Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) is coming under increased demand from consumers particularly for culinary and health reasons. It is indeed an excellent product. Recently top EVOO has shown extraordinary soaring price raises. Demand is one thing but limited supply is another with European climate change and severe drought conditions resulting in far less total production. Another growing concern is the increase in fake EVOO in the marketplace replaced by or mixed with seed oil and green chlorophyll to look like EVOO. Reports from Europe state that over 250,000 litres of alleged counterfeit EVOO was seized in Italy & Spain at the end of 2023. Suspect we will be seeing more government testing of EVOO in both Canada & USA. Our house EVOO for cooking, dressings, and normal table use has been the now expensive Argiano but presently pleased with Kirkland Signature (from Costco) 100% Italian EVOO in 2L format. Check out our Blog of April 29, 2019 here on fantastic DOMENICA FIORE.

Therefore your scribe was pleased to attend on January 16 an educational EVOO tasting hosted by the Italian Trade Agency of Vancouver at their offices. They featured three fresh top quality EVOO by local importer Oleocanthal in collaboration with Chef Giovanni Trigona, British Columbia Delegate of the Italian Culinary Consortium (ICC) Canada. Impressed by how quickly they were able to bring the latest harvest crop of EVOO to Vancouver in classy black bottles presentation and even in larger 3L format tins. Well done. The tasting clearly was authentic EVOO with outstanding terroir definition from both high altitude Abruzzo (Intosso) & sunny Puglia (Fontana Rosa). Like the vibrant high polyphenols of the Coratina olive cultivar in the Puglia one but all three including the blend are excellent. Admired how the talented chef cleverly paired the best EVOO characteristics with his pizzas using the FONTANA ROSA nuttiness for the walnut cream & the INTOSSO herbaceousness for the pistachio pesto. Check out the wonderful EVOO selections available near you. Remember Caveat Emptor – Buyer Beware is appropriate when buying EVOO.

Question: What movie that has wine and food involved have you seen over the past year that you would recommend?

Answer: MENUS-PLAISIRS (means small pleasures) LES TROISGROS. This is an interesting documentary filmed on site in 2022 and released last year by veteran Frederick Wiseman that is 4 hours long (with no intermission) spotlighting the family-run three star Michelin restaurant of Troisgros. Great insights into what goes into a top quality restaurant spotlighting suppliers, wineries like DRC/LEROY orders for the wine list, and the amazing attention to detail in the kitchen scenes and dining room. A food lover’s dream of a movie! In French with English subtitles and won the Best Non-Fiction 2023 by New York Film Critics. Only in the theatres at the moment and don’t know if it will be picked up later for streaming online. Enjoy!

There seems to be more attention being paid lately in Burgundy on smaller shippers and especially the growers. We tend to dismiss the long great work and diverse wine portfolios of the main larger shippers. Certainly Louis Jadot is in the front ranks of these impressively owning 528 vineyard acres of which 280 are either Grand or Premier Cru. Therefore your scribe looked forward to tasting and revisiting some of their top wines at a Louis Jadot focus for the 117th Vancouver Group of Eight event at Blue Water Cafe held on January 9, 2024.

The start and finish of this remarkable dinner was most noteworthy. The aperitif of 2008 LOUIS ROEDERER CRISTAL BRUT after 10 years aging before release (plus around 6 more after disgorgement) still shows that wonderful classy energy, tension, well structured balance from Grand Cru selected 60% Pinot Noir & 40% Chardonnay. Surprised me that it has stayed so young, fresh and vibrant in spite of 20% barrel fermentation, and a not usual but about 1/6th malolactic because of the excellent initial acidity levels with the key ripeness in 2008. A refreshing pairing with the artistic foie gras torchon. Already aristocratic, long, and delicious but what a future ahead for developing an even more complex bouquet with velvety textures. A winner! Interesting to review the house comments on these bubbles in their helpful small brochure included in the package:

“Complex and intense bouquet disclosing candied citrus, yellow fruit, Williams pear, pollen and toasted almond. The delicately seductive bouquet shows intensity and well-honed precision. The wine is powerful, full yet tight, on entry to the palate. The 2008 is undeniably well structured but in a particular way: the wine’s almost saline concentration has not been created by the sun, but is derived from the dryness of the chalk soil in a particularly cool summer. The result is a smooth, almost liquorous, mouthfeel that coats the palate with a powerful yet soft texture. This gives way to an incredible finish, underpinned by freshness and an impression of absolute purity with a taut and very saline character. The Cristal 2008 is deep, intense and masterful.”

The digestif was the youngest Sauternes we have served at these events – the 2016 CHATEAU D’YQUEM. Coming after the recent delicate 1970 d’Yquem on December 7, 2023 noted here the difference was so dramatic This younger one is concentrated power from late picked 75% Semillon & 25% Sauvignon Blanc drinking well already with an exotic honey botrytis richness that is very attractive though for your scribe the finish was a tad strong at 14.2. The dessert captured outstandingly the mandarin, pineapple, mango, and passion fruit notes in the wine Well done. It shows how brilliant these sweet wines are at either 7 years or over 50 years of age. So versatile. When do you prefer to open them?

The main event study of Louis Jadot started with 2 top white Burgundy from outstanding vintages matched with a beautiful tasty scallop course followed by two flights of 3 reds each. Some brief thoughts: 2014 CORTON-CHARLEMAGNE GRAND CRU DOMAINE DES HERITIERS: My favourite white vintage in Burgundy (including Chablis!) shows slight reduction initially with a vibrant higher firm acidity and excellent citrus minerality. Classic Corton Charlemagne can surprise you with their ability to age longer than you expect. Will still develop. Already a superb match with the seafood dish.

Our leader Ian Mottershead prepared a useful informative background sheet attached that differentiates between Domaine Louis Jadot, Domaine Gagey, and Domaine des Heritiers Louis Jadot. Worth checking out and also to look for on wine bottles of Louis Jadot. 2010 CHEVALIER-MONTRACHET GRAND CRU LES DEMOISELLES, DOMAINE DES HERITIERS: A lower yielding great white Burgundy year that is more open with complexity plus much fuller richness. Improved as warmed and aired in the glass. Forwardly showing but with more creamy substance and weight to go on as well. So classy and preferred over the C-C in style by our group. What a stupendous start to the LJ event.

2005 VOLNAY 1ER CRU CLOS DE LA BARRE MONOPOLE: Darkest by far of first red flight with earthy cherries in a rustic tannic way. Seems like a big Beaune 1er cru without the elegant delicate finesse you look for in a top Volnay. OK but it doesn’t have Volnay terroir specific enough for me.

2005 CORTON-POUGETS GRAND CRU DOMAINE DES HERITIERS: Another one from that outstanding 2005 vintage but again somewhat atypical. Lighter paling edge look with floral spiced styling in an Oregon look-a-like. Perhaps not the best bottle of it with earlier ones showing more weight. Liked it more with the innovative Rillettes dish of both pork & rabbit plus smoked black trumpet mushrooms. Balanced and lovely but prefer the more impressive depth of their 2010 of this wine tasted last year.

2007 CLOS DE LA ROCHE GRAND CRU: Mid garnet appearance showing Morey-Saint-Denis solid red fruits with body being from a lesser vintage than 2005 but showing best of flight. Typical. No rush.

1996 CHAMBERTIN CLOS DE BEZE GRAND CRU, DOMAINE LOUIS JADOT: Bad luck here with a disappointing bottle that reeks of Brett and especially TCA. A shame because underneath that is buckets of fruit with power. Noticed bottles of later vintages were way too heavy and not sustainable while the following 1990 & 1985 were in very light admirable weight bottles. Please return to that.

1990 GEVREY-CHAMBERTIN CLOS ST. JACQUES 1ER CRU DOMAINE LOUIS JADOT: One of my favourite terroirs! Drink the charming subtle complex underrated 1989 more often than this bigger 1990 with riper more intense fruit. Sous bois expressive and refined smooth textures and flavours for a sometimes reserved 1990 vintage. Shows what this vineyard can produce but more elegance in Rousseau 1990 or 1991 CSJ.

1985 BONNES MARES GRAND CRU DOMAINE LOUIS JADOT: Lighter look but amazing red colour for nearly 50 years old. Decanted last minute without sediment appreciated to get the stylish subtle wonderful aspects of this treasure. Really admire and enthusiastically agree with the write-up in 2021 here by Michael Apstein in Terroir Sense Wine Review. What a perfect description for this marvel: “flavor without weight” – “Explosive mineral-like dark flavors appear while the wine dances on the palate, LIGHT AS A FEATHER”. Sublime with one of the best boneless whole quail courses ever prepared anywhere by talented Chef Raimund Heuser. Congrats on a 3 star MIchelin presentation and taste to match! Memorable indeed.

Question: What do you think the future prospects look like for having a fab vintage in Bordeaux in 2024?

Answer: That is looking way too far ahead for me to predict what Mother Nature will be giving us in any vineyard during this brand new year. My crystal ball is foggy. Certainly global warming will be a continuing important factor in the 2024 vintage results – both with the good and bad aspects of that. 

Hard to know whether increasing mildew in Bordeaux as we saw in 2023 will repeat itself or whether other important issues such as frost, hail, rainfall, forest fires and the like may adversely influence the grape crop. The brilliant know how and expertize of the wineries in dealing with all these farming problems gives us reasons to be optimistic. Remember that each vintage is unique to itself. However, if I had to make an educated guess right now I would tend to be rather pessimistic because historically vintages ending in “4” have not been the outstanding ones. Check out Bordeaux years of 2014, 2004, 1994, 1984, and 1974. Continue to monitor conditions until harvest of all developments.

Fortunate over the last month to attend several festive functions looking back on memories of 2023 and optimistically forward to 2024. Lots of memorable bottles tasted including a mini vertical of CHATEAU MONTROSE. This St. Estephe property ages so well with 5 old vintages all showing concentrated solid fruit at various stages of their tannic nature and evolution. Celebrated 1990 still your scribe’s intense fav but coming together perhaps faster than the also excellent structured 1989. 1982 had some more charming riper textures there but this bottle was disappointingly corked. The 1975 is underrated but one of the best Cabernet statements from a tannic vintage while big stylish 1970 is drinking well on a 50 year plateau – though some bottles with a touch of brett.

A highlight for me during December 2023 was the chance to try so many celebratory dessert wines which now are often not served at meal end. Sauternes with their residual sugar are wonderful candidates to cellar and later enjoy:

1945 CHÂTEAU LA TOUR-BLANCHE in May 1978 was given a 5 star rating by Michael Broadbent “Rich amber-gold colour with pronounced sap-green edge;exquisite bouquet-subtle, ripe, honeyed; sweet, rich, concentrated, excellent acidity”. However, 45 years later it was very dark mahogany with caramel notes, very mature, drier and quite acidic.

CHATEAU D’YQUEM is always more reliable. The underrated 1970 vintage was mentioned in this Blog of December 18, 2023 here. 1971 is more classic with deeper & richer textures developing a lot of panache. 1975 lovely amber look with a sensational fresh bouquet of apricot & menthol with perfect balance to go on.

VINTAGE PORT has been somewhat out of fashion so far this century but is coming back despite the current trend of no/low alcohol beverages. Also all the dependable forwardly 20 year Tawny Ports and the exceptional 40 year Taylor. Another dessert wine, this one with fortification, that seems to live forever. A treat to try a historic nearing 100 years beauty:

1927 GRAHAM VINTAGE PORT: In Rich, Rare, & Red the IWFS Guide to Port by Ben Howkins he states: “Exceptional declared by record number of 30 shippers late vintage started 3rd October. Grapes were ripe and picked in perfect hot conditions.” Our bottle had cork issues into the bottle but nonetheless was fiery complex and had thrown loads of sediment.

1945 GRAHAM VINTAGE PORT: Generally the sweetest jammy style of all houses and shows best here with complex chocolate, coffee, mellow complexity!

1945 DOW VINTAGE PORT: Always lighter and drier with good structure of balancing acidity but showing more alcohol on the finish.

1948 GRAHAM VINTAGE PORT: Perhaps even more powerful from less production than 1945 but this bottle is flawed by some TCA – not as common in vintage port as red table wines.

1977 DOW VINTAGE PORT: Surprises with lots of lovely berry fruit and full flavour on an interesting plateau. Good vintage for Dow.

1997 TAYLOR VINTAGE PORT is fresh pure excellent aromatics and drinking forwardly with buckets of fruit at 25+ years already enjoyable.