Style: Smoked Porter
ABV: 7%
Presentation: 500 ml brown bottle
Brewery: Nikenjayamochi Kadoya Honten Co./Beer Warehouse
Country: Ise City, Japan

KANPAI! w/ Jeff Werstiuk

One surprising detail that I’ve noticed since we’ve had such a large influx of Japanese craft beers here in Alberta is that in general they produce an impressively satisfying dark beer. The one that stands out above the rest for me thus far has been the Imperial Smoked Porter from the Ise Kadoya brewery. This in itself can be something of a challenging ale, both for the brewer to pull off, and for some beer drinkers, especially if the latter is unfamiliar with the style or what to expect.

Although they tended to be somewhat ubiquitous by default a few hundred years ago and beyond, smoked beers are far from common these days (with the exception of certain pockets of Germany who kept the tradition alive). With the dawn of the craft brewing movement about three decades ago now many craft breweries have taken it upon themselves to resurrect obsolete styles from the past, or at least create their own individual interpretations of them.

It was the Alaskan Brewing Company based in the city of Juneau that is credited for reviving the Smoked Porter style back in 1988, which helped pave the way for some other great versions, and some ambitious yet not so palatable attempts. The trick with all smoked beers, including Porters, is to walk a fine line by not overdoing things, otherwise the final product tends to taste a lot like a full ashtray. I don’t know about you, but to me that’s a total turn-off.

The method that brewers and malters use to produce smoked malt is to dry their malt over an open flame, or to toast already processed malt over a certain type of smouldering wood in order to impart those characteristics into the grains. Once this is complete the big challenge is to calculate just the right amount of this smoked malt to add to the brewing mash in order to provide the precise amount of smoke within the flavour so that it adds to and accentuates the other dark malts, but doesn’t overwhelm the flavour and taste like inhaling the ashes of a fresh campfire.

Ise Kadoya manages to nail this balance nicely and not overwhelm. Since this is a sipping beer, you can serve it chilled straight out of the fridge (I’d still let it sit about 10 minutes before opening) and explore how the flavour evolves as it warms. A pint glass or mug will suffice, but if you have one I’d recommend treating yourself to this Smoked Porter out of an oversized brandy snifter.

You’ll encounter the aroma of burnt smoky malts, with a slight acidity. Roasted and toasted malts rest underneath. The appearance is an impressive opaque black crowned with a tall spongy tan head. There is a refinement within the flavour, with roasted and chocolate malts at first, a sweet yet mild acidity in the middle, dry, roasted finish, with faint earthy, woody, smoky notes in the aftertaste. As it warms cherry wood and dark dried fruits start to appear. The mouthfeel is full-bodied without being thick, with a smooth, velvety texture and mild carbonation on the finish.

You’ve probably come to this conclusion on your own in assuming that this Imperial Smoked Porter is perfect to serve with barbecue. Practically anything grilled will be complimented and highlighted. On the other end of the spectrum is a date with some oysters, or smoked salmon if you’re not into shellfish. Sausage, bacon-based dishes, really, practically any pork centered cuisine will serve as great options for food pairings. If your fancy is cheese then go with old or sharp cheeses, although even some soft cheese will offer some pleasant contrast.

The next steps in the cooler:

From This Brewery:
Ise Kadoya Brown Ale
Ise Kadoya Genmai Ale
Ise Kadoya IPA
Ise Kadoya Imperial IPA
Ise Kadoya Stout
Ise Kadoya Triple Hop Ale

Other Porters:
Sherbrooke Chocolate Cherry Ostiarius
Rogue Mocha Porter
Mill St. Coffee Porter
Fuller’s London Porter
Samuel Smith’s Old Taddy Porter
Paddock Wood London Porter

Lateral Steps:
St-Ambroise Oatmeal Stout
Half Pints Stir Stick Stout
Yukon Brewing Midnight Sun Espresso Stout
Paddock Wood Bête Noire

For The Adventurous:
Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock
Aventinus
Alley Kat Olde Deuteronomy

Whenever we have a chat about Vodka, we have found that most people associate it with Russia. The word ‘vodka’ did come from the Russian word for water (voda). Stewart Walton and Brian Glover, in their book The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Wine Beer Spirits and Liqueurs say “The word vodka is a Russian endearment meaning ‘little water’”. It is hard to trace back the definitive history of this spirit, but it seems that in the 14th century it was being distilled in Russia and possibly Poland. Today Vodka is made in France, United States of America, Canada, Sweden, Ukraine, Russia and Poland to name just a few countries around the world.

The spirit is made from a fermented mash. That mash can be made up of different things like grains and potatoes. It has been said that throughout history vodkas have been made out of other vegetables and even molasses. Although today there are vodkas made out of potato, the majority of the ones we see on our store shelves are made from grains, most notably wheat and rye.
Vodka can definitely owe some of its popularity to its ability to mix in cocktails. We all know those cocktails: Caesar, Cosmopolitan, Black Russian (our friend Don’s favourite), Vodka Martini, Chocolate Martini, Long Island Ice Tea… and so on and so on and so on.

Flavoured vodka has been around for a long time (I think pepper vodka and chocolate vodka were the first ones we had tried), but over the past decade we have seen some incredible flavours. Citrus and berry are flavours we have seen for sure, but how about Cotton Candy, Cherry Lemonade, Grape, Double Espresso, Root Beer and Whipped Cream. Yup… you are reading that correctly. Whipped Cream. This week we are going to sample the Pinnacle Vodka Whipped Cream and the Pinnacle Vodka Cherry Lemonade.

Pinnacle Vodka

Location: France
Flavour #1: Cherry Lemonade
Tasting: Wednesday, September 29, 2010 - 4:00 – 7:00 p.m

Pinnacle Vodka is from France and they have a wide array of flavours… 23 of them. (Most of which are available in Alberta). Just in case you are not into the flavours and just like classic vodka, well, they have that too. Pinnacle is made from a recipe that has been handed down from generation to generation with wheat grain from the Brie region of France. The water used in the recipe comes from naturally filtered water from the northern region of France. We quite often hear that every Vodka is the same… they all taste the same. Well, I wouldn’t say that is the case. Like every kind of spirit each type of vodka is different.

Sour-tini
2 oz of Pinnacle Cherry Lemonade Vodka
1.5 oz of Cranberry Juice.

Cherry Lemonade Tea
2 oz Cherry Lemonade Pinnacle Vodka
4 oz of tea.

For more Cherry Lemonade recipes click here

Pinnacle Vodka
Location: France
Flavour #2: Whipped Cream
Tasting: Wednesday, September 29, 2010 - 4:00 – 7:00 p.m

Whipped Cream Savour-Tini
2 oz Pinnacle Whipped Cream Vodka
1 oz Pineapple Juice
1 oz Orange Juice

Orange Float
1 oz Pinnacle Whipped Cream Vodka
3 oz Orange Crush

For more Whipped recipes click here

You are only limited by your imagination. Richard even tried the Whipped Cream in coffee one day. We were both very pleasantly surprised. Come by and have a wee try of the Cherry Lemonade and the Whipped.

Next week Richard and I are heading back to Italy

Style: Pilsener
ABV: 5%
Presentation: 6 packs of 330 ml green bottles / 500 ml green bottle
Brewery: Brewery Budweiser Budvar
Country: České Budějovice, Czech Republic

KANPAI! w/ Jeff Werstiuk

This traditional Pilsener is one of my regular standbys for a hot weather quencher. That was the original intention with the invention of this style, or at least to produce a light yet tasteful easy drinking beer. One thing to take note about Bohemian Pilseners, or more currently lagers that are produced in modern day Czech Republic, is that the spelling of this style has an extra “E” in it. This is due to a sort of appellation status, as the first Pilseners were developed in the city of Pilsen, Bohemia in 1842 (now referred to as Plzeň, Czech Republic).

Produced elsewhere this style is shortened to Pilsner, or even Pils. It’s an old Germanic practice to add an “-er” to the end of any location when referring to a certain product that was first developed there, a sort of famous namesake. It wasn’t uncommon to project this custom onto neighbouring nations either.

This leads us into the controversy that has been hounding this beer for over a century now. While the Czech name of the city that Czechvar is produced is České Budějovice, the Bohemian name was Budweis. It was back in 1785 when a brewery first started up, producing a beer called
Budweiser Bürgerbräu. It was in 1895 that a 2nd company, presently called Budvar, also started producing a beer called Budweiser Budvar. It’s this latter one that concerns us and our Czechvar. Two breweries from a city called Budweis, both producing beers called Budweiser. I’m sure the name rings a bell with you.

Now a certain American company also started using the label of Budweiser to brew under as far back as 1876, and had it legally registered a couple years afterwards. This immediately led to copyright lawsuits when the breweries from back in Budweis tried to share their products with the American market as well. Although there were small concessions over the years, let’s just say that things have been ongoing and the company who could afford the most lawyers has managed to maintain the most leverage. Well, at least here in North America. Hence why Budweiser Budvar is known as Czechvar here in Canada and the U.S.

That’s about as much as I want to cover regarding the legalities and the politics behind all of this, but thought it was necessary to cover the curious and somewhat unstipulated history behind the pedigree of this excellent Czech Pilsener. You may see the name Czechvar now, but you’ll know better about what lies behind it

With that taken care of let’s check out what all the fuss is all about. A tall fluted Pilsner glass is the way to go to insure an authentic experience, but if your glassware collection is limited then pull out the trusty pint glass. Chilled is definitely the way to serve this style, just make sure it’s not iced cold. With a style like this it’s what you don’t taste at times that is most important, but nearly frozen beer will mask almost anything and everything.

What fills your glass is a clear bright golden beer, with a shock white head. If not too cold you’ll be able to smell some mild bready malt, along with the classic Czech Saaz hops which are a bit spicy, and tend to possess a character of fresh cut grass. At times I even pick up some citrus notes as well. Crisp and clean are the first impressions of the flavour. A little bit of bready malt up front, but what follows is almost a metallic character of clean grains, finishing with the spicy, grassy, light citrus countenance of the traditional Noble Czech hops. Clean, dry aftertaste. Medium-bodied mouthfeel with a brisk amount of carbonation, and a crisp, dry finish.

If you’re a fan of spicy foods then this is your new best friend. Between the crispness of the hops and the cleansing aspect of the carbonation, you’ll be able to cut through almost any heat while scrubbing your palate clean and hitting the reset button in your mouth to allow you to go back for more. Thai, Indian, Vietnamese and Mexican dishes have met their ideal match. Forget the pickled ginger too, this Pilsener is subtle enough to pair with sushi while having enough character to subdue the most intense wasabi. Salty or fatty foods will be tamed as well, from pork dishes to Chinese food in rich sauce. There really isn’t much that this Pilsener can’t pair up with to one degree or another, even if you have a taste for shellfish—raw or slathered in butter or a wine steamed preparation. It will cut through fats and neutralize acidity or heat. It appears that all the fuss over this beer was worth it after all, even if it has to enter our country with a pseudonym.

The next steps in the cooler:

Czech Pilseners:
Pilsner Urquell
Krušovice Imperial
Žatec
Litovel

Other Pils:
Lagunitas Pils
Paddock Wood Czech Mate
Creemore Springs Traditional Pilsner
Raasted Pilsner
Brooklyn Pilsner
Bitburger Premium Pils
Radeberger Pilsner
Pinkus Organic Ur Pils

Lateral Steps:
Warsteiner Premium Verum
Kulmbacher
Alley Kat Charlie Flint’s Original Lager

For The Adventurous:
Duvel
Erdinger Weiss
Edelweiss Snowfresh

Map courtesy of cellartours.com

It only seems like the other day that Richard and I visited the beautiful estate of CastelGiocondo in Montalcino, Italy. Luckily we had our handy little GPS and we were able to find the estate with no problem. We came through the entrance and we knew that we would be driving for a few minutes before we came to the offices. So, of course, out came the camera and I was capturing everything I could see while Richard was navigating the road. This lovely estate is made up of over 800 hectares of land, of which approximately 235 hectares are under vine.

“Constructed in 1100 to guard the road from the port at Talamone to Siena, the castle has belonged to the Frescobaldi family since 1989. Already one of the top-quality producers of Brunello di Montalcino in the late 19th century, the tenuta of Castelgiocondo yields massively-structured wines of great complexity and balance.”

The vineyard to our left was alive with all of the workers doing the first pruning of the vines for the 2010 grape growing season. These are people who have worked for CastelGiocondo for many years. We have said this many times previously and will say it many more times to come, growing grapes and making wine takes a lot of blood, sweat and tears.

Nadine, the wonderful lady who takes care of the office and all who visit the estate, took us on a wonderful tour of the property, including the winery and cellar. Even the photos do not do this place justice. While we were there, we tried a number of the wines produced at this amazing estate. Since that time, every bottle of CastelGiocondo wine that Richard and I have opened, we have been immediately transported back to this beautiful part of Italy. As those of you who know me, I could talk the paint off the wall, so I think it best to go forward and talk about this wine. (Map Courtesy of www.frescobaldi.it/)

Campo ai Sassi Rosso di Montalcino DOC

Winery: Tenuta Castel Giocondo
Vintage: 2007
Location: Tuscany, Italy
Blend: 100% Sangiovese
Tasting: Wednesday, September 22, 2010 - 4:00 – 7:00 p.m

First of all, let’s talk about what Rosso di Montalcino is. It is quite often referred to as the second wine or little brother of Brunello di Montalcino. It is from the same grape variety, Sangiovese Grosso, locally known as Brunello. The Rosso di Montalcino was designated a DOC back in 1984. It gave the producers the option to make a wine in years, either when they did not want to ‘declare’ a Brunello vintage or some producers set aside a certain part of their vineyards for producing Rosso specifically.

Rosso di Montalcino is a little softer than its big brother. It doesn’t require the same aging as Brunello either. The law requires Rosso to be aged only 12 months in wood instead of Brunello’s 48 months. This gives the consumer a more approachable wine with a softer side and at a much more approachable price, as well.

Tasting notes from CastelGiocondo: “A lovely, deep ruby color. It shows crisp-edged aromas, with initial dried plum fragrances yielding to more minerally impressions and suggestions of tanned leather.Campo ai Sassi boasts a firmly structured palate, with an impressive balance between tannins and the other components. It has a long, vivacious finale.”

Food Pairing:

Mushroom Risotto; Boar; Beef stew; Pappadelle pasta with a Hare sauce.

CSPC: 712893
Price:

$19.50 (Minus Winesday 10% discount.)

*Price correct at time of printing. Price subject to change without notice

Pomino Bianco DOC

Winery: Castello di Pomino
Vintage: 2009
Location: Tuscany Italy
Blend: Chardonnay and Pinot Bianco
(with a touch of a couple of other complementary grape varieties
Tasting: Wednesday, September 22, 2010 - 4:00 – 7:00 p.m.

Unfortunately, time did not allow us to visit Castello di Pomino when we were in Tuscany, but hopefully we will have the opportunity the next time we visit Italy.

In 1716 Cosimo III de’ Medici, who was the Grand Duke of Tuscany, noted Pomino for its excellent wines. The vineyards, forest chestnut trees and olive groves provide this estate with a wonderful ecosystem. This estate covers overf 1450 hectares along the slopes of the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines. It has 108 hectares in vineyards. The Frescobaldis were the first in Tuscany to plant international varieties. “Thanks to slightly acidic soils and the dry, cool weather of these more northerly areas, these vineyards yield highly aromatic wines of striking finesse and distinctiveness.”

Tasting notes from Castello di Pomino: “A sparkling straw -yellow precedes a nose notable for its forward, cleanly-defined aromas. Delicate floral notes of lily of the valley and hawthorn blossoms yield to fruiter notes of apple, pear, peach, and banana, with an elegant nuance of earthy mineral concluding the array. A rounded, smooth palate offers rich, appealing flavours and an appreciable vein of crisp acidity. This is a truly elegant, well-balanced wine, concluding with a very lengthy, delicious finish.”

Food Pairing:

Roast Chicken; Salmon; Aperitif; Vegetarian antipasti; Roasted veal.

CSPC: 65086
Price:

$17.99 (Minus Winesday 10% discount.)

*Price correct at time of printing. Price subject to change without notice

See you on Wednesday afternoon.

Style: All-Malt Lager
ABV: 5%
Presentation: 6 packs of 341 ml brown bottles
Brewery: Yukon Brewing Company
Country: Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, Canada

KANPAI! w/ Jeff Werstiuk

Here’s the sole lager variety offered by a brewery that has carved a reputation out for their solid line up of ales. It then comes as no surprise that Chilkoot Lager manages to hold its own within the ranks of such a notable assemblage of suds to stand out based on its distinctive merits. Indeed, the brewers must be pretty proud of this beer to have given it the namesake of the brewery’s former moniker, back when Yukon was originally known as the Chilkoot Brewing Company.

However the origin of both names stems from the Chilkoot Trail, a route that runs through the Coast Mountains between Alaska and North Western Canada, with the highest point being the Chilkoot Pass. It was used frequently by the indigenous Tlingit people until it was overrun by prospectors during the Klondike Gold Rush. Both Canada and the U.S. have also deemed the trail a Historical Site on each respective side of the fence. Yukon Brewing may have only started producing Chilkoot Lager back in 2000, but by association it has a heck of a history linked with it.

The intention behind Chilkoot Lager was to provide locals with a mainstream lager alternative for those who were loyal followers of the hometown small craft business. Something a bit toned down from the ales, but more flavourful than other commercial lagers. Even in this act Yukon Brewing managed to produce something fairly unique for the style, or so I always thought. It stems from a special strain of brewer’s yeast that provides a subtle natural orchard fruit character. I tend to pick up apricot, while others even get nuances of peach, mango and even papaya. I’ll put out a disclaimer right here, this is not a fruit beer, and no fruit has been added. It’s the subtle manipulation of brewing yeast that adds this extra perk.

As with any lager you’re going to want to serve this one fairly chilled, just not iced cold. A tall lager or pilsner glass is the way to go, however your trusty pint glass will make a decent back-up.

This one tends to pour out with a bit of a chill haze, which means it’s not crystal clear, however it’s not turbid either. Pale golden in colour otherwise, with a short white head. Your nose will pick up some light bready malt, with hints of apricot or similar fruit, and light herbal hops. The malt remains light and in the background within the flavour, clean throughout, with mild notes of sweet fruit and leafy green hops on the finish. A light, crisp mouthfeel carries this all across your palate.

Speaking of palates, sweet salsa and mango chutney are the first food pairings that come to mind in relation to this lager. Most typically served with tortillas and pappadums respectively, but feel free to explore with other options. Soft cheese such as Brie or Camembert is another good choice, whether served with bread or crackers. For a fuller meal try a lightly spiced baked or roasted chicken, with a side of butter squash or sweet potato.

The next steps in the cooler:

From This Brewery:
Yukon Red
Yukon Gold
Lead Dog Ale
Yukon Cranberry Wheat
Discovery Ale
Ice Fog IPA
Midnight Sun Espresso Stout

Other Craft Lagers:
Alley Kat Charlie Flint’s Original Lager
Mill Street Original Organic Lager
Coney Island Sword Swallower

Lateral Steps:
Boddingtons Pub Ale
St-Ambroise Pale Ale
Anchor Steam Ale
Edelweiss Snowfresh

For The Adventurous:
Duvel
Unibroue Don de Dieu
Delirium Tremens

Boutinot Limited

Paul Boutinot is the son of a very successful restauranteur. Over the years, Paul became frustrated with the quality of wines that were available to restaurants and decided that he would do something about it. He travelled to France and brought back some wonderful house wines for his dad to serve in his restaurant. He would do this on a regular basis and then word got out to other restaurants and soon people were knocking on his door and asking him to do the same thing for them.

So in 1980 Paul opened Boutinot Limited in his home town of Manchester. Yes Manchester. For those of you who are big football (soccer) fans, you will know this area for its two Premier League Football teams of Manchester United and Manchester City.

Nine years later things changed for Boutinot Limited. Boutinot established production facilities in France “to provide total control over the winemaking process”. They made the move because they were “unhappy with the homogenization of wine styles and poor quality winemaking.” Paul Boutinot “has built a thriving business doing things differently from his competitors.” Being different is a good thing. If everything was the same, then all the wine would be the same and who in heaven’s name would want that to be the case?

Since early this century, Paul Boutinot now has a production base located in Schaapenberg in South Africa, which also gives greater control over what happens from the vineyard to the bottle and everything in between for his wines from that country.

Boutinot Limited has a team of talented winemakers. One of the best known is Eric Monnin. Eric has a talent for finding the best grapes that wine growing season has to offer. Boutinot has been working with grape growers in the Languedoc for over twenty years. So there are a lot of wonderful grapes to choose from. At the 2010 Sommelier Wine Awards Eric was given the honour of being chosen The Critics Choice Winemaker.

We have a fun line up of wines for you this week… a white, a rosé and a red.

Chat-en-Oeuf Blanc
Languedoc

Producer: Boutinot France Languedoc Roussillon
Vintage: 2009
Location: Languedoc, France
Blend: 60% Grenache, 30% Marsanne and 10% Roussanne and a dash of Rolle (Vermentino) and left un-oaked
Alcohol: 12.5%
Tasting: Wednesday, September 15, 2010 - 4:00 – 7:00 p.m

Okay, before we go any further, we just have to talk about this name… Chat-en-Oeuf. What a great cheeky name to have fun with Châteauneuf-du-Pape the famous wine from the Rhône wine region in southeastern France. Chat-en-Oeuf literally translated means ‘cat in egg’. As you can see by the label, the cat isn’t actually in the egg, but on the egg. Close enough. A South African winery pulled a funny on the French a number of years ago and made a wine called ‘Goats Do Roam’, after the Côtes du Rhône in France. Then they came out with Goats Rotie to have fun with Côte Rôtie, another wine region in France. I had heard many years ago that the French were not amused, but I guess some of them decided they might as well join them instead of fight them. Good on them, we say.

Eric Monnin is Boutinot’s winemaker for the Languedoc region. He seems to have the ability to find grape growers who have something special in the vineyard. He also helps to advise these growers so that the harvested fruit will express exactly what he wants, whether for the whites, rosés or the reds. “The grapes for the Chat-en-Oeuf Blanc come from selected growers around Beziers in the South of France and expertly blended by Eric Monnin and Kim Tidy of Maison Boutinot who produce the wines for the Chat-en-Oeuf range.”

The tasting notes for this wine are: “This scrumptious dry white is wonderfully aromatic and mouth-filling - crammed with citrus fruit flavours, a touch of apricot and a subtle twist of spice.”

This wine won a silver medal at the 2010 Decanter Wine Awards.

Food Pairing:

Roasted chicken; Roast of pork; Atlantic cod poached; Pork chops with a light mushroom sauce.

CSPC: 65433
Price:

$ 11.25 (Minus Winesday 10% discount.)

*Price correct at time of printing. Price subject to change without notice

Chat-en-Oeuf Rosé
Vin de Pays d’Oc

Producer: Boutinot France Languedoc Roussillon
Vintage: 2009
Location: Languedoc, France
Blend: Cinsault 50%, Grenache Noir 30%, Syrah 20%
Alcohol: 12.5%
Tasting: Wednesday, September 15, 2010 - 4:00 – 7:00 p.m

First of all you need to know that this wine is a Rosé, not a blush. I am going out on a limb with my percentages, but I would say that 95% of Rosé wines are dry. Now, there are always the exceptions like Mateus and Gazela. On the other side of things, blush wines are made to have some sweetness. If you see the word ‘white’ in front of ‘zinfandel’, ‘grenache’ or ‘merlot’ to name a few, then it will be a wine with a sweetness generally speaking of anywhere from a 2 to 4. Our Chat-en-Oeuf Rosé is dry and flavourful.

“Made by the ‘rosé de presse’ method where the grapes are not macerated on their skins but go straight to the press where the finer aroma and the flavour compounds located just under the skins are gently extracted on a slow cycle.”

Here is how they describe the wine: “A fruity, mouth-filling Rosé packed with juicy red berry flavours, a touch of floral aromas and a subtle twist of sweet spice.”

This wine won a Bronze Medal at the Decanter Wine Awards.

Food Pairing:

Mild tomato based pasta dishes; Trout; White fish; Green Salad with a light fruit dressing.

CSPC: 79236
Price:

$ 12.50 (Minus Winesday 10% discount.)

*Price correct at time of printing. Price subject to change without notice

Chat-en-Oeuf Rouge
Ventoux

Winery: Boutinot France Rhône
Vintage: 2007
Location: Rhône, France
Blend: Grenache 70%, Syrah 30%
Alcohol: 13.5%
Tasting: Wednesday, September 15, 2010 - 4:00 – 7:00 p.m.

I love this quote from the Boutinot website: “The affair with the southern Rhône is both enduring and unswerving. We believe to our marrow that we can make great wine here.” ‘Enduring and unswerving’… that almost sounds romantic. For those people growing grapes and making wine, it truly is a love affair.

You will notice that the grapes for this wine come from a different area. Ventoux is not an area extremely well known to most of us. However, there is a little bike race (tongue in cheek) held every year call the ‘Tour de France’ and on a number of occasions the participants have had to gather every bit of strength to climb the steep grade of Mont Ventoux, which is nearby.

The new vintage for this wine is the 2007. The 2006 vintage was ‘Commended’ at the 2007 Decanter Wine Awards and was also given note at the 2007 IWSC.

The tasting notes describe this wine as follows: “A truly mouth-filling red packed with rich, juicy and ripe berry fruit flavours, a touch of soft tannin and a subtle twist of spice and ‘garrigue’ herbs.”

Food Pairing:

Beef Casserole; Grilled or broiled sausages; Cheese.

CSPC: 21113
Price:

$ 12.50 (Minus Winesday 10% discount.)

*Price correct at time of printing. Price subject to change without notice

Next week Richard and I are travelling a beautiful estate in Montalcino, Italy. Come join us for some Italian hospitality.

Jason Foster

Check out more of Jason Foster’s beer news and views at onbeer.org

Now that I have spent a couple of months easing you outside the barley beer blinkers, showing that other grains work well in beer, I now want to blow your mind and tell you that you don’t need barley at all to make beer. Good news for people who have Celiac disease or are otherwise gluten intolerant, who still possess the right to drink good beer (that’s in the Charter of Rights somewhere, right?)

Most of you have heard of gluten-free beer, but you may not know much about it. What is it made of? How do they get rid of the gluten? That is why I am here. Step one. What is gluten? It is a protein – more accurately an amalgam of two proteins (gliadin and glutenin) – found in some grass-like grains, most famously barley, wheat and rye. Gluten is the stuff that allows bread dough to rise without collapsing on its self and makes bread all chewy and yummy.

Gluten is an important nutrient for the human body. However for approximately one percent of the population, they have an auto-immune reaction to it. Again, for the sake of accuracy, the offending protein is actually gliadin, but since the two hang out together all the time they both take the rap. Reactions are quite varied, but never pleasant. So, it is a good thing to avoid all gluten if you have celiac disease. Until recently that meant living without beer – a harsh fate.

So what do they use? Well, obviously, grains that don’t have gluten – rice, sorghum, millet, buckwheat, teff, corn (oats don’t have gluten either, but often are contaminated with other grains processed at the same plant). As we learned last time, these grains, too, can be malted, mashed and used in beer. And, as we also learned, they will infuse their own special characteristics to the beer, making it taste quite different than barley beer. Hops, water, yeast and other adjuncts like honey or fruit are all good to go as well.

Let me state right here that making gluten-free beer is not easy. Barley took over the brewing world 1000 years ago because it is so damned well suited for it: its husk provides a natural filter bed, it contains more fermentable starches than other grains, it is high yielding and its flavour is soft and pleasant. Take that away and you have some extra work to do.

I will spare you the beer geek details about how to malt these grains and the steps you need to successfully prepare them for beer. Just trust me when I say that gluten-free brewers have to work extra hard. Plus these non-traditional grains are far more expensive than barley (and you need to use more to make up for the reduced sugar levels), so don’t go looking for buck-a-beer on the gluten-free shelf.

I hasten to add that there is a big difference between gluten-free beer and low-gluten beer. Some companies have tried to blur the line between the two, which is an unethical, potentially dangerous practice. A particularly bad seed on this front is Sapporo, who has publicly proclaimed that their beer is gluten-free because it contains a high proportion of corn. It. Is. Not.

All big macro lagers, like Sapporo because they use corn to lighten the body and their costs, will have less gluten than an all-barley craft brew. That is just logical. But that may not help a celiac, some of whom react to gluten at levels lower than 10 ppm. Any barley-based beer is going to have higher than that.
My survey of available gluten-free beer suggests that the most popular grains are sorghum, rice, a smaller amount of buckwheat, and some back up from corn. Thankfully there are few, diverse gluten-free breweries available in Alberta. In all there are nine beer, and there is more diversity than you might expect or fear. Yes, most – like Frio and Estrelle Damm Daura – are simply trying to duplicate the light-flavoured lagers that appeal to the majority of the market. A few try to do something different. Bard’s goes for a blonde ale taste, and the Green’s line is inspired by Belgian brewing methods.

I have sampled a few. When drinking them I think it is important to push out of your mind the barley-based equivalent, for the unusual grains will, as I have said, create their own flavours. They are not fabulous beer on the whole, but if it is your only option I can imagine you look upon them more favourably.

The gluten-free beer business is in its infancy. I trust that in time the beer will get better and gluten intolerant beer fans will end up with craft-brewed quality beer. Let’s hope so. Now I need to go lobby my MP for a beer amendment to the Charter.

Style: American Amber/Red Ale
ABV: 5.9%
Presentation: 6 packs of 355 ml brown bottles
Brewery: Lagunitas Brewing Company
Country: Petaluma, California, U.S.A.

KANPAI! w/ Jeff Werstiuk

Try getting a straight answer out of the PR folks at Lagunitas. Granted you’ll get some amusing blurbs on the labels of their beer that tends to draw your attention away from the product in hand. Scour their website for more of the same obscure and vague stream of conscious banter that seems more like a wild goose chase than anything else. It’s almost like they’re hiding something, distracting you from something more pertinent that they don’t want you to know or find out about. I’d be willing to write this all off as some sort of pre-meditated sinister plot if it wasn’t for the fact that in general they make some well-crafted tasty beers.

Then I’m reminded that their motto is, “Beer speaks, people mumble,” and realize that this flippant approach stems from that frame of mind. A stance acknowledging the fact that no matter what they tell you about their beer, it’s the beer that gets the final word. And that if you don’t like what that beer has to say then nothing they tell you is going to bring you back for more. So with all that smoke and mirror action they are actually being up front and honest—in a roundabout sort of way of course…..

After all of that we come around to their Censored Ale. Censored? What the heck are they hiding here? Nothing really, except for something the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms didn’t want you to see. This copper ale was originally called Kronik, and rather than changing the name they simply chose to obviously slap a “Censored” bar across it, I suppose to make the Federal injunction against it more obvious in the process. Now that you’re in the know if you look close enough you can see the fringes of this word still exposed behind the black bar.

Moving beyond the politics and legalities and controversy behind it all, let’s look further into the style of the American Amber Ale that this beer falls into. It’s something of an ambiguous category that was invented in the Western U.S. States during the 1990’s. Too dark to be considered a Pale Ale, not hoppy enough to fit in as an IPA, it soon spread across North America, many times to the fate of becoming a sweet malty catch-all beer to woo in the uninitiated to the craft beer scene, and for countless people this was the first ale they ever tried. With their Censored, Lagunitas clings tightly to their West Coast roots and makes sure that there is a healthy helping of hops to be found within this otherwise caramel sweet coppery ale. The result is a rather satisfying and balanced beer, although in the end it’s one for those who carry an appreciation for citrusy American hops.

This is a pretty easy-going style to begin with, and Censored isn’t quite fussy either, so choice of glassware is up to you on this one. I’d also let it sit out about 10 minutes before opening, just to allow the malt a chance to catch up with the hops in the flavour.

No lies to be found on the label for this beer, it does indeed pour out a rich copper colour, with a slight chill-haze. The aroma is rich and full, with caramel and toasted malts, dates and currents, and some citrus zest. Into the flavour you’ll find some mild malt and dry fruit at first, with the bright citrusy hops showing up in the middle, and then a buttery sweet caramel malt swells in the finish to unite with the hops. The flavour rides into town on a full and creamy smooth mouthfeel with low carbonation.

Food options are fairly broad for this American Amber Ale, easily running the full gamut of pub fare: from fish and chips to fully dressed nachos or piled high burgers, and pretty much everything in between. If it’s not excessively spicy this ale will pair quite nicely with the savoury properties of Mexican and Thai cuisine. From finger food to chopsticks Lagunitas Censored has you covered.

The next steps in the cooler:

From This Brewery:
Dogtown Pale Ale
Hop Stoopid
Lagunitas Imperial Stout
Lagunitas IPA
Maximus
Lagunitas PILS

In-Style:
Rogue American Amber Ale
Fish Tale Organic Amber Ale
Tree Thirsty Beaver
Yukon Red
Pump House Fire Chief’s Red Ale

Lateral Steps:
Fuller’s London Pride
Pump House SOB
Wellington Arkell Best Bitter
Anchor Liberty Ale
Alley Kat Full Moon Pale Ale

For The Adventurous:
Dogfish Head 90 Min. IPA
Tree Hophead
Central City Red Racer IPA
Houblon Chouffe Dobbelen IPA Tripel

Map courtesy of www.aboutwines.com

Argentina is the fifth largest wine producing country in the world. Its domestic consumption as of 2006 was over 40 litres per capita. That is a good bit of vino! Malbec has proven to be the most successful in the export markets, but other red varieties like Bonarda, Barbera and Cabernet Sauvignon are making their mark as well. Of the white varieties, Torrontés [tore-rahn-TEZ] is the most typical coming from Argentina and if you have never tried wine made from this grape, well you should. Winesday September 8th is a good day to start.

Malbec has become the new sexy grape over the past few years and there is no wonder why. We live in the land of beef and Malbec goes great with beef. Argentina is also known for its beef, so it is a great fit for that country. (Surprisingly, it can also go with food with a bit of spice to it.) It just seems to have taken the new world by storm. Great marketing helps too. The wines from this country have not only been in the spotlight for their flavour, but also for their value. You can get a nice wine at a good price. In these economic times, that is always a plus.

Winery: Cuma (Michel Torino)
Vintage: 2009
Location: Cafayate, Salta - Mendoza, Argentina
Blend: 100% Organic Malbec
Tasting: Wednesday, September 8, 2010 - 4:00 – 7:00 p.m

A couple of months ago, we tried two wines from the Bodega El Esteco label called Michel Torino. (See July 21 blog) We talked a bit about the history of this company and some of their wine labels. They make “young and fresh wines, fruit driven”. Today we have the opportunity to try two of their organic wines: Cuma Malbec and Cuma Torrontes.

The name ‘Cuma’ means “pure and clear”. It comes from the language of a tribe (Aymara) who inhabited this region around the time of the Incas. The viticulture and winemaking practices for the Cuma wines, are very strictly controlled and the Cuma wines were certified organic in 2005.

Generally speaking, sulfur levels tend to be lower. The wines are expressive. The colour of this Malbec is deep, dark and draws you in. There is a little more intensity in the flavours of the nice red fruit. The tannins are definitely present giving it a nice structure. The aftertaste lingers with the red fruit, some spice and even a wee bit of red plum with a little note of mint.

Food Pairing:

Mexican influenced beef (a little spice is always nice); Spicy pork dishes; Grilled steak.

CSPC: 733219
Price:

$14.99 (Minus Winesday 10% discount.)

*Price correct at time of printing. Price subject to change without notice

Winery: Cuma (Michel Torino)
Vintage: 2009
Location: Mendoza, Argentina
Blend: 100% Organic Torrontés
Tasting: Wednesday, September 8, 2010 - 4:00 – 7:00 p.m.

Torrontés produces some of the most distinctive white wines in Argentina, characterized by floral Muscat-like aromas and a spicy note. Recently I read this: ‘Smelling a glass of Torrontés is like smelling a wonderful bouquet of flowers.’ That really describes it perfectly.

The background of this grape variety has always been a little murky. Although the Argentineans like to think that this is their own varietal, there has been some talk to the contrary. “According to a 5/28/08 Daily Herald article by columnist Mary Ross, recent genetic testing indicates that Torrontes is a hybrid of Muscat of Alexandria and Criolla Chica.” No matter what the background is, the Argentineans love this wine. It makes up approximately 10% of the white grape varieties planted in the country, but it accounts for 20% of the sales.

This is a wine that you and I should enjoy when it is young. Please do not over chill this wine. You will lose all of the wonderful flavours and aromas and therefore miss out on what makes this grape variety so neat. With the floral and citrus (orange) scents and flavours of peaches, flowers and even some lemon, this wine will pair with some cool food.

Food Pairing:

Vegetarian empanadas; Asian influenced cuisine; guacamole.

CSPC: 733223
Price:

$14.99 (Minus Winesday 10% discount.)

*Price correct at time of printing. Price subject to change without notice

Look out France… Richard and I are heading your way next week.

Style: Munich Dunkel Lager
ABV: 4.9%
Presentation: 6 packs of 330 ml brown bottles / Single 500 ml cans
Brewery: Warsteiner Brauerei
Country: Warstein, Germany

KANPAI! w/ Jeff Werstiuk

When most people think of lagers the first thing that comes to mind is the clear pale fizzy stuff that has practically become ubiquitous with the word beer itself. To some it boggles the mind to learn that there are dark versions of this style of beer, and the fact that all lagers were initially dark.

Lagers became a separate distinct type of beer in relation to ales when the yeast in the beer casks that the Bavarians stored in mountain caves over 500 years ago evolved to ferment on the bottom of the vessel at cold temperatures. The beer was stored in this manner in order to prevent it from spoiling during the hot summer months in a time before the luxury of modern refrigeration, and over the years resulted in a new final product that was cleaner in flavour and clearer in appearance. However “clearer” in this context meant a translucent brown, since all malted barley at this time was brown and had to wait a few more centuries until improvements in kilning technology were able to produce lighter and paler malt.

So then, the Dunkel (which means “dark” in German) was the first of the lagers for quite some time. These days the tables have turned and Dunkels seem to be more of an anomaly than anything else, at least here in North America. Yet one thing to keep in mind is that when dark malt is lagered it produces a refreshingly dry, almost wafer-like quality, quite different from its dark ale cousins on the other branch of the family tree. Along with that the body remains light and crisp just like its golden hued replacements.

As this is a lager, a tall fluted glass such as a Pilsner glass would be the best route to go to serve it in; this would ideally promote the carbonation and accentuate the subtle characteristics. However a pint glass will work as a pinch hitter for extra options. This will also taste best chilled, so around 5 minutes after pulling it out of the fridge will be the best time to serve it. As always more elements will present themselves as it warms, but you don’t want to drink this one too warm.

Your choice of glass will reveal a lager that is a clear nut brown, one that is capped with a spongy off-white head. A few passes under your nose will disclose some nutty sweet malt, a little bit of raisin sweetness, along with some toasty chocolate. The first sip is clean, and could be mistaken for a German Pils if you had your eyes closed, however further investigation will mirror what was present in the aroma: light toasty malt with a nutty character, finishing with a mingling of chocolaty wafer and noticeable grassy hops. The texture has a clean metallic feel, with a light mouthfeel and crisp carbonation.

Forget your former light standby beer the next time you plan on enjoying a good burger, the clean dark malt of this Dunkel will compliment it much better. The same goes for ribs, whether they’re barbecued or dry spare ribs, this dark lager will supplement the flavour while the crisp carbonation will cut through the sauce or the salt of either choice. For a healthier option consider pairing with a meal of roast chicken, and if you’re feeling more ambitious, a chicken stir-fry with black bean sauce and cashews (or your favourite nut) will provide a medley of corresponding flavours.

The next steps in the cooler:

From This Brewery:
Warsteiner Premium Verum
Warsteiner Premium Fresh

In-Style:
Negra Modelo
Efes Dark
Ayinger Altbairisch Dunkel
Lobkowicz Baron

Other Dark Lagers:
Alley Kat Alligator Blackened Lager
Raasted Vinter
Asahi Black
Obolon Oksamytove
Paddock Wood Black Cat Lager
BrewDog Zeitgeist

For The Adventurous:
Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock
LTM Doppelbock Grande Cuvée Printemps
LTM Série Signature Rauchbier
Samichlaus Bier