JANUARY 2022 FEATURED PREMIUM WINES

WINE ONE: BROC CELLARS VINE STARR ZINFANDEL

About: The two vineyards that supply fruit for this cuvée are Arrowhead Mountain (30%) and Buck Hill Vineyard (70%). Soils here are volcanic, and Buck Hill even has a small terraced parcel planted on white volcanic ash. The grapes are destemmed and fermented in five-ton stainless steel tanks. After a short time on skins, the wine is pressed off and aged in neutral French puncheons for ten months until bottling. This vintage features a gorgeous new label for their flagship wine. Only 183 cases were made this vintage because of fire damage.

Taste: This wine is medium purple in the glass. The nose is thrilling with aromas of raspberry coulee, apricot pit, mountain wildflowers, purple plum skins, balsam, and red velvet cake. It is buoyant and cheerful, packed with energy and freshness. The palate is dry with soft acidity, not unlike blood oranges. It has modest tannins that add structure, and the mouthfeel is soft and velvety. It is truly sumptuous. You’ll find further flavours of nougat, strawberry jam, candied roses, milk chocolate, red currant, and hibiscus tea. It seems to have a shortcut to the pleasure centres of my brain.

Pairing: There are few things as delicious as Zinfandel and BBQ. If you’ve got the patience to make a brisket, please start immediately. If not, it’ll be equally happy with some saucy ribs, bacon-wrapped corn cobs, whiskey beans, and beer-can-chicken. Let us know what your favourite Alberta smokehouse is; I’ve given myself a terrible craving.

WINE TWO: BROC CELLARS WHITE ZINFANDEL

About: Grapes for this project come from two sources: Arrowhead Mountain Vineyard (95%), featuring 20-year-old vines planted on volcanic rock in Sonoma, and Ricetti Vineyard (5%) in Mendocino County. The Zinfandel is whole-cluster crushed by foot before a four-hour maceration. It is then pressed into stainless steel for fermentation. The wine is then racked and allowed to age in tank for eight months before bottling. A small amount of light red wine was added for structure. Four hundred sixty cases were produced.

Taste:  This wine is a soft, humming, glowing, electric pink. The nose is jubilant and wide-eyed, rosy cheeks and not a care in the world. You’ll find aromas of watermelon candies, white strawberry, sugared breakfast grapefruit, silver needle tea, papaya, and cherry blossoms. The palate is saline and bouncy. It tingles and shocks yet is soft like fleece. It’s a middle-weight with pronounced flavour intensity and mild phenolics on the finish. You’ll find further flavours of rosehip, breakfast radish, pink lady apple, marshmallow, and cinchona. It’s got me giddy.

Pairing: This wine is perfect with raw fish dishes. Ceviche in all its iterations would be ideal - the citrus and protein playing nice with this wine’s salty fruits. Grilled prawns or crawfish would also be unreal! It can handle a little bit of heat, but Old Bay will do just fine.

WINE THREE: PINARD ET FILLES BAMBINE BRUT 2.0

About: This cuvée is equal parts La Crescent and Frontenac Blanc. The grapes were co-fermented on skins for three months before being pressed into neutral 400L barrels. The wine is then bottled for traditional method secondary fermentation. After a year on lees, the wine is hand disgorged. It is unfined, unfiltered, and bottled without SO2 or dosage.

Taste: This wine is a haunting amber in the glass. The nose is astonishing; you’re going to want to be sitting down for this one. You’ll find aromas of raw pumpkin, fresh ginger, ripe persimmon, ume plums, Taiwanese oolong, crème brûlée, sponge toffee, warm hay, baked apricot, marmalade, brazil nuts, and nutmeg. The palate texture is impossible to describe, somehow frothy and creamy and unctuous and revitalizing all at once. It cascades, spilling like warm morning light; unimaginable richness. You’ll find further flavours of crème caramel, butternut squash, roasted cashew, malt, clementine, sea buckthorn, and tiger lily. It’s an emotional wine.

Pairing: I’m sorry to keep it so simple, but I’d like this wine with a box full of croissants. I want to lay on my living room floor, listen to Glen Gould’s Goldberg Variations, and drink this wine all morning, then take a nap to recover from such divine indulgence.

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JANUARY 2022 FEATURED WINES

WINE ONE: CANTINA MARILINA CUÈ MOSCATO

About: This wine is made from Moscato grown on brilliant white calcareous soils. The grapes are macerated on skins for a short time before being pressed off into concrete tank for fermentation and élevage. The wine was bottled unfined and unfiltered after five months on lees.

Taste: This wine is medium gold in the glass. It is exuberant, powerfully aromatic, packed with lush notes of marmalade, heady tropical flowers, squishy mangoes, wildflower honey, lemon meringue, cinnamon, and terracotta. It smiles from ear to ear. The palate is expansive, stretching out into a superbly long finish. It has moderate tannins and an unctuous texture. Fortunately, there’s also enough acidity to maintain balance. It is dry, with gentle phenolics. You’ll find flavours of banana, black cardamon, praline, chamomile, lime peel, cinchona bark, and tapioca pudding. Flabbergasted.

Pairing: Naam Phrik Plaa Thuu is a Thai dip made from grilled chiles, garlic, shallots, and sardines. Seasoned with lime and cilantro, the rich smoky flavour is the perfect condiment for crunchy vegetables and pork cracklings. This wine goes beautifully with those earthier fish flavours and potent aromatics. Alternatively, Kaeng Khiaw Waan Luuk Chin Plaa, a green curry with bouncy fish meatballs and tender eggplant, would adore this wine. The aromatics of coconut milk, lime leaves, and Thai basil will make this wine pop.

WINE TWO: LAURENT CAZOTTES RACKHAM JURANÇON NOIR

About: This wine is made from biodynamically farmed Jurançon Noir (Folle Noire) planted on limestone and clay. Laurent has reduced his maceration time to three days to limit extraction. The wine undergoes fermentation and élevage in concrete before being racked the following summer and bottled.

Taste: This wine is deep ruby in the glass. The nose is robust with aromas of black cherry, rooibos tea, red apple skins, talcum powder, balsam, figs, and dynamite. The palate is rich and supple with velvety tannins, bevelled acidity, and a round mouthfeel. It makes you feel warm, wrapped in the hot sunshine of southern France. You’ll find further flavours of dried rose, baked earth, red currant jam, cherry wood, and craisins.

Pairing: I love terrines. The silkiness of foie gras mousse, the chew of duck rillette, and the bounce of anything preserved in jelly; it’s all fair game! Pâté en Croûte is a special treat. The skill required to properly encase these delicate meat creations in a layer of flaky golden crust is beyond me, but I’m always willing to indulge. I can’t wait to see which one you pair!

WINE THREE: PINARD ET FILLES VIN DE JARDIN

About: This cuvée features all three expressions of the Frontenac Grape: Rouge (40%), Blanc (30%), and Gris (30%). The grapes were partially whole-cluster fermented for semi-carbonic maceration, partially direct pressed into amphora, and partially foot-trod and fermented on skins. After a short élevage, the wine is bottled without fining, filtration, or SO2.

Taste: This wine is a deceivingly intense purple in the glass. Nothing but mischief here! You’ll find aromas of red beets, aronia berries, gunpowder, dewy roses, cranberry, sumac, and red liquorice. It is saturated and inky yet delicate and lifted. The palate is equally energetic with tingling acidity, imperceivable alcohol, a prickly texture that will kick you into overdrive. The tannins are crunchy, adding an extra dimension to this imminently drinkable wine. You’ll find further flavours of pomegranate, cocoa nibs, cascara, crunchy carrots, charcoal, sweet sage, and currant leaves.

Pairing: My Grandmother’s Tourtière recipe is simple: ground veal and pork with a little bit of sage and onions. My Grandfather worked in his family’s bakery yet still opts to make pie crust using the directions of the back of the Crisco shortening package. I think this simple, rustic, cozy dish is perfect for this wine. Its vivaciousness will cut through the pie’s fat.

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DECEMBER 2021 FEATURED PREMIUM WINES

WINE ONE: GUT OGGAU THEODORA MAGNUM

About: 35-year-old Grüner Veltliner and Welschriesling vines are planted on gravel and limestone. Two-thirds of the grapes are destemmed and crushed into used 500L, 1000L, and 1500L barrels to ferment and mature for nine months without batonnage. One-third of the grapes are fermented on skins for a short time. They capture a small amount of CO2 at bottling, which keeps the wine fresh. It is unfined, unfiltered, and has no added Sulphur.

Taste: This wine is pale gold in the glass. The nose is mischievous with aromas of struck flint, yellow apple skins, river rocks, dried lemon rinds, starfruit, Korean melon, and peony. On the palate, the wine is energetic and vivacious. The texture is silky but mildly phenolic, balanced by crisp acidity. You’ll find flavours of ylang-ylang, white currant, pistachio, and lovage on the finish.

Pairing: Ben over at Restaurant Yarrow makes this amazing endive dipped in a seaweed emulsion, topped with crispy bits of crystalized kelp, fried garlic, candied seeds, and hemp hearts. It is the perfect little umami salad that is both satiating and refreshing. I think Theodora would pair beautifully with this dish. I also remember going to a monastery in Japan to eat breakfast. They served us fish, dried on the roof in the sun, slightly smoked, with an array of fermented vegetables I had never seen. We also had a little rice porridge and some poetic matcha; Both the mood (revelatory, introspective, transcendent, methodical) and the flavours would get along sensationally with this wine. The joy I experienced while eating hand-pounded Mochi on the walk home is unparalleled.

WINE TWO: PARADISE GRAPEVINE VIN DE SOIF

About: This cuvée features Gamay Noir (92%) and Zweigelt (8%). The grapes were destemmed and fermented on skins between one and twelve days for various extraction levels. After an overwinter élevage in neutral barrel, the wine is bottled.

Taste:  This wine is electric ruby in the glass, glistening like a jewel. The nose is rambunctious, in the mood to dance in tight red leather pants until the sun comes up. I can’t help but picture Andy Warhol crushing a glass of this with a burger on film - it brings me the same tender-hearted nostalgia Coca-Cola gave Andy. You’ll find friendly aromas of strawberry, raspberry, fennel seeds, blood orange, pomegranate, clove, and pink peppercorns. The palate is smooth and soft but with ample flavour concentration. The tannins are modest, balancing juicy fruits and prickly acid. The finish shows black cherries, cola nut, wild rose, and marshmallows. More, please.

Pairing: It’s hard to think of anything that wouldn’t go with this wine. Here’s a random list of options: a BLT, a hotdog, a burrito, a tiny calzone, spaghetti and meatballs, fried bologna sandwich, sloppy joes, canned chilli, a bag of Doritos.

WINE THREE: LAURENT CAZOTTES PRUNELART

About: With just over 30ha left, Prunelart is an incredibly rare grape. This father to Malbec produces deeply coloured wines with plenty of intensity. The vineyard is farmed biodynamically and features the regions typical limestone-clay soils. The grapes are destemmed into tank for a three-day maceration before being pressed off. The wine is bottled after a short élevage, traditionally without added sulphur.

Taste: This wine is deep purple with glass staining intensity. The nose is feral and beastly with aromas of iron-rich soil, black liquorice, mission figs, prune, graphite, bay leaf, lavender, and cassis. It is untamed, primal, an expression of earth and rock. On the palate, the wine is muscular with deep flavours, robust tannins, and an umami finish. Despite its girth, there’s plenty of freshness as well. Bombastic, boisterous. Rustic and refined. You’ll find further flavours of black trumpet mushroom, ripe plums, crushed granite, wild blueberry, fur, and violets.

Pairing: Le Frésinat is a local dish consisting of pork, duck fat, and potatoes. Its savoury richness makes it an ideal pairing for this wine - the tannins will cut comfortably through the fat and the umami in the wine pairs wonderfully with ample garlic. Alternatively, braised cuts work wonderfully with this wine, epically lamb shank. In the podcast, we mentioned goat as an ideal pairing as well - if anyone has a good supplier and recipe, I’d be forever in your debt.

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DECEMBER 2021 FEATURED WINES

WINE ONE: LOS CHUCHAQUIS SPARKLING ALBARIÑO

About: The grapes for this cuvée come from Matthew Rorick’s Heritage Vineyard high in the Sierra Foothills and C5 Vineyard in Santa Ynez to the South. Whole clusters were pressed into stainless steel for a warm and fast fermentation. A small amount of juice was frozen and reserved as liqueur de tirage. The wine was bottled in the spring with a small amount of frozen juice for secondary fermentation. The resulting wine has about three atmospheres of pressure. No Sulphur was added, and it was not disgorged.

Taste: This wine is pale lemon and bubbly in the glass. The nose is crunchy and zesty with aromas of tangerine, lemon oil, peaches, spruce tips, guava, lime leaf, and meringue. It’s playful, charming, jovial, ready to roll down snowy hills. The palate is equal parts electric and soft; there’s a fluffy quality that’s hard to pin down, like the bubble beards you’d make in the bath as a child. The acidity is refreshing but not overpowering, and despite its joyousness, the finish is lengthy. You’ll find further flavours of candied sage, nectarine, ginger, lilac, and wonder bread.

Pairing: Let’s try a little stream of consciousness. The first thing that comes to mind is the deep-fried prawn head tacos Cody Willis (founder of Native Tongues) made for a pop up called Taco or No Taco. We ate them while chugging margaritas and watching a luchador wrestling watch at the Legion. The only thing that would have made it better is this wine. I’m also utterly obsessed with raw scallops, especially with a citrus component - yuzu koshu comes to mind. I’ve also been on a bit of ramen kick. A rich milky double chicken broth would-be killer. This reminds me of this unsung spot in Edmonton called Dookbaeki. They specialize in this fantastic Korean soup with a milky white broth, opaque from boiling bones for a ludicrous amount of time. You should try it.

WINE TWO: ELSE PINOT GRIS

About: The grapes for this cuvée were farmed by Stephen Hacking in Summerland. Whole clusters were foot crushed before being gently pressed into stainless steel for fermentation. After a short élevage in tank, the wine is bottled with 20ppm of SO2. One hundred twenty-nine cases were made.

Taste: This wine is pale orange in the glass. The nose is docile, coy, kind. It has aromas of clementine, persimmon, squash blossom, sea buckthorn, dried apple, and birch bark. The palate is gossamer, a lace-like texture, loose-knit, letting the light shine through. It’s the patch of sunlight on your floor you liked to curl up in as a child. Comforting. It has incredibly subtle tannins, a gentle hand on your elbow. The acidity is bright but not bracing. You’ll find further flavours of oolong, mandarin, kumquat, and chrysanthemum.

Pairing: We’re firmly into squash season, and I’m fully embracing it. I had a stir-fried kabocha squash with fish sauce a few months ago, which I think would do the trick. I’m also a fan of roasted pumpkin, especially if you can borrow the Chilean technique of burying the pumpkin in the ground over some coals. It steams and gets saturated with sweet earth and smoke. Devine. This wine also loves trout, poached, grilled, or however else you feel like cooking it. We’d serve some parsnips, turnips, or rutabaga on the side - notoriously hard to pair vegetables that just happen to go well with this bottle.

WINE THREE: MEINKLANG ROTER MULATSCHAK

About: This wine is made from a combination of Zweigelt and Sankt Laurent. Whole clusters were added to a stainless-steel tank and fermented for a week before being pressed off back into tank. After a short élevage time, the wine was racked and bottled without fining nor filtration. It is named after the local word for an outrageous party.

Taste: This wine is medium purple in the glass. The nose is outlandish, festive, like self-aware mischievous fireworks launching themselves from the glass. The second I smell it, I can’t help but think: “let’s get rowdy”. You’ll find aromas of wild raspberry, liquorice, strawberry juice, perfect rose petals, clove, cubeb, and concentrated watermelon. The palate immediately starts pulling you into the celebration, grabbing you firmly by the hand, kissing you with plush, glossy, sticky lips. Your head is spinning, and you feel ecstasy. The tannins are as soft as they can be, the acidity makes you want another sip, and it feels weightless on your tongue. You’ll find further flavours of ripe red plums, black cherries, lavender, and sage.

Pairing: Microwave some bagel bites and get on the dance floor y’all. We’d suggest ‘Gimme the Night’ by George Benson to get in the mood.

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NOVEMBER 2021 FEATURED PREMIUM WINES

WINE ONE: TESTALONGA EL BANDITO MONKEY GONE TO HEAVEN

About: This vineyard was planted in 2001 and features dry-farmed bush vines and the typical decomposed granite soils of Swartland. Whole clusters were fermented in tank for ten days before being pressed onto neutral puncheons. The wine is unfined, unfiltered, and sees only minimal Sulphur before bottling. (167 Cases Produced)

Taste: This wine is a medium purple in the glass. The nose is chiseled, primordial. It has aromas of dried violet, hickory, mulberry, gunpowder, saucisson sec, and black currant. The palate has tea-like tannins, a jolt of acidity running through the centre, and a sappy texture making it feel bevelled. There’s a minerality here - an untamed rockiness held in check by ripe fruits. You’ll find further flavours of plum, charred lavender, assam tea, niçoise olive, blood orange, and saskatoon berry.

Pairing: I think this wine would go incredibly well with Kofta B’siniyah. These meatball adjacent torpedoes of flavour are usually spiced with tons of garlic, cinnamon, and nutmeg. The combination of rich ground lamb and beef with pine nuts needs a savoury, intense wine with enough acidity. Alternatively, lamb shawarma sounds like a dream right now. Cumin, fenugreek, cardamom, and paprika will all play well with the spices in the wine.

WINE TWO: CRAVEN CABERNET SAUVIGNON

About: Mick has been desperate to work with Cabernet Sauvignon and was finally presented with the opportunity. He received a minuscule 1.2 tons of fruit from a vineyard in Polkadraai, Stellenbosch. He was able to get maximum ripeness at low alcohol and high acid. Fermentation was whole berry in open-top tank. After a short time on skins, the wine was pressed off into neutral barrel.

Taste:  This wine is medium purple in the glass. The nose is classic with aromas of cassis, lilac, blackberry, graphite, currant leaf, sweet tobacco, and liquorice. The palate is vibrant and lifted with stoic tannins and a directional acidity that pushes you forward. It is centred, confident, charming, witty, composed. You’ll find further flavours of oxalis, wild blueberry, peppermint, charred cedar, and damson.

Pairing: I’m trying to limit the amount of meat I consume in a week, but when I get that hankering for a steak, I do my best to track down some ethically farmed, grass-fed beef. I know many of you are huge grilling fans, but I’m admittedly partial to cast iron. I usually let my steak dry out on a rack in the fridge overnight, making sure to season liberally and pat dry with some paper towel. Make sure you let that thing come up to room temperature before letting it hit that screaming hot pan. I usually try to render some of the excess fat first; who needs oil anyway? I’m trying to say that this wine is a perfect pairing for a classic steak, nothing fancy, just properly cooked.

WINE THREE: MEINKLANG TAG

About: This mini-cuvée comes from some of their oldest Grüner Veltliner vines, planted in sandy, loamy soils. The grapes undergo carbonic maceration for two weeks before being pressed off into concrete egg for élevage. It is bottled unfined and unfiltered under Nomacork.

Taste: This wine is medium green-gold in the glass. The nose is frisky and whimsical with aromas of matcha, tomatillo, gooseberry, guava, young jackfruit, clementine, and hay. The palate is equally exuberant, with a zap of acidity leaving your mouth tingling after each sip. The tannins are low but present, and the wine has more body than you’d expect. There’s a real botanical quality here, almost like tonic. You’ll find further flavours of finger lime, green melon, pea flowers, chickpeas, peach pit, and cashew.

Pairing: I love poke! It’s so easy to make at home, and there are so many ways to tailor it to your mood. My usual methodology is raw salmon tossed in a bit of soy and mirin, Japanese mayo, green onions, furikake, tobiko, something spicy (either sauce or hot peppers), and something pickled (radish, carrot, mushroom, etc.). Since this wine likes green flavours so much, you can certainly add some leafy vegetables to the mix as well. Half the battle is cooking the rice just right; it’s all about texture!

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NOVEMBER 2021 FEATURED WINES

WINE ONE: MILAN NESTAREC FORKS & KNIVES RED

About: This release is a blend of Pinot Noir, Blaufrankisch, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc. Milan opted for carbonic maceration to retain as much fruit as possible, emulating the 2018 vintage he absolutely adored. After a modest élevage, the wine is bottled unfined, unfiltered, and without SO2. 10% ABV

Taste: This wine is medium ruby in the glass - surprisingly intense for a light-bodied wine. The nose is immediately earth derived: tomato leaf, black currant leaf, raspberry, red plums, potting soil, dried porcini, and birch bark. I can’t help but picture gnomes drinking this magical elixir in expansive tunnels deep beneath our front lawns. It is uplifting yet grounding. It has tangy acidity, a noticeable pinch of tannins to add structure but is lightweight, fleet. You’ll find further flavours of black trumpet mushroom, slate, blackberry, good weed, red currant, and hibiscus.  

Pairing: This wine is called Forks & Knives because it goes incredibly well with food - its ultimate goal is to end up on your table. I’m immediately thinking about wood ear mushrooms with their squeaky texture and umami. Or with garlicky snails. Sekaná is the local version of meatloaf. It’s aromatic thanks to the inclusion of herbs and spices and typically has hard-boiled eggs at the centre. This rustic dish (served with potatoes and gravy) would also be a stellar pairing. I’m calling dibs on a crispy edge piece.

WINE TWO: KAMARA SHADOW PLAY RED

About: Planted in 2009, this half-hectare plot features Xinomavro, Greece’s quintessential red grape. Known for extremely high acid and muscular tannins, only the best sites can get this variety fully ripe. The grapes were destemmed and fermented in open-top tank. The wine is then pressed off into barrel for a yearlong élevage. 5,65 g/l TA, pH 3.73 

Taste: This wine is deep ruby in the glass. The nose is opulent and physical, with aromas of black plum, olive tapenade, sweet tobacco, dried cherries, gunpowder, leather, vanilla, and fresh violets. The palate is equally impressive with gregarious intensity, warm, velvety tannins, gentle acidity, and a round texture. Despite this grape’s reputation as a bruiser, this rendition is broad but not taxing. You’ll find further flavours of dried rose, black cardamon, red plums, liquorice, figs, and palo santo.

Pairing: Apáki is a Cretan dish made by curing and smoking pork loin. Aromatic herbs like oregano and marjoram add an earthiness to the sweet smoke and tang from vinegar. Kokoretsi is a dish typically served around easter but would be fabulous with this wine. It focuses on lamb offal (heart, lungs, kidneys, etc.) wrapped in caul fat. Think of a giant umami sausage grilled on a skewer, juicy, tender, and crispy on the outside. If you’d like something more familiar, Kreatopita is a fantastic take on a meat pie, including all the phyllo pastry you can handle.

WINE THREE: BRAND BROS WILDER SATZ

About: This cuvée features grapes from several vineyards around their hometown. Each variety was treated differently to best capture its character. Pinot Blanc (24%), Sylvaner (7%), and Chardonnay (12%) undergo a short pre-fermentation maceration after crushing. Müller Thurgau (21%) and Pinot Gris (6%) experience an even longer pre-fermentation maceration, up to two days. Riesling (12%) was direct pressed, and Kerner (8%) was macerated with Riesling juice. After fermentation and a short élevage, the wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered without sulphur.

Taste: This wine is medium hazy lemon in the glass. The nose is joyous and expressive with aromas of homemade lemonade, lemon meringue pie, lemon verbena, pear flesh, white tea, and pine nuts. The palate is equally verbose. Electric acidity cuts through this wine’s fluffy texture, making it equal parts satiating and refreshing. The mineral finish implies electrolytes, almost saline. You’ll find further flavours of grapefruit pith, sweet grass, young pineapple, river stones, and kombu.

Pairing: This wine is wildly versatile. It fits in with nearly every meal but really shines as an aperitif. Here’s a completely random list of things I think would go perfectly: tuna crudo, miso soup, spring rolls, kathi rolls, karaage, or a Costco shrimp ring. How’s that for a spread!  

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OCTOBER 2021 FEATURED PREMIUM WINES

WINE ONE: FRANZ WENINGER FURMINT STEINER

About: Steiner Vineyard has been called western Hungary’s grand-cru since the 15th Century. This east facing site features primary mica schist, and gneiss dragged across Austria from the alps by glacial migrations. This site is warm and dry but low yielding due to extremely low levels of soil nutrients. The grapes were destemmed and pressed into large barrels. After several months on lees and malolactic conversion, the wine is racked, sulphured, and bottled. Only 75 cases were produced.

Taste: This wine is pale gold in the glass. The nose is capricious, swaying recklessly from ripe, honeyed fruit too tart saline minerality. You’ll find aromas of key lime, honeysuckle, gooseberry, passionfruit, Himalayan salt, lemon pith, and ginger. On the palate, it is precociously tart, finishing umami. It sheets off your tongue, leaving you feeling crisp—a dart-like linear wine. You’ll find additional flavours of ginseng, sesame, sea buckthorn, pear skins, and ume—such a wild ride.

Pairing: This region in Hungary is renowned for its delicious root vegetables and beans. Hegykői Petrezselyemgyökér, a type of parsley root, has been granted EU protection for its outstanding quality and unique favour profile. It looks like a parsnip but is snow-white and can be used in a myriad of dishes. Whether you roast, purée or French fry, root vegetables will go incredibly well with this wine.

WINE TWO: KINDELI LUNA NUEVA

About: This brand new cuvée from Alex is made from a field blend of Pinot Gris, Viognier, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc. The grapes were pressed into amphora for both fermentation and ageing. As with the rest of their cuvées, this wine is bottled without fining, filtration or Sulphur.

Taste:  This wine is pale gold in the glass. The nose is wholesome with warm aromas of honey crisp apple, lilac, nectarine, sweetgrass, sandalwood, nougat, dandelion pollen, almond, and yellow plums. The palate is broad yet fresh; a cozy wine, loving and tender. It puts the blanket around your shoulders while you nap on the corduroy couch. You’ll find additional flavours of coconut water, daisies, fresh linen, golden kiwi, acorns, and Korean melon.

Pairing: Slanted Door is one of my favourite restaurants in the world. They’ve moved locations a few times over the years but have always remained a San Francisco classic. In their cookbook, Charles Phan documents their family’s immigration to the US from Vietnam, highlighting the trials and tribulations but ultimately the success of an incredibly industrious and entrepreneurial family. So many dishes from that book would pair sensationally with this wine; here are a few standouts:

Spicy Squid Salad with Chinese Celery

Steamed Halibut with Ginger Lime Broth

Fried Red Snapper with Ginger Dipping Sauce

Cashew Chicken

Bo La Lot

Vegetarian Imperial Rolls

WINE THREE: RIGOUR & WHIMSY ORIENTEERING IN THE UNDERWORLD

About: This wine comes from an east-facing site just south of Oliver in the Okanagan Valley. The Syrah was picked on the morning of October 7th. Whole clusters were fermented in open-top bin, aided by lees from their Pinot Blanc sparkling wine. After a week of carbonic maceration, they performed gentle pigeage. They added a small amount of Viognier skins to add extra structure and aromatic complexity. Four weeks from the pick, the wine was pressed off into a puncheon and a barrique for élevage. Only 96 cases were produced. 5.8 g/L TA, pH 3.66, 21 ppm SO2

Taste: This wine is saturated purple. You can feel the rumble as you descend past the incisors, deep into the belly of the beast. You’re welcomed by a ghoulish medley of black plum, blackberry, violets, black pepper, gunpowder, dry-aged ribeye, caraway, and liquorice root. Bass-driven fruits balance lugubrious tannins. There’s a streak of acidity that runs down the centre, but it plays a supporting role. Sanguine, haunting, howling. You’ll find additional flavours of paprika, black figs, cassis, dried lavender, blood orange, clove, and balsam.

Pairing: As usual, it’s always best to ask the winemaker what they’d pair with a particular wine. Costa and Jody recommend lamb. Once again, I’m opting to outsource a recipe. This time, it’s from Le Pigeon, an infamous Portland restaurant I’ve visited more times than I’d care to admit. Their grilled lamb’s tongue with creamed peas and morels would be an absolute dream with this wine. Alternatively, their lamb shank and BBQ beans would be deadly.

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OCTOBER 2021 FEATURED WINES

WINE ONE: LIGHTNING ROCK VIOGNIER

About: The grapes for this cuvée were hand-harvested from their estate vineyard located beneath Giant’s Head in Summerland. This particular block of the vineyard is planted on exposed granite bedrock. The grapes were gently crushed, and the juice spontaneously fermented in concrete. After six months on lees, the wine was bottled unfined and unfiltered.

Taste: This wine is pale green-gold in the glass. The nose is revitalizing with aromas of jasmine, lime peels, cucumber, aloe, agave, peaches, and green coriander. The palate is equal parts silky and electric. Bright acids balance concentrated fruit flavours. It has Viognier’s classic oily texture, stretching the finish out even further. You’ll find additional flavours of green plums, genmaicha, nectarine, and pear skins.

Pairing: I think this wine would pair perfectly with savoury fish dishes. Horse Mackerel Sashimi is the first thing that came to mind. You could also make yourself some muscles in white wine sauce with a bit of saffron. Or, if you’re from Manitoba, fried pickerel and chips would be a dream come true.

Check out our harvest adventures at Lightning Rock here!

WINE TWO: INTELLEGO KEDUNGU

About: Jurgen’s entry-level blend is a combination of Syrah (46%), Cinsault (41%), and Mourvèdre (13%) planted between 1988 and 2001. Soils are quite diverse, ranging from quartz-rich clay to ferricrete. Fermentation was semi-carbonic for eight days before being pressed off into neutral 500l barrels. After élevage, the wine rests in stainless steel before bottling.

Taste: This wine is medium purple in the glass. The nose is coy with aromas of blackberry, peppercorns, sage, strawberry, black currant, graphite, and tobacco. The palate is paradoxical. How can a wine have low alcohol, robust tannins, soft acidity, and intense concentration all at once? A tiny miracle. It’s a gastronomic wine, finishing savoury with flavours like blood orange, black olive, fig, rosemary, and mulberry.

Pairing: It may be getting colder, but I’m still eating outside. Grilling food over hot coals when there’s a chill in the air makes me happier than virtually anything. Charred leeks, Walla Walla onions, kabocha, and parsnips are some of my favourite vegetables to singe. For the omnivores out there, toss on a little rib steak or some game meat. Add a couple of sprigs of juniper to the fire to make this red blend sing.

WINE THREE: LAURENT SAILLARD LA PAIRE

About: The grapes for this new cuvée are grown by Julien Moreau of Domaine de Cambalu. His vineyards are located next to Le Cher, a tributary of the Loire just east of Tours, on clay-limestone. This wine is made from co-fermented Gamay and Grolleau.

Taste: This wine is light ruby in the glass. It’s your quintessential glou-glou country bistro wine with aromas of raspberry, red plum, liquorice, rose petals, cranberry, and the traditional farm funk we’ve all come to know and love from the Loire Valley. The palate is lithe and charming, a crooked grin radiates back at you, and you feel welcome, embraced even. The tannins are delicate, the acid is refreshing, making it dangerously drinkable, and the alcohol is virtually undetectable. You’ll need more than one bottle. On the finish, you’ll find flavours of red apple skins, pink peppercorns, violet, strawberry, crushed stones, granola, and incense.  

Pairing: Best consumed with a plate of Crottin de Chavignol, Sainte-Maure de Touraine, and saucisson sec while smoking a cigarette, sitting on the curb of a hectic side street in Tours just after the rain. Take me there now, please.

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SEPTEMBER 2021 FEATURED PREMIUM WINES

WINE ONE: MILAN NESTAREC PODFUCK

About: This wine has completely flipped from what it once was; instead of a saturated orange wine made from Pinot Gris, it’s now a proper regal red blend. The new blend is Pinot Noir (60%), Blaufrankisch (20%), and Pinot Gris (20%) from Zadní and Otáhal, two adjacent plots planted on loess. The grapes are co-fermented before being pressed off for an extended élevage. The wine is bottled unfined, unfiltered, and without SO2.

Taste: The wine is medium ruby in the glass, with brick and purple sneaking into the mix. It’s an adventurer with a satchel full of tricks to help escape danger. It’s gruff but with that handsome smile that’ll always reel you in. You’ll find aromas of plum skins, pink peppercorns, violets, blackberries, fir, ginseng, and charcoal. The palate is structured but refreshing. Subtle tannins help add shape to juicy fruit flavours. On the finish, you’ll find singed rose, powdered ginger, black liquorice, and boysenberry.

Pairing: Párek v Rohlíku is the local rendition of the hot dog. It’s served in a hollowed-out bun with ketchup and mustard. It keeps your hands clean and is easily eaten on the move. As you’re all aware, I’m a huge fan of hot dogs, and when I discovered this simple take, I knew it had to be my pairing suggestion. I’d also suggest Fazolová, a rich white bean soup featuring smoked meat. Tomatoes and red peppers add a sweet tang which is balanced by plenty of fat.

WINE TWO: GUT OGGAU JOSEPHINE

About: Roesler is a crossing of Zweigelt and an unnamed variety with extreme cold hardiness, resistance to mildew, and deeply coloured fruit. It is blended with Blaufrankisch for this cuvée. The vines are 35 years old and are planted in gravel. The grapes are destemmed and allowed to ferment in 500L, 1000L, and 1500L neutral oak barrels. Élevage is done in 500L barrels for 8+ months before the wine is bottled, unfined and unfiltered without sulphur.

Taste:  This wine is a deep crimson, extraordinarily vivid. The nose is honest, tender, and generous with aromas of pomegranate, rooibos, honeybush, sandalwood, clove, squished raspberry, and red currant. There’s a savoury edge here as well, nostalgic and warm. There’s a light that wells from inside. The palate is as energetic as all of Gut Oggau’s wines; a prickle of CO2 makes it feel alive. At its core, it is ripe and fruit-focused. On the finish, you’ll find further flavours of leather, graphite, cocoa, black cherry, and oolong.

Pairing: Do you hunt? Do you have a friend who hunts? If you can get your hands on some elk, that would be a gorgeous pairing. Alternatively, beef carpaccio would be a delicious combination. The beef tataki from Sukiyaki House in Calgary is also a favourite - sweet, salty, fatty.

WINE THREE: BRAND BROS FLORA

About: This tiny 1.5-acre parcel is planted on pure limestone. The vines are over sixty years old, which limits yields and increases intensity. Constant winds keep the grapes relatively free from mildew without relying on excessive spraying. The grapes were mostly fermented on skins in open-top oak tank with traditional cap management, while 30% was fermented carbonically. This wine also sees 10% wine from the previous vintage, which smooths out the year-to-year variations and gives a clearer picture of the sites true character. The wine was bottled unfined and unfiltered without sulphur. Oma Helga, their grandmother, illustrates all the labels.

Taste: This wine is a medium purple in the glass. The nose is fragrant with aromas of damp violets, plum skins, black currants, balsam, dried sage, and graphite. Despite its bass-driven nose, the wine is lifted, especially on the palate, paradoxically saturated and delicate. Deep fruits tangle with tingling acid. You’ll find further flavours of lilac, prune, mission fig, Ethiopian coffee, and wet slate. Drink chilled and within an hour for maximum freshness!

Pairing: Historically, lentils were incredibly important in Germany. They’re nutritious, filling, and grow in soils most vegetables can’t survive. The classic dish Linsen mit Spätzle sprung from necessity, as most delicious things do. Alb-Leisa, a local variety of lentils, holds its shape and maintains texture even after prolonged cooking. It’s like a lentil stew with plenty of bacon served over carby egg noodles. And if you’re extra hungry, the locals would suggest adding a sausage.

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SEPTEMBER 2021 FEATURED WINES

WINE ONE: PINARD ET FILLES FRANGIN

About: This wine is made from Frontenac Noir, Marquette, and Petite Pearl. Whole clusters were fermented semi-carbonically for three weeks. Fred avoids pump-overs and punch-downs, preferring a gentle infusion style extraction. The wine is then pressed off into 228 and 400L barrels for a modest élevage. It was bottled unfined, unfiltered, and without SO2.

Taste: This wine is medium purple in the glass. It rambles and tumbles, upside-down and backwards; a joyous dance, unchoreographed, primal. You’ll find aromas of blackberry, liquorice, reindeer lichen, wild raspberry, mint stems, charcoal, and earth after the rain. The palate is energetic, tart, crisp, zippy. The tannins are low but noticeable, adding even more tension. You’ll find flavours of damp lilac, black cardamom, hibiscus, plum skins, and balsam on the finish. Extraordinary.

Pairing: L’Express is one of my favourite restaurants in the world. This Montreal staple features classic French food alongside the best-priced wine list on earth. Some of the servers have been there for decades, masters in subtlety. When I tasted this wine, I immediately thought of the Foie de Veau à l’Estragon, Boudin Noir, and Rognon de Veau à Sauce Moutarde I shared with friends on my last visit. These earthy dishes need a piercing yet fully saturated wine like this to cut through the umami and fat. I can’t wait to go back.

WINE TWO: RYAN STIRM CALCITE

About: Ryan’s latest cuvée is made from Wirz Vineyard Riesling (88%), Glenwood Vineyard Chardonnay (6%), and C5 Vineyard Scheurebe (6%). The three disparate sites (Cienega Valley, Santa Cruz Mountains, and Santa Ynes Valley, respectively) were picked in several passes. The aromatic varieties were whole-cluster macerated for a day before being pressed off into tank. After cold settling and racking, the wine ferments in barrel. After malolactic conversion, the wine sees a small dose of SO2 before a modest élevage. A month before bottling, the wine is racked off heavy solids. Three hundred forty cases were produced. 6.2g TA, pH 3.29

Taste: This wine is pale gold in the glass. The nose is pretty and charming with aromas of delicate white flowers, candied lemon, white peach, river stones, almond, and lime zest. On the palate, you’ll find refreshing acidity, a dry mineral finish emphasized by mild phenolics, and a juicy midpalate that makes you go back for more. You’ll find further flavours of nectarine, grapefruit, lemon verbena, Sweetarts, and fresh apples. The perfect candidate for a new house-wine.

Pairing: I was up in Edmonton over the weekend and stopped into Fleisch, a little delicatessen serving up delicious sandwiches. I ordered the currywurst, one of my all-time favourite dishes. The sausage was wildly juicy, and the curried ketchup was everything I needed. The cucumber salad on the side was as enormous as it was tasty - I crushed it in a few minutes flat. This wine is the ideal pairing for tricky foods like that. You need acidity to cut through the pork fat and vinegary condiments and enough aromatic intensity to avoid getting lost in the slew of spices. When in doubt, Riesling.

WINE THREE: SÉLÉNÉ CUVÉE DU PRINTEMPS

About: This cuvée is made from Gamay Noir Sylvère purchases from his neighbours within Beaujolais. The grapes are fermented as whole clusters in concrete tank for a couple of weeks before being pressed off. After an additional six-month élevage in concrete, the wine is bottled with minimal SO2.

Taste: This wine is medium ruby in the glass with purple highlights. It is cheerful and gregarious with aromas of saskatoon berry, cranberry jam, wild sage, violets, black pepper, redwood, cinnamon, pomegranate, and black cardamon. It is energetic and juicy on the palate with just a hint of tannic structure. The acidity is perfectly balanced by ripe fruit flavours and Gamay’s typical resinous texture. You’ll find further flavours of black cherry, patchouli, granite, sweet leather, and dried rose petals. It’s an absolute joy to drink.

Pairing: On our trip down to Beaujolais, we stopped at a little bistro on the side of the road for some lunch and a bottle of wine. L’Atelier de Cuisinier in Villié-Morgon was all about the rustic charm. Boisterous farmers were laughing and arguing in the back room while we ate the only item they had left on the menu: Bœuf Bourguignon. This rustic beef stew was served over soft egg noodles, perfectly accompanying our bottle of Beaujolais. With the days getting colder, I crave this pairing daily.

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AUGUST 2021 FEATURED PREMIUM WINES

WINE ONE: CLAIRE NAUDIN VIOLA ODORATA

About: This wine comes from five lieu-dits near Corgoloin, between Burgundy’s Côte de Nuits and Côte de Beaune: En Vireville, En Fontenelle, Le Creux de Sobron, La Montange, and Le Forneau. Vine age ranges from 55 to 115 years old. The eastern exposure is ideal for producing maximally ripe Pinot Noir. Whole berry fermentation occurs under a layer of CO2 before the grapes undergo gentle pigeage to extract phenolics gently. After two weeks of fermentation, the wine is pressed off and moved via gravity to tank. After a two day settling off gross lees, the wine is transferred to barrels, one-third of which were new. It is bottled unfined and unfiltered with around 20ppm of SO2. Seven hundred cases were produced.

Taste: Here’s Claire’s tasting note: ‘Nez intense et caractéristique des fermentations en vendange entière : petite note de coriandre feuille et cerise croquante, touche florale. Le bois s’exprime par sa suavité et des notes de torréfaction. Le fruit est riche et frais, à tendance fruits rouges (griottes). Bouche fraîche et charnue à la fois, charpente enrobée, tanins fondus, acidité modérée. C’est l’expression élégante et voluptueuse d'un pinot noir issus de vieilles vignes, sur un très beau terroir, travaillé avec respect.’ The word that comes to me is ‘sublime’. Yet another impossibly perfect bottle. We were thrilled to get just enough for the wine club this month.

Pairing: Here’s Claire’s optimal pairing: Un gigot d'agneau fera merveille. À maturité optez pour du gibier : un pavé de biche par exemple ou un Époisses bien fait.

WINE TWO: ANTHONY BUCHANAN FUBAR

About: This rendition of FUBAR comes from five vineyards: Three Boys, Kalala Organics, Terrace, Bicego, and Malhi Farm. It is a blend of Gamay Noir (36%), Zweigelt (28%), Merlot (23%), Pinot Noir (7%), Syrah (3%), and Muscat (3%). The grapes were all destemmed into stainless steel, foudres, and concrete tank. The grapes are gently crushed by foot until fermentation is complete. The wine is then pressed off into barrel and concrete for a seven-month élevage. It is bottled unfiltered with 20ppm of SO2. Three hundred cases were produced. 6.5 g/L TA, pH 3.51

Taste:  This wine is medium purple-ruby in the glass. It is buoyant and charming with aromas of bing cherry, bubble gum, pink peppercorns, cedar, candied beetroots, and blood orange. The palate is tantalizingly juicy, with reserved tannins and perfectly centred weight. It’s a people pleaser, flashing an honest smile in every direction. You’ll find further flavours of pomegranate, rhubarb pie, lavender, grape, and fir on the finish.

Pairing: Next week, I’m heading to Toronto for the first time in years. It’s one of my favourite cities to visit; the food scene is unreal, and there’s buzzy energy. Other than visiting our amazing friends/producers, we’re going to stop at Superpoint, my favourite pizza place in the world. New York style, way too big, all the pepperonis. We’re going to be eating ours in the park with fresh beer from Bellwoods, but if I could magically take one home, I’d opt for this wine as a pairing.

WINE THREE: PETER WETZER WEISS

About: Peter was able to get his hands on 0.8ha of Zoldveltlini (Gruner Veltliner) planted in Sopron on pure schist. He kept the winemaking relatively simple, crushing the grapes and then pressing them into tank for fermentation. The wine was racked and bottled by gravity without fining nor filtration.

Taste: This wine is medium-green-gold in the glass. The nose is brooding with aromas of greengage, cool moss, white truffle, green apple flesh, fresh apricot, and dynamite. The palate is equally intense; phenolics and umami make this wine feel gastronomic. It’s like someone turned up the bass. Fortunately, there’s still enough acidity to provide freshness and balance. You’ll find further flavours of Taiwanese Jin Xuan oolong, pea flowers, green grape, sandalwood, honeydew, and white pepper. Truly extraordinary.

Pairing: Gruner has always been and will forever be the swiss army knife of the wine world. It pairs with impossible dishes, bringing bitter veggies into balance. Charred radicchio with bagna cauda would be near the top of my list. It will also love salads packed with herbs and river fish served with fried capers and lemon. I am getting wildly hungry just thinking about it.

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AUGUST 2021 FEATURED WINES

WINE ONE: BROC CELLARS COUNOISE

About: Eagle Point Ranch planted four acres of Counoise in 2007 using clonal material from Tablas Creek (Which used clonal material from Beaucastel in the Rhone). This organically farmed vineyard rests high (1800 feet) in the Mayacamas in Mendocino. The soils are thin and iron-rich. The grapes were de-stemmed and fermented in five-ton, open-top troniques. The wine then ages in neutral oak barrels for ten months before bottling.

Taste: This wine is turbid ruby with purple highlights. The nose is frisky with aromas of fresh strawberry, mint stems, clove, red cherries, wild rose, red velvet cake, and pink peppercorns. It’s witty and charming with its boyish good looks and do-good attitude. The palate has plenty of freshness backed up by ripe fruits and delicate tannins. It is a proper middleweight. You’ll find further flavours of raspberry jam, red currant, sandalwood, redwood, crushed granite, and dried rose petals.

Pairing: I’m not entirely sure how many times I’ve suggested tacos as a pairing, but here we are again. Chorizo, with its fat and spice, would get along with this fresh, low tannin red. Birria would also make sense, especially with the rich, flavourful, messy jus for dipping.

WINE TWO: CLAIRE NAUDIN MALLON

About: This cuvée comes from Magny lès Villers and Villers la Faye, two sites perfect for Aligoté: shallow topsoil, primarily flat, and plenty of sunshine thanks to their south-east orientation. The grapes are pressed into stainless steel and enamelled tank for fermentation and élevage on fine lees. No batonnage is done during the short seven-month élevage. The wine is fined with bentonite clay for stability and clarity and then lightly filtered before bottling via gravity. A small amount is Sulphur is added at bottling (usually less than 50ppm total SO2).

Taste: This wine is pale gold in the glass. The nose is subtle and elegant, with aromas of white peach, apricot, lemon zest, sea salt, yoghurt, oyster shells, and apple blossoms. The palate is equally gentle with revitalizing acidity, a modestly creamy texture, and a hint of phenolics, making it finish clean. A gastronomic wine if there ever was one. You’ll find further flavours of white current, pear skins, button mushroom, limestone, and sweet hay.

Pairing: It’s been a while since I’ve had scallops properly cooked in a pan with too much butter. The sweetness of the scallop would get along with the creamy yet zesty and salty nature of Aligoté. On the flip side, it’s also an ideal candidate for grilled cheese and canned cream of mushroom soup lunch. Don’t hate!

WINE THREE: MALOOF WHERE YA PJS AT?

About: Four own-rooted sites were used for this cuvée: No Clos Radio in Tualatin Hills, Oracle Vineyard in Dundee Hills, Logsdon Ridge near Corvalis, and Onesimo’s unnamed site in the Chehalem Mountains. Each site is incredibly unique; abandoned vines are coming back to life, isolated mountain paradises, backyard plantings and so forth. This wine is made from Pinot Gris (80%), most of which was fermented on skins (open top and carbonic for 20 days), but some were directly pressed into barrels. The remainder is direct pressed Riesling. The finished wine was bottled unfined, unfiltered, and with 22ppm of SO2. Nine hundred five cases were produced.

Taste: This wine is pinky-copper-orange in the glass. It wants to play! Like a mewing kitten, ready for adventure, unafraid, chasing shadows and sunbeams. You’ll find joyous aromas of pink grapefruit, iced tea, persimmon, white pepper, rambutan, mandarin, and grilled peach. The palate is delicate but with tonic-like tannins, precocious acidity, and just enough weight. You’ll find further flavours of gentian, nectarine, pollen, angostura, and blood orange.

Pairing: In true Pacific Northwest spirit, I’d suggest salmon in all its forms. You could opt for a gently cured salmon served with crème fraiche, lemon, capers, and rye crackers. Or perhaps you’ll want to grill it over the coals with charred carrots. Or maybe you’re into Japanese hand-cones, filled with chunks of raw salmon and seasoned with slightly sweetened soy sauce. Or maybe you’ll want to go for a salmon burger topped with spicy mustard greens, maple mustard, and some thinly sliced radishes. Regardless, you’re going to have a great time.

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JULY 2021 FEATURED PREMIUM WINES

WINE ONE: CLAIRE NAUDIN BELLIS PERENNIS

About: This wine comes from two of Claire’s most prized parcels: En Daisey in Magny lès Villers, and En Bully (named for its bubbling spring) in Pernand-Vergelesses. Whole clusters were gently pressed into tank for a short settling period. The juice is then racked into barrel for fermentation. The wine is only ever moved by gravity, not by pump. After a yearlong élevage on the fine lees the wine is bottled unfiltered with just over 20ppm of SO2. Less than 600 cases were produced. It is an ode to the daisies found in her vineyards.

Taste: This wine is pale gold in the glass. You’re greeted by majesty and grace, robed in fine lace, crowned by sunshine. You’ll find aromas of yellow apple, pie crust, struct flint, honeycomb, heather, pear blossom, flax seed, and brazil nut. It is benevolent and caring. The palate is tender with fresh acidity and balancing richness. It has chubby cherub cheeks. It has warmth at its core, amplified by wood spice and gentle phenolics. You’ll find further flavours of ylang-ylang, egg tarts, spring peaches, macadamia nut, lemon meringue, and white truffle. 

Pairing: Claire has conveniently offered us her suggested pairings for this gorgeous Chardonnay.

“Ce vin accompagnera volontiers des poissons de rivière, ou les ormeaux (France Haliotis) des jours de fête. Il pourra être servi sur une belle volaille de Bresse rôtie, des quenelles de veau ou un risotto safrané ! Enfin, il peut aller jusqu’au fromage : essayez sur un chèvre très sec.”

WINE TWO: GUT OGGAU MASKERADE WEIß

About: Stephanie and Eduard acquired some new vineyards two years ago and are working tirelessly to convert them to biodynamics. Until then, they don’t believe the wines will show quite the same depth of personality, so they’ve kept the characters on the labels masked, and bottled in 1L bottles for early consumption. This wine is made from a co-planting of Gruner Veltliner, Weissburgunder, and Welschriesling. The grapes spend a short time macerating on skins in stainless steel before being pressed off. It finishes fermentation in stainless steel before being bottled without fining, filtration, or SO2.

Taste:  This wine is cloudy green-gold in the glass. The nose is elusive, dancing away from you every time you get close. It has aromas of white tea, greengage, gunpowder, birch bark, coriander, yellow pears, and matsutake. The palate is tight, with focused tannins, linear acidity, and just enough ripeness for cohesion. The umami finish shows flavours of dried apple, yellow plums, miso, angelica, vetiver, and warm hay. Yet another tour-de-force from one of our favourite producers.

Pairing: Despite the superb summer weather, I have a craving for a rich, vegetable-heavy miso stew with this wine. The umami characteristics will play perfectly with one another, and the modest phenolics and zesty acidity will help balance the salt.

WINE THREE: PARADISE GRAPEVINE CABERNET FRANC

About: This was Dave & Christian’s first foray into winemaking. The fruit for this project comes from Ontario’s Niagara region. The grapes were fermented in open-top tank with 50% whole-cluster inclusion. After a one-year élevage in neutral French oak barrels the wine was racked and bottled unfined and unfiltered. Only 100 cases were produced for this inaugural vintage.

Taste: This wine is medium-purple ruby in the glass. The nose is wild and savoury after a quick and vigorous decant. You’ll find aromas of wild raspberry, black plums, mission figs, charcoal, trumpet mushroom, reindeer lichen, and oxalis. Rugged meets handsome. On the pallet you’ll find macho tannins, ample richness, and great concentration. It isn’t heavy, but it certainly has some girth. On the finish you’ll find flavours of wild blueberry, damp rose, fresh sage, jalapeño, and elderberry.

Pairing:

Dave: “wild boar sausage on a bun with pickled beetroot (how Australian of him), mustard and leafy greens”

Christian: “We think the greenness of the cab franc goes pretty well with savoury/gamey foods. I actually just had a glass the other night with some meatballs that were simmered in a gently spicy tomato sauce with onions and garlic. Had them over top of some blanched then sautéed rapini with a generous amount of parmesan. Thought the bitterness of the rapini paired pretty darn well with it!”

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JULY 2021 FEATURED WINES

WINE ONE: KINDELI VERANO

About: This is a complete picture of Alex’s vineyard. He uses every variety grown on his vineyard, co-fermenting in three lots and then blending. It is made from Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, and Syrah. There was some stem inclusion, some direct press, some skin contact. Ageing and fermentation were almost entirely in stainless steel. As usual, the wine is bottled unfined, unfiltered, and without SO2.

Taste: This wine is somewhere between pink and orange in the glass. After a quick and vigorous decant, it begins to show itself: spunky, promiscuous, impish. You’ll find aromas of watermelon rind, blood orange, pink gooseberry, dandelion stems, peony, galaxy hops, Szechuan peppercorns, and lychee. It’s madness. The palate is zesty, with fruity acidity, a botanical grip, and a subtle herbaceousness. This vintage has more fat. You’ll find further flavours of grapefruit, matcha, river stones, white strawberry, coriander, and underripe papaya on the finish.

Pairing:

Ariel Pink - Only In My Dreams

Neon Indian - Deadbeat Summer

Delorean - Walk High

Toro y Moi - Thanks Vision

Classixx & Nancy Whang - All You’re Waiting For

Slugabed - Travel Sweets

Soft Hair - Lying Has To Stop

WINE TWO: THE HERMIT RAM SKIN FERMENTED SAUVIGNON BLANC

About: This wine comes from two sites in the Waipara Valley, just north of Christchurch. Most of the fruit is destemmed and fermented on skins for six weeks, while a small amount undergoes whole-cluster semi-carbonic-maceration. There is minimal cap management as excessive extraction is not the goal. After malolactic conversion, the wine is bottled unfined, unfiltered, and without sulphur.

Taste: This wine is medium gold in the glass with hints of green. The nose immediately brings me to the ocean: mysterious, salty, transient. You’ll find aromas of white peach, silver needle tea, passionfruit, warm hay, lime pith, cucumber skins, pine nut, kombu, and dried apple. The palate is equally saline, with subtle tannins that add to the wine’s presence. It billows and rolls. The acidity is fresh but fits seamlessly into the fruit. On the finish, you’ll find further flavours of dried nettle, kiwi, sweet sage, pear skins, sunflower seeds, and sencha. Remarkable.

Pairing:  

Patrick Watson - Man Like You

Devendra Banhart - Korean Dogwood

Bert Jansch - Walking This Road

Sam Amidon - My Old Friend

Kaia Kater - Canyonland

Rachel Sermanni - Little Prayer

Cold Specks - Holland

Elizabeth Cotton - Honey Baby Your Papa Cares For You

WINE THREE: FRANZ WENINGER BLAUFRANKISCH

About: Franz’s entry-level Blaufrankisch comes from 30 diverse plots around Mittelburgenland. The richness of Loam is balanced by the freshness of Limestone and vice versa. The vines range from 5-35 years old. The grapes are destemmed into tank for ten days of fermentation on skins. It is then pressed off into neutral large-format barrels for an eighteen-month élevage. It is bottled unfiltered with 24ppm tSO2.

Taste: This wine is medium purple in the glass. The nose is incredibly pretty, with aromas of wild blueberry, cedar, yarrow, pink peppercorns, violet, black plums, and saskatoon berry. The palate is energetic, nimble, and fleet. It dances on invigorating acidity - reminiscent of a cool mountain breeze, clean and refreshing. It has fine-grained tannins, which add structure. Despite being a middleweight, it is fully saturated with flavour. On the finish, you’ll find hints of juniper, huckleberry, gunpowder, sage, and iris.

Pairing:

Matthew Halsall - Cherry Blossom

Joe Henderson - Watlz for Zweetie

Lee Morgan - Since I Fell For You

Alpha Mist - Coasting

Dego & Kaidi - Orbiting Uhura

Kamasi Washington - Hub-Tones

Sun Ra - Blithe Spirit Dance

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JUNE 2021 FEATURED PREMIUM WINES

WINE ONE: J.H. MEYER PALMEIT CHARDONNAY

About: Elgin is located east of Cape Town. Its high elevation, proximity to the coast, cloud-cover, and increased precipitation makes this one of South Africa’s coolest sub-regions. The organic grapes are harvested early in the morning to avoid the afternoon heat. Two-thirds of the grapes are whole-cluster pressed, while the other third is fermented on skins for about a week. Élevage is done in neutral oak barrels for ten months before bottling without fining nor filtration. Only 589 cases were produced.

Taste:  This wine is medium gold in the glass. The nose is wise, shrewd, serene. It has aromas of pine nut, dried hay, white tea, yellow apple skins, beeswax, button mushroom, potting clay, and angelica. It is relentlessly complex, like an old tome with multiple endings. Minerals are at the forefront. The palate is rich but with spicy acidity and hints of tannin. It has a brothiness, umami, fatty, almost saline. The finish brings dried pear, heather, macadamia nut, white peony, chaga, ginseng, and myrrh.

Pairing: I’m a sucker for a good mushroom risotto. Here are my tips for adding an extra layer of umami. First, grill some mushrooms on high heat until they’re nearly charred on the outside but not dried out. Once they’ve cooled, run them through a food processor for a couple of seconds. To make the stock, bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Once it’s bubbling hard, add the mushroom paste, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the stock come to room temperature. Pour it through a fine-mesh strainer and squeeze the liquid out of the mushroom paste. This will be the perfect base for a properly intense risotto.

WINE TWO: THE HERMIT RAM AMPHORA PINOTS

About: This wine is a blend of Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris grown in the gravels of North Canterbury. The fruit was destemmed and co-fermented in tank. The wine is then pressed off into amphora for élevage. After racking, the wine was bottled unfined and unfiltered.

Taste: This wine is rusty ruby in the glass. It is mischievous, conniving, a trickster in Loki’s ilk. You’ll find aromas of juniper, blood orange, honeyberry, damp rose, reindeer lichen, cool slate, and birch wood. The palate is equally impish with sneaky botanical tannins, a twang of acidity, and buoyant fruit. I admire its tension. It’s an ambush hunter. On the finish, you’ll find further flavours of oxalis, liquorice root, calla lily, wakame, lava stones, apple skins, and hōjicha.

Pairing: There’s an old axiom that ingredients that grow in the same place often taste best together. We’ve got plenty of established examples (Oysters and Muscadet, Lamb and Hermitage, Valençay and Sauvignon Blanc), but we’d like to extend that philosophy to the new world. As New Zealand is the traditional homeland of the Māori, we thought we’d highlight some pre-colonial ingredients we think would pair well with this wine.

Mānuka is not only the source of the delicious eponymous honey but also a source of wood for smoking both proteins (typically birds) and vegetables. Smoked Kūmara (sweet potato) would pair incredibly well with this wine. Pikopiko (fern shoots) happen to be in season right now, and although they don’t typically pair well with red wine, this cuvée is up to the challenge. In the same vein, I rarely suggest pairing seafood with red wine, but Kūtai (mussels), finished with a rich sauce infused with Korengo (seaweed), would be magical.

WINE THREE: FRANZ WENINGER KALKOFEN BLAUFRANKISCH

About: This incredibly unique site represents the westernmost point in central Burgenland. At 350m above sea level, it is their coldest parcel. Kalkofen was once used to produce quick lime thanks to its calcareous Eurendsina soils. Because of the sites ability to retain acidity and its relatively cool mesoclimate, the grapes can be harvested quite late. They were destemmed into open-top wooden vat and fermented on skins for two weeks. The wine was then pressed off into puncheon for nearly two years. Only 150 cases were produced.

Taste: This wine is medium ruby in the glass. The nose is confident, sure-footed, decisive, with aromas of blackberry, cedar, gunpowder, dried morels, blueberry, oyster shells, balsam, leather, and oolong tea. It is regal but feral, heady and perfumed. The palate is expansive with velvety tannins. The acidity balances richness - wrangling the juggernaut, barely. You’ll find saskatoon berry, violets, black liquorice, patchouli, plum skins, and crushed rock on this finish. It will linger if you’re willing to pay attention - haunting.

Pairing: Gailtaler Speck is a bacon-adjacent cured meat produced in the eponymous valley in Southern Austria. Pork bellies are typically brined, cured with garlic, pepper, juniper, and then cold smoked over beech or elder wood imparting a woodsy, herbal quality. Historically eaten on its own as a snack, it also works incredibly well in local dishes like stewed beans. Ultimately, smoky, fatty meats work incredibly well with this wine.

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JUNE 2021 FEATURED WINES

WINE ONE: IBI/REVEL JOPLIN

About: This wine comes from a vineyard in Lincoln, Ontario, planted in 1972. Marechal Foch was created in 1911 by Eugène Kuhlmann in France by crossing European and American grapevines resulting in one of the world’s most successful hybrids. Canada’s vine-pull scheme incentivizes ripping up hybrids and replanting with more prestigious cultivars. Fortunately, thanks to Marechal Foch’s winter hardiness (-32ºC), some old vines remain. The grapes were fermented for thirteen days in stainless steel before being pressed off. It was bottled unfined, unfiltered, and without SO2.

Taste: It is rustic and untamed with aromas of black raspberry, nettle, saucisson sec, dried rose petals, ginseng, and damp earth. The palate is confounding, with tense tannins, invigorating acidity, low alcohol, yet wildly saturated flavour. It careens recklessly through the raspberry bushes at midnight - naked, pricked by thorns, scuffed knees, howling at the moon. You’ll find further flavours of plum skin, mission fig, cinders, cannabis, black trumpet mushroom, blueberry, and graphite.

Pairing: This wine is perfect for rituals, summoning nature spirits at twilight. Suggested pairings include lamb roasted over a symbolic fire paired with berries you foraged. If you can find some morels, fiddleheads, or wild sage while wandering the woods in a psychedelic fog, they’d be a fantastic addition to your meal. The most appropriate drinking vessel is a chalice carved from wood or the bones of your enemies.

WINE TWO: DAYDREAMER AMELIA

About: This cuvée is a co-fermentation of Syrah (90%) and Viognier (10%) planted on decomposed granite on the Naramata Bench. Farmed without systemic pesticides and herbicides, the mature vines face west, benefitting from warm late afternoon sunshine. After primary fermentation in small open-top vats, the wine is basket-pressed off into French oak barrique for an eleven-month élevage. It is bottled with less than 50ppm total sulphur. 3.95 pH, 6.2 g/L TA.

Taste: This wine is medium purple in the glass. The nose is confident and muscular, sure of itself and grounded. You’ll find aromas of blackberry, plum skins, cedar, black peppercorns, tobacco, gunpowder, and peach pit. The palate is saturated with flavour; ripe mouth-coating tannins add structure, while acidity provides the jolt. It has a savoury edge, making it gastronomic and toothsome. It is full but not oppressive. Further flavours of lichen, crushed granite, fig, fresh rose, cherry, and star anise come through on the finish. 

Pairing: Marcus, Daydreamer’s proprietor and winemaker is Australian. To celebrate his heritage, I want to focus on an Australian culinary icon: Meat Pies. Sure, basically every commonwealth country has its own rendition, but few are as boisterously proud as the Australians. Every year, they celebrate this savoury treat at ‘The Great Aussie Pie Competition”, a contest I am unusually qualified to judge. We’d opt for the classic with this particular wine: a simple crust filled with minced meat and rich gravy. Where things get contentious is whether or not you should top your pie with a ketchup-like tomato sauce. We’ll let you be the judge.

(We just discovered the West Aussie Pie Company in Calgary through our research; we strongly recommend ordering one from them! Tag us/them in your Instagram pairing post!)

WINE THREE: MEINKLANG GRÜNER VELTLINER

About: This wine is made entirely from Grüner Veltliner biodynamically grown on sandy loam. The gently sloped site is east of the Neusiedlersee and benefits from the drying and warming influence of the Pannonian winds. The grapes are gently pressed into stainless steel, where they ferment and age on lees for a short period. The wine goes through a loose filter before being bottled.

Taste: This wine is pale lemon-green in the glass. The nose is spry and nimble, dancing on air, floating on a spring breeze. It has aromas of snap peas, gooseberry, sweetgrass, pear flesh, spruce tips, lime leaf, and apple blossom. The palate is dry with spark-like acidity, refreshing you with every sip. With such low alcohol, it’s perilously drinkable. You’ll find further flavours of green mango, sencha, green fig, button mushroom, and nectarine.

Pairing: I love eating seasonally. Every year, when the asparagus comes out, I go wild. I’ll continue gorging myself on them until I’m essentially sweating green. I like to keep my preparations simple: sautéed with a bit of butter/olive oil or grilled over the coals. At most, I’ll top them with fried garlic, or togarashi, or some shaved cheese, or labneh and sumac, or white anchovies… just kidding, I’ll eat them every way you can think of. Grüner Veltliner is one of the rare grape varieties that neutralizes asparagus’ bitterness, making it a classic pairing.

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MAY 2021 FEATURED PREMIUM WINES

WINE ONE: DIRTY & ROWDY SKIN & CONCRETE SEMILLON

About: This cuvée is a celebration of the uniqueness and beauty of Semillon, one of California’s unsung heroes. The grapes were harvested relatively early at roughly 18-20 Brix. 70% of the grapes were destemmed and fermented on skins for 24 days. 10% was fermented as whole clusters for 15 days before being pressed off. The remainder was direct pressed to concrete egg. It was eventually bottled, unfined, and unfiltered. Two hundred cases made.

Taste: This wine is medium green-gold in the glass. The nose is stoic and refined with delicate aromas of white peach, pear skins, button mushroom, candied lemon, kombu, sunflower butter, fresh garbanzo beans, and wool. The palate is precise, radiating from a central point, micro-dosing sunshine. The texture is soft, like well-worn linen sheets. It has a refreshing acidity that hums. You’ll find further flavours of tulip, breadfruit, cashew, hominy, white tea, and honeysuckle. Transcendent!

Pairing: One of my favourite ingredients is fresh green chickpeas (garbanzo beans). I’d sit on the deck, shucking all afternoon in the sunshine, anticipating a delicious snack.  I quickly crush them in a mortar with some garlic and olive oil, toss them in a hot cast iron for a couple of minutes, and put the delicious combination on fresh ricotta. Grilled sourdough is the only utensil you’ll need.

WINE TWO: KAMARA STALISMA

About: This wine is made from Malagousia (80%) and Xinomavro (20%). The grapes are both direct pressed into tank for separate fermentations. After fermentation, the wines are blended for a three-month élevage in stainless steel on fine lees. The wine is bottled unfined, unfiltered, and with minimal Sulphur.

Taste:  This wine is medium gold in the glass. The nose is surreal, transporting you to a Dalí-inspired tropical dreamscape filled with orange blossom, jasmine, guava, honeysuckle, meyer lemon, peach juice, beechwood, and creamsicle. The palate is rich and full-flavoured with just a hint of tannin. It retains its freshness despite the weight. You’ll find further flavours of yellow plum, passionfruit, white strawberry, lilies, sesame seed, dried pineapple, and sassafras. What a trip!

Pairing: The island of Lemnos is famous for its savoury rendition of pancakes served with fresh mint and a mild goat/sheep cheese called kalathaki. Tonos Alonnisou is made by cooking yellowfin tuna in seawater before putting it in jars with olive oil. Served on its own as a light afternoon snack, it would shine with a cool glass of this wine - especially on a picnic blanket in the park.

WINE THREE: LES LUNES CABERNET SAUVIGNON / MERLOT

About: These two adjacent sites are located in Carneros. The Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot planted on wright loam soils are some of the oldest vines in the appellation. Cool temperatures and cool soils contribute to ripening at relatively low levels of sugar. They took over farming this vineyard five years ago and have converted it to organics. Their spraying regime follows the moon cycles. The grapes were destemmed and then fermented in open-top vats. Gentle punch-downs once per day for two weeks led to modest extraction. The wine was then aged in neutral Bordeaux barrels for two years. A small amount of Sulphur was added once per year to keep the wine precise and fresh. The final product was bottled by gravity without added SO2.

Taste: This wine is medium ruby in the glass. The nose immediately reminds me of classic Bordeaux with aromas of black plum, graphite, dried violets, leather, cigar box, wild raspberries, cherry lozenge, and cedar. The palate is equally traditional, with stern tannins that start chiselled and finish like velvet. The acidity is refreshing but not the dominant feature here. Despite its relatively low alcohol, it’s rich and supple. You’ll find further flavours of black truffle, clove, forest floor, pomegranate, water mint, and strawberry juice.

Pairing: Tiny Naylor most likely invented the Patty Melt in California in the late 1940s. Inspired by the tuna melt, this sandwich features a hamburger patty, cheese, and onions, served between two pieces of rye bread. For any true connoisseur, Thousand Island Dressing is the essential condiment. Although traditionalists would argue generic swiss cheese will suffice, I’d substitute Monterey Jack, another Californian culinary invention, for its subtle buttery flavour.

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MAY 2021 FEATURED WINES

WINE ONE: LAURENT SAILLARD LUCKY YOU

About: The grapes for this cuvée come from a section of Clos Roche Blanche plated in 1973. The cépage is roughly 80% Sauvignon Blanc and 20% Chardonnay. The grapes are whole-cluster pressed into stainless steel where the juice ferments slowly until the spring. Malolactic conversion took place before the wine was fully dry. It is bottled unfined and unfiltered with minimal additional Sulphur.

Taste: This wine is pale gold in the glass. It billows and gusts with aromas of yellow apple, chamomile, pear skins, pine nuts, matsutake, silver needle tea, and nectarine. The palate is graceful and flowing like silk but with a prickle of acidity. It has a saline quality, and a coolness I really admire. You’ll find further flavours of quince, sweetgrass, sandalwood, and meyer lemon. A gentle creaminess adds length.

Pairing: The Loire Valley is famous for its perfect produce. The orchards yield some of France’s most delicious fruit; the fields nourish the goats that make some of France’s most delicious cheeses; the forested areas and underground caves yield spectacular mushrooms. In fact, 40% of the worlds Blue Foot Mushrooms come from one single farm in the Loire. They even have a mushroom museum if that’s your idea of a good time. What I’m trying to say is this wine will pair exceptionally well with seasonal mushrooms as well as white asparagus and goat cheese.

WINE TWO: DOMAINE DE LA GARRELIÈRE LE CHENIN DE LA COLLINE

About: This wine is made from a 3.2ha plot of 30+-year-old Chenin Blanc planted on aeolian sand over silex. This wine was made as an ode to the south-facing slope they find their vineyard on and all the equinox parties they’ve thrown on top of it. They take three passes through this vineyard to harvest each bunch at optimal ripeness. The wine ferments for several weeks in concrete tank before élevage, a light filtration, and bottling.

Taste: This wine is medium gold in the glass. The nose is warm and inviting with aromas of apricot, almond paste, warm laundry, early peaches, honeysuckle, and lemon zest. The palate is robust with plenty of glycerous weight. The suggestion of sweetness is balanced by Chenin Blanc’s signature acidity. You’ll find further flavours of dried pineapple, orange blossom, wool, white truffle, and key lime pie on the palate. After 5-10 years in your cellar, it’ll get even richer!

Pairing: Chenin Blanc is incredibly versatile. Its combination of ripe fruit, persistent acidity, and umami help it go with a wide variety of dishes. Like Laurent Saillard’s Lucky You above, it has an affinity for mushroom dishes. I think back to the shitake and matsutake I had grilled over the coals at a small neighbourhood yakitori place in Hamadayama outside Tokyo. Something about Japanese charcoal calls out for this wine.

WINE THREE: DOMAINE DUSEIGNEUR LA GOUTTE DU SEIGNEUR

IMPORTED BY GARNEAU BLOCK; WRITE-UP BY OWNER GABRIELLA BERGSTEN

About:  Domaine Duseigneur was founded by Bernard Seigneur's father in 1960, who moved to the southern Rhone Valley (where this wine is from), and planted grapes for the vineyard in the Lirac AOC. Certified organic since 1998, and biodynamic since 2002, the harvest is done by hand. This wine sees 2 weeks of maceration in a concrete tank, no oak ageing, ambient yeasts only. Organic grapes, grown biodynamically; unfined.

Taste: Juicy, freshly picked strawberries, and super silky tannins. Eminently drinkable.

Pairing: Netflix and any day that ends with "Y". It's also delightful with all the al fresco dining we have been partaking in lately. 

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APRIL 2021 FEATURED PREMIUM WINES

WINE ONE: DORMILONA CHARDONNAY

About: This Chardonnay comes from one of Jo’s favorite blocks in Wallcliffe. It is organically farmed and sees no watering. Whole-bunches are directly pressed into a combination of demi-muid, barrique, and terracotta. The wine goes through malolactic conversion before being racked and bottled with minimal Sulphur.

Taste: This wine is a pale gold in the glass. The nose is radiant with aromas of white peach, pear blossom, macadamia nut, meringue, and sandalwood. The palate is equal parts soft and brisk; it reminds me of sitting on the beach in spring - the sun is just warm enough to convince you to jump in the water despite the wind nipping at your shoulders. It’s this tension between freshness and tenderness that really speaks to me. You’ll find further flavours of salted nectarine, rice pudding, hōjicha, fresh apple, and lily. Tremendously charming.

How to Drink: My friend Will recently posted a photo of Lobster Thermidor on his Instagram and I can’t help assuming this would pair exceptionally well with this wine. I was also recently chatting with our friend Patricia (@miss_foodie) about what I’d pair with certain classic Chinese dishes. A sumptuous yet refreshing chardonnay like this would be an excellent foil for Calgary Court’s Shrimp & Egg Fried Hofan or Stir-Fried Pumpkin with Salted Egg Yolk. Speaking of eggs, it’s also the ideal pairing for eggs benedict if you’re into breakfast for dinner, or a boozy brunch.

WINE TWO: ECHO BAY SYNOPTIC

About: Echo Bay Vineyard is located right above Skaha Lake minutes north of Okanagan Falls. This steeply sloped site faces south-west from within a large gully. Farmed organically with additional biodynamic preparations by Kelsey and her family, the vines are getting healthier each year. This classic Bordeaux blend is made from Merlot (39%), Cabernet Franc (22%), Cabernet Sauvignon (14%), Malbec (11%), Carmenère (7%), and Petit Verdot (7%). The grapes are destemmed, gently crushed, and fermented independently of one another. After 4-5 weeks on skins the wine is pressed off into a variety of barrels, 20% of which were new this year. After eighteen months of élevage the wine is blended, and after a short resting period the wine is bottled with 30ppm of sulphur. It spends an extended period of time ageing in bottle before release. 360 cases were made.

Taste:  This wine is a medium ruby in the glass. The nose is boreal with aromas of cedar, dried cherry, sweet cigar smoke, ripe plums, dried roses, and graphite. The palate is dense but not heavy. There’s a freshness here emphasized by tannin and acidity, balancing ripe fruit. It’s incredibly reminiscent of Bordeaux from the 80s, before oak and alcohol became more important than complexity and terroir.

Pairing: As usual, I did a deep dive into long lost regional dishes and discovered the ultimate pairing: Lamprey à la Bordelaise. For picky or squeamish eaters this might not be your idea of a good time, but to me, it sounds delicious. Apparently, the rivers that runs through the center of Bordeaux are famous for these eel-like-fish. Traditionally, they make a rich sauce from the lamprey’s blood, Armagnac, and red Bordeaux wine resulting in something loosely resembling a stew. Served with a garlicky baguette, it sounds like the ultimate pairing for this wine. Conveniently, the lamprey festival is held in April every year - even more reason to celebrate.

WINE THREE: DOMAINE DE LA GARRELIÈRE CINABRE

About: This wine comes from 40-50-year-old Cabernet Franc vines planted on wind-blown sand and flinty clay on the hillside. Soils here are infused with iron giving them a red glow, hence naming this wine after cinnabar, a red mineral pigment. This is their lowest yielding plot. The grapes are destemmed and fermented in tank for three weeks before being pressed off into barrel, some of which are quite new. After a year in barrel the wine is racked and bottled without filtration.

Taste: This with is a medium ruby in the glass. The nose is exactly what you’d expect from top tier Cabernet Franc: black raspberry, dried rose, wild sage, lichen, plum skins, gunpowder, and just a hint of cinnamon. The palate is perfectly centered and noble with juicy acidity, rounded tannins, and surreal length. The flavours are vivid and true. You’ll find further notes of black cherry, currant leaf, balsam, tarragon, pomegranate, black truffle, and vanilla.

Pairing: The Oie d'Anjou is an appellation protected goose (IGP) raised in open air near La Garrelière. The birds tend to have more fat than chicken, but less gaminess than duck. Prized since the middle ages, they’re often served simply roasted with classic sides. I’d suggest a duxelles de champignons to really highlight this wine’s comforting earthiness.

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APRIL 2021 FEATURED WINES

Wine One: Broc Cellars Love White

About: Steve and Diane Love started Love Ranch back in 1994 (it’s now owned by Oscar Ramos). Their sustainably farmed Rhone grape varieties in the Madera Foothills form the perfect base for the Love White. The vineyard is at 1350 feet above sea-level on granitic schist. The grapes are harvested at the end of August to maintain acidity. All four grape varieties are fermented separately in a combination of twenty-five hectoliter Hungarian oak, barriques, puncheons, and German halbstück. After a few months, the wine is bottled with minimal Sulphur. This vintage is 46% Marsanne, 38% Grenache Blanc, 8% Rousanne, 8% Picpoul.

Taste: This wine is a pale gold in the glass. It is an angelic cherub, gargling and cooing for your attention. You’ll find aromas of white peach, tangerine, meyer lemon, pear blossom, toasted meringue, heather, and dried pineapple. On the palate you’ll find radiant sunshine, warmth, and a soothing hum. Somehow it is both zesty and as plush and squishy as a marshmallow. The acidity is perfectly balanced by ripe stone fruit and a subtle creaminess. On the finish you’ll find hints of chamomile, yellow plum, dried ginger, and sweet hay. 

Pairing: As California was Mexico more recently than you might think, our focus is on the foods of Baja California, just south of the boarder. Tacos de pescado can either feature fried or grilled fish, often with a little dollop of sour cream, and salsa bandera. In the same vein, tacos de camarones focuses on the sweetness of shrimp sautéed in garlic. Adding a little fried corn would be a proper ode to the Mexico-California culinary exchange. Sopa de Calabaza would be a wonderful vegetarian alternative provided you swap out the chicken stock for one derived from vegetables. Make sure to make some toasty pepitas, they’ll also pair beautifully with this wine.

Wine Two: Gut Oggau Atanasius

About: The grapes for this cuvée come from a low yielding plot of 35-year-old Zweigelt and Blaufrankisch. The vines are planted on gravel and limestone. The grapes are destemmed and fermented in 500L and 1200L barrels. 2/3rds spent three weeks on the skins, 1/3rd was direct pressed. Élevage is done in the same barrels for a year. The wine is bottled unfined, unfiltered and without Sulphur.

Taste: This wine is a vivid purple in the glass. The nose is chiseled, angular, honed to perfection. Aromas of blueberry, black cherry, violet, juniper, black pepper, balsam, black granite, gunpowder, and pomegranate. The palate is perky with a shocking spritz that implies electricity. The tannins are tight knit and generous fruit balances its acidity. You’ll finder further flavours of oxalis, raspberry juice, dried rose, underbrush, black currant, and blood orange. Handsome and earnest.

Pairing: For this wine we’ve taken a deep dive into classical Viennese cuisine. Beuschel is essentially a ragout based on offal. Lungs and hearts were once thought of as too mundane and rustic for royalty, but thanks in part to this dish, they became all the rage in the 19th century. With our modern focus on sustainability, and elevating unsung ingredients, it’s a shame offal hasn’t found its way into North American food culture. Served with a rich dark gravy scented with marjoram and capers and finished with a mixture of sour and double cream, the tender offal meat is heady and primal. Serviettenknödel, a thick bread dumpling, is the perfect vessel for any leftover sauce.

Wine Three: Louis-Antoine Luyt Pipeño País

About: The País for this project comes from 200+ year old vines planted in Maule. The iron rich clays are punctuated by quarts and granite. The grapes are hand destemmed using the traditional zaranda method. The wine ferments in open top lagares for two weeks before being pressed into traditional pipas for a brief élevage. The wine is then settled in tank before bottling - sometimes with minor filtration and a pinch of SO2.

Taste: This wine is a medium ruby in the glass. It runs wild through the hot forest - elderberry, rooibos, sunbaked raspberry, cedar, terracotta, long peppers, wilted rose, red apple skins, dried porcini, and espelette. The palate is feral, shaking its long, matted hair, pulchritudinous and riled up. It has ample richness to balance the succulent acidity. Alcohol adds warmth and the illusion of sweetness while tannins contribute grip. You’ll find further flavours of patchouli, sumac, rose hip, roasted pumpkin, baked red plum, strawberry, and wild bay. You’re in for a serious adventure.

Pairing: Merquén, a Chilean spice mix made from ripe smoked and sundried aji peppers, with coriander and salt would really make this wine sing. It traditionally has more sweet earthy notes than pure spice, making it an ideal rub for larger cuts of meat (cordero al palo if you’re feeling particularly adventurous). Milacaos Chilotes, a traditional potato bread stuffed with chicharrones would also be delightful for a crisp spring afternoon snack.

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