99 a bottle, I couldn’t pass up sampling this one and going back throughout the week to sneak a few more.  I adored the honey, nutty, and breadiness.  I ran over to try out Piper Heidseck 2000 Vintage Brut when a friend mentioned that it was like butter popcorn.  I love popcorn.  I loved Piper Heidseck.

Some interesting BC sparking wines were Elephant Island’s Pink Elephant which is very much like a Kir Royale,  Township 7’s Seven Stars Sparkling with pear and apple notes, and Blue Mountain’s Brut Gold Label.

Friday’s trade tasting proved more conducive to sampling and chatting with the winemakers, principals, and exhibitors.  I took the opportunity to try out some BC wines that I hadn’t quaffed before and was not disappointed with what I found!  One of my favourite wineries from Friday is Stoneboat Vineyards who was showcasing their pinot-rific wares.  Upon visiting with the owners and growers of this 3 year young winery, I learned that they are not as new to the scene as their label is.  Lanny Martiniuk has been growing for large wine producers since 1983 and his tennure shows in the quality of his wines.  The pinot noir is a full bodied, spicy, fruity, contender; but once you try the Pinotage you will find out why they call it, “a pinot on steroids”.  The pinotage packs a wallop.

After the trade tasting and then pouring in the hospitality suite, I had a bite to eat with some colleagues and dragged my aching body home to get a little rest before Saturday.  Drinking wine is serious business and not for the faint of heart, but insoles and jetted tubs, I determined are very necessary.

Saturday morning, I rushed out to the press conference and then took a very entertaining cab ride to Dockside at Granville Island for the Aussie Barbie.  By entertaining, I mean the driver sang to me, and told me stories that I shant repeat here or anywhere else for that matter.

I found the perfect wine to pair with Kangaroo.  No lie.  Bleasedale Frank Potts Cabernet-Malbec-Shiraz-Merlot Reserve was a perfect match. It made me return a few times for more and for some of their Sparkling Generations Reserve Shiraz.  Oh yeah, and I did I mention that I ate kangaroo?  Seriously.  Lean like elk or bison but not as gamy and reminded me a little of a tender jerky.  I don’t know where you can find the stuff, but if you can find a place that cooks it just right let me know!

I was fascinated by the differences in a Cabernet Sauvignon from the western coast of Australia and the more fruit forward Peter Lehman Cabernet Sauvignon from the south eastern region.  By the way, if you didn’t get a chance to meet the winemaker, he is the friendliest most jovial man who was the only exhibitor to walk around with his wines to refill peoples’ glasses while they ate.  Another regional favourite is the Verdhelho by Tyrell Wines.  A portugese grape that is new to the region and has some lovely lemon and green apple notes and is also used in white port.  White port?!  That was my response.  I hadn’t even heard of it and now I am off to find some and read up on it.  I also took some advice to check out the Two Hands booth which was ‘hands down’ some of the finest Australian wines this year at the festival.

My final exposure to the consumer tasting was on Saturday night.  This was date night so I left my cell phone and any agenda behind and let my fiance do most of the leading with a little gentle backseat driving by yours truly.  He is a very sympathetic wine taster.  By that I mean that he seeks out the tables that look ‘lonely’ and feels that he has accomplished his mission when he leaves after a crowd draws up.  He did learn that sometimes, just sometimes, there was a reason why the tables were quiet, but there were a few really nice surprises.  Surprises like a wine that tastes like coffee (KWV Cafe Culture Pinotage 2008) because of the toasted barrels and the wood maturation.  I liked the uniqueness of it, and he didn’t care for a wine pretending to be something that it isn’t.  Another winery that we both really liked for its uniqueness was Galil Mountain & Yarden, the only Israeli wines featured at the festival.  We both really enjoyed the Galil Mountain Yiron Cabernet-Merlot-Syrah 2005; the characteristics of the fruits and cloves made for a refreshing blend.  We left just before 10pm and barely found the strength to drag ourselves back home, but before we left we stocked up on Terra Breads, Freybe meats, cheeses, Ritter Chocolates, and free water.

I have talked to several people about their impressions of the wine festival.  While most people raved about how much they love to have an opportunity to discover for themselves new wines and new regions, some people were confused by the alphabetical set up this year, and some felt that the prices for the consumer tastings are getting too high.  I do hope that people wishing to learn about wines take opportunities throughout the year to do so. I suggest attending informative events and tastings and also attend the smaller events during the Wine festival to get the most exposure.  Keep an eye out on my events page for local events to attend while you brush up in preparation for next year’s Playhouse Wine Festival.

This morning, the Playhouse Wine Festival Executives held a press conference on next year’s event and yours truly nearly met Anthony Gismondi.  Okay, almost that may not be the most newsworthy news, but I was so close!  Actually, I wanted to share with you what you can expect next year so that we can all prepare.

The planning committee didn’t wish to hold the wine festival so close to the Olympics, and I think that we can all agree that we will need a drink once they’re over.  Traditionally the festival is at the end of March, so be sure to mark off your calendars for April 19th to 25th.

I am very excited about the global focus: Rosé .  Rosé is left on the skins for only a couple of days which gives it its pinkish colour.  The most common varietals are Pinot Noir and Gamay, but there are other varietals out there such as Cabernet Franc and Shiraz.  It will be really interesting to compare different varietals and styles of Rose around the world.  I love a good pairing, and the one thing that gets me wound up in a ball of excitement about this style of wine is it’s flexibility with food pairings.  No doubt there will be some events that showcase and challenge this wine’s repertoire.

The next big news is the TWO theme regions: Argentina and New Zealand.  The consolates shared their excitement over the similarities and differences between them and our region and between each other.  Wine is part of Argentina’s every day life and they produce oodles of it and only export a relatively small percentage of their wines.  The festival gives them an opportune chance to show off what they do so well.  New Zealand is often overshadowed by it’s neighbour, Australia, but it puts out some great Sauvignon Blancs that are fresh and lively.

After watching their cultural performances, I am very sure that we can expect a lot of passion, pride, and sexiness.  As we draw nearer, I will cover more about these regions and the global focus. I must be off to the final night of consumer tasting, after which I will fill you all in on the wines that blew my mind, confused me, and made me spit (no, not really…I am just learning to spit like a good wine drinking lady).  Oh yes, and maybe I WILL run into Gismondi….

Wine Blogging Wednesday (WBW from now on, because I roll with acronyms like that) is a new concept to me since my blog is still in its infant stages, but I instantly fell in love with the concept that a multitude of wine bloggers all blog on one ‘topic’ once a month.  It feels very unifying;  We can hold inter-webbed hands across the giant blogosphere and share our tales of the glass while somewhere in the distance, iTunes is playing kumbaya… .

The Mission:

The topic of this month’s WBW is North vs South and is Rémy Charest’s (winecase) brain child and it suggests something almost antithetical to this peace pipe picture of togetherness.  I expect the patriotic wine banter to be deliciously ripe with Canadian vs American comparisons, which is why I decided to go another direction.  I wanted to be original and stand out from the crowd, I wanted to think outside the boxed wine (although that might make an interesting topic sometime), and be as unpedestrian as possible.  BUT, don’t get your hopes up too high here.  This is only my first WBW post and I drew a complete blank when I walked into the specialty wine shop with only North vs South as my compass.

The Acquisition:

I wandered from wall to wall until a clerk  rescued me from my ever changing mind with a suggestion that I thought would be as unique as it would be tasty.  She suggested Grenache and my mouth watered so  I *finally* decided on comparing Spain vs Australian Grenache.  France would have been the obvious choice, but I was curious on how Australia managed with a Grenache and the origin of the varietal is actually most likely from Spain or Italy (Grenacha).

The Varietal:

I was actually surprised to learn that Grenache is one of the most widely planted grape varietals in the world, and up until recently was third in California to Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon.  It is a strong varietal in arid and dry conditions and is often used in red blends to offer its strength as a backbone.  Grenache puts the G in GSM along with Shriaz and Mourvedre and on its own, it ages very quickly and is prone to oxidization.

The Food:

Lamb and herbed meatballs, with stirfried vegetables and mushrooms.  Brie and roasted garlic on fig and rye crisps.

The Wines:

North: Vina Alarba – Grenacha Vinas Viejas 2004

• Nice balance of earthy notes with black cherry, prune and licorice
• Spicy peppery kick in the finish
• A lighter more subtle nose than I am familiar with for the varietal
• We liked this one best with the meatballs and figure it would compliment any steak or burger with mushrooms and onions

South: Yalumba – Bush Wine Grenache 2006

• More fruit forward and had a smooth sweetness with less spice than North
• Black cherry with sweet figs
• We enjoyed this better with the brie and crackers.

Conclusion:

Both wines shared some similarities due to the arid conditions in which they were grown, but I found the Australian Grenache to be more fruit forward as tends to be the norm down under.  I will probably need to drink more.

This concludes my inaugural WBW post and I hope I managed to keep your attention despite the lack of controversy and if not, then I hope you at least ran out to try some Grenache yourself.  I have a hard time finishing these posts with as much excitement as I started them, because I am either drunk to too tired.  I should really start blogging earlier… but rest assured that by next month’s WBW post, I will be a little more fine tuned. 

Final note:  A big thank you to Remy for the great suggestion of North vs South.  Check out Wine Blogging Wednesday for more participants and to find out how you can participate as well.

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I have to admit that I haven’t an Irish bone in my body so my involvement with St. Patrick’s Day is no more than a poor excuse to wear green, eat corned beef, and drink Irish libations.  A little Irish creme in my coffee, a pint of Guinness, and green wine??!!  Can one drink green wine on St. Patrick’s day?  My answer would be yes, but not because it has anything to do with Ireland.  Neither is it actually green.  And I didn’t wear much green today apart from my underwear.  I just happen to like wine.

There are two different kinds of green wine:  There is the eco-friendly ‘green’ wine and then there is the Portugese Vinho Verde.  The first is the kind of wine that is made by environmentally conscious wine farmers or ‘vinaroons’ (an Old English term for a farmer/winemaker) and drunk by those of us who consider that what we consume affects the world around us.  I am very interested in these wines, the process of educating the average wine drinker, and the marketing issues surrounding the industry but I won’t get into this today.  Eventually, I plan to write quite a bit on this topic, but there is so much to learn, and talk about that I will reserve that for another post.

The latter, Vinho Verde, is actually called green wine because of its youth– not its colour.  It is harvested late and bottled early and should be drunk soon.  The wine is moderately alcoholic with some residual sugar and a fresh acidity that can stand up to anything rich and creamy or greasy.  I am thinking pub food here and for those who know me know that I am a big fan of bubbly wines with carbohydrate laden food.  (Champagne + Perogies + Bacon = Shabby Chic.)  There is a small amount of petillance (bubbles) to tickle your tongue and the refreshing lime and pear notes would make this perfect to sip on a hot summer day.

After work today, I sent Brent to pick up some Casal Garcia – Vinho Verde while I nervously rattled on about green wine to Buzz Bishop on the radio (Virgin 953).  I will have you know that I took a stand for unadultered wine by refusing to add food colouring to my glass this evening.  No.  You can have your green beer.  But unless my glass is tinted (oddly, the bottle was actually tinted blue), this wine will be straw coloured.  Or red, because you can have red green wine.

I still have half a bottle left and some Flogging Molly to listen to, so I will bid a Slainte to you and clink my glass to whatever you are drinking tonight!

Saturdays tend to be our errand days.  This is even more true since we are borrowing a truck, and our month of vehicular freedom is coming to an lamentable end.  We crammed in breakfast, cleaning, a trip to our storage locker, Ikea, and of course, wine tasting.  I got a tip that the people at Kensington Square Wine Store were pouring Road 13 today.  Since I was eager to try them out, and with the kind understanding of my fiance, we managed to squeeze it in.

I was fortunate enough to meet up with Joseph Luckhurst (the owners’ son and Winery liaison) who filled me in a bit on the winery and the wines.  The winery recently underwent a re-branding from the previous label of Golden Mile Cellars to Road 13 which reflects both the change of ownership from Peter and Helga Serwo, to Pam and Mick Luckhurst and the enviable location on the bench behind the Black Sage area.

The location is prime with arguably the best sun exposure around which gives the grapes the ripeness that affords them excellent reviews on their Chardonnays and Cabernet Sauvignons.  By sampling some of these fine wines, my senses were sent on a holiday of summer memories.  Here is my ‘travel journal’:

© road 13 2008. all rights reserved

The whites:

The Riesling was all lemon and stonefruit; like a refreshing sip of tart roadside lemonade.  The Chardonnay held memories of a caramel apple because of their unabashed use of oak which structured this wine with ease.  I didn’t get a chance to try their Jackpot Chardonnay, but Joe’s sumptuous description instantly put it on my list.

On to the reds:

Get out your silverware, because the Road 13 Syrah drinks like a delicious meal of maple smoked salmon.  The peppery flavours and strong fruit make this a uniquely satisfying wine.  Joe tells me that this wine has some delicate viognier blended in to add those delicious top notes.  Every good meal needs a dessert and the Pinot Noir’s bouquet instantly filled my nose with ripples of butterscotch and a dark cherry on top.

I left with two souveniers of my saturday excursion under my arms: the syrah and the pinot noir.  Being so eager to crack open the pinot noir, I whipped up a sambuca spiked rose over pasta and mushrooms and my senses were instantly transported back to the Okanagan.  Once I procure wheels to transport the rest of me to the Okanagan, you can be sure that Road 13 will be one of my stops.