Which wine goes with camping?

This is the question my husband and I repeated as we combed through the bottles at Cristall's Wine Market. We were on our way out of town for a camping weekend in celebration of a friend's wedding and although we had already packed the official beer of camping to share with everyone, we were looking for something to enjoy on our own.

We decided that whatever we were going to get, had to be big and bold, to go with flame-kissed meats. Personally, I felt that an expensive Bordeaux would be a great ironic choice, and imagined that somewhere, someone from Wine Spectator having a fit over our choice of Bordeaux with cheese-dogs-by-fire. In the end, we settled on the Beni di Batasiolo Barolo 2001 and a fun Barokes Bubbly Wine Bin 242 Chardonnay Semillon.

The Beni di Batasiolo Barolo was the perfect choice for the weekend. Big and bold, rich in flavour and texture, with a smoky dark cherry front and a tobacco finish, it went perfectly with the great outdoors. You could imagine this wine enjoyed on a patio in the foot-hills of Italy on a humid night. The actual wedding was held outside that evening as the sun began to set, and everyone brought their beverage of choice to the ceremony. Sipping the deep Brolo as the happy couple exchanged vows was a great way to 'toast' the festivities.

The Barokes Bubbly Wine was an impulse buy. On our San Francisco honeymoon, my husband and I purchased some Niebaum-Coppola Sophia Blanc-de-Blanc in a can and took it down to Fisherman's wharf one morning to drink with our breakfast of fresh lobster and crab. Hoping to recreate the moment, we purchased the Barokes to enjoy with breakfast. We were not disappointed. This refreshing and crisp sparkling white was the perfect accompaniment to orange juice and pancakes. With notes of apple, pear and citrus, it was a great way to start the day!

Our gift to the newlyweds was also wine-themed and included an awesome picnic backpack which features a great wine carrying pack, a bottle of one of our favorite wines, and a gift certificate to SunTerra Market and Cellars.

We are anxiously awaiting our next camping adventure - wine glasses in hand and bottle opener at the ready - this Summer!

come into my cellar

I am the first to admit that my blog has been more than a little out of date. But with good reason... My husband and I have been obsessed with a cool web program for wine geeks - Cellar Tracker.

At some point during the wine-drinking process, my husband will disappear into the spare room, open up the computer, and start entering our notes on whatever we are drinking. The program will allow you to see what you have on hand, as well as what you have consumed.

For those of you who are not familiar with the program, I highly recommend checking it out. Not only does it keep a great inventory record, but it also allows you to add in tasting notes and ratings for your wines.

p.s. The wine rack in the photo was custom made by my father for my husband and I as a Christmas present. It is the focal point to our living room. My husband loves me only slightly more than the rack...

California Wine Fair 2006

The great thing about a wine fair is the immediacy. What you taste is what you get. There is no time to linger over your glass – letting the wine open up. There is nothing to interrupt the palate – no pairings with cheese or desserts. However, what I really enjoyed about this year’s California Wine Fair, was the fact I was tasting so many wines in such close proximity, that it was easy to pick out the stand-outs in the crowd.

This year, nearly 100 California wineries bought their wares to the Shaw Conference Centre in Edmonton. In an effort to make some semblance of the evening, my husband and I went through the list of wineries and highlighted those we thought would either be good or that others recommended. That list quickly went out the window when we started roaming through the crowds, glasses in hand.

As this was a “standing” event, we really did not get the opportunity to take notes. This was where the immediacy came in – as soon as the wine hit your mouth, you made a decision: did you like it enough to continue tasting, or did you find the nearest swish bucket?

Here is an overview of some of the wine I tasted and my reactions:

Beringer Vineyards
I really enjoyed several of the wines Beringer had to offer. The first was the Founders' Estate Zinfandel 2003 - a very nice Zinfandel with cellaring potential. The second was the Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2001 - a hearty wine with a lot of flavour and cellaring potential. These two wines stood out from the table. Although I found the tannins slightly harsh, I could imagine what they would taste like in another year or two.


Bogle Vineyards
While I wasn't expecting much, I did enjoy the Bogle Petite Sirah 2004 and the Bogle Chardonnay 2004. Not overly complex, these were nice wines I could see drinking on a warm summer evening. They were crisp and clean, and did not fuss too much with anything. Very drinkable.


Bonny Doon
Having heard good things about their Le Cigare Volant we stopped by to see what the fuss was about. I have to say, I was more impressed with their marketing than I was with their wine. Their website is great, and their advertising is creative, but their wines do not stand out from the crowd. It was recommended that we also try their Big House Pink 2004 and while my dirty little wine secret does involve indulging in a bottle here and there, I was not impressed with their blush.


Cline Cellars
As we walked into the tasting, the first table we came upon were our old friends - Cline Cellars. Already a fan of their higher-end wines, we tasted the Los Carneros Syrah 2002 and the Bridgehead Zinfandel 2003. These are great crowd-pleasing wines that are just fun to drink. No need to overanalyze - just enjoy!


EOS Estate
My husband got the last two drops of the unique Estate Bottled Zinfadel Port 2001 from an aquaintance of ours who insisted that he try it. What little he had, he loved. While my husband was licking the glass, I tried the Novella Rayons de Soleil Muscat Canelli 2004. The only dessert wine I tried that night, it was nice and sweet, but not sickeningly so. While I keep saying that I am not into the sweet wines, the more sweet wines I have tried, the more I like them (I say this as I sip a sweet Sherry...my new indulgence after work or over ice-cream).

Greg Norman Estates
Yes, the golfer! We went to this table because an old friend of my husband's was pouring. However, this was the surprise of the night. I really enjoyed the Lake Country Zinfandel 2003 as well as the Santa Barbara Country Pinot Noir 2004. Although I questioned what a golfer knows about wine, it was quickly pointed out that of anyone, he probably has the most money to create something good! One to impress the friends with.


Nichols Winery & Cellars
Oh the irony that we came to the Wine Fair to find new wines, and ended up hanging out at the Nichols table!! Already a fan of their wines, we met the Alberta distributor at a recent wine tasting. So when he offered us a taste of their full line, we were more than happy to stand and chat with him for a time. Having already tasted the Nichols Zinfandel more than a few times, I proceeded to encourage everyone that stepped up to the table to "try the Zin - it's phenomenal!!" while we made our way through our personal flight. Word started to spread, and as we were standing there, people were coming back and saying "I hear that your Zinfandel is great!" Nothing like some good word of mouth....

We had never tried the Soleil & Terroir label and were happy for the chance to try the entire line. In the end, none of the wines at the fair held a candle to Nichols' amazing flavour and complexity. Here is what we tried and loved:
- Soleil & Terroir Chardonnay 2000
- Soleil & Terroir Pinot Noir 2000
- Nichols Cabernet Sauvignon 1999
- Nichols Meritage 1999
- Nichols Pinot Noir 2000
- Nichols Chardonnay 2000
- Nichols Reserve Merlot 1998
The next day, my husband and I made a beeline for Liquor Select and picked up the Nichols Chardonnay to have at my birthday dinner that evening.


Peachy Canyon
Another crowd pleasing wine. Peachy Canyon was not originally on our list, but we wandered over from another table. While their self proclaimed Incredible Red was not altogether "incredible", their Westside Zinfandel 2004 was nice. Definitely a wine I would bring to dinner with friends.


Ravenswood
Where to begin with this one...for starters, don't believe the hype. Not only did I not like this wine, but it actually made me sick! For a complete account of my encounter with Ravenswood, click here.


Z52
This great little winery stood out from the crowd. Their Clockspring Zinfandel 2003 was really nice and presented a lot of layers. The winery specializes in Zinfandel and it shows. After tasting a lot of Zin that evening, this one was very memorable. I really love Zinfandel, and, unfortunately, I tasted some pretty mediocre Zin. Now, I cannot wait to sit down with a bottle from this vineyard!


We actually went to more wineries, but these are the ones that, for one reason or another, made any lasting impression. The rest just seemed to blend in with all the others. Too much oak. Too much tannin. Too jammy. Too sweet. For one reason or another, they ended up in the swish!

"I'm not drinking any f*#@ing Ravenswood"

And now for my "Miles" moment...

For years, I could not drink red wine. Every time I did, I almost immediately became violently ill. It was not until my roommate at the time opened up a really nice bottle of red wine and insisted I share it with him that I realized that it wasn't that I was allergic to all red wine - I was allergic to cheap red wine! To be exact, I found out that I was allergic to red wine with added sulfites that did not occur naturally in the winemaking process. I later found that this is actually a very common allergy and as long as I stayed away from wines that over-used preservatives, I was fine.

On Friday night, my husband took me to the California Wine Fair fundraiser hosted by the Citadel Theatre at the Shaw Conference Centre. So many wines, so little time!! It was a great evening, and we tasted some phenomenal wines – many of which I will talk about in another posting – over the course of 2 hours. My husband and I had an idea of the wineries we wanted to try, and several that had been recommended. One of those recommendations was Ravenswood. And that was where my evening ended.

My husband was distracted at the EOS Estate table by a unique Zinfandel Port, so I made my way to the Ravenswood table. I selected the Vinter’s Blend Zinfandel, because, as I always say, “How can you mess up a Zin?” Well, my tastebuds turned to chalk the minute the first sip hit my tongue – all I could taste was chemical and grape. After swishing it in my mouth for a second, I swallowed and was greeted to an awful sharp finish. Not really believing what I was tasting, I tried again. The same sharp chemical taste greeted me. I tossed the rest in the swish bucket and moved back to my husband. Almost instantly, I felt ill. Thinking at first that it could have been too much wine and too little food (shame on you Shaw caterers for the paltry food service at a sold-out event!!) I went and sat down.

Since it was almost the end of the night, we decided to go for a light bite and dessert before heading home. At the restaurant, the food did not help, and I began to sneeze violently as the histamines kicked in. By the time we got home, I was in tears – I felt like I had been poisoned. After a gut-wrenching hour, the poison had made its way out of my system. Not the way I wanted to end my evening, but suffice to say, I was glad to just sleep.

The next day, we went out to a nearby liquor store to pick-up a few of the wines we enjoyed. When I shared my experience with one of the workers, he replied that he had a similar reaction to Ravenswood. I was thankful to hear it was not just me!

Usually, I am very open to people's suggestions for wine, and try and keep an open palate. However, the next time someone offers you this silk purse you may want to sniff it first to see if it is made of a sow’s ear.

Take Flight

About a year ago, the wine store we frequent - Spirits in Oliver Square - opened a great wine bar next door. An extension of the store, 4th & Vine (11354 104 Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta) was once our little secret. Very quickly the secret got out and now this funky little wine bar has the clientele to offer weekly flights and special events. We were lucky enough to take in their Sideways Night in the fall - pairing wine throughout a five-course meal while watching the movie Sideways. The night was fantastic.

We recently took in their special flight and food pairing night, themed The Northern Hemisphere. My husband and I took great joy in seeing what each of us could taste and had a great time tasting and sharing our opinions. While we don't go in for the Parker point scale, I always think it is fun to compare what we thought of the wine in relation to Parker's ratings.

Here are some of the wines I tasted and some comments:

2004 Pierre Sparr Alsace Pinot Gris (France)
- hints of apple on the front
- needs to breathe for a few minutes to get the full flavour
- crisp, fresh, nicely balanced wine

2002 Domaine Carneros Pinot Noir (USA)
- earthy bold wine
- hints of tobacco on the front
- dark cherry finish
- subtle oak
- complex Pinot with a nice body

2003 Lasendal Garnatxa (Spain)
- 92pt wine (Parker)
- a light, fresh wine
- nice balance
- fruity without being too sweet

2002 Kettle Valley Old Main Red (Canada)
- schizophrenic wine - didn't know what it wants to be
- too bold, lacked substance
- too much oak on the nose; too much tannin on the finish
- very disappointing

2003 JM Fonseca Domini Plus 2001 (Portugal)
- 92pt wine (Wine Spectator)
- tastes like the sun
- warm and ripe flavours
- full body without being jammy

2003 Osoyoos Larose (Canada)
- way too much tannin
- had a stinging quality to the flavour
- even after it breathed, still a harsh wine
- could be a good wine after cellaring and the tannins soften

Tommasi Amarone (Italy)
- a big wine
- earthy, hint of clay
- a wine with terroir
- a wine that knows itself
- a treat for the tastebuds!

1997 Joseph Phelps Merlot (USA)
- strong tannins balanced with oak
- very dry
- tobacco on the finish
- made my toes tingle - a wine with a lot of body

Now, you may not agree with me, but that's the great thing about wine - every palate is different. Overall, I was very disappointed with the Canadian wines. They both tasted like someone had played with the composition a few too many times. Any earthiness was overwhelmed by the taste of tannins and oak. The best find of the night was the Amarone. Happily, 4th & Vine offers participants the chance to buy the wines they tasted that night at a discount in the shop!

If you are in Edmonton, I highly recommend taking in one of these specialty flights. They are fun and a great way to try something new.

Dreaming of Napa

My husband and I recently returned from our honeymoon in California. We spent two glorious days in Napa, visiting vineyards and drinking wine. Although there were a lot of highly commercial vineyards, we made a point to seek out some of the more interesting places along the way. Here are some of the highlights:


Cline Cellars
This vineyard started with money from the Jacuzzi family fortune and made its name with the highly successful Red Truck line. They are currently selling off the Red Truck franchise to finance what they are really good at - a nice high-end line of wines with the Jacuzzi family name.

We were really impressed by the Cline Big Break Zinfandel (2003), Cool Climate Syrah and the Late Harvest Mourvedre (2003). The Big Break was a very full Zin, without being thick or jammy. It had a nice variety of complex flavours with a touch of oak. I am definitely not a fan of oak, and this Zin had a nice smoky taste, without being too woody. The Cool Climate Syrah was smooth and rich with spicy notes on the finish. The Mourvedre is a nice dessert wine that is sweet, without being sickeningly so. It had a lot of flavour, without being too rich or too overwhelming.


Truchard
Started our day at 10 a.m. with a personal tour of this family vineyard by Jo Ann Truchard. My husband and I are fans of Truchard's Pinot Noir, and when we found out we could book a tour of their property, we were beside ourselves! You have to book ahead, and the only signage along the road is a mailbox with the Truchard insignia on it. Jo Ann took us out for a glass of Chard in the Chardonnay fields as the mist rolled off the vines. The closest place to nirvana a wine drinker can get!! Suffice to say, we purchased a lot of wine that morning.

Truchard's wine is an excellent example of terroir. Their wines taste like wine should. They do not go in for muddling with their wines. What you taste is pure Napa. We recommend all of their wines, but some of our favorites include the Pinot Noir (2000), Chardonnay (2004), Roussanne (2002) and the Zinfandel (2002). If you can get your hands on it, I also recommend the Cabernet Sauvignon - Reserve (2000); this complex cab makes your tastebuds pop!


V. Sattui
Known for their deli as much as their wine, this winery only sells from their own boutique. While we were not impressed with most of their wines (stay away from their White Zin - even when offered as a free taste!!), their Madeira and Muscat (2004) were stand-outs in the selection. The Madeira is a wonderful after-dinner wine, and really opens up once decanted. The Muscat is a smooth, sweet wine with some delicious berry flavours. I am usually not a fan of the sweet wines, but this one, again, was sweet without being overwhelming.


Sutter Home
Located across from V. Sattui, this was an impulse to visit. My husband and I tasted both their higher-end and "crowd pleasers" and we were not overly impressed with their wines. While their wines were wonderful on the nose, they did not follow-up on the palate. Even the crowd pleasers shrieked tannins and oak. They did have a pleasant Trinchero Family Merlot, which we brought back as a gift. Of the ten wines we tried, this was the only one that had any hint of interest to it.


Merryvale
Located just off the main highway, deep in the heart of commercial-wine country, Merryvale creates rich, high-end wines that would be excellent for cellaring. My husband did a vertical tasting of their Profile label (1999, 2000, 2001, 2002) and was impressed with their 1999 Profile. Definitely a cellar wine, the Profile took time to open up, but when it did, it showed off a complex blend of light oak, rich berries, and a smoky finish. What we were very impressed with was their not-yet-released Vineyard X Cabernet Sauvignon (2002). Only available at the vineyard, you could taste the potential in this cellar wine. Another wine that if you can get your hands on, you will not be sorry in 3-5 years.

Chateau Montelena
Winners of the famous 1976 "Judgement in Paris" for their Chardonnay, Chateau Montelena took us on an two-hour tour of the castle and vineyards and exquisite tasting in their formal dining room. Off the beaten track from the Napa wine-strip, if you can book a tour and tasting, I highly recommend the experience. Another example of how wine should taste - very little intervention by the winemakers, terroir so rich it tickles the tastebuds.

Although all of their wines are recommended, we came home with several bottles of the Chardonnay (2003), Riesling (2004) and the Cabernet Sauvignon - Estate (2001). Again, not a fan of the overly sweet wine, the Riesling is wonderfully balanced and is...well...yummie. The Chard is rich and complex - not something I have come to associate with Chardonnay. This Chard had depth and flavour past the initial fruits. The Cabernet Sauvignon was the most expensive bottle of wine we bought, and worth every penny. Rich, smoky, earthy, complex - you can almost taste each layer of soil. Like oranges picked fresh from the tree, this is what you want wine to taste like! Chateau Montelena does not try to trick your nose and your palate - what you smell is what you taste.


All in all, we had a wonderful time in Napa, and our knowledge of wine increased by the minute! The people were great, and the wine was even better!