I am a daily consumer fan of 0% non fat yogurt. I believe it is a very healthy product providing protein, calcium and probiotics (live and active bacterial cultures) that are good for your gut and your digestion. Recommend it to you. Though yogurt also comes at many levels of fat all of which are lovely I still stick to skim milk and skim milk powder. Greek style strained to remove excess liquids is becoming increasingly popular and provides a creamy thicker style even at 0% fat. A disconcerting issue is the increasing number of additives (from gelatin to colouring agent “carmine” to carrageenan emulsifier to guar gum). Specifically always avoid any yogurt containing artificial sweeteners like sucralose (Splenda). Look for 100% natural ingredients. Check the ingredient label on your chosen yogurt closely. Unlike wine where you can’t check luckily you can do so on food products like yogurt. I avoid paying for added fruit too. Admit though I really enjoy sometimes adding Bonne Maman Wild Blueberry Jam or Non-Pasteurized Natural Honey to my plain yogurt. Delicious! Support brands like Olympic and Liberte Organic (now part of Yoplait/General Mills). Do you make your own yogurt? Your thoughts on yogurt and which one do you choose?

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I am a big fan of Riesling wine in so many styles. Certainly it is right there at the top level for best most versatile grape variety resulting in a full range of wines from bone dry to very sweet. Trocken (dry) style is in vogue at the moment whether from Australia’s Eden or Clare Valley (lime & minerals), Alsace, Austria and Germany. Even the cooler regions of New York (Finger Lakes), Ontario, Oregon, Washington and BC are successfully producing world class examples. Not only is Riesling in all the versions always so lovely fresh vibrant drinking but because of their natural acidity also so suitable with food. Are the increased use of screw caps helping to keep them fresh? They certainly will age very well developing a unique distinctive “petrol” (or “kerosene”) character but descriptors which now to some tasters have become derogatory words to use and instead prefer “lime marmalade”.

Hard to match that enticing fantastic fruit acidity shown from the Mosel terroir! A wonderful website is www.moselfinewines.com. It is an independent online wine publication dedicated to Mosel Riesling by Jean Fisch & David Rayer. They do an excellent job covering the vintages (detailed 2012 reports), top estate property profiles, wine reviews and drinking windows. They cover the winemaker association top casks two Mosel Auctions held every September by Bernkastler Ringer & Grosser Ring/VDP. They just produced what hopefully will be an annual update of their first Visiting Guide to the Mosel 2014. Personal valuable resource of where to eat, buy wines, and must visit scenic charming spots (including my favs of Bernkastler Doktor & Wehlener Sonnenuhr). The good news is that it is free of charge so subscribe now at newsletter@moselfinewines.com.

Do you have a preferred region for Riesling? What sweetness level do you prefer for that variety?

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As a student of the history of newsreels, I was excited to discover this Hearst-Metrotone (renamed News of the Day in 1936) gem which was first screened in 1933, titled “Prohibition’s Reign Ends!”  For those who have studied the era (or fans of the HBO series Boardwalk Empire), you’ll recognize all the names and terms synonymous with this period: Andrew Volstead, Al Smith, Rum Row, wets, drys, bootleggers, speakeasies, the Real McCoy, etc..

Of course, it was no coincidence that as this period in American history was ending, André Simon was busy establishing the first IW&FS branches in the United States.  Since you no longer needed a doctor’s certificate to drink wine legally, America became fertile ground (no pun intended) for the International Wine and Food Society.  You can watch a brief history of our society by clicking on the video below:

Cheers!

Happy 2014!

Surprised so many of my wine friends seem to have a superstition about the odds being stacked against producing a great vintage ending in 4. Certainly for vineyards around the world the last century has not been especially kind in the decade years 2004, 1994 (good California Cabs), 1984, 1974 (again some excellent Napa Cabs), 1964 (Right Bank St. Emilion & Pomerol can be lovely), 1954, 1944, 1934 (arguably with 1937 the best of a bad spell between 1929 & 1945), 1924, 1914, and 1904. Wasn’t always the case though as pre-phylloxera Bordeaux of 1874 & 1864 I’ve read about and have been fortunate to try on a few memorable occasions produced outstanding quality in both years. I guess the recent memories of difficult conditions in 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994 followed by 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 and now 2011, 2012, 2013 are still on everyone’s mind.

Remember that in the Chinese culture 4 is considered unlucky as the word sounds like the word for death (as contrasted to the lucky 8 sounds similar to wealth and prosperity – after all the Beijing Olympics commenced on the 8th day of the 8th month of 2008). Do wine vintages run in 10 year cycles? For example, no doubt vintages ending in 9 have had a much better run than 4. Look at those delicious 2009, 1999, 1989 and those fantastic 1959, 1949, 1929, and 1899 years. Why even Jancis Robinson has chimed in with her guideline for knowing the best vintages using “divisible by 5 years tend to be a superior rule”! Yes 2000, 2005, and 2010 are excellent – as are 1945 & 1900! Maybe the Jancis rule is correct. Is there really something to all this numerology stuff?

Wishing the best of luck for the 2014 harvest in all the world vineyards starting soon in the Southern Hemisphere and later this Fall in the Northern ones. I personally believe it is possible for another outstanding vintage in a year ending with a 4. Some betting people even think the odds definitely favour long streaks to be broken soon. What do you think? Which last number has been the most reliable for a vintage wine?

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Another year 2014 is here and with this posting we are celebrating 52 weeks of this IWFS President’s Blog. My intention in starting it was to try and bring our Society closer together using the social media. This new idea is evolving and certainly this Blog has been successful in raising awareness of IWFS to the general public and in stimulating some new memberships. Please share some of your knowledge and opinions in the comments section.

A year end tradition for us has been the opening of a bottle (or two) of vintage port. Wonderful treat to have around for the holidays and to share with others between Christmas and New Year. Extra fun this year as we are fortunate to have cellared several 1963s (a standout vintage) which now are 50 years old. Our deceased friend Peter Adams consulted for the BC Liquor Board and other Boards in Canada who cleverly bought for a song in 1975 for cash between auctions many 63 and 66 vintage ports. Most were shipped and bottled in London England by Charles Kinloch & Co Limited (an old British wine and spirit business that joined the Courage brewery group in 1957). The first shipment was 1963 Croft that arrived in Vancouver in December 1975 selling at $6.35 per bottle. Other port houses arrived in 1976 for $6.45. At that time we organized a IWFS Vancouver Branch tasting of all these ports and the creamy more forward 1963 Croft was the fav. Today the firmer drier 1963 Dow that was still being foot pressed in lagares then and the always fresh balanced elegant 1963 Warre show much better – as do the full rounder sweeter 1966 Graham and fine classy 1966 Fonseca (with 1977 pretty special too). I remember enjoying so many vintages of Avery bottled Fonseca including even their 1960.

Vintage port is so unique and still underpriced for the quality. Only a limited number of years are declared and it ages brilliantly. Some young friends are loading up on the powerful 2011 and of course 2007, 2003, 2000, 1997, 1994 (Wine Spectator gave 100 points to both Fonseca & Taylor) in hopes of finding with ageing a proven old special treasure. Already drinking well are 1985, 1977 and 1970. Old vintages start with the still underrated 1955s followed by 1948 (Taylor), 1945 (Graham), 1931 (Quinta Do Noval Nacional). 27 (Taylor), 1912 and several other worthy years.

Do you have a special year end wine (other than Champagne) and which port vintage and port house do you cherish?

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