Modern Palate Wine Advice

I hope you enjoyed last issue’s wines.  Here is the second half that I promised you. Since there are a bunch of them, let’s jump right into it.

Not every wine that comes from France has to be expensive.  In the south of France, for instance, they produce a whole lot of high quality wines that don’t break the bank.  I especially enjoy some of the whites from the south.  Last week my lady and I shared a bottle of Lurton “Les Fumees Blanches” Sauvignon Blanc ($11.99  #472555).  Crisp and clean with lemon, minerality and a bit of grassiness.  A slight smokiness on the palate rounds out this crisp dry wine.  For something a little bit richer, try Gerard Bertrand Viognier ($10.49  #13357).  Great floral aromas as well as orange and peach.  A rich and flavourful palate with flavours of tropical fruits, nuts and a bit of honey lead into the soft and smooth finish. JeanJean Syrah Rose ($11.99  #355347) is a great little pink wine in a funky bottle. Cranberry, cherry and strawberry flavours with hints of herbs and spice.  Light bodied, crisp and dry with a refreshingly clean finish.

Italy is my one of my favourite countries for its high priced and collectable wines, but there are plenty of budget wines made for mid-week pasta night.  Melini Orvieto Classico ($11.49  #24844) is crisp, dry and refreshingly acidic with citrus and floral flavours and a slight nuttiness.  A refreshing and cleansing finish that screams to be drunk outside in the sunshine.  For an interesting red, try Mezzo Mondo Negroamaro ($8.99  #135178) from Salento in Puglia. This is the heel of the boot of Italy and Negroamaro is a red grape native to that area.  Rich dark fruit with flavours of tar, tobacco and a bit of earthiness.  A smooth and easy drinking red for an outstanding price.

Whenever Portuguese white wine comes up in conversation, it’s always about Vinho Verde. From the Minho region in the northwest of the country, Vinho Verde literally means “green wine”, in reference to its youthfulness.  These wines have a crisp, bracing acidity and can have a slight effervescence to them.  Crisp and tart flavours prevail here with lemon, lime and grapefruit leading the way.  The finish will be dry and refreshing leaving you wanting another glass.  Vinho Verde is meant to be drunk within a year of bottling and generally has a lower percentage of alcohol – somewhere around 9% to 11%.  Check out these three:  Avelada Casal Garcia Vinho Verde ($11.49  #400531), Gatao Vinho Verde ($10.99  #796201) and Gazela Vinho Verde ($9.99  141432).

There is a pretty good producer in Hungary by the name of Dunavar.   Oh yeah, I said Hungary.  Dunavar Pinot Gris ($9.99  #438119) has aromas of peach, apricot and melon.  Crisp acidity, peach and melon again with a hint of spice and honey with a well balanced finished.  Dunavar Merlot ($9.99  #321224) is a lighter style of merlot.  Soft plum and cherry flavours  with a bit of smokiness and soft smooth tannins.  Not a “power” wine, but good for those that enjoy the softer side.  Great value, no matter how you look at it.

My favourite country for budget red wines has to be Spain.  Castillo de Monseran Garnacha ($10.99  #197806) is regular on my wine rack.  Rich ripe black fruit lead the aromas accented by a little sweet tobacco and spice.  A rich and full mouthfeel with plenty of berry flavours and ripe tannins.  This makes an awesome BBQ wine.  Bodegas Castano Monastrell ($11.99  #731620) has an intense black cherry, plum and currant flavours with rich earthiness and smooth tannins.  Monastrell is the same grape as the French Mouvedre and what the Aussies call Mataro.  Usually used for blending, the Spanish make excellent single varietal Monastrell.  A new one to me, Pedro Pergolas Crianza Old Vine Tempranillo ($10.99  #616011) is definitely impressive. Clean rich berry and black fruit flavours with a bit of smoky earthiness. Medium bodied with smooth tannins and a rich finish. This wine is superb value.

Granville Island Brewing has added a new beer to their line-up. Granville Island Brockton IPA ($11.50 6pack #818203 bottles #817437 cans) is what they are calling their West Coast India Pale Ale. Granville Island nicknames all of their beers after geographical places in Vancouver. Brocton Point is the location of the lighthouse in Stanley Park and is also now the namesake of their newest beer. I usually stay clear of IPA’s because I’m not so big on overly hoppy beers, but I like this one because it’s not too strong. The typical IPA flavours are there, but they don’t overpower the other components of the beer.

Unfortunately the Cowichan wine tour that I wrote about last issue isn’t going to happen.  Sorry to get your hopes up folks, but feel free to do your own tour of the island wineries.  You never know, I may even tag along.

Thursday, June 18th is the date of our next wine tasting with Sauvignon Blanc being the theme grape.  The numbers have shot up for this one and we’re pretty full.  Let me know if you have any interest in attending and I’ll see what I can do.

Enjoy those budget wines and I’ll be back in 2 weeks.

Cheers,

Josh

http://www.francoislurton.com

http://www.gerard-bertrand.com

http://www.gruppoitalianovini.com/melini

http://www.jeanjean.ca

http://www.mondodelvino.com

http://www.vinhoverde.pt/en

http://www.dunavar.com

http://www.bodegascastano.com

http://www.gib.ca

Did somebody say recession? Not me that’s for sure. I seem to be spending more money on wine these days. If you’re shopping smart you can find some great deals on wine these days. This issue I thought that I’d have a bit of fun and recommend a few wines that won’t break the bank. Hell, they won’t even break a twenty. All of the wines this week can be purchased for $12.00 or less. Now I’ll be the first one to tell you that these won’t be the best wines that you’ve ever tasted but what they will do is fill up those empty holes in your wine rack with everyday wines that you’ll enjoy. Here’s a bunch of recommendations from the Southern Hemisphere and next issue I’ll be back with more picks from the Northern Hemisphere. One thing to note though is that I haven’t included the vintages on these wines. These are wines that are made to fairly consistent standards and show little variation from year to year.

Australia is a great source of inexpensive wines that deliver at their price point. Banrock Station Un-Wooded Chardonnay ($11.99 #455022) shows fresh and clean aromas of tropical and citrus fruits. Soft acid on the palate, with lemon, peach and pineapple flavours. If you like your Chardonnay to have a little oak to it then try Lindemans “Bin 65″ Chardonnay ($11.99 #142117). The best selling Chardonnay in Canada has a bright nose of peach, melon and tropical fruits. The palate is full bodied and bright with a touch of oak and hints of spice. For reds you can try De Bortoli Petite Sirah ($11.99 #336750). (Petite Sirah is different than the grape Syrah, also known as Shiraz. Petite Sirah is actually a lesser known French grape by the name of Durif. Widely planted in California there are a few decent examples showing up in Australia.) This wine shows aromas of ripe plum, blueberry and hints of dark chocolate. The taste is rich and fruity with subtle flavours of mocha and oak. Back to Banrock again, I have always been a fan of the Banrock Station Shiraz/Mataro ($10.99 #555771). Ripe berries, hints of anise and spice highlight the nose while red currants, raspberries and spiced black cherries show on the palate. Medium bodied with supple tannins and balanced acidity lead into a smooth lingering finish.

Argentina is a great source of quality inexpensive wines. Family Zuccardi “Santa Julia” Viognier ($10.99 #612317) has an abundance of peach and tropical fruit aromas with hints of roses, apples and banana. A rich and medium bodied white with a fruit salad of citrus, tropical and stone fruit flavours and a smooth finish of medium length. Bodega Del Fin Del Mundo Southernmost White ($11.99 #477075) is a crisp and light white blend perfect for patio sipping. Soft tropical fruit flavours and vibrant citrus notes. Bracing acidity make this a great seafood wine. Of course, Malbec is the grape that Argentina is best known for and there are a few beauties that fall under our twelve dollar limit. Check out great examples like Finca Flichman Malbec ($10.99 #612176), Finca Los Primos Malbec ($10.99 #632919) or Trapiche Malbec ($11.99 #338343). Look for bold aromas of ripe berry, plums and violet. Fruit forward palates echoing those same flavours with smooth, easy tannins and hints of oak, smoke and spice. Malbec from Argentina is very popular for its fruit forward style without overpowering oak or tannins. Try all three and decide which one is right for you. (FYI, finca means farm or estate in Spanish.)

Chile is right next door and is another country that gives us some great value wines. I wrote about Cono Sur in the very first issue so I won’t bore you by writing about them again. Have a peek at Issue Number One for Cono Sur Viognier and Cono Sur Gewürztraminer. Sauvignon Blanc is another grape that does well in Chile. Santa Rita Sauvignon Blanc ($11.99 #275586) is crisp and refreshing with aromas of grapefruit, lemon and lime. Dry with vibrant acidity showing bright tropical flavours and light herbal notes. The finish is clean, crisp and well rounded. As Malbec has done in Argentina, Carmenère is doing in Chile. Carmenère has French origins as well and until recently was mistaken for Merlot in Chile. Once vineyard operators knew exactly what they were dealing they embraced the Carmenère grape as their own. A fruit forward, medium bodied red wine, Carmenère makes a delicious wine to be enjoyed in its youth. Try Estación Carmenère ($11.99 #302927) with fresh red fruit, dark chocolate and herb aromas. Tasting of red and black cherry this wine has a rich, elegant flavours, and soft tannins. Carmenère is also used for blending and goes well with Cabernet Sauvignon. (I think that may be one of the reasons it was thought to be Merlot for so long.) Baron Philippe de Rothschild “Mapu” Cabernet Sauvignon/Carmenère ($10.95 #756981) is made in Chile by the famous estate of Bordeaux, France. Flavours of black Cherry and blackberry, pepper spice with a bit of earthiness. Medium bodied with plenty of acidity and easy tannins. This wine has fast become an everyday favourite at my place. (Ok, every second day.)

There is a big bug problem in BC. Mountain pine beetles are ripping through our forests destroying one of our most important natural resources. Our “not wine” this issue poses the question: what if you could drink cheap beer for a good cause? Pacific Western Brewery has a new beer on the market called Caribou Genuine Draft ($7.54 6pack #63149) and for every case sold they will plant a new tree. Drink beer, plant a tree…Makes sense to me. There are a lot of people in BC that rely on the forest industry so I urge you to put down that can of crap-weiser and drink a beer that will make a difference.

Sauvignon Blanc is the grape chosen for our next wine tasting. Thursday June 18th, 7:00pm at the Canadian Pacific Lawn Bowling Club. We’ll be tasting a minimum of 6 wines from all over the globe. Twenty bucks gets you a night of education and fun. Let me know if you’d like to attend. josh@modernpalate.ca

There is a great fundraisier coming up in June. The Intrepid Theatre Company, which operates the Victoria Fringe Festival among others, is operating a wine tour in the Cowichan Valley and they’ve asked yours truly to ride along and provide a little bit of insight. This is a great way to learn more about the wineries on the island and support your local theatre.

Tour De Cork

A day-long coach tour of four wineries/cideries in the Cowichan Valley, with proceeds to benefit Intrepid Theatre

Tickets: $125 (includes tax receipt, lunch + winery discounts)

Intrepid Theatre invites you on a private daytime coach tour of four Cobble Hill/Cowichan Valley wineries. You’ll enjoy lunch at Merridale Estate Cidery, tastings, talks and tours. Sommelier Josh Clark of Modern Palate will be riding along to answer your questions and share his wine knowledge.

Advance booking required as seating is limited.

Board the Tour de Cork Coach at Intrepid Theatre offices #2-1609 Blanshard Street,

Sunday, June 14, 9:30 am returning late afternoon

This special limited seating tour is open to all supporters of freaky, fringey theatre or anyone game for a full day vino adventure!

Cheers and thanks for reading,

Josh

www.banrockstation.com

www.lindemans.com

www.debortoli.com.au

www.familiazuccardi.com

www.bodegadelfindelmundo.com

www.valentinbianchi.com

www.flichman.com.ar

www.trapiche.com.ar

www.santarita.com

www.estacionwines.com

www.bpdr.com

www.intrepidtheatre.com/events09.php

Every so often I find myself at someone’s house and they drag me to have me look at their wine collection.  So many times I just have to shake my head in disbelief.  They seem so proud that they’ve held on to some “blah” wine for “X” number of years.  Ok, let me explain myself a little.  99% of wine made in the world today is meant to drunk within 3 years of bottling.  Without getting to technical, most wines lack the structure and components for proper aging.  This does not mean that what you’re drinking isn’t quality; it’s just that the wine has been made for early consumption.  Ok, I know you’ve all heard that wine gets better with age, but that only really applies to a small number of wines.  As a rough rule, if you’re spending less than $25-$30 dollars, then there is no need to leave that wine on your rack to long.  Of course this is only a rough guideline and there are always exceptions to the rule…in this case there are a whole lot of them.  If you trust the staff at the store then you can ask them about ageability otherwise you can check online.  Head to the winery’s website or just put the name of the wine into a search engine and have a peek at what others are saying about it.

Just what will happen when that wine gets to old?  The biggest thing is that the fruit will fall away leaving the wine seem flat and lifeless while the acidity will seem to dominate the wine.  This is what we would call “dead” wine.  It can also take on a vinegar-like taste which comes from too much air getting into the wine.  It could be an old or even faulty cork that can cause this to happen and when it does it spells disaster for the wine.

There is a white grape that comes from the Rhone Valley in France by the name of Marsanne.  It produces wines that are deeply coloured, with flavours of spice, nuts and pear.  They can also take on an oily, honeyed characteristic.  Traditionally used for blending, Marsanne can be a very interesting wine on its own. Leave it to those in the new world to let the grape fly on its own. Tahbilk Marsanne, 2007 ($17.99 #559716) from Victoria, Australia is a favourite of those in the know.  Honeysuckle and apple on the nose with hints of apricot and white peach.  The palate is rich and generous with a great length.  A bit of honey, citrus, and pistachio with rich acidity.  I’ve always liked pairing this one with roast chicken or pasta with cream sauce.

We had a Pinot Gris tasting a couple of weeks ago and tasted some fantastic wines but there was one bottle that seemed to impress the crowd. Kettle Valley Pinot Gris, 2008 ($22.00 Private liquor stores only) from the Naramata Bench region of BC has a couple of distinct characteristics that make it stand out in a crowd of bottles made from the same grape.  The first thing that you’ll notice about this wine is the colour.  The Pinot Gris grape can have a lighter purple colour to it, halfway between a white grape and a black grape…Gris in French means grey.  So, what Kettle Valley does after crushing is leave the juice in contact with skins for a short time.  The result is a beautiful light salmon colour in the wine.  Secondly, during the wine making process, this wine undergoes partial malolactic fermentation.  (See the Q&A in Issue Number Four.)  The result is a lusher, creamier style of Pinot Gris.  This wine also sees some aging in oak barrels which further add to the complexity.  The nose is very aromatic with aromas of peach, apricot, and papaya.  The palate is rich and generous with those peach flavours again as well as ripe grapefruit, fresh acidity and a long mouth-coating finish.

Masi is a big producer in Italy, making wines all over the Northeast as well as in Tuscany.  A few years ago they took their show on the road and began making wines in Argentina.  Masi Tupungato Passo Doble, 2007 ($16.99 #225813) is a wine that shows what Argentina is famous for with a winemaking technique that has its roots in Valpolicella, Italy where Masi became famous.  The makeup is 70% Malbec and 30% semi-dried Corvina.  Corvina one of the 3 grapes used for making Valpolicella wines.  Semi-dried grapes are quite the norm in that region as well.  By semi- drying the grapes, some liquid is lost but the result is concentration of sugar, favour and intensity.  The Malbec is fermented once on its own and then again with the semi-dried Corvina.  Double fermentation is a process that has become a Masi specialty.  I hope that you’re all still with me because we’re just getting to important part, what the hell does it taste like.  The nose is intense with big blackberry and jammy black cherry.  There is a lot going on so make sure that you get your nose right in the glass and take it all in.  The mouth flavours are big, rich and fruit forward.  Lots of ripe blackberry, cherry and spice flavours with soft tannins a long full finish.  This wine will be better with food, particularly red meat and strong cheeses.

Every once in a while you taste something that evokes memories of days gone by.  Mom’s spaghetti sauce, a corndog at the fair…whatever.  Recently, I had one of those experiences.  Of course, for me it has to be booze of some sort and it just so happens that it made the newsletter as our “Not Wine” this issue.  My beers tastes have changed a lot over the years and I regularly drink a variety of different beers.  (Sometimes in one sitting.)  When I was a lad there was only one beer for me and that was Molson Dry ($25.95 15 can pack#929653).  Crisp and clean with a lighter body and lighter flavour profile.  A clean drinking beer with very little aftertaste and none of that bitterness.  My ideal pairing would be a hot summer day with your fishing rod in the water not caring if you catch anything.  I won’t let this beer slip my mind ever again.

I still haven’t set a date for the next wine tasting.  It all depends on my work schedule.  I can tell you that it will be the second week of May at the Canadian Pacific Lawn Bowling Club and the theme will be Syrah/Shiraz.

I’m sending this out a little early this week. I’m heading to Vegas for a week and there is no way that I would bring my laptop.

Cheers,

Josh

www.tahbilk.com.au

www.kettlevalleywinery.com

www.masi.it

www.molson.com

Sorry that this newsletter is a couple of days late, but I have been busy.  Last week was the annual Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival and it was a huge success.  A good time was had by all.  In total for the week there were over 25,000 festival goers and more than 30,000 bottles of wine.  My team took care of all the wine for the seminars, dinners, wine parties and any other event that that happened.  We were the sommeliers, the cellar masters, the delivery and pickup crew and the comic relief.  I hope that many of you had the chance to attend.  It’s an experience not to be missed.  This issue I’ll touch on a few wines that I had the pleasure of tasting last week.

What about some sparkling wine to start off with?  Mionetto is a winery that specializes in sparkling wines from the Valdobbiadene region in the North East of Italy.  I love their Il Prosecco (#378638  $18.99) and Il Moscato (#73932  $18.99).  The Il Prosecco overflows with aromas of apples, pears and citrus the palate echoes the same fruit flavours with delicate bubbles and a hint of honey.  The Il Moscato is for those that like their bubble to be a little bit sweeter and a bit softer.  This wine has a definite sweet green grape flavour with honey notes a soft gentle bubble and a light, 7% alcohol. A breakfast wine if there ever was one.  The coolest thing about these sparkling wines is that they are sealed with a crown seal…That’s a beer cap to you and me.

I really enjoy a good Marlborough, New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.  Especially the ones that I don’t have to shell out to much money for.  Two that stood out last week were Babich, 2008 (#560144  $18.99) and Villa Maria, 2008 (#342360  $18.99).  The Babich shows some nice grassy flavours with passionfruit and gooseberry flavours dominating the palate.  Crisp, refreshing and fruity like any good Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc should be.  The Villa Maria shows similar grassy and gooseberry notes as well accompanied by crisp citrus notes and vibrant acidity.

The theme of the festival this year was Pinot(s) and I had the chance to try some great Pinot Noirs.  Santa Rita Reserva Pinot Noir, 2006 (#539601  $14.99) is a real steal of a wine.  It’s a rich ruby colour and has ripe red fruit flavours on smell and taste combined with firm yet easy tannins and a sweet fruit finish.  This is a wine with dynamite value.  Another great pinot that I was introduced to this week was and Oregon Pinot simply named Wine by Joe “Really Good” Pinot Noir, 2007 (#656231  $29.99).  Joe Dobbes is the Joe in question, a superstar winemaker that also makes wine under the Dobbes Family Estate label.  Oregon is one of the premier places in the world to grow Pinot Noir.  That, coupled with the fact that week pay way too much in taxes for American wines means that we have to pay a little extra to get the good stuff.  Don’t worry though, the good stuff is worth it.  Rich blackberry and soft leather aromas, with brighter red fruits and soft luscious tannins on the palate.  A great example of what Oregon can do with the Pinot Noir grape.

Ok, one more fun wine to go.  Another Oregon producer, Sokol Blosser,  has been making great Pinot noirs for a while now but they are also known for their wacky blended wines.  I’m sure I’ll get to the white in a future issue but for now I want to tell you about Meditrina (5) (#185744  $23.99).  The number five refers to the fifth edition of this wine.  They label by edition rather than vintage so that they may blend wine from different vintages.  The blend is an unconventional one of Pinot Noir, Zinfandel and Syrah.  The result is a light, fruity and fun bottle of wine that is both vibrant and soft.  Rich juicy berry fruits with delicate grape tannins make this an easy drinker that pairs best with feet on the coffee table and a flat screen TV.

Q:  Hey Josh, why did you move from Vancouver to Victoria?  A:  Because I couldn’t get Herman’s on tap anywhere in Vancouver.  Ok, so maybe that’s not the main reason but I always claim that it is.  For those of you that don’t have a clue of what I’m talking about, let me introduce you to our “Not Wine” this issue, Herman’s Dark Lager (#902320  $11.65 for a six pack).  Black in colour like a stout but refreshing and crisp like a lager it’s full flavoured without being full bodied.  This balance is what makes it this writer’s favourite beer of all time.  Although, that’s just my opinion, you’ll need to try it for yourself.  If you don’t enjoy the first one, save the other five for me.

Hey, what’s the deal with the Q&A section.  I had a great question last week but was shutout this week.  This is something that I’ll need your help with if I have any hope of continuing on with the Q&A Don’t disappoint me.

There is a wine tasting in Victoria on April the 13th that should be a bit of fun.  It’s put on by the Wine Island Vintners Association from 4pm to 7pm at the Inn at Laurel Point.  This is the spring showcase for island wines, cider, mead and spirits.  Tickets are only 20 bucks and the proceeds go to the Canadian Cancer Society.  Come out to support a good cause and sample the best in local booze.    http://wineislands.ca/pages/news/index.php?article=11

There are still a couple of spots left for my Pinot Gris/Pinot Grigio tasting next Thursday April, 9th.  It’s a fun, casual tasting where we open 6-8 bottles and talk through them.  Follow the Facebook link at the bottom of the page or just drop me an e-mail for more info.  josh@modernpalate.ca

That’s it for now.  Next issue I’ll let you know about some of the wines from the Island Wines tasting.

Cheers,

Josh

www.facebook.com/home.php#/event.php?eid=68709225465

www.mionetto.com

www.babichwines.co.nz

www.villamaria.co.nz

www.santarita.com

www.winebyjoe.com

www.meditrinawine.com

www.vanislandbrewery.com

Welcome all of you to my newest venture.  I eventually gave in to all of the pestering from family and friends about which wines they should be buying.  This is meant to be a fun and informal blog outlining a range of wines at various different price points. I’m hoping that it will also be interactive.  I want you to send me your questions and comments as I plan to have a Q&A section in each issue as well. Also remember that everybody has different tastes and even though I write about a wine there is no guarantee that it’s for you. Ok, let’s get on with it.

I want to start out slow and just tell you about three of my favourite can’t miss wineries from three distinctly different areas of the world.  These wines are widely available at the BCLDB liquor stores as well as many private stores. If you want to know more about them I’ve added links to all of their websites at the bottom of the page.

Let’s begin with Cono Sur, from Chile, one of my favourite wineries for that everyday wine. Ever since we’ve seen Cono Sur wines in our market, they have been a favourite amongst restaurant professionals.  This is because the Cono Sur wines are not only well priced but also what you would call “varietaly correct.”  This simply means that the wine inside the bottle matches the flavour profiles that the grape on the label should have. Just so you know there are many wines on the market that are “built” to please the consumer. The wine inside fits the profile of what their marketing department determines the consumer will want. Often sugar is added, flavours added/or taken away and acidity and alcohol levels are completely manipulated. Take a look at your wine rack and you may have an idea of which wines may fit that category. Cono Sur literally means “southern cone” and refers to the geographical area that encompasses the southern countries of South America (Check it out, it looks like a cone).  They are a fairly young winery, with their first vintage coming in 1993, and they produce a wide variety of wines at different price points.  They also produce some organic wines if that’s your thing (We’ll look at organic wines in further issues). The wines that I want to talk about today all sit at around the eleven to thirteen dollar mark.  There are two whites and three reds from this range available in BC.

Both of the white wines have a place in our fridge.  Michelle prefers the lighter, fruitier Gewürztraminer.  Very aromatic and balanced with aromas of roses and fresh fruit.  It has a real lychee flavour in the mouth with hints of spice.  Have a bottle on hand for take-out Thai food.

Personally, I prefer the richer and more savoury Viognier.  Ripe apricot and peach flavours showcase this rich and full bodied white wine. (Don’t worry. Further down the page I talk a little more in depth about Viognier.) The Pinot Noir is my favourite of the three red wines.  Cherry, raspberry and plum flavours with a subtle earthy, smokiness and fine tannins.  The folks up in Campbell River will love it with grilled salmon. The Merlot is soft yet rich with intense black fruit flavours and a little bit of oak. The firm tannins make this wine a good match for red meat. Finally, the Cabernet Sauvignon is the most full bodied of the three.  Ripe plum and blackberry flavours with subtle flavours of chocolate, spice and a hint of mint.  Great with steak and ripe cheeses.

The next winery that I want to talk about is in France.  Down in the southern part of the Rhone Valley is one of the most famous wineries in the world.  Chateau Beaucastel and the Perrin family of wines are responsible for some of the greats, but I want to shed some light on a project of theirs that is producing a range of more accessible and very tasty wines called La Vieille Ferme. The La Vieille Ferme winery produces three different wines of three different colours. A white, a pink and a red. All of these wines are widely available here in BC and at the government stores you can find them for $13.99 a bottle.

The Côtes du Luberon White is a blend of four different grapes and is a medium rich, aromatic wine with green apple and lemon notes with subtle pistachio flavours. An excellent value. The pink version is the Côtes du Vetoux Rosé is a blend of Cinsault, Grenache and Syrah with subtle flavours of raspberry and dried cranberries. A very crisp and refreshing wine. Their Côtes du Vetoux Red is made up of Grenache, Syrah, Carignan and Cinsault.  An easy drinking, medium bodied red blend exuding flavours of rich cherry and spices with smooth, easy tannins.  Its versatility makes it a great everyday red wine.

The third winery that I want to talk about is Yalumba, Australia’s oldest family owned winery.  Founded in 1849 by a British migrant named Samuel Smith, Yalumba has stayed in the family for 160 years now.  Yalumba is also one of the largest wineries in Australia and because they produce a wide array of wines, there is something for everyone (Except those that don’t like wine… But why would they be reading this?). The range of Yalumba wines in our market ranges from the everyday drinkers all the way up to the super-premiums.  For great value, check out your local liquor store for the “Y-Series.”  They range from $16.99 – $18.99 in the government stores.

Viognier (pronounced “vee-ohn-yay”), is a white grape that Yalumba has championed in Australia.  Many growers don’t have the patience for it as the grape can be difficult and unpredictable to grow.  The Y Series Viognier has an intense floral nose with notes of honeysuckle, apricots and white peach.  The palate is intensely rich with citrus and tropical fruit flavours leading the way. Try the Y Series Shiraz as well.  An elegant, softer style of Shiraz with bright berry flavours and a little bit of spice.  The palate is rich and round with plum, black berry fruit and smooth, easy tannins. For something a little different, check out your local specialty wine shop for the Y Series Shiraz/Viognier.  Yes, that is a blend of grapes both red and white.  It’s a blend that has its roots in the Rhone Valley of France and most notably in the region of Côte Rôtie.  In the Australian version of this classic, the percentage of the Viognier grape that is used is quite small, generally less than ten percent, but usually closer to the 5 percent range.  The viognier is used both for its aroma and also to add a bit of elegance to the wine.

In every issue I’m going to pull out a “Not Wine” recommendation.  Although wine is the focus of this newsletter it’s not the only thing we drink… Especially me.

Victoria has a long history of beer making and last week I tried some beers from the newest brewery in town, Driftwood Brewing Company. Founded last spring you can now find their beers on tap and in 650ml bottles all over Victoria and a couple of spots in Vancouver.  Check out their website to see if your favourite beer vendor is selling Driftwood Beers. I had their White Bark Wheat Ale which is a traditional Belgium style. Slightly hoppish with the traditional orange peel and coriander. Some people like a little fresh lemon or orange with their wheat ales, but leave the fruit in the bowl.  This beer doesn’t need any help at all. The other one that I had was the eponymously named Driftwood Ale.  Dry, but with a hint of fruit and pleasant, yet not obtrusive, sweetness.  Made with hops from both Germany and Northwest North America. Can’t wait to get through their other 2 beers and their limited release Barley Wine style strong ale.

Well, that’s it for issue number one.  I’m looking forward to hearing your comments and answering your questions.  Don’t be shy.

Go forth and try some new wines and I’ll be back in two weeks with more choices for you.

Cheers,

Josh

www.yalumba.com

www.conosur.com

www.lavieilleferme.com

www.driftwoodbeer.com