Wine of the Week: Roederer Estate Anderson Valley Brut

Often when I dream of winning the lottery I envision myself either riding a majestic unicorn or drinking magnums of Champagne in a roof-top patio surrounded by beautiful women. Inevitably I awake from these delusions to realize that first, unicorns aren’t real and second, I can’t afford to drink Champagne! While there may be nothing I can do about the world’s lack of Unicorns (at least for now) there is a viable alternative that comes pretty darn close to sipping Champagne.

This alternative comes in the form of a delicious sparkling wine produced in California by the famous Champagne house Roederer. Many of the great Champagne houses have purchased vineyards and set up shop in California including Moet & Chandon (Domaine Chandon) and Taittinger (Domaine Carneros). Most of these Californian sparkling wines offer outstanding value compared to their French counterparts and allow for the regular consumption of high-quality bubbly without declaring bankrupcy.

The Non-Vintage Anderson Valley Brut is impressive for its depth and at around $30.00 on the shelf it is a no-brainer! Notes of ripe apple, hazelnuts, pear and spice dominate this full-bodied offering which consists of approximately 60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Noir. The use of oak-aged reserve wines (wine held back from previous vintages and then blended in with the younger wine) adds complexity. Roederer also owns 100% of the vineyards for it’s California wines which helps to ensure consistent quality.

So while celebrities and rap stars will surely continue to drink copious amounts of Dom Perignon in their stretch Hummer limousines, it’s nice to know the average joe can still pop a bottle on a special occasion for a reasonable price.

Cheers,

Jesse

Wine of the Week: 2008 Main Divide Riesling

Main Divide is consistently one of my favourite value producers from New Zealand and this delicious Riesling delivers the goods. Based out of the area of Waipara on New Zealand’s South Island, Main Divide  focuses on crafting wines that retain the purity and freshness that this cooler climate delivers.

Made in an off-dry style, the 2008 Riesling’s sweetness is balanced perfectly by its zesty acidity. On the palate fresh lemon/lime notes dance gracefully with lush peach and apricot character. A touch of botrytis in this vintage adds a delightful honeyed note on the finish. This wine will put a smile on your face and is so good it could just as easily be consumed out of the bottle with the aid of a multi-coloured bendy straw.

At a retail price of around $23.00 this is a great buy for a lazy Sunday evening or your next turkey dinner.

Cheers,

Jesse

Barolo and bloody beef…

 Whereas in most of Europe it would be a sin to serve a glass of wine without something to eat, many North Americans still enjoy their wine without any culinary accompaniment. While there is nothing wrong with sipping on a glass of wine on its own, there are those wines in the world that truly require food to show their fullest potential. Barolo is just such a wine.

To new wine lover’s or those who have not yet been acquainted with it, their first sip of Barolo may be an alarming experience. Barolo is a small region in the Piemonte region of North-West Italy made exclusively from the Nebbiolo grape and it is one of the worlds greatest wines. Prized for its ability to age (and often priced accordingly), in its youth Barolo can be unforgiving.  The tannic nature of a young Barolo can leave you feeling like you’ve received a Chuck Norris spinning roundhouse kick to the teeth. The main cure for this calamity is time. Although Barolo must by law already have a minimum of four years of age before it hits the shelf, the general rule of thumb is that you should wait a minimum of ten years from the vintage to drink a good quality example (although improved technology and winemaking are producing Barolo’s that can be enjoyed much younger). I know you may not get it. Why would anyone want a wine that is simply painful to drink young or that requires a full decade’s worth of patience before drinking? Sometimes you need to go straight to the source to find out.

The hills of Langhe (of which Barolo is a part) may well be one of the most beautiful places on earth. The majestic Alps serve as a stunning backdrop as winding roads snake their way through hillside vineyards and sleepy towns displaying beautiful Roman architecture. Along with its reputation for world-class wine this area is also revered for its culinary delights. Piemonte is the source of the rare and prized white truffles which are harvested each fall and promptly shipped to the those restaurants and consumers lucky enough to receive them (and to afford them). This area also claims to have started the slow food movement and the people are fiercely passionate about using local ingredients and maintaining their culinary tradition.

A vegetarians worst nightmare...

Although I had been fortunate enough to taste some beautiful aged Barolo’s prior to my trip, it wasn’t until I sat down for lunch in a small trattoria in the tiny town of Barolo, accompanied by my brother Cody, that things really clicked. We were greeted by our dark-haired, olive-skinned server (did I mention I love Italy?) and after sheepishly stumbling through the language barrier we managed to place our order. I wasn’t really sure what I had ordered but was told the appetizer was a prized local specialty. As my first course arrived I realized I had come face to face with a vegetarians worst nightmare. The dish consisted of a generous helping of raw ground veal, garnished only with a dash of olive oil, salt and pepper and a lemon wedge. This was Veal Tartare on steroids and I have to admit it was delicious. It was also at this moment that it clicked. Cuisine this simple and rugged requires a wine with enough power to match its bold character, yet with enough finesse that the subtle nuances of the dish are not lost. Where a young Barolo may seem too tannic to enjoy on its own, when married with a dish such as the Veal Tartare the tannins are diminished and the complex fruit, floral and earthy components of the wine sing through.

Good thing there was wine to go with the softball sized portion of raw meat!

The theme of raw veal and generally rustic cuisine persisted through the rest of our trip, as did the theme of amazing wine. It is truly refreshing to find a place with such a fierce sense of identity and passion for tradition. The wines of Piemonte are some of my favourite in the world and although Barolo may reign as king this area produces a wide range of amazing wines from interesting grape varieties. Try the red wines made from the Barbera and Dolcetto grapes if you’re looking to experience Piemonte without the price tag of Barolo. Although they can be hard to find there are also some excellent white wines made from local varietals such as Arneis and Cortese.

So the next time you’re faced with an “old-school” wine that may not make sense, remember to give it a chance with an appropriate culinary pairing before you pass final judgement. And the next time you’ve got a plate of raw veal in front of you, do yourself a favour and grab a bottle of Barolo!

Cheers,

Jesse

 

Paying the Cost to be the Boss

In the world of wine there is something for everyone. The shelves of wine stores are generally chalk full of great values for the everyday wine buyer (or blog writer) who doesn’t want to break the bank for their Thursday night Pizza wine. And while there is plenty of choice on the affordable end of the scale there also exists the other end of the scale where affluent buyers can spend more on a bottle of wine than my first car (a 1991 Pontiac Grand Prix…not pretty but it did the trick). People are often blown away when I recount some of the sales I have seen to wine collectors in the tens of thousands of dollars. Our most expensive bottle of wine at Bin 905 Wine & Spirits is a double magnum (3 litres) of 1998 Dal Forno Amarone with a shelf price of $2800.00 and the price tag never fails to turn the heads of those passing by.

The skyrocketing price tags on so-called “cult wines” in recent years has sparked quite the debate in the wine world. Although many of the top wines in the world are made in extremely small quantities with a great deal of care and attention, at what point on the scale is the price of a wine driven not simply by the quality of the juice in the bottle but by media, marketing and hype?

There are several factors that can rocket a wine into the monetary stratosphere, but by far the most common is a high rating from a wine critic. The two most influential sources in terms of wine ratings and reviews are Wine Spectator magazine and Robert Parkers Wine Advocate. Both of these publications have critics who score wines on a hundred point scale. If a wine scores a perfect 100 points from either source you can bet your pet dog that the price will go crazy. I have seen wines double or even triple from one vintage to the next when the new release receives a perfect score. Robert Parker is so powerful that historically when the new wines from Bordeaux are released each year they wait for his reviews to set the price…madness.

This whole debate came to a head last week at a tasting I was conducting at Bin 905 Wine & Spirits entitled “Iconic Italian Merlot”. In the past twenty years or so a new wave of wines has emerged from Italy under the Super-Tuscan label. These are wines that use international grape varietals such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah instead of the traditional Italian grapes. Many of these new wave Tuscan wines almost immediately garnered cult status. Names such as Sassicaia, Ornellaia, Tignanello, etc. were commanding higher prices than wines from long-established areas such as Brunello di Montalcino. Of all these Super Tuscan wines however, it was a small wave of 100% Merlot wines that made the biggest splash. The tasting featured many of the most iconic of these, including Le Macchiole Messorio, Ornellaia Masseto and Tua Rita Redigaffi most have which have scored a perfect 100 points at least once. These are very small production, true cult wines that are almost impossible to find, even in Italy! The tasting featured 7 wines ranging in price from $155 to $400. I squirreled away wines for a whole year to make this tasting happen for the good of the wine community…and for the chance to taste these wines myself. Why am I so selfless?

Anyway as it turns out the tasting garnered so much attention we had Paolo de Marchi, proprietor and winemaker at the great Tuscan winery Isole e Olena, sit in on the tasting. Needless to say I was sweating a bit conducting the tasting, but it keeps me on my toes. The price debate started as soon as we got to the second wine, the 2003 Tua Rita Redigaffi (retail price $260.00). The wine was showing a bit closed and was fiercely tannic causing many in the group to voice their discontent with the wine.  There were some in the group that felt any time you were paying over $50 for a bottle of wine you were simply paying for hype. There were others in the group that had rather large wine collections including many of the “cult” wines included in the tasting and obviously felt the high prices were justified. Oh boy!

Ultimately none of this really concerns me as much because I couldn’t afford those wines even if I wanted too. I will admit that the wines in the tasting were delicious, especially the 2004 Messorio (scored a perfect 100 points from Wine Spectator) which was my favourite. The wine was breathtaking, with a complexity that was seemingly impossible and notes ranging from blackberry, cinnamon, olive, fresh earth, grilled meat, vanilla, clove and much more that could have kept me captivated for hours. But, if I was given $400 to spend on wine would I rather have one bottle of Messorio or Ten outstanding $40.00 bottles…we’ll have to wait until someone gives me 400 bucks to find out!

It was great having Paolo de Marchi at the tasting and after we had tasted through all of the Merlot we grabbed one of his wines off the shelf, the 2004 Isole e Olena Syrah. This was mind blowing and a truly unique expression of Syrah. At $66.00 this was almost a third of the price of the least expensive wine at the tasting and as such sparked even more debate about price. My head was spinning at this point to say the least (and not because I was wasted…) and I was content to tune out the discussion and just enjoy the amazing wines in front of me.

In the end the argument of price isn’t going away any time soon. I guess ultimately like any commodity in a free market a bottle of wine is worth what someone is willing to pay for it. There will be those who continue to pay exorbitant prices for wines because they love them and those who pay the prices to have a trophy sitting on their dinner table or in their cellar. In the end we should all just continue to drink what we like, in a price point that’s comfortable…whatever that might be.

Cheers,

Jesse

PS. For those interested here was the line-up of wines from the tasting:

2002 Feudi di San Gregorio Patrimo – $153.00

2003 Tua Rita Redigaffi – $260.00

2006 Fattoria Petrolo Galatrona – $163.00

2001 Le Macchiole Messorio – $260.00

2004 Le Macchiole Messorio – $400.00

2002 Tenuta dell’ Ornellaia Masseto – $200.00

2005 Tenuta dell’ Ornellaia Masseto – $380.00

Wine of the Week: Delamotte Brut Champagne NV

Perhaps no other entity on earth is as synonymous with luxury as Champagne. The addition of Champagne can make a special occasion spectacular, a memorable evening unforgettable and turn a gathering into a party. A great Champagne is experienced rather than tasted and should balance complexity and depth with finesse and lightness.

Although Champagne continues to become more and more expensive, there are still those producers who offer exceptional value…and Delamotte is one of them. Delamotte is the sister house of Champagne Salon, which is only made in the very best years and is extremely rare and expensive. And while Salon makes only one wine, a vintage blanc de blanc from a single vineyard (blanc de blanc is made from 100% Chardonnay) Delamotte makes an entire range of outstanding bubbles.

The non-vintage brut (which is a blend of wines from several vintages) is composed of 50% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir and 20% Pinot Meunier.  This is everything a great non-vintage Champagne should be, seemingly dancing on the palate with notes of apple, peach, minerality and a nice floral component. A true beauty and at $50-$60 on the shelf this is an excellent value as far as true Champagnes go.

We will be featuring Champagne Delamotte at our Vamps & Vixens Halloween Event at the the legendary Lougheed House here in Calgary Saturday, October 31st. Contact me for more information jesse@vinearts.ca or (403)-813-3913.

 

Good friends make wine taste better…so does pizza!

The problem with having a very special bottle of wine stashed away is that the pressure seems to build to find the perfect time to open said bottle. This was exactly the case with the most prized bottle in my collection, a magnum (1.5L) of 1987 Ridge Monte Bello. Ridge is absolutely one of my favourite wineries in the world and I picked up this amazing bottle while visiting the winery in June. At $200.00 US this was by far the most I have ever spent on a bottle of wine in my life. For those of you who may be familiar with the Monte Bello (which is their top wine) however, you probably know that at this should have been worth at least twice as much. Now not only was this a special bottle, but being that it was a magnum it required a bit of a gathering in order to make the most of it.

I decided that my birthday was a reasonable occasion to open this precious gem and I set out to think of the perfect location for the event. Would it be River Cafe, my favourite restaurant in the city? Or perhaps Teatro, Divino or another of Calgary’s top dining destinations. After much deliberation I came to the realization that sometimes there is great beauty in simplicity. Armed with this revelation I decided to gather a group of my best wine-geek friends and head on down to what is perhaps Calgary’s best kept secret…Pizza Bob’s.

Although from first appearances Pizza Bob’s looks like an awkward hole-in-the-wall,  with it’s dim lighting, self-serve soda station, rock and roll posters and vlt/video game lined walls they have one major thing going for them…no corkage. That’s right, you can bring in your favourite wine any day of the week and you don’t pay a cent for the  the privilage. Plus they have pretty damn good pizza to boot! You may think I have picked up a nasty crystal meth habit bringing such heralded wines to such a humble location, but in the end it was the perfect venue for an unforgetable night.

I was abuzz with anticipation as we walked through the 1980’s style wooden door and into the dim lighting of Bob’s armed with our own glassware (I would recommend this as their wine glasses leave much to be desired) and with an army of wine in tow. Not only had I brought my prized bottle of Monte Bello, I had also brought my second most precious collectible…a bottle of 1994 Louis Jadot Le Montrachet. Montrachet is a Grand Cru vineyard in the area of Burgundy (only the Chardonnay grape is planted here) in France and is considered by many to be the greatest white wine in the world. This bottle was a very generous gift given to my father that was then passed on to my brother and I. This is an extremely rare treat and would normally be well beyond my means, which again added to the excitement.

As my glorious group of friends arrived and their vinous contributions to the dinner were set on the table, we began to receive looks from the Pizza Bob’s staff that I would expect to greet alien life forms. All told there were 8 participants…and the equivalent of 12 bottles of wine. Things were about to get interesting (sorry if you are reading this Grandma…you may never look past your grandsons gluttonous disregard again!)

 As the pizza started flowing and corks were popped it became clear this was a line-up of wines the likes of which would not be topped for some time. I will quickly recount, more as a test of my extremely hazy memory than for your enjoyment, the wines of the evening.

2008 Pierre Gaillard St. Joseph Blanc – Hailing from the Northern Rhone Valley in France and made exclusively from the Roussane grape this was stunning. Although it was one of the “value” wines at the table (value for this night at least), this was a delicious treat showing notes of lanolin, almond and ripe stone fruit and melon.

2004 Domaine Beauregard “Grand Beauregard” Pouilly-Fuisse – This epic Chardonnay supplied by my good friend Al is a bruiser. Forget the finesse normally found in Burgundian Chardonnay, this will give any Californian Chard a run for its money in terms of sheer power and opulence. Flavours of ripe pear, coconut oil, mineral, toast and so much more power through on a finish that lasts for minutes.

1994 Louis Jadot Le Montrachet – As mentioned this is one of the greatest white wines in the world and although not from the best vintage everyone still expected great things. At first this wine was oddly closed, not really providing much character on the nose or palate. Having faith we set the bottle aside and as time wore on this started to show it’s true colours. Each whiff of this wine yielded something different, at times giving aroma’s of freshly pressed linen and in the next breath showing a nutty character and deep minerality. In the end this was spectacular with unreal depth and a spectrum of flavours almost beyond description. I kept my glass aside and savoured every last drop!

2007 JL Chave “Mon Coeur” Cotes-du-Rhone – Another “value” wine in this line-up, this wine is always stunning and I wish I had several cases. This shows why 2007 is a hyped up vintage in the Southern Rhone and this killer wine with its notes of deep black fruit, coffee liquor, baking spices and dark chocolate is a perfect example of why.

2000 Chateau Bellevue Magnum – This wine was intended to deliver an outstanding Bordeaux at a reasonable price, and it delivers big time. Plus wine always tastes better out of a big bottle!

2006 Pierre Gaillard Cote Rotie – This stunning Syrah, with a good dollop of Viognier added, blew me away. The purest blueberry fruit dances on the palate with white pepper, roasted meats and an amazing violet/lavender floral component. If I ever meet Pierre Gaillard I am buying him a beer…hopefully we are at Pizza Bob’s!

1998 Seghesio Barolo Pajana – How am I still typing right now? And there are still two wines to go! Any time I have the chance to drink Barolo I am immediately whisked back to the hills of Langhe in Piemonte, Italy which I was fortunate enough to visit in 2007. This had classic floral and deep cherry characteristics while gripping tannins were a stern reminder that this wine can easily age another 10 years. Classic.

2005 Prince Florent du Merode Corton Clos du Roi – An epic Pinot Noir from the hill of Corton, a relatively small slope with a massive reputation which also serves as the only Grand Cru site for red wine  in the Cotes du Beaune region of Burgundy (there are 7 Grand Cru vineyards on the hill, covering both Pinot Noir and Chardonnay…and who said Burgundy was confusing?). This wine was just an infant, hinting at its amazing cellaring potential with tightly wound cherry, earth and mineral notes. Will be a legend in 5-10 more years.

2001 Montecillo Rioja Gran Reserva – I have a bit of a shameful admission…I didn’t even get to try this wine (sorry Tom, I still love you for bringing it). I was already half in the bag by this point and completely overwhelmed with wine selection. I am sure it was awesome though. I feel a bit of shame.

1987 Ridge Monte Bello – And so we come to it…the legend itself. What can I say…perfection. Absolutely seemless, this was a breathtaking wine. Still youthful in its delicious blackberry and currant fruit, but with a complexity that can only come with age. Moist tobacco mingled with deep tones of fresh earth, cedar and dusty cherry. This is one of those wines you experience rather than taste, gliding across the palate like a soft ocean breeze. Stunning. This is what wine is all about.

Once the dust had settled and the smoke had cleared our humble group had left in our wake no less than thirteen large pizza’s, four jugs of beer and the hollowed remnants of one of the greatest line-ups of wine in which I had ever partaken. Although the rest of the evening (which continued on at several further locations until the wee hours of the morning) is shrouded in a fine haze, that time spent in the company of dim lighting, amazing friends and unforgettable wines will continue to bring a smile to my face for years to come.

Cheers,

Jesse

*Edit* I made an error which I have corrected stating that the hill of Corton was the only Grand Cru site in the Cotes du Beaune…which is completely false. It is the only Grand Cru site for red wine. Thanks for catching that Al…I was just checking to see if you were paying attention of course.

When Titans Collide

Months of gleeful anticipation finally came to an end last Wednesday as perhaps the greatest tasting I have ever thrown came to pass. The tasting, entitled “Bordeaux Battle 2009″ pitted some of Napa Valley’s greatest Cabernet Sauvignon’s against some of the most sought after wines from Bordeaux. Not only were these some of the hottest wines on the planet, I was also able to secure some awesome older vintages of these wines (which is likely why the event sold out within a couple of weeks).

The rivalry between the wines of California and Bordeaux is not a new concept. On the 24th of May, 1976 English wine merchant Steven Spurrier hosted a tasting in Paris that turned the world of wine on it’s head. At this time the Napa Valley was still relatively unknown in the world of wine and it was very different from the wine super-power it has become today. Most members of the European wine community would have considered the Napa Valley to be full of red necks and hippies with no chance of ever competing against the great wine regions of France.

This historic tasting, which would later come to be known as the “Judgement of Paris”, saw the best Cabernet Sauvignon based red wines from the Napa Valley and the French region of Bordeaux do battle. This tasting also featured California’s greatest Chardonnay’s going head to head against some of the greatest White Burgundies. Ultimately the tasting, which was conducted blind (ie no one knew which order the wines were poured in) by a group French judge’s saw a Californian emerge in top spot in both the whites and the reds. The wine world erupted and the rise in fame of California and the Napa Valley had begun.

Needless to say when I came across an opportunity to conduct my own little version of this classic battle I couldn’t resist. The tasting room at Bin 905 Wine and Spirits was abuzz as thirteen wine lovers sat facing me at the table. In front of us sat seven glasses containing some of the greatest wines in the world and as we dived in the excitement grew. I had my good friend Sylvain pour the wines from paper bags in an order of his choice so effectively no one at the table, including me, knew which wine was in which glass. We knew there were three California Cabernet’s, three Bordeaux’s and one ringer bottle but it quickly became clear it was not going to be easy to differentiate them. Many of the California wines used Bordeaux as a benchmark and it was clear they had hit the targets. Perhaps the most fascinating aspect tasting through the wines was how unique each of them was. Wine number one kept drawing me back with its unreal aroma’s of blackberry and cassis. Wine number two was showing more secondary aroma’s and flavours of damp earth, green spice and tobacco.  Wine number four was far richer and more approachable, causing many in the group to claim it was definitely one of the Californians. Although very unique it was clear these were all wines of outstanding quality and I could have sat and tasting those wines for hours.

After all of the participants, including myself, had tasted through the wines I brought out score cards and had the group rank each of the wines from their most favourite to their least favourite. It was a tough task for sure and as I tallied up the votes the anticipation rose to a fever pitch. Once the dust had cleared there were more than a few surprises. Here was the final results, in order from first place to last.

1. 1997 Dominus Estate (California) - California comes out on top with this stunning wine. This showed perfect balance between new world and old world style, balancing delicious Californian style ripe fruit with the leather and moist tobacco notes of a great Bordeaux. This should come as no surprise as Dominus is the Californian property of Christian Moueix, winemaker and owner of the legendary Chateau Petrus from Pomerol in Bordeaux. With current vintages of Chateau Petrus fetching several thousands of dollars and all of the Bordeaux competition in this tasting coming in at 3 times it’s price, this truly is a relative bargain at around $150.00 on the shelf. Stunning.

2. 1996 Ridge Monte Bello (California)- Heralding from the high elevation vineyards of the Santa Cruz Mountains, this is another legendary Californian gem. The nose on this wine was absolutely stunning and kept drawing me back again and again. As the first wine poured in the tasting this set the bar high and has made me even more excited for the prized bottle in my collection…a magnum of 1987 Monte Bello. California takes the top 2!

3. 1995 Chateau Mouton Rothschild (Bordeaux) - Few names in the wine world command the awe and respect of Mouton. The only estate to ever be elevated to first growth status after the original classification of 1855, this is truly the stuff of legend. This was tight and not giving up much on the nose. On the palate the purity of the acidity and finesse of the tannins were simply stunning. This may well need another 3-5 years to truly show it’s potential. 

4.1995 Robert Mondavi Reserve Cabernet (California) – Another name that needs no introduction Robert Mondavi was the driving force that elevated the wines of the Napa Valley to the fame they share today. Although Robert Mondavi has passed away, this is a great example of how his legacy is living on. The most approachable, lush and inviting of the tasting this wine caused many in the tasting to immediately exclaim that it must be from California. This is simply delicious and drinking beautifully right now.

5. 1996 Chateau Angelus (Bordeaux) – This was an odd man out in the line-up being the only wine to be made predominately from Merlot (with a healthy chunk of Cabernet Franc thrown in the blend). This wine blew me away and I deducted that this must be the Angelus simply from its sheer power. Showing almost no colour degradation (or fading of the colour) this wine tasted like it could have been bottled a year ago rather than it’s true 13+ years of age. The finish on this wine lasted for a good minute with masses of tannin, acidity and dark fruit pumping through. As with the Mouton this wine needs several more years to show it’s true potential. Just awesome.

6. 1997 Chateau Latour (Bordeaux) – 1997 was not a stellar vintage in Bordeaux and it definitely showed through in this wine. Chateau Latour is considered by many to be the greatest of the 5 first growth estates. Given it’s grand reputation and the fact that is was the most expensive bottle at the tasting, the 6th place finish was a harsh blow. I still really enjoyed this wine with its distinct green/vegetal spice notes, dust, cedar, tobacco and elegant delivery however it was simply did not deliver quite as much drinking pleasure as it’s peers.

7. 1997 Errazuriz Don Maximiano (Chile) – This was the ringer that I threw into the tasting and most of the participants were able to pick it out of the line-up. Even though it placed last I thought this was still outstanding given it’s distinction as the least expensive bottle in the line-up. Still fresh and juicy, this showed the distinct green pepper/earth/spice on the nose that is unmistakably Chilean. A great value that in the end was just outside the reach of its world class competition.

Although there had to be a winner crowned in the end, I was very happy and impressed with all of these wines. It was a rare treat to try a line-up of this stature and the excellent company present at the tasting made this a night I will not soon forget.

Cheers,

Jesse

Wine of the Week: Alto Moncayo “Veraton”

The transition from Summer into Fall also marks a transition for many wine lovers from the fun and fresh white wines and rose’s built for the patio to more substantial red wine’s to keep us warm by the fire. For those of you looking for a companion for a crisp fall evening Veraton may be just what the doctor ordered. Made from 100% Garnacha (Grenache) selected from vines reaching over 80 years of age, this is not a “traditional” Spanish red wine. The winemaking is overseen by Australian winemaker Chris Ringland, who is also responsible for producing the wines for the famed Bodegas El Nido.

Alto Moncayo has also been a bit of a media darling from its inception in 2002 and with its eye-catching packaging and in your face style, it’s easy to see why. Veraton is the entry level wine in the line-up and while not as expensive as it’s big brother’s it is still likely a special occasion wine for many at around $40.00 on the shelf.

The influence from this wines Australian winemaker becomes clear rather quickly and this has about as much elegance as a drunken linebacker attempting the waltz. Dripping with big, rich fruit the Veraton holds nothing back attacking the palate from all angles with coffee-liquor, blackberry, blueberry, dark chocolate, cinnamon and more. An hour or more in the decanter helps to open up this behemoth to reveal it’s many layers.

While not always easy to find, it’s well worth tracking this down the next time you’re in the mood for a little palate destruction. Try this with a little dark chocolate for a bit of an experiment.

Cheers,

Jesse

Wine of the Week: 2008 Four Vines “Naked” Chardonnay

I only recently noticed the vines on the label are made out of ladies...

This is the perfect wine for all those Chardonnay bashers out there. Based out of Paso Robles, California Four Vines is famous for its “in your face” wines and packaging. Known for it’s big, rich Zinfandel and outrageous red blends Four Vines has also been consistently producing one of my favourite un-oaked chardonnay’s for years. Although Four Vines is based out of Paso Robles, the naked Chardonnay uses grapes from the cooler Santa Barbera region.

Although many un-oaked Chardonnay’s can come across refreshing yet bland, the naked chardonnay delivers the goods. The wine achieves richness and a full bodied character without the vanilla/caramel/buttery toast components that some wine drinkers detest. Notes of white peach, pear, citrus and grapefruit mingle with refreshing acidity to create a lip-smacking experience that keeps you coming back for more. Best of all this won’t totally break the bank coming in at around $20.00 on the shelf here in Calgary.

Enjoy this wine in the fall sun on the patio or throw it down with oysters, prawns or halibut.

I like long walks on the beach and candle-lit drinking…

I left work this past Thursday with plans to meet some fine gentlemen at my condo for a round of drinks before heading out for what promised to be a dance-tastic evening at the Hi-Fi Club here in Calgary. Things seemed to take an interesting turn however as I approached the intersection just before my building only to find all of the street and traffic lights out of commission. Sure enough I was greeted at the entrance to my building by the strange glow of the emergency lighting system and the annoying beep of the maintenance box crying for help.

As I embarked on the eerie walk down the blackness of my hallway I knew that our plans to tip back a few brews at my newly appointed bachelor pad were likely not going to come to fruition. As I blindly stumbled through my house to open the curtains and let in the last of the evening light I called my friend Eddie to break the bad news. If I had been thinking clearly before this call I would have realized this particular group of friends would never have a little thing like a lack of light stand between them and a good time. Sure enough just as I was finished lighting the last of my emergency candles my phone rang signaling the start of the party.

Luckily for some reason I have more candles than Bob Barker’s birthday cake (a fact I took a well deserved ribbing for) and as my partners in rhyme sat down at the table I dug into the darkness of the fridge to find my only alcoholic possession worthy of such an odd scene…the glow growler. An oddball indeed, the glow growler is perhaps the greatest vessel of beer ever created. A 1/2 gallon jug containing “dead guy ale”, a beautifully hopped beer from the house of Rogue Brewing in Portland, Oregon. This growler (which is the name given to the 64 ounce jug) has an outstanding label which also happens to glow in the dark. Truly a fitting choice for our eerie candelit vigil.

In order to increase the truly awesome nature of this event we chose to drink our beer from my best wine glasses, and although my companions were more accustomed to “normal” beers there was unanimous agreement that the freshly hopped character and honeyed notes of the dead guy ale were delightful. According to their website (www.rogue.com) the dead guy pairs well with with pork dishes and spicy foods, however the lack of electricity required to create those dishes left us with only a bag of potato chips and good company.

As the mighty growler slowly declined so did the awkward nature of three dudes drinking beer by candlelight. Sometimes there truly is beauty in simplicity and without the distraction of modern technology we were left with only good times. As we were joined by a 4th member and Ryan got up to use the little boys room (thank god the water was still working!) the overhead light suddenly sprung to life. We all shared a moment of shock as lady electricity waltzed back into our lives in a blaze of glory. Slowly I looked around the room and an unspoken decision was made with a group look of disapproval…the electricity had to go. With a decision to embrace that beautiful simplicity we shut the light off and filled our glasses. The evening progressed in the soft glow of candlelight and the arrival of a lady in our midst dealt a final blow to any candlelight weirdness.

Finally it was time to move on to the dance party and as I extinguished our vigil I took one last moment to take in the warm glow of awesome. So next time you’ve got a crew of guys and a giant jug of outstanding beer why not break out the tea-lights and party like it’s 1799.

Cheers,

Jesse