APRIL 2022 FEATURED WINES
WINE ONE: LE GRAPPIN BEAUJOLAIS FLEURIE PONCIÉ
About: This vineyard is planted on a ridge high above the village of Fleurie. This warm south-facing site tends to yield wines with similarities to Moulin-a-Vent. In an email exchange, Andrew was particularly excited about this cuvée. Being a traditionalist, Andrew used Jules Chauvet’s vintage notes from 1972 as winemaking inspiration. The wine is fermented whole cluster for three weeks before being pressed off into neutral foudres. No crushing, pumping, or plunging was performed during this time. The wine is unfined and unfiltered.
Taste: This wine is deep purple in the glass. The nose is saturated with aromas of blueberry, boysenberry, pink peppercorns, violet, crushed granite, cinnamon, black cherry cola, and oxalis. It is rich and satiating but with a lifted mid-palate. The saline acidity backs up a dense fruit core. The finish is silky but not lacking in phenolic structure. You’ll find additional flavours of saskatoon berry, black liquorice, concord grape, graphite, and lilac. No wonder Andrew was so excited - this is as classic as they come.
Pairing: I hope you’ve already given up on your new year’s diet because this pairing is a doozy. Truffade is a French dish invented somewhere near where this wine is grown. It consists of thinly sliced potatoes cooked in goose fat and then topped with Tome Fraiche, or Gruyere. Rumour has it some hedonists like to add lardons which I can’t help but recommend. Treat yourself.
WINE TWO: MEINKLANG PROSA
About: This sparkling rosé is made from a combination of Pinot Noir, Zweigelt, and Blaufränkisch. The grapes are direct pressed into stainless steel to ferment. The charmant method is used to trap CO2 and render the wine bubbly. It is loosely filtered and stabilized with 70ppm of Sulphur before bottling.
Taste: This wine is medium pink in the glass. The nose is immediately celebratory with aromas of strawberry, pink grapefruit, cherry blossoms, pink salt, mountain glaciers, and hibiscus tea. The palate is silly with tangy acidity, bouncy fruit, low alcohol, and just the faintest whisper of sweetness. The bubbles are soft and frothy. You’ll find further flavours of rainier cherry, hubba bubba, spray rose, and red currant—instant happiness.
Pairing: Burgenländischer Krautstrudel is a local dish consisting of a pastry wrapped around a slightly sweet cabbage spice with pepper, caraway, and nutmeg. The whole thing is rolled up and baked until golden brown, resulting in a sweet-savoury pinwheel of pure joy. The Austrian’s nail this combination with other regional dishes like Twestchen Knödel, a potato dumpling wrapped around whole damson plums, coated in breadcrumbs, and fried in butter. This wine is incredibly useful for these tricky pairings.
WINE THREE: PARADISE GRAPEVINE GOLDEN HOUR
About: This wine is a blend of several skin-fermented wines. Sauvignon Blanc sees ten days on skins, while Riesling and Chardonnay Musqué spent over 150 days gently macerating without cap management. The Chardonnay was affected by botrytis which tends to slow fermentation and increase glycerol resulting in a richer wine. Inspired by the Jura, some barrels were filled to 2/3rd to allow gentle oxidation.
Taste: This wine is as gold as the name would suggest. The nose is warm and inviting with aromas of grilled peach, honeysuckle, dried pear, marcona almond, agave nectar, breadfruit, fried plantain, nectarine, and sesame. The palate is expansive and comforting with a viscous texture, subtle tannins, and pronounced flavour intensity. It rolls along merrily, sedate, humming. You’ll find further flavours of yellow plum, apple blossom, crystallized ginger, cardamom, and sassafras.
Pairing: I won’t get into the history here but get a classic Halifax Donair. The combination of spiced beef, a hodgepodge of lukewarm veggies, and the confoundingly delicious sweet sauce, all conveniently wrapped in a grilled pita, should have you all salivating immediately. If you’d prefer day drinking, this wine loves breakfast. Get yourself a classic Montreal bagel (sesame seeds, duh), toast it, butter it, and top it with a thick layer of cretons - my actual kryptonite.