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QUENCH MAGAZINE JULY/AUGUST 2017 GOING TO MARKET × 20 THE SUMMER MEANS FARMER’S MARKETS. TIME TO MAKE FARM-TO-TABLE A REALITY. BY LISA HOEKSTRA OUT × 24 A NOVA SCOTIA WINEMAKER VISITS EUROPE AND DISCOVERS A NEW WORLD. BY SIMON RAFUSE 8 TO TRY × 27 EIGHT WHITE VARIETALS YOU NEED TO FIND. BY MICHAELA MORRIS
34 45
CHANGING MY MIND × 30 REDISCOVERING CHARDONNAY IS EASIER SAID THAN DONE. BY MICHAEL PINKUS FROM VINERY TO WINERY × 34 SOME GRAPE GROWERS ARE TRYING THIER HAND AT WINEMAKING AND FINDING GREAT SUCCESS. BY KONRAD EJBICH FOR PEATS SAKE × 38 AN ODE TO PEATED WHISKEY. BY BONNIE CONRAD CHANGING THE RULES × 40 THERE’S A NEW BREED OF DISTILLER IN TOWN — OR RATHER MAKE THAT OUT OF TOWN. BY TIM PAWSEY MODERN TIMES × 43 COGNAC IS CHANGING ITS TRADITIONAL WAYS. BY TOD STEWART LOCAL AND FRESH × 45 MAKING THE BEST OUT OF YOUR LOCAL FARMER’S BOUTY. BY DUNCAN HOLMES
DEPARTMENTS SALAD DAYS × 48 THESE ARE MY SALAD DAYS/WHEN I AM GREEN IN JUDGMENT. BY NANCY JOHNSON
SCREW CAP OR CORK × 66 FOR MY PALATE, MY MONEY IS ON THE SCREW CAP. HERE’S WHY. BY TONY ASPLER
NOTED × 50 EXPERTLY-TASTED BUYING GUIDE OF WINES, BEERS AND SPIRITS FROM AROUND THE WORLD.
JULY/AUGUST 2017 × QUENCH.ME × 3
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VERY FEW TASTINGS ARE REAL EYE OPENERS FOR ME. While I get to taste some
of the best wines from across the world on a regular basis — I’m not bragging — I don’t always have access to those closest to home. So when I was invited to a Nova Scotia wine masterclass at the Northernlands Festival, I knew I had to take a seat. I’ve always loved the way Nova Scotia has approached their terroir. They saw that the road to success had to be rooted in reality. They never shied away from hybrids — a four letter word
4 × @QUENCH_MAG × LIVING LOCAL ISSUE
“Reading ‘Colour Your World’ by Lisa Hoekstra in the May/June issue was enlightening and very interesting. The theory behind colour psychology seems almost ridiculous; but it made me realize that, yes, I do react differently when surrounded by specific colours. I will definitely make an effort to spend more time considering the psychology to choosing colours appropriate for my space. As for the ‘Greenery’ colour of the year — 100 percent the right choice.” Douglas Setterington, Toronto “Thank you for your garden suggestions! [“How does your garden grow” and “Five things to grow”; May/June issue]. I love the taste of fresh herbs in my recipes. So I’m always on the lookout for new things to plant.” Christy Yeung, email “Those facts in Joanne Will’s “Wasted” [May/June issue] helped put things into perspective and really highlighted the need to work harder to cut down on waste and to make sure as much surplus edible food is recovered. It’s really ludicrous to think that huge segments of people all over the world are starving while enormous amounts of food are going to waste instead of being consumed and appreciated as the treasures they are.” Robert Wilson, email
in some parts. Because of that, Nova Scotia has become one of the most exciting wine regions in Canada. But it isn’t all Tidal Bay. I never saw the value in comparing our local terroirs to other international wine growing regions. Comparisons between Niagara and Burgundy — while not completely unwarranted — are simply unnecessary. We are who we are, and we produce what we produce. When I asked Niagara’s J-L Groux — from Stratus Vineyards — about terroir in a recent video interview, he put it succinctly: “It’s nice to have inspiration when you start [working with a grape] but after 25 or 30 years living here, I don’t need that anymore.” He, like many others in Niagara, BC and the rest of Canada have come to realize that we can — and whole-heartedly should — stand on our own. Niagara Chardonnay tastes like Niagara Chardonnay. It has varietal character but it stands on its own (as some of the recent awards can attest). And to get back to Nova Scotia, l’Acadie Blanc in the hands of skilled winemakers, who understand their terrior tastes wonderful. A beacon calling winelovers from across the globe to taste what Canada has to offer.
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CONTRIBUTORS Simon Rafuse has been the winemaker at Blomidon Estate Winery in Nova Scotia since 2009; he travelled the world for his wine education and work experience, earning a Master of Viticulture and Oenology degree and the Diplôme National d’Oenologue from Montpellier SupAgro (France). He is also an instructor with the Atlantic Canada Chapter of the Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers and an occasional wine writer.
Michaela Morris is a freelance wine writer, educator and presenter. Though based in Vancouver, she sits on wine panels and judges both locally and abroad. Michaela holds the WSET Diploma, is a Vinitaly International Academy Certified Italian Wine Expert and a Master of Wine student. She balances out all of the eating and drinking with yoga, and occasionally cheats on wine with a Negroni.
Konrad Ejbich has been writing and broadcasting about the magic of wine for almost four decades. He was a longtime correspondent for Wine Spectator and numerous Canadian publications, but is perhaps best known for his popular phone-in show on CBC-Radio for more than 20 years. He has authored two wine books and is the proud inventor of sparkling Icewine.
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JULY/AUGUST 2017 × QUENCH.ME × 7
Q SCHOOL
Changing it up FISH AND CHIPS IS A WELL-LOVED TAKEOUT DISH WITH A QUITE BIT OF A HISTORY AND A BAD NUTRITIONAL REPUTATION. The fried-battered-fish-and-French-
fry combo is one of the earliest examples of culinary fusion. It first appeared in 1860, when trawl fishing in the North Sea was hugely popular and the railroads were installed to transport the scaled treasures inland. Since 1860, this oily dish has fed the masses. Nowadays, with our concern over nutritional benefits and the dreaded calories, it may be that the ol’ fish ‘n’ chip isn’t quite so appealing. In a wrapped portion of “chips” there are 951 calories. In a single serving of a medium-sized cod fillet, fried in batter, there are 444 calories. If you’re a calorie counter, you’ll know that’s a lot for one meal. Of course, there are benefits to fish and chips — it’s got protein and fibre, and is relatively low in cholesterol (if you avoid the chips part of the equation, it’s even better for you). But for those of us who may want to beef up the nutritional part of our diet without sacrificing great taste, try clams and seaweed. Clams are one of the best sources of vitamin B12, which is important for energy, brain and nerve health, and the immune system. They’re low in fat, high in protein and have an above-average amount of healthy minerals like selenium, zinc, iron and magnesium. Seaweed is a superfood — rich in iodine, a mineral many lack in their daily diet, and a good source of vitamins A, C, E and K, as well as unique anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compounds. This fried-clams-and-seaweed-chips combo will transform your usual fish and chips into something, well, maybe not better, per se, but healthier and different.
FRIED CLAMS SERVES 8
10 cups canola oil 2 lb clam strips (about 4 cups) 1 cup buttermilk, well-shaken 1 cup cornstarch 1/2 cup cornmeal (preferably yellow, for colour) 1/3 cup unbleached all-purpose flour 1 tsp curry powder 1/2 tsp celery salt 1/2 tsp cayenne 1/2 tsp kosher salt 2 lemons 1 1/2 cups fresh flat-leaf parsley sprigs, well-dried and loosely packed Salt, to taste 1. Heat canola oil in pot over moderate heat until a deep-fat thermometer registers 380°F. While oil is heating, rinse and drain clam strips. Stir together with buttermilk in a large bowl. Drain clams well (reserve drained buttermilk). 8 × @QUENCH_MAG × LIVING LOCAL ISSUE
2. Stir together cornstarch, cornmeal, flour, curry powder, celery salt, cayenne and salt. Dredge clams in flour mixture, then shake in a large sieve over flour bowl to remove excess flour. Transfer clams, one by one, shaking them again to remove any excess flour mixture, to a baking sheet. 3. Wash and dry lemons; cut crosswise into 1/16-inch slices. Dip 3 or 4 slices in reserved buttermilk, let excess drip off, then dredge in flour mixture, shaking off excess. 4. Fry coated clams with coated lemon slices and 1/4 cup parsley sprigs per batch until clams are crisp and golden, about 1 1/2 minutes, then transfer to paper towels to drain. Sprinkle with salt. 5. Return oil to 380°F between batches, removing any bits of fried batter with a fine sieve and coating next batch of clams and lemon slices. The batches will get progressively darker, but that won’t affect the flavour.
SEAWEED CHIPS
SERVES 4 Recipe by Jessica Seinfeld, cookbook author and president/founder of GOOD+ Foundation.
10 roasted seaweed sheets (nori) Salt 1. Heat the oven (with the oven rack in the middle) to 275°F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. 2. Lay a seaweed sheet flat on a clean work surface, shiny side up. Using a pastry brush, brush with a thin layer of water, thoroughly and evenly. Sprinkle with a little salt. 3. Use scissors to cut into 4 squares. They will curl up a little. Place on a sheet pan. Repeat until you have enough squares to fill the pan. 4. Bake until crisp, 7 to 10 minutes. Let cool and serve. ×
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GOOD FOOD BY NANCY JOHNSON
MY FAVOURITE BARBECUE SAUCE
It has a lot of ingredients but is super easy to prepare and truly delicious. Brush on pork shoulder, chicken thighs or a rack of ribs.
Be a sauce boss Everybody loves barbecue, and it’s easy to serve grilled meat with the same ol’ same ol’ bottled barbecue sauce. But if you want to wow your guests at your next ‘cue, do what the pitmasters do and stir up your own sauce.
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3 garlic cloves, crushed and minced 3/4 cup cider vinegar 1 small can tomato paste 1/4 cup molasses 1/4 cup golden corn syrup 1/4 cup water 2 tbsp orange marmalade 1 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp pepper 1/2 tsp ground ginger 1/2 tsp dry mustard 1/4 tsp allspice 1/4 tsp celery seed 1/4 tsp thyme leaves, dried 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper 1 bay leaf 1 tbsp liquid smoke In a large saucepan, combine all ingredients except liquid smoke. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer uncovered, 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in liquid smoke. × JULY/AUGUST 2017 × QUENCH.ME × 11
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WINE DOUBLE EAD IN
FEED BY TOM DE LARZAC
SWEET SOY FRIED CHICKEN SERVES 4
Deep, deep love Deep-fried foods are a guilty pleasure for so many of us; no shame in admitting it. I personally love deep-fried everything, but particularly deep-fried chicken. And yes, I do own a deep fryer, but I also know that I can’t eat fried food all the time.
When I get the craving, though, I will deep-fry as many things as I can for a week or two straight. Eventually I realize it needs to be put away, and so it goes back on the shelf for another few months. The beauty of deep-frying is that almost everything tastes better. With a bit of ingenuity, all foods can be crisped up. For my money, fried chicken is the ultimate. Whether it is plain or battered, chicken somehow manages to get extremely crispy without overcooking, and when I make it at home, the crunchier the better. Batters (or simple coating) help in the process tremendously, and my favourites always include buttermilk and a double coating of flour. This creates a nice thick crust that holds up well to both frying and being coated in a sauce. Don’t be timid about deep-frying foods; I know that there are healthier options for cooking, although there are none that are faster. It is okay to indulge every now and again. Plus, I am a proponent of the saying “all things in moderation, including moderation.” 14 × @QUENCH_MAG × LIVING LOCAL ISSUE
2 cups flour 2 tbsp each salt, pepper, smoked paprika 2 cups buttermilk 8 chicken thighs (or any large chicken pieces)
SAUCE
1/4 cup soy sauce 1/2 cup honey 4 cloves garlic, minced 2 tbsp whole dried chilies, crushed 2-3 l vegetable oil (enough to cover half chicken for frying)
1. Fill large cast-iron pot with oil over medi-
um-high heat (if using deep fryer, place oil in fryer and set to 350°F). 2. In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, pepper and paprika, and mix to combine. In a separate bowl, pour the buttermilk. Dredge half the chicken in flour mixture; shake off all excess flour. Place in buttermilk and cover evenly. Place chicken back in flour mixture for second layer of flour. 3. Carefully place chicken in oil, ensuring it is fully covered. Cook for 15 minutes, or until fully cooked through. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Remove from oil onto paper towel-lined plate. Repeat with remaining chicken. 4. While chicken is cooking, combine soy, honey, garlic and chilies in a medium-sized pot over medium heat. Stir occasionally and cook till all honey is melted and chilies have infused (the longer it cooks, the spicier it becomes). 5. Once all chicken is cooked, place it into soy mixture, turning to coat. Remove to serving dish and drizzle extra sauce. ×
REPORTAGE BY TOD STEWART
OIL CRISIS! STOCK UP
OF COURSE, WE ALL KNOW THAT CRUDE OIL is currently
rather abundant and practically cheaper than water everywhere except at the gas station. The oil in crisis in this case is that which is squeezed from the fruit of the olive tree. You may recall a similar catastrophe happening a couple years ago. The story of The Great Oil Crisis of the 2016 Harvest is largely the same story as The Great Oil Crisis of the 2014 Harvest: same basic cast of players (Italy, Spain, Greece — maybe a cameo from France), the same nefarious villains (too much/not enough rain, Xf disease, olive fruit flies) and, in all likelihood, the same outcome (sensationalist headlines, questionably researched stories, maybe a justified price blip here and there, and some no doubt unjustified price hikes triggered by unscrupulous individuals trying to cash in on the panic caused by “the global olive oil shortage”). In other words, much ado about nothing. When it comes to getting the “real dope” on things like commodities shortages, I’m less inclined to believe the mainstream media than I may have been back in the days when you could (sort of ) trust them. I won’t go into a long rant about how nobody’s willing to pay credible writers and reporters for credible writing and reporting, how “fake news” is proliferating because of this, and how the number of Twitter followers one has is now more important than one’s credentials, knowledge, research and fact-checking skills. Believe me, I won’t do that. Truth is, facts are boring (though alternative ones can be amusing) and full of details. Details are just too fiddly for most us who are distracted to death these days. “It’s not sexy to get into details,” admits Dolores Smith of The Olivar Corp, my main source of not only top-quality olive oil, but also top-quality industry information. “Verifying details means sifting through a variety of information sources and coming up with some key messages that may not have natural appeal; the simple ‘black and white’ might get pretty grey. And,
unlike some other food products, the reality of olive oil is that purity/quality depends on some technical information, which, again, requires hard work to explain in an easy-to-understand way.” (Hard work, I should add, that underpaid journalists are less inclined to get involved with these days. Just saying …) In her usual fastidious style, Smith provided me with stats, figures, comparisons and links to numerous technical industry publications. In other words, lots of details to get though. Meaning lots of work (see previous comments). Lucky for me, I have a day job to pay the bills (and not much to do with my spare time). “So, get to the point,” I hear you demanding (assuming you made it this far without being distracted). “Is there or is there not an oil crisis, and should I be stockpiling the stuff while the piling’s good?” Okay, ready? Here it goes. It depends. Is global production down for the 2016 olive harvest? Yes. Do quality and quantity have anything to do with each other? Yes. In fact, one is often the inverse of the other. So, should you avoid buying oil from the 2016 harvest? No — if you typically buy top-quality, extra virgin stuff from reputable producers. Can you expect a massive price increase and a product shortage? Unlikely. Prices could rise a bit, but prices for everything rise (been house shopping in Toronto recently?). Plus, when you consider how undervalued top EVOO is, maybe it’s more comforting to see it less as a price increase and more of a gradual progression towards producers and marketers making something akin to a living wage. Finally, keep this in mind: much like wine, olive oil can be great one year in a particular terroir, and not so good the same year somewhere else. So, if your favourite EVOO is a bit too pricy this year, try others. There’s always somebody making top-flight juice. As one of Smith’s overseas contacts commented to her by email: “About the harvest now of this year, it was very difficult in the Mediterranean as you have read. But not for us.” × JULY/AUGUST 2017 × QUENCH.ME × 15
MUST TRY BY ANDRE PROULX
ALAN MITCHELL FROM TERRITORIAL VINEYARDS
MAKING IT URBAN
PORTLAND, OREGON WEARS HIPSTER CULTURE PROUDLY ON ITS SLEEVE. When you walk through the
downtown maze of bike lanes and past the rows of ridesharing Smart Cars, you realize this weirdness is more than skin deep and is part of the very core of this city. Now if you hop on the highway and head 180 km south, you end up in Eugene — the proud home of the University of Oregon. The locals will tell you that everything hip in Portland originated there. There is definitely something effortless about the cool factor that seems to ooze out of the businesses in the city. This was definitely evident when I had the opportunity to visit a couple of the urban wineries in the downtown area. I stopped by the Oregon Wine LAB and met Australian-born owner Mark Nicholl. His enthusiasm is infectious and his creativity is reflected in a diverse portfolio. Syrah, Merlot and Gewürztraminer make very tasty appearances at this tasting bar. The Oregon Wine LAB is the home to Nicholl’s label, William Rose Wines, but it also operates as a custom crush facility (or as we say in Canada, “virtual winery”). The physical space looks like it belongs on Dundas West in Toronto. He also uses the tasting room as an event space for local musicians. That’s not to say that everything is perfect in Oregon. There are still 16 × @QUENCH_MAG × LIVING LOCAL ISSUE
laws that prohibit wineries from having restaurants onsite, even in an urban locale like Eugene. Nicholl offers the space in front for food trucks. Territorial Vineyards is managed by Alan Mitchell. Mitchell has been managing the property for 25 years and he farms 30 acres for Territorial. The winery has set up shop in an old coffee warehouse. The production facility is spacious and huge … it’s hard to imagine these descriptors for a winery set up in the middle of a city. The tasting room is comfortable and relaxed. As with the Oregon Wine LAB, the space is used for live music and displays local artwork as it sells wine by the glass and bottle. The portfolio at Territorial is a little more conservative than the Oregon Wine LAB. They do offer a salmon-coloured Pinot Gris. I asked Alan about his pink Gris, and he told me that Pinot Gris of this hue is something that is frowned upon by most winemakers in the state. But the real surprise at Territorial was a stunning Riesling. The winemakers in Oregon know which clones of Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and Chardonnay they have planted in their vineyards, but during my visit to the state not a single winemaker could tell me which clone of Riesling they had planted. They don’t worry about it; they take the fruit and make wine with it. The truth is, it’s
not important. The aromas of lime and orange peel with a nice mineral note that goes from start to finish are what I should be talking about with this wine. I should also talk about the perfect balance with acidity in this slightly off-dry wine. This wine is priced at US$16 a bottle. I asked Alan why the wine is priced so low, and he told me the people of Eugene have no interest in Riesling. But if he keeps making a wine like that, it won’t be long until they catch on.
OREGON WINE LABS WILLIAM ROSE GEWÜRZTRAMINER 2012 ($20) Aromas of pink grapefruit and rose petal climb out of the glass. There is a nice texture to this wine and a slight oiliness begins to coat every corner of your mouth, but then a slight effervescence helps from getting too heavy. A nice balance between sweetness and acidity bring up this finish on this wine.
TERRITORIAL VINEYARDS WILLAMETTE VALLEY PINOT NOIR 2013, ($26) Simply put, this is very tasty and well-priced Pinot from Oregon. There is an elegance that is immediately apparent from your first sip. The nice acidity to this wine seems to corral everything going on in the glass. The ripe cherry notes are big, juicy and ripe. Beyond fruit there is a nice violet note that opens up and lingers on the finish. × PHOTO: TRASK BEDORTHA WWW.TRASK.COM
LAZY MIXOLOGIST BY CHRISTINE SISMONDO
BEAN-WATER
Beans and booze, together at last. Said nobody ever. But aquafaba (chickpea water), the hot new emulsifier currently being touted by pastry chefs and ice cream makers as the perfect substitute for egg whites, is starting to change the way bartenders look at legumes. It’s still a little bit of a hard sell, since … well, the idea of adding bean-water to cocktails sounds strange. To some, though, it doesn’t sound any more strange than the idea of drinking raw egg whites — a common cocktail ingredient that, for a range of reasons, many people still avoid. To them, aquafaba is a welcome change. “If somebody says, ‘I’m a vegan but I want to try a whiskey sour,’ that’s truly the best use for it,” says Nick Kennedy, bartender at Toronto’s Civil Liberties and one of the city’s biggest aquafaba boosters. “It’s not even just vegetarians, either. There are people with allergies, as well as people who are just squeamish about raw eggs.” Kennedy is well known for being a bit obsessive about the science of taste and texture and, as such, has developed some pretty solid working ideas about how, when and why to use it. He still actually prefers to use egg whites for some recipes (tall gin fizz cocktails, especially), since he finds eggs are still a better emulsifier. Aquafaba, on the other hand, is a next-level fluffer. “It makes an incredible foam — that lasts,” says Kennedy. “One of the awful things about egg whites is that they die really quickly, so if you’re making a big batch of whiskey sours, by the time you’ve poured the last one, the first one is already dead. Whereas with chickpea water, two, three, four hours, no difference.” This secret foam weapon also freezes well (unlike egg whites), has a long shelf life (two to three weeks, refrigerated) and can safely sit at room temperature a lot longer than egg
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whites. It can stand the heat, too. Kennedy says that, if he had to do an outdoor summer catering job, he wouldn’t even think twice about switching to bean-water. With all of these advantages, it’s a wonder anyone uses egg whites at all. But bean-water does have a downside — a slightly funny odour. That kept Kennedy from using the ingredient for nearly a year, until he learned that all you have to do is make your own. Never canned. “I never thought I’d be the guy talking about chickpea water,” says Kennedy. “But now I make it all the time.” “And as an added bonus,” he adds, “you get hummus.”
VEGAN WHISKEY SOUR
2 1 1 1
oz whiskey oz lemon juice oz simple syrup oz aquafaba
Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. To make aquafaba, soak chickpeas overnight or until they “bloom” (you should be able to easily split one in half with your hand). Boil in water (two parts water to one part chickpeas) at a high heat for 25 minutes. Turn off, strain out the solids and simmer, until about one-quarter of the liquid has evaporated. × JULY/AUGUST 2017 × QUENCH.ME × 17
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BON VIVANT BY PETER ROCKWELL
ILLUSTRATION: MATT DALEY/SHINYPLIERS.COM
What is your favourite simple summer cocktail? When it comes to the hard stuff, I’m a man of simple pleasures. In other words, I’m a lazy bartender. If what I’m pouring during the summer isn’t served neat, wrestling with an ice cube tray is about all the energy I’m interested in exerting to jazz up my spirit of choice. My significant other doesn’t share my lackadaisical approach to mixology. She expects someone with my liquid notoriety to be able to make, well, an effort; especially when it comes to the handful of back-deck-worthy weekends a Canadian summer is gracious enough to award us. How do I do that? With all due respect to my hipster friends in the bar trade, I cheat. Now, it doesn’t hurt that many of our favourite warm-weather cocktails have only a few components and come stirred, not shaken. After all, the fewer pieces to the puzzle, the easier it is to put together. With the proliferation of craft distilleries across our land, gin — the booze production of choice for many — has left its reputation as the tipple of the elderly behind, as millennial drinkers discover its intoxicating charms. With their unique combinations of local herbs and botanicals, artisan gins need to be able to express themselves. Simply adding tonic water to taste over ice creates the easiest, and arguably most summery, cocktail to create in my limited arsenal. Though it does involve a blender, I’m partial to a margarita once or twice a summer. Rather than get all wound up about what lime juice to buy, I just pick up a few cans of frozen lemon-lime goodness from Bacardi Mixers. While they may be made by a rum producer, blending together one can of the non-alcoholic mix, some ice, and whatever quantity of tequila spins your sombrero will put you south of the border in a sip or two.
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As proud Canadians, we both have a spot in our hearts for the Bloody Caesar. It’s not a complicated recipe, but I can never find my bottles of Tabasco and Worcestershire when my palate is clambering for Clamato. Keeping a jug of one of the premixed brands in the fridge means all I need to worry about is the vodka and how crazy I want to get with the garnish (and I’m not that crazy).
Why are some wines not suitable for vegans?
It all depends on how far down the rabbit hole you want to go. Wine is made from grapes, which as far as I’ve seen are pretty much raised free-range. The trouble for vegans is that while the main components in a wine are vegetarian-approved, certain winery practices employ animal by-products that, while not changing a wine’s flavour, may leave traces in the juice. Now I’m not talking about winemakers stirring their vats with a grizzly bear’s paw; these by-products are used in a process called fining that eliminates annoying sediment from a wine before bottling. Winemakers found that organic compounds such as casein (found in milk), egg whites and isinglass (extracted from a fish’s dried bladder) were able to attract the proteins and other solids that make up sediment while taming aggressive tannins in red wines. Though some wineries use modern, non-organic alternatives, most stick with the triedand-true old-school methods. What’s often overlooked by vegans is what happens in the vineyard. Whether manure being used for fertilizer, dead rodent remains joining the soil composition or bug parts getting mashed in with the grapes, if that sort of thing gets your vegan goat, then your wine glass may have to stay empty. × JULY/AUGUST 2017 × QUENCH.ME × 19
GOING TO
MARKET Thing is, farm-to-table isn’t just for restaurants anymore. I can take it home with me and create something of my own. To do this, I stuff my reusable grocery bags in my purse and head to the farmers’ market. The concept of a market where farmers and other craftspeople gather to sell their wares directly to consumers has always been present wherever communities existed. It was only in the early 1900s that grocery stores and general stores started to take over. However, these larger stores placed more emphasis on the shopping experience, deviating further and further away from local production and merchants. Which brings us to today’s market and the reason why farm-to-table exists in the first place. For reasons of convenience, we went too global to meet our supply needs. We left our farmers, growers, producers and craftspeople behind. Right around the same time as the farm-to-table social movement started, farmers’ markets started seeing more consumer demand: people were coming out of their convenience-first daze, realizing that shopping local not only places better-quality ingre20 × @QUENCH_MAG × LIVING LOCAL ISSUE
dients in their kitchens, but also supports the local economy. These markets are open year-round, consistently offering products from a wide variety of vendors. The Calgary Farmers’ Market, for example, is open every Thursday through Sunday, with around 80 vendors hawking their wares. “Generally, they’re the same vendors all year,” says Leilani Olynik, the Market’s Marketing Coordinator. “We have a few seasonal vendors that come in the spring ... two Hutterite colonies ... and then we have one, she grows herbs. She’s not a greenhouse grower; she can’t grow through the winter. So, she’s only here in the spring and summer.” On the east coast, it’s a similar story for the Boyce Farmers’ Market in Fredericton, New Brunswick. “At any given time, we can have as many as 200 [vendors],” says Market Co-ordinator Leslie Morrell. “And in the summer and fall months, over 200.” The Boyce Farmers’ Market is open every Saturday, with Morrell overseeing the vast array of vendors. “My role here is to run the market: that includes taking care of all the vendors,
where the casuals will be [since] reserved vendors have the same spot each Saturday,” Morrell explains. “Casuals come on a seasonal basis or some come each Saturday also. Christmas tree farmers, for example, only come November to December.” Seasonality is one challenge that farmers’ markets face in competing with grocery stores. “There are produce patterns based on seasonality, but as no two years are ever alike, there is some flexibility required for when things will hit our shelves,” says Olynik, a sentiment that is shared by Morrell. “It would depend on our seasons here and how soon the farmers get their crops in, so of course everything is weather dependent,” says Morrell. “We’re at the mercy of Mother Nature.” When I spoke to Morrell and Olynik in April, they were only able to provide a loose idea of what might be available year round. Olynik’s list, created based on past seasons at the Calgary Farmers’ Market, included apples, apricots, artichokes, beans, blueberries, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, cherries, corn, cucumbers, peas, potatoes, rhubarb,
by Lisa Hoekstra
“Farm-to-table” is everywhere — in our restaurants, at our grocery stores. It embodies everything from food traceability to buying local. But it also means exactly what it says: food leaving farms, making a pit stop in the kitchen to be transformed into something delicious and then appearing on the table for your gastronomic pleasure.
strawberries, spinach, tomatoes, raspberries and zucchini, with blackberries, onions, peaches, pears, plums, Swiss chard and winter squash joining the line up in August. (You can visit the Calgary Farmers’ Market’s website for an up-to-date “What’s in Season” guide). Morrell was predicting that the Boyce Farmers’ Market would have an abundance of fresh-picked blueberries and raspberries. “The apples come in later, usually more into the end of August also. Corn comes usually in August ... again depending on when we get the crops in,” she recounts. She also mentioned that squash may start coming in as early as August, though squash and pumpkins usually start making an appearance in September and October, as a matter of supply and demand. “That’s when people are looking for them. A farmer is not going to bring a pumpkin to market to be for a jack-o’-lantern in August, because of course it’s going to rot by October. So they’ll let them get as big as they possibly can. It depends on the time of year and what people want them for. Now your pie pumpkins will start coming in as soon as they’re ready.”
This seasonal nature of farmers’ markets may deter you from visiting. However, many market vendors have a storage system so they can offer you farm-fresh foods all year. “You would see your full line of farmer produce, like lettuce and carrots and turnips and … beans and peas and everything here,” Morrell assures me. “For carrots, parsnips, turnips and everything like that, we have some vendors that have cold storage.” Cold storage is also used by vendors at farmers’ markets across the country. Olynik mentioned that the Calgary Farmers’ Market works with BC Tree Fruits to supply apples right through until April. “Any of the BC apples you see are usually held in the BC Tree Fruits refrigeration unit and then they’re brought to us. They’re apples that were picked in the fall that ... our vendors can access.” ANOTHER WAY THAT VENDORS GET OVER THE SEASONALITY HURDLE IS THROUGH GREENHOUSE GROWING. When you visit the Calgary Farm-
ers’ Market “What’s in Season” webpage, there are a few items with a (GH) beside
them — this denotes those items that are grown in a greenhouse. The third way farmers’ markets are able to provide produce year-round is by shipping in products from outside of the region. “Unfortunately, in the winter months, there are a couple of our produce vendors, especially our organic vendor ... they have to ship items that aren’t technically local,” admits Olynik. “They’ll ship items from Washington or California. They’re the only options we have, kind of like a grocery store.” “We have two vendors who are grandfathered in that can buy from other producers and bring in for the market,” says Morrell. “They’ll bring blueberries and raspberries in, and they’ll bring them as close as they can to New Brunswick because sometimes they have to come from Quebec.” This does stretch the concept of local a little bit, but it is necessary if the markets are going to maintain a year-round selection. Ultimately, and most importantly, allowing the farmers to out-source is still in line with the spirit of a farmers’ market — supporting local farmers and local commerce. JULY/AUGUST 2017 × QUENCH.ME × 21
market fresh KALE AND SQUASH SALAD
SERVES 2 BY CHEF JAKOB LUTES, PORT CITY ROYAL, SAINT JOHN, NEW BRUNSWICK, MAV CHEF 2016 The farmers’ markets I work with most are the Boyce Farmers’ Market in Fredericton, and the Kingston Farmers Market. These two markets have the best selection of unique vendors and suppliers. When selecting kale, make sure the leaves are vibrant looking with little to no yellowing. With varieties such as curly kale, make sure the curls are nice and tight. Kale harvested early in the season will be more tender. While kale picked later in the season, especially after the frost comes, will be heartier and a bit sweeter. When selecting squash, ensure there are no signs of rot or bruising, especially around the stem. I often find the difference between a good squash and a great squash is in the person who grew it. So take your time finding the right supplier.
1 1 1/2 1-2 2
large bunch kale small buttercup or kabocha squash cup cooked oat groats tbsp Secret Sauce #1 (recipe follows) tbsp butter
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Carefully cut the squash in half. We like to use a cleaver and a rubber mallet. With a spoon, scrape and remove the seeds and “guts.” Set the squash face up onto a sheet pan and place in the hot oven. 2. Cook the squash for 30 to 45 minutes, or until the flesh is well cooked and soft. Allow the squash to cool at room temperature. With a small spoon, scoop out small chunks of flesh from the cooked squash. Set aside 1 cup of squash. 3. Separate the kale leaves from the stems by grasping the bottom of each stem and pulling your other hand up to the tip. Either cut or tear the destemmed kale into the desired size. We prefer pieces the size of a toonie. 4. Over medium-high heat, melt the butter in a large frying pan. When the butter begins to bubble and brown, add the kale pieces and sauté. Continue to cook and sauté for approximately 2 to 3 minutes. If the pan dries out, add a small knob of butter to prevent the leaves from scorching. We cook our kale until it begins to brown and faintly char. 5. Add the squash and oats, and continue to sauté for another minute. At this point, if the salad begins to dry out, add a tablespoon of water to the pan. Finally add the Secret Sauce. This acts as the seasoning, so add enough to suit your personal taste. Sauté and serve.
SECRET SAUCE #1
180 42 35 20 20 10
g malt vinegar g cured and smoked smelt g white vinegar g shallot, thinly sliced g fancy molasses g blackstrap molasses
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10 10 10 8 4 100
g garlic, thinly sliced g white sugar g celery salt g fresh hot pepper, seeds removed g black pepper g olive oil
Place all of the ingredients except the olive oil into a blender. Blend on low and slowly increase the speed to high. One you have a smooth and uniform purée, steadily pour the olive oil into the blender to emulsify the sauce.
MARINATED GULL VALLEY EGGPLANT
BY CHEF JOHN MICHAEL MACNEIL, CALGARY, ALBERTA, MAV CHEF 2014 The two markets that I really like to go to are the Cross Roads Market and Calgary Farmers’ Market. Both markets have different products and different vibes. One producer I love is Gull Valley Green Houses. They have really amazing tomatoes, eggplants and peppers, as well some micro-greens. For this recipe, choose firm, green-top, shiny-skinned eggplants — these are young, and at their best. I generally just go by the feel test: it should feel like a melon and have an airy-weight feel to them. If it feels like a soft Brie, the eggplant is too soft. If you don’t like chèvre, a young Spanish Manchego works great too.
2 eggplants 1 cup olive oil 1 tbsp salt Marinade (recipe follows) Fresh parsley, chopped Chèvre 1. Using a sharp knife, slice eggplant in half from the bottom
to the top. Score crosshatches into the eggplant (these will help the eggplant cook evenly by allowing the olive oil to absorb right through). 2. Slowly drizzle/pour the olive oil over the eggplant until all of it is absorbed. Season with salt (you can add more than the suggested amount; I like a lot of salt). 3. Roast in the oven at 375°F for approximately 30 to 45 minutes, depending on the size of the eggplants. They should feel soft, but remain a little firm. Let rest for 2 to 3 minutes. Spoon on the marinade, then let cool to room temperature. 4. Top with parsley, more olive oil and a creamy soft cheese, like chèvre.
MARINADE
1 1/4 1 1
cup white balsamic vinegar cup white sugar tbsp ground cumin tbsp chopped garlic
Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Whisk together until sugar is mostly dissolved.
“Our vendors want to, as much as they can, provide local items, but at the same time, they don’t want to turn away customers because they don’t have, say, bananas. So, they have to walk that line between maintaining local items and giving the customer what they want and need,” explains Olynik. But produce and growers aren’t the only types of vendors you’ll find at a Farmers’ Market. There are also a variety of craftspeople, artisans, preservers and more. Staying open year-round benefits these local businesspeople as much as it does local farmers. “We’ve got meat vendors and bakeries, artisans, olive oil, charcuterie and meats, and bath and body products,” mentions Olynik. “We’ve got everything under the sun for people so they can do one-stop shopping, which is nice, and they can shop as local as they can all year-round. If we only offered root vegetables all yearround, then it would be very difficult for them to stay afloat in the winter months.” Visiting a farmers’ market can be intimidating, especially when you know
there will be 100 to 200 vendors selling a variety of items. I asked Morrell and Olynik what you should do when you first visit, whether you have a purpose or are just browsing. “Don’t buy anything until you’ve looked around the whole market first and then start doing your shopping,” Morrell advises. “You might find something somewhere that’s maybe a little bit cheaper a couple stalls down or a little closer to what you’re looking for.” Olynik agrees with Morrell, adding that you should talk to the farmers. “We’re more than a supermarket,” she states. “Talk to your farmers, producers, artisans. The beauty of shopping at a farmers’ market, for me, is in the relationships you build and the connection you have with your food. So many people don’t know where their food comes from, or what path it took to get to your plate. Being able to shake the hand of the person who made, baked or grew your food is special.” That sense of community is cultivated and developed at every farmers’ market across the country — it is the spirit
of the market. You meet the faces behind the food you’re about to consume. You can also ask questions, learn how to tell what’s fresh and what’s not. You support the small businesses that feed us by buying from them directly rather than through a faceless third party. You build your own confidence when it comes to picking out the best produce, so when you do have to visit a grocery store, you’ll be able to find tasty ingredients. And, most importantly, you’re buying local. “The money that’s spent here stays in the community,” Morrell points out. “You know it’s not going to big business or CEOs, or anything like that; it’s going to small vendors, small businesspeople who are trying to make a living. Farmers and craftspeople and bakers.” “Buying local keeps the local economy strong and builds a sense of community by supporting one another,” adds Olynik. And that is why farmers’ markets are our biggest tool for supporting the farm-to-table movement, and bringing home farmfresh ingredients for our own, personal version of farm-to-table. × JULY/AUGUST 2017 × QUENCH.ME × 23
OUT by Simon Rafuse
AS A WINEMAKER, SOMETIMES YOU CAN GET LOST IN YOUR OWN WORLD. When you taste the same wines from your own
vineyards day after day, it’s easy to lose sight of the big picture. It’s one thing to taste and drink different wines at home, but it’s also important to get out there and see what else is going on in the world of wine. Exploring new places, meeting people and tasting their wines — and, as a winemaker, finding out what problems they’re having and how they’re dealing with them, opening your eyes to different approaches and techniques — is a sharing experience that can be very enlightening. It was with this spirit of discovery in mind that I flew over to England and Champagne this past winter. Back home in Nova Scotia, there’s a lot of buzz building around our traditional method sparkling wines, and it’s a style of wine I love to make. I thought a visit to another emerging region like England might bring me some interesting ideas, and of course Champagne is, well … it’s Champagne. One great thing about being involved in this industry is that people tend to be very generous with their time. So I sent off some emails and followed up with a few calls and pretty quickly had an itinerary for the week. On the first day, I picked up a car in South London and headed east into Kent. Nothing jogs the memory of driving on the left quite like the M25 during rush hour. My first stop was with Jon Pollard, COO at Gusbourne Estate. Gusbourne had recently un24 × @QUENCH_MAG × LIVING LOCAL ISSUE
dergone a major vineyard expansion, and I was keen to see how they had approached it. We hopped in Pollard’s truck with his dogs and went for a tour out to a small hill with a superb view over the surrounding vineyards. Like Nova Scotia, England has a marginal climate for viticulture, and so we talked a lot about disease pressure, humidity and the importance of site selection. The vineyards at Gusbourne benefit from their proximity to the English Channel. Much like the Bay of Fundy back home, the water moderates temperatures, extends the growing season and prevents frosts. The estate is planted exclusively with Champagne varieties on a number of clone and rootstock combinations from Burgundy and Champagne. In a variable climate, having diversity in the vineyard can help smooth out seasonal fluctuations and gives the winemaker options during the harvest. We tasted through Gisbourne’s range of sparkling wines (and a couple of excellent still wines) and I was very impressed by the balance, especially in the wines based on lesser vintages.
I SAID GOODBYE TO POLLARD, AND MADE THE SHORT DRIVE TO SEE AN OLD FRIEND AND COLLEAGUE FROM MY INTERN DAYS IN ALSACE, JOSH DONAGHY-SPIRE, WHO IS NOW HEAD WINEMAKER AT CHAPEL DOWN IN TENTERDEN, KENT. Chapel
Down makes a wide range of wines, including several sparkling cuvées. One topic we got chatting about was acids, and in particular, malolactic fermentation. This process, whereby the bacteria Oenoccocus oeni converts sour malic acid into softer lactic acid, can be a challenge to do in sparkling base wines because the bacteria struggle to get established. English and Nova Scotian wines share similar acid profiles but we tend to leave the malic acid in the wines. The downside to this practice is that it can extend the period of maturation by several years. Donaghy-Spire, on the other hand, inoculates his wines with the bacteria during the alcoholic fermentation. This method, which is also common in Champagne, lets the bacteria develop under lower alcohol conditions and uses the heat of the primary fermentation to get them started.
The result is a healthier fermentation and wines that can mature more quickly. It’s certainly something I will try at home during our next cool vintage. On the way back to London, I had just enough time to make a quick and unplanned stop at Hush Heath Estate and picked up a bottle of the NV Leslie’s Reserve. This “extra dry” wine has a little extra residual sugar (19 g/l) to round off the finish. It’s a great style for cooler climates and it was a big crowd pleaser that night when paired with takeout Indian curry.
THE FOLLOWING DAY, I HEADED SOUTH TO SUSSEX WHERE I MET ROBIN LANGTON, COO AT RIDGEVIEW WINE ESTATE.
TOP LEFT: A foggy winter afternoon in the Nyetimber vineyards; TOP RIGHT: Disgorging Champagne is a family affair at Bérêche et Fils; LEFT: Learning about marcottage in the parcel of “Vieilles Vignes Françaises” at Champagne Bollinger.
Langton joined Ridgeview a couple of years ago, and it was interesting to chat with him about his views as a relative newcomer to the UK industry. Ridgeview only makes sparkling wines and helps craft blends for retailers such as Marks & Spencer. It certainly is a great indication that the industry is on the right track when retailers want their own branded bubbles. After lunch, I drove west to Nyetimber, where I met one of their two winemakers (and fellow Canuck), Brad Greatrix. Nyetimber is a stunning estate, tucked away in the hills of West Sussex, that is also dedicated exclusively to sparkling wines. After selecting a pair of Hunter boots from the entryway, we wandered through the vineyards chatting about rootstocks, clones, and vineyard yields. Back in the tasting room, I was interested to hear Greatrix’s thoughts on reserve wines. Nyetimber employs a JULY/AUGUST 2017 × QUENCH.ME × 25
reserve wine program to craft their blends, with the intent being that the older wines add richness and complexity. What I found particularly fun was that each bottle is given a code that can be inputted online to give you information on the base wines, dosage and disgorging dates. Very cool. Another interesting thing at Nyetimber is their use of dark glass. Nyetimber has switched to dark bottles to protect their wines from lightstrike, where ultraviolet light creates cooked cabbage aromas in a wine. Sparkling wines are especially susceptible, and while clear glass is the worst culprit, even Champagne green bottles don’t offer full protection. I wouldn’t be surprised to see more wineries going in this direction in the near future (mine included). With my English visits done, I took the Eurostar to Champagne, where I was meeting winemaking friends from university in Montpellier and former workmates from Alsace. Champagne is a fascinating wine region, in part, because of its contrasts. On one hand, you have the Grandes Marques houses producing millions of bottles annually, and on the other, small grower-producers with just three hectares. I wanted to see a bit of both so had visits organized at Louis Roederer, Bollinger and Jacquesson, as well as Agrapart, Larmandier-Bernier, Berêche et Fils and Benoit Lahaye.
TOP: Jon Pollard shows me the Gusbourne vine-
yards with his trusted companions Hamish and Angus; BOTTOM: Exploring miles of chalk caves beneath Champagne Bollinger in Aÿ.
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AFTER THREE DAYS AND TASTING COUNTLESS WINES, THERE WAS ALMOST TOO MUCH INFORMATION TO TAKE IN. However, it was interesting to see that in a region
with so much history, winemakers are still pushing the envelope. Just as a snapshot, we saw amphorae being used at Benoit Lahaye (although he said he was moving away from them) and tasted Le Jardin de la Grosse Pierre, a cuvée that incorporates the forgotten Champagne varieties, including Arbanne and Petit Meslier. At Bollinger, we marvelled at the 3,500 barrels used for fermentation and the chalk caves full of reserve wines stored in magnums (!) for future use. We tried single-vineyard bottlings and inspected the traditional presses at Jacquesson, and tasted blends carefully crafted from hundreds of parcels at Roederer. At Larmandier-Bernier, there were bone-dry extra brut wines that showed exceptional richness and a hand-disgorged 2000 that belied its age. At Berêche et Fils, the wines showed incredible purity and freshness, having not been put through malolactic fermentation. Many of their wines in tirage are aged under cork, requiring an extra step at disgorging to sniff each bottle for faults. At Agrapart, we were stumped trying to guess the vintage of a 1986, while learning about different parcels and villages through extensive base-wine tastings. Overall, the quality of the wines we tasted in Champagne was extraordinary — both classic and modern at the same time. Heading home later in the week, I was sifting through the photos on my phone thinking about the trip. The visits and conversations had on the road always give me fresh ideas. I think it speaks to the industry that people are so open and welcoming — all in the spirit of community. It’s an inspiring feeling and sends you home excited for the next harvest to start. ×
8 TO TRY by Michaela Morris
WARNING: THE FOLLOWING CONTENT MAY BE OFFENSIVE TO PINOT GRIGIO AND SAUVIGNON BLANC FANS. When I was a kid, I ate peanut butter sandwiches for lunch. Every single day. One day, I got sick. Suddenly, I couldn’t even stomach the smell of peanut butter. That’s when I discovered cream cheese, black forest ham, egg salad and tuna. It was a revelation and the first milestone in my culinary history. Eventually, I was able to add peanut butter back into my repertoire and I still have the occasional craving today. Drinking Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc (or any other grape variety) exclusively won’t make you sick (I don’t think). It’s just boring. Truly, I don’t wish to insult these two grapes or anyone who drinks them. They’re great varieties, popular for good reason and even capable of producing profound wines. And I’ve enjoyed many a glass myself. They’re just a bit too ubiquitous. When there are so many other fascinating whites, why limit yourself to these? The onus is on you to liven up your wine regime. Summer inspires a sense of adventure so harness it for the benefit of your palate. What’s wrong with some carefree exploration? To get you started, here are a few of the white crushes I’ve had over the past year. Some might take a little more searching out but the best things in life often do. Just a word of caution. These aren’t going to taste like Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc. Nor should they. So, if you have been weaned on those, give your palate a chance to adjust. It may take more than one sip to develop an appreciation.
While I do believe in love at first sight, sometimes it takes time to cultivate affection. And, who knows? A summer fling might turn into a lifelong love affair. Just don’t make any exclusive commitments.
ENCRUZADO
This is for those smug Chardonnay drinkers who are thinking I’m not going to call them out. Come on, I love Chardonnay as much as you do, but it’s not the only white capable of producing complex, age-worthy, full-bodied whites. Meet Encruzado. Among Portugal’s dozens and dozens of fascinating native grapes, Encruzado is one of the greatest. It’s grown almost exclusively on the granitic soils of the gorgeous Dão region. Like Chardonnay, Encruzado lends itself to aging in oak and is often described as “Burgundian” when this is the case.
CASA DA PASSARELLA VILLA OLIVEIRA BRANCO 2012, DÃO DOC, PORTUGAL ($40) With nine months of aging in used 600-litre oak barrels, the Villa Oliveira is beautifully textured and balanced, with understated apple, savoury pine notes and minerality. If you can get your hands on the region’s insanely delicious Serra da Estrela cheese to go with it, please invite me over. JULY/AUGUST 2017 × QUENCH.ME × 27
MORENO CORONICA
MALVAZIJA ISTARSKA ALBARIÑO
If you haven’t taken the Albariño plunge yet, don’t let the summer go by without diving in. From the moderately cool and verdant northwestern region of Rías Baixas, Albariño has been Spain’s “hottest” white for years. For the uninitiated, I fondly describe it as what would result from Viognier and Sauvignon Blanc having a baby by the coast. They didn’t. And while Albariño isn’t related to either, it does recall the aromas of the former and the crisp acidity of the latter with its own brackish twist.
FILLABOA FINCA MONTE ALTO 2014, RÍAS BAIXAS DO, SPAIN ($40) Fragrant and lively, this single-vineyard offering from the excellent Fillaboa estate boasts nectarine, peach and grapefruit with a touch of honey. Fresh and juicy on the palate, it is carried by a steely backbone and that invigorating salty sea air.
SCHEUREBE
Germany is a fabulous source of delightful whites. Beyond Riesling, both its Silvaner and Weissburgunder (Pinot Blanc) beg to be discovered. Recently, producers have been trying their hand at Sauvignon Blanc. But does the world really need another Sauvignon Blanc? Instead, I encourage Germany to focus on the charming Scheurebe grape. A crossing of Riesling and Bukettraube (the second a crossing of Silvaner and Trollinger), it was created by Georg Scheu in 1916 and boasts an exuberant, refreshing personality.
WEINGUT PAUL WELTNER RÖDELSEER SCHWANLEITE SCHEUREBE TROCKEN 2015, FRANKEN, GERMANY ($25) Okay, so the name is a mouthful, but I promise it’s a tasty one. 28 × @QUENCH_MAG × LIVING LOCAL ISSUE
Lovely scents of honeysuckle, tangerine and white currants are followed by flavours of pink grapefruit and passionfruit. Full, dry and succulent, it conjures up the most exotic garden.
MUSCAT OF ALEXANDRIA
The range of wines made from Muscat (aka, Moscato) is vast; from bone dry to lusciously sweet, still to bubbly, and various levels of alcohol. There are, in fact, many different Muscat varieties, most of which are related to each other. What characterizes them all is their distinctly floral, sweet-smelling aromas. Allow me to introduce you to Muscat of Alexandria. While most associated with the Italian island of Pantelleria, where it goes by the name Zibibbo, this grape has travelled the world, including Chile.
DE MARTINO VIEJAS TINAJAS MUSCAT 2015, ITATA VALLEY, CHILE ($25) De Martino crafts a truly unique rendition, which harks back to the ancient origins of this grape. Aged on the skins for months in 100-year-old clay amphorae, it sports a deep orangey hue. Penetrating marmalade, white flowers and nutty hints lead to honey, earth, orange peel and subtle spice on the palate. Dry and even possesses some tannin.
FURMINT
Hungary’s claim to fame is Tokaji Aszú, an exceptional, complex dessert wine made from grapes affected by noble rot and aged oxidatively for a number of years in wood. The botrytis-susceptible Furmint variety provides an important base for these divine elixirs with its rapier-like acidity giving balance to the extreme sweetness. However, Furmint’s merits don’t end here and it is becoming increasingly prized for the production of dry wines made
from healthy, unaffected grapes. Keep an eye on Hungary, I have a feeling we’ll be seeing more from this country.
SZENT TAMÁS MÁD DRY FURMINT 2015, TOKAJI, HUNGARY ($25) The Szent Tamás winery is leading the way in the village of Mád. Owners work with about 100 small landowners in the area to get high-quality clean fruit to make dry, affordable wines from Furmint that will appeal to modern palates. A lean and linear yet powerful white with piercing red apple, elderflower, ginger and mineral nuances.
MALVAZIJA ISTARSKA
Malvasia is, quite frankly, another tangled mess of many different varieties all bearing the same moniker. In this case, most are not even related at all. For now, let’s just stick with Malvasia Istriana (or Malvazija Istarska as it is called in Croatia). Native to the Istrian peninsula where Italy and Croatia meet, it is responsible for some of the greatest dry, still examples of wine made from any of the extended group of Malvasias — period.
CORONICA MALVAZIJA OF ISTRIA 2014, CROATIA ($20) An intriguing nose of dewy roses, fresh grass and white pepper. The palate is vibrant with a pocket of stone fruit, rosewater, orange and sandy seashells. Mouth-watering, palate-cleansing and surprisingly light on its feet but the delicate flavours linger.
CARRICANTE
Carricante is an independent soul. While occasionally blended with other grapes, it’s arguably best on its own. This diva is also pretty particular about where it hangs out and is found almost
exclusively high up on the slopes of Mount Etna in Sicily. Only an active volcano will do for Carricante, thank you very much. The vines grow amid colourful wildflowers to the hypnotic buzz of honey bees and enjoy a stunning view of the impossibly blue Ionian Sea. It’s difficult to imagine this extraordinary landscape nurturing anything but a remarkable wine. And indeed, the very best become Riesling-like with age.
BENANTI PIETRAMARINA 2012, ETNA BIANCO SUPERIORE DOC, ITALY ($35) Aromas of anise, honey, broom and chamomile evoke the territory. On the palate, lemon and apricot intertwine with the sea breeze. Finely chiselled, it is assertive in acidity, moderate in alcohol, endlessly elegant and assuredly age-worthy.
ALTESSE
France has bestowed the world with most of its popular grapes. Born on Gallic soil, whites like Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay are now grown in wine regions around the globe. But this wine nation has a few more tricks up her sleeve. Altesse is an obscure yet highly regarded grape from the equally little-known region of Savoie. Though not about to start taking over the world, it is definitely worth putting on your radar. (Note wines labelled Roussette de Savoie AOC are made from 100% Altesse.)
NICOLAS GONIN ALTESSE ISÈRE 2014, IGP BALMES DAUPHINOISES, FRANCE ($25) Nicolas Gonin has dedicated his life to championing Savoie’s long-forgotten indigenous grapes. His Altesse speaks clearly and profoundly of the area. It’s like inhaling the clean mountain air, replete with forest flowers, herbs and a suggestion of hazelnut. At first rich and layered in the mouth, laser-sharp acid then cuts through. ×
ALBARIÑO
ISABEL SALGADO
JULY/AUGUST 2017 × QUENCH.ME × 29
CHANGING MY MIND by Michael Pinkus
OH BOY, TALK ABOUT PUTTING THE FOX IN CHARGE OF THE HENHOUSE! Me, a notorious carrier of an
ABCer card (Anything But Chardonnay), charged with tasting and delivering to you the news about Canadian Chardonnay for this “Living Local” issue. That said, while discussing this oxymoron, one winery principal remarked that he’d rather have someone critical of the grape and the subsequent wines looking at them than one who is a slavish-fan. I hope most of you feel the same way. I cut my teeth in the Chardonnay game with Australian and California versions. Those who suffered along with me know what I’m getting at and why I became an ABCer: oak – and too much of it, to be perfectly frank. Yup, between the Aussies and the Americans, my dream of being one of the world’s countless Chardonnay devotees was splintered into a million little shards of wood. Of late, however, the Canadian versions I’ve tasted have slowly been whittling away at the stave that controls my hate-on for Chardonnay. But, why is Canada – of all places – having that effect on me? Shouldn’t Burgundy, with its long history and multitude of sub-regions for Chardonnay, have broken that spell? The answer is simple: Canadian Chardonnay is an affordable option; but not only that, many winemakers and winery principals are jazzed about the buzz surrounding this grape. So, I decided it was time to take a serious look at the phenomenon of Chardonnay above the 49th parallel. 30 × @QUENCH_MAG × LIVING LOCAL ISSUE
“The strong point for Canadian Chardonnay is diversity,” says Justin Hall, assistant winemaker at Nk’Mip Cellars in the Okanagan, while Sophie Laurent of nearby Burrowing Owl states, “[we make] wines of great quality and distinction [and that’s] what one can expect when opening a bottle of Canadian Chardonnay.” At Ontario’s Château des Charmes, Michele Bosc highlights adaptability in the vineyard: “We are fortunate to grow Chardonnay in this cool climate. Chardonnay is a relatively low-maintenance varietal: winter hardy, grows very well in our soil and delivers great quality at harvest time. It has adapted very well to our climate and as a result gives a delicate wine, always expressing beautifully the terroir where it is grown.” At Ontario’s Cave Spring, Gabriel DeMarco waxes poetic on the grape once harvested: “I am fascinated by Chardonnay’s adaptability in the cellar. It is a variety that the winemaker can craft into any number of styles. On one extreme, I am continually fascinated to see how it seamlessly integrates with oak, taking on structure from the wood tannins and toasty notes from time on lees, while maintaining its fruit profile and freshness. On the other hand, I also enjoy coaxing out bright aromatics that literally jump from the glass after fermentation in stainless steel. This range of style is the wonder of the grape.” As an ABCer, my thoughts always go back to one simple statement I hear, and think, more often than not: “Is there too much Chardonnay in the world? Does the
world really need another?” Think about it, besides the aforementioned Americans and Aussies, there is not a corner of the winemaking world that’s not growing and producing Chardonnay. From Chile and Argentina to New Zealand, Oregon, South Africa, Washington and Italy — you name a country or a region, and there’s probably some guy or gal there toiling with Chardonnay. So, where does Canada fit in with this global grape? Is there really room for more Chardonnay – and, of all places, from Canada? “THE GREAT THING ABOUT CANADIAN CHARDONNAY IS THAT WE CAN MAKE DIFFERENT STYLES THAT ARE ATTRACTIVE TO ALL MARKETS,” says Yvonne Irvine, assistant
winemaker at Ontario’s Creekside Estate Winery. “Everyone knows Chardonnay – whether they are wine experts or the average Joe – and there is a style of Chardonnay for everyone.” Christie Mavety of BC’s Blue Mountain Vineyard and Cellars boils it down to something more simplistic: “There is always room for good-quality [Chardonnay].” Nk’Mip’s Justin Hall points to the vineyard: “There is more room for Chardonnay grapes to be planted on sites that will show the great diversity of the grape. I think many of the poorer sites with little character to lend to the final wines need to be removed or replaced with varieties better fit to each individual site.” Sophie Laurent at Burrowing Owl speaks to the quality Canadian Chardon-
CHRISTIE MAVETY JIM WYSE
GABRIEL DEMARCO JUSTIN HALL JULY/AUGUST 2017 × QUENCH.ME × 31
YVONNE IRVINE
nays can have, “Vine acreages in Canada are small and limited, so we can only look for the best plantings and the most qualitative vines. There is no room for mediocre or average.” Which makes Canadian Chardonnay even more special. Derek Kontkanen, winemaker at Inniskillin Okanagan, preaches the diversity of Canadian Chardonnay: “We can find very mineral, acid-backbone styles in the cooler regions to big, ripe, juicy styles in the warmer areas. It is a great wine to showcase Canada’s diversity.” With so many reasons for the existence of Chardonnay from Canada, winemakers make a great argument for its continued success and survival here. For those of you who have not yet picked up a bottle of Canadian Chardonnay, be it from east coast or west coast, shame on you, you truly are missing out on something special, and that comes from a man who is still straddling the fence with his ABC clamped firmly in his teeth. But Yvonne Irvine explains why many of you might still be in the same boat: “We are still convincing people that we make high class wines that can stand up to wines from more well-known growing regions. Chardonnay is definitely one of those varietals for us that can prove that point. Since reintroducing Chardonnay to our Creekside portfolio, it has flown off the shelf so there is definite interest.” From more than 100 wines submitted from across Canada, I was able to boil things down to these top 19. 32 × @QUENCH_MAG × LIVING LOCAL ISSUE
TRIUS OLIVEIRA VINEYARD SHOWCASE SERIES CHARDONNAY 2014, ONTARIO ($35) Nose leads with buttery-vanilla and adds spiced apple while the palate offers good acidity along with peach, apple, vanilla and some jazzy, spiced-up character on the finish. At time of tasting, it seemed a little tight; 6 more months should help it round out greatly.
JACKSON-TRIGGS ARTERRA CHARDONNAY 2015, ONTARIO ($29.95) A fruit-forward Chardonnay on both the nose — with apple, pear and butter aromas — and palate, which follows up the smells with white fruit and buttery notes on the creamy palate before acidity swings in to refresh.
CLOSSON CHASE SOUTH CLOS CHARDONNAY 2014, ONTARIO ($39.95) 16 months in 20% new oak and all estate fruit gives us some peach-vanilla and bitter/sweet notes that are delicate of spice, especially on the finish.
MELDVILLE FIRST EDITION CHARDONNAY 2015, ONTARIO ($20) A barrel-fermented then 6-month barrel-aged Chardonnay that is brilliant in its simplicity: creamy mouthfeel with apple and pear hanging out with melon rind, balancing acidity and a long finish that keeps you wanting more. A wine like this gets you hankering for the second edition.
COOPER’S HAWK CHARDONNAY RESERVE 2015, ONTARIO ($29.95) From the Ontario’s Lake Erie North Shore comes one of the newest premium wineries with a stunning restaurant attached, which means they need great wine to pair with that beautiful food. Only 6 months in oak so the fruit shines through: apple with hints of vanilla, lemon drop and a touch of apricot.
BLOMIDON CHARDONNAY 2014, NOVA SCOTIA ($35) One of the beautiful things about Nova Scotia Chardonnay is that salty mineral aspect, which I can only assume comes off the sea and makes its way onto the grapes. What follows is mac apple and great acidity; it’s fresh and lively with plenty of fruit and a nice mid-weight creaminess that lasts all the way to the finish.
LIGHTFOOT & WOLFVILLE ANCIENNE CHARDONNAY 2014, NOVA SCOTIA ($40) Wild fermented Chardonnay is often hit and miss with many wine drinkers: either you like that funk that the wildness puts into the wine, or you think it’s off and can’t get past the nose. There is a woody aspect to this wine but it is offset by dried and baked apple, dried apricot, vanilla cream, spice and a long finish loaded with acidity and lingering white fruits.
SOUTHBROOK CHARDONNAY 2013, ONTARIO ($40) This is a specific barrel-aged Chardonnay done in a specific type of French barrel (Allier). Those of you who think that oak is oak must try something done in a special barrel. This one is tasty as well as toasty and smoky with the smell of sweet vanilla and an odd, but welcoming, bacon note that is not something typically associated with Chardonnay. There’s also peach cobbler, apple crumble and spicy notes. The fruit hides out in the background but I expect it to come through in about 2 to 3 years.
WESTCOTT ESTATE CHARDONNAY 2016, ONTARIO ($25) Westcott Vineyards is one of the newest players in the Chardonnay game in Niagara. This wine is textbook Chardonnay with lots of vanilla, apple, peach and pear aromas and flavours, there’s also plenty of buttery goodness along with a lemon meringue and floral note on the creamy finish.
NK’MIP QWAM QWMT CHARDONNAY 2015, BRITISH COLUMBIA ($25) [PRICE MISSING] Canada’s first Aboriginal winery falls under the Constellation Canada umbrella (now called Arterra Wines of Canada); they have a few Chardonnays in their lineup but none will get the Chardonnay-lover in you as happy as this one filled with peach, vanilla, dried apple, butter and elegant spices. What makes this one special is the low time in oak: 9 months, with regular lees stirring, giving the wine lovely depth.
INNISKILLIN MONTAGUE VINEYARD CHARDONNAY 2014, ONTARIO ($24.95) This single-vineyard perennial favourite is one of those wines you don’t soon forget. If there was justice in the world, it would be the wine you would think of when someone says “Inniskillin” but, sadly, Icewine has taken that port-manteau. Smoked apple and canned peaches on the palate with big oak, vanilla and apple cobbler, with layer upon layer of spiced-apple flavour.
CHÂTEAU DES CHARMES BARREL FERMENTED CHARDONNAY 2015, ONTARIO ($14.95) One of the best-value Chardonnays in Ontario. There is nothing over the top here — and it has consistently been that way for as long as I can remember. It’s all here for you Chardonnay fans: apple, butter, vanilla and caramel, even some peach and a gentle spice.
BURROWING OWL CHARDONNAY 2016, BRITISH COLUMBIA ($35) It seems that Chardonnay is popular across Canada, even in places where people think mostly of reds – namely the “hot” Okanagan Valley. This one is loaded with peaches and vanilla cream along with delicious apple and a lively spice-laced acidic finish that helps cleanse the palate.
BLUE MOUNTAIN CHARDONNAY 2015, BRITISH COLUMBIA ($20.90) This Chardonnay is a pure delight, but what do you expect from a winery that delivers great bubbles? Here, there’s a brightness of white fruit and citrus: pear and apple meet lemon zest and grapefruit pith with subtle buttery-ness and wonderful, balancing acidity.
THIRTY BENCH SMALL LOT CHARDONNAY 2014, ONTARIO ($30) From this “house of Riesling” comes a surprising Chardonnay that’s full of depth and character. The fruit is based on apple, peach and pear while the oak delivers vanilla-caramel and creamy, buttery notes.
KACABA BARREL FERMENTED CHARDONNAY 2015, ONTARIO ($30) Kacaba seems to have an interesting honeydew note, which they have developed in this Chardonnay’s finish, but the rest is pretty typical for this style: apple cobbler, lime zest, buttery and vanilla notes with a creamy texture. But it’s that honeydew that kicks this wine up a notch.
QUAILS’ GATE STEWART FAMILY RESERVE CHARDONNAY 2015, BRITISH COLUMBIA ($35) If you’re going to grab yourself something from the Quail in the form of Chardonnay, this would be my choice hands down (and you have three from which to choose). It starts with a buttered-popcorn aroma, but that’s where the confection ends. Vanilla and caramel apple kick off the palate followed by peach cobbler and some spicy-ness on the finish — it’s rich, mouth-filling and very flavourful.
CREEKSIDE QUEENSTON ROAD VINEYARD CHARDONNAY 2015, ONTARIO ($24.95) It has been years since Creekside made Chardonnay to speak of and then they come out with 2 back-to-back in 2014 and 2015 that set the bar high. The ’15 is a raucous little number they made from 8 barrels, aged 10 months, of which 40% was new oak. It’s fresh and lively with lots of apple, peach, pear and pineapple, subtle buttery-ness, balancing acidity and a mineral, lemon-drop finish … this one has a boatload of finesse.
FLAT ROCK CHARDONNAY 2015, ONTARIO ($18.95) Quite possibly the best base-model Flat Rock Chardonnay cobbled together to date. These are the barrels that didn’t make the winery’s top-tier Rusty Shed and that excites me for the 2015 Rusty release later this year. For now, this under-$20 version will do quite nicely. With its tropical notes, vanilla-peach and touch of spice, it comes across as complex and rich. Definitely one to get. × JULY/AUGUST 2017 × QUENCH.ME × 33
FROM VINERY TO WINERY by Konrad Ejbich
Anyone can start a winery — if they have enough cash. The Canadian wine industry has plenty of owners whose primary profession had nothing to do with grapes.
Stratus was created for David Feldberg, the owner of Teknion, an office furniture giant. Hidden Bench is the dream child of Harald Thiel, who made a killing when he sold his audio-visual service business. Peninsula Ridge was built by Norm Beal, an oil patch executive who just got tired of being an oil patch executive. Tawse and Redstone are owned by Moray Tawse, a highly successful mutual fund manager. Martin Malivoire was a master tinkerer who created some of the most spectacular special effects for big-budget Hollywood movies. He and his partner, Moira Saganski, wanted a weekend getaway with a vineyard view and ended up building a showpiece winery to go with it. Litigator Michael Kacaba built his eponymous winery after saving a farm from being developed into a subdivision. There are many others like them. Don’t misunderstand me: there’s nothing wrong with investing millions in the land, vines, bricks, mortar, stainless steel and barrels that drive the wine business. Where would our beloved industry be without their valuable investment? What’s important is that these players all have one thing in common: they love wine. But what if you’re a farmer, struggling to making ends meet by growing fruit for big corporate wineries. What does it take to transition from grape grower to wine producer? 34 × @QUENCH_MAG × LIVING LOCAL ISSUE
The road is rife with obstacles. It’s not enough to have passion and a dream. Money is critical, but having a vineyard and knowing how to nurture it is half the battle. And it does offer some leverage with the banks.
JOHN NEUFELD AT PALATINE HILLS ESTATE WINERY
John Neufeld grew up on a farm and loved farming. Before graduating from the agriculture program at Guelph University at 19, he begged and borrowed to buy a 118-acre property on Lakeshore Road near Niagara-on-the-Lake. It was already planted with peaches, pears, plums, cherries and labrusca grapes, and he knew he had a ready market in the large canneries and wineries existing at that time. Neufeld saw changes coming, though. He planted his first vinifera varieties (Gamay and Gewürztraminer) as early as 1975 and upgraded his vineyard regularly after that. When the first Icewines were developed in the early ’80s, he acquired a processing license and started producing Icewine juice for Brights. Things ran smoothly until the bountiful year of 1995. His sole customer, by then called Vincor, offered him one third the normal price for his surplus juice.
“IT’S A LONG PROCESS. I THOUGHT IT WOULD NEVER HAPPEN. THERE WERE SO MANY RULES AND REGULATIONS AT THE TIME.” BARB CONDOTTA
Never one to buckle under pressure, Neufeld hired winemaker Joe Pohorly to turn his juice into finished Icewine at his winery, Joseph’s Estate. Meanwhile, he applied for a manufacturer’s permit, which was soon granted. After Neufeld established Palatine Hills, he entered his first commercial wine, a 1998 Vidal Icewine, in the Ontario Wine Awards and, to his surprise, took the grand prize of Wine of the Year. He continued to sell grapes, but in 2004 Vincor again forced his hand by insisting he choose between being solely a grower or losing his contract with them. “In those days, it was much easier to transition than it is today,” he says. “Learning all the paperwork was the most onerous part.” While growth progressed slowly at first, Neufeld took advantage of strong demand from US wineries for high-quality juice. As former chairman of the Grape Growers Marketing Board, he had many contacts in the industry and was able to sell his excess juice in bulk to American producers until he could build up a local market for finished wine. “There’s obvious benefit in the added value of our product,” he says, “but I work 365 days a year instead of the seasonal work I
did as a grower.” Neufeld now has 22 full-time employees as compared with the eight seasonal workers he used to hire. “The investment has been huge, but I have only one regret.” Neufeld concludes, “I should have started sooner.”
LOU PUGLISI AT PONDVIEW ESTATE WINERY
In 1974, Giuseppe (Joe) Puglisi planted vines on his newly acquired 12-acre lot on Line 2 near Niagara-on-the-Lake. His son Luciano (Lou) grew up “between the vines” and soon discovered how hard vineyard chores could be. By age 18, he’d saved $10,000 and was ready to buy himself a fast-and-fancy car. However, Puglisi Sr intervened with a man-to-man talk and young Lou was persuaded to put his hard-earned cash into land instead of a car that would depreciate quickly. When a 20-acre parcel adjacent to the family farm came available in 1988, Puglisi Jr snapped it up. He planted the vineyard and in the mid-’90s also took over the remainder of the family holdings. JULY/AUGUST 2017 × QUENCH.ME × 35
Grower Wines Palatine Hills Estate Winery [VQA: Niagara Lakeshore]
PALATINE HILLS ESTATE WINERY 1812 UNOAKED CHARDONNAY 2015 ($12) An InterVin “Best Value” Chardonnay, this snappy, light white offers clean flavours of lemon, apple and pear. Lovely with shrimp pasta, fried chicken or buttered popcorn.
PALATINE HILLS ESTATE WINERY NEUFELD VINEYARD CHARDONNAY 2012 ($16) Big, elegant and subtly oaky with a mouth-filling dollop of puréed pear and French vanilla, and a long lemon crème brûlé aftertaste. Brilliant with a creamy scallop dish, veal piccata or simple roast chicken.
PALATINE HILLS ESTATE WINERY 1812 MERLOT/ CABERNET 2015 ($13) An easy-drinking style, with dark fruit notes, mid-weight and a lightly spiced finish. Benefits from a 20-minute chill. A classic cheeseburger wine. For early drinking.
PALATINE HILLS ESTATE WINERY RIESLING 2015 ($13) Honeyed with a clean, dry-ish aftertaste thanks to zippy acidity. Exotic flavours of lemon-spritzed nectarine and papaya. For patio sipping or paired with light curries, Mexican fish tacos or a spicy Asian occasion.
PALATINE HILLS ESTATE WINERY NEUFELD VINEYARD MERLOT 2012 ($35) An Ontario Wine Awards gold medal winner. Sensational concentration, complexity and finesse with billowing aromatics of black cherry, blueberry and plum. Long on the palate and lush in flavours. A Sunday dinner wine for rare roast beef and Yorkshire pudding.
Honsberger Estate Winery [Non-VQA, but all estate-grown in the Lincoln Lakeshore appellation.] HONSBERGER ESTATE WINERY RIESLING 2015 ($21.95) Fruity aromas of peach and grapefruit marmalade, it’s barely off-dry, with medium body and racy acidity. Pairing with pan-fried wild cod and broiled asparagus may make you swoon with delight.
HONSBERGER ESTATE WINERY CABERNET FRANC RESERVE 2012 ($55) The single best barrel of the winery’s first vintage. Potent and concentrated, with complexity and depth. Ripe black 36 × @QUENCH_MAG × LIVING LOCAL ISSUE
raspberry notes, supple texture and a rich, savoury, ethereal finish. Enjoy with a striploin or ribeye steak. Decant twice before serving.
HONSBERGER ESTATE WINERY CABERNET FRANC 2014 ($25.95) Fragrant notes of red and black currants with a herbal nuance. A lighter vintage offering much pleasure in earlier drinking. A country pâté or charcuterie board will do nicely.
PondView Estate Winery [VQA: Four Mile Creek] PONDVIEW ESTATE WINERY DRAGONFLY PINOT GRIGIO 2016 [NIAGARA PENINSULA] ($16.95) A clean, unpretentious sipper with lemony aromas and stone fruit flavours. Balanced and fresh with notes of bitter almond on the finish. Pour as an apéro with olives or pistachios.
PONDVIEW ESTATE WINERY BELLA TERRA CHARDONNAY 2014 ($24.95) Full-blown exotic bouquet of mango, honey, vanilla, caramel and cashews with a rich, balanced, lingering toasty finish. Try with shellfish pasta, lobster risotto or classic osso buco.
PONDVIEW ESTATE WINERY BELLA TERRA CABERNET FRANC 2013 ($39.95) Vibrant nose of tart cherry and raspberry, with hints of clove, green olive and herbs. Bright, youthful acidity, silky mouthfeel and clean, balanced finish. Partner with barbecued shish kebab and grilled vegetables.
PONDVIEW ESTATE WINERY BELLA TERRA CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2013 ($39.95) Sweet nose of wild raspberry, cassis and plum. Medium body, juicy acidity, solid tannic structure and a pure varietal finish. My preferred pairing would include grilled or broiled Ontario-raised lamb chops.
PONDVIEW ESTATE WINERY BELLA TERRA CABERNET APPASSIMENTO 2013 ($70) Six weeks on the drying rack, three weeks of skin contact and 20 months in new French oak produced a Cab-Cab blend that’s 16.5% alc./vol. with super-concentrated flavours, both sweet and savoury. With aromas of dark fruits, dried cherries, cinnamon, smoked paprika, fresh-roasted coffee beans, tarred leather and a whole lot more, this thickly textured wine shows best with strong dishes, such as spicy charcuterie, game, beef stew, wild mushroom risotto, hunks of fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese or dark chocolate squares. Cellar for at least 5 years and then open a day before serving.
“EVERY TIME I SHOOK SOMEONE’S HAND, I’D HAVE TO COUNT MY FINGERS.” LOU PUGLISI
Today, he spends his energy finding ways to get customers to visit his retail shop because that’s the only way he can make a profit. Puglisi has no regrets, though. He says winemaking has opened his eyes to the world and given him opportunities to travel, to see other regions and cultures, to meet growers and share their experiences. It has made him better appreciate the Ontario industry, recognizing the quality of what he can achieve and immense satisfaction in being part of a long-term adventure that starts with the soil.
BARB CONDOTTA AT HONSBERGER ESTATE WINERY
Over the years, Lou Puglisi sold his grapes to Cartier Wines, Hillebrand, Château des Charmes and Strewn, and eventually, to Pillitteri exclusively. For his meticulously nurtured vineyards, he was chosen Ontario’s 2008 Grape King, which led to much travel and speech-making around the country. On a visit to the Okanagan, he encountered many small growers who had transformed their tiny farms into estate wineries. Puglisi was inspired. If they could do it, he could too. It would be a big investment and the work would be harder, but he concluded that producing a value-added product was surely the way to go. “We thought we could just put up a building and buy some equipment, and away we go,” he says. “Then we discovered just how steep the learning curve was, dealing with the paperwork and liquor board regulations. It was horrendous.” Puglisi also was frustrated by the huge margins taken by the government, as well as the constant demands for investment in product testing, marketing plans, in-store promotion or magazine advertising. “Every time I shook someone’s hand,” he laughs, “I’d have to count my fingers.”
Barb Condotta (née Honsberger) hails from a long line of Pennsylvania Dutch farmers who immigrated in 1811. They farmed to survive and the family did thrive. Several branches of the Honsberger family tree now populate the Niagara Peninsula. When she took over her great grandfather’s tender fruit farm in 1999, apples and sour cherries were no longer financially rewarding. Condotta’s early experience working at Barnes Wines and Jordan & Ste-Michelle Cellars during her university days convinced her that, if she was going to keep the farm in the family, a winery was the only way to go. By 2008, she could finally afford to tear out some of the fruit trees and plant grapes. After consulting with other growers, winemakers and a soil specialist, she planted Cabernet Franc and Riesling. Dealing with the government and the LCBO was the next hurdle. “It’s a long process,” Condotta sighs. “I thought it would never happen. There were so many rules and regulations at the time.” To make ends meet, she worked in a travel agency and as a dental assistant and, to this day during the winter months, serves as a flight attendant. In the summer season, Condotta hosts a lot of weddings at the winery, and together with her daughter Britney, a Cordon Bleu chef, runs an outdoor bistro with a wood-fired pizza oven. × JULY/AUGUST 2017 × QUENCH.ME × 37
FOR PEATS SAKE
by Bonnie Conrad
38 × @QUENCH_MAG × LIVING LOCAL ISSUE
Every type of whiskey has its adherents and its detractors, but no form of alcohol has engendered as many passionate debates as peaty whiskey. To its fans, peaty whiskey is the perfect drink, with a smoky flavour, a rich taste and a mouthfeel all its own. To its detractors, peaty whiskey is only one step up from a handful of dirt. With opinions so divided, it is no secret that few people are neutral on the subject of peat. In the world of whiskey, the debate about peat is a passionate one indeed. If you want to start an argument, just walk into your favourite bar or club and ask the men and women present what they think. Then just take a step back and watch the fireworks. Once the smoke has cleared and the fireworks have died down, you can do your own homework and see which side of the peaty whiskey debate you come down on. Of course, the best way to test the various peaty whiskey theories is to take a sip for yourself, and that method is certainly the most fun. While you are waiting for your taste test, you can spend your time learning about the history of peaty whiskey and what makes it such a rich source of debate for alcohol aficionados everywhere. Here are some key things to know about this unique adult beverage.
THE ORIGIN STORY
The history of peaty whiskey is a long and fascinating one, and some parts of the origin story are shrouded in mystery. No one knows exactly how peaty whiskey first got its start, but historians can draw some clues from the fact that large swaths of Scotland are covered in peat bogs. It is not uncommon for the terroir to play a substantial role in the production of spirits. It only stands to reason, therefore, that the vast quantities of peat found in Scotland would eventually find their way into the national drink. It is, after all, the peat the sets whiskey apart from all other forms of Scotch. Farmers in Scotland have been caring for their native peat bogs for thousands of years, and there are places where those massive fields of decayed vegetation extend many feet into the ground. The farmers of Scotland have been taking advantage of their native resource for as long as anyone can remember. Peat is a popular source of energy in Scotland, where it is cut into small pieces and piled up for drying. The dried peat is then formed into hard briquettes and burned like coal.
HOW IT GETS IN THERE
The Scots love their Scotch and it didn’t take long to discover its power. The identity of the first distiller to use peat may be lost in the fog of time, but the result of that secret ingredient is much easier to determine. Peat gives Scotch a distinctive smoky flavour, something its fans are all too eager to point out. In the early days, the Scots
would use peat to heat the stills where the Scotch was produced, but this method of production did not give the drink a new flavour. And it doesn’t come from the water either. What does impart that distinctive smoky flavour is the drying of the still-damp malt. The production of peaty whiskey begins when the damp malt is dried over a fire that is heated by the peat briquettes. It is that fire that imparts the smoky flavour peaty whiskey fans crave and detractors despise.
VARIATIONS ON A THEME
There are a number of variations of peaty whiskey, and each has its own distinct flavour and method of production. By adjusting the amount of pungent peat smoke that reaches the drying barley, whiskey producers are able to create a number of variations, from a very subtle smoky ambiance to a deep heavy smoke that will be evident even to the casual drinker. During normal Scotch production, the barley grain is typically dried for about 30 hours. That drying time is pretty standard across all Scotch producers, and it plays a key role in the production of peaty whiskey. To produce true peaty whiskey though, the Scotch producers must expose the drying malt to the peat-fueled fire for as long as 18 of those 30 hours. The longer the exposure time, the greater the smoky taste in the finished product.
CONSUMER SENTIMENTS
As stated earlier, peaty whiskey engenders strong passions in whiskey aficionados around the world. Some people love the distinctive smoky taste and prefer it to all other forms of whiskey. Others find the smoky taste distracting, and they prefer the cleaner and less complicated taste of Bourbon or Irish whiskey. Nowhere is the demand for peaty whiskey higher than in the lucrative Asian market. From Japan and China to Taiwan and South Korea, gourmets and lovers of fine spirits have been embracing peaty whiskey in a big way. So much so that the Japanese have been producing their own style of Scotch for decades now. One reason for the popularity of peaty whiskey may be that it pairs perfectly with oysters and chocolates, both highly prized delicacies in the Asian marketplace. But that’s just one — delicious — guess. No matter what you think of it, peaty whiskey is clearly here to stay. With a history stretching back thousands of years, this unique distilled spirit has been gaining adherents at a steady clip. If you would like to see what all the excitement is all about, just ask for a glass of Scotch and try it for yourself. × JULY/AUGUST 2017 × QUENCH.ME × 39
CHANGING THE RULES by Tim Pawsey
THERE’S A NEW BREED OF DISTILLER IN TOWN — OR RATHER MAKE THAT OUT OF TOWN. With a definite rejoin-
der of “everything old is new again,” the (never really extinct) rural still is making a significant comeback. With the easing of the once draconian regulations that made it impossible for anyone other than international giants to legally distil, a new era is unfolding in British Columbia. While the blossoming of urban distilling over the last few years has been well documented, now comes the emergence of the rural distiller, which is especially apparent across the province. Overall, some 41 distilleries are now in full operation in BC, with, at last count, another 17 either about to open or in the wings for late 2017 or early 2018. They’re in every corner and all across the province, often in far-flung outposts. Sometimes embracing and recreating the culture of years gone by. In a way, there’s very much a connection with the notion of locally grown food. Much like craft brewers have proved before them, there exists a serious appetite for producing well-made spirits, using local and sustainable ingredients, as well as for their consumption. It took a while for Jason MacIsaac’s dream to come to fruition. The co-owner of BC’s westernmost distillery was a successful professional chef before he and his wife, Alayne, launched Sheringham Distillery at Shirley, near Jordan River, 68 kilometres northwest of Victoria. Even by BC standards, Shirley (pop. c. 430) is an impossibly beautiful and remote spot on the shores of the Pacific, looking across Juan de Fuca Strait, near equally scenic French Beach. Shirley used to be known as Sheringham until the name was abruptly shortened in 1893 so it would fit on the area’s first postage stamp. MacIsaac was working at nearby Point No Point Resort, and living in Jordan River, when he unearthed a stash of old moonshine bottles in a shed behind his house. He cleaned them up to show to the resort’s owner, who told him there used to be a still in the basement of the Jordan River Hotel — which had a wellearned reputation as a party place until it burned down in 1984. “I obviously had a passion for food and drink but was also curious about the mystery of distillation,” says MacIsaac, whose interest was further piqued. 40 × @QUENCH_MAG × LIVING LOCAL ISSUE
Especially in Prohibition-era BC, stills were not uncommon, particularly in rural communities where luxuries were few and far between. They were also subject to evangelical prosecution by the authorities. It was an attitude that prevailed and continued to shape puritanical mores in government and society that have only recently begun to change. It was precisely that lure of history and sense of place that helped spark MacIsaac’s original interest. When his initial ideas didn’t pan out, he moved to the Lower Mainland to pursue his cooking career. But in his heart, he always planned to go back. Eventually, he overheard a conversation at a dinner he was catering about imminent changes to liquor laws and realized it was time. “The next day, I really hit the ground running and I haven’t stopped,” he laughs. “We opened two years ago and I haven’t cooked since. It’s a complete career change.” Jason is the distiller while Alayne runs the business and handles marketing. Together they’ve shaped one of Vancouver Island’s most distinct distilleries by working sustainably, using all BC grain and incorporating local ingredients whenever they can. One day when out walking on French Beach, they were intoxicated by the scent of the wild Nootka roses in bloom and the freshness of the sea air off the water. “We thought, ‘how can we get this into the bottle?’” and went to work to figure it out. Today, Sheringham Seaside Gin is the only one in the country known to contain seaweed. “We experimented with bull kelp at first but it didn’t have as bright and clear flavours as the winged kelp. Wild rose petals also came into the recipe,” says Jason. From his chef’s perspective, “The seaweed brings some umami. It also balances out the botanicals and adds a lovely, salty brininess to the palate.” The packaging is exquisite. Each label is applied by hand and individually numbered, with neck tickets hand-tied with string. Everything is locally sourced and recycled, including the spent mash, which goes to local farmers to feed to their livestock. Working in such a remote locale brings its own set of challenges, such as shipping and planning for raw materials (like grain) to arrive on schedule. Plus, if anything does go wrong in the distillery, you just can’t call someone to come and help you, says Jason.
“You learn how to overcome it — whether it’s electrical, plumbing or mechanical. You just have to learn to be self-sufficient, because people are usually at least a couple of days away. Most of the time, you just do it,” he says. “Besides, my heart is in this place. That’s why I’ve been out this way for 17 years. Having my work here makes sense as well.” THAT LEVEL OF SELF-SUFFICIENCY is what you’ll find in spades
at Island Spirits, in the forest, down a back road on tranquil Hornby Island. Then again, Pete Kimmerly doesn’t do anything by half-measure, especially when it comes to his distillery. An engineer and retired ice breaker captain (who took the CCGS Terry Fox through the Northwest Passage), Kimmerly teamed up with business partner Naz Abdurahman (a professor of Organic Chemistry). They built their distillery almost a decade ago on this secluded northern Gulf Island, in the Salish Sea, about 100 kilometres north of Vancouver. As it turns out, despite being “in the wilds,” they were at the leading edge of BC’s distilling revolution. Their original name was pHROG — an idiosyncratic salute to the nearby amphibian chorus, with the pH thrown in for scientific good measure. In recent years, they’ve adopted the slightly more sober Island Spirits moniker — although there’s still no shortage of froggy icons around. And the chorus still reigns supreme. They also designed and built their own first five stills during an experimental period that lasted a couple of decades. Eventually they added a state-of-the-art German-built Eduard Holstein still. Their pure and double-distilled gin has won awards across the continent. The recipe, which took four years to develop and uses 14 different herbs and berries, is a hands-down winner. It may have definite juniper on the nose but its beguiling and complex palate reveals hints of cardamom, fennel and cumin, along
David McIlvride from Sheringham Distillery
with a host of other herbs and berries. If you let it sit long enough in the glass (I’d suggest a snifter) the components evolve considerably, without even a hint of harshness. The Island Spirits lineup has grown to include inventive vodkas (such as black jelly bean Szechuan), an aquavit, an array of impressive eaux de vie and plenty more. Wood for the distillery’s building was logged and milled right on the property and Kimmerly uses the same wood-fired boiler that heats his adjacent home to supply the distillery. Here, too, are a flock of very productive chickens and an ornamental carp pond — both well protected from hungry eagles. The demand for Island Spirits’ products (both on the island and well beyond) has soared. So much so, almost the entire production is sold out of the distillery, much of it to summer visitors who have made it one of the island’s most popular attractions. Needless to say, Kimmerly has no more interest in selling to the government, which he regards as a losing proposition. JULY/AUGUST 2017 × QUENCH.ME × 41
the key to it all
These far-flung distillers may be remote but they’re not alone: a tour around the room at this year’s BC Distilled Main Tasting (held every spring in Vancouver) revealed an astonishing array of tastes. In Grand Forks, True North makes Jamaican-inspired Hulda rum, while Kimberley’s Bohemian Spirits is making a range of good drops, such as Vagabond Vodka and Colossal Pink Gin. Venture a few kilometres up the road from Whistler and you’ll discover Pemberton Distillery, making organic spirits, including Absinthe, Hemp Vodka and traditional German-style Kartoffelschnaps. Isolated by geography from the mainstream market, these small distillers are also more inclined to take risks, sometimes coming up with more esoteric tastes that can prove very successful, such as Wayward Distillation House’s Krupnik, a delicious, Polish-inspired spiced honey liqueur made with unpasteurized BC honey, lemon, orange and spices like clove, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla. The original BC modern-day distilling pioneer remains Frank Deiter, who founded Okanagan Spirits, in 2004 (since sold). At the time, he was one of the first in North America. Now, he notes, there are over 1,000 small distillers in the US and Canada, and it’s becoming a worldwide phenomenon. He says the secret to BC’s success is its craft distilling license, with a ceiling of 50,000 litres, which the industry worked hard to convince the government to establish. “It’s one of the finest craft distilling licenses that we have in the whole country,” he says. “They always think that we are taking something away. But you can see just by what’s happening in BC how it’s adding to the economy of the province itself, even just in terms of agriculture. “For a small business that has integrated into a community and built something of a tourist destination, it’s very attractive.” The key, however, is quality, says Deiter, who entered his spirits (very successfully) into Europe’s toughest competitions, to gauge them on a worldwide stage. “What I see is the knowledge of distilling is not yet widespread. They don’t have the experience and that has to change. It has to be top shelf to survive,” he cautions. 42 × @QUENCH_MAG × LIVING LOCAL ISSUE
Over the winter, he received shipment of his newest still, another gleaming German beauty, custom built with a stack to fit precisely into a recessed area necessarily cut into the ceiling to allow for maximum height. Its arrival will allow Island Spirits to increase production considerably. SOME 500 KILOMETRES TO THE EAST, on the other side of the province, it was a twist of fate that ultimately led Josh and Jenn McLafferty to mountain-ringed Revelstoke, where, this spring they launched Monashee Spirits (named for the nearby range). Josh had spent much of his working life as a specialized deep-sea diver until disaster struck: “I had a gnarly motocross accident, which shattered both my legs and effectively ended my dive career.” Josh says he was in a conundrum, and not at all certain what to do next. Josh is from rural Saskatchewan and Jenn is from Salmon Arm. “We decided to go back to our small-town roots,” he says. “We had a few friends who were looking at opening a distillery (now Sons of Vancouver) in North Vancouver, next door to my old office. We looked at the market and saw the growth — how almost every small town now has its own brewery and distillers.” Josh says he knew that in towns like Revy (pop. 7,547), there aren’t a whole lot of other opportunities for work beyond the railway and logging. Also, he says the accident had left him “crippled, for lack of a better word.” Without the ability to go after a conventional 9-to-5 job he felt no longer able to handle, the search turned elsewhere. When they looked closer at what was happening with craft beer, distilling started to make sense. Now Jenn, a former nurse, is on her way to becoming a master distiller. “We saw a demand for it and thought just how cool it is to be able to buy your own local craft brew, and shake the hand of the guy who’s making it.” Their plan took shape and eventually came to fruition, opening a tasting room that shares space with the distillery, with comfy, big leather couches and 1901 piano, right beside the production area. “We sell out of our store as well through local bars and restaurants, and online,” says Josh. “We’re in a downtown location on the main drag. We have night life and bars close by, with people walking in the door …” Monashee makes vodka with sustainably farmed grains from Salmon Arm, as well as Big Mountain Creamer, an unabashed nod to Bailey’s (“It just disappears when we’re sampling”) made with Revelstoke honey and dairy products from D Dutchmen Dairy (also near Salmon Arm). Vulcan Fire, made with cinnamon, apple, honey and maple syrup, is also proving popular, with a barrel-aged version also planned. Like most other rural distillers, they’re following a mantra of local lore and ingredients. “We’re trying to 100-mile source as much as we can; and stay 100 percent organic. All the products we use are certified. At times, it’s a nightmare, but it all paid off in the end,” says Josh, who says the plan is to keep it small and simple. ×
MODERN TIMES
by Tod Stewart
In the spirit world, probably nothing invokes associations with days gone by more than brandy. The house of brandy is decked out with a plush leather chair, wood-burning stone hearth, books by Dickens (perhaps), a smouldering pipe, a comfy robe and warm slippers. It’s a stoic, relaxed place, steeped in cosy tradition.
The noble Lord and Lady of this fine residence are, respectively, Cognac and Armagnac — the former an internationally respected Old World gentleman. By his side, less flashy, though some would argue even more assertive (and still aristocratically French), is Madame Armagnac. Together, they represent the upper echelon of the brandy hierarchy. But how can these royal spirits survive in today’s world of fly-by-night fashion and flavour-of-themoment fickleness? This isn’t to suggest that the duo’s international popularity is on the wane — the resurgence in the popularity of brown spirits (and China) — have kept them more-or-less as popular as ever. It’s a bit of a balancing act, when you are deftly trying to juggle tradition and modern tastes, but the “Royals” seem to be pulling it off. And they’re using some interesting strategies to do so.
”It’s incredible to see the extent to which the brand is beginning to take root in all of the third millennium communities, building bridges and pushing back ‘frontiers,’” enthuses Rodney Williams, CMO at Moët Hennessy USA. “Encouraging the development of new connections with consumers through its commitment to the worlds of music and the arts, but also sports.” Maurice Richard Hennessy adds that, “Hennessy Very Special is the most consumed cognac in the world, and certainly the cognac I drink more often. It is wonderfully pleasing neat or as a cocktail. The world is full of imaginative mixologists, and I enjoy tasting their creations.” So, a couple things stand out: Williams talks about sports and music. Sports and music typically don’t immediately come to mind when Cognac is mentioned (think
of the incongruity of having Hennessy Very Special swapped with Bud Light in those slick, loud commercials. Not exactly, right?). If the “traditional” Cognac consumer is envisioned as rich, old and white, well … think again (at least about the old and white bit). “The ‘traditional’ Cognac consumer does not really exist for Hennessy,” informs Veronique Gonneville, Communication Director at Moët Hennessy Portfolio, Canada. “Hennessy has adapted to local markets…. In America, for example, Hennessy Very Special has a very strong presence with the African American and hip hop communities. In China, Hennessy customers prefer Hennessy X.O. for its complex taste and maturity. This is not specific to age groups.” Rory Crozier, Martell Cognac Brand Ambassador, notes that for his firm, the JULY/AUGUST 2017 × QUENCH.ME × 43
JACQUES MENIER FROM MARTELL COGNAC
Cognac/music connection extends beyond narrow boundaries. “Certain houses were well known to be associated directly to the hip hop community, although that’s only seen through a North American perspective. In France, for instance, Martell brought on Diane Kruger as its International Brand Ambassador to help celebrate its 300th anniversary year, a huge milestone that marked the House of Martell as the oldest of all the great cognac houses. That said, we have a big Martell supporter just south of the border, Questlove of The Roots, and he has done some amazing things with Martell. Personally, I feel if it’s the right connection in the right market, you go with it.” As for the “old” bit, Erika Neudorf, Martell Cognac Brand Manager at Corby observes: “Younger drinkers are a growing consumer segment for cognac. The heritage and luxury of a brand like Martell is incredibly appealing. Cognac is also making its way back into many high-end, fashionable cocktail bars and restaurants where younger consumers frequent.” Cognac in cocktails is “new but not really new, but let’s try to keep it new” sort of 44 × @QUENCH_MAG × LIVING LOCAL ISSUE
thing. (The last time I wrote about Cognac was over a decade ago — and the thrust of that story was Cognac as a cocktail base.) But big deal: if it’s still even a “kinda thing,” it’s a good thing. “In the early 2000s, we realized that many bartenders in New York City or London were using our RARE VSOP as their cocktail base because of its floral and fruit-driven characteristics,” reports Marie-Emmanuelle Febvret, Marketing & Communication Manager at Thomas Hine & Co. “Some were asking for an even livelier version, like a VS, but at Hine we don’t do a VS version due to our terroir. So our Cellar Master, Eric Forget — a big fan of cocktails himself — decided to create a younger VSOP blend designed specifically for cocktails: H by Hine VSOP.” Febvret confirms that H by Hine VSOP has become a favourite among bartenders (mixologists … whatever). And there’s the Instagram account: @hinecognacs, where the company “… [has] fun with H by Hine VSOP with our partners all around the world. We often joke about Hine being a 254-years-young Cognac house.”
Of course, there’s still a demand from connoisseurs of more, um, serious snifters. Hine is certainly not ignoring this call, marketing a range of single-vintage Cognacs, single-cask Cognacs and, most recently, the terroir-driven, single-estate Domaines Hine Bonneuil sourced entirely from its own Grande Champagne vineyard. Of course the Lady of the Manor — Armagnac — hasn’t been sitting on her laurels as Lord Cognac continues to conquer new palates. Jérôme Castledine, of the Armagnac House Bordeneuve Châteaux & Collections, notes that though European and Canadian sales volumes may have declined somewhat over the past little while, sales dollars remain robust, suggesting, he reasons, a leaning towards higher-end products. Things are different in the U.S.. “This market has exploded in recent times,” Castledine reveals. “It’s grown by 41 percent in volume and 84 percent in value over the five years ending in 2015.” This success, however, has not stopped Armagnac producers from experimenting with new creations designed to appeal to new markets and drinkers. Blanche d’Armagnac (clear and without oak aging) was granted Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) status in 2005. — so it’s hardly “new,” but it hasn’t really cracked the Canadian market (the silky textured Blanche de Montal with its fragrant fruity/floral aromas is the first I’ve seen in my market). Bordeneuve has not only released La Blanche de Bordeneuve white Armagnac, but also La Blanche au Citron (with natural lime extract) and La Grande Josiane, which combines Armagnac with bitter orange, vanilla, cocoa and coffee and targets a wide consumer base. Finally, if combining brandy with flavouring elements to create a new line of drinks or creative cocktails doesn’t do it for you, you could always try using it as a flavouring agent. Born in the Cognac region using French Winter Wheat and crystalline water, Grey Goose VX combines the super-luxury vodka made in the Cognac region with just a hint of actual Cognac. The result is surprisingly sublime — pure and refined with traces of caramel and vanilla from its light Cognac “dosage.” Cognac and Armagnac may be ancient spirits, but even in the modern world, they’re certainly not ghosts. ×
LOCAL AND FRESH by Duncan Holmes
ON THE WINDING BACKROADS THAT SNAKE around
the village of Ladner, British Columbia, there are gentle reminders every now and then that slow-moving farm vehicles should be respected. I live around here, and often see and delight in respecting these vehicles — tractors hauling loads of manure to spread on springtime fields, sawdust to mulch and keep the weeds down in hectares of blueberry bushes, and supplies for a glistening sea of greenhouses that dot the region, the ones full of perfect tomatoes and other foods that need lots of heat to make things happen. At this early-summer time of year, the same slow movers are also laden with the ongoing harvests that supermarkets — and all of us — will snap up in the golden weeks ahead. (Bulging tumbrils of spuds and corn, yet to come, are truly impressive.) I don’t know when “local and fresh” became a must-have unit in our dietary lexicon, but at farmers’ markets, produce outlets and supermarkets across the land, local and fresh is what we want. Everyone who sells produce has climbed on board this happy bandwagon. Sure, we welcome Florida’s citrus family, off-season greens and giant berries from sunny California, and exotics from faraway lands. But we know that local and fresh always has an edge on flavour and goodness that somehow gets a bit lost in the bellies of reefer trucks that growl this Canadian way from wherever down South. Historic, photogenic Ladner — the movie people love its down-home quaintness — had its fishing and farming beginnings when Canada was a pup. It sits about 20 minutes south of Vancouver, where the mighty Fraser River meets the sea. Out from
the Fraser’s banks, rich delta soil supports the kind of farming that makes local and fresh really happen. Every month, vegetables are coming on. From cabbages, carrots, kale, leeks, onions and parsnips in January, to up to 40 varieties that ascend in summer and keep happening throughout the year. Local and fresh really shows at the Ladner Village Market, a jolly affair that turned 21 this summer. Each year, beginning in June, the market takes over four blocks of Ladner’s main street, and more than 150 farmers and others mount their tents to offer fresh-pulled-and-picked enticements seven times each season. The biggest of its kind around here, the Ladner Village Market is “known for its friendly atmosphere, where it feels like family for both the visitor and the vendor.” For those visitors, the farm-fresh guarantee is all around them as they fill their bags with the best, show off their dogs, listen to live music and to talk to the folks who proudly grew what they’ll take home for dinner. As a gardener myself, and a cook, I get as close as doable to local and fresh. When winter comes, I’m digging super-tasty roots like parsnips, beets and rutabagas, and stripping off Brussels sprouts, leaving enough for the holidays. Spring brings spears of snappy asparagus and, not much later, the first of the peas and tickled-out tiny potatoes. Right now, it’s hard to keep up as climber beans hang in furry fronds and the peppers are starting to pop yellow, green, purple and red. Next, those spiky, beautifully coloured artichokes, they of the oh-so-gentle hearts; zukes and cukes; and a gun-metal-and-more coloured assortment of granite-hard squashes that can linger in the field until they burr over with fragile frost, and long beyond. JULY/AUGUST 2017 × QUENCH.ME × 45
LINGUINE WITH ZUCCHINI RIBBONS, LEMON THYME AND PARMESAN SERVES 4 At one stage, I contributed to Farm Folk City Folk (Douglas & McIntyre), a great little book that defined in stories, recipes and other thoughts what local and fresh is all about. This recipe, attributed to Mara Jernigan, will be ready when your zucchini invasion begins.
1 large zucchini 60 g unsalted butter 1 tbsp garlic, minced 4 tbsp fresh lemon thyme, stemmed and finely chopped 500 g dried Italian linguine 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste 1. Thinly slice zucchini lengthwise and trim into half-inch ribbons, 6 to 8 inches long. Heat a large frying pan on medium-high. Add butter and garlic and sauté until translucent. Add zucchini ribbons, seasoning with a pinch of salt. 2. Sauté until soft, but not mushy. Add lemon thyme, toss in pan and remove from heat. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook linguine according to package directions, about 7 minutes. Drain well and add pasta to zucchini mixture. 3. Return to heat and sprinkle pan evenly with Parmesan. Toss well to coat and warm through. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.
46 × @QUENCH_MAG × LIVING LOCAL ISSUE
NEW POTATOES WITH SUN-DRIED TOMATO VINAIGRETTE
SERVES 6 I like to tickle out tiny Yukon Golds early in the season. Steam them and load on the butter, or make something like this.
900 g small, new potato nuggets 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar 1 tsp Dijon mustard 1 garlic clove, finely chopped 1/4 cup slivered, drained sun-dried tomatoes (packed in oil) 1/4 cup olive oil from bottled sun-dried tomatoes 1/4 tsp salt 1/4 tsp pepper 1/3 cup fresh basil 1/2 cup Asiago cheese, grated 1. Scrub unpeeled potatoes and boil 12 to 15 minutes, or until tender. Drain, reserving 1 tbsp potato water. In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, mustard, garlic and reserved potato water. Whisk in sundried tomatoes, oil, salt and pepper. 2. In a large bowl, toss warm potatoes, vinaigrette and 1/4 cup basil. Taste and adjust seasoning. Transfer to platter or large serving bowl. Top with cheese and remaining basil.
TOMATO BASIL SAUCE
Herbs are — or should be — part of every home garden, even if it simply means a pot or two on the deck or kitchen window sill, where they can be snipped easily to season whatever’s cookin’. I put this sauce together to use up some basil that was going crazy.
2 tbsp olive oil 1 tbsp butter Garlic clove, chopped 4 medium, peeled tomatoes, chopped into small pieces Dash of cayenne 1/2 cup basil, finely chopped 1/2 cup cream 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese Heat the olive oil and butter in a medium fry pan, then add the garlic, the tomatoes, the cayenne and the basil. Turn down the heat and simmer until the tomatoes are cooked through. Add the cream and the cheese. The sauce should be smooth. Freshly ground pepper and maybe a touch of dry mustard may be added for additional taste.
DUNC’S DILLS
This very simple recipe has been in my three-ring recipe binder forever. I make a small batch every year, using cucumbers from a farmer friend in Delta, and dill and garlic from my own garden. I don’t process the dills since that makes them too soft — not desirable in a good pickle. However, they last up to a year in a cool place. The ingredients can be increased proportionately for larger quantities. I once used a four-gallon mayo bucket to make a really big batch. The dills sat on the deck all year. (More fun diving into a pickle barrel than a jar!)
1 3 1/4
cup cider vinegar cups water cup pickling salt Garlic cloves Fresh dill Cucumbers, scrubbed well
Mix the first three ingredients and bring to a boil. Add a clove of garlic and a healthy sprig of dill to cucumbers placed whole into sterile jars. Pour the hot liquid over the dills to cover. Seal with screw-top lids.
SWEET AND SOUR ONION SALAD
Lots of taste in this recipe. Primarily from Provence, there are influences from other corners of the Mediterranean too. Sorry, I’ve never found an easy way to peel baby onions, but the battle is worth it.
450 1/4 3 3 3 1 2 1/2
g baby onions, peeled cup wine vinegar tbsp olive oil tbsp icing sugar tbsp tomato purée bay leaf sprigs parsley cup raisins Salt and ground black pepper
Place all of the ingredients in a smallish pan with 1 1/4 cups water. Bring to a boil and simmer gently, uncovered, for 45 minutes, or until the onions are tender and most of the liquid has evaporated. Remove the bay leaf and parsley, check the seasoning and transfer to a serving dish. Serve at room temperature. ×
JULY/AUGUST 2017 × QUENCH.ME × 47
BOUQUET GARNI BY NANCY JOHNSON
SALAD DAYS
NOT-SO-CLASSIC CAESAR SALAD
What exactly is a salad day? I’ve heard that phrase many times throughout the years and often wondered what it meant, but was too lazy — until now — to research it. Turns out the phrase was coined by Shakespeare in Antony and Cleopatra, written in 1606, when the bard was 42 and well past his salad days. In the play, Cleopatra regrets her youthful dalliances with Julius Caesar, all of which occurred in her “salad days/when I was green in judgment.” Ok, now I get it. Salad = green = inexperience = a couple wee mistakes along the way. It all makes sense. But what of the salad itself ? We know the ancient Greeks ate mixed greens with salt, vinegar, oil and herbs. So did the Romans. Salad’s enduring popularity continued throughout the centuries, culminating in the debut of the ubiquitous salad bar in the mid-1970s. While many salad bars (although not all) have since disappeared, the salad remains a star on most restaurants’ menus, albeit bigger, fancier and more filling with every passing year. And that’s a good thing. If I had to choose my salad days, they wouldn’t be those days when I made so many mistakes in my green youth. Instead, my salad days would be right now, today, sitting on the deck on a hot summer evening, having salad and wine with good friends, most of whom have known me since my bumbling youth and who, unbelievably, still like me anyway. 48 × @QUENCH_MAG × LIVING LOCAL ISSUE
SERVES 6 The most distressing thing about Caesar dressing is that it’s traditionally made with raw egg yolks. Today, pasteurized eggs are available, but I prefer to make the dressing the scaredy-cat way — with mayonnaise. You can chop the romaine with a knife if you’re serving the salad right away. Otherwise, use your hands to tear it into bite-sized pieces. Toss salad with dressing just before serving. To make homemade croutons, cut sturdy bread (Italian or French, crust removed) into 1-inch pieces. Toss with 3 tbsp olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Bake in 375˚F oven, turning occasionally, until golden (about 10 to 15 minutes). Add grilled chicken or salmon for a satisfying dinner.
1 1 1/8 1/4 1 2 1/4 1 2-3
tbsp fresh lemon juice tsp Dijon mustard tsp pepper Pinch of salt cup Parmigiano-Reggiano tsp anchovy paste cloves garlic, crushed in a press and minced cup mayonnaise tbsp water heads romaine hearts, chopped Croutons and Parmigiano-Reggiano, for garnish
In a small bowl, whisk all dressing ingredients together. Toss with romaine. Transfer salad to 6 plates. Garnish with croutons and Parmigiano-Reggiano. MATCH: Enjoy with a French rosé.
× Search through a wide range of wine-friendly recipes on quench.me/recipes/
GRILLED CHICKEN SALAD WITH RASPBERRY HONEY MUSTARD VINAIGRETTE
SERVES 4 Grilled chicken salad is one of my very favourite dishes. I usually toss together whatever I have on hand, but during the summer, I love to add fresh juicy peaches to the mix. Grill peach halves along with the chicken, if you’d like.
4 1 2 3 1/2
boneless, skinless chicken fillets Raspberry Honey Mustard Vinaigrette, recipe below bag garden salad greens with red cabbage and carrots ripe peaches, pitted, peeled and diced scallions, thinly sliced cup raspberries
RASPBERRY HONEY MUSTARD VINAIGRETTE
1/4 2 1/4 2 1/2 1
cup raspberry vinegar tbsp Dijon mustard tsp dry mustard tbsp honey Salt and pepper, to taste cup extra virgin olive oil tbsp fresh tarragon leaves, minced
1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the vinaigrette ingredients. Reserve 1/2 cup for the salad and set aside. 2. Place chicken in food storage bag. Pour remaining vinaigrette over chicken; marinate in refrigerator 1 hour. Remove chicken from marinade. Discard marinade. 3. Grill chicken 8 to 10 minutes per side or until completely cooked through. 4. Toss salad greens with peaches and scallions. Arrange on 4 plates. Cut chicken into slices and arrange on top of salad. Scatter raspberries over each salad. Drizzle with reserved 1/2 cup vinaigrette. MATCH: Open a Chenin Blanc.
MISS MOLLY’S BROCCOLI SALAD
SERVES 6 TO 8 There is a lovely little tea room near my home that serves the most delicious broccoli salad. It’s based on a popular recipe from the 1970s, and reminds me of my misguided salad days. This one is not a science; add as much or as little of the ingredients as you’d like. I’ve made this recipe with peanuts or pine nuts instead of sunflower seeds, with and without bacon and sometimes with shredded cheddar cheese, added just before serving. Substitute dried cranberries or cherries for the raisins.
6 1/4 1/2 1/4 1 2 1/4 6
cups broccoli florets, chopped cup red onion, minced cup raisins cup unsalted sunflower seed kernels cup mayonnaise tbsp cider vinegar cup sugar (more or less, to taste) slices bacon, cooked, drained and crumbled
In a large bowl, toss broccoli with red onion, raisins and sunflower kernels. In a small bowl, mix mayonnaise, vinegar and sugar. Stir into salad. Garnish with bacon. MATCH: I usually have Miss Molly’s tea with this salad, along with little heart-shaped sandwiches.
WATERMELON AND FETA STACKS
SERVES 4 Truth be told, I’m not crazy about combining sweet with salty, but for some reason this combo works and is delicious as an appetizer to a barbecued dinner. I cut the watermelon into squares because the block of feta is mostly square, but you can cut rounds, hearts or bunny-rabbit shapes. Whatever you’d like.
1 small seedless watermelon, rind removed and cut into 12 x 3-inch squares, 1/2-inch thick 1 package block feta cheese, cut into 8 slices Hot Jalapeño Dressing, recipe follows Fresh thyme leaves, minced On 4 plates, stack 1 slice watermelon and 1 slice feta cheese. Layer until each serving has 3 watermelon slices and 2 feta slices. Drizzle with Hot Jalapeño Dressing. MATCH: Champagne is very nice with this.
HOT JALAPEÑO DRESSING
1 1 1 1 1/4 1/2
tbsp fresh lemon juice tbsp rice vinegar shallot, minced jalapeño chile, seeded and minced tsp sea salt cup extra virgin olive oil
In a medium bowl, combine lemon juice, vinegar, shallot, jalapeño and sea salt. Whisk in olive oil. Drizzle over watermelon stacks. Garnish with thyme.
THAI CUCUMBER SALAD
SERVES 4 Use a mandoline to slice the cucumber, which you may peel or not, depending on your preference.
1 2 2 2 2 1 1/2
English cucumber, thinly sliced and patted dry tbsp red onion, peeled and minced tbsp sweet red pepper, minced tbsp rice vinegar tbsp water tbsp sugar tsp salt Minced cilantro, for garnish
1. Combine cucumber, red onion and red pepper. 2. In a small bowl, whisk together rice vinegar, water, sugar and salt.
3. Pour over cucumber. Garnish with cilantro. MATCH: Serve with a Gewürztraminer. ×
JULY/AUGUST 2017 × QUENCH.ME × 49
NOTED 91 TAWSE QUARRY ROAD VINEYARD PINOT NOIR 2013, NIAGARA ($35)
93 MEYER FAMILY VINEYARDS MCLEAN CREEK CHARDONNAY 2014, OKANAGAN ($28.99)
This is a rather substantive Pinot with a nose of ripe cherry, raspberry, cassis, earth with loam, mineral and barrel-spice notes. It has a firm foundation of tannins and super-ripe red fruits, suggesting a long life ahead. Lots at play here in this highly structured Pinot — fruit, savoury spices, good acidity. A Pinot built to cellar for 5+ years. (RV)
Complex buttery, toasty, rich citrus and nutty notes on the nose offer plenty of promise that is delivered generously in the mouth. Full-bodied, rich lemon-citrus flavour is nicely balanced by bright acidity and drying mineral grip. Buttery, toasty and lemon-citrus flavours with a subtle touch of oak linger on the finish. Exceptional value! (SW)
90 FLAT ROCK CELLARS THE RUSTY SHED CHARDONNAY 2013, TWENTY MILE BENCH, ONTARIO ($24.95)
The Rusty Shed continues to overdeliver for its price point; in other words, one of the best-value Chardonnays to be found in Niagara. Toast, spice, vanilla, white flowers on the nose meet up with honey, cream, citrus, pineapple and banana on the palate. Brilliant persistency with freshness squaring everything up. (ES)
90 JOIE FARM UN-OAKED CHARDONNAY 2016, NARAMATA, BRITISH COLUMBIA ($22.90)
Sage, tropical and citrus notes up front, followed by a pure expression of Chardonnay with juicy, vibrant apple and citrus notes on a broad bone-dry palate. Underpinned by bright acidity and a lingering mineral finish. (TP) 50 × @QUENCH_MAG × LIVING LOCAL ISSUE
90 ROSEHALL RUN JCR ROSEHALL VINEYARD PINOT NOIR 2014, VQA PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY, ONTARIO ($39.95) Slightly shy on the nose, though revealing some strawberry, cinnamon and clove. Cherry and redcurrant flavours are more assertive on the palate with harmoniously balanced fruit, spice and a splash of milk chocolate on the finish. (SW)
AUVAL ARONIA, QUEBEC ($8.99/500 ML)
Ben Couillard, 39-year-old brewmaster and owner of Auval, left his brewing gig at Pit Caribou to start a true farmhouse brewery in the Gaspé in 2015. His mission is to brew rustic ales that have a sense of place, and Couillard uses as many local ingredients as his beekeeper business partner (the farmer half of the equation) can grow. Wild-fermented fruit beers are brewed with a mixed yeast culture that he’s isolated from wildflowers and fermented on raspberries, aronia, blackcurrants or cherries grown on the farm’s orchards. Aronia pours hazy pink and bursts with wild, funky aromatics and light berries. Tart, very dry, highly effervescent. (CL)
89 MALIVOIRE WINE MOTTIAR VINEYARD PINOT NOIR 2013, VQA BEAMSVILLE BENCH, ONTARIO ($35) Aromas of mocha and smoky herbal notes shift to strawberry and red cherry, with gentle tannins, spice and a splash of milk chocolate in the mouth. A lighter-bodied Pinot with some charm. (SW)
89 THERAPY VINEYARDS FREUDIAN SIP 2016, NARAMATA BENCH, BRITISH COLUMBIA ($19.99)
Stone fruit and orchard notes of ripe peach, nectarine and tropical flavours before an off-dry palate with tropical hints and a fruit-salad finish. (TP)
91 WILD GOOSE VINEYARDS STONEY SLOPE RIESLING 2015, OKANAGAN ($17.99)
Delicate floral scents and a whiff of peppery spice shift to refined lemon-drop citrus flavours and stony mineral with a hint of petrol on the off-dry finish. (SW)
× Find a collection of tasting notes for wine, beer and spirits at quench.me/thenotes/
Each wine is judged on its own merits, in its respective category. Our scores are based on the wine's quality as well as price point. Readers should assess these, and all wines, using the same criteria. Carefully study the commentaries to get an idea of whether the wine might appeal to your taste. The prices listed are suggested retail prices and may vary from province to province. Since a large number of these wines can be purchased across Canada, check with your local liquor board or private wine store for availability. Our tasters are Tony Aspler, Gurvinder Bhatia, Tod Stewart, Evan Saviolidis, Rick VanSickle, Ron Liteplo, Harry Hertscheg, Sean Wood, Gilles Bois, Sarah Parniak, Crystal Luxmore, Treve Ring, Tim Pawsey, Silvana Lau and Jonathan Smithe. QUENCH USES THE 100-POINT SCALE 95-100 = Exceptional 90-94 = Excellent 85-89 = Very good
SPARKLING 92 FLAT ROCK CELLARS RIDDLED SPARKLING 2010, NIAGARA ($30)
This is a traditionally made 100% Chardonnay sparkler that is aged on the lees for 5 years. It possesses a lovely nose of brioche, yeasty-toasty notes, soft lemon and creamy apple with a mousse that starts vigorously then mellows into a gentle bead. It is fresh, lively and complex on the palate with pear and apple flavours and bright, zesty citrus. (RV)
92 BOLLINGER SPECIAL CUVÉE BRUT CHAMPAGNE, CHAMPAGNE, FRANCE ($78.95) Straw-coloured with a mature, nutty, toasty nose of apple and citrus fruit; medium bodied, dry, elegant, with a long lemony finish. A pleasure to drink on its own or with a simple appetizer. (TA)
90 THE ESCAPIST SPARKLING MUSCAT/VIOGNIER 2014, OKANAGAN FALLS ($23) Blended with Pinot Auxerrois, Siegerebbe, Riesling and Gewürztraminer; a good stream of bubbles leads to a well-textured palate. Quite mouth-filling with citrus, stone fruit and apple notes. Estate-grown and made by BC Wine Studio. (TP)
80-84 = Good 75-79 = Acceptable 70 & under = Below average *Available through wine clubs
90 DOMAINE CHANDON BLANC DE NOIRS, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES ($31.95)
A mature sparkler of great quality. Old gold in colour with a nose of toast and grilled hazelnuts; medium-bodied, dry, apple and honey flavours with balancing citrus acidity. (TA)
89 DOMAINE ANDRÉ ET MIREILLE TISSOT BRUT, CRÉMANT DU JURA, FRANCE ($28.30)
Pale yellow with orange reflections. Nose of fresh apple, buttery notes and a dry minerality. Completely dry and cleansing; a touch of rancio adds character to the mouthfeel. Clean finish and ready to drink. Chardonnay, Pinot Noir plus small amounts of Poulsard and Trousseau. (GBQc)
88 CONO SUR SPARKLING PINOT NOIR ROSÉ NV, BIO BIO VALLEY, CHILE ($14)
With an attractive pale pink colour and robust mousse, this sparkling rosé has a pretty nose of fresh-picked raspberries, cranberries and rhubarb. The palate reveals vibrant red berries delivered on a fresh, perky and clean finish. (RV)
88 VAPORETTO NO 8 PROSECCO DOC, ITALY ($20.32)
Opens with agreeable floral and green apple scents with fresh green apple flavour, bright acidity, contrasting creamy
smoothness and gravelly mineral. Shows livelier-than-normal spritz, finishing just off-dry. (SW)
87 BERNARD MASSARD CUVÉE DE L’ÉCUSSON BRUT ROSÉ NV, LUXEMBOURG ($19.25) More orange than pink, it features a delicate aroma of crushed strawberry with hints of mushroom. Simple but clean fruity taste, good balance, nice compact finish. Ready to drink. (GBQc)
WHITE ARGENTINA 88 CATENA ZAPATA CATENA ALTA HISTORIC ROWS CHARDONNAY 2014, TUPUNGATO, MENDOZA ($35)
Alta Chardonnay was sourced from two vineyards in the Valle de Uco: Adrianna in Gualtallary and Domingo in Villa Bastias. 10 to 12 months in oak, 1st- and 2nd-use oak, is felt in the full and round palate with upfront wood, a round, firm structure, and ample vanilla spicing on the warm finish. Heady lemon curd, white peach and a lift of citrus trying here, but at this point, losing out to the density and concentration. Match with food of the same intensity, like veal chops. (TR) JULY/AUGUST 2017 × QUENCH.ME × 51
NOTED AUSTRALIA 90 JUNIPER ESTATE CHARDONNAY 2014, WESTERN AUSTRALIA ($34.95)
An exciting Chardonnay from the Margaret River. Pale straw colour with a reductive nose of spicy oak and apple (the struck-flint note should dissipate with a year in bottle); medium- to full-bodied, dry tart apple flavour spiced up with oak. Lively on the palate with a long finish. (TA)
90 SHAW AND SMITH SAUVIGNON BLANC 2015, ADELAIDE HILLS, SOUTH AUSTRALIA ($35)
With asparagus, spring pea and youthful green herbs, this Adelaide Hills Savvy is at once quite intense and quite sophisticated. Blanketed with a fine cushion of herbal lees, this stainless-steel white streams lemon and white grapefruit through to the snappy, white pepper-dusted finish. If you’re ever missing spring, drink this. Best appreciated at cellar temperature. (TR)
AUSTRIA 91 NIKOLAIHOF HEFEABZUG GRÜNER VELTLINER 2015, WACHAU ($35)
Nikolaihof is the oldest wine estate in Austria and credited with being the first biodynamic estate in the world. Herbal-led, this Grüner streams with creamy lees, flax, hay and mineral salts throughout. All the cushion of this amply textured Wachau white is cut with stony minerality, and streams with an oily sheen. Generous spicy white pepper and salts linger on the finish. Let this open up and stretch its legs before you enjoy. (TR)
90 LOIMER GRÜNER VELTLINER 2015, LANGENLOIS, KAMPTAL DAC ($26.79)
Elegant floral scents with stone fruit and varietal white pepper on the nose yield to luscious, delicately ripe peach and apricot flavours backed by stony mineral and 52 × @QUENCH_MAG × LIVING LOCAL ISSUE
deftly balanced acidity. Citrus and stone fruit notes linger on the finish. (SW)
89 LANGENLOIS GRÜNER VELTLINER 2015, KAMPTAL ($21.95)
Pale straw in colour with a mineral, white pepper and pear nose; medium-bodied, dry, elegant, well-balanced pear and citrus flavours. A versatile food wine. (TA)
CANADA 93 TAWSE QUARRY ROAD VINEYARD CHARDONNAY 2013, NIAGARA ($35)
This version of Quarry Road has minerals in spades; a flinty/chalky/gunsmoke quality that flows effortlessly from nose to palate and combines with fine oak nuances to form the backbone of this elegant Chard. With the mineral component, look for poached pear and a range of orchard fruits on the nose and underlying barrel-spice notes. It is magical on the palate with those flinty, chalky, almost smoky mineral notes that integrate so well with the depth of pear, apple skin and elegant spices. (RV)
92 HESTER CREEK OLD VINES TREBBIANO BLOCK 16, GOLDEN MILE BENCH ($23.95)
From some of the oldest vines in the valley, planted in the early ‘70s by pioneering Joe Busnardo. Tropical, citrus and honey notes before a well-structured palate of melon, guava and citrus. Underpinned by moderate acidity and a hint of minerality. (TP)
92 RUBY BLUES VIOGNIER 2016, NARAMATA BENCH ($25)
Lifted floral, tangerine, citrus and intense honeysuckle followed by a luscious palate, emphasized by mouth-filling viscosity with good length and citrus orange notes on the close. (TP)
92 HIDDEN BENCH VINEYARDS AND WINERY ROMAN’S BLOCK RIESLING 2013, VQA BEAMSVILLE BENCH, ONTARIO ($32) Bright floral and citrus aromatics with a
distinct whiff of lime yield to green apple and citrus flavours; stony mineral with vibrant acidity and great length on the finish. Excellent varietal character. (SW)
92 TAWSE ROBYN’S BLOCK CHARDONNAY 2013, NIAGARA ($46)
This is an elegantly appointed wine with a nose of pear, apple, citrus, soft oak spice notes and subtle minerality. It’s softer, more restrained on the palate than the Quarry Road but promises to bring so much more when it opens up. It’s showing a range of orchard fruits, never weighty or dominating, zesty citrus, pretty and integrated oak spice notes delivered with a deft touch by the winemaker, lovely minerality and energetic acidity through the fresh and vibrant finish. (RV)
91 STAG’S HOLLOW ALBARIÑO, OKANAGAN FALLS ($21.99)
Lifted citrus and stone fruit notes with some herbal notes before a keenly focused, dry and mineral-driven palate that’s a fitting nod to the stony soils. Think fresh seafood such as ling cod or oysters. (TP)
91 TAWSE LIMESTONE RIDGE NORTH BLOCK RIESLING 2015, TWENTY MILE BENCH ($23.95)
White flowers, lime zest, honey, crushed rock, apple juice, peach and pineapple are all present in this rich and intense Riesling. There is lots of acidic verve on the finale, giving the impression of a dry wine even though there is 29 g/l of residual sugar. (ES)
91 TAWSE QUARRY ROAD VINEYARD RIESLING 2015, VINEMOUNT RIDGE ($24.25)
Peach, lime, bergamot, powdered candies, minerals, flowers and pear are built on a steely core of acidity. More linear than the Limestone North Block. There is electric acidity and 32 g/l of sugar, and like its brother, Limestone Ridge, it comes across as a dry. Long-lasting minerality carries the finale. (ES)
91 BENJAMIN BRIDGE NOVA 7 2016, NOVA SCOTIA ($24.99)
This is the 10th anniversary vintage for this iconic wine, now sold across the country and with a growing export market. Fermented entirely with indigenous yeasts, it unfolds beguiling floral, berry-fruit and honeyed Muscat scents. An array of fruit flavours on the palate show honeyed lemon, tangerine, subtle nuances of red berries and orchard fruit, backed by signature bright acidity and minerality. Finish is off dry with a refreshingly gentle spritz. (SW)
91 TAWSE QUARRY ROAD VINEYARD CHARDONNAY 2013, VINEMOUNT RIDGE ($35.35)
Oaky, but not over the top, as the aromas of vanilla, hazelnut and spice mesh with green apple, Bosc pear and white peach. Medium-plus body; there is excellent length with a creamy/acidic interplay making for a delicious pairing with lobster and drawn butter. (ES)
90 INTRIGUE PINOT GRIS 2016, OKANAGAN ($16.90)
One of few BC Gris that sees skin contact; medium salmon colour. Sourced from vineyards on the estate, Oyama and in East Kelowna. Inviting aromas of red fruit, rhubarb and honey precede a luscious, off-dry but refreshing palate of strawberry and tropical notes before a full, juicy finish. (TP)
90 THE HATCH TALKING STORIES 2014, OKANAGAN ($16.99)
From the ever-inventive crew at The Hatch comes this more-than-quaffable blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc, complete with a barrage of happily nonsensical verbage at no extra charge. However, it does sport some appealing crushed red berry notes before a well-structured palate with plummy, spicy notes and easy tannins through the finish. Good value. (TP)
90 PERSEUS PINOT GRIS 2016, PENTICTON ($18.99) Upfront stone fruit and pear notes
followed by a generous but still focused palate with peach and citrus notes. Underpinned by firm acidity with a lingering, slightly zesty finish. (TP)
90 16 MILE CELLAR REBEL CHARDONNAY 2012, NIAGARA PENINSULA ($19.95)
A gold-medal winner at the Ontario Wine Awards 2016. Deep straw in colour with a green tint; apple nose with a spicy oak note; medium- to full-bodied, dry, minerally, apple, orange and peach flavours. Beautifully balanced with lively acidity. Rich and full on the palate with great length. (TA)
90 RUBY BLUES GEWÜRZTRAMINER 2016, NARAMATA BENCH ($20)
al-driven palate with notes of cream and spice. There is no lack of freshness here, and it carries long on the taste buds. (ES)
89 INTRIGUE RIESLING 2016, LAKE COUNTRY, BRITISH COLUMBIA ($16.90)
From Oyama in the North Okanagan, specifically from owner Roger Wong’s “Two Wongs Make a White” Vineyard. Aromas of bruised apple and stone fruit with a clean, fresh palate underpinned by citrus and moderate acidity; some tropical fruit notes through the finish. (TP)
89 STRATUS SAUVIGNON BLANC 2014, NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE ($29)
Upfront rose petal and floral notes followed by ginger, spice and peach notes on the back palate; quite luscious but not oily, with excellent varietal character. (TP)
An oaked Sauv Blanc with honey, peach, white flowers, grapefruit, fig, spice and gooseberry. There is crisp acidity interplaying with creamy notes. Great length. Try with red snapper Veracruz-style. (ES)
90 JOIE FARM NOBLE BLEND 2016, OKANAGAN ($23.90)
88 BURNT SHIP BAY SAUVIGNON BLANC 2016, NIAGARA ($14.95)
The flagship, classic Alsace “Edelzwicker”-inspired blend (Gewürz 38%, Riesling 35%, Pinot Blanc 11%, Pinot Auxerrois 8%, Muscat 5%). Tropical, honey and spice aromas precede a mouth-watering palate of guava and mango with firm citrus background, all wound up in assertive acidity through a lengthy citrus and spicy finish. (TP)
90 TRIUS SHOWCASE WILD FERMENT OLIVEIRA VINEYARD CHARDONNAY 2014, LINCOLN LAKESHORE ($36)
Banana, cream, peach, golden apple, spice and hints of hazelnut are all present in the wine. There is a rich mouthfeel, with creamy notes mixing with freshness. Long-lasting and a brilliant match with shrimp risotto. (ES)
90 TAWSE ROBYN’S BLOCK CHARDONNAY 2013, TWENTY MILE BENCH ($45.95) A bouquet of toast, anise, vanilla, green apple and lilac gives way to a miner-
This Sauvignon Blanc delivers above its pay grade. A huge bouquet of nectarine, guava, passion fruit, poached pear and grapefruit. On the palate, it is dry with fresh acidity and really good length as well as added nuances of lemon balm and minerals. Ceviche please! (ES)
88 HENRY OF PELHAM ESTATE RIESLING 2016, SHORT HILLS BENCH ($17.95)
Sweet peach, applesauce, lime, minerals, white flowers and honey coalesce around fresh acidity. Really good length. Drink now. (ES)
88 HENRY OF PELHAM ESTATE RIESLING 2016, NIAGARA ($18)
Sourced from the estate’s Short Hills Bench from vines 30+ years old. The nose shows juicy lime, citrus rind, grapefruit and tangerine notes. There are sublime mineral notes on the palate to go with tangy citrus, pear, apple and racy acidity to keep the sweetness in balance. (RV) JULY/AUGUST 2017 × QUENCH.ME × 53
NOTED 88 THERAPY VINEYARDS SCHWEINLE VINEYARD RIESLING 2016, NARAMATA BENCH ($19.99) Orchard fruit, tropical and citrus notes precede a high-acid green apple palate with some tart notes and a crisp, clean, dry finish. (TP)
87 EASTDELL RIESLING 2016, NIAGARA ($13.95)
A lovely Ontario Riesling at a friendly price! White peach, lime, honey, bergamot, mineral and green apple flavours are supported by acidity. Off dry and ready to go with sushi. (ES)
87 REIF ESTATE WINERY PINOT GRIGIO 2016, NIAGARA ($16.95)
A ripe Grigio, benefiting from the heat of the 2016 vintage. Peach, banana, honey and spice burst on the palate, turning dry and citrusy on the finale. Chill and serve this summer on the patio or with freshwater fish. (ES)
86 EASTDELL CHARDONNAY 2015, NIAGARA ($13.95)
A clean, well-made unoaked Chardonnay with a personality of peach, sweet apple, pineapple and citrus. Dry with some fleshiness and medium-plus length. Summer fun wine! (ES)
CHILE 89 MONTES ALPHA CHARDONNAY 2014, CASABLANCA VALLEY ($19.95)
One of the most consistent high-quality producers in Chile. This delicious Chardonnay is straw-coloured with a spicy, toasty, smoky nose of pineapple; medium to full bodied, spicy, rich and full on the palate. (TA)
87 CALITERRA RESERVA SAUVIGNON BLANC 2016, CASABLANCA ($11)
Classic Chilean Sauvignon Blanc with notes of zesty lime, guava, gooseberry, grapefruit and fresh-cut grass on the nose. It’s crisp and vibrant in the mouth 54 × @QUENCH_MAG × LIVING LOCAL ISSUE
with lime, citrus, subtle tropical fruits and a clean, fresh finish. (RV)
87 SANTA CAROLINA RESERVA SAUVIGNON BLANC 2016, LEYDA ($12)
A fruity Sauvignon Blanc with aromas of white peach, grapefruit, lime and floral/ mineral notes. It’s fresh on the palate with flavours of gooseberry, grapefruit, herbs, peach and lovely freshness through the finish. (RV)
CROATIA 90 CORONICA UMAG ISTRIA 2015, MALVASIA OF ISTRIA ($29.99) Offers fresh green primary fruit flavour that reminds you of tasting fruit straight out of a bowl. Mellow green plum dominates on the palate with limestone minerality and refreshing acidity. A distinctive wine showing plenty of charm. (SW)
FRANCE 92 DOMAINE SERVIN VAILLONS 2015, CHABLIS PREMIER CRU AC ($44.99)
Opens with fine Burgundian green apple, subtle floral scents and a background whiff of hazelnut. Pure, supple green apple flavour in the mouth is supported by refined acid balance and characteristic Chablis minerality. Well rounded and full flavoured, it is nonetheless crisply dry with an interesting saline edge on the finish. (SW)
92 DOMAINE MATASSA BLANC 2011, IGP CÔTES CATALANES ($50) Domaine Matassa borders France and Spain in the Pyrénée-Orientales, in a region and a style that is distinctly Catalan. Schist and slate slopes surrounded by garrigue yield this biodynamic Grenache Gris (70%) and Macabeu (30%), whole-bunch pressed in wooden basket press and wild-yeast fermented in barrel before aging on lees for 18 months
before bottling (lightly filtered but not fined). This richer white is best enjoyed at cellar temperature, with nutty, wild herbs, hay, hints of pear skin texturing and ample flake sea salts on this elastic, medium-plus palate. Acidity is humming and vibrating, streaming to the lingering finish. Electric, alive wine, this is age-worthy, drinking beautifully now, and will do with more cellaring. (TR)
90 ERIC TEXIER ADÈLE 2015, AOC CÔTES-DU-RHÔNE ($24)
Eric Texier is a leading natural and biodynamic vigneron in the Rhone, renewing and reviving the tiny Brézème appellation in North, as well as acting as négociant for other sites in the Rhône and Mâconnais. Adèle is mostly Clairette, aided by Marsanne, on granitic soils; it is whole-cluster pressed, fermented wild in cement and spends 8 months on the lees before being bottled unfined and unfiltered. Subtle and nonchalant, with delicate apricot, apple, pear scenting a palate of stones, quiet anise, wild herbs and hay. The briskly refreshing finish reminds you of the naturalism of this smashable, light/medium-bodied wine. (TR)
90 JEAN-MAX ROGER CUVÉE GENÈSE SANCERRE 2015, LOIRE ($27.95)
Medium straw in colour; herbaceous, grapefruit and lime bouquet with a light floral lift; medium-bodied, dry, elegant, green plum and cut grass flavours that linger long on the palate. (TA)
90 LOUIS JADOT 2015, CHABLIS AC ($35.49)
Signature green apple and distinctive hazelnut on the nose carries through with fresh, smoothly rounded green apple flavour on the palate. Apple fruit and a touch of hazelnut persist on the finish. A solid Chablis from a fine vintage. (SW)
89 BOEKEL GEWÜRZTRAMINER 2015, ALSACE ($17.95)
Gewürztraminer is rather like cilantro – you either love it or hate it. I happen
to love both and even together. This Gewürz is bright straw in colour with the quintessential aromatic bouquet of the grape, lychee and rosewater. Full bodied and off dry; round on the palate with mouth-filling lychee and sweet grapefruit flavours. (TA)
89 E GUIGAL CÔTES DU RHÔNE BLANC 2015, RHÔNE ($19.95)
Medium straw colour with a minerally, peachy nose lifted by a floral note; medium- to full-bodied, dry, fragrant peach and apple flavours with a lovely mouthfeel. (TA)
89 CHÂTEAU GUIRAUD 2015, AC BORDEAUX BLANC SEC ($39.50)
Distinctive, somewhat pungent green herbal scent shifts to generously rounded citrus and green apple fruit in the mouth, reflecting the taming influence of Sémillon. Finishes with pleasant creaminess and a splash of vanilla. (SW)
89 HUBERT BROCHARD LA CÔTE DES MONTS DAMNÉS SANCERRE 2014, AC SANCERRE ($47)
From Chavignol’s steep Côte des Monts Damnés comes this lees-cushioned Sancerre. Domaine Brochard dates to the 16th century. Here, 40-year-old vines bring quiet and persistent concentration to this medium-bodied white. A blanket of cream carries Meyer lemon and green apple over a bed of river stones to a crisp, stony finish. There’s a lovely breath of fresh herbal grasses on the finish. This will age very well, so lay a couple down to enjoy in the future. (TR)
88 CHÂTEAU BONNET 2015, ENTRE-DEUX-MERS, BORDEAUX ($16.45)
Very pale. Aromatic, slightly herbaceous nose with notes of grapefruit and boxwood. Refreshing acidity and underripe fruity taste. Intense flavour throughout. This Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon and Muscadelle blend is ready to drink. A good complement to sushi. (GBQc)
88 ALBERT BICHOT CHARDONNAY VIEILLES VIGNES 2015, BURGUNDY ($17.50)
Pale yellow. Delicate nose of fresh apple, hints of oak. It reveals itself more on the palate with its fine texture and smooth, mouth-filling mid-palate. Nice freshness throughout. Ready to drink. (GBQc)
88 ORMARINE LES PINS DE CAMILLE 2015, PICPOUL DE PINET AOP ($18.60)
Perfumed tropical flowers and yellow tropical fruit scents lead the way for ripe tropical and honeyed citrus fruit, delivered in a creamy texture. Refreshing acidity and lingering tropical fruit on the finish. (SW)
ITALY 94 ALOIS LAGEDER LOWENGANG 2013, SUDTIROL, ALTO ADIGE ($48)
Pale yellow. Discrete nose with rich notes of fresh cream, white fruits and hints of white flowers and honey. Opulent with its creamy texture, dense mid-palate and spherical mouthfeel. Lasting, balanced finish. This wine is sophisticated and complex. Enjoyable now but promises a great future over the next 10 years or more. (GBQc)
92 LA SCOLCA GAVI DEI GAVI BIANCO SECCO 2015, DOCG GAVI, PIEMONTE ($20)
HUNGARY
La Scolca was the first winery established in Gavi, in 1919. The vineyard is located 50 km from the sea, in the Rovereto Superiore area of Gavi. Planted on steep hills, the Cortese vines — the oldest in the Piedmont region — produce complex wines and some of Italy’s best Grand Crus. The winery has implemented cryomaceration, a technique that involves cold fermentation and the use of natural yeast strains. The black-label Gavi dei Gavi is the premium white of the property, with vine age 60+ years, wild-fermentation and partial skin maceration all adding layers of depth and complexity. Full and lees-rich, with almonds, roasted walnuts, crystalline orange, green fig, white honey, quince, nougat and white floral blossoms all kept taut with a buzzy spicing and fine grip through a lengthy finish. This is a full, elegant, concentrated and sophisticated white wine that is showing well now and over the next few years. Impressive that all of this is only 12% alcohol. Best enjoyed without a chill. (TR)
87 COUNT KÁROLYI GRÜNER VELTLINER 2013, PANNON ($12.85)
89 CASTELLO MONACI ACANTE 2014, FIANO SALENTO IGT ($15)
78 CLOS DE LA GRANGE DES MOINES AOP COSTIÈRES DE NÎMES 2015, RHÔNE ($14.42)
Clear, pale copper in colour. Faint nose of strawberries and lemon. Light-bodied, fresh and red-berry fruit on the palate. A quaffing wine for the patio. Drink up. (RL)*
GREECE 89 DOMAINE COSTA LAZARIDI AMETHYSTOS WHITE 2015, DRAMA ($19.95)
A blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Assyrtiko. Pale straw in colour with a grassy, grapefruit-zest nose and a light floral note; medium-bodied, dry, lemon and apple flavours with lively acidity and great length. (TA)
Ripe stone fruit with green apple scents evolve to generous apricot and pear flavours against a backdrop of zesty acidity and delicate dryness on the finish. An interesting Hungarian take on neighbouring Austria’s signature white grape. (SW)
Shows deep burnished gold colour in the glass, with aromatic ripe grapefruit, stone fruit and honeyed lemon overtones. Unctuously rich, smoothly rendered stone fruit is tempered by stony mineral grip and palate-cleansing acidity. A lovely wine for the money. (SW) JULY/AUGUST 2017 × QUENCH.ME × 55
NOTED 88 POGGIO MORINO VERMENTINO 2015, IGT TOSCANA ($17)
Poggio Morino Tenuta is in Scansano, Maremma/Super Tuscan territory. The diurnal shift between Maremma’s long, hot days and marine-influenced nights allow for great ripening while preserving acidity, certainly seen in this Vermentino. Ripe and expansive, with green fig, honeysuckle, lemon thistle, flake salts, a bed of lees and a thorny Mediterranean scrub note on the warming finish. Fermenting and aging in stainless preserves the piercing lemon-pith acidity. This is well suited for flavourful and meaty seafood like scallops or sea bass. (TR)
88 CORVO BIANCO 2014, TERRE SICILIANE IGT ($18.29)
Made from 100% native Sicilian Insolia grapes, this one boasts generously flavoured stone fruit and ripe melon character, supported by refreshingly balanced acidity and drying mineral grip. Drink as an aperitif or with Mediterranean-style seafood dishes. (SW)
88 DONNAFUGATA ANTHÌLIA 2015, IGT SICILIA ($20)
Marine salts from first whiff carry throughout this lees-cushioned, medium-bodied Sicilian white. The local Catarratto grape dominates the blend, complemented by other local and international grapes. Herbal blossoms, hay, yellow apples are perfumed with subtle acacia spices and spiced with a rasp of Mediterranean scrub. A friendly white, ideal for white-fleshed fish. (TR)
87 TAVERNELLO COLLEZIONE SAUVIGNON BLANC NV, FRIULI DOC, GRAVE ($15.50)
Lightly pungent Sauvignon varietal aromatics show green herbal and smoky character, with crisply fresh green fruit flavour on the mid-weight palate, finishing refreshingly dry. (SW)
87 TENUTA DI ANGORIS VILLA LOCATELLI FRIULANO 2015, DOC ISONZO DEL FRIULI ($18) Soft, ripe and expressive on the broad,
56 × @QUENCH_MAG × LIVING LOCAL ISSUE
waxy palate. Honey, ripe melon, yellow apple, heady florals and ripe nectarine, cut with a herbal and nutty bitterness on the finish. Round and warm, with moderate acidity that lags a little behind the potency of the fruit. Quite expressive, in a lackadaisical style. (TR)
NEW ZEALAND 90 ERADUS SAUVIGNON BLANC 2015, MARLBOROUGH ($18.95)
If you’re a fan of Sauvignon Blanc, don’t miss this tasty number from the Atawara Valley. Pale straw in colour, it has a grassy, green plum nose with notes of beeswax and grapefruit. Medium-bodied and crisply dry, it finishes with mouth-freshening citrus acidity. (TA)
89 SACRED HILL RESERVE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2016, MARLBOROUGH ($18.95)
No denying that this is Sauvignon Blanc, what with its nectarine, passion fruit, fruit salad, line zest and tomato vine. Crisp and dry with a lingering finale. Pair with halibut ceviche or chicken souvlaki. (ES)
88 YEALANDS LAND MADE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2016, MARLBOROUGH ($17)
Punchy and bright, this sustainably produced Kiwi Savvy is from the Seaview Vineyard in Marlborough’s Awatere Valley. Assertive passion fruit, tangerine and pink grapefruit is juicy on the medium-full palate. Turns quite pithy and warming on the finish. (TR)
88 CLOUDY BAY SAUVIGNON BLANC 2015, MARLBOROUGH ($30)
Bright and zesty passion fruit, gooseberry, asparagus and hedgerow fill this classic Marlborough Savvy. 2015 marked the winery’s 30th vintage, as well as one of the driest summers on record. That’s felt in the concentration of this round, tropical-minded white, one clouded with lees and trailing with zesty and sour tangerine. (TR)
SPAIN 92 ENATE GEWÜRZTRAMINER 2015, DO SOMONTANO ($19.83)
Made from a varietal rarely used in hot climates like Spain, but well handled here. Clear medium-deep yellow. Powerful and complex nose: rose petals, elderflower, lychee, citrus, ginger, papaya and more. Full bodied, viscous, tasting of tropical fruits like papaya and mango, but well balanced with acidity and some rose-petal bitterness on a long finish. Will last another year or 2. (RL)*
90 FINCA LA COLINA VERDEJO 2014, DO RUEDA ($22)
Clear medium-deep yellow. Fairly intense nose of peaches, apricots and grapefruit. Light-bodied with refreshing acidity, lots of peach and citrus fruit accented by a hint of tea. Drink immediately. (RL)*
87 HACIENDA LÓPEZ DE HARO BLANCO 2015, DOC RIOJA ($17)
This fleshy Rioja is based on older Vine Viura and splashed with other local white grapes. 3 months in French oak has further upped the creamy palate weight, and added additional heft and sandalwood spicing to the pear curd and peach fruit. You can taste the heat of the Spanish sun here. A sharp bitter note cuts the finish, finishing this wine a bit short. (TR)
82 MONTBLANC 362 MACABEU/ CHARDONNAY 2015, DO CATALUNYA ($14.33)
Clear, pale silver-yellow. Faint nose of apple, pineapple and pear. Light-bodied with crisp acidity, apple and melon flavours. A food wine; excellent accompaniment to crusty white bread and mussels in a garlicky tomato/wine sauce. Drink now. (RL)*
UNITED STATES 92 SONOMA-CUTRER THE CUTRER CHARDONNAY 2013, RUSSIAN RIVER ($49.95)
One of my favourite California Char-
donnays because it’s in Burgundy style. Pale straw in colour with a spicy, apple nose and well-integrated oak; full bodied, dry and elegant with rich apple and lemon flavours. Beautifully balanced, with great length. (TA)
91 DOMAINE DROUHIN ARTHUR CHARDONNAY 2014, DUNDEE HILLS ($40.99)
Shows subtle, mellow citrus, vanilla and hazelnut scents with rich-yet-refined nutty lemon-citrus flavours, well-balanced acidity and a discreet touch of oak on the finish. A fine example of Burgundian finesse wedded to exceptional NewWorld terroir. (SW)
90 LA CREMA CHARDONNAY 2015, MONTEREY ($26.95)
On the full side, this is quintessential Cali Chard with its nose of cream, pineapple, vanilla, mango and fig. The palate adds a creamy texture and tropical fruit as well as an interesting black olive note. There is also some heat. Great length. An amazing summer wine. (ES)
89 PATZ & HALL SONOMA COAST CHARDONNAY 2015, SONOMA COAST AVA, CALIFORNIA ($72)
Full and rich, with bristling spices livening the lemon curd, honeydew and vanilla oats. A hint of mint and ample shaved wood closes out the finish. Full-bodied and expansively rich on the palate, this has a steady hum of bright acidity working overdrive, but keeping pace. Youthful, this should settle some with another year or so in bottle, but will always make a match with richer white seafood or creamy shellfish. (TR)
88 BONTERRA CHARDONNAY 2015, MENDOCINO COUNTY, CALIFORNIA ($19.95)
Pale yellowin colour. Citrus and oaky scents with notes of green apple and pineapple. Lively acidity, smooth texture on the palate. Oak level is acceptable but it peaks in the finish. Ready to drink. Works with a BBQ grilled fish or chicken. (GBQc)
ROSÉ 91 JOIE FARM PINOT NOIR/GAMAY ROSÉ 2016, OKANAGAN ($20.90)
Pinot Noir (75%) from Hollenbach, Penticton and Gamay (25%) from St Hubertus, Kelowna Mission combine for a complex rosé that offers red fruit, strawberry and pronounced sage aromas. Followed by a juicy, distinctively vinous palate of cranberry and citrus wrapped in juicy, persistent acidity through a lengthy, dry finish. Think coho salmon. (TP)
90 INTRIGUE SOCIAL ROSÉ 2016, OKANAGAN ($16.99)
A blend of 49% Riesling, 33% Pinot Noir, 14% Merlot, and 4% Rotberger yields vibrant rose orange in the glass. Forward red berries followed by a mouth-filling, juicy palate of rhubarb and zippy apple notes before lingering cranberry in the close. (TP)
89 HESTER CREEK CABERNET FRANC ROSÉ 2016, SOUTH OKANAGAN ($19.95)
Vibrant salmon colour, lifted red berries followed by a bright, refreshing palate of wild strawberry, rhubarb and watermelon through a clean end. (TP)
RED ARGENTINA 92 SANTIAGO GRAFFIGNA 2014, PEDERNAL VALLEY, SAN JUAN ($56) Santiago is Graffigna’s tribute to the founder of the winery, with foresight to begin the company 140 years ago. This “icon wine” is a selection of vineyards in Pedernal Valley (1,400 m) and a blend of Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. 18 months in new oak barrels (85% French, 20% American) is easily absorbed by the concentrated, smoothed fruit. Savoury and elegant; plush and smoked dark plum, thorny cassis, anise, graphite, pipe tobacco and dusky violets are framed
by grippy and firm tannins. Elevation-amplified acidity enough to easily lift the density. Bitter and brisk redcurrants and ample spices tighten the lengthy finish, refreshing for the next glass. Decanted, this is drinking beautifully now, but will easily hold and merge over the next 5 to 10 years. Well done. (TR)
91 FINCA DECERO REMOLINOS VINEYARD MALBEC 2014, AGRELO MENDOZA ($24)
Elegant and refined with lovely floral aromas, blackberry and raspberry flavours with a touch of spice, bright acidity and a fresh, lively finish. A tremendous value. (GB)
91 CATENA MALBEC 2014, VISTA FLORES, MENDOZA ($25)
Ripe and concentrated with blackberry, raspberry and currant flavours. Perfumed nose, layered and rich with velvety, well-integrated tannins, bright, crisp acidity and exceptional length. (GB)
90 TINTO NEGRO MALBEC LIMESTONE BLOCK 2013, LOS CHACAYES TUNUYAN MENDOZA ($23)
Engaging with aromas and flavours of violets and blueberry. Elegant, layered, pure, focused and loaded with fresh minerality and a refreshing finish. Co-fermented with a small amount of Cabernet Franc. Quite delicious and a nice match with grilled pork. (GB)
90 VIÑA COBOS BRAMARE MALBEC 2013, LUJAN DE CUYO ($48)
Rich and lush with blackberry, currant, black plum, black cherry and spice; elegant, round tannins with mocha on the lingering finish. (GB)
90 CATENA ZAPATA CATENA ALTA MALBEC 2013, MENDOZA ($56)
4 vineyards from Lujan de Cuyo and Uco Valley. Salted black plum, blackberry, cassis and thorns fill the nose and palate. A complete wine throughout, with firm density matched with freshness afforded by the altitude. Tannins are ripe, slightly gritty, finishing with an anise lick. (TR) JULY/AUGUST 2017 × QUENCH.ME × 57
NOTED 89 GRAFFIGNA MALBEC CLASSICO 2015, SAN JUAN ($14)
Graffigna has produced wines from higher-altitude Andean vineyards since 1870, and this carries on that tradition with Malbec sourced from Tulum (700 m) and Pedernal Valley (1,400 m) in San Juan. Savoury and earthy with pencil lead, graphite and branch texturing warm plum, black cherry and black raspberry. Lovely grippy tannins and a streak of acidity keep this fresh, up to the black cherry and espresso finish. Well done. (TR)
89 BODEGA EL ESTECO DON DAVID RESERVE MALBEC 2013, CALCHAQUÍ VALLEY ($15.95)
A tasty Malbec at a reasonable price. Deep ruby colour; cedary, blackberry herbal nose with a dark chocolate and clove note. Full-bodied, dry, savoury, vanilla oak and blackberry flavours with a floral note. (TA)
89 FINCA DECERO REMOLINOS VINEYARD SYRAH 2012, AGRELO MENDOZA ($24)
Polished and expressive with fresh cherry, plum and berry flavours, spice; nicely balanced and medium weight. Nice match with braised meats. (GB)
88 ANIELLO 006 MERLOT 2014, PATAGONIA ($17.95)
Deep ruby colour with a mature rim; a nose of leather, blackberries and dried herbs. Full-bodied, dry, blueberry and blackcurrant flavours with a firm tannic finish. (TA)
88 BODEGA RENACER PUNTO FINAL RESERVA MALBEC 2014, LUJÁN DE CUYO ($23.50)
50+-year-old vines and low yields make up this full-bodied Malbec. The 10 months in French barriques is felt through the smoky wood staves that structure sweet red fruit, plum, raspberry jam, leather, tobacco and tar. Woodgrained tannins stick out some now, but will integrate more into this concentrated red with time. Warm flush on the finish, welcoming grilled meats. (TR) 58 × @QUENCH_MAG × LIVING LOCAL ISSUE
88 BODEGA RENACER ENAMORE 2014, MENDOZA ($30)
An Alberto Antonini project, Enamore is an Amarone-style wine, where grapes are dried appassimento-style to create a concentrated, full wine. Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Bonarda and Cabernet Franc are sweet and thicker on the full palate. Ripe and dried plum, dried blackberry, raspberry leather and pink florals drawn across thick, suede and, at the end, drying tannins. Cushy, velvety, warm finish, think of this as a red-fruited, pink-floral, lighter version of Amarone. (TR)
88 FAMILIA ZUCCARDI TITO ZUCCARDI 2013, ALTAMIRA, VALLE DE UCO, MENDOZA ($35)
This is an opaque blend of 80% Malbec, fleshed out with Cabernet Sauvignon and Ancellotta (most often seen in Emilia Romagna and prized for its inky colour) from Paraje Altamira in the Uco Valley. The additional grapes give Malbec a fleshy, red-fruited character, with cherry, liquorice and tobacco housed by gritty tannins and seasoned with roasted wood and aromatic herbs. Fine spices, cinnamon, nutmeg — warm the warm finish. Requires decanting to fully appreciate now (or a hunk of grilled meat). (TR)
87 RENACER PUNTO FINAL MALBEC 2016, MENDOZA ($17)
Lush and fruity with ripe red plum and dark cherry flavours; dark currant notes linger on the fresh, rich finish. Shows nice restraint. A great value. (GB)
AUSTRALIA 87 WAKEFIELD SHIRAZ 2015, CLARE VALLEY, SOUTH AUSTRALIA ($18)
Ripe and round, with those warm cocoa tannins and lifted palate so characteristic of Clare. The de-stemmed fruit was fermented in stainless, with some pressings added back in for heft, before transfer to oak (90% American) for ferment and aging. Wild blackberry, forest berries, cherries,
black plum and violets on the fleshy palate before trailing off with a warming vanilla/roasted coffee finish. Easy, balanced, affordable and ready to drink. (TR)
86 BLEASDALE SECOND INNINGS MALBEC 2014, LANGHORNE CREEK, SOUTH AUSTRALIA ($16)
Rarely seen as a sole grape in Australia, Bleasdale has been producing a Langhorne Creek Malbec since 1961. 15% whole berries soaked for 12 days on skins and matured for 1 year in French oak (10% new). Sweeter blackberry, cola, blue florals and plum feel pinched on the reedy palate. Tannins are mild and slightly powdery to a short, hot finish. Perhaps best left a blending grape in Oz; this vintage doesn’t convince of Malbec’s suitability. (TR)
CANADA 93 INNISKILLIN NIAGARA ESTATE WINERY MONTAGUE VINEYARD PINOT NOIR 2014, VQA NIAGARA PENINSULA ($29.95) Opens with finely scented red fruit and spice. Opulent red berry and blackcurrant fruit supported by velvety tannins, deftly balanced acidity, a touch of chocolate and firm tannic grip on the finish. (SW)
93 FLAT ROCK CELLARS GRAVITY PINOT NOIR 2013, VQA TWENTY MILE BENCH ($30.15)
Shows red fruit with floral scents, together with a touch of earthy barnyard on the nose. Generous strawberry comes forward on the palate with good weight and balance. Redcurrant and blackcurrant flavours kick in on the spicy finish. A complex wine drinking well now but can develop further. (SW)
92 TRIUS WINERY SHOWCASE CLARK FARM PINOT NOIR 2014, VQA FOUR MILE CREEK, ONTARIO ($29.95)
Elegant bouquet unfolds fine red fruit, cinnamon, clove and subtle oak. Lovely strawberry and cherry flavours are delivered with good depth and harmonious bal-
ance. Well-integrated fruit, oak and light tannic grip round out the finish. (SW)
palate of ripe blackberry and cassis, wrapped in approachable tannins. (TP)
92 KACABA TERRACE VINEYARD SYRAH 2014, NIAGARA ($30)
90 CREEKSIDE ESTATE WINERY RESERVE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2012, ST DAVID’S BENCH ($39.95)
The nose shows classic aromas of smoked deli meats, a floral note with raspberry-cherry, redcurrants, sweet cedar, saddle leather, barrel oak spices and pepper. It has lovely mouthfeel with a gorgeous range of red fruits, smoke, spice and crunchy black peppercorns with length through the finish. (RV)
91 KACABA PROPRIETOR’S BLOCK SYRAH 2014, NIAGARA ($30)
The Proprietor’s Block consists of some of the youngest vines planted at the estate and also sees 12 months of oak aging in French and US oak. It has a smoky/ meaty nose with enthralling cherry and blueberry fruit and fresh ground pepper. It shows savoury spice notes on the palate with bright red fruits, dried herbs to go with smooth tannins and zippy acidity through the finish. (RV)
91 TRIUS SHOWCASE RED SHALE CLARK FARM CABERNET FRANC 2014, FOUR MILE CREEK ($45)
The best Cabernet Franc I have tasted so far from the 2014 vintage. Concentrated and elegant; there is cassis, raspberry, tobacco, violets, vanilla, spice, turned earth and a hint of olive. On the fuller end of the spectrum, there is excellent length; ready to drink now or cellar until 2023. (ES)
90 DIRTY LAUNDRY KAY-SYRAH 2014, OKANAGAN ($24.99)
Good varietal character, with some white pepper, red and black berry notes up front, followed by a medium-bodied palate with earthy and plummy flavours. Wrapped in juicy acidity and approachable tannins with a touch of spice before a solid end. (TP)
90 BORDERTOWN CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2014, SOUTH OKANAGAN ($25)
Forward notes of black fruit and a hint of bell pepper followed by a well-textured
From the fabulous 2012 vintage, this robust red spent 32 months in barrel and 18 months in bottle before being released. Cassis, raspberry, violets, herbs, vanilla, dark cocoa and spice are built on 14% alcohol and masses of tannins. That said, my preference would be to drink it over the next 7 years, with some medium-rare beef. (ES)
90 TAWSE CHERRY AVE VINEYARD PINOT 2012, TWENTY MILE BENCH ($48.95)
This Pinot packs quite a punch as there is lots of extract as well as elevated, dry tannins. Cherry, raspberry, plum, spice, dried earth and flowers are all in play. Excellent length. This wine needs food, so duck breast will do the trick, quite nicely. (ES)
90 MISSION HILL FAMILY ESTATE WINERY OCULUS 2011, OKANAGAN ($136.99)
Shows densely concentrated colour, fairly shy but subtle spice with a floral note and subdued dark fruit on the nose. Deeply concentrated dark berry and blackcurrant fruit emerge on the palate, supported by velvety tannins, well-balanced acidity and a touch of dark chocolate. Needs time to open up and integrate more fully. Give it 3 to 5 additional years in the cellar. (SW)
89 TAWSE REDFOOT VINEYARD GAMAY NOIR 2015, LINCOLN LAKESHORE ($28.95)
The mid-weight Gamay offers up strawberry, raspberry, plum, fresh earth and black pepper flavours. Nice depth, suave tannins and just the right amount of lift make this is a proper pairing with roast pork or rillettes. (ES)
89 FLAT ROCK CELLARS GRAVITY PINOT NOIR 2013, TWENTY MILE BENCH ($29.95)
Lovely and seductive, this Pinot beguiles with red berry-fruit: cherry, raspberry
and strawberry. Add red flowers, spice and herbal notes, and you have a complex wine ready to play alongside boeuf bourguignon or grilled quail. (ES)
89 REDSTONE RESERVE CABERNET FRANC 2012, NIAGARA PENINSULA ($29.95)
Deep ruby in colour with a cedary, blackcurrant and tobacco nose with vanilla oak notes; medium-bodied, dry, concentrated plum and currant flavours with a firm tannic finish. (TA)
89 TAWSE WINERY CHERRY AVE PINOT NOIR 2013, VQA TWENTY MILE BENCH ($49.15)
Shy redcurrant and red cherry scents carry through with the same themes in the mouth. Lighter-bodied style, with moderately firm tannins and a splash of milk chocolate. (SW)
88 THIRTY BENCH DOUBLE NOIR 2015, NIAGARA ($19.95)
This blend of 60% Gamay Noir and 40% Pinot Noir is Thirty Bench’s answer to a Bourgogne Passe-Tout-Grains — but vastly superior! Cherry, raspberry, pepper, spice, cocoa and earth are built on a soft and easy-drinking texture. (ES)
88 FIELDING CABERNET FRANC 2015, NIAGARA ($21.95)
Accessible and cheerful, this Franc features raspberry, red flowers, cassis, mint/ herbs and chocolate. Medium body and ready to drink. Solid value! (ES)
CHILE 90 EMILIANA NOVAS GRAN RESERVA CARMÉNÈRE/CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2014, COLCHAGUA VALLEY ($16)
The organic blend is predominantly Carménère and displays aromas of gorgeous black cherries, currants, strawberries, dark chocolate and savoury spices. It’s smooth and elegant on the palate with ripe fruits and integrated spices. Serve with a pepper-crusted steak. (RV) JULY/AUGUST 2017 × QUENCH.ME × 59
NOTED 89 MONTES ALPHA CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2014, COLCHAGUA VALLEY ($20)
A ripe, intense nose of blackberries, plums, figs, pepper and a complex array of oak spices. It’s quite generous on the palate with notes of blackcurrants, plums, black pepper and barrel spices that’s all held together by fine-grained tannins. (RV)
89 EMILIANA SIGNOS DE ORIGEN SYRAH 2013, CASABLANCA ($26)
Polished with a juicy mix of plum and dark cherry flavours, fine-grained tannins, smoky and earthy notes and a finish that lingers with spice and pepper. (GB)
88 GATO NEGRO 9 LIVES RESERVE RED BLEND 2015, CENTRAL VALLEY ($12)
This is a blend of Cabernet and Syrah with a bold and spicy nose of blackberries, cassis, savoury herbs and peppery spices. It’s dry on the palate with dark fruits, a touch of cherry, spice, vanilla and soft tannins. (RV)
88 SANTA RITA RESERVA CARMÉNÈRE 2015, RAPEL VALLEY ($14)
An elegant Carménère with a range of blackcurrants, spice, tobacco leaf, vanilla and cloves on the nose. It’s medium-bodied on the palate with wood spices, rich dark fruits, pepper and spice all nicely balanced. Pair with lamb and mint sauce. (RV)
87 CARMEN RESERVA 1850 PREMIER CARMÉNÈRE 2016, COLCHAGUA VALLEY ($13) This Carménère from Chile’s first and oldest winery has an expressive nose of bold red fruits, sweet spices and cracked black pepper. It’s quite friendly on the palate with velvety tannins, juicy red fruits and integrated spice notes. (RV)
87 SANTA CAROLINA RESERVA CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2015, COLCHAGUA VALLEY ($13)
A deep, rich purple colour with aromas 60 × @QUENCH_MAG × LIVING LOCAL ISSUE
of ripe red fruits, blackberries and spice. This is well balanced on the palate with cherries and currants that work well with the plush tannins and spice. Try with roasted duck breast. (RV)
87 LA PLAYA TINGA RESERVE BLOCK SELECTION RED BLEND CLARET 2013, COLCHAGUA ($23) Bright red cherry and plum flavours, spice, soft tannins, nice texture, good length, quite approachable. Elegant enough to pair with white meats, but enough structure and depth to match with lamb. (GB)
FRANCE 92 E GUIGAL CHÂTEAUNEUF DU PAPE 2011, SOUTHERN RHÔNE ($63.95)
80% Grenache, 10% Syrah plus Mourvèdre and other permitted varieties. Deep ruby in colour with a violet note; cedary, blackberry nose backed by vanilla oak; full-bodied, dry, richly extracted black plum and blackberry flavours with a herbal tinge finishing on a liquorice note. Chunky mouthfeel. (TA)
91 DOMAINE DES ROMARINS 2014, AOC CÔTES DU RHÔNE ($18.67)
Clear, very deep garnet. Aromas of blackberry, black pepper, molasses and an interesting hint of barnyard. Quite full bodied and very fruity with lots of black cherry flavour. Tannins still muscular; will drink well for another couple of years. (RL)*
91 ALAIN CHABANON CAMPREDON 2012, AOP LANGUEDOC ($27.20)
Bright ruby. Complex nose of spices, red berries, eucalyptus, herbs and fruit stones. Medium-bodied; tight core, fresh fruity taste. Slightly bitter finish, very dry and lasting. A blend of Syrah, Mourvèdre and Grenache under biodynamic viticulture. No need to wait; it’s ready now. (GBQc)
91 CHÂTEAU DE ROCHEMORIN ROUGE 2010, BORDEAUX ($34.95)
Dense purple in colour with a cedary, blackcurrant nose lifted by a floral note; medium-bodied, dry, well-extracted plum and redcurrant flavours. Soft on the palate but finishes firmly. (TA)
91 MONTEZ FORTIS 2012, AOP CÔTE-RÔTIE ($58.50)
Clear, deep plum red, turning to garnet. Fairly intense nose of blueberry jam, cherries, violets, figs, black pepper and caramel. Medium bodied with sour cherry and cranberry fruit providing juicy acidity. Will last another couple of years. (RL)*
91 CHÂTEAU ANGLUDET MARGAUX 2011, AC MARGAUX ($74) Owned by the Sichel family since 1961, Angludet is situated in the highly sought-after real estate of Margaux and neighbouring many Cru Classé properties. When the Sichel family purchased the property in 1961, they worked to unite and restore the estate to the standards of its contemporaries. Worn leather, fading smoke, dusty gravels pervade this blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot. Quite structural bones frame the medium-bodied, voluminous red. Alluring anise, redcurrant, red plum, smoked raspberry and cherry, all savoury-tinged and tainted with smoke. Acidity is so well integrated that it’s unnoticeable, save for carrying that medicinal-ringed finish that lingers on. Cement vinification for up to 1 month is followed by 1 year in barrel, before fining and light filtration. Drinking very well now, and will only appreciate with another 5 years in the cellar. (TR)
90 CHÂTEAU LA NERTHE CHÂTEAUNEUF DU PAPE 2013, SOUTHERN RHÔNE ($52.95)
Deep ruby-purple colour with a cedary, herbal, blackberry bouquet; full-bodied, dry, richly-extracted blackberry and black plum flavours, well-balanced with spicy oak notes and a firm tannic finish. (TA)
90 DOMAINE CHARLES AUDOIN LES FAVIÈRES MARSANNAY 2013, BURGUNDY ($52.95)
89 LOUIS JADOT CHÂTEAU DES JACQUES CHENAS 2008, BEAUJOLAIS ($26.95)
89 TERRASSE PAVÉE SÉGURET CÔTES DU RHÔNE-VILLAGES 2015, SOUTHERN RHÔNE ($17.95)
88 DOMAINE DE PELLEHAUT HARMONIE DE GASCOGNE ROSÉ 2015, IGP CÔTES DE GASCOGNE, SUD-OUEST ($14.50)
Deep ruby colour with a violet hue. Light cedar and sour cherry bouquet; medium-bodied, dry, sour cherry flavour. Firmly structured with zesty acidity and a firm tannic finish. (TA)
Séguret is one of the 20 named villages in the Côtes du Rhône-Villages appellation. Deep purple-ruby in colour, this full-bodied blend of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre has a cedary nose of blackberries and dried herbs. It’s dry and well-extracted with a savoury flavour of black fruits, lively acidity and a firm tannic finish. (TA)
89 BOUCHARD PÈRE & FILS BOURGOGNE PINOT NOIR 2014, BURGUNDY ($19.95) A great introduction to the red wines of Burgundy. Ruby colour with a nose of raspberries, violets and a light oak note; medium-bodied, dry, with focused raspberry and cherry flavours carried on lively acidity. (TA)
89 LES HALOS DE JUPITER CÔTESDU-RHÔNE 2015, AOC CÔTES-DURHÔNE ($24)
Made in conjunction with consultants, Michel Gassier and Philippe Cambie, and named for the king of all gods, this line of wines is always great value for price on our market. The Côtes-du-Rhône is a blend of old-vine Grenache with 10% Syrah and 5% Mourvèdre from a high-altitude vineyard near Roaix (northern point of the Southern Rhône). Grapes are de-stemmed but not crushed, and spend 1 year in concrete before being bottled unfined and unfiltered. Dusky blue florals, plum, dried rosemary are softly drawn across grippy, gritty tannins to a drying finish that lingers with violets. Textural and lightly touched (the concrete is impressive here). Authentic, honest and ready to drink with bistro fare. (TR)
A mature Beaujolais. Ruby-coloured with a minerally, cherry nose and a light oak note; medium-bodied, dry, firmly structured with an earthy note. (TA)
Domaine de Pellehaut has been owned and managed by successive generations of the Béraut family for over 300 years. Pouring a pale blush peach, this rosé from Côtes de Gascogne is a juicy little blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Tannat and Syrah, averaging 27 years old and grown on clay, limestone and sand. Aromatic, youthful orchard fruits on the nose lead to a bright palate of Rainier cherry, pear, redcurrants and early strawberries. Fine spice lingers on the finish. This is a charming, easy-to-enjoy rosé for drinking now. (TR)
88 CHÂTEAU VRAI CAILLOU 2014, BORDEAUX SUPĖRIEUR ($15.95)
This blend of 50% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon offers punch for its price. Dark cherry, plum, cassis, raspberry, cocoa, anise, purple flower and herbs are present as well as pinpoint tannins. Braised lamb shanks or steak tartare would be brilliant accompaniments. Drink until 2019. (ES)
88 CHÂTEAU DE GOURGAZAUD RÉSERVE 2014, MINERVOIS LA LIVINIÈRE, LANGUEDOC ($18.70) Dark ruby. Sweet, ripe red and black berries, vanilla-scented oak. In the mouth, the intense red fruits taste hides the tingling acidity in a softly textured mid-palate. Delicious right now, so no reason to wait. (GBQc)
88 LA PÉPIÈ CABERNET FRANC 2014, VIN DE PAYS DU VAL DE LOIRE IGP ($23)
Crunchy, juicy and joyful, this is a quaffable Cabernet Franc from one of
Pays Nantais’ top Muscadet producers. With granitic slope-sourced grapes, this spends 5 months in stainless steel. Youthful raspberry, cool cherry are seasoned with white pepper, young cedar whiffs and herbal scrub which textures the palate. Tannins have a supple, sappy tug, but otherwise remain in the background. This is all about juicy, quaffable, delish, light-bodied, morish Franc to drink now. (TR)
88 CHÂTEAU PEYROS MADIRAN VIELLES VIGNES 2011, AOC MADIRAN ($27)
Château Peyros Vieilles Vines is an 80/20 blend of Tannat/Cabernet Franc from Sud-Ouest France’s Madiran. Peyros, the southernmost property of Madiran, takes its name from the Gascony word for “rocky location.” Dusky cassis, earthy violets, dark blue plums, anise, scrubby herbs and medicinal black cherry are lackadaisically drawn across ample, grippy tannins. Floral black raspberry lingers on the finish. This has some ways to go to resolve. Decant now and serve with lamb shank, or wait 3+ years. (TR)
88 MONTEZ FORTIS 2013, AOP CÔTE-RÔTIE ($73.50)
Clear, deep plum red. Medium-intensity nose of plums, cherries, a little raisin, molasses and smoke. Somewhat thin on the palate with simple acidic raspberry, blackcurrant and general red-berry flavours. Will last several more years, but may not improve much. (RL)*
87 LAROCHE MAS LA CHEVALIÈRE PINOT NOIR 2015, IGP PAYS D’OC, LANGUEDOC ($13.45)
Bright ruby. Clean nose of red berries and oak-scented spices. Light- to medium-bodied with adequate acidity, fine but firm tannins. Ready to drink and great with surface-ripened cheeses like Brie or Camembert. (GBQc)
87 CHÂTEAU LA CLOTTEFONTANE 2013, AOP LANGUEDOC ($14.25) Clear, deep plum red. Medium-inten-
JULY/AUGUST 2017 × QUENCH.ME × 61
NOTED sity nose of raspberries and blackberries, boiled candy from the Grenache grapes and a touch of molasses. Soft and easy-drinking with simple flavours of ripe red cherries, but some bitter tannins on the finish. Best now; drink up. (RL)*
87 DELAS FRÈRES SAINT-ESPRIT 2015, CÔTES-DU-RHONE AC ($18)
Characteristic red berry and peppery spice on the nose with flavours of blackberry, raspberry, bitter cherry and a touch of liquorice, culminating with dry tannic grip. Sturdy wine to pair with robust red meats and firm-ripened cheese. (SW)
87 CLOS LA COUTALE 2014, CAHORS ($21)
Focused and defined, showing aromas and flavours of cherry, plum, spice, herbs and earth; savoury and minerally fresh with restrained tannins and a touch of meatiness on the finish. Malbec with 20% Merlot. (GB)
GERMANY 89 BRETZ REGENT QBA 2014, RHEINHESSEN ($23.67)
From a relatively new varietal. Clear but nearly opaque plum red. Healthy nose, port-like, smelling of raspberry jam and pipe tobacco. Low acid and soft tannins make for a smooth mouthfeel, tasting of ripe dark plums with spices and smoke on a medium-long finish. Will last a couple more years. (RL)*
GREECE 89 TSANTALI RAPSANI RESERVE 2012, THESSALIA ($18.15)
Made from unique Greek varieties Xinomavro, Krasato and Stavroto. Intriguing nose of sour cherry, balanced oak and soft spices. Medium bodied; full mid-palate with a dense fruity core. Tannins are almost powdery. Good balance and long tight finish. Ready to drink and perfect for a barbecue steak. (GBQc) 62 × @QUENCH_MAG × LIVING LOCAL ISSUE
ITALY 96 CA’ LA BIONDA DOC AMARONE CLASSICO 2008 ($38.67)
Very deep garnet with fine suspended particles. Complex, port-like nose: Thompson raisins, dates, brandied cherries. A bit hot from the high alcohol typical for Amarones, with highish acidity and still-noticeable tannins, but surprisingly fresh and fruity, tasting of mashed ripe red berries with a bit of bitter almond on a long finish. Classic with rich osso bucco and herbed polenta. Best now. (RL)*
95 POGGIO VERRANO DRÒMOS 2007, TUSCANY ($39.95)
Blend of Maremma of 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 15% Alicante, 10% Sangiovese and 5% Cabernet Franc. Dense ruby in colour with an intense nose of plum, blackberry and cedar supported by vanilla oak; full-bodied, richly extracted, rich and full on the palate, firmly structured and beautifully crafted. (TA)
91 RICASOLI COLLEDILÀ GRAN SELEZIONE CHIANTI CLASSICO 2013, TUSCANY ($51.95)
Deep ruby colour with a cedary, cherry nose; medium to full bodied, dry, elegant, firmly structured and beautifully balanced. A great Chianti. (TA)
90 TRIACCA VINO NOBILE DI MONTEPULCIANO PODERUCCIO 2013, TUSCANY ($40)
Layered and elegant with a depth of flavour, well-integrated tannins, cherry, raspberry and hints of liquorice and spice. Lingering, fresh, minerally finish. From one of Tuscany’s most underrated producers. Time to buy a new propane tank and grill, grill, grill. (GB)
90 FANTI BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO 2011, TUSCANY ($62.95)
Mature, deep ruby in colour with a spicy plummy nose and a note of soy; mediumto full-bodied, dry, richly extracted plum and cherry flavours finishing firmly on a note of dark chocolate. Don’t be afraid to serve over a rich dessert. (TA)
89 PODERI BELLO OVILE 2013, ROSSO DI TOSCANA IGP ($18.99)
A blend of Sangiovese, Canaiolo and the lesser-known local variety Ciliegiolo, this interesting wine shows pronounced dark cherry, metallic mineral, graphite and a whiff of clove on the nose. Appetizingly bitter black cherry kicks in on the palate with saliva-inducing acidity and dry tannic grip. Good depth of flavour and solid structure makes it a useful pairing with robust Italian red meat dishes. (SW)
89 FONTANAFREDDA BAROLO 2012, PIEMONTE ($28.55)
Bright ruby. Shy nose of sweet red berries, a floral touch and a hint of tar. Light fruity taste contrasted by a full-bodied and powerful, drying mid-palate. The tannic backbone shows no graininess. Drink or hold about 5 years. (GBQc)
89 LAMBORGHINI TRESCONE 2012, UMBRIA IGT ($28.95)
Fine dark cherry scents with a dusting of cinnamon and clove open the way for appetizing bitter black cherry flavour with solid structure, good overall balance and a dry, well-integrated finish. (SW)
87 ZONIN ALBA 2015, CHIANTI DOCG ($16.99)
Scents of bitter cherry and a whiff of herb shift to generously ripe cherry flavours supported by moderate tannins and lively appetizing acidity on the palate. A solid, characteristic, food-friendly Chianti. (SW)
85 FRANCO AMOROSO DOC BARBERA D’ALBA 2015 ($15.83) Clear medium-deep garnet. Medium-intensity nose of black cherry, raspberry, clove and smoke. Medium bodied; tastes of ripe dark berries accented with green bell pepper and bitter tannins on the finish. Will last another year. (RL)*
79 COLLEANTICO CAMPANIA AGLIANICO IGT 2012 ($13)
Clear medium-deep garnet. Medium-intensity nose of sour cherries with a bit of dust and mushrooms, tea and oak
spice. Light bodied with simple red-berry flavours and some interest added by a little tannic structure on the finish. Drink up. (RL)*
NEW ZEALAND 90 ASTROLABE VALLEYS PINOT NOIR 2014, MARLBOROUGH ($23.95)
A well-priced Pinot with great character. Ruby coloured with a spicy, cherry nose and a discrete oak aroma. Medium bodied, dry, elegant, black cherry and red plum flavours; lovely mouthfeel and a firm tannic finish. (TA)
89 PENCARROW PINOT NOIR 2015, MARTINBOROUGH ($24.95) Pencarrow is Palliser’s soft/easy-drinking range of wines. This Pinot Noir, which exemplifies said style, offers up sweet cherry, plum, liquorice, red flowers, vanilla and baking spice notes. Medium body, with good freshness and a good amount of fine-grained tannins. Lengthy with red fruit carrying the finish. (ES)
flavours come with moderate tannins and harmoniously integrated fruit, spice and oak on the finish. (SW)
88 HACIENDA LÓPEZ DE HARO RIOJA CRIANZA 2014, DOC RIOJA ($20)
Tempranillo is splashed with Garnacha and Graciano in this youthful Rioja. Juicy redcurrant, cherry and plum has an abundance of joyful florals and a modicum of tannic grip, perfectly placed to frame the sun-warmed fruit. A dusting of peppery spicing closes out the finish. This spends 18 months in older American oak, all ably gobbled up by the fruit. This is for drinking now, ideally with sausage/arugula pizza mid-week. (TR)
TURKEY 87 SUVLA WINES SIR 2011, GALLIPOLI PENINSULA ($23.49)
PORTUGAL
A blend of Syrah, Merlot, Grenache, Cabernet Franc with a small quantity of local variety Karazakiz, this is a fleshy red-fruit driven wine with dry herbal, spicy and chocolate notes, finishing with tannic dryness and a sensation of residual sweetness. (SW)
88 POÇAS COROA D’OURO 2011, DOURO ($13.50)
UNITED STATES
Dark ruby/purple. Black berries and soft spices are not very intense, but the purity is inviting. Full-bodied with lots of fruity taste, grainy tannins and warmth in the powerful but balanced mid-palate. At almost 6 years of age it is still young, so no rush to open it. (GBQc)
SPAIN 89 CASTILLO DE JUMILLA CRIANZA 2013, JUMILLA DO ($19.29)
Jumilla is a pretty hot, dry region, but this Monastrell and Tempranillo blend shows surprising finesse, with fragrant floral notes together with complex fruit, fine spice and subtle oak on the nose. Refined, harmonious red and dark fruit
93 DOMAINE DROUHIN PINOT NOIR 2014, DUNDEE HILLS ($52)
Complex bouquet offers beguiling raspberry, cherry, cinnamon spice and a light whiff of vanilla. Refined flavours of cherry and raspberry come in a velvety smooth package with good overall structure. Superbly integrated fruit, spice, creamy chocolate and fine oak round out the finish. Drinking well now but can develop further. (SW)
92 BEAUX FRÈRES WILLAMETTE VALLEY PINOT NOIR, AVA WILLAMETTE VALLEY, OREGON ($110)
The Willamette Valley cuvée is a blend of sites across the northern Willamette, coming from the sustainably
farmed Gran Moraine, Zena Crown, Beaux Frères, Archery Summit, Hyland, Noren, Upper Terrace and Guadalupe vineyards. A low use of new oak, and bottling without fining or filtering, is chosen to show the clearest view of the region. Dried and fresh cherries, raspberries, wild blackberries, dried florals fill the savoury, lush and elegant palate, housed by a fine grip of dark cocoa tannins. Luring spices linger on the finish. A sweet warmth on the finish reminds us that we’re in the new world. Drinking beautifully now. (TR)
92 PAUL HOBBS CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2013, NAPA ($124.95) Don’t look at the price before reading the review! Dense purple colour with a cedary, plum and vanilla oak bouquet; full-bodied, dry, richly extracted, mouth-filling flavours of cherries and ripe plums, firmly structured with great length. (TA)
90 SONOMA-CUTRER PINOT NOIR 2014, RUSSIAN RIVER ($39.95) Deep ruby colour; spicy cherry nose with vanilla oak. Medium bodied, dry, elegant, beautifully balanced cherry and plum flavours finishing firmly with great length. (TA)
90 PATZ & HALL SONOMA COAST PINOT NOIR 2014, SONOMA COAST AVA, CALIFORNIA ($81)
Warm and ripe perfumed raspberry, rhubarb jam, forest berries and cinnamon bark fill this fleshy palate, one that is threaded with fine lines of acidity. Though this is generous on the palate, it is kept brisk with a fine grit of tannins and raft of spicing. Drinking very well now. (TR)
90 DUCKHORN THREE PALMS VINEYARD MERLOT 2013, NAPA ($117.95)
Dense purple in colour with a cedary nose of blueberry pie; full bodied, dry, richly extracted, sweet blackberry and blueberry flavours with a note of dark chocolate on the finish. (TA) JULY/AUGUST 2017 × QUENCH.ME × 63
NOTED 87 STONE VALLEY MERLOT 2013, CALIFORNIA ($10.67)
Clear medium-deep garnet. Fairly strong and mature nose of strawberries and cranberries with a touch of mace. Light bodied with a short finish; the stewed cherry-fruit is fading. Drink up with a mozzarella di bufala pizza. (RL)*
DESSERT 89 ZOMBORY PINCE LATE HARVEST TOKAJI FURMINT 2012, TOKAJ-HEGYALJA, HUNGARY ($17.95)
Very pale in colour with a spicy, orange and peach nose with a floral tip note; medium-bodied, off-dry, luscious and rich tangerine, honey and peach flavours. (TA)
BEER AUX FOUS BRASSANT DIABLE VERT INDIA PALE ALE, FORTE RIVIÈRE-DU-LOUP, QUEBEC ($5.59/500 ML)
Hazy yellow/light brown. Fresh nose of intense hops and white clover developing wild flowers notes. Quite bitter with a light body and good acidity, this is seriously refreshing on the palate. Good persistence too. (GBQc)
MICROBRASSERIE COATICOOK INDIA PALE ALE, COATICOOK, QUEBEC ($5.59/500 ML)
Light copper tint, lasting foam. Citrusy hops dominate the bouquet. The limited acidity and carbonic gas bring a feel of softness to the tasty mid-palate. Moderate bitterness keeps it fresh. Lasting aftertaste of malted barley and wheat. (GBQc)
BRASSEURS DU MONDE L’ENTÊTÉ DUNKEL BOCK BROWN LAGER, ST-HYACINTHE, QUEBEC ($4.95/500 ML)
A lasting rim of foam crowns the dark brown liquid. Malty on the nose with caramel and roasted hops notes that persist in 64 × @QUENCH_MAG × LIVING LOCAL ISSUE
the rich mouthfeel, filling the palate with tasty, unsweetened dark caramel. An ounce of bitterness energizes the finish. (GBQc)
BRASSEURS DU MONDE LA SAISON, ST-HYACINTHE, QUEBEC ($4.95/500 ML)
An ale aged on lees that features a dark yellow, slightly hazy colour. Hops clearly dominate on the nose. This is a light beer, refreshing and thirst-quenching in the “saison” tradition. (GBQc)
BRASSEURS DU MONDE L’OCCASION SESSION IPA, ST-HYACINTHE, QUEBEC ($4.95/500 ML) Pale yellow with a milky haziness and generous, lasting foam. Intense nose of exotic fruits, notably mango, hops and hints of white pepper. Light taste, low alcohol (3.9%) and a fair amount of bitterness make it a very refreshing beverage that goes down easy. (GBQc)
BRASSEURS DU MONDE CÉLÉBRANTE STRONG BLOND ALE, ST-HYACINTHE, QUEBEC ($9.95/750 ML)
Dark yellow. Hops, floral and citrus notes on the nose but an aroma of bread reveals the use of Champagne yeasts in the making. Smooth and rather light on the palate, the intense flavour is sharpened by the tangy acidity and rounded by the 7% alcohol. There is a nice touch of honey on the finish. (GBQc)
BRASSEURS DU MONDE HOUBLONNIÈRE DOUBLE IPA, ST-HYACINTHE, QUEBEC ($4.95/500 ML)
Double refers to a double dose of hops at every step. Hazy, dark yellow with abundant foam. As expected, there is an intense smell of fresh hops in the glass that doesn’t leave room for much else. Again as expected, it is very fresh in the mouth, but only moderately bitter in the mid-palate. Short but clean finish. (GBQc)
LE TRÈFLE NOIR O’BORN EVIL SCOTCH ALE, ROUYN-NORANDA, QUEBEC ($5.89/500 ML) Dark brown, a thick coat of foam. Heavy
nose of dark caramel and plum. It tastes of almost sweet candied fruit; the low acidity and dense body feel good and filling in the mid-palate. Nourishing. (GBQc)
NICKEL BROOK CO CERES CUCUMBER-LIME GOSE, ONTARIO ($15.95/MIXED PACK)
Whether added to a beer or cocktail, cucumber has the same effect: lightening the drink with a unique splash of freshness. Hamilton’s Nickel Brook Ceres cucumber-lime gose is the ultimate summer thirst-quencher: cucumber flesh and a squeeze of citrus ride on a light, bubbly wave finishing with a lick of salt on the lips. It’s packaged as part of a Funk 101 Summer School Mix Pack along with a raspberry Berliner weisse, a dry-hopped gose and a Brett pale ale. (CL)
PARALLEL 49 BREWING TRICYCLE GRAPEFRUIT RADLER, BRITISH COLUMBIA ($10.99)
As the sun shines hotter, brewers are mixing orange, lemon, grape or even passion fruit juice with their lagers or wheat beers. The name radler is short for radlermass, a German word meaning “cyclist litre.” Invented in 1922 to quench the thirst of Munich cyclists, this half-juice, half-beer mix is citrusy and refreshing. Parallel 49’s take is a mix of 70% of the Vancouver brewery’s Munich Helles lager, and 30% red grapefruit juice. It’s the “beeriest” of them all with tons of bittersweet grapefruit juice flavour, baguette and a hint of grassy hops that help to dry out the swallow. (CL)
BRASSERIE DUNHAM NO TAHOMA, QUEBEC ($11/750 ML)
One of Canada’s most prestigious farmhouse-style breweries, Brasserie Dunham, in Quebec’s Eastern Townships, is run by Éloi Deit, who likes to hop up his rustic ales. The saison yeast culture has steadily evolved since it opened in 2011. Deit has a “yeast guy” collecting interesting wild yeasts from the Dunham region. That, and interesting souring bacterias, are regularly introduced to the house culture to add complexity. No Tahoma is a farmhouse
pale ale hopped with 7 citrusy and floral varietals. The result is a spritzy, 5.9% alcohol ale with notes of lime, starfruit, sage and white pepper, and a dry, lightly bitter finish. Try one fresh, then cellar a few to see how the wild yeast characters develop over 6 months to a year. (CL)
STIEGL GRAPEFRUIT RADLER, AUSTRIA ($2.90/500 ML)
This Austrian offering is a classic radler. Bubbly and lemon-forward, a bit like Sprite, with fresh, clean flavours of white grapefruit and light, crackery malt. Its racy lemon acidity makes it totally crushable. A crowd pleaser; keep a handful on ice at any backyard barbecue and it’ll be the first thing to go. (CL)
BRASSEURS RJ CHEVAL BLANC DOUBLE BLANCHE, QUEBEC ($5.95/750 ML)
It’s an amped-up Belgian witbier with hops and a firm, long, bitter finish. This creamy brew is golden-hued with a fluffy white head, banana and light spice on the nose, flavours of light orange, and some black-pepper sweetness in the background. Perfect for pairing with fruit-forward summer salads and spicy chicken curry burgers. (CL)
OAKHAM ALES GREEN DEVIL PREMIUM ENGLISH IPA, UNITED KINGDOM ($4.55/500 ML)
A British IPA with an fruity hop kick. On the nose expect a touch of caramel malts with some tropical fruit notes. With a full, creamy body, the flavour is a lovely balance between soft biscuit malts and fruity wine gums. A smooth, easy finish to this IPA, not a bitter punch in the face like some of its North American counterparts. An effortless match to West Indian-style chicken curry. (CL)
FRANK BREWING NO NONSENSE LAGERED ALE, ONTARIO ($2.85/473 ML)
A lovely, thirst-slaking ale crafted by brewmaster Brad Wright, who cut his teeth at Ontario breweries Walkerville Brewing Company and Beau’s All-Natural
Brewing. No Nonsense is an easy-drinking lagered ale with a bit more complexity than other lighter brews. With a clear, bubbly, pale golden body, there’s pleasantly bitter hop bite coupled with a grainy sweetness on the palate. A great go-to beer to sip alongside summertime grill classics, like cheeseburgers, veggie dogs and Polish sausages. (CL)
MILL STREET BREWERY 100TH MERIDIAN ORGANIC AMBER LAGER, ONTARIO ($3.10/473 ML) A bready, rich lager crafted with all of the ingredients grown west of the 100th Meridian, the beginning of the great plains. Pours a light copper with a bright white head. On the nose, delicate floral hop and toasty malts; caramel and bread flavours on the palate, with a beautiful soft floral hop finish. This all-organic brew is perfect with roasted chicken topped with barbecue sauce, or grilled root vegetables. (CL)
BRASSERIE D’ORVAL ORVAL TRAPPIST ALE, BELGIUM ($3.45/330ML)
Orval is the only beer brewed by Trappist Monks at Orval Abbey in Gaume, Southern Belgium. A darling of brewers and beer lovers the world over, it was one of the first beers with brettanomyces, a yeast strain that adds pleasing acidity and dryness, to hit North American shores. Pouring a deep orange, with floral, spicy and sweet grain aromas and lots of bitter hop character, ending in long dry finish. Stock up on a couple bottles for the cellar; with age the brett yeast will produce a drier, funkier, fruitier beer. Swap wine for Orval during the appetizer round at your next dinner party; the beer’s Champagne-esque effervescence and dry finish pair well with aged cheeses and cured meats. (CL)
LE CASTOR BRETT ZESTE SAISON, RIGAUD, QUEBEC ($6/500 ML)
Upfront cirtus and grapefruit on the nose. A fruit bowl on the palate: orange, lime and citrus fruit with a light floral notes. Light bready finish. An amazing summer beer. Look out patio, here we come. (JS)
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your wine deserves the very best home 416.285.6604 RosehillWineCellars.com JULY/AUGUST 2017 × QUENCH.ME × 65
AFTER TASTE BY TONY ASPLER
SCREW CAP OR CORK? FOR MY PALATE, MY MONEY IS ON THE SCREW CAP. I’m familiar with all
the arguments that diehard corksters use to defend the use of tree bark as the ideal wine closure: 1. Cork allows the transmission of oxygen to enable wines to age gracefully over decades. 2. Aesthetically, cork is more pleasing to the eye and the hand than a piece of tin. 3. The ritual of opening a bottle under cork is more romantic and theatrical than the twisting off of a screw cap. But what outweighs all these rationales is the moment you open a cherished bottle you’ve been cellaring with care for that special dinner, only to find the wine smells as if a skunk had wandered through your dining room. In other words, the wine was “corked” — tainted by the interaction of the acids in wine with residual mold in the pores of the cork. This interaction creates a chemical called TriChloroAnisole — TCA for short. There are degrees of TCA in all cork-tainted wines, rather like the Richter Scale. At, say, level 1 or 2, the problem is barely perceptible to most consumers, which is why a second bottle of the same might not taste as good as the first. TCA at the lowest level can flatten the flavour of the wine without necessarily being detectable on the nose. When TCA reaches concentrations of, say, 3 and above, the wine smells like the sewer has backed up into your basement. The incidence of corked wines is falling, mercifully, as cork producers have become more scrupulous in how they cut the cork trees, dry the bark, punch out the cork lengths and bleach 66 × @QUENCH_MAG × LIVING LOCAL ISSUE
them. But one “corked” wine is one too many when the problem can easily be remedied with a screw cap. Australian and New Zealand winemakers led the charge for screw caps in the 1980s, and most wines from Down Under today are twist-offs. Even Penfolds bottles its expensive ultra-premium wines with screw caps, although they do ship their iconic Grange to North America under cork (because they believe the market demands it). Penfolds winemaker Peter Gago has conducted in-house trials that show his wine bottled under screw cap will age just as well as those bottled under cork. Australia’s other legendary winemaker is Stephen Henschke, who bottles his majestic Eden Valley Shiraz, Hill of Grace, under screw cap and his Hill of Roses Shiraz under Vinolok, a resealable glass stopper with an inner elastic ring. No cork for him. Dealing with the argument that screw caps make a hermetic seal that doesn’t allow for the exchange of oxygen, the manufacturers have devised special
plastic liners that copy cork’s oxygen transmission rate. This micro-oxygenation is what allows the wine to mature slowly in the bottle. While there is no consensus among wine industry stakeholders that wines under cork age better than those under screw cap, there is no argument that white wines in screw cap bottles taste fresher than those under cork. And the majority of consumers are not going to cellar wines for a decade or more anyway. While I am on the same side as the tin brigade when it comes to closures for red, white and rosé, I would draw a line in the sand when it comes to Champagne. Keep cork closures for Champagne and please, please, don’t go to crown caps (which is what Champagne bottles are closed with before they’re disgorged and dressed for the market). Final note: Another benefit of screw caps is that you don’t have to store the wines lying down. So if I were you, I’d think twice before investing in companies whose major business is the manufacture of corkscrews. × ILLUSTRATION: FRANCESCO GALLÉ, WWW.FRANCESCOGALLE.COM
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