Another success achieved by IWFS Americas Inc.’s (Chairman Mike Donohoe & Director Andrew Jones) Festival & Events Committee (led by Chairman Steve Hipple & Vice-Chairman Steve Greenwald) this one held September 26-29 in Old Quebec City, a UNESCO world heritage site. Limited to just 80 members and an immediate sell-out on announcement the organization was ably assisted by a specially designed App by the E-Communications Committee (Chairman John Danza & Web Administrator Joe Temple). There will be a later more detailed report in our Journal but here are a few immediate highlights and photos:

WELCOME RECEPTION & DINNER on September 26, 2018 at Fairmont Chateau Frontenac in their dramatic Cellar.

center

CITY FOOD TOUR including highlights at Luzz, Tutto Gelato, Ninkasi Pub, Hilton Hotel 23rd floor club, and Cotes A Cotes.

center

CHEZ MUFFY LUNCH was classy but served flaked poached salmon that tasted like trout and lightly seared trout that tasted like salmon.

center

DINNERS AT LE SAINT-AMOUR  &  LE RESTAURANT INITIALE were split into more manageable groups of 40 and cleverly alternated nights. Preferred classic and innovative courses at Initiale by Chef Yvan Lebrun and brigade with enthusiastic service staff. They were brilliant with their wines available including two very smart value quality items of 2016 Auxey-Duresses Blanc from Benjamin Leroux that showed richness of bordering Meursault with vibrant minerals of the terroir & vintage and outstanding 2009 Segla the second wine of Rauzan-Segla in a ripe forwardly vintage. Saint-Amour attempted a matching of lobster with full red Marsannay 2013 from hot producer Joseph Roty that had some merit with the earthy mushrooms but didn’t quite work. Best course was a memorable 4 contrasts and textures of chocolate quite memorable indeed.

center

LE PARLEMENTAIRE LUNCH – RESTAURANT DE L’ASSEMBLEE NATIONALE.

center

BLACK TIE HISTORIC DINNER IN JACQUES CARTIER ROOM FAIRMONT CHATEAU FRONTENAC with most informative food and wine commentary by knowledgeable key hotel management. Champagne was actually Drappier Charles De Gaulle composed of finest blend now non-vintage of 80% pinot noir & 20% chardonnay.

center

center

You might also like:

By Joseph Temple

With the fall harvest in full swing, let’s stop to celebrate some classic and a few new favorites!

1. Baked apples with cinnamon and dried fruit served with vanilla custard sauce.
blank

2. Pear and almond butter crepes…you can experiment with different fruit a nut butter combinations.
blank

3. Spicy curried pumpkin soup topped with refreshing sour cream.
blank

4. Squash risotto is practically guaranteed to be a new hit on any Thanksgiving table.
blank

5. Walnuts are a great way to add crunch and flavor to a regular salad.
blank

6. Roasted corn with lots of butter is sure to warm anybody on a cool fall day.
blank

7. Apple pie roses are a fun twist on tradition and even better served warm with ice cream.
blank

8. Whole grain cookies loaded with dried fruit and seeds are the a hearty and healthy snack.
blank

You might also like:

Question: What is the present total wine acreage in Okanagan BC and some of the main areas within it?

Answer: According to the BC Wine Institute the Okanagan acreage is 8830 acres comprised of the following main areas: Osoyoos: 1551, Oliver: 1393, Penticton: 1290, Summerland 1336, West Kelowna 1323, and Kelowna 1330.

You might also like:

Remember the hall of the old Château de Meursault winery where the wonderful Paulee de Meursault lunch is held every November after the Hospices de Beaune Auction? Well the Domaine wines are changing there! Is there any winery in Burgundy who has made more progress in the last 5 years with the quality level of their wines than Château de Meursault? Your scribe was previously impressed with the renewal going on and now even more so after spending time on September 18 tasting with knowledgeable CEO Stephane Follin-Arbelet. This large beautiful property has a long history created in the 11th century but the exciting new regime started by the Halley family acquisition is from the end of 2012. Their vineyards are spread over 65 hectares in Cote de Beaune plus also have Château de Marsannay 40 hectares in Cote de Nuits. All wines are Estate grown and no negociant ones. Upgrades in both Premier & Grand Cru (including since 2015 vineyard time lapse recorded imaging to monitor leaves for canopy management, flowering and best fruit development) and in the cellar (never pump & use optical scanners) have been major indeed. In the result the wines (in special 18th century molded bottles) show dramatic improvement better expressing their vineyard terroir from Puligny-Montrachet in the south through to Corton in the north including 10 ‘climats” in the Meursault appellation. They have about 30 different wines to experience and these are some short comments on some of them recently tried:

BOURGOGNE DU CHATEAU PINOT NOIR 2015: Blend of 3 vineyards of Savigny les Beaune (Aux Boudieres & Sorbins) and Pommard (Croquamot) hand harvested from 7am to noon and destemmed with 2 week cold fermentation spending 15-17 months in French oak (20% new & 30% used) & 50% Stainless Steel.

MARSANNAY LES LONGEROIES 2015: 95% of their vines there are 40 year old average red facing E/SE on gentle slope with good drainage with 10 day pre-soak with 13 months in French oak (33% new) followed by 3 months in Stainless.

BEAUNE GREVES LES TROIS JOURNAUX 2015: 40 year average again 2 week pre-soak and 18 months in French oak (40% new) with a lovely nose of old sweet roses.

POMMARD CLOS DCES EPENOTS 2015: Same treatment with only 30% new oak. Fresh well balanced on elegant side.

CLOS VOUGEOT 2015: One third of 1 hectare close to the building & road. 50 year average age vines, 10 day pre-soak, 12 months new French oak and 5 months Stainless. Step up to Grand Cru shows.

BOURGOGNE BLANC CLOS DU CHATEAU 2015: 8 hectares near Château produces 50,000 bottles barrel fermented. Shows good richness.

BOURGOGNE BLANC CLOS DU CHATEAU 2017: Fresher more energy and excellent balance from this 2017 vintage.

MEURSAULT CHARMES DESSUS 2015: Large Charmes vineyard holdings on clay and limestone separated into preferred upper part (dessus) which adjoins Les Perrieres and below part (dessous). Have their own respected pruning expert with hands on for perfect yields. 35% new oak and 18 months on fine lees. Delicious full concentrated for mid-term enjoyment yet fresh with good vibrancy for a 2015 vintage.

MEURSAULT PERRIERES 2015: Stones here contribute to elegant lemon-apple mineral style that delivers good length of flavour. My favourite. Much better IMHO than Burghound review of 89-92 gives it credit for being already. Also have lots of these wines in Magnum format including this one for $380 Canadian at BCLDB.

PULIGNY-MONTRACHET CHAMP CANET 2015: This is solid, full and drinking well already. Some balance for 2015 but even more on their Champ Gain vineyard.

Tip: Try some of these 2015s to be pleasantly surprised and look for these wines when released from the upcoming 2016 & 2017 vintages.

You might also like:

Question: Tasted a 2015 Meursault Les Charmes-Dessus from Château de Meursault and wondered what is Dessus?

Answer: Some vineyards in Burgundy historically divided the appellation between the higher section (Dessus) normally considered better and the lower part (Dessous). These terms are still used on labels to explain which part of the vineyard the grapes in the wine come from  though you see the preferred Dessus more often than the usually lesser Dessous. Meursault Charmes is quite a large and diverse area so if there is no Dessus on the label you don’t know the specific part of it where the grapes are grown within that Premier cru region. May or may not be all Dessus or a mix of Dessus and Dessous. Hope this helps.

You might also like: