Canadians are being encouraged this year by the Federal Government to travel in Canada, promoting domestic travel rather than to the USA and other foreign destinations. Last month, they launched a Canada Strong Pass initiative offering deals on national parks, museums, and other attractions & experiences across Canada. Exploring your own country is a great idea – especially if it includes finding interesting food & wine discoveries.

Your scribe was in Montreal last week and was impressed with many food items and restaurant menus. Quebec key specialities of POUTINE (French fries, cheese curds, and hot gravy) at LA BANQUISE and others & Smoked Meat (long line-ups still at SCHWARTZ’S Deli since 1928 on the major north-south street of Saint-Laurent – called “The Main) were no longer a focus for me this trip. Still excited about their many quality creme glacee ice cream shops including ICONOGLACE, KEM COBA, UNICONE, and a must in Old Montreal of Mlle CATHERINE. Excellent pizza led by recent award winner PIZZERIA NAPOLITAINE #900 at several locations should be checked out for an authentic Margherita. The food markets are interesting and purchased some clean paler morel mushrooms ($16/100grams) coming from the Yukon from Les Jardins Sauvages. Admired the bakery talents of AUTOMNE with top baguettes, batard, and 7 grain using all their own flours. However my favourite is still those outstanding fresh Montreal bagels. Big long time fan of ST.-VIATEUR Bagel Factory (since 1957) and their classic style. This trip bought hot fresh sesame bagels from them and the highly rated FAIRMOUNT Bagel (since 1919) for a blind tasting comparison. Both are outstanding but different with St-Viateur toasty and more chewy while Fairmount seemed slightly sweeter and softer. Fun experience.

Lots of top restaurants to enjoy. The two best for us were – MONARQUE BRASSERIE starting with Grilled Octopus fattoush salad, labneh, dukkha, and chermoula ($26) followed by Duck Confit fingerling potato, duck jus ($36), and Roasted half Cornish hen morels, asparagus, sauce poulette au Vin Jaune ($36). Smart by the glass program with value found for forwardly white 2023 Alvarinho Soalheiro Granit Vinho Verde Portugal ($16) & well paired red pinot noir 2023 Bourgogne Côte D’Or Domaine François Buffet ($19).

MASTARD One of only three Michelin Award winners this May – all one rosette – with Jerome Ferrer -Europea, and Sabayon. Five outstanding courses ($90) locally sourced ingredients, and cooked to perfection. Wine pairings offered and food allergies & intolerances are taken into account. See the fantastic menu attached. Liked how they printed out the names of their whole team contributing to the memorable meal, including our attentive server Benjamin Houde. A worthy better than one-star execution. Highly recommended.

Also checked out the enticing menu of June 28 attached for the consistently highly rated RESTAURANT MON LAPIN at which it is rather hard to get a reservation.

As a wine aficionado, something I support are BYOB restaurants, and Montreal has lots of these. We tried three on this trip and were delighted with all of them. Highly recommend:

LE P’TIT PLATEAU: Aubergine Confite et Ses Herbes ($15) & Fondant Souris d’Agneau Romarin et Amandes Grillées (15 hour “melting” lamb shank) for $40.

LES MÔMES: Three course $80 with exquisite Tarte tatin tomate cerise/Glace Burrata/Pesto pistache; Flétan vapeur & Carre de porc Iberique/ Fraise du Québec & Chocolat/Noisette/Cardamome verte.

OTHYM: Beautiful blue flower fresh pea, onion, and wild mushroom tartelette ($21) & Canard Goulu compressed leg and breast ($30) Great local suppliers used.

Perhaps should have brought BC wines but instead three classified Pauillac from 2003 paired well with vying for best of the vintage Duhart Milon over dependable balanced d’Armailhac and usual top favourite property Grand Puy Lacoste solid as well but not singing as elegantly in the hot vintage conditions.

Really like the amazing value lunches at MILOS and wrote up here previously our extraordinary experiences in Las Vegas & Hudson Yards in New York. Estiatorio Milos Greek restaurant the original one was opened by Milos in 1979 on Parc Avenue in the Mile End neighbourhood of Montreal. It is still popular and going strong with the quality lunch $49 serving three brilliant perfect courses. Tender grilled octopus with fava bean sauce, Sea bream grilled with broccoli, and moist walnut cake with vanilla ice cream is hard to beat. Visited twice on this trip. So very highly recommended! As is a culinary visit to Montreal.

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Question: What is Pugnitello?

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The eighties were the decade in which your scribe collected most of his cherished ageable Bordeaux. Sure there were some outstanding bottles in the sixties (legendary 1961, long distance runner 1966) and seventies (underrated 1970, tannic overhyped 1975, and miracle 1978) but those decades fade against the remarkable vintages of the eighties many still going strong. Pretty consistent run except for 1984 and 1987 as starting with under the radar 1981 like Chateau Margaux, less consistent 1983 better in southern Medoc & Pessac-Leognan but clean classic Pichon Lalande, hard to go wrong with brilliant 1982 and charming 1985 years, and 1988 last of old style and finishing up with a warmer 1989 (and 1990). However, early on the Left Bank 1986s were big backward quite tannic concentrated wines needing long cellaring. Got a chance to try over the years many Left Bank 1986s since bottling and most continue to show encouraging development of their concentrated fruit. Now nearing 40 years of age it was an appropriate time to assess their current development. The Vancouver Group of Eight at meeting #132 held a tasting/dinner on June 24 at Blue Water Cafe featuring 8 well chosen top examples. We started with 2004 SAINT-GALL ORPALE BLANC DE BLANCS GRAND CRU a very prestige cuvee by this grower’s coop using quality grapes from Mesnil-sur-Oger, Cramant, Avize, and Oger with long lees aging. Surprised how fresh alive vibrant these delicate fragile elegant bubbles with higher acidity are showing. Only partial malolactic fermentation works. Interesting and refreshing on the palate with unique opening scallop course.

The 1986 reds followed with a First Flight all Saint-Julien:

1986 CHATEAU DUCRU-BEAUCAILLOU:

Dark, lighter rim, leafy earthy very Bordeaux elegant nose more than a clear S-J definition from this excellent gravel slope. Superb terroir site. This bottle re-corked at Chateau in 2011 because of controversial Cellar TCA issues at the end of this decade. Structured with acidity balance but drier and not the best singing bottle of this vintage. There are better bottles.

1986 CHATEAU LEOVILLE BARTON:

Deep very dark to rim with concentrated Cab Sauv statement less medicinal notes shown by some vintages. Slowly coming together but still rather big hard backward with potential. Lacks a bit of charm and finesse which may still develop. Always bought this property because outstanding value. Promising. Most hopeful. No rush. Patience.

1986 CHATEAU LEOVILLE POYFERRE:

Quite dark with paling edge. Solid but more herbaceous from very young vines replanting by Didier Cuvelier with Emile Peynaud consulting. Later on Michel Rolland changed style direction from 1994. Ian Mottershead found this “more exotic”. Lovely drinking now but lacks complexity compared to LLC. Making outstanding St. Julien the past few decades!

1996 CHATEAU LEOVILLE LAS CASES:

Deepest and darkest with best open classic St Julien intense classy bouquet. Impressive cedar with tobacco showing dense layers of complex smooth flavours with helpful 4% Petit Verdot. Nick Wright liked “more weight more fruit and more structure.” Already a treasure and will continue on this high plateau for a long time. Delicious. Both mine & group favourite of First Flight.

MYSTERY BLIND – 1982 CHATEAU LEOVILLE POYFERRE:

Redder more mature tones looks older. A sous-bois mushroom herbal style is ready now. Softer easy simpler elegant S-J. Not a top 1982 but interesting drinking superbly with a tasty refined Chicken Supreme with morels dish.
This flight is only missing the great St Juliens of Gruaud Larose & surprising Talbot that both really sing eloquently in 1982 & 1986 and are just best plateauing right now.

Second flight of 1986s featuring 3 top Pauillac & the Chateau Margaux. Ian determined that the most popular food matching for these big wines according to the proprietors is rib eye steak therefore he so ordered:

1986 CHATEAU PICHON LONGUEVILLE COMTESSE DE LALANDE:

Lighter look but together. Emile Peynaud called it “the most tannic wine ever” and May de Lencquesaing always optimistic about its future. In tough company here but shows well the mellowing tannins with graphite and mint. Nick said it “has more charm and reminds me of Palmer” and Fred Withers “at a perfect spot with elegance and balance.” It is developing nicely as Pichon.

1986 CHATEAU MOUTON ROTHSCHILD:

So dark & deep right to the edge. Big & powerful as expected with outstanding concentrated Mouton style with 80% Cab Sauv. Wondered about it presently as several 100 point scores earlier on but last year in Fine Wines Andrew Jefford stated it was “perfect once but not now”. However this bottle is most impressive again for me and now is nearing classic perfection. Perhaps catching that remarkable sensual 1982 and about to pass it? Loved unanimously as clear group fav – Wine of the Night!

1986 CHATEAU LAFITE ROTHSCHILD:

Less deep with paling rim. Shows wonderful cedar and cigar box with energy & delicacy. Finishes tannic. Not quite clean pure enough bottle but quality comes through. Excellent balance but believe this is not the very best vintage of Lafite (or Latour) compared to other stellar years.

1986 CHATEAU MARGAUX:

Very dark deep young intense colour. Still closed in. Chateau Margaux has charm in 1985 but more austere backward atypical style in 1986. Always powerful with rich concentration and balance. Quite firm but your scribe feels this vintage still has great potential. Promising future with lots of fruit remaining but requires even more patience.

1986 CHATEAU GUIRAUD SAUTERNES:

Always has so much high percentage Sauvignon Blanc in the blend with the usually more dominant Semillon. Forwardly and the sweetness is a balanced delight perfect now with orange tart dessert.

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Question: What are your thoughts on the current status concerning that fun named Laughing Stock winery in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia?

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Our Commanderie de Bordeaux in Vancouver is well organized by Maître Fred Withers and CellarMaster Alvin Nirenberg together with their knowledgeable wine team. They put together an interesting tasting/dinner held at Blue Water Cafe on June 17, 2025 focusing on the 2005 vintage from the Right Bank of Bordeaux. There were two main flights of 4 St. Emilion followed by 4 Pomerol that gave you the opportunity to study the development of the 2005 vintage but also compare the terroir differences from those two appellations. We started with an exquisite riper creamy 2015 JOSE DHONDT MES VIEILLES VIGNES GRAND CRU BLANC DE BLANCS. This long time grower produced their first Cuvee in 1974 with a focus mainly on excellent NV Blanc de Blancs & NV Rose.

However, they have a small parcel of very old Chardonnay “Les Crayeres” vines on the slope of Oger planted by Jose’s grandfather that they sometimes use to make a vintage Champagne as they did in 2015. They use a traditional vertical wooden press with only one “retrousse” of breaking up the compacted grape solids with the 2015 having 6 years on the lees for complexity and disgorged 01/2022. Two top Pessac-Leognan 2017 whites followed with LA CLARTE DE HAUT-BRION (Domaine Clarence Dillon) and DOMAINE DE CHEVALIER (Famille Bernard) served for comparison. Chevalier David Kester well explained the cepage mix with CH-B using 70 Sémillon + 30 Sauvignon Blanc vs the opposite for DdC of 30S + 70SB respectfully. This early result was that they showed so differently with CH-B full rich but closed in somewhat dumb clumsiness compared to the preferred more open fragrant delicate nutty smoky full fruit of DdC. Delicious with the outstanding Turbot course. Both will age very well indeed and evolve closer together in style as the Semillon develops in bottle with more time. Makes sense similar to what you find in a dry Tyrrell Vat 1 Semillon or sweet Sauternes using a lot of Semillon. Your scribe admired both of them presently and for the future. Chevalier NIck Wright expressed his perspective for preferring the DdC as “more intense and complex, delightful flinty character with excellent acidity.” He “favours white Bordeaux with a higher percentage of SB” because the wines are “tighter with better definition, lighter in weight, and have more of that flinty character which is so appealing.”

The First Flight of four 2005 ST. EMILION shone with the Duck breast dish:

2005 CHATEAU LA GAFFELIERE: Long time property of Comte de Malet Roquefort shows darkest ripe concentrated fruit with some tannins still left. Drinking well but structured with no rush. 50 Merlot/45 Cab Franc/5 Cab Sauv blend of true pure St. Emilion definition. No volatile acidity issues from the old days like 1970. Producing outstanding wines now.

2005 CHÂTEAU CANON-la-GAFFELIÈRE: Similar blend of 55 M/35CF/10CS with a paler rim sings eloquently with excellent open diverse seductive aromatics. Comtes de Neipperg has produced a balanced rounder polished styling on a lovely plateau of enjoyment already. Long finish. Will continue to develop. Well done.

2005 CHÂTEAU CANON: Much rounder Merlot (80%) with 20% Cab Franc used by the remarkable winemaster John Kolasa (and David Orr) for quality Chanel ownership emphasis – same as at Rauzan-Segla. Impressive intense rich multi-flavoured fruit with elegance still developing. Beautiful complexity. Group favourite.

2005 CHÂTEAU MONBOUSQUET: Bought in 1993 by Gerard Perse (who later acquired Pavie in 1998) and an underrated value property that has excelled in 2005. Softer tannins show forward spicy cherry showy fruit using a majority of Merlot (60%)/ CF(30%)/ and 10CS. Easy pleasant ready and a delightful surprise.

New Chevalier Yves Potvin made his first welcomed comments on this flight. He believed they were well structured and would continue to age well. He threw out the stat that Bordeaux produces 900 Million bottles a year of which only 4% is St. Emilion. Asked if 2005 vintage is better than 2009 & 2010?

Nick Wright “likes this nice middle age drinking window of 20 years for St. Emilion with still potential for further aging.” He prefers that “they all showed very well with that softer Merlot, ripe and appealing, and all were very consistent in quality and style.” Nick finds “they often develop a very herbaceous leafy character in older age and become less consistent.”

Second Flight of Pomerol perfectly matched with the lamb course including that special braised lamb neck:

2005 CHÂTEAU CERTAN DE MAY: The Barreau-Badar family have this high plateau top property situated between Vieux Ch. Certan, Petrus, and Lafleur-Petrus. Like the layered darker fruits so textured and classy sweet flavours all in balance. Complex, stylish, and iron terroir textbook Pomerol. My flight fav.

2005 CHÂTEAU LE BON PASTEUR: Home of Dany & Michel Rollland with a less heralded simpler Pomerol terroir but have excelled as an overachiever in 2005. Better power and concentration than many vintages for them. Approachable with a medicinal mineral salts flavour. Rather good.

2005 CHÂTEAU GAZIN: Mixed feelings as surprises with darkest solid extracted powerful ripe fruit with acidity. Very big but some velvet smoothness on entry seems a bit disjointed and hot on the finish. Maybe caught here at less than the ideal time and will find better bottles and might come together with more aging.

2005 CHATEAU LAFLEUR-PETRUS: Quite sous-bois earthy less clean initially but clears somewhat opening up in the glass to more cherries, prune-plum, and exotic floral spices. Lighter bodied than expected but is elegant and long on the palate. Enjoy this vintage of LFP currently – but not the best bottle here.

Chevalier Michael Noble presented an excellent overview on these Pomerols. Nick commented that “something magical happens when Merlot is planted in the soils of Pomerol as the wines have a much greater complexity and depth of flavour.” Nick

liked the second flight even better than your scribe saying “the wines were lovely, great balance, unique in their styling, drinking beautifully, Merlot at its very best.” Sounds like he is describing 2005 Chateau Petrus!

2005 CHATEAU RIEUSSEC SAUTERNES: A good vintage for them with 90% Semillon/8SB and 2 Muscadelle. Usually Rieussec is typically dark coloured but less so here. This R has botrytis plus orange marmalade but with drier fresher tension from a lower pH than some vintages.

1988 CHÂTEAU LAFAURIE-PEYRAGUEY SAUTERNES: The first of the famous trio of Sauternes vintages. A comparison for R with an older more mature sweeter style but with excellent acidity balance as well. More typical.

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