Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

Your most popular Blogs for 2023 were quite an interesting mixed bag of wine & food topics. However, your scribe was pleased to see one of my cherished favourites of en vogue Grand Cru Chablis topping the List as #1 – and also a region being affected by climate change as #4. Other missives on Burgundy, Italian and British Columbia wines made Top Ten hits. Liked also that food was in the spotlight including a Spanish Paella Dinner as runner-up at #2. So many possible ideas for your Blog each week. Trying to focus more on older wines that members may have put away as future treasures in their cellar and are now enjoying. Lots of info out there on current wines but less on vertical tastings – something that I am fortunate to attend quite often and want to share insights with you. Enthusiastic about any topics of interest you would appreciate me tackling in 2024. Please post any of your ideas.

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1. GRAND CRU CHABLIS SHINE BRIGHTLY WITH UNIQUE TERROIR!

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2. WONDERFUL “PINTXOS & PAELLA” SPANISH DINNER PARTY!

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3. TENUTE LUCE WINE DINNER AT ITALIAN KITCHEN AN AUTHENTIC TUSCAN EXPERIENCE

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4. SURPRISING INHERENTLY ADAPTIVE OLD CHABLIS VINES ARE TAKING 2023 CLIMATE CHANGES IN STRIDE!

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5. FRENCH CHEESE WITH BURGUNDY IS STILL A CLASSIC PAIRING! WHITE OR RED?

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6. 2019 CLOS VOUGEOT HORIZONTAL CONFIRMS THIS KEY BURGUNDY APPELLATION IS MUCH IMPROVED IN QUALITY

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7. ANTINORI TIGNANELLO VERTICAL

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8. 44TH VANCOUVER INTERNATIONAL WINE FESTIVAL FEATURED SOUTH AMERICA & SO MUCH MORE

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9. AN UPDATE ON WINES OF BRITISH COLUMBIA VINTAGES 2010-2022

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10. SUCCESSFUL RETURN OF 2023 B.C. LT. GOV. WINE AWARDS + WORLD CLASS AGED SANDHILL BARBERA SURPRISES!

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Always surprising for me to see which questions asked by you have the widest interest of all. Certainly the specialized knowledge of the somewhat esoteric difference between a Gavi & a Gavi di Gavi was an unexpected result topping out as #1. Perhaps it is because followers didn’t know there was a difference and so investigated further for the answer. Impressed there is such a wide diversity in topics in the Top Ten from food pairing (Thai) to word definitions (“novinphobia” & “siegerrebe”). Thought that the Ask Sid query on important new Wine Ingredient Labelling rules would get more attention. Your scribe notices that current 2023 wine info is very popular with frost in North America vineyards, harvest in Burgundy/Beaujolais, harvest in Bordeaux, and best social media coverage of a harvest all prominent. Thanks for your insightful questions in 2023 and look forward to getting many more challenging ones from you in 2024. Happy holidays!

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1. What is the difference between Gavi & Gavi di Gavi?

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2. When will they do Burgundy & Beaujolais 2023 Harvest?

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3. What is Novinophobia?

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4. Best social media coverage by a winery of their 2023 harvest?

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5. Future of low/no alcohol wines?

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6. How are the Bordeaux vineyards looking for 2023?

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7. Wine to pair with Thai food?

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8. What about 2023 Spring Frost in North American vineyards?

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9. Will we be seeing more wine bottles weighing less?

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10. What is Siegerrebe?

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Question: This year I discovered several South African wines including the top Chenin Blancs from Ken Forrester and quality Chardonnays like Hamilton Russell from the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley. Is there a reference book or online site to help me make some further choices?

Answer: Yes, you found two outstanding wines you mention. Widen your selections by getting the annual 2024 Platter’s South African Wine Guide – though many of the highest-scoring wines are probably not available in your retail market. Your scribe enjoys and highly recommends the excellent website (plus free newsletter) of Mike Froud at topwinesa.com. Check it out.

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Another vertical wine tasting dinner #116 by the Group of Eight Vancouver was held at CinCin restaurant on December 7, 2023 featuring nine older vintages of Chateau Mouton Rothschild. What a fortunate spectacular way to celebrate the festive season! All the wines were in the older classic style ranging between 1969 (the mystery wine) and 1996.

Also enjoyed outstanding bookends starting with 2004 DOM PERIGNON CHAMPAGNE so structured showing young fresh briskness from the 53% Pinot Noir & 47% Chardonnay blend from a large crop but a leaner excellent vintage that with patience will develop further mature complexity. The final wine was the amazingly precise 1970 CHATEAU D’YQUEM SAUTERNES perfectly decanted and served leaving the tartaric crystals and sediment in the bottom of the bottle as shown in the photo. Not as rich and full bodied as some vintages but distinctively different showing remarkable fresh delicate dry-sweet styling developing great quality complexity from selectively using only 75% of the crop!

Some brief comments on the nine Moutons in two flights served youngest to oldest:

First Flight:

1996 CHATEAU MOUTON ROTHSCHILD: Dark and young. Lovely classic cedar bouquet but a little reluctant at first gradually developing in the glass. Deep powerful cassis big statement but is slightly austere. Not yet beautifully singing but showing potential.

1995 CHATEAU MOUTON ROTHSCHILD: A tad lighter on the rim but more open and approachable than 1996. More mint spicy eucalyptus notes than cedar from a large crop of 72/19/9 Cab Sauv/Merlot/Cab Franc. Too much fine sediment in your scribe’s glass interfering with the wine’s texture. Mixed feelings but enjoyable with the tasty Bolognese pasta.

1989 CHATEAU MOUTON ROTHSCHILD: Lighter red colour. Always find it much better than their 1990. Attractive components but the heavy toasted new oak used plus a touch of brettanomyces detract. Have tasted much better bottles of 1989 Mouton.

1969 CHATEAU MOUTON ROTHSCHILD: Mystery wine was slightly cloudy from cork problems even though using a dependable Durand. Purchased by your scribe at Christie’s London in 1977. Overrated early on release because of the terrible decade of 63, 65, 68 vintsges. Now with fading herbal fruit and prominent acidity is still interesting in that unique Mouton style and well guessed blind as an older Mouton from the sixties by a knowledgeable Group of Eight member.

Second Flight:

1988 CHATEAU MOUTON ROTHSCHILD: Initial nose reminded me of a petrol Riesling from Alsace but cleared to a mineral tobacco oaky satiny simpler vintage.

1986 CHATEAU MOUTON ROTHSCHILD: Clearly darkest of second flight. Buckets of fruit on the nose and palate with structured tannins from 80/10/8 usual blend plus 2 Petit Verdot. Somewhat like the 1996 but prefer this 1986 for concentration, balance, and layers which also still needs more cellar time. Amazing long flavours are impressive. Majestic and should turn out to be one of the best Moutons ever made with more time than the already 37 years. Shows better presently with the juicy protein in the Tomahawk steak.

1985 CHATEAU MOUTON ROTHSCHILD: Lighter look with an elegant nose. Ready and much more enjoyable presently with lovely sweet nuanced fruit that is slightly drying though lacks stuffing.

1983 MOUTON ROTHSCHILD: Second darkest of this flight. Deep impressive fruit and underrated coming after the sensational 1982. This is 75/15/8/2 grape mix with 90% new oak. Refined, creamy and delicious!

1975 CHATEAU MOUTON ROTHSCHILD: Deep but paler edge. Much more improved mellower tannins now as it has come together with licorice notes approaching 50 years of age. Surprise of the night. Valuable Andy Warhol label but the contents are much better than you might expect from this controversial vintage Drinking beautifully paired with the extraordinary beef course served.

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Question: Would you kindly recommend a celebratory drink for our festive breakfast/early lunch over the upcoming holidays?

Answer: So many choices out there from Sparkling to Rose! For morning or quite early day imbibing your scribe suggests the classic MIMOSA. Delightful inspired combination of fresh orange juice with Sparkling wine. In England they add more bubbles using a 2:1 ratio for a BUCK’S FIZZ compared to equal 1:1 mix for a mimosa. Used to be a mix with Champagne but now there are so many reasonably priced bubbles from around the world that will work well. For something a little bit more exotic surprise everyone using peach puree instead of OJ for a BELLINI. Enjoy.

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