The Vancouver International Wine Festival (VIWF) was flying high last week with insightful wine & food events celebrating their 43rd year after a pandemic hiatus in 2021. Your scribe has a continuing enthusiasm for supporting VIWF plus fond memories since inception in 1979 being the only person attending and actively involved in all 43 of them. Admire their 3 mandates: provide an informative, educational, and entertaining wine experience for public & trade; be a premier marketing opportunity for the wine industry & festival partners; and raise funds (nearly $10 million) for the performing arts presently Bard on the Beach Theatre Society.

A real classy highlight this year was an extraordinary event totally underpriced on May 18, 2022 at the Top Table Group’s CinCin restaurant featuring the outstanding wines of the Antinori Family – a long time supporter of VIWF. This venerable family has contributed to the fine art of winemaking for over six centuries since 1385 through 26 generations. Brand Development Manager Simon Turpin and Mark Anthony Wine & Spirit brought out top wines (some in large formats) for this culinary excellence orchestrated by Executive Chef Bruce Woods and his talented brigade. Some brief impressions on these Antinori wines:

MARCHESE ANTINORI CUVEE ROYALE BRUT NV FRANCIACORTA: This delightful intense fresh blend from Tenuta Montenisa in the heart of respected Franciacorta sells for $43 showing flowery fruit Chardonnay, savoury minerals Pinot Blanc, and structured Pinot Noir and was disgorged (sboccatura) in 2020.

LE MORTELLE M VIVIA BIANCO 2020 MAREMMA TOSCANA: Lovely elegant white citrusy value blend at $27 of Vermentino, Viognier and a dash of Ansonica (Inzolia) grown on sandy, silty loamy soils matched well with the antipasto.

CALAFURIA 2020 SALENTO IGT TORMARESCA ROSE: Negroamaro grown along the Adriatic coastline of Apulia is a beautiful peachy pink colour in the clear bottle and wine glass from stainless steel fermentation aromatic & refreshing at only 12 abv and so serviceable at $28.50 as an exquisite pairing with the delicious seafood course.

VILLA ANTINORI CHIANTI CLASSICO RISERVA DOCG 1997 (3 Litre): What a wine! What a long simmering reduced ragu! Heaven together. Brought in on special order at $396 for the double magnum. This is a rare treat to enjoy as open, complex, rich, and smooth. Your scribe bought this same outstanding 1997 vintage at BCLDB on August 2001 release in 3 liter size for only $109.95 (and also in magnums at $49.95). What an investment! Know it well and it hasn’t shown any better than presently.

SOLAIA TOSCANA IGT 2004 $748
TIGNANELLO TOSCANA IGT 2004 (6 Liter) $3910: Two great Super Tuscans showing outstanding quality and matching superbly with the wood-fire grilled perfectly cooked beef tenderloin. Both beyond description so well balanced and densely structured with still young fruit vibrancy yet that special savouriness with the food. Solaia (a blend of 75/20/5 Cab Sauv, Sangiovese, Cab Franc) has power with silky tannins but loads of vibrant acidity too all in a refined elegant plus finesse statement. Same grapes in Tignanello but far different ratios (85/10/5 of Sangiovese, Cab Sauv, Cab Franc) presenting more spicy cherries and buckets of young fresh fruit in this very large 6 liter format. Remarkable indeed!

CASTELLO DELLA SALLA “MUFFATO” UMBRIA IGT 2016 $65 (500 ml.): Tasty sweet finish with intriguing aromatics from noble rot on some grapes grown on this Estate near Orvieto in Umbria blending Sauvignon Blanc, Grechetto (contributes to their outstanding “Salla” Chardonnay too), Traminer, Semillon, and Riesling.

Congrats to VIWF, CinCin, Antinori, and everyone involved for producing such a truly outstanding memorable experience. You had to be there to enjoy the camaraderie and admire the friendly quality production. Well done! Remember to book early for choice events like this for the 44th VIWF held the week of April 24-30, 2023.

Question: What is the most surprising older cab sauv from the Okanagan that you have tasted this year?

Answer: That is a tough question because historically the cabernet sauvignon grape hasn’t ripened sufficiently in the Okanagan vineyards in British Columbia. Cabernet Franc has been a better choice. The growing season usually shuts down around the end of October each year and previously there just were not enough days with heat to avoid that green stemmy herbal unripeness in the cab sauv wine. This last decade has been much more encouraging with global climate change resulting in many notable successes. The best biggest surprise tasted this year by your scribe was the 2008 Wild Goose Cabernet Sauvignon from Kerry Hill Vineyard (home of winemaker Hagen Kruger) grown on glacial sand,clay & gravel on a south facing hill in Okanagan Falls. The hot Summer and appropriate crop thinning resulted in a phenolically ripe easy drinking 13.5 abv that showed the potential for this region and particularly even further south on Black Sage Bench. Stay tuned.

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On a rainy Sunday May 15, 2022 from 11 am to 3 pm The Chefs’ Table Society of BC (CTS) & Pacific Prawn Fishermen’s Association (PPFA) launched the exciting 2022 Spot Prawn Festival in-person at False Creek Fishermen’s Wharf in Vancouver. The weather didn’t dampen the enthusiasm of everyone involved from organizers, chefs, sponsors, and keen participants from having a wonderful family outing at this popular event first started in 2006. It celebrates the start of Spot Prawn season (which opened on May 5) a prized catch in British Columbia’s coastal waters. Sustainably controlled short season with sport fishers limited to a catch of 125 prawns per day. Lots to take in at the Festival from the excellent insightful food demos, music, beverages, New England style chowder 10 oz. bowl for $10, and a grazing style Spot Prawn Brunch for $65 featuring 6 delicious diverse dishes from these outstanding chefs:

CHEF STEVE KUAN: TORAFUKU – Spot Prawn Taco, Papaya Salad, Togarashi Mayo

CHEF FELIX ZHOU: BREAD x BUTTER CAFE – Torch Spot Prawn, Apple Jalapeno Puree, Pickled Cucumber, Puffed Wild Rice, Spot Prawn Head Oil

CHEF TOMMY SHORTHOUSE: FANNY BAY OYSTERS BAR & SHELLFISH MARKET – Poached Spot Prawn, Herb Potato Roesti, Romesco Sauce, Herb Salad

CHEF KUNAL DIGHE: JW MARRIOTT PARQ – West Coast Spot Prawn Risotto

CHEF MATEUS VELOSO VIANA: POPINA CANTEEN – Spot Prawn Roll

CHEF JUSTIN CHEUNG: POTLUCK HAWKER EATERY – Spot Prawn Arroz Caldo, Rice Porridge, Chili Crunch, Calamansi, Quail Egg

In addition there was top local wines and beer from O’Rourke’s Peak Cellars (Pinot Gris), Lock and Worth Winery (Semillon & Merlot), and R & B Brewing (25th Anniversary since 1997). Also Umbria Coffee Roasters plus yummy Passione Gelato three flavours of Cherry, Hazelnut, & Pistachios (Vegan).

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Some thoughtful ways of preparing these special spot prawns were featured again this year. Always remember that they must be cooked (but not overcooked) when alive or twist off the heads to prevent an enzyme release. Save the heads for cooking a bisque or stock and store the fresh tails on ice till ready to cook them or freeze them which maintains a good quality product. Thanks to everyone for another successful #SpotPrawnFestival. Try some soon.

Question: What is the buzz on this new wine bottle made out of paper?

Answer: Yes there is the promising FRUGAL BOTTLE! It is made by a British sustainable packaging company Frugalpac using 94% recycled paperboard (no chemicals) plus only 15 grams of plastic for the liner. Lots of good features including much lighter weight than glass (83 grams – about 5 times lighter than normal glass) and claiming a carbon footprint up to 6 times lower. Check out the website of first user Cantina Goccia for their 2017 3Q Sangiovese Umbria red blend.

Another educational Zoom wine tasting was held in Vancouver this time featuring under the radar top quality producers in the Côte de Beaune Domaine Chandon de Briailles (DCB) from the Corton hill and the surrounding appellations. Logistics were tricky because of the 9 hour time difference between the Pacific West Coast and connecting with Madame Claude De Nicolay live in Burgundy. Sunday May 1st at noon and 9 pm respectively worked magically for this special event helped by their import agent (for BC & Alberta) Yannick Treffot of Cru Terroir Wines. Members of the Sous-Commanderie de Vancouver of Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin were assembled at 5 homes each with 8 keen attendees. Seven wines were tasted and discussed in detail led by questions and comments from your scribe followed by a tasty most attractive cheese (including creamy smooth Delice de Bourgogne + pungent vibrancy of Epoisses) & charcuterie platter superbly prepared by Les Amis du Fromage. A few brief impressions on the 7 Domaine wines of DCB tasted:

1. SAVIGNY-LES-BEAUNE BLANC LES SAUCOURS 2018: Larger crop harvested end of August for their second release shows lovely lemony citrus acid balance with wonderful rather classy early drinkability. Know this NE exposure limestone vineyard nearby the tiny half hectare Premier Cru Redrescul. Remember drinking the rich full complex 1989 Redrescul 1er white from Recolte Domaine Marcel Doudet with the late Yves Doudet who commented that “the vineyards for blanc around here are best drinking very early on after bottling or much later with at least 10 years of age”. Believe this AC Les Saucours may last better than you might first expect.
2. PERNAND-VERGELESSES PREMIER CRU ILE DES VERGELESSES 2015: DCB are the largest vineyard owners of this prime location. 2015 had a hot summer and wet August resulting in an earlier first half of September fine harvest. Really like the pruning for smaller yields (8 bunches/vine) from this riper top vintage displaying that typical “spicy” (almost licorice) quality of pure fragrant intense cherries of this excellent terroir (compare the “violets” found in red Savigny-les-Beaune).
3. ALOXE-CORTON PREMIER CRU LES VALOZIÈRES 2016: Contrast the later October harvest in 2016 after end of April frost reduced the crop size from clay soil plus deeper down limestone with East exposure on .28 hectare site planted in 1987 directly below Corton-Bressandes. Shows that mineral spice but differently at present in a more austere structured style.
4. CORTON-BRESSANDES GRAND CRU 2017: Deep soils mid-slope of 1.12 hectares in 4 unique parcels giving an elegant more earthy raspberry/strawberry character. First year used fully their new gentler vertical press with 85% whole bunches plus some sophisticated Stockinger gentler oak. Tasted this earlier picked larger crop from one of 20 casks (later blended together) on my last visit there on October 23, 2018 but though smooth with integrated tannins was still showing some CO2 from late malo in June. Gone now and will develop well with time.
5. CORTON-CLOS-DU-ROI GRAND CRU 2017: Situated high steep good drainage at 300 m. elevation due East directly above Bressandes and below Corton Charlemagne with .38 hectare planted 1961 & 1985. First experiment of pole stakes without a training system on the vines. Late ripening location gives a wonderful floral flowers very minerally character to the muscular wine but with delicacy too. Also tried this in barrel with Claude who used 20% new oak with mostly Allier & Nevers and stated you “need to wait some time for best development”.
6. CORTON-BRESSANDES GRAND CRU 2016: Dry and sunny after frosts resulting in tiny yields for Grand Cru in 2016. Potential for long aging.
7. CORTON-CLOS-DU-ROI GRAND CRU 2016: Served last and group favourite for cellaring. Many liked the long great concentration of this 2017 too. We recognized the weight and richer fruit of the Clos du Roi vineyard with that outstanding structure that will ultimately result with patience in a very refined classy Grand Cru indeed!

What an amazing knowledgeable personable wine maker is Madame Claude de Nicolay! Seventh generation from 1834 with the 8th on the way. Your scribe tasted with her mother Nadine the 6th in the mid-eighties who showed great foresight including planting vines for white wines on limestone soils. Claude since 1988 but worked 1989, 1990, and 1991 vintages with her mother. Today still Classic wines yet Claude is so smart and innovative in achieving them in a changing world including climate change. Talk about pivoting and adapting. What a thinker she is. So many words of wisdom that you had to be on the Zoom presentation to be blown away with her new creative ideas to make only the very best wines possible. Some of them:

–Biodynamic: Following it religiously. Fully certified in 2011 by Ecocert & Demeter. Mentioned we were tasting on May 1 a strong Lunar “Root” day (as opposed to better ones of fruit, flower or root) but
didn’t seem to affect the excellent showing of the choice wines shown.

–Whole Bunch/Stems: Claude was one of the very first to use 100% whole bunches with stems. Now has dialed back somewhat. You need to pick at the right time for whole bunch use. Are the stems ripe? Are grapes at the beginning of the stems at the woody part of the vine? Now careful about use of stems in cooler years. However in warmer riper years believes they provide complexity and a long finish.

–Pigeage: Punch down still by foot for Grand Cru & Ile de V trying for smoother tannins.

-Oak: Buy up to 15% new for barrel rotation but again only for smoothing out the tannins and not for an oaky taste. Use new oak for white before red is put into them. Using bigger barrels of 300 & 600 liter size to emphasize the fruit.

-Sulphur: Started experiment in 2012 with no SO2 added. Now always using less and not during fermentation. Only rack once before bottling and use nitrogen. Best protection is to keep the wines on their lees. Some wines are being shipped to America with no sulphur and are successful.

-Brother Francois: Worked at a Paris wine shop (Pinot Noir/Chardonnay) until joining DCB in 2001 providing a most helpful different global perspective.

-Vertical Press: Impressed with using one while working in New Zealand in 1994 but was too aggressive on the stems. Rented one 20 years later for trying basket press on Clos-du-Roi 2015. Better finishing tannins and less astringent. Got one in 2016, two in 2017 and now all vertical press. Helps get the fruit up front with less strong stems plus a structured finish, as well as easier clarifying as doesn’t dig up the
pomace.

-Pole Stakes experiments: Looked at stopping hedging (like DRC & Leroy did) but are lifting up the training system with longer and taller poles and canopy management to help against global warming.

-Partial Carbonic Fermentation; No more cool maceration but trying half carbonic before “remontage” pump over.

What an insightful Burgundy wine seminar! You had to be there. Recommend trying some DCB wines. Especially look out for those amazing 2020 fresh whites.