We all know about supporting local and sustainable foods. However, we sometimes neglect to really dive into what is seasonal. The Summer passes quickly but what an opportunity it is to use presently the abundant fresh crop of vegetables and fruits. Brings me back to judging the Canadian Culinary Championships in Ottawa 2020 & Okanagan 2019 both held at the end of January. How we wished then that there was a better selection of fresh produce available at that time of year for the competing chefs to use – rather than having to import kale from California. Right now we can choose vegetables including peas (mangetout & English), green beans & Romanos, zucchini (small, green & yellow), baby carrots, and varieties of new little potatoes. Like particularly those yellow-fleshed Sieglinde, Yukon Gold, & Bintje but also those many red-skinned ones. Fruits are versatile with strawberries, raspberries, cherries, rhubarb, and blueberries such a treat. Waiting on the wild blackberries to ripen. Remember to collect and enjoy next month all the colourful juicy tasty tomatoes – especially heirloom. Always follow the wise rule that “the better the quality of your ingredients the less you need to do with them!” Recipes are so flexible and easy. We are passionate followers of Chef Yotam Ottolenghi. Everything in his books and contributing articles in The New York Times seem to work. An example included here is his Broccolini and sweet sesame salad with green beans & snow peas from his book “Plenty”. Also using a lot from Ultimate Veg by Jamie Oliver like his Summer Tagliatelle that includes those Yukon Gold potatoes and green beans with the pasta. Try adding your oil & vinegar dressing on the warm potatoes for optimum flavour enhancement. Use your fresh herbs in salads and everywhere else. Your Summer dishes don’t have to be hot or cold – try tepid or lukewarm “tiede” instead.
Please give us your Summer dish idea to try out. Enjoy!
Question: What is your opinion of Spottswoode winery’s cabernet sauvignon and what were the best year or years?
Answer: You have selected one of the historic wineries in Napa Valley. The conscientious Novak family at SPOTTSWOODE were grape growers since 1972 and wine producers from their own Estate fruit since 1982. Their emphasis on sustainable soil practices farming both organically since 1985 (certified 1992) and biodynamic (2020) is admirable. Also helped by wine critic’s high scores right out of the gate by Wine Spectator’s James Laube in California’s Great Cabernets with 95 points for both 1985 & 1986 to the perfect 100 scores for 2002, 2010, and 2015 by Wine Advocate. Your scribe hasn’t tasted the 2018, 2019, or 2020 but you should be encouraged by their consistency and their ability to capture the unique character of what each vintage provides from this special vineyard.
Chateau Lafite-Rothscild is arguably the best wine property in Bordeaux. It headed up the 1855 Classification of the Medoc and most recently since that lucky launch of the 2008 vintage has been a big hit also in China, The history goes back to the 1200s or so but the Pauillac property has been respected over many centuries. Remember reviewing very old records at the offices of Daniel Lawton in Bordeaux where those gravel mounds (with sand on limestone) were always recognized as quite a special unique vineyard site. Vintages from the 1800s were famous in their day. Andre Simon in The Noble Grapes drank the 1869 in 1954 (85 year old wine) declaring it “astounding” “incredibly good” “lively” “smooth, gentle and charming”. Your scribe has been most fortunate to drink on several occasions the immortal 1870 Lafite magnum from “Glamis Castle”. The Stars menu celebrating the late Barney Rhode’s 70th Birthday on December 8, 1990 (memorable 1870 was 120 years old) is posted showing also 4 other outstanding vintages of Lafite (59, 53, 1874, 1864). Some other great years include 1888,1900, 1929, 1949. Yet as reported in my previous Blogs, famous vintages like 1945 & 1961 sometimes were more controversial “light” when served next to Latour & Mouton. It seems the last century was a more reasonably priced time for trying many Lafite vintages that all are now tres cher indeed.
Therefore it was with much anticipation last week on June 29 to attend a Group of 8 dinner at Elisa in Vancouver with 9 vintages of Lafite. The wines showed better than expected but again confirmed their reputation as a somewhat vintage variable property. Believe vintages this century so far from the last 20 years are much more consistent. Some brief impressions:
1975 LAFITE: Overrated vintage generally since 72, 73, and 75 were all so poor. But especially at Lafite where respected Emile Peynaud oversaw the vinification (excellent wine of vintage 1976) for the first time. Start of changes that included active on-site management, picking later riper fruit of less acidity, less barrel aging to 24-30 months (from 32-36), and consistent bottling period within 2-4 weeks (previously had been long extended up to 12 months). Dark deep to the rim. Surprisingly young red. Tannins are less severe now with medicinal tar notes. Rather good really though drier finish. Has 24% Merlot here. Excellent with food course of Australian truffle ricotta gnocchi.
1978 LAFITE: Paler brick rim with herbal very 78 bouquet shows greener and less of earlier acidity now softer. Ready. Prefer Margaux, Palmer and La Mission.
1979 LAFITE: Dark better red colour than 1978. Reminds me of discussions with Peter A. Sichel who said the same about the higher acidity of 1979 over 1978 that maintained more deep brightness in the colour of his Palmer. Fresh delicate balanced with some of that distinctive Lafite marker of attractive refined “almonds & violets”. Prefer 1979 over 1978 here (but not with Palmer). Underrated.
1983 LAFITE: Darker edged rim. Good earthy dark tea with some pretty charm and sweetness though drying at the end. Better weather in Margaux & Graves. Pichon Lalande cleaner and more complex Pauillac in 1983. Lafite is still OK.
1988 LAFITE: Intense red. Darker than 1990. Like the concentration here. Highest Merlot with 33% (Cab Sauv 67%) Classy polished structured classic Lafite impresses with a lot of finesse though could perhaps be more typically cedary – with time. Excellent silky textures. Wine of the Vintage? Future promising.
1990 LAFITE: Missing 1989 here which can be part of an exciting trio comparison. 90 has 57CS, 30M, and 13 Cab Franc in the blend. Beautiful bouquet. Lush tobacco full rich flavours and balanced acidity. Has those lead pencil shavings trademark. Successful though less cab sauv depth noticeable and more forward than expected.
1998 LAFITE: Like the Lafite engraving on the bottle neck. 81 CS & 19 M with only 34% in the Grand Vin admired. Dark deep look. Structured. Stylish. Outstanding Left Bank wine in that hyped Right Bank Merlot Year. Classic. Surprised at the top quality here! Most impressive indeed.
1999 LAFITE: Another successful surprise. LIke the engraved year and unique total solar eclipse “happy face” emoji on the neck of the bottle. Only 1/3 in Grand Vin selection of 74CS, 18.5M, 6CF and 1.5 Petit Verdot (only year plus 1996 to have both cab franc & petit verdot in the blend). Lovely more elegant harmony reminding me of their special 1953 with a delicate lift. Beauty.
2012 LAFITE: Only 38% in Grand Vin of high 91% CS, 8.5M, and .5PV. Black young look with dense spicy smoky aromas. Good sorting in an uneven ripening year. Riper styling more approachable tannins.
Rare treat to update my keen interest in Lafite. Always results in the most interesting tasting. Sometimes Lafite is the very best of the vintage. Sometimes just very good. Sometimes expensive but rivalled in quality by other Bordeaux properties. Need to keep tasting and learning!
Question: Which vintage of Château Lafite-Rothschild has the Happy Face Emoji right on the bottle?
Answer: Entertaining question! Not really an emoji happy face but sure looks like one. You are right. It is the 1999 with that vintage date beautifully engraved on the bottle below the neck. Also underneath that is the “happy face” to celebrate the solar eclipse that occurred on August 11th when the Moon passed between the Earth and the Sun. All making 1999 a very unique special bottle – and an underrated Lafite wine too.
One of the real joys of getting older is to rejoice in the disciplined hard work leading to success of so many younger people in all walks of life. Especially during these most difficult Covid times for the hospitality industry it is a definite positive note to follow on social media and television those bringing us both entertainment and knowledge about food & wine. If you have a local personal long time connection with that person it makes it even more heart warming and grateful for their contribution. There are several that deserve recognition from British Columbia but two that immediately come to my mind are Mijune Pak & Steve Hodge.
MIJUNE PAK is a television personality from Vancouver on the Food Network Canada featured in Top Chef Canada. You can also catch her on @followmefoodie on Twitter and @mijunepak on Instagram. Her bubbly enthusiasm is really catchy. She continues her journey of curious culinary exploration of international flavours with wonderful flair. Your scribe knew her way back in 2008 when she first started out as a blogger and travelled to Banff on her own ticket to cover the Canadian Culinary Championships. Mijune showed such enthusiastic passion for food even in those early days and her write-ups and fantastic photos were the best coverage of the popular event bar none! Deserves all the recognition and admiration she has now. Your scribe is very proud of her. Congrats to Mijune and please follow her. You will enjoy the experience.
STEVE HODGE is a Pastry Chef following in the footsteps of his mother who owned a bakery. Well trained from California to London he learned skills from many mentors including star chef Thomas Haas. His own style emerged starting in 2013 with the opening of his Temper Chocolate & Pastry 2409 Marine Drive in West Vancouver. Remember many connections with Steve including criticizing his early declasse boxes he used for his exquisite looking cakes – which he quickly remedied. Also personally presenting to Steve on September 26, 2013 an International Chocolate Award at the ceremony held at Xoxolat 1271 Homer Street Vancouver for his winning classy dessert entry in that competition. Steve told me then that “it will be one of many more to come”. Since then Steve has embarked on an impressive Food Network Canada career with two successful shows Great Chocolate Showdown & Project Bakeover. This new last one helps bakeries who are struggling using Steve’s sage understanding most empathetic advice to transform to a more updated popular style. So well done indeed. Recommend these shows and to follow Steve on Instagram @chefstevehodge. Please let us know in the comments about emerging culinary media stars from your region.
