The Vancouver Group of Eight held their annual Summer dinner with spouses at Blue Water Cafe on August 15, 2023. The feature was eight younger California chardonnays served in two flights that were in a range of styles, mostly charming. Three French classy ringers opened and finished a most delightful wine & food evening:

2008 TAITTINGER COMTES DE CHAMPAGNE BLANC DE BLANCS GRAND CRU from an outstanding vintage uses only the first gentle pressing with 95% stainless (5% oak) with 10+ years on the lees. It showed a most impressive structure with concentrated energetic fruit intensity but a less developed bouquet of that trademark complex “creme patissiere” it will develop with more bottle age. Lovely.

1983 CHÂTEAU LAFITE ROTHSCHILD PAUILLAC EN MAGNUM paired elegantly with the main course of exquisite quail ballotine in a potato bird’s nest. Weather conditions in August 1983 were not as favourable in the Pauillac vineyards as further south in Margaux but careful selection of 66/30/7 Cab Sauv/Merlot/Cab Franc blend at 42 hl/ha yields plus 40 years has resulted in an enticing herbal tea spicy tobacco cedar bouquet with lively but fleshy softening evolved flavours. On a delightful plateau now and is helped by the fresher fruit in magnum format but IMHO is not as pure, rich, and complex as the outstanding 1983 Chateau PIchon Lalande.

2007 CHATEAU COUTET BARSAC was the surprise of the night – as Sauternes often are! Underrated vintage has full weight (richness of 2001) with balancing acidity (like1988) plus an intriguing level of botrytis in the long finish. Perfect with the dessert having similar flavours of peach, passion fruit, lemon orange citrus, and honey. What a dreamy match!

CALIFORNIA CHARDONNAY FIRST FLIGHT:

1. 2020 BERINGER PRIVATE RESERVE OAKVILLE
   All the grapes Clone 4 are sourced from Gamble Ranch and current vintages are moving towards a fresher style. However this one is 100% barrel fermented in French oak with full malo in a rich toasty, stirred sur lie creamy style. Your scribe found it a bit hot on the finish and the microscopic abv on the front label states 14.9 (but seems higher). Nonetheless others liked it more and voted it fav of the first flight. Value.
2. 2019 FRANK FAMILY VINEYARD CARNEROS
   Old historic stone winery from 1884 in Calistoga now owns over 450 acres of vineyards in the Napa Valley. Use here mainly their Lewis Vineyard plus neighbouring Carneros fruit from both Sonoma & Napa. French oak 100% BF & partial ML results in admirable smooth stylish well textured Chardonnay.
3. 2018 WALTER HANSEL CAHILL LANE VINEYARD RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY
   Underrated winery producing quality pinot noirs plus good value wines. This Cahill Lane was only 907 cases showing stylish Chardonnay fruit with a nice touch of charming elegance at 14 abv.
4. 2019 KISTLER LES NOISETIERS SONOMA COAST
   Famous Chardonnay producer from old Wente clones on sandy Goldridge soils using Burgundian techniques. They have many different vineyard selections all unfined & unfiltered but this is an entry level one from Les Noisetiers surrounding their winery on the Sonoma Coast of 344 barrels at 14.3. Juicy fruit with some minerality.
   Rather tasty.

CALIFORNIA CHARDONNAY SECOND FLIGHT

5. 2020 SEA SMOKE STA. RITA HILLS SANTA BARBARA
   Estate grown grapes hand picked chilled overnight and softly pressed followed by 24% new oak and 10 months battonage. Result is a clean pure elegant stylish balanced Chardonnay more expensive but delicious second flight popular choice winner.
6. 2018 FLOWERS SONOMA COAST
   Founders Joan & Walt Flowers were early pioneers of the unique spirit and sense of place provided by the Sonoma Coast. Pure vibrant lower alcohol 13.5 with salty pineapple bright acidity notes are so elegant and no rush to drink up as should develop further interest.
7. 2016 RAMEY ROCHIOLI VINEYARD RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY
   Their second vintage from this special RRV vineyard has developed really rich creamy textures with some time in bottle. Much more weighty body than RRV from Walter Hansel showed. Longer 20 months time in 21% new French oak with powerful dense solid structure. Drinking beautifully now not showing the 14.5 abv.
8. 2015 THE OJAI VINEYARD PUERTA DEL MAR SANTA BARBARA
   Planted 6 acres in 2007 in that cold vineyard “Door to the Sea” and this 2015 is the 5th release of 563 cases from Helen & Adam Tolmach. Visit their Tasting Room right in downtown Ojai which we hope survived the 5.1 earthquake there yesterday. Only 13.5 alcohol and 7% new French oak displays tension and energy in this refreshing Chardonnay. Bottle variation between the two bottles.

Question: What is the most planted grape variety used for wine in Spain?

Answer: Many of you are expecting it to be Tempranillo but it is Airen (pronounced i-REHN) a vitis vinifera white variety mainly grown in central Spain particularly the La Mancha region.

Lots of recent articles expressing the growing concern about the effect of climate change around the world on established terroir vineyards. Certainly becoming easier to obtain ripe higher sugar grapes at harvest time but less so in finding the ideal acidity with other elements for perfect elegant balance in the resulting wine. Lots of measures being taken from grape selection, canopy management to earlier picking dates but the jury is still out on their ultimate success in retaining the recognized respected Burgundy style. No doubt about it though as Bob Dylan would sing “The Times They Are A-Changin'” for wine terroirs everywhere.

However, one of the positive results of climate change your scribe has noticed more recently is the big improvement at the lower end of white Burgundy. Easy to admire the continuing classy complexity (if not the escalating prices) of Meursault Perrieres or Chevalier-Montrachet but it has been harder to find interest in Bourgogne Blanc. Sure there were exceptions like the old well-tended vines of hallmark producer Coche-Dury Bourgogne Blanc and a few others. But generally at the bottom end you were getting wines that showed lighter thinner higher acidity not quite ripe fruit at higher yields often from younger vines and cooler sites. Not anymore. Many of those non-classified vineyards including outreaching Hautes Cotes de Beaune and even Hautes Cotes de Nuits are now ripening the Chardonnay fruit much better and producing wines with subtle apricot, pear, and peach notes rather than just high apple-citrus. Sure they don’t have the body of a Puligny-Montrachet but they are rather delicious even early on and at fair value. Perfect for what you want from a current purchase. Also, don’t forget the much improved Village AC wines instead of just restricting your buys to Premier Cru & Grand Cru selections.

The BCLDB, private wine stores, and Vancouver restaurants are becoming aware of this new trend and are importing accordingly. Tasted many available Village & Bourgogne wines during 2023 and am impressed most by the earlier harvested 2020 vintage whites (after larger crop 2018 & smaller crop 2019) tending to a fresher pure more classic style. Challenging small crop 2021, and surprising 2022 plus unique 2023 should also land some treasures.

One of my favs 2020 Chassagne-Montrachet by Philippe Colin 13 abv is stylish aged in larger oak (450 & 500L) with a lovely balancing acidity which will age well throughout this decade to enjoy with a special meal. As well the 2020 Chassagne-Montrachet Rouge Les Chenes by Philippe Colin grown in deeper clay soils shows bright sweet cherries (not over-ripe 13.5 abv) and structure to evolve nicely. Cult Wines have brought in Domaine Gros Frere (Lutte Raisonnee) Bourgogne Blanc Hautes Cotes de Nuits. Last week for dinner at ELISA STEAKHOUSE (another Toptable group excellent restaurant) the comprehensive wine list developed by Wine Director Franco Michienzi shone brightly including young appropriate white Burgundies – see excerpt attached. After our discussion that we desired a tighter almost Chablis-like mineral salinity type Bourgogne Blanc to go with their outstanding whole grilled Branzino with covolo nero (Tuscan black kale), Franco recommended 2020 Domaine Francois Mikulski at 13 abv that was so perfectly paired to the dish plus so delicious. Q.E.D.

Question: As global warming continues with July 2023 the Earth’s hottest month on record does this mean grape harvests for wine will all be earlier?

Answer: Not necessarily. Beginning of August saw as usual western Sicily start picking sparkling grape varieties and Pinot Grigio – but actually this was later than in 2022. Crop yields in Sicily are down in 2023 with heavy rains in May, downy mildew in June and extreme heat in July, and presently wildfires affecting grape set and “veraison”. Generally August (plus September) is a key month where grape conditions are carefully monitored as ripening continues. However if the flowering and grape development is delayed this usually results in later picking. Much too early to finally assess 2023 harvests but it will be interesting to monitor the many wine regions in the northern hemisphere. Italy’s total harvest will be down due to extreme weather conditions including recently violent hail storms in Lombardy and Veneto, Napa Valley is expecting a possible delay due to a cool wet Spring and heavy losses in Bordeaux for sure because of downy mildew issues. Stay tuned for a really unique vintage year.

Your scribe has a long time passion for the wonderful unique flavours of Summer fruits. This is the season for fresh blueberries, cherries, raspberries, strawberries, melons, apricots, peaches, plums, watermelon, and so many more. Look forward to our local produce of all of them in the marketplaces – as local fresh in your own region is always best. However, perhaps my favourite berry fruit is wild blackberries or brambles. They grow all over the place here in Vancouver and I enjoy the challenge of awaiting their key perfect ripeness and foraging among the thorns picking the best berries. They are delicious on their own or sprinkled on cereal, yogurt, or whatever. We freeze them on trays and store them in plastic bags as well for future use. Some may dislike the seeds but what an amazing flavour and yet so healthy! Feel they really shine best for a dessert and presently are enthralled with both our blackberry crisp and homemade blackberry ice cream – or just as a straight puree with no seeds. Suggest you get out there and harvest some edible wild berries from your own region. Please let us know what you are finding and using.

A tried and true recipe for an easy Blackberry Crisp that we are really enjoying presdently with our freshly picked wild blackberries follows:

BLACKBERRY CRISP
Prepare your topping:
1/2 Cup Walnuts (toasted) and chopped and/or Almonds (toasted)
1/2 Cup Flour
1/3 Cup Oats
1/3 Cup Dark Brown Sugar
1/3 Cup Butter
1/4 teaspoon Salt

Mix dry ingredients for your topping, cut in butter, and set aside.

Preheat Oven to 375F

In a large bowl mix about 4 Cups washed & dried blackberries with 2-3 peaches, peeled , pitted, and sliced. Toss with 1 Tablespoon flour & 1/2 Cup berry sugar. Spread fruit evenly into a baking dish & cover with your topping. Bake for 35-40 minutes until the crisp topping is golden brown & juices bubble up on the sides. Serve hot or cold.

Enjoy!