Henry Yuen (Chinese blog: http://taiyangbao.ca/author/henryyuen/?variant=zh-hans )

When we think of Italian wines, we think of Sangiovese and some other indigenous grape varietals such as Nebbiolo and Barbera. But in Italy, there is a wine region where Bordeaux grape varietals are widely planted. In the region of Bolgheri near Florence, cultivated in the land of Tenuta Argentiera are Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Syrah.

Being closest to the sea and with the tallest escalate from the plains to the hills, the estate of Tenuta Argentiera is blessed with geographic and climatic means to produce excellent wines.   The sun, the Mediterranean terroir, the superior soil and the land nurture the vines well.  All the grape varietals, caressed by Mother Nature and taken care of by passion and experience, all collaborated and consequently, wines that receive nods globally keep coming out of the picturesque land.  The owners, brothers Corrado and Marcello Fratini take full advantage of Mother Nature’s gifts, fellow farmers and workers; and turn 60 of their 80 hectares into vineyards.

I tasted some very fine Tenuta Argentiera’s wines in a recent event and was absolutely impressed by these Italian wines intwined with hint of Bordeaux characteristics.

The 2008 Argentiera Bolgheri Superiore hit my palate with such mellow but ecstatic sensation, it grabbed my attention immediately! The stringently selected grapes – 55% Cab Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 5% Cab Franc – had a short stainless steel fermentation and maceration period of only 25 to 30 days, but the 18 months in French oak did the trick. The velvety body with a vanilla aroma conceals complex flavours of ripened plums and berries. Swirl and sip this high score wine on its own, or pair it with slow-baked ribs or roasted venison loin.  

The 2009 Poggio ai Ginepri, crafted with 50% Cab Sauvignon, 30% Syrah and 20% Merlot harvested from another vineyard with different soil condition of clay, gravel, limestone…etc. The purple red coloured wine offers a soft and round palate, balanced tannins.  The flavour profile, made up of dark fruit, a touch of citrus and spices, is quite interesting.  Grilled steaks, barbecued or skewer meats, smoked duck and even cured meat will go well with this very pleasant wine.

The 2010 Villa Donoratico is made with 4 varietals -45% Cab Sauvignon, 30% Cab Franc, 15% Merlot and 10% Petit Verdot – these are grown at higher elevation fields that yield less. The enticing fruit-forward aroma plus the attractive flavours of berries and currants get better as it opens up.  Drink this with any sizzling clay-pot meat stews, even poultry in a sweet soy sauce with a subtle touch of dark vinegar and chilli oil. 

  Henry Yuen (Chinese blog:                http://taiyangbao.ca/author/henryyuen/? variant=zh-hans )

  The other day, I sampled two different BC VQA Rosè from the Okanagan Crush Pad. From colour, aroma, texture to mouth feel, they varied in all aspects. Wasn’t it surprising when I realized the two wines were actually crafted from the same grape varietal, sourced from the same block off the same vineyard! The only difference – “ The grapes were harvested two weeks apart!” was the information I got from winemaker Michael Bartier. 

Two Rosè so close together yet so distinct, and evidently another two fine products to showcase the talents, the soil, the weather we have right here in beautiful British Columbia’s wine country.

The two wines: Haywire Winery Gamay Noir Rose 2010 and Bartier & Scholefield Rose 2010 – released from the Okanagan Crush Pad recently and created quite a splash. I must say, these are two equally delicious Rosè wines out in time to welcome spring and the warmer days well into our golden summer.  Chilled, these are guaranteed to be popular patio sippers regardless of your personal choice.

Sometimes winemakers need to wear that artistic hat in crafting their wines. It may be a big risk to take since they have to be playful and have the vision of what the end product would taste like, but it also is a positive challenge to one self and to Mother Nature’s gift. When the end result comes up on top, it is more than a big cheer, it is un-measureable fulfillment!

In this particular case the winemaker, Michael Bartier and wine consultant, David Scholefield decided to fiddle around with a witty concept – crafting two Rosè wines with the same fruit and named them differently. Playing with their last names (Bartier & Scholefield) and to lay the ground work, the B.S Rosè was made from grapes left on the vines for two more weeks before harvesting . But the real magic took place in the cellar!

The Haywire Rosè faced a shorter maceration time to restrain skin contact and was fermented in cook tanks while the B.S Rose was allowed more hours to macerate, longer skin contact period and was fermented warm.  Addition to the tank works for both Rosè was the deliberate extended period of cellar time before releasing to allow extra maturity in the bottle. The 2010 wines would have normally been released in 2012 but instead, these two are just released.

The results: The Haywire Rosè yields a lighter pinkish salmon roe colour compared to the pinky red of the B & S Rose. While the Haywire Rose, with more acidity and fresh raspberry character, provides the “wow” effect; the B & S, linger in the palate with a subtle mix berries flavour and baked apple finish, offers a mellow delicate taste. 

In an informal tasting with friends, the Haywire Rosè seems to gain a slight edge probably due to its bubbly texture.  Yet everyone agrees both are exceptional patio sippers and can be enjoyed with or without food.

Please do not let me influence your choice and you should determine for yourselves! The gloves may be off for Michael and David to fight over which Rosè is the crowd favourite, but you do have a say as well. Simply go to the Okanagan Crush Pad site (http://www.okanagancrushpad.com) to cast your vote and enter to win a trip to the Okanagan!

Henry Yuen (Chinese blog: http://taiyangbao.ca/author/henryyuen/?variant=zh-hans )

The end of February brings to us Vancouver International Wine Festival, a colossal food and wine celebration that is getting bigger and better each year.   Now celebrating its 35^th anniversary, the Vancouver International Wine Festival continues to hold true to its charity mandate.  With “Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival” as the fundraiser beneficiary, the city’s popular summer outdoor performance is not going to miss a beat.

When it comes to the 6-day long Wine Festival, most people seem to somehow focus mainly on the 3-evenings of International Festival Tasting (Feb 28 to Mar 02). Those whose been to other highlighting events will, however, tell you how delightful these experiences are! Do take a look at what the 35^th Wine Festival has planned and treat yourselves to a different level of wine festival joviality.  

With so many wineries participating and all the 1850 wines available at the general tasting, it is difficult if not impossible to taste them all.  Pre-tasting planning and mapping is perhaps a must in order to achieve the best possible value sipping and swirling wine while walking down aisles and aisles of stations. Knowing what wines and varietals you like best, or concentrating regions or country is necessary. 176 wineries and thousands of wines are waiting; there is no shortage of wines to be sampled. You may as well take the most out of it instead of tasting too many to register. It is therefore wise to be choosy and reserve your palate for those wines you plan to taste. My suggestion – spend some time checking out the ‘must try’ wines on the list before you walk into the hall and do those first while your palates are still fresh and clean, then tackle the others accordingly!

While the general tasting is a convenient way to taste a lot of wines, in-depth appreciation of wines offered at various wine seminars where wine experts discuss trends; the latest viticulture; winemaking techniques, and both interesting and educational specifications. Wine pairing dinners are close encounters with wineries principles and winemakers sharing and revealing all aspects of their wines.  Mind you, the food is always well-prepared, beautifully plates and goes perfect with the flight of wines. The other bonus – you’re amongst wine lovers!

If think you’re kind of or already are a food and wine explorer; perhaps wonder sometimes why the fuzz; or want to know how to perfect the food and wine pairing experience; the many different seminars and winemaker’s dinners will get you interested, aroused, or even feeling like an advanced wine fellow when you leave.

To make sure you are part of this fun, colourful, definitely enhancing and superbly tasty festival, go on-line to vanwinefest.ca to check out the programs and book your tickets, NOW! The wine region focus this year is California and the featured varietal Chardonnay.  Under this format, the Old World and New World wines will come together on the same platform during this exciting wine festival season.  The beloved California wines and charming Chardonnay are well represented and promise to give wines drinkers the true and deep appreciation they come to expect.                      

Henry Yuen (Chinese posting http://taiyangbao.ca/author/henryyuen/?variant=zh-hans )

In the old days, most restaurants used to serve only house wines by the glass. These days, it’s quite a different story.

With the availability of new technology and gadgets to preserve the freshness of wine, almost all wines on the restaurant wine list can be served by the glass, if so desired. The trend is to provide small groups choices so they don’t have to stick to just one wine throughout the meal. Customers welcome the given opportunity to taste different wines with their food and thus providing the pairing experience keen flexibility and dinner enhanced pleasure.

More and more wine lists of top-notch restaurants try to get away from the term “House Wines” sighting that term as out-dated and not savvy anymore. The old-time notion to choose cheaper, lower quality wines known as ”House Wines” is fading away. What most restaurants have progressed to do is to pick certain wine labels as the restaurant’s signature wine. Some proprietors even go a step further to create the restaurant’s very own wine labels by asking certain wineries to craft a wine or two on the restaurant’s behalf which will pair well with the restaurant’s culinary style and menu. This no doubt is a sound idea to raise the profile of the restaurant. The decent quality of these private-labelled wines often proves to the diners the wines they made and labelled is not an afterthought but indeed very drinkable wines worthy of recommending. I have no problem with this at all since it is in fact the restaurant’s job to enhance customers’ dining enjoyment.

The “Market Red” available at Edible Canada Bistro on GranvilleIsland is a good example. This BC Gamay & Syrah blend is designed and crafted in Okanagan for the restaurant. The launch of the wine has created a marvellous marketing opportunity for Edible Canada by not just talking about wine, but showcasing the true calibre of the restaurant’s culinary attention.  Eric Pateman, founder and CEO of Edible Canada smartly takes advantage of the strong global recognition of BC wine industry while assuring his customers through exquisite food and a focused wine menu using Canadian products this is what the restaurant is all about.

An alternative concept taking advantage of customer’s every-growing attention to the both the chef and the wine is to have a wine the chef recommends. That chef endorsed wine goes through rigorous selection process before they become the signature or speciality wines of the restaurant is a loud and prominent message verifying both the chef’s passionate involvement and the restaurant’s commitment to provide a great food and wine pairing experience.  The astounding and wittily-labelled “Feenie goes Haywire” Red and White at the Cactus Club Café gives diners that these are naturally salient wine choices. Putting Chef Feenie’s name on the wine bottle is ‘the’ invitation for diners to relate to Chef Fennie; thus more than willing to give it a try.  The wines are crafted by the Okanagan Crush Pad and without a doubt pair well with Chef Rob Feenie’s sought-after signature dishes. The household name of B.C.’s very own ‘Canadian Iron Chef’ Ro Feenie is now prestigiously attached to the line-up of “wine experts”. 

Adopting a similar mode with a partnership approach, EarlsRestaurant now offers the “Rascal Next Door” 2011 Red and White blends crafted by Cedar Creek Estate Winery on their behalf. The ‘relationship’ between Earls and Cedar Creek is a partnership made-perfect and indicates the graceful respect to each other, given the fact that both are pioneers in BC’s F&B field.  Such notion re-affirms the tight net-work which is valued both in the industry as well as in the dining public. Priced at a reasonable $28 per bottle, these wines will be popular with customers who appreciate quality wine but at a price that wouldn’t break the bank.       

We all know food and wine goes together, yet nobody wants to have to read a menu as thick as a book before deciding what to order. To remain competitive, restaurants cannot be stagnant and any novelty idea could furnish an edge to go up one level. Restaurants that pay attention not just to their food but to both elements often come out ahead and find a spot in customers’ list of favourite restaurants.                           

Henry Yuen (For Chinese posting, pls log onto:
http://taiyangbao.ca/author/henryyuen/?variant=zh-hans )

I first came across Blasted Church wines a while ago at my favourite Island resort Sooke Harbour House while having dinner with my good friend and owner, Sinclair Phillips, the wine expert known for his huge collection of fine wines. When Sinclair told me the wine they were serving for dinner was from Blasted Church Vineyards, I thought “What a name for a vineyard!”. Well, this was one name difficult not to remember for sure!

Interestingly, when Sinclair showed me the bottle, my attention was aroused more so when I saw his portrait in a cartoony and artistic kind of way right on the label. It definitely stood out and helped extrude the element of fun and wonder. I knew clearly why he wanted to pour the wine that night! Indirectly, this is ‘his’ bottle of wine!

 What a lovely evening it was – I was in good company, having exceptional food in a cozy room with a blazing fire-place inside and the roaring Pacific waves outside. And the sipping for the evening, with my good friend smiling at me from a bottle of wine, was more than just fine, it was memorable!

Fast forward to now and that cartoonish concept of using different personalities and characters in the label continues. While the fun quotient did not diminish, the wine-making notions of BlastedChurch are all serious when it comes to quality and drinkability. Judging by the numerous awards and accolades over the years, this ten year old vineyard is relentless in honing their wares and crafting some very good wines each step of the way.  Not a big vineyard in terms of scale with 25,000 cases produced annually, it is big on fine tuning their wines to sort of “blasting” their way into the competitive BC wine landscape. With Mark Wendenburg, formerly of Sumac Ridge fame, joining in 2011 and charting their winemaking direction, the team is even stronger now to further complement their ten years of storytelling and artistic traits. 

Both red and white varietals are well represented in both the Storytelling series and the Revered series. Most wines are priced competitively and are hot items at restaurants and various wine outlets. For whites, I particularly liked the Pinot Gris with its aroma of grape fruit and melon and a refreshing, crisp mouth feel. This I will pair with a platter of poached shelled fish; hot items like the pan-fried filet of fish; wok-fried buttered winter vegetables on the side. 

The Hatfield’s Fuse 2011 is a white blend with aroma of Asian fruits and green apple and a smooth, intense citrus hint, perfect with Chinese cold cuts and stir-fries. For the reds, the Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot 2009 indicates fine detailed efforts that bring out the cassis and berries bouquet and a lingering jammy ending note. This forward wine will go well with roasted lamb, Braised Asian-styled clay pot meats, such as oxtails and beef tongues; heavy cheeses would not disappoint either. 

Not to be out-done is the Big Bang Theory 2011 with lots of berries and stone fruit in the nose that tapers off with enough bites in the finish for this medium to full bodied wine. This is one great bottle to go on our family dinner table come Chinese New Year – I’m tempting to pair it with Stephanie’s Braised vegetable (with wood ears, black mushrooms, lotus roots in red tofu sauce) and an oven-baked chicken (with head and tail on for wholeness) she marinates overnight in her own coffee, red wine, brown sugar and brown bean sauce.

Happy Year of the Snake to you all!

Henry Yuen (Chinese posting: http://taiyangbao.ca/author/henryyuen/?variant=zh-hans )

Chile’s wine regions:

From North to South: Elqui Valley, Limari Valley, Choapa Valley, Aconcagua Valley, Casablanca Valley, Santonio/Leyda Valley, Maipo Valley, Rapel/Cachapoal Valley, Rapel/Colchagua Valley, Curico Valley, Maule Valley, Itata Valley, Bio Bio Valley, Malleco Valley.

Chile’s wine production:

Total vineyard area: 117, 559 hectare

Total red varieties: 88, 703 hectare 75%

Total white varieties: 28, 856 hectare 25%

Varietals:

Cabernet Sauvignon: 40766 hectare                                      

Merlot: 13283 hectare

Sauvignon Blanc: 8862 hectare                                              

Chardonnay: 8733 hectare

Carmenere: 7284 hectare

Syrah: 3513 hectare

Pinot Noir: 1413 hectare

Wine tours are not only about tasting different wines at various wineries. This 6-day Chilean wine tour gave us the opportunity to understand the philosophy of each winery and embrace what the industry and individual organizations are striving for. It involved conversations with the winemakers and the proprietors that allowed first-hand comprehension of their missions, visions, focuses and aspirations. The week spent on the vineyard slopes, the tasting rooms and close encounters with the hard-working folks at the front, centre and behind each bottle who truly are the trailblazers which helped build what Chilean wine industry is today, are nothing short of an eye-opener that kept our minds and palates going at high speed!

Here are my observations on Chilean’s current wine industry:

1/ Trending towards single-vineyard wines: Definitely a pleasant and worthy direction I say. Most wineries consequently produce a top tier wine label that emphasizes on grapes from a single vineyard. The goal is to showcase that particular terroir and the skill of the winemaker to infuse minimal intrusion to the wine. Without blending grapes from different terroirs, the objective is to highlight the distinctiveness of a certain region or specific area. Even though some of us close to the industry might go a further step   wanting to know the name of the vineyard on the label; however, detailed names of the valley and vineyards on the labels, from a commercial point of view, could be too much information for the public to chew at time of purchase.

2/ The emphasis on vineyard management is very much alive and coveted: Another development that strengthened the progress of the overall industry. This return the land to its natural state through healthy vineyard practices is inarguably a strong impetus; a noble respect for the surrounding environment and habitat which at the end benefits all lives and forms. There are vineyards which employ horses instead of tractors to work around the vineyard to reduce carbon emission and facilitate the idea of using the horse manure as natural fertilizer. Birds and animals are encouraged to roam the land to provide the natural balance. Wild yeast or natural yeast is also popular in the fermentation process to enhance the “as close to land as possible” philosophy. Besides vineyard being organic, the progression is to the stage of biodynamic farming practices.

3/ New concept, new practice, new era: From a winemaking perspective, the era of too much oak influence is over. Nowadays, winemakers are generally crafting wines with less oak treatment to allow the natural fruit characteristics of the wine to flow. Instead of using entirely new French oak, most are using re-used French oak or introducing the wine to less time in new oak barrels. As a result, wines are fresher on the palate without too much of the oaky or smokiness that could overpower the essence of the wine.

4/ Second or third generation winemakers bring in youthful energy and longevity to the industry: Of course, the winemakers from various parts of Europe honing their skills and passing on their expertise are significant to Chile’s wine making industry. But the new generation who are relatively younger in age are full of zeal, passion and a brand new tech mind. They are armed with formal training through universities and structured courses and the willingness to take on challenges. Most unveil an air of confidence, welcome the competition but never downplay each other’s effort and value. To me, this is the group that is positively forward in their thinking and action, is well-versed in the global wine perspective to give Chilean wines a bright future.   The old and experienced working hand-in-hand with the young and deft has no doubt formed a strong force, one that is shining through the bottles of Chilean wines enjoyed in many more countries than before.    

Though short, the trip was nonetheless an eye-opener which gradually turned into admiration and humble respect.  Bravo to you all – our Chilean winemakers and their team members!             

Henry Yuen (Chinese posting: http://taiyangbao.ca/author/henryyuen/?variant=h-hans )

Many vocabularies can be used to praise the good effort of the winemaker, the winery, or the folks behind a bottle of wine that provides the profound pleasure: Experienced, skilled, masterful, passionate, exceptional, diligent … to pinch a few. What about talented? To me, this description applies in many cases. And that is the first word that comes to my mind when I took a sip of the fine wines from Joie Farm Winery; not that the other afore-mentioned adjectives don’t apply.

We know the Joie portfolio of whites is consistently delicious year after year; go ahead and try their Noble Blend 2010 and you would not disagree. Having tried their reds recently – the PTG 2010 (PTG stands for “Passe-Tout-Grains”, a classic, elegant Burgundy wine made from Pinot Noir of the Cote d’Or and Gamay of Beaujolais) and the Reserve Pinot Noir 2010; I have to say they are equally outstanding. The description “talented” appropriately belongs to the winemaker, Heidi Noble. A chef, an author and a sommelier who has worked in the wine trade, Heidi is the affable example of someone who basically went through the learning curve. Not from a formal and structured education other winemakers with university degrees and acclaimed credentials have; but through a self-taught environment made up of obvervation, trial and error, hard work and confidence. Her ability to craft such high quality wines in a considerably short time frame through self-taught and informal learning is truly remarkable. No double the path is filled with challenges and disappointment but to maintain such high stability throughout the portfolio is amazing. The willingness to learn and absorb, then attempt and apply is what makes her craft such a skill and her wines standing apart from others.
As in education, when the curriculum is compressed, the finer details will often be missed. But not for Heidi! The attention to details and maintaining her cognizance throughout the wine-crafting are the silent components making Joie’s wines so enjoyable to drink. Her involvement with different trades and still able to achieve such fine winemaking skill is rare, not to mention extremely difficult. The Joie portfolio is compellingly well-crafted and all their wines are structurally strong and delicately delicious , truly the dedicated work of a talented and passionate winemaker! Guess how many awards and medals Joie won in 2012 alone? Forty, a big four zero!! Log onto their website to see the list – http://www.joiefarm.com

Here my wine notes on my favourite Joie wines: 

The Rose’ 2011: Certainly a fun and delicious patio sipper, yet its complex texture is equally versatile around the dinner table and can pair nicely with many dishes or even heavier courses. Besides the Noble Blend, the Reserve Gewurtztraminer 2011 also grabs my attention and is a mainstay to cut through spicy and savory dishes. The PTG 2010, a Pinot Noir and Gamay blend, symbolic to the Okanagan terroir, is a Burgundian style with balanced oak and bottle aged with lively local fruit and berries aroma. Equally satisfying is the Reserve Pinot Noir 2010 from the Naramata Bench that exhibits balanced plum and berries aroma with enough acidity and roundness for most meat and poultry dishes and even seafood.

Henry Yuen (Original Chinese posting: http://taiyangbao.ca/author/henryyuen/?variant=zh-hans )

Arrived and ready for lunch with the hosts.

When I first found out I was to embark on a wine tour hosted by the Wines of Chile Organization, the impression I got from the invitation was that it would be some sort of a “fact finding” mission. Not knowing what to expect, I told my friends exactly that. I quite liked that term – it sounded official, congruous and business-like. It also carried a resounding purpose which made the trip an important one to look forward to. Little did I know the wine tour awaiting was to be so much fun and such an eye-opener; and that I would be meeting some great folks and learning immensely during the entire trip.

Two certified sommeliers and wine experts (Treve Ring & Terry Threlfall), a veteran food & wine writer (Tim Pawsey) and a retail wine expert from Calgary (Kevin McLean) round out our 5-person group. With the same passion for food and wine, everyone has adventurous stories to tell; there’s no inhibition in exploring into something variant or new, we all looked forward to what lied ahead. The first leg of the flight saw us stopping in Toronto for a few hours where we began sharing the excitement anticipated.  Followed by a 10-hour overnight flight to allow us to rest and prepare for the journey ahead before greeting Santiago in the morning.  Time flew during transit, when stories were exchanged; interesting topics were discussed and few pints were consumed. Once we were picked up at the airport upon arrival, off we went to our first wine tasting session in the country side where a luncheon reception was waiting.

Having the Wines of Chile as the host organization was a definite plus.  The entire trip was planned strategically with efficiency and detail-oriented. Each step was taken care of in a first class manner to make sure the stress level was reduced.  This is especially important when visiting a foreign country where a different language is spoken. From being picked up at the airport to each winery visit, it was carried out with precision so we were able to relax and enjoy the experience and of course, the wines!

The Central wine regions of Chile were where we spent over a week visiting wineries and vineyards. Since Chile is a relatively big and long country, there was just not enough time to visit all the interesting wine regions stretching from North to South. It made perfect sense to concentrate on the Central wine regions such as Maipo, Colchagua, and Cachapoal. I would rather spend time visiting more wineries than dozing off on the tour bus.

November is spring time in the southern hemisphere.  The weather was excellent when we were there, without a drop of rain to douse our enthusiasm and spoil those outdoor fun activities. Chile has the mild Mediterranean climate with the geographic diversity of the Pacific Ocean moisture and the cooling effect of the AndesMountains, forming ideal conditions for vines to flourish. In spite of such a climatic gift from Mother Nature, the wine industry only took off in the 1990s even though the Spanish missionaries first planted grapes in Chile long time ago.

While European vineyards were constantly devastated by pest and mildew, vineyards in Chile seldom experience similar problems. This unique feature did give Chile the advantage which allowed the industry to grow and draw international attention sighting Chile as a favourable grape growing region. None the less, it was not entirely a smooth ride at first as the lack in winemaking technology and vineyard management hindered. Chile was only able to produce wines generally good enough for bulk quality. This volume-producing era saw Chilean wines commanding lower price and garnered few wine awards.

The wakeup call came in the 1990s as the Chilean wine industry as a whole realized the potential could be wasted if nothing was done to improve the overall quality. Consultants and experts were called in with various joint venture activities structured. Improvements on the wine-making skills and revolutionizing the vineyard management techniques were implemented. The efforts were rewarded and results were astounding! Nowadays, universities in Chile are offering Oenology programs to produce home-grown second generation winemakers to continue to enhance and strengthen the industry. They began to embrace the natural advantages and understand their strengths behold, with relative to the other wines regions of the world, and has started to learn, improve, enhance and push forward. 

Unlike most Canadian wineries, specifically the Okanagan wineries, Chilean wineries generally are much larger in scale. While the number of wineries might be comparatively lower, they are mostly substantial in size and volume. Currently, the wine industry of Chile employs over 80,000 full-time working on 500,000 acres planted while producing 300 million gallons of wine each year. Evidently, it is an important industry vital to the overall economic health of the entire country. Both the government and private businesses are therefore more than ready and willing to put a lot of emphasis on the growth and well-being of the wine industry. There seems to be a common accord and intuition amongst the general population that supporting the wine industry is essential to their overall economic sustainability. They are not only proud of their wines but regard those in the wine industry with relatively high esteem.

We spent 6 days visiting 12 selected wineries in the central regions and had a glimpse of the latest developments in vineyard management and tasted spectrums of their wines, from the entry level wines to the highest level of what they term “icon” wines. My next two articles on this Chile Wine Tour will report on the tasting of the wines from these 12 wineries, and on intimate and candid conservations with their winemakers.            

A bottle of Concha y Toro iconic wine

Stephanie Y

(For original Chinese posting, pls log onto http://taiyangbao.ca/author/stephanieyuen/?variant=zh-hans )

BC does not yet have huge vineyards or ancient and mega wineries, but that doesn’t stop our wines appearing on the global A-list constantly.  To me, being small nourishes authenticity, characters and staying in-touch; it further showcases the behind-the-scene hard-working souls’ diligence, intelligence, perseverance and passions. 

Take Stag’s Hollow for instance. A name known to BC wine lovers but not to some casual drinkers, probably due to the fact that once released; their wines are scooped up by loyal followers, members of their fan club, restaurants and sommeliers. When I asked a few of my wine-drinking friends who fancy French brand-named products and California wines about Stag’s Hollow, most of them had vague or no idea. But after a blind tasting lining Stag’s Heritage Block with a California red and a Bordeau red, were they taken by surprise! While there are many reasons behind these wine drinkers’ preferential wine behavior (which is not going to be discussed here), I’m glad they took on a new perspective, a rather positive one, on the fine products of our very own BC wineries. 

We went on to taste more of Stag’s wines and I had the pleasure of sharing news and information about the winery and the folks with my fellow tasters,  including my recent encounter with founder Larry Gerelus and Celler Dwight Sick who pour their hearts and souls, their blood and sweat into crafting the their wines. Amazingly, despite their background and age difference, these two share the very same philosophy when comes to growing grapes and making wines. They believe good grapes don’t rely justly on Mother Nature, but manual attention and tedious hard work a definite must. Such as constant observation, physically checking and feeling the grapes; winter pruning and cropping; making sound decisions and willing to compromise to ensure to maintain “small intense berries that ripen year after year”!

Tasting Notes:

The Heritage Block 2009: My friends surely love this full-bodied, aromatic Bordeaux-style blend of Merlot, Cab Franc and Cab Sauvignon, loaded with structure and velvety roundness, thanks to the 18 months French and American oak aging. Ripened plum and black cherry filled the bouquet, and lengthy yet soft tannins with a subtle tobacco-smoky flavour. Guarantee to go nicely with Braised ox-tails, beef briskets, Dong-bor Pork and even BBQ duck.

2010 Syrah: A popular grab amongst Shrah fans, the dark berry bouquet, laced with smoky meat and lively spicy hints captured the tasters on site as well. The lengthy and earthy tannin may remind us of the Rhone region of Saint-Joseph style, but none-the-less, but a Stag’s Hollow product that spells of BC’s soil and climate.  Slice some BBQ sausages and ribs from the Chinese BBQ store, or go to your favourite deli for some prosciutto and salami.  

Renaissance 2010 Pinot Noir:  One Pinot Noir to easily fall in love with, this wine calls for continuous sniffing and swirling so the glamourous oak spice, fruity tannins and balance of acidity keep on making love to your nose and palate. I recommend enjoying this on its own if possible, next to a glowing fire place, with soft music on.  If you must drink it with food, a not-too-heavily seasoned roast beef or pork chop; a salmon filet steamed with a light bean sauce; or a cacciatora will work just fine.

Cabernet Franc 2010: A classic and elegant full-bodied wine with a lingering, smooth mouth feel and fruit-forward, well-balanced acidity, the ripened berry flavour, lightly mingled with a hint of tobacco, keeps you wanting more. Pair this wine with smoked salmon candies, charcuteries and BBQ Pork chow-mein; and wok-fried root vegetables seasoned with light soy.