Moon Curser vineyards, Okanagan Valley, BC, Canada

http://www.mooncurser.com/

A few weeks ago I had the sincere pleasure of being invited to the first annual Renaissance Wine Merchants portfolio tasting in Gastown; a neighborhood of distinction and heritage in Vancouver, BC. (http://www.renaissancewine.ca/) 

Now I've always been a fan of the Renaissance line-up; cutting edge Cab-Sauv blends from California, clean Pinot Noir from New Zealand and excellent expressions from the BC wines they carry... but my friend and colleague who invited me asked me to try something "A little different"

Oh! I'm intrigued... what would be different at one of these affairs?

He pours me an ounce or two of a deep, dark, seductive wine and waits for me to wander off in my own thoughts (which invariably happens when I judge wines). "Holy Shit!" says I - "that's f***in amazing."

"What is that?" I stammer.

"A Tannat-Syrah blend" says he.

Ok - I have to admit. That is different!

"From BC" he continues.

Thud.

My friend helps me lift my jaw off the floor.

"You're shitting me." I demand.

He pours me another ounce of the Ambrosia and I lean in to listen to the story; the story of a guy in the I.T. field and his wife from accounting who decide to make wine.... sorry? Where's the punchline?

Oh no - this is the honest story says he! They loved wine, were looking at what to do with the rest of their lives, and decided to make wine. But! But they didn't want to make wine like everyone else. 

Well... if this is any example then they are most certainly not like everyone else. Actually, come to think of it - I did try one of their other wines a year or two ago and was so impressed that I simply had to write about it. (http://astudentofwine.blogspot.ca/2011/08/moon-curser-border-vines-bordeaux-blend.html). Riiight@! I remember now. But this wine is really something else! So I, as any self-respecting wine journalist, Twitter the winery that night and told them that I would love to write an article on their current work.

They sent me the following wines and I was, truly, impressed. Not everything in the line-up was to my particular taste and it may not be to yours, but these wines are crafted with precision and speak articulately of their terroir.

2012 Afraid of the Dark

91+ points
$21.90

Roussanne, Viognier, Marsanne

• visual:    clear; pale straw core with watery rim
• nose:    clean; medium+ to fully intense and youthful aromas; fresh papaya, Mandarin orange and ripe melon, small white and yellow meadow flowers
• palate:    clean; dry, medium+ crisp Meyer lemon acid, medium body, medium+ alcohol (14.1% ABV), fully intense and youthful flavors in-line with the nose; bright citrus tones are quickly washed away by ripe exotic fruit layers, nuances of soft flowers abound but all is held together by a brilliantly precise minerality. Excellent balance and structure, medium+ length
• conclusion:   a stunning example of Okanagan Crozes-Hermitage, for lack of a better explanation. This blend was made famous by the French, but now a BC winery is re-defining it for a fraction of the price. Imminently approachable, enjoy 2013-2017++
• FOOD PAIRING:   though seafood is a natural pairing, Hermitage is far from the ocean, much like Osoyoos. Think regional! Clay oven baked chicken, mustard and savory herb rub, ratatouille, fried olives and fresh crusty peasant-loaf

BC is the home of Riesling and Gewurztraminer... sure we craft a few world-class Chardonnay, but they're few and far between. But Roussanne? Marsanne? We are one of the most extreme wine-growing regions in the world - a far cry from the chiseled valleys of the Northern Rhone where wine-making has a heritage measured in millennia (yes - thousands of years) and these varietals are best known. I later called Chris Tolley, winemaker and half of the equation that is Moon Curser vineyards. 

I asked Chris "Man - what made you think of this blend for BC?"

Chris told me that , truthfully, when they first started they didn't really know what they were doing. Oh sure - Chris and his wife Beata had gone to school in New Zealand, earned their stripes in vineyards in Australia and here in North America... but they didn't really know. Chris figures that if he had known beforehand how much work this white blend was going to be - perhaps he would have tried something else. After only speaking to him for an hour, I realized that he probably still would have done it. Just to prove that it could be done - and done well.

2010 Petit Verdot

90+ points
$29

• visual:   clear; deep plum core with bright violet rim
• nose:   clean; medium+ intense youthful aromas of spicy stewed blackberries and blueberries, bright violets/dark floral tones, mineral undertones
• palate:   clean; dry, medium+to full red currant acids, full tight/grippy tannin, medium body, medium+ alcohol (14.4% ABV), medium+ intense youthful flavors much in-line with the aromas; the berry tones really sing with the precision of the minerality, good focus with an ultra-fresh finish. Good balance and structure with medium length
• conclusion:   a unique expression of the Okanagan Valley, this wine expresses varietal with great clarity if not depth or layering. The vines are still young though, and each subsequent vintage should bring more and more to the wine. Too young to enjoy now without double-decanting, drink 2015-2020
• FOOD PAIRING:   these ultra-bright acids want fat and the huge tannin crave beef. Consider beef Stroganoff with caramelized pearl onions and fresh farfalle pasta... 

Chris explained to me that 2010 wasn't a particularly great year for the vines of BC; this made the winemakers' work a little harder (and he wasn't the first to tell me this nor, I imagine, the last). Because of the lack of sunshine, and thus ripening of the grapes, there was less intense fruit notes in the wines. For me, personally, I prefer a wine like this; it allows minerality to strut it's stuff a bit more. I like tasting the earth as much as the fruit and love it when a wine can find that sense of harmony. 

Truth be told though, many consumers enjoy overactive fruitbombs. There's nothing wrong with that - indeed, what a sad place the world would be if we all had the same palate (or sense of fashion!)

2010 Syrah

92+ points
$25++ (only available at the cellar door)

• visual:   clear; deep plum core with cherry/violet rim
• nose:   clean; fully intense and developing bouquet of spicy dark fruit; layer upon layer of peppercorns (red, black, white, green), a hint of Thai chili, warm oak, light caramel, cherries and cherry blossoms
• palate:   clean; dry, medium (well integrated) black currant acid, medium+ chewy/fleshy tannin, medium+ body, medium+ alcohol (14.4% ABV), fully intense and developing flavors in true unison with the nose; bright berry notes hit the palate full force, moderately by cohesive oak, earth tones, and that south Okanagan pure minerality. Very good to excellent balance, great structure and full length on the palate
• conclusion: a world-class wine! Easily the equal of any Syrah/Shiraz of this price-point from anywhere in the world... better value then most regions can provide. Enjoy this now, but will reward slight cellaring... drink 2013-2020 and possibly beyond
• FOOD PAIRING:   classy wine deserves classy food, and what could be classier then pizza! But not the $5.99 pizza of our teenage years, consider grass-fed grilled steak pizza with fresh local arugula, shaved Asiago and caperberries... the grass-fed beef has a bit of "funk" to it that will be muscle to this wines finesse, the arugula has a bit of sharpness that is in-line with the Syrah pepper, the Asiago provides the saltiness and the caperberries are your new olives for grown-up evenings!

This was one of the absolute stars of the show for me! I am not the biggest Syrah fan (Bordeaux is my big passion) - but I've been fortunate enough to taste some true gems from around the world. This could become one of them one day, and is already competitive, dollar-for-dollar, with just about any other Syrah/Shiraz. Anywhere.

2011 Contraband Syrah

89+ points
$28.90

• visual:    clear; deep plum core with slight cherry/violet rim
• nose:    clean; light+ to medium youthful aromas of bright red cherries and raspberries with a strong red and black peppercorn undercurrent/mingled with dark floral tones
• palate:   clean; dry, medium red raspberry acid, medium grippy tannin, medium- body, medium- alcohol (13.9% ABV), medium- intense and youthful flavors starting with bright red berries and moving quickly to dark tea/wood tones then back to a tart cranberry/red raspberry finish. Good balance and good structure with medium+ length
• FOOD PAIRING:   never underestimate the lowly pot-roast my friends!!! In France, where Syrah originates, they might call it pot-au-feu but no matter what you call it, it's packed with meaty flavors and tons of richness that will foil this wines active acid with ease and grace. Consider slow-cooked Hopcott Farms** pot-roast with garlic fried parsnips  creamed leeks and mashed turnips (tatties to my Scottish friends)

(I specifically mention Hopcott Farms in Pitt Meadows, BC as they are one of the bastions of great, locally raised and butchered beef in Western Canada. http://www.hopcottmeats.ca/   )

So you may be raising an eyebrow at why I scored the more expensive wine less? Truth be told - I don't like jumped-up fruitiness. Others may love it - and will - and will score higher. The construction of the wine is completely professional, but I missed the great expression of earth and minerality that I got in the 2010. I imagine that a year or two in bottle will tame the fruit enough to allow these secondary notes to emerge more fully.

Chris explained to me that with the "Contraband" the winery really kicks the drive for quality into high gear: more pruning in the vineyard, more careful sorting at the trays, more French oak (as opposed to mild Hungarian/Eastern European), lees stirring, longer aging potential... it's a world of difference in wine-making for an extra $4/bottle. Try getting that kind of value from Old World producers!

2011 Cab-Sauv
89-90 points
$28.90

• visual:   clear; medium+ garnet core with ultra bright cherry-plum rim
• nose:   clean; medium intense youthful aromas of bright red berries (raspberries, currants, strawberries), savory underbrush (aka sous-bois in France), some warm leather and oak tones with a eucalyptus finish
• palate:   clean; dry, fully intense red raspberry acid, medium+ to full chalky tannin, fully intense and youthful flavors much in line with the nose; bright red berries burst on the palate with freshness and immediate appeal, the savory tones follow lead by a south Okanagan herbaceousness and a textbook CabSauv menthol/eucalyptus finish. Good balance and very good structure with medium length
• conclusion: full of life, this is a rare example of Cabernet Sauvignon that I would not cellar. I would enjoy this as it is now - bursting with life. Best (in my opinion) 2013-2015, drink 2013-2018
• FOOD PAIRING:   A classic pairing with your Tuesday night bbq slow-braised and thickly glazed molasses bbq ribs, roasted corn-melon and cilantro salad, hot buttered cornbread and steamed green beans/okra

2007 Twisted Tree Tannat
89+ points
(Twisted Tree is the former label for Moon Curser vineyards)
$ ? *(not for sale - from the Moon Curser wine library)

• visual:   clear; medium+ ruby core with light cherry rim/slight bricking
• nose:   clean; medium+ intense and maturing notes of warm caramel mocha, old leather, ripe plum compote, dark rose hips
• palate:    clean; dry, full+ red currant acid, medium- silty tannin, medium- body, medium+ alcohol (14.9% ABV), medium intense and developed flavors much like the nose; the palate opens with a bang! pow - layers of ripe red and black berries; Saskatoons, cherries in every shade... did you know the vineyard used to be home to 5 acres of cherry trees?... followed by that warm Osoyoos earth, leathery cigar tones and finishing with slightly bitter espresso.
• conclusion:   I would drink this now if I had a few bottles in the cellar; the acid is still quite high but I don't envision the concentration lasting much longer. It most certainly will not develop further. Enjoy 2013-2014/5
• FOOD PAIRING:   with the bracing acidity, I would pair this first course with pate and let the two become the best of friends! Jacques Peppin's country-styled pate with spicy sauteed grapes, toasted currant and millet loaf

Chris and Beata certainly sent me a full selection of wines to develop my knowledge of both their portfolio and their terroir. The first people in BC, and probably the only people in Canada, to grow Tannat - this couple knows the meaning of "adventure". It has most certainly been an adventure for them as they developed their lives from desk-job to wine-guru; from air-conditioned cubicle to the roaring furnace of the Sonoran desert...

 A business coach of mine says "It is the job of the entrepreneur to be scared everyday. A day without fear is a day without chasing after the big clients, the big break-through, the big-value for our clients."

 I respect this winery, and it's owners. Not just for bucking tradition and being willing to try something new, but also for making it work. I can't imagine the ridicule that must have taken place when they planted a varietal known best for it's offerings from Uruguay! But - they made it work. Young vines still, I must admit to being intrigued by what will be coming in the near future. As I started this article, I spoke of tasting  the 2011 Cab-Sauv - Tannat blend which is, in a word, world-class.

Much like the winery itself. http://www.mooncurser.com/

my thanks to Leavetown.com for the photo!

I'm looking forward to your thoughts as you taste these wines for yourself...

 let me know @AStudentofWine (Twitter).

CINCIN~!!!     SLAINTE~!!!     CHEERS~!!!

Haywire Gamay Noir rose VS BS rose

www.haywirewinery.com

www.bswinesokanagan.com

A friend and colleague passed me a couple of bottles of rosé the other day...

It sounds like the start of a "wine-geek" joke right? No - seriously, she passed me these two bottles of rosé and at the time I almost thought she was joking! You have to understand, Vancouver in March is a dismal sight most days: only a few degrees above zero Celsius (translated to Fahrenheit is about 50), pouring rain, winds blustering either off the Bay or down from the local mountains that are still covered in snow.

And she gives me rosé.

But there's more to the story! It seems two winemaker colleagues/rivals have set up a bit of a challenge against each other, with the public as both accomplices and judges... Enter the contenders for Best Rosé of the Bunch:

in the left corner, weighing in at a hefty 13.7% ABV is the Haywire Gamay Noir Rosé ,

and in the right corner dancing lightly at 13.4% is the BIG BS!
(That's Bartier Scholefield Rosé to you my friends)

These scrappy wines, blushing with the bloom of youth (unlike their winemakers) promised tight competition as soon as I opened the bottles. I did my due diligence, and made my way through the murky waters of on-line research. In doing so I discovered that not only did these gifted (special?) winemakers want "we the people" to judge the battle, but wanted our response in verse.

In verse? This joke just gets more and more odd...

A battle between two sibling rosé, the outcome judged by the public - in verse.

Well there once was a wine from Haywire
  who liked to spend nights...
err...
... nothing rhymes with Haywire.

Truth be told, when I actually got around to tasting the wines the weather had changed; the air had warmed by 10 degrees or so, the skies had opened to allow glorious sunlight to bathe my deck and the wind had stopped blustering (unlike Scholefield) and become a gentle murmur. In short, I had reached my ideal rosé time. And I was reminded of the many things that Spring brings; green grass growing, the scent of new flowers, my wife's allergies, and love. And if one thinks of love, one must think of Shakespeare. And when I thought of Shakespeare I knew I'd found my response to these "Two Gentlemen of Okanagan"

But soft! What light through yonder bottle breaks?

  It is the East, and BS is the sun.

Arise, fair sun, and kill Haywire's envious moon

  who is already sick and pale with grief ,

that thou, her maid, are more fair then she:

  Be not her maid, since Haywire is envious (and rightfully so)

Her vestal livery is but pale salmon to your rose,

  And none but fools do wear it; cast it off.

It is my BS. Oh, it is my love!

  Oh that Michael Bartier knew it were!

He speaks and yet says nothing - no - that's David, what of that?

   The wine discourses, I will answer,

I am too bold - the wine speaks not to me:

  Two of the fairest stars in all Heaven (the Okanagan Valley DVA)

Having some business in the wine business, do entreat my eyes

  to sparkle at their mischief 'til new bottles can be opened.

With gladdened heart I'll rest awhile

and watch two loves battle for mine affections;

in the end, 'tis I and my friends who come out on top!

2010 Haywire Gamay Noir rosé

Okanagan Valley VQA

91 points

• visual:   clear; pale salmon amber core with watery rim, silver highlights
• nose:   clean; medium+ youthful and developing aromas; slightly spicy earth tones, warm berry compote, lively floral notes reminiscent of great Viognier, crisp mineral undercurrant
• palate:   clean; dry, medium+ raspberry/currant acid, light+ to medium body, medium+ alcohol (13.7%), medium+ intense youthful and developing flavors that mimick well the bouquet; the minerality sings with precision and is followed by a bountiful floral and fruit driven palate. Excellent balance and structure, medium+ length
• conclusion:   truly a world-class rose, this wine is capable of holding it's own for several years but will not improve. Enjoy 2013-2016/7 
• FOOD PAIRINGS:   floral toned wine with lively acids and great structure are built for food, and in many people's opinion - seafood. But consider this flight of whimsy: 7-hour braised rabbit (or poultry for the less adventurous) with raz-el-hanout on fresh thyme infused quinoa, steamed kale tossed with roast chestnut butter and apricot glazed garden-carrots... as I said.. adventurous, but with purpose! Rabbit carries little flavor of it's own, but will cosy to Arabic spicy blends and that spice will enhance the natural spice in the wine. The fresh thyme does the same but through contrast. The kale cleans the palate whilst the quinoa and chestnut open the door to savory tones and the apricot enhances the floral. A hint of butter will off-set the medium acids - this wine begs not to be paired with cream which will seem cumbersome (also consider Italian pairings like tuna in olive oil!)

2010 Bartier-Scholefield rosé

Okanagan Valley VQA

92 points

• visual:   clear; medium sanguine or "bleeding" rose core... like a poached peach. Watery rim with copper highlights
• nose:    clean; medium intensity developing aromas of warm dusty earth, clay pottery, tight minerality, dry herbal tea, white flowers
• palate:   clean; dry, medium+ to full (tight) red and black currant acid, medium- body, medium alcohol (13.4%), medium + intense and developing flavors that mimick the nose... immediate focus is drawn to the very precise minerality and tight young berry tones that dominate, warm earth is a background that develops on a consistent palate with a soft floral finish. Truly excellent balance and structure with long length
• conclusion:   a stunning wine that is just coming into it's own; concentration, acidity, length, structure - a wine to enjoy for years! Savor 2013-2018 and possibly beyond
• FOOD PAIRING:    big, bold, distinct flavors mean that I could pair this will very different fare then the previous wine. I would use this much like the Chateau Mussar rose; a heavily seasoned gigot d'agneau (leg of lamb) roast over wood with charred eggplant caviar dipping sauce, steamed collard greens (or beet tops), fried flat-bread and goat's milk feta. This wine has the structure and dimension to require fully intense food flavors to match - this will take some of the richest food you can imagine and bring it into balance. Gracefully.

And so all joking to one side, truly these two wines on their own are enough to open the eyes of the consumer. If you've said before that great rosé only comes from Tavel, Provence, Spain, Chile... then you need to try these.

If you've said that rosé is only for the hottest days of Summer, then you need to try these.

And if you've already found yourself saying to the computer screen "But I don't even like rosé!" then you simply must try these. For the price, you will open a new door in the expression of wine and the expression of BC.

How do I know this? Because I said all of these things before trying these wines. And now? Now I can't wait to try my next bottle.... there's a reason the blog is called "A Student of Wine" my friends!

As always, I welcome your comments and questions.

CINCIN~!!!     SLAINTE~!!!     CHEERS~!!!

Tenute Silvio Nardi, 2011 Rosso di Montalcino DOC

www.TenuteNardi.com

Emilia Nardi famously said that her mission for her family's winery was "I want our wines to express the essence of every unique area of Tuscany known as Montalcino"

the view at the Nardi Estate

I sit at the dining room table of my family home in Maple Ridge, British Columbia, and wonder what she must have been thinking when she said that. Did she imbue that statement with power- to drive her family's goals, or did her family's goals drive that statement to fuel her with it's power?

"... the essence of every unique area..." is a bold statement by any consideration, in any area. Here in Montalcino, one might consider it foolish, or even arrogant! A land that has been shaped not by years, but by millennia and not by families, but by generation upon generation upon generation. Nations have been built around it, and crumbled.

But the farmers are still here.

many thanks to www.cellartours.com

Agriculture is as much of a mainstay in this region as it was 100 years ago, 1000 years ago, 2000 years ago. Though all of Italy can fit more then three times into my province in Canada, Italy's population is more then double our entire country. This region: Montalcino is not a large one by Italian standards. It's hilly, and thickly wooded... even now over 50% is peppered with woodlands (and uncultivated lands) which provide work and wild game. About 10% is turned to farmlands and less then that is devoted to the grape.

Though a (relatively) short drive to the beautifully preserved city of Siena, and from there it's a quick morning to get to Florence, Montalcino is as removed from city life as one is likely to encounter anywhere in Italy. It is a different pace of life here, and I imagine that must be what drew Silvio Nardi (Emilia's father) in 1950. As a father, I keenly understand the magnetic attraction to building a "better life" for my daughter.

Now Emilia is the one building: whilst it was Silvio who first advocated for the Brunello del Montalcino recognition in Italy (Brunello is the local name for Sangiovese), it is Emilia who now advocates for it on a global podium. Both father and daughter have increased the vineyard land whilst maintaining, and developing, wine quality. Emilia (and her brothers) and even introducing new technologies to this multi-generational winery and incorporating them with time-proven technique.

And how is this synergy playing out? The skills that are producing Brunello worth hundreds of dollars per bottle are showing well in the Rosso di Montalcino at a fraction of the cost:

2011 Tenute Silvio Nardi Rosso di Montalcino

$20++ USD

$28     CAD (BC)

90 points

Canadian merchants: www.renaissancewine.ca

vineyard:    Casale del Bosco

vineyard size:   2000 acres+

varietals:   

altitude:   790-1150 feet

soil:   sand, clay and marley-shale

maturation:   12 months Slavonian oak

*bottle fined

• visual:    clear; garnet core with bright cherry rim
• nose:   clean; fully intense youthful aromas of bright red raspberries, irises and dark rose petals, subtle mineral undertones and warm leather background
• palate:    clean; dry, medium red currant acids, medium fine silty tannins, medium- body, medium- alcohol (14.5%), medium+ intense youthful flavors mimicking the nose; currant and raspberry tones abound carried by the structure of persistent minerals, soft floral background. Very good balance, good structure and medium+ length
• conclusion:   whilst this wine has years of life left in it, I doubt it will develop appreciably with time. Enjoy now and for a few years! 2013-2017+
• FOOD PAIRING:   the brightness of the wine, lightness of body, and approachable tannin all make me want to serve this mid-afternoon: the friends have come over, the deck is clean and the chairs are out... arugula and grilled ribeye pizza comes to mind, probably with some heirloom tomato and roasted corn-cilantro bruscetta and cured sausage and fresh local stonefruit... this wine (for the price) has a brilliant array of dimension. Allow yourself the pleasure of pairing different foods with it and discovering how versatile it truly is!

In this tucked away corner of Italy, where time seems to have slowed immeasurably  the Nardi family are forging a new future. Here in Montalcino (and who am I - IrishCanadian - to speak of Montalcino?) but here in Montalcino the wines have been praised for longer then Canada has been a recognized country. Here in Montalcino there is an always well-attended and thoroughly enthusiastic jazz and wine fest held beneath the shadow of a castle 700 years old. Here in Montalcino, the past puts it's imprint on everything in this lush valley of woodland, grapevine and olive tree.

But Emilia, her brothers, and their team are planting Petit Verdot, Merlot and Syrah. Here this young (by local terms) winemaking family is uniting technology and tradition. Here Emilia is pursuing directions like their intense soil composition testings of 1993 which identified 28 different soil types under 3000 acres of land (Tenute Silvio Nardi is Montalcino's sixth largest producer). They have tested, re-tested and re-re-tested clones to find the perfect match for the replanting effort of the last 90's which has resulted in the Nardi family interpretation of Brunello. Their audacity even extends to re-envisioning the traditional foudres or 5 ton immense oak barrels for maturation.... Emilia has visited France to ascertain what potential the barrique or 225L barrel may hold for their wines.

We none of us are beholden to our past to guide our future. A new generation is emerging from one of the truly ancestral wine regions of the world, and they emerge with new ideas and new visions. I'm looking at my glass of Nardi Rosso right now, and find the future to be full of promise.

As always, I welcome your comments and questions.

CINCIN~!!!     SLAINTE~!!!     CHEERS~!!!

Bodegas la Cartuja, Priorat DOC

www.vinosatlantico.com

Two men come together in Spain about a decade ago; Alberto Orte and Patrick Mata. Both men come from Sherry producing families and combined, they pool together over 100 years of generational wine experience. Each.

These men forge a new wine producing company; a company with the specific goal of producing wines that reflect the nuances of the multitude of terroir in Spain. These two build 18 different labels in a decade... each expressing something special to these ambitious entrepreneurs. 

I imagine they must have been told by more then one person that they were overly ambitious. "calm down guys" I bet friends told them... "take it easy". Maybe a particularly close friend, or family member, even said "Guys - this is just crazy". It's so easy, from the outside, to look and say "this cannot be done"

And what determination it takes then to do it. What steely self-belief to persevere through the doubters and nay-sayers. And Alberto and Patrick had an edge - that much I can sense. They had the wisdom of their parents, and grand-parents, and so on - saying that wine is only as much of an expression of the land as we let it be. As we let it be.

In an age where the tractor plays a formidable role in the development of new vineyards, an age where machine-harvested grapes are considered a normal part of business, where winemakers sometimes chase after scores rather then purity. In this age, some business people stand out.

soils of La Solana

In the east corner of Spain, in a (relatively) high-altitude valley of small towns that most people outside of Spain have never heard of, here Alberto and Patrick found the 29 HA estate of La Solana. The soils of this estate are comprised of a completely unique volcanic slate and sand which imparts a distinct "graphite" minerality. These soils are low in ph and poor in nutrients, resulting in a certain brightness in the wine. Combine that with southern exposures, allowing for ripeness - and cool evenings, preserving acidity... and what results is truly extraordinary. Especially for the price! 

The result is Bodegas la Cartuja; named as a nod to the wiry Carthusian monks who first planted vineyards in this place over 1000 years ago. The monks were given the land by men who thought it worthless and, perhaps, it was. But the monks had something that most men didn't have at that time. They had something that most men today are still lacking. The monks had faith. They had belief. And with belief my friends, anything is possible.

The proof? As always - in the glass!

2011 Bodegas la Cartuja, Priorat DOC, Spain

$15.99 USD++ (sold out)

www.oleimports.com

91+ points

93 points Robert Parker

90 points International Wine Cellar

varietals:   70% garnacha, 30% carinena

soil:    volcanic slate and sand

altitude:   820 feet

maturation:   6 months in French oak 225L barrique and 300L barrels

production:   3000 cases

• visual:   clear; full garnet core with slightest bright purplish-cherry rim
• nose:   clean; fully intense and youthful aromas of bright red raspberries and cherries, wet graphite, old leather, cigar box, lively dark floral tones
• palate:   clean; dry, fully intense red raspberry acids, moderate+ intense fleshy tannin, moderate body, moderate alcohol (14,.5% ABV), fully intense and youthful flavors mimicking the nose, emphasis starts with bright red berry tones and finishes with hint of warm floral, minerality keenly felt throughout. Excellent balance and very good structure with long length
• conclusion:   obviously made to be enjoyed young, this wine has the chops (concentration and structure) to last for years. Enjoy 2013-2020 and beyond
• FOOD PAIRINGS:   bright red berry tones pair beautifully off wild game/venison. With the lively acid and well integrated tannin, consider this for an appetizer course of beef/venison carpaccio on toasted Manitoba rye bread and quark/boursin cheese... because the venison is a leaner meat, and beef carpaccio tends to leanness as well, a touch of rich soft cheese add dimension to this dish!

Here in British Columbia, we think of ourselves as wine-savvy. We have more wine selection then most places, and we have more students-of-wine (sommeliers) per capita then almost any other region. Why then, after years of study, and thousands of tastings, am I just finding out that garnacha; that ultra-bright, ultra-fresh Saturday night Summer wine can become as big, bold and expressive as most right-bank Bordeaux blends dream of? 

Priorat is not my region of study. I've been fortunate enough to taste perhaps a few dozen examples from here. But this? This is something different. A wine retailing for under $20 USD upon release, competing (and beating) wines that sell for double, triple the price. But not "beating" for this isn't a boxing match. This is a lesson in poetry. This is an exercise in Tai Chi. This is wine, and for generations the families of Alberto Orte and Patrick Mata have been saying that their work in the vineyard is to allow the land to express itself through the grapes.

Perhaps, now, after our mad-rush to modernization, we are coming to the realization that we need to come back to place our grandparents left us. In the vineyard, with a plow and a horse, and chickens running underfoot. Alberto and Patrick didn't start this company as a charity- it's a business. If they can make money running a winery this way, then why can't everyone? And if they can make a living chasing their dreams, then why can't I?

view at La Solana

As always, I welcome your comments and questions.

CINCIN~!!!     SLAINTE~!!!     CHEERS~!!!

Evolution wines by Sokol Blosser Winery, Oregon

1971 was a very good year, just ask the Sokol Blosser family.

For it was in 1971, long before anyone had lofty notions of an "Oregon Wine Industry" that the Sokol Blossers planted the self-named vineyards about 30 km (20 miles) south of the city of Portland in the county of Dundee. Started by Stanford graduates, and newlyweds, Bill Blosser and Susan Sokol, these two must have either been incredibly stubborn or truly certain of their vision. I say that because the business-law of averages states that any new company will take about seven years to start making profit.

For this vineyard, the big break took more like eight years when the intrepid couple sent their wine to the  International Wine and Spirits Competition in London winning six awards, including several golds. I can't imagine waiting eight years to receive validation from my peers that I'm doing the right kind of work... it takes a very special person to struggle to create something that flies in the face of "mass-opinion". I mean, really, at heart we're all still in high-school  waiting to see what everyone else is going to wear for the first day of class, and then running home to ask our parents for money so that we can buy the same clothes.

Well obviously Bill and Susan weren't those kind of kids. They built a winery where virtually no one else thought World-Class wine could be made. They sent that wine to one of the most prestigious competitions of the day, and won gold. They then expanded the vineyard the very next year and Bill left the stability and comfort of a well-heeled planners position to take the reins as the Sokol-Blosser winemaker full-time. Bravely forging into the unknown...

But Bill and Susan were never afraid to push into the unknown; they were innovators with the use of cover crops to preserve top-soil, they reduced and eliminated the use of pesticides and herbicides to preserve the local salmon streams, they became recognized as one of the top-100 companies to work for in the state of Oregon (the only winery that year). In short, this couple spent  their careers striving towards a different direction then the mainstream.

But why?

underground wine cellar

Why forge so ardently for organic principles long before it became popular, or even fiscally prudent to do so? Why install solar panels for energy on the WestCoast, where it rains enough to make even ducks uncomfortable? Why create the first U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified underground barrel cellar? Why work so darned hard when so many others were doing the opposite?

I believe it was to preserve their terroir. 

Inspired winemaking and stunning land weren't the only reasons that The Wine Spectator featured Sokol Blosser and their Pinot Noir in 2001. No... awards, accolades, adoring consumers all happened because these wines tell a story.

I was fortunate enough to have a colleague at PMA Canada send me some samples of the new release from this vineyard; their mid-tier wine which hovers just below the $20 price in British Columbia. Excellent price for certified organic wines in this part of the world, but what about the flavors???

A fresh take on Oregon!

Evolution n/v white

Dundee hills AVA, Oregon

$19.99 www.bcldb.com

90 points

www.PMACanada.com   importers

16th edition

varietals:   Muller-Thurgau, White Riesling, Semillon, Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer, 

Muscat Canelli, Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Sylvaner

maturation:   100% stainless steel

• visual:   clear; pale gold core with watery rim, silver highlights
• nose:   clean; medium+ to fully intense youthful aromas bursting with exotic floral and lush fruit, yellow and pink grapefruit zest, white flowers, apricot, roses... layers of bouquet
• palate:   clean; dry, medium+ grapefruit acids, medium- body, medium- ABV (12%), medium+ youthful flavors mimicking the nose... there truly are layer upon layer to this wine and yet in presents itself in a very approachable manner. Full of fruit and floral this wine uses the Gewurztraminer brilliantly and will appeal to any Spring/Summer patio/beach/deck. Excellent balance and very good structure, medium+ length
• conclusion:   imminently thirst-quenching, this bright little number drinks well now and will not develop appreciably with age. Best 2013-2017/19
• FOOD PAIRINGS:   as the Gewurztraminer was one of the most prominent varietals in the blend (for me) - I would use that as my anchor and try Dijon marinated grilled chicken with BC apricot relish, steamed quinoa, fresh rosemary sauteed apples and baby bok-choy... the sweetness in the wine will respond well to some savory tones in your food, the apricot accentuates the ripe stonefruit notes whilst playing acid (relish) off sweet fruit, I'm on a quinoa kick so there's that - but  really this wine carries multiple layers and can handle multiple layers in the accompanying food

Evolution n/v red

Dundee hills AVA, Oregon
$19.99 
89 points

2nd edition

Bronze Medal Winner - Dallas Morning News Wine Competition

Bronze Medal Winner - New York International Wine Competition

• visual:   clear; deep garnet core with distinct cherry rim
• nose:   clean; moderate+ youthful aromas bursting with cherries, cherry blossoms, roses, savory earth background and light spice
• palate:   clean; dry, moderate+ red currant acids, moderate+ green/grippy tannin  moderate- body, moderate+ ABV (13%), moderately intense youthful flavors much like the nose: fresh and cheery with a hint of savory backbone but not overly complex. Very good balance, good structure, medium length
• conclusion: fresh young wine best consumed young. Will not develop appreciably in bottle but tannin will soften over the next 12-18 months and will drink more easily without food (for those who enjoy a soft red). Enjoy 2013-2017
• FOOD PAIRINGS: I would use this Syrah based blend much like an inexpensive Chianti or perhaps Primitivo... pasta bolognese with prosciutto chips, grilled sausage and portobello mushrooms, shaved Parmesan... it needs no explanation - a juicy wine for some juicy food!

"All things unto themselves" I've heard it said... to me, as I grow in the wine-industry, I find that is still a rarity. It's rare to find people I guess in any walk of life who dare to express themselves as they are, rather then how they wish they were. For a winemaker to express grapes the way that they want to be expressed- well- that's not every winemaker.

Winemakers are proud. Winemakers are bold. Winemakers want to put their stamp on a wine so that people half-way around the world will say: "Oh - that was made by Winemaker X!". It takes more strength of character to allow a wine to travel halfway around the world and someone says: "Oh - that was made in Dundee Hills!".

The Evolution line of wines is still introductory, but certainly walks a long way towards expressing more of where it came then of who made it. These wines may well change the way consumers look at Oregon wines... from lofty Pinot Noir commanding top-level prices to these which are easy drinking and (relatively) easy to afford. I look forward to tasting more of the wines that made Sokol Blosser famous.

As always, I welcome your comments and questions.

CINCIN~!!!     SLAINTE~!!!     CHEERS~!!!

Novas wines by Emiliana organic vineyards

Recently, I've been focused on the concept of terroir, and it's preservation. So much so, that I sent an idea for a lecture about this critical theme to the North American Wine Blogger's Conference. They have taken my idea, melded it with another theme, and will be re-packaging it into a 2.5 hour panel-lead discussion on Saturday 08th June. I'm pretty giddy about that!

But why? What's all the commotion about you say?

There is an evolution happening not only in the wine industry in general, but in our province of British Columbia in specific. Many readers know that in 1986 there were only 33 wineries in BC, and by 2011 that number had grown to over 240. We are growing faster then even the greatest wine gurus of Canada can reasonably keep up with.

But it's not just growth in numbers of wineries, or volume of production, that is so exciting to me and many others. It's the proliferation of truly world-class wines that are coming from our extreme wine region. We here at the most northerly edge of the wine-world are releasing sparkling wines rated as some of the finest anywhere. We produce truly unique and high-caliber Pinot Noir, ultra crisp, clean Chardonnay, bone-dry and fully intense Riesling... I even know a winemaker who produces small quantities of a brilliant Tempranillo. 

But will we always?

vineyard at Emiliana

As much as there is fantastic development in organics and bio-dynamics, and BC is one of the regions that is leading the foray,  there is another side to the industry. New winery owners are still being told, by some people, that it's ok when building a new winery - to bulldoze the land and then plant what is needed or wanted. There is still a proportion of the industry that doesn't believe that a natural ecosystem, well-preserved, is absolutely necessary to create a full and complete expression of terroir. 

It is that expression that creates uniquely beautiful wines. I also believe, as do many others, that it allows for greater life-span in the wines as well.

Emiliana organic vineyards (www.Emiliana.cl) is a brilliant example of these principles at work. I remember vividly the Vancouver Wine Festival of 2012, and be able to sit (in awe) and listen to the fantastically passionate Alvaro Espinoza (consulting winemaker). This man bristled with dynamic energy as he spoke of the investment of time, energy and passion into the land and the people who were producing Emiliana wines. 

There are so many things to list that Emiliana is doing well, that I would be remiss to even start the process - for you and I would be here for a long, long time. Better for you to read the company website and absorb from them directly the whats and hows of what this premium winery has done and continues to do. But let me tell you about the wines if you haven't tried them.

2010 Novas Chardonnay-Marsanne

DO Valle de Casablanca

$13.99 www.bcldb.com

89 points

www.PMACanada.com importers

vine age: 20 years
altitude: 370 m
vineyard yield: 6 tons/HA
maturation:  30% aged 4 months in new French oak
production: 9,350 cases

• visual:   clear; pale gold core with light watery rim, silver highlights
• nose:   clean; medium+ intense and youthful aromas; ripe pineapple, exotic floral notes, slate-like minerality, peppery finish
• palate:   clean; dry, medium+ green apple/lemon acids, medium body, medium+ ABV (14%), medium+ intense and youthful flavors that mimick the nose with a keen line of mineral throughout, starts with the lush fruit/floral and finishes with a clean light citrus tone. Very good balance and structure, medium length
• conclusion:   brilliant wine for the money. Drink now, drink often! Will not develop appreciable but can be held until 2018 or potentially longer
• FOOD PAIRING:   crisp lemon acids with love a fat roast chicken or duck! Consider poulet au quarantes l'ail (the chicken of 40 garlic) where you put generous wedges of garlic in little cuts in a whole chicken and slow-roast...divine!!

2010 Novas Cabernet-Sauvignon Carmenere
DO Valle de Colchagua
$17.99 www.bcldb.com
90 Points

vine age:   20 years
altitude:   245 m
soil composition:   colluvial; stoney with clay-loam
yield:   8 tons/HA
maturation:   12 months, 40% new French oak, 30% American, 30% stainless steel
production:   13,250 cases

• visual:   clear; deep garnet core with slightest cherry rim
• nose:   clean; fully intense and youthful aromas; pungent savory herbs; tomato leaf/bay leaf, ripe dark  plums, strawberries, bell peppers, rich dark chocolate
• palate:   clean; dry, medium raspberry acids, medium+to full chalky/chewy tannin, medium+ body, medium to medium- ABV(14%), medium+ to full intense and youthful flavors expressing deep earthy tones, savory dark chocolate, bright red berries, hints of tobacco and leather. Excellent balance and structure, medium+ length
• conclusion: whilst this is already drinking quite well, this will reward patient cellaring. Enjoy 2013-2020
• FOOD PAIRINGS:   dimension, elegance, this wine over-delivers and pairs handsomely with prime rib, but also consider seared venison flat-iron steak with maple glaze, steamed spaghetti squash and rainbow chard, "raz-el-hanout" spiced quinoa... very specifically the maple and the Arabic spices both play well off the wines dark cocoa notes and the nuttiness of quinoa will enhance the tobacco/leather tones

Though for this article I'm writing about the Novas line, I must mention the great jewel of Emiliana which is the Coyam Bordeaux-style blend. I will never grow tired of that wine! Truly elegant in it's production, it follows the principles of a left-bank Bordeaux-blend with it's high proportion of Cabernet-Sauvignon whilst creating a flavor-profile that is entirely it's own. It is unabashedly Chilean with it's richness of bouquet; the depth of the savory earth-tones, the dark floral aromas... I have never scored it less then 92 points and was un-surprised to discover that it had earned the prestigious title of "Best Wine of Chile" in 2003.

Alvaro Espinoza

This is what happens when a winery treats their land as it deserves. This is the direct result of a terrific investment of both finances and energy into allowing a natural landscape to evolve into a thriving vineyard. These ideals don't just exist on paper for wine-lovers: these ideals exist in the bottle, and the glass. Alvaro Espinoza understands and shares these ideals. He has brought the story of his land, his valleys and his people to my very distant part of the world and I will always be grateful to him for that. I look to this winery as one of the best examples of how our industry can be leaders in organics, in bio-dynamics and carbon-neutral business and can do so with heart, and spirit while building a truly prosperous business.

Well done Emiliana! I would have loved your wines enough for what was in the bottle - the back story is icing on the cake. Now I get to drink great wine and support a worthwhile company at the same time. Where are you investing your consumer dollars???

As always, I welcome your comments and questions.

CINCIN~!!!     SLAINTE~!!!     CHEERS~!!!

Vancouver Urban Winery, BC

I'm a bit of a nostalgia-geek... I love history.

I can remember being a kid and watching movies about the middle-ages; kegs of wine lining the walls of "The Great Hall" of a sprawling manor or estate. I always thought that was pretty cool, even before I was a wine-drinker. Flash-forward a few decades and I hear a story about some guys who are doing the same thing but with modern technology. Wow@! Wonderful@! Where are they??

the Lounge @ Van Urban Winery

Believe it or not, we have craftsmen here in our own little city of Vancouver, BC who are kegging wine in stainless steel. They're doing it, they're building a market, and supporting a growing clientele.

Vancouver Urban Winery ( http://vancouverurbanwinery.com ) has sprung to the fore-front of an emerging industry. As the wine industry itself continues it's unprecedented evolution with sales growth in the double-digits year after year, and now decade after decade, business people like Steve Thorp @ Urban Winery see opportunity.

I've worked in the hospitality industry for over 25 years, and have seen change after change. But one of the biggest changes must be the dramatic increase in "wine-by-the-glass". Most restaurants two decades ago carried a mediocre selection of wines period, and the wines they carried by the glass went by the monikers of "House Red" and "House White". Not terribly inspiring.

Now there are entire restaurant concepts revolving around wine-by-the-glass.

One of the greatest pities of this - can we call it evolution? Is that the pace of wine-education in the service industry hasn't kept pace with the dynamic leap forward in wine-consumption. It's been a hundred years or more since we as a society consumed this much wine per person, and yet the average server pouring your wine in a restaurant, pub or bar has relatively little more experience then the barkeep or waiter who was doing so in yesteryear.

And what does this mean for you? What does this mean for the consumer? It means that time after time, bottle after bottle, wine is being poured that is corked, overheated, over-chilled, oxidized and so on, and so-on. You, my friend, are not always getting the wine that the winemaker intended. Indeed, in many markets, you rarely are.

I certainly don't want to come across as if I'm condemning the service industry; far from it! However, this is a simple truth of today - that we have far fewer wine-savvy servers then we have serving positions, and the ratio doesn't seem to be improving. What do we do Steve Thorp?

We install a wine-keg; a FreshTAP system; we go to wine-on-tap. And why do we do this? Zero chance of oxidization, zero chance of corkage, zero wastage, total control over pouring, total control over temperature and let me go on a little rant about wine temps! Far too often I'm served white wines that are barely above zero degrees; the aromas are deadened, the palate is opaque... truly, the better the white wine, the closer to room temperature we can serve it. And the other spectrum isn't pretty either... I was at a Zinfandel tasting many months ago, in the middle of a heat-wave in Summer, and it was held in a facility that had no functioning air-conditioning. 15% ABV Zinfandels in 30C are not pleasant my friends... the alcohol seems to expand in ones mouth, in ones nose, and becomes truly offensive.

And so what's not to love about the idea of FreshTAP; of wine-on-tap? Well I for one had no problem telling Steve that I wondered about the base-line quality of wines going into a keg. A keg - like what Budweiser goes into. Of course, as soon as the words were out of my mouth I looked around the room and saw the impressive array of BC wineries who were choosing this new wave of packaging. Savvy business people are getting in line to work with the likes of Steve Thorp and the Vancouver Urban Winery, and small wonder!

Reduced costs per bottle, increased quality, increased control over wastage (which can reduce profitability by up to 25%) and a reduced amount of shelving (or real estate as restaurant-gurus will state) all yield phenomenal results for the open-minded restaurateurs who utilize this. And this is without considering the dramatic environmental impact; less bottling, less boxes, less shipping... you get the idea. Though the number of BC establishments utilizing this system are small (around 50 out of several thousands), the number is growing.

We as consumers, and I've said this before, are at a New Age of wine industry. We have access to quality for price like never before. We have access to varietals that were on the verge of extenction. We have access to wine from a global market to a global market. And all of this can benefit from the FreshTAP system.

It's a part of the puzzle. Here are fresh, young wines that will stay fresh and young for month-upon-month, in the same condition they left the winery in. Here is a chance for young winemakers to truly speak to an international market about what they are trying to accomplish. Do you really know Beaujolais? Or Sancerre? Or Marlborough? Unless you've been there, and had some barrel-samples from reputable wineries... perhaps you don't know it as well as you thought you did.

But I had the chance, the opportunity, to taste something special at Vancouver Urban Winery.

Roaring Twenties Sauvignon Blanc

New Zealand

$14.99 CAD (BC)

89+ points

• brilliant example of typicity (the varietal). I would serve this in a lecture to illiustrate what a "classic" New Zealand Sauv Blanc can be
• pale straw color with silver & green highlights
• on the nose very soft herbaceous, green grass, melon tones
• on the palate fresh lively acidity, tastes like young pineapple, strong undercurrant of minerality. Great balance and structure. Medium length
• in short - this drinks like a $20+ wine for $15

Roaring Twenties Malbec

Argentina, Upper Mendoza

single vineyard

$14.99 CAD (BC)

88-89 points

• what a treat to have a single-vineyard Malbec (or any varietal) for $15~!
• to the eye this is a young wine, and so much more ruby color rather then garnet - lighter then most wines from this region that I've experienced
• on the nose ripe plums and red cherries, savory earth
• on the palate much the same, with fresh young acidity and approachable medium tannin, the concentration I found medium and somewhat simple, but simple isn't always a bad thing! On a Saturday night I would gladly crack open a few bottles of this when we have people over

In closing, I asked Steve what he would say to the wine-snobs in the audience who ask (and rightfully so) "What about wine being a living thing? What about a wine's evolution in bottle?"

Steve thought for a moment, then responded with true candor: (forgive me if this is not verbatim)

"The evolution of wine in a bottle is sexy. It's a sexy part of the wine-industry and something that I personally find appealing. We here at  Vancouver Urban Winery don't try to compete with that, we compliment it. We compliment how some wines are meant to evolve for years or decades by the same token that some wines are meant to be enjoyed fresh and fruity. 

There's nothing sadder to me, in this field, then knowing that the wine I'm having in a well-respected restaurant or bar is nothing like what the winemaker intended it to be. Now I get to facilitate that experience from winery to glass, and that's really the best part of my job."

Well said. I, too, have such aspirations.

As always, I welcome your comments and questions.

CINCIN~!!!     SLAINTE~!!!     CHEERS~!!!