Modern Palate Wine Advice

Ring the bell; it’s time for round 2 of Aromatic White wine insanity.  I’ve got some off-dry wines that are a little off of the beaten track.

The first grape is Ehrenfelser (EHR-en-fehl-zuhr) which was created in 1929 by crossing the grapes Riesling and Silvaner.  The grape is of German origin and has really caught the interest of a few wineries in BC.  Hailing from Kelowna is Summerhill Ehrenfelser, 2007 ($24.99  #440016 Specialty Stores).  A real crowd pleaser, this wine has a very aromatic nose with aromas of tropical fruit and white roses.  The palate is rich and generous with more tropical as well as stone fruit.  The acidity is low and the alcohol is a little high so be sure to serve this wine well chilled.  I really like this wine and would strongly recommend it as well as other great Ehrenfelsers from around BC.

Muscat Ottonel is a grape that comes from central Europe and produces wines that are floral, elegant and generally have a bit of sweetness.  Staying in BC, we tasted the Hillside Estate Muscat Ottonel, 2009 ($23.99 #434803 Specialty Stores).  From the Naramata Bench region of the Okanagan, this wine has beautiful light floral and citrus aromas.  The palate is fresh and floral with vibrant acidity.  This is a cool Muscat because it’s quite dry.  The flavours are there to appreciate, but the finish is crisp and refreshing.

Down in the states some producers play around with a very obscure grape called Symphony. Commercially introduced in 1981, Symphony is a cross between the grapes Muscat of Alexandria and Grenache Gris.  Check out Ironstone “Obsession” Symphony, 2009 ($15.74  #355784) for its perfumed nose and fan friendly flavours.  The nose also shows some grapefruit and floral characteristics while on the palate there are some lavender and citrus fruit flavours.  I like the long finish with this wine as well.  I used to sell a ton of this wine when I ran a Thai restaurant up in Whistler, although I actually prefer it as an accompaniment to tropical fruit desserts like grilled pineapple with ice cream.

That’s it for today, but there are still more patio sippers coming to come.

Cheers,

Josh

www.summerhill.bc.ca

www.hillsideestate.com

www.ironstonevineyards.com

Back in January, we did a Malbec/Carménère tasting. I wrote about the Malbecs from that tasting in Issue #18. Well, buckle up, because here’s the Carménère side of things.

Carménère (car-min-YEHR) has it’s roots in Bordeaux, France. It was the one of the original 6 red Bordeaux grape varietals, but now is damn near impossible to find anywhere in France. Basically, it caused a lot of headaches in the vineyards. Yields were lower than that of other grapes and it is also more susceptible to diseases than the other grapes grown in the area. In 1867 there was a plague of Phylloxera (a vine destroying insect) that destroyed almost all of the vineyards in Europe. Once eradicated, the vines were replanted, but the Carménère wasn’t around and for a while it was thought to be extinct. Even when Carménère started showing up again, growers in Bordeaux had moved on and weren’t willing to deal with the difficult grape anymore. In France today, there are only a few hundred acres of Carménère planted (by comparison there are 288,370 acres of Merlot). However, there is a bit of a renewed interest in Bordeaux., which is possibly due to global warming as the warmer seasons can help improve on some of the Carménère’s faults.

Though they didn’t realize it until very recently, Chile has been sitting on a whole lot of Carménère, for 150 years or so. When it was first brought over from France, it was planted alongside Merlot. Although it looked a little different and ripened earlier it was just assumed that it was another clone of the Merlot grape. This went on until 1994, when Professor Jean-Michel Boursiquot confirmed that the grape was Carménère and not Merlot. Then, in 1998, Chile’s Department of Agriculture finally recognized Carménère as its own distinct varietal.

We only tasted three Chilean Carménères, but feel free to be adventurous because, as with so many other wines from Chile, there are some excellent values to be had.

The great Chateau Mouton Rothschild winery in Bordeaux, France has branched out to, amongst other places, Chile. Mapu ‘Reserva’ Carménère, 2008 ($13.99 #190645) has a bouquet that is rich and generous. Bright blackberry, raspberry and cherry flavours with hints of spice. The palate echoes the nose, but adds with delicate flavours of chocolate and coffee. Tannins that are medium bodied and silky lead to a short finish with a slight bitterness. This is a terrific wine for the price, which makes it a great one for the rack.

Viu Manent Carménère Reserva, 2008 ($19.99 #596536) was the group’s favourite Carménère. Big, rich black cherry and plum aromas with a dash of herbal notes. A rich palate of black fruit, mocha, leather, cigar box and spices. Smooth, well rounded tannins and a long, lush finish. The complexity in this wine allows you to experience different flavours with every sip. There are some great value wines out of South America, but I think that this wine demonstrates just how much more wine you can get for an extra five dollars.

Due to the fact that Carménère was confused with Merlot for so long, it became an obvious blending partner for Cabernet Sauvignon. Casa Silva “Dona Dominga” Cabernet Sauvignon/Carménère, 2007 ($12.99 #359885) is a blend of 70% Cabernet and 30% Carménère. Ripe red fruit flavours with herbal notes and a hint of caramel. The palate is fresh and fruit forward with light tannin and body with a soft fresh finish. Most of this wine has been aged in stainless steel tanks rather than oak barrels. This attributes to the fresh and bright flavours of the wine. An easy drinking wine that is easy on the wallet is a perfect pairing.

The monthly tastings have been put on hold again as I have a busy month of April. We’ll return again in May. Date and wines to be announced.

The Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival starts on April 19th. Tickets are almost gone, so act fast. Click on the link below for more info.

I’ll be back to you in 2 weeks. Just after my trip to Vegas, so excuse me if it seems a little incoherent.

Cheers,

Josh

www.bpdr.com

www.viumanent.cl

www.casasilva.cl

www.playhousewinefest.com