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Last week your scribe pointed out the versatility of the abundant Summer fruits and vegetables presently in the marketplace. This week we are focusing on the availability of wild fresh salmon now in season especially Sockeye. Most of us know the 5 main species of salmon listed by me in order of my personal preference:

1. CHINOOK: Also called King, Spring, or Tyee. These are the biggest salmon with full rich delicious special tasting oils highest in Omega-3. They are becoming more and more difficult to find for sale in the retail market.
2. SOCKEYE: Most readily available species. Deepest red colour and firm flesh but rather tricky to cook so still remain moist and are not dried out. Also have lots of heart-healthy Omega-3 fatty acids. Photos show the look of a deep coloured fillet and our 2.6 kg (or 5 3/4 lbs) whole Sockeye.
3. COHO: Called Silver and versatile fine textured use.
4. CHUM: More frequently being called Keta. Paler red and milder taste.
5. PINK: Rose quite light pink colour with a softer texture and delicate flavours. Sometimes called Humpback (develops more when spawning).

Generally the most common species used for canning is Sockeye and Pink but are seeing more Keta (Chum) produced.

This July has been a plethora of Sockeye for us prepared many different ways and with diverse wine pairings. Really enjoy the flavours of a whole side cooked on the grill or BBQ but wrote back on July 16, 2018 that the taste was more delicious cooked as a steak on the bone. Three superb wine matchings with a Sockeye steak were all quite different being a white, rose, and red: classic 2015 Chablis 1er Cru Vaillon very old vines Cuvee Guy Moreau of Christian Moreau, delicious 2020 Florence Rose by Baillie-Grohman of Pinot Noir fruit from the Kootenays in BC, and 2018 Whitehaven Pinot Noir from Marlborough New Zealand. Wine selections for grilled salmon were commented on here on April 6, 2016 but seems to taste better IMHO with a fuller richer white wine like classic 2012 Chablis Les Clos Grand Cru Christian Moreau, underrated 2017 Chaberton Chardonnay with weekly lees stirring, and brilliant 2016 St.-Aubin 1er Cru Sur Gamay by Henri Prudhon & Fils. However, most Sockeye dishes will work with a variety of wines including Champagne (super value Le Mesnil) or Sparkling. Delighted in comparing Culmina’s excellent 2016 Chardonnays of rich full Dilemma style with wild yeast no malo fresh vibrant Stan’s Bench one! Also outstanding with Sockeye was an aged Bordeaux-like complex 2010 Howling Bluff Summa Quies 80% Sauvignon Blanc & 20% Semillon. Enjoyed Jean-Georges Vongerichten slow roasted recipe with capers and onions with the regular fruity 2018 CedarCreek Pinot Noir. Check out this Blog on May 4, 2016 for red wine with fish. Don’t forget to use the sweet salmon next to the bones for making your own salmon cakes one night. Went so well with a fresh dry no oak 2019 Noble Ridge Pinot Grigio Reserve. Enjoy the wild fresh salmon available and experiment with cooking methods and wine pairings. A lot of fun!

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Question: Would you please help me with the correct pronunciation of these French wine regions?

Answer: Hope this provides some basic help:

CHABLIS: shah-blee
MEURSAULT: muhr-so
PAUILLAC: poy-yac
MONTRACHET: mon-rah-shay
POUILLY-FUISSE: pwe-e-fwee-say
VOSNE-ROMANEE: vone-roh-mah-nay
BOURGOGNE: boor-guh-nyuh
BEAUJOLAIS: boh-jhoe-lay
MACON: mah-cawn
SANCERRE: sahn-sair
MUSCADET: mos-cah-day
LOIRE: lawahr
LANGUEDOC: lahn-guh-doc
DORDOGNE: door-doyne
COTE-ROTIE: coat-roe-tee
HERMITAGE: er-mee-taj
CHATEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE: shah-toe-nuf-doo-pahp

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We all know about supporting local and sustainable foods. However, we sometimes neglect to really dive into what is seasonal. The Summer passes quickly but what an opportunity it is to use presently the abundant fresh crop of vegetables and fruits. Brings me back to judging the Canadian Culinary Championships in Ottawa 2020 & Okanagan 2019 both held at the end of January. How we wished then that there was a better selection of fresh produce available at that time of year for the competing chefs to use – rather than having to import kale from California. Right now we can choose vegetables including peas (mangetout & English), green beans & Romanos, zucchini (small, green & yellow), baby carrots, and varieties of new little potatoes. Like particularly those yellow-fleshed Sieglinde, Yukon Gold, & Bintje but also those many red-skinned ones. Fruits are versatile with strawberries, raspberries, cherries, rhubarb, and blueberries such a treat. Waiting on the wild blackberries to ripen. Remember to collect and enjoy next month all the colourful juicy tasty tomatoes – especially heirloom. Always follow the wise rule that “the better the quality of your ingredients the less you need to do with them!” Recipes are so flexible and easy. We are passionate followers of Chef Yotam Ottolenghi. Everything in his books and contributing articles in The New York Times seem to work. An example included here is his Broccolini and sweet sesame salad with green beans & snow peas from his book “Plenty”. Also using a lot from Ultimate Veg by Jamie Oliver like his Summer Tagliatelle that includes those Yukon Gold potatoes and green beans with the pasta. Try adding your oil & vinegar dressing on the warm potatoes for optimum flavour enhancement.  Use your fresh herbs in salads and everywhere else. Your Summer dishes don’t have to be hot or cold – try tepid or lukewarm “tiede” instead.

Please give us your Summer dish idea to try out. Enjoy!

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Question: What is your opinion of Spottswoode winery’s cabernet sauvignon and what were the best year or years?

Answer: You have selected one of the historic wineries in Napa Valley. The conscientious Novak family at SPOTTSWOODE were grape growers since 1972 and wine producers from their own Estate fruit since 1982. Their emphasis on sustainable soil practices farming both organically since 1985 (certified 1992) and biodynamic (2020) is admirable. Also helped by wine critic’s high scores right out of the gate by Wine Spectator’s James Laube in California’s Great Cabernets with 95 points for both 1985 & 1986 to the perfect 100 scores for 2002, 2010, and 2015 by Wine Advocate. Your scribe hasn’t tasted the 2018, 2019, or 2020 but you should be encouraged by their consistency and their ability to capture the unique character of what each vintage provides from this special vineyard.

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Chateau Lafite-Rothscild is arguably the best wine property in Bordeaux. It headed up the 1855 Classification of the Medoc and most recently since that lucky launch of the 2008 vintage has been a big hit also in China, The history goes back to the 1200s or so but the Pauillac property has been respected over many centuries. Remember
reviewing very old records at the offices of Daniel Lawton in Bordeaux where those gravel mounds (with sand on limestone) were always recognized as quite a special unique vineyard site. Vintages from the 1800s were famous in their day. Andre Simon in The Noble Grapes drank the 1869 in 1954 (85 year old wine) declaring it “astounding”
“incredibly good” “lively” “smooth, gentle and charming”. Your scribe has been most fortunate to drink on several occasions the immortal 1870 Lafite magnum from “Glamis Castle”. The Stars menu celebrating the late Barney Rhode’s 70th Birthday on December 8, 1990 (memorable 1870 was 120 years old) is posted showing also 4 other outstanding vintages of Lafite (59, 53, 1874, 1864). Some other great years include 1888,1900, 1929, 1949. Yet as reported in my previous Blogs, famous vintages like 1945 & 1961 sometimes were more controversial “light” when served next to Latour & Mouton. It seems the last century was a more reasonably priced time for trying many Lafite vintages that all are now tres cher indeed.

Therefore it was with much anticipation last week on June 29 to attend a Group of 8 dinner at Elisa in Vancouver with 9 vintages of Lafite. The wines showed better than expected but again confirmed their reputation as a somewhat vintage variable property. Believe vintages this century so far from the last 20 years are much more consistent. Some brief impressions:

1975 LAFITE: Overrated vintage generally since 72, 73, and 75 were all so poor. But especially at Lafite where respected Emile Peynaud oversaw the vinification (excellent wine of vintage 1976) for the first time. Start of changes that included active on-site management, picking later riper fruit of less acidity, less barrel aging to 24-30
months (from 32-36), and consistent bottling period within 2-4 weeks (previously had been long extended up to 12 months). Dark deep to the rim. Surprisingly young red. Tannins are less severe now with medicinal tar notes. Rather good really though drier finish. Has 24% Merlot here. Excellent with food course of Australian truffle ricotta gnocchi.

1978 LAFITE: Paler brick rim with herbal very 78 bouquet shows greener and less of earlier acidity now softer. Ready. Prefer Margaux, Palmer and La Mission.

1979 LAFITE: Dark better red colour than 1978. Reminds me of discussions with Peter A. Sichel who said the same about the higher acidity of 1979 over 1978 that maintained more deep brightness in the colour of his Palmer. Fresh delicate balanced with some of that distinctive Lafite marker of attractive refined “almonds & violets”. Prefer 1979 over 1978 here (but not with Palmer). Underrated.

1983 LAFITE: Darker edged rim. Good earthy dark tea with some pretty charm and sweetness though drying at the end. Better weather in Margaux & Graves. Pichon Lalande cleaner and more complex Pauillac in 1983. Lafite is still OK.

1988 LAFITE: Intense red. Darker than 1990. Like the concentration here. Highest Merlot with 33% (Cab Sauv 67%) Classy polished structured classic Lafite impresses with a lot of finesse though could perhaps be more typically cedary – with time. Excellent silky textures. Wine of the Vintage? Future promising.

1990 LAFITE: Missing 1989 here which can be part of an exciting trio comparison. 90 has 57CS, 30M, and 13 Cab Franc in the blend. Beautiful bouquet. Lush tobacco full rich flavours and balanced acidity. Has those lead pencil shavings trademark. Successful though less cab sauv depth noticeable and more forward than expected.

1998 LAFITE: Like the Lafite engraving on the bottle neck. 81 CS & 19 M with only 34% in the Grand Vin admired. Dark deep look. Structured. Stylish. Outstanding Left Bank wine in that hyped Right Bank Merlot Year. Classic. Surprised at the top quality here! Most impressive indeed.

1999 LAFITE: Another successful surprise. LIke the engraved year and unique total solar eclipse “happy face” emoji on the neck of the bottle. Only 1/3 in Grand Vin selection of 74CS, 18.5M, 6CF and 1.5 Petit Verdot (only year plus 1996 to have both cab franc & petit verdot in the blend). Lovely more elegant harmony reminding me of their special 1953 with a delicate lift. Beauty.

2012 LAFITE: Only 38% in Grand Vin of high 91% CS, 8.5M, and .5PV. Black young look with dense spicy smoky aromas. Good sorting in an uneven ripening year. Riper styling more approachable tannins.

Rare treat to update my keen interest in Lafite. Always results in the most interesting tasting. Sometimes Lafite is the very best of the vintage. Sometimes just very good. Sometimes expensive but rivalled in quality by other Bordeaux properties. Need to keep tasting and learning!

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