Bodega El Esteco

One hundred and eighteen years ago, two French brothers (David and Salvador) planted their first vines and opened the Bodega El Esteco Winery.  The name of the winery was taken from the legendary city of El Esteco.  The legend goes that El Esteco was a very “opulent” city that had buildings covered in silver and the citizens dressed in gold.  However the city and “it’s treasures” were buried in an earthquake in 1692 and the legend was born.  In the late 1970’s the winery purchased the El Esteco Estate and found that there were riches there, they came from the wonderful soil that grew vines to make some appetizing wines.

In 1929 it was one of the first wineries to win an international award in Spain.  They were one of the first to lead the way for ‘wine tourism’ in the 1970’s and in the 1990’s they were also one of the first wineries to incorporate ecological practices.

Like with many wineries, Bodegas El Esteco has a number of different labels, four of which we see in Alberta:  Michel Torino, Don David, Cuma and Altimus

Winery: Michel Torino
Vintage: 2008
Location: Argentina
Alcohol: 13.5%
Blend: Tannat 100%
Tasting: Wednesday, July 21, 2010 - 4:00 - 7:00 p.m.

There are so many grape varieties throughout the wine growing world.  Some of them are very familiar like Merlot, Syrah (Shiraz) and Chardonnay to name just a few.  There are so many other wonderful varieties out there to discover and today is the day to try one of them.  Tannat… home for this grape was in Southwestern France, where it has been used for blending purposes.  This grape gives big tannins (hence the name Tannat), and big colour to the grape varieties with which it is paired.

Because this grape variety is known for producing very big tannic wines, the first time we had this wine we decided to decant the wine for about two hours.  The wine was wonderful… full of flavour and aromas reminiscent of wonderful black fruit.  The second time we tried this wine, we decanted it for just one hour and the wine was just as flavourful.  Now this is going to be fun on Wednesday, as we haven’t had this wine for about three years, so we are looking forward to trying it again.

Food Pairing:

Bison with a Blueberry and Saskatoon sauce or reduction; Duck and Mushroom Ragout; French Onion Soup Gascon Style

CSPC:     710374
Price:

$13.99 (Minus Winesday 10% discount.)

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

Winery: Michel Torino
Vintage: 2007
Location: Argentina
Alcohol: 13.5 %
Blend: Sauvignon Blanc
Tasting: Wednesday, July 21, 2010 - 4:00 - 7:00 p.m.

Ahhh… Sauvignon Blanc.  Quite ironically, this grape variety is also from a Southwestern Region of France.  This greenish/yellow grape produces some lovely dry and fresh tasting wines.  Like everything else, there are exceptions.  One of the best known exceptions to Sauvignon Blanc making nice dry wines is a sweet wine called Sauternes. Sauternes is a marriage of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon grapes that have been affected by Botrytis (a wonderful gift from Mother Nature).  These wonderful wines are from an area about 30 miles south of Bordeaux which are comprised of five communes, one of which is called Sauternes, where this delectable wine gets its name.  We will visit this wine another day.  We just wanted to let you know that there are always exceptions.  Where would life be without them?

Now back to our Argentinean Sauvignon Blanc.  One doesn’t normally think of pink grapefruit and grass when talking about wine, but that is just what notes you will smell and taste when you try this wine.  Fresh really is a good descriptive word.

Food Pairing:

Asparagus; Sautéed Chicken; Lemongrass Chicken; Light Salad with Goat Cheese.

CSPC:     715375
Price:

$13.99 (Minus Winesday 10% discount.)

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

Next week we are going to prepare a few mixed drinks that will be easy to make for the long weekend.  Can you believe Heritage Days weekend is almost upon us?

Winery: Baron Phillippe de Rothschild S.A. Mouton Cadet
Location: France
Alcohol: 13%
Blend: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon
Tasting: Wednesday, June 2, 2010 - 4:00 - 7:00 p.m.

When one utters the name ‘Rothschild’, people automatically think of history, luxury beyond imagination and everything expensive.  Quite frankly that is true.  Although Baron Philippe de Rothschild was a member of the banking dynasty family, he was also a Grand Prix racecar driver, a screenwriter, a film producer, a theatrical producer and, one of the most successful wine producers in the world.

The company today is still a family owned company.  The Baroness Philippine de Rothschild, the Baron’s daughter, is the majority shareholder.  In this day and age when so many large family companies have gone by the wayside, that is quite wonderful.

The Rothschild family has been making wines that have been lauded for many years. For example Chateau Lafite Rothschild and Chateau Mouton Rothschild have been mentioned in just about every wine magazine you can think of.  At the same time as making these incredible wines, they have also been making some very approachable wines at very reasonable prices.  The Rothschild Escudo Rojo wines from Chile are fabulous wines, and are priced reasonably.  Then there is “Mouton Cadet”.

Can you believe that Mouton Cadet is celebrating 80 years this year?  In honour of this celebration, we thought this would be a great time to sample two of their Bordeaux wines… a little red and a little white.  Come join us in France on this little birthday trip.

Chateau Mouton Rothschild was known for making exceptional wines that fetched a very good price.  In 1930, however, Baron Philippe Rothschild felt that the vintage was not up to snuff to put the Mouton Rothschild name on it.  It was still a nice wine however.  So he decided that he would come up with a new wine line called Mouton Cadet.  Baron Philippe was the youngest child, so he put the French term for youngest on the label… ‘cadet’.  The wine became an instant hit.  The following year, 1931, brought a high demand for this new label.  So much so, that the Rothschilds had to purchase grapes from other growers in neighbouring vineyards to keep up with the demand for this new wine.  Grapes came from Pauillac, Ste. Estephe, Haut-Medoc to name a few.  After the Second World War the wine was given AOC status.  The popularity of the wine grew immensely and before you knew it, a white Mouton Cadet became part of the family in the 1970’s.

The red wine is a blend of 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 65% Merlot and  15% Cabernet Franc.  This wine is easy drinking and what I like to call, as I said before, very approachable. It is not matured in oak casks, so the fruit is more evident when you taste it.

The wine has nice aromas of red berry fruit (raspberry, cherry and strawberry) and even a wee touch of mint.  The tannins are not over abundant, so it feels nice and ‘round’.

This wine has been around for 80 years, that is true, but it is still very popular.  On their website it says Mouton Cadet “The world’s leading Bordeaux AOC”.  See what you think when you try it.

Food Pairing: 

Lamb; medium to older aged hard cheese; veal (especially either grilled or done in a light tomato based sauce); and of course the perennial favourite… beef.

CSPC:     943
Price:

$13.99 (Minus Winesday 10% discount.)

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

Winery: Mouton Cadet
Location: France
Blend: Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle
Tasting: Wednesday, June 2, 2010 - 4:00 - 7:00 p.m.

Just like its red brother, this wine is meant to sit back and enjoy.  When people think of Bordeaux, they usually think of just red wines.  Don’t forget about the whites!!  Think about where Bordeaux is located and what kind of food one would likely have there.  It has a strong influence not just from the land, but also from the sea.  Lots of fish!  So red wine with scallops just isn’t gonna cut it, no matter how much you may want it to.  That is where the Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc come in.  They are very good friends not just to fish, of course, but to other foods as well.

The home of Sauvignon Blanc (pictured left) is France.  It thrives here and it makes some of the most incredible wines, from very dry to some of the most expensive and delicious dessert wines you have ever tasted (quite often paired with Semillon).  We are talking about the dry wine today.  The taste you can get from this grape can go from grassy crisp and acidic to almost tropical flavours.  It just depends on where it is grown.  Different areas and climates produce different types of wines.  In the Bordeaux region the Sauvignon Blanc has a fruitier characteristic to it so that works very well with its partner in this wine… Semillon.  Semillon is a relatively easy grape to grow (don’t tell the winemaker’s that I said that, though).  Semillon (pictured left), Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle are the three white grape varieties allowed in the Bordeaux region.  In this particular wine, the tropical flavours are abound.  Freeze some grapes and put them in the glass to keep your wine chilled when you are sitting out on the deck.

So let’s look at the food pairings for this pleasant wine:

Food Pairing:

Goat’s cheese (used in a sauce or just on a light cracker); light tasting Brie cheese; Scallops and other shellfish just steamed;  Scallops/shellfish done in a light broth or butter/cream sauce;  Broiled fish; light chicken dishes.

CSPC:     323105
Price:

$13.99 (Minus Winesday 10% discount.)

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

Winery: Stoneleigh
Vintage: 2008
Location: Marlborough, New Zealand
Alcohol: 13%
Blend: Sauvignon Blanc
Tasting: Wednesday, April 7, 2010 - 4:00 - 7:00 p.m.

New Zealand is located in the picturesque South Pacific.  New Zealand wine has been on the Canadian radar for a number of years.   Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough has been a perennial favourite.  However, we are seeing much more coming from these beautiful islands:  Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris/Pinot Grigio, Viognier. Pinot Noir, Merlot, Syrah.  That is quite a selection to quench our thirst!

“In Rapaura, Marlborough there lies a vineyard studded with precious stones. Once the bed of an ancient river, today they form the bed of our vineyard.”  That is the beginning of the Stoneleigh Winery history.  As we were reading the story of Stoneleigh, the first thing we thought was that it sounded almost magical.  Lo and behold at the bottom of the page didn’t it say “Stoneleigh - Made with the Magic of Sunstones.”  The Rapaura region of New Zealand is slightly warmer than other regions of Marloborough, so the fruit will ripen a little earlier.

We usually think of harvest time as the fall - September to October.  Well these grapes were harvested between March 23 and April 15, which is their fall down under.  Jamie Marfell, Senior Winemaker for Stoneleigh Winery said “The 2008 vintage was a fantastic grape growing year for the wines of Stoneleigh. Periodic rainfall events throughout summer gave strong vine health, boosting what is needed on our stony, gravelly vineyards. Starting harvest in late March, the fruit was in premium condition with intense flavours and balanced acidity.  Making picking decisions based on flavour, I was able to target passionfruit and grapefruit flavours, minimizing the greener notes.  The resultant wine is a true expression of the Rapaura region with strong aromatics, an intense palate and clean, fresh acidity.” Now if that doesn’t make your mouth water, I don’t know what would!

Stoneleigh began winemaking at the Marlborough Estate in the 1980’s so its history is relatively short.  However, a number of their wines have won awards.  The Stoneleigh Marlborough Chardonnay 1996 was named White Wine of the Year at the 1998 International Wine Challenge in London.  This was followed by two successive vintages of the Sauvignon Blanc receiving Best Buy recommendations from Wine Spectator Magazine.  Now awards are great, but what is most important is what you think of the wine.

In North America we are used to mega filtering of everything.  Well, if you over filter the wine, you will lose some of its character and flavour… and that would not be a good thing.  At Stoneleigh the winemaker takes a minimalist approach when making the wine and only subtly intervenes to add some complexity and to enhance the fruit’s unique characteristics.  The wines are fined very lightly, so that they maintain all the qualities of the fruit.

It has been a few years since we last tasted this wine, so we thought it was well time to do it again.

When you taste this wine you will notice the citrus, ripe grapefruit and passionfruit right off the bat.  There are also some mineral notes as well.  The acidity is nicely balanced with the nice fruit on the palate.

Food Pairing:

  Asparagus, chicken (fried, roasted, or sautéed), goat cheese, white fish (poached or sautéed), oysters, pasta with a cream sauce, light salad, turkey.

CSPC:     293043
Price:

      $17.99 (Minus Winesday 10% discount.)

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

Come join myself and Richard in Spain next week.  Our frequent flyer miles are adding up!!

Winery: Quails’ Gate
Vintage: 2008
Location: British Columbia, Canada
Alcohol: 12.5%
Blend: Chenin Blanc 92%, Sauvignon Blanc 8%
Tasting: Wednesday, March 10, 2010 - 4:00 - 7:00 p.m.

To get the whole picture of Quail’s Gate Winery, we have to go back almost to the beginning of the 20^th Century.  Back to 1908, to be precise.  That is when Richard Stewart Sr. arrived in British Columbia from County Kildare in Ireland.  Richard had worked in the greenhouses of Lord Guinness in Ireland.  When he arrived in British Columbia, he set his eyes on some greenhouses in Gellatly Bay.  Together with his brother Bill, Richard started Stewart Brothers’ Nurseries in 1911.  That love of agriculture would be passed down through the decades.
In 1956 Richard’s son, Dick, purchased land on the slopes of Mt. Boucherie in Kelowna, “which is now the home of Quail’s Gate Winery”.  The first vines were planted in 1961.  The land also had orchards abound.  There were peaches, pears, apples, cherries and vineyards of table grapes too.  Dick knew that the land that he was so blessed to have would be “destined to be some of the most sought after vinifera vineyards in North America.”

Many years passed and Dick was starting to reach retirement.  Ben, Dick’s oldest son, came home and over the next ten years, together with his dad, transformed the whole property.  They went from a “grape grower to a wine producer”.

In 1992, Ben’s brother Tony joined him at the winery.  Both Tony, his brother and their sisters have worked hard to make this family farm into one of the most recognizable names in the Canadian wine industry.
Grant Stanley is the winemaker at Quails’ Gate.  Grant is a Vancouver native, but was trained in winemaking in New Zealand.  He returned to North America and then worked in Oregon honing his Pinot Noir winemaking skills.  He started working at Quails’ Gate in 2003.

The winery has a relatively short history, but people have taken notice of this family owned winery.  Wine Enthusiast magazine gave their 2005 Quails’ Gate Family Reserve Pinot Noir 93 Points. Quails’ Gate Chenin Blanc was served to President Barack Obama during his first state visit to Canada in February 2009.  What an honour indeed!!

Talking about Chenin Blanc… that is exactly what we will be tasting this week.  It isn’t a grape that we hear a lot about.  The grape originally came from France.  It is grown extensively in the Loire Valley in France. Chenin Blance makes some wonderful wine going from dry to quite sweet and even some sparkling wine.

The 2008 Quails’ Gate Chenin Blanc is a remarkable white wine that tastes nice and juicy fresh.  Lemons and limes for sure, but also some gooseberry.  The gooseberry most likely comes from the Sauvignon Blanc in the wine.  When you taste it, you get the nice fruit taste with the crispness of the acidity.  It left me wanting more after the first sip.

Food Pairing:

Oysters (especially British Columbia Oysters); chicken with a cream sauce; roasted pork stuffed with fruit; fish prepared with lemon.

CSPC:     391854
Price:

$19.99 (minus Winesday 10% discount)

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

Next week we will be staying in Canada as well as travelling across the pond to good ol’ Ireland.  We will get lots of air miles for this trip!

Come join us for St. Patrick’s Day.

Winery: Ironstone Vineyards
Vintage: 2008
Location: California, U.S.A.
Alcohol: 13%
Blend: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Symphony, and Tempranillo
Tasting: Wednesday, February 24, 2010 - 4:00 - 7:00 p.m.

Ironstone Vineyards started with John Krautz in 1948 with only 12 acres of land.  Through the years, those 12 acres turned into 5,000 acres in both the Lodi (pronounced loüdai) region and the Sierra Foothills.  While growing the number of acres, John and his wife Gail gained a reputation for supplying premium grapes to wineries all over the world.  They became one of the top ten wine grape growers in California.  In 1988 the Krautz family then decided that they wanted to create wine of their own.  They brought on award-winning winemaker Steve Miller to launch Krautz Wines, which later became Ironstone Vineyards.

In 1989 on Gail’s family ranch in Murphy’s, California Ironstone’s Wine Aging Caverns were brought to life with dynamite, pick axes, shovels and a crew of miners.  These caverns were also the site of Ironstone’s first tasting room.  Many years into the future to present day and we are now looking at California’s largest winery entertainment complex.

The conditions to age wine are “ideal” inside the caverns.  The temperature is a steady 60 degrees Fahrenheit (15.5 degrees Celsius).  The humidity is 70%, thanks to the natural spring waterfall inside the caverns.  So the wine barrels don’t expand and contract, therefore no leaking wine and “the humidity minimizes evaporation”.

“The caverns hold a maximum of 1,500 French and American oak barrels, each holding sixty gallons of wine.”

“The beautiful wooden doors that grace the entrance to the caverns and the breezeway, as well as the tasting room, are made from 100-year-old redwood fermentation barrels from the Di-Augustini Winery in Plymouth, California, one of the oldest commercial operating wineries in the state.”

You know, our weather outside this week almost seems like we might have (dare I say)… an early spring.  Now I hope we didn’t jinx anything by saying that (cross those fingers).  In keeping with this lovely sunshine and the beautiful temperatures, we are going to taste a sunshine kind of wine from the sunshine state…California.  Ironstone Vineyards calls this wine “Xpression“.

It is a blend of some grapes we know (Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc), but there are also a couple that you may not be familiar with.

Tempranillo is a grape originally from Spain.  It is said to be Spains “noble grape”.  The grape itself is almost blue-black in colour.  On its own, it makes some very tasty wine indeed.

Around the same time that the Krautz family started their vineyards, The Symphony grape was developed by Dr. Olmo at the University of California, Davis Department of Viticulture and Enology. Dr. Olmo crossed a Muscat de Alexandria with a Grenache Gris and came up with this new grape, unique to California, which came to be known as Symphony.

So I bet you are wondering what happens when you mix a very dark grape, like Tempranillo, with the likes of light coloured grapes like Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Symphony.  Well, the skins of the dark Tempranillo grape are only in contact with the light coloured juice for a short period of time.  Just enough time to get that lovely Rose colour.  Then the skins are removed.

What do you get when you add all of these nice grapes together?  Well you get a nice semi-dry wine with flavours of strawberries and cherries with a little watermelon, peaches and even some citrus fruit.  Now doesn’t that sound yummy?

As this is a nice easy lighter style wine, it would be best to chill it prior to sampling.

Food pairing:

Spicy foods like Thai, Chinese and Indian; turkey; ham; fresh berries and some light cheeses.  Ironstone suggests:  “try it with a salad of bib lettuce and fresh grapes topped with Roquefort cheese for a light and refreshing meal.”

CSPC:         715576
Price:

$14.75* (Minus Winesday 10% discount)

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

Come by, have a chat and enjoy a sip.  See you on Wednesday, February 24, 2010.

Next week we are travelling to Australia.