Celebrating a birthday has been around forever. It started with the Pharaohs back in Ancient Egypt. Today we often think of birthdays in the context of kids having fun with balloons, magic tricks, and even sleepovers with their young friends. Candy and the traditional birthday cake with candles come to mind as necessities. Some parents are now wisely using it as an occasion to teach children about kindness to others and learning to give back by donating toys etc.

As we age some of us continue to celebrate each year in our own way – even if it is just on one of the social media connections like with your Facebook friends. Others including your scribe tend to ignore this hallmark of the passing years as we get older. Presently many of us are aging in relatively good health and living longer. Trendy websites like family friend Dr. Peter Attia (best selling book “Outlive” – The Science and Art of Longevity) and IIN (Institute for Integrative Nutrition) are helping us to make healthier lifestyle changes for more possible birthday celebrations in the future. Older age is worth celebrating. Consider it.

On July 4 a dear older friend Alice Spurrell brought together 49 of us for dinner at Blue Water Cafe to celebrate her birthday. BWC is a top Vancouver restaurant often mentioned on this Blog for events of the Group of Eight of which Alice’s recently deceased husband Dave was an important long time contributing member. It was a wonderful idea to bring together some of her close friends for this celebration. An atmosphere of respect and admiration filled the room for Alice’s contribution to our community. My wife Joan and I have known the Spurrell family since the seventies when Alice & Dave arrived in Vancouver and both started work at BC Hydro. Alice was the true entrepreneur (we need more like her in Canada) deciding to go to Cordon Bleu in both London & Paris to become a culinary marvel. She returned to do catering with her business Menu Setters but not satisfied with only that went off again to learn all she could about cheese and founded one of the best cheese shops in the universe called Les Amis du Fromage. Vancouver is most grateful to her for all she has done to make our city more livable and a better culinary place. Alice is also a long standing member and enthusiastic supporter of activities of our thriving International Wine & Food Society and a former President of our Vancouver Branch.

This dinner was well planned and executed. The famous BWC Seafood towers to start and a three course menu to follow with clever 3 diverse options in each section for guests to choose. We chose the delicious loaded Dungeness + Shrimp Cake, Chef Frank Pabst recipe for Sablefish – our fav, and superb warm dark chocolate finale. Well chosen French wines of DRAPPIER Carte d’Or Champagne Brut, CHABLIS PREMIER CRU FOURCHAUME 2021 famille Gueguen, and SAVIGNY-LES-BEAUNE 1er Cru LES NARBENTONS 2020 Domaine Michel Ecard all paired nicely with the food.

This was an inspiring way to celebrate one’s birthday! Even your less birthday celebratory scribe enjoyed it immensely. Well done indeed.

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We are fortunate in Vancouver to have the wonderful wine meetings of the Group of Eight – many of them posted here on this Blog. We just enjoyed #122 on July 2nd at Blue Water Cafe over a dinner featuring a 11 vintage vertical of hard to find Vosne-Romanee Les Chaumes 1er Cru from Meo-Camuzet. Our story reminds your scribe of sharing wine experiences over time similar to those related in the interesting book “The Bordeaux Club” (1949-2019) by Neil McKendrick released by Academie du Vin Library. A highly recommended read. Our Group of eight is led by Ian Mottershead an experienced very knowledgeable aficionado of the finest wines in the world. Most remarkable is his foresight in collecting many outstanding bottles and his generous willingness to kindly share them with other enthusiastic members of this group. Such an amazing vertical wine experience would not be possible without him. Memorable.

This event started with the historic VINTAGE 2008 DOM PERIGNON BRUT. They describe it as a “Tale of a Vision shared by Richard Geoffroy and Vincent Chaperon, a complete Dialogue between two men and Nature”. This Legacy Edition is already impressive indeed with a vibrant freshness yet a rich creaminess that continues with time to evolve with more complexity.

Our main focus was on a so-called “lesser” Premier Cru of Vosne-Romanee named Les Chaumes from the respected producer Meo-Camuzet. Ian prepared for us a well researched Summary page of the region and aptly quoted “There are no common wines in Vosne”. Les Chaumes though is lower down the slope in the SW corner of Vosne with more clay and alluvial soils in the two plots of Meo-Camuzet planted in the late fifties and seventies. The founder in 1902 was Etienne Camuzet followed by Jean Meo (1969-1984) and the Domaine name changed in 1981 from Camuzet to Meo-Camuzet. Iconic winemaker Henri Jayer (1922-2006) worked for them including the 1945 vintage and retired in 1988. He provided valuable mentorship over 3 years to the present winemaker Jean-Nicolas Meo. Henri Jayer was a strong advocate against the inclusion of whole bunches & stems in the fermentation process. Jean-Nicolas has followed that generally but is using more experimentation with stems like 10% in 2017 Cros Parantoux & 15% in 2010 Les Chaumes – the first wine of this vertical. Some brief comments:

2010 VOSNE-ROMANEE LES CHAUMES MEO-CAMUZET Small crop. Less red colour depth pale rim – possibly because of stems addition. Fresh, more elegant with some charm but leaner than expected. Approachable. Slightly disappoints. Question mark. Try again.

2009 VOSNE-ROMANEE LES CHAUMES MEO-CAMUZET Deep dark red to the edge. Riper richer fuller fruit at 13.5 abv. but better structure than expected. Give more time.

2008 VOSNE-ROMANEE LES CHAUMES MEO-CAMUZET Lively vibrancy but a bit too much acidity for the fruit. Refreshing with the tasty grilled langoustine course.

2005 VOSNE-ROMANEE LES CHAUMES MEO-CAMUZET Most colour depth of the first flight at 13 abv. Best stylish aromas with perfect balanced structure for longer classic aging. Developing silky textures already. Impressive.

2003 VOSNE-ROMANEE LES CHAUMES MEO-CAMUZET Heat waves produced more concentrated wines. Some earthy figgy fruit here but not raisiny. Not too big. Surprise of the first flight.

2002 VOSNE-ROMANEE LES CHAUMES MEO-CAMUZET Perfumes. Purity of floral delicate fruit is lovely. Beautiful grace, finesse, and elegance of the terroir even at 13.5 abv

1999 VOSNE-ROMANEE LES CHAUMES MEO-CAMUZET Darker with more intensity. Bit reluctant on the nose but developed well in the glass and later on with airing. Admirable depth of excellent fruit with power at 13 abv. Would like to have bottles of this in the cellar. With patience this should be truly outstanding.

1998 VOSNE-ROMANEE LES CHAUMES MEO-CAMUZET More austere with lighter fruit statements. Floral but simpler and ready to start drinking now.

1996 VOSNE-ROMANEE LES CHAUMES MEO-CAMUZET Deeper look than 1998 but rather stewed pinot noir. Perhaps picked too late or used too much extraction? Thinking California but like their NICOLAS JAY Oregon project more than this bottle.

1990 VOSNE-ROMANEE LES CHAUMES MEO-CAMUZET A bit cloudy from sediment. Bigger roasted body but with less delicacy. Not singing presently. Aloof. Concentration of 13.3 abv shows potential. Popular among our group. My similar reaction to many 1990 red Burgundies – expecting other bottles and with more age to show better refinement.

1985 VOSNE-ROMANEE LES CHAUMES MEO-CAMUZET Bought from Martine Saunier as first vintage through Kermit Lynch imports. Initially had a BBQ overly smokey heavily charred oak burnt timbers nose. Too much. It had improved immensely at my Christmas dinner in 1996 against the same wine & vintage from Domaine Rion (showed less pinot variety more Rhone-like). Now nearing 40 years it is ready or past it but has that “Henri Jayer delicate” delicious drinking and different from the ten other ones but truly exquisite with magret de canard. Gives hope and promise to the other younger wines for further development in bottle.

2015 SCHARZHOFBERGER RIESLING AUSLESE EGON MULLER A young vibrant treasure at 7.5 abv. Long way to go for this outstanding Riesling. Also enjoyed the 1999 Auslese on October 8, 2022 in Germany with a more developed bouquet and richer flavours than 2015 but only at 8 abv. Love the intense fruit at low alcohol. Fond memories of visits to this property and enjoying a magnum of this vineyard as Trockenbeerenauslese 2005 at only 5.5 abv. No rush. Brilliant unique matching dessert with surprising flavour elements – including foie gras.

Question: Every region in the world seems to be making wine these days but which are the main wine-producing countries?

Answer: The Top 10 stats show the main producers as follows: 1 Italy, followed in a virtual tie for 2nd are France & Spain, then the USA (though California claims themselves as the 4th largest wine-producing region in the world), a fast-rising China in 5th, closely bunched are Australia, Chile, Argentina, and South Africa, plus quite a bit further back in 10th is Portugal.

Everyone has their own favourite local pizza place. Your scribe on his wine & food travels is always searching out for recommendations for the very best pizza. In Vancouver the champion Via Tevere PIzzeria is now being challenged by many others. Wineries are becoming popular pizza outlets too. In the Okanagan The Oven at Upper Bench Estate Winery has impressive pizza topped with cheeses from their own creamery and cooked in a custom made Forno Bravo oven. Fond memories of delightful “oven on site pizza” paired with excellent Old Vines Cab Sauv with founder Rick Small at Woodward Canyon Winery in the Walla Walla Valley, Washington State.

The best commercial outlets often try to follow the authentic Neapolitan (“Napoletana”) Pizza Italian STG certification. They usually succeed with the round shape, ingredients (00flour, salt, yeast & water), hand stretched dough, and baked in a wood burning oven but less compliant on many other regulations such as temperature (485C or higher) and middle thickness of dough at a very thin .3 centimeters (about .1 inches). Difficult.

Homemade Pizza can take many days of dough preparation, close attention to detail on the toppings, and way less production. As a result it can rival or sometimes even be better than commercial pizza. Pleased to report such a wonderful culinary experience for eight of us last month at a friend’s home with an outstanding six course pizza dinner each one carefully orchestrated from the long leavening prep of the dough, different toppings carefully chosen, and perfectly cooked in a wood burning ALFA PIZZA oven – Made in Italy. Can be done. So impressive and delicious!

Italian wine pairings were so appropriate and well chosen. Started with an aged 2015 GRECO CAMPANIA “MASTRO” IGT value from MASTROBERARDINO AT 12.5 abv followed by a different wine matching for each pizza. Some ideas for you to try:

1. CACIO E PEPE: Pecorino, Parmigiano Reggiano. toasted crushed black pepper, Pine nuts, asparagus, EVOO. 2014 ROERO ARNEIS DOCG VIETTI 13 Lovely mature pairing.

2. THE BEST OF THE WEST COAST: Goat Cheese, Parmigiano Reggiano, Pine nuts, Peas, Dungeness Crab & Smoked Salmon, EVOO. 2010 TENORES BADDE NIGOLOSU IGT a big Romangia Rosso of Cannonau grapes unfiltered from Sardinia by Tenute Dettori with no wood used and making a powerful 17 abv dried fruits pruney earthy statement.

3. MUSHROOM MEDLEY WITH TRUFFLES: Bufala, Ricotta, Parmigiano Reggiano, Portobello, King Oyster, Oyster, Shiitake, Porcini, Shimeji, Truffle tapenade, white truffle oil. 2014 BARBARESCO MONTESTEFANO RISERVA – More consistent Barbaresco vintage in 2014 than in Barolo showing young vibrant fruit.

4. MEDITERRANEAN: Mascarpone, Parmigiano Reggiano, Pesto, Pine Nuts, Olives, Capers, Artichokes , and sun dried tomatoes. 2012 BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO CANALICCHIO DI SOPRA is brilliant drinking so well from a top producer Salad Interlude.

5. PIEROGI (OR PEROGI): Danish Blue Cheese, Parmigiano Reggiano, Sour Cream, Red peppers, Roasted Potatoes, Alder Smoked Bacon. 2004 BAROLO PODERI ALDO CONTERNO with lots of classy Nebbiolo styling at age 20 on a lovely current drinking plateau.

6. CHORIZO: Smoked Cheddar, Wine Marinated Chorizo, Caramelized onions, Portobello Mushrooms, Sun Dried Tomatoes.

2012 PRIMITIVO DI MANDURIA RISERVA DIONYSOS MASSERIA SURANI PUGLIA FROM TOMMASI big 15 abv primitivo perfect call with the spicy chorizo pizza.

2016 LORNANO LE BANDITE CHIANTI CLASSICO RISERVA is 100% Sangiovese with 12 months in oak barrels well balanced from an excellent vintage.