On September 21, 2021 in Vancouver BC at Blue Water Cafe we celebrated the seventies and eighties as a wonderful period for old style classic cabernet in California. The focus was a 10 year vertical of historic Mondavi Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon ranging from 1974 to 1989. The event was possible through the generosity of knowledgeable longtime collector Dave Spurrell who had cellared all these bottles for many decades. He also provided a short history of the man Robert Mondavi born in Virginia Minnesota in 1913 and passed away at the age of 94 on May 16, 2008. Your scribe has had the pleasure of trying all these wines several times over the years but they now have become an important part of California wine history. We wondered how they were holding up presently. That 1974 is approaching 50 years of age! Though served as the first of ten this beauty shone so brightly. Lots of deepest dark young red colour exploding with that distinctive eucalyptus mint cedar bouquet and lots of life with elegance left even in standard 750 ml well stored. My last two experiences of this wine was in magnum even more remarkably fresh and age worthy. Remember buying the regular Mondavi cab 1974 (12.6 abv 91% CS, 5 Merlot, and 4 Cab Franc 24 months 3/4 French Nevers & 1/4 American oak) at the Washington State Liquor Board for a bargain price of $4.65. The Reserve was picked at 23.7 Brix for 13.6 abv using 86% CS & 14% Merlot with the same oak treatment for 30 months. Surprised to see the low score of 87 from Wine Spectator (but all scores were lower in those days) and similarly low for all the Reserve wines. Maybe because of bottle variation due to filtering experiments that were being done for 1974. The 1969 Unfined & 1970 Unfiltered both with 15% Cab Franc were forerunners for this style. The other wines were all solid and holding rather well: 75 leaner herbal, 76 100% CS aged rim, 77 drought year baked intense, 80 has 13% Merlot lighter forwardly. Second flight had 85 as group fav elegant under 13 alcohol again, 86 paler stylish with highest Cab Franc in this series at 12%, 87 fuller richer 2nd fav of second flight, 88 solid, 89 has 91 CS 9 Merlot. Volume increased from some 9000 cases back in 1974 to a norm a round 15000 cases in the eighties. Really like the lower alcohol cool fruit so drinkable easy style of those days. Robert Mondavi always commented that the 1974 vintage would have been outstanding if he had used 100% French oak which would have provided the wine with better finishing lift. He would be pleased to know that it is still terrific and is truly outstanding the way he made it. Congrats.

Question: How is the Champagne harvest looking for 2021?

Answer: Lots of concerns on the drastic drop of crop volumes in Champagne for 2021. Good report of September 10 by thedrinksbusiness.com here saying the extreme weather caused a 60% drop. The weather was called “challenging” with April frost (30%) and persistent rain leading to mildew (another 30%). However, the latest report from Harpers.Co.UK of September 21 here is more encouraging while quoting Philipponnat for a “classical” vintage “with crisp acidity” though “Pinot Meunier has caused growers the most headaches.” Still early days so for Champagne lovers it will be interesting to follow the progress of a unique 2021 vintage.

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The Annual VanMag Restaurant Awards had been postponed and were delivered live on Instagram today September 20, 2021 at 2 pm by Neal Mclennan Food Editor of Vancouver Magazine. Not your usual classical awards with many categories for normal times but a short hybrid version limited to eight sections to recognize some of the industry leaders during this ongoing pandemic.Thoughtfully done focusing particularly on those who best managed take out orders and pivoting their business for the consumer’s convenience and culinary enjoyment.
Presenting any awards at the present time is a delicate subject but this was well done indeed. Excellent summary write-up on the vanmag.com site here with all the details plus pick up the magazine. Congrats!

Question: I am a long time reader of your blog. My question is in regards to Bordeaux 2018 vintage to be released in BC Liquor Stores on September 25th. It has 3 parts and specifically about red wines only: 1) How do you rank 2018 Bordeaux among your favourite post-2000 vintages? 2) Do you have any favourite appellation(s) in this vintage? 3) What are your top three overall picks and what are your top three value picks?

Answer: 2018 Bordeaux shows the results of global climate change in a variable big ripe rich style vintage. Not as consistent and classic as 2005, 2010, or 2016 but more towards 2009 in style. Some excellent wines produced across the different appellations. Today was set for the media tasting for 2018 Bordeaux at BCLDB but cancelled for Pandemic safety concerns. Therefore your scribe is not your best advisor because I have not tasted Bordeaux 2018 wines after bottling – though some barrel samples. However that doesn’t stop me from recommending these: Grand Puy Lacoste Pauillac $190, Branaire-Ducru St. Julien $125, Lagrange St Julien $125, and best value La Gurgue Margaux $55. Good shopping at 8 am September 25!

Last week your scribe was one of fourteen judges tasting nearly 800 wines for the 2021 British Columbia Lieutenant Governor’s Wine Awards held in Kelowna. A competent most skilled crew (except for yours truly) was a good mix of educated palates including the first visit of Alder Yarrow from California, Founder & Editor of the interesting wine blog Vinography. This insightful exercise was conducted in well organized safest conditions to determine the worthy Platinum, Gold & Silver medals for wine in BC this year. Report and video of Global TV
on the judging is here. Stay tuned for more details and results in early October.

An added bonus was a return trip to that marvellous restaurant Row Fourteen at Cawston BC in the Similkameen Valley. This wine region has ever expanding grape vines being planted that enjoy hot Summer days, cool nights, and brisk winds. Also lots of popular roadside fruit and vegetable stands in Cawston (& nearby Keremeos) with the former now dubbed the organic capital of Canada. The uniqueness of Row Fourteen is that it is truly a collaboration of Chef & Farmer – a farm restaurant with inspired cuisine from the earth! It opened with meritorious praise in August 2019 as a partnership of talented Chef Derek Gray with Annamarie & Kevin Klippenstein of Klippers Organic
Acres (since 2001). This latter producer is my go-to each weekend for their produce brought down to Vancouver’s Farmer Markets – especially presently those outstanding ripe heirloom tomatoes and butternut squashes. Yummy. Carrying on has been difficult during the continuing pandemic with all the government restrictions and fewer travelling tourists. Admire their determination to follow their passion with what presently is one of Canada’s finest restaurants turning quality locally grown fresh organic ingredients into most creative amazingly delicious courses. Well done, worth a detour, and hearty congrats! Chef Gray and his brigade plus knowledgeable enthusiast server Ariel showed us the brilliant highlights of two wonderful menus: Field Harvest $50 & Pasture Harvest $65 – suitably paired with an aged cool vintage 2010 two clone pure Syrah Scout Vineyard aged 15 months in French & American oak at 14.6 abv from the excellent local winery Orofino.

Some of the outstanding memorable dishes included:

– Gazpacho of tomato & cucumber with the fresh perfect texture.
– Padron Peppers with first press canola oil with smoked salt.
– Sarah’s Choice Melon with chili honey, and Grana.
– Homemade Whole Wheat Farmer’s Bread with smoked butter,sea salt, black pepper.
– Corn on the cob, garlic aioli, allium, jalapeno.
– Tomatoes & Peaches, labneh, aged ricotta, fresh basil, Canadian olive oil.
– Orange Kabocha Squash, mushrooms, walnuts.
– Eggplant, romesco sauce, XO sauce – personal fav among many!
– Farmer Chicken, zucchini, hummus, hazelnut salsa.

Desserts:

– Cherry Tomato, mascarpone cheesecake tart, tarragon
– EVR Chocolate Semifreddo, earl grey poached plums, labneh, tuile
– Pavlova with Raspberries