“Rumor has it that the Vampire Vineyards are actually owned by a circle of vampires, and the company’s founder, an entertainment attorney from New York, is actually just a front. (Whether he and his convertible were commandeered by a Vampire is still a subject for debate.) We do know however that after satiating themselves for years with their Transylvanian blood of the vine, the powers that be decided to spice things up and migrate westward like so many vampires before them.” (Vampire.com website)

Now I know a lot of you are probably thinking that here is a company riding the Vampire band wagon. You would be correct about vampires being more popular with the onset of Twilight, True Blood, The Vampire Diaries and a number of other books, movies and TV shows. Although this onslaught of vampire-media has created more awareness, what you may not know is that Vampire Wines have been around since the mid 1980’s. The idea was the brainchild of lawyer Michael Machat.

The wines originally came from Transylvania. Yes you read that correctly. We first started to see these Transylvanian wines on the shelves in Alberta around 1996. They were produced in relatively small amounts at that time. The first labels had a demonic funky feel to them. They were reproduced from tapestries that hung in old castles in Romania.

The brand started to grow and the label changed to become a little more “main stream”. More growth saw more changes. The owners of Vampire wines wanted people to take them seriously. They didn’t want a gimmicky label that would make people think that they made gimmicky wines. Mark Morton of Vampire Wines says “We are proud of our wines.” “The Vampire wines are made for everyday consumption.” Not just for around this time of the year.

The wines made a leap from Transylvania, Romania to California, U.S.A. The move allowed Vampire to have more control from the ground to the bottle. It also allowed for further growth. In 2006 Vampire became a licensed winery. They “wanted to ensure high quality.” They purchase their grapes from a number of vineyards throughout the North Coast region. “The grapes may be from Napa, Sonoma or other counties in the region.” They have the ‘advantage of purchasing the grapes from wherever’ they want. They also have a winemaking team who help to bring their vision to consumers.

Vampire Wines will be opening a Tasting Room in Beverly Hills in the not too distant future. It will be the only tasting room in Beverly Hills. It will be located on Santa Monica Boulevard across from The Peninsula Beverly Hills. There isn’t a firm date for opening, but tune into their website. I am sure a date will be posted as soon as it gets a bit closer.

Vampire Cabernet Sauvignon

Winery: Vampire Vineyards
Location: North Coast Appellation, California, U.S.A.
Blend: Cabernet Sauvignon (with just a touch of Syrah and Merlot)
Tasting: Wednesday, October 27, 2010 - 4:00 – 7:00 p.m

Map sourced from “California Wine Info”

The Vampire Vineyards folks say: “Classic, small-lot fermentations, followed by aging with both European and American oak, gives full expression to the rich varietal flavors in this wine. Judiciously blended with small amounts of Merlot for softness, and Syrah for added structure, our Cabernet displays ripe flavor character and a lovely aroma that will continue to develop with additional time in bottle.”

Food Pairing:

Grilled Pork Chops with onions, peppers and a Cabernet Sauvignon reduction; Roast Beef; Grilled hamburgers with rosemary.

CSPC: 726562
Price:

$16.99 (Minus Winesday 10% discount.)

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

Vampire White Zinfandel

Winery: Vampire Vineyards
Location: North Coast Appellation, California, U.S.A.
Blend: White Zinfandel
Tasting: Wednesday, October 27, 2010 - 4:00 – 7:00 p.m.

Vampire Vineyards says that this White Zinfandel is “the perfect wine for picnics, luncheons or lighter fare, our White Zinfandel is also an ideal aperitif or casual afternoon sipping wine. Enjoy with good food and great friends.” Mark Morton of Vampire Vineyards says that the White Zinfandel “is the best kept secret in our portfolio”. It came into the marketplace about 3 years ago.

Food Pairing:

Roast Pork with a sweet fruit sauce; Chicken salad; Apple Crisp

CSPC: 726564
Price:

$16.99 (Minus Winesday 10% discount.)

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

We are taking a road trip to British Columbia next week. Come share the ride with us. We have lots of room and would love to have your company.

Map sourced from vinovixens

Farming has been in this family’s veins since the mid 1800’s.  However they didn’t plant their first vines until over a hundred years later in 1968.  Bogle Vineyards has grown from their initial 20 acres of wine grapes 42 years ago, to the over 1,200 acres today.  Bogle’s home in Clarksburg, California is located alongside the Sacramento River.  What a great spot for a vineyard.

Patty and the late Chris Bogle became involved with the vineyards at the very early stages when planting vines in 1970.  Nineteen years later, Patty took over the operations of the winery.  Her daughter, Jody, is involved in customer support, she runs the wine club and takes care of all international sales.   Warren Bogle, Patty and Chris’s son, is the Vineyard Manager.   He is the 6^th generation of Bogles to farm this Sacramental Delta Region.

“The success of Bogle over the years is firmly rooted in one thing: the day-to-day involvement of the Bogle family in the hands-on effort to produce and promote quality wines. ”

Bogle Winery joined the California Appellation Program in 1992.  “In this program, winemakers source fruit from some of the best vineyards in the state and blend them with Bogle’s Estate Vineyards in Clarksburg, thus assuring that the wines benefit from many of the incredible grape growing regions of California.”  They are also members of the Clarksburg Winegrowers Association Now let’s try these wines!

Bogle Petite Sirah

Winery: Bogle Vineyards
Location: Clarksburg, California
Blend: Petite Sirah
Tasting: Wednesday, October 13, 2010 - 4:00 - 7:00 p.m

Let’s get the name thing out of the way right away.  You will see this grape spelled many ways.  Petite Syrah, Petit Sirah, Petite Sirah, and Durif. Which one is right?  Well, they are all right.  The last name… Durif… is the name of the gentleman who developed the grape in France in the late 1800’s.  His name is Dr. Francois Durif, a botanist at the University of Montpellier in France.  Dr. Durif developed the grape by crossing the Syrah grape with the Peloursin variety in the 1870’s.  This new grape variety was resistant to Powdery mildew, but because of its very tight bunches, it is said to have issues with ‘rot’.  Although there are a few wineries still growing the grape in its native Rhône (France), you will also see it grown in Australia, USA, Brazil and Argentina to name just a few countries.  There are only a few wineries that call it Durif, but by far in the United States of America you will see it called Petite Syrah (or its many other spellings).

We always find it funny calling this grape “Petite”, because there surely is nothing “Petite” about it.  In fact, this grape is known for making wines that are dark and inky in colour and extremely round and full in the mouth.  People quite often think that a Petite Syrah is going to taste like a Syrah (Shiraz), but it is dense and the tannic structure cannot be missed for sure.  The colour, compared to Syrah is a deep dark purple.  If you tried them side-by-each… even blind… you would be able to tell they are not the same.

Bogle says this about their Petite Sirah:  “Full-bodied on the entry, aromas of black plum jam and toasty oak set the stage for what is to come. Vibrant boysenberries and luscious fruit are framed by serious tannins, while wisps of leather and vanilla seduce just enough. A final touch of acidity finishes the wine with a precisely balanced mouthfeel.”

Food Pairing:

Hearty dishes:  Lamb stew; Game (sausages or stew); Pork

CSPC:     431478
Price:

$21.50 (Minus Winesday 10% discount.)

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

Bogle Fumé blanc (Sauvignon Blanc)

Winery: Bogle Vineyards
Location: Monterey and Russian River Valley Vineyards
Blend: Sauvignon Blanc
Tasting: Wednesday, October 13, 2010 - 4:00 - 7:00 p.m.

What is a Fumé Blanc?  It is a term that was coined by Robert Mondavi for California Sauvignon Blanc wines that were made in the style of Pouilly Fumé (Sauvignon Blanc) in the Loire Valley in France.

The story goes that Sauvignon Blanc was not a lauded variety in California prior to 1970.  A lot of the wines were supposedly lighter and sweeter.  After receiving exceptional Sauvignon grapes from a particular vintage, Mr. Mondavi was apparently inspired by Pouilly Fumé wines that he had tasted in France.  He decided that he wanted to make his wine in this style.  As a result, he wanted to differentiate his wines from all of the others.  That is when he apparently coined the term Fumé Blanc.  Today there are many wonderful Sauvignon Blanc wines from California.  Bogle describe this wine as being “classically made” and having the “true varietal character of the Sauvignon Blanc Grape”.

This particular Sauvignon Blanc is described by the winery in this way:  “Freshly zested limes spring off the nose, followed by leechee nut and a tiny bit of orange peel. The citrus follows through on the palate, tinged by hints of tropical pineapple. Lean and light, yet surprisingly full of flavor, the wine finishes with brisk acidity that makes your mouth water for more!”

Food Pairing:

Light fare:  Salads; Fresh Fish with Fruit Salsas; Shellfish;

CSPC:     431486
Price:

$18.75 (Minus Winesday 10% discount.)

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

We look forward to seeing you on Wednesday afternoon.  We will be there with bells on!!

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.

Map Courtesy of the Washington Wine Commission

I can’t tell you how many people are so surprised when I tell them about wineries in Washington. They are so shocked and most of them had no idea that wine was made in this lovely northwestern state. So when I tell them that in 2009 the 600th winery was registered, well you could just about pick them up off of the floor. Washington is an area to be reckoned with, for sure. The wine industry here is relatively young, but the Washington is now the second highest producer of wine in the United States next to California.

I have heard the expression ‘Washington = Merlot’. While that is true, Washington wineries also make wonderful wines from Syrah, Viognier, Riesling, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon to name just a few. Lucky us, we get to try a Syrah from Duck Pond Cellars and a Viognier from Desert Wind (by Duck Pond Cellars).

Winery: Duck Pond Cellars
Vintage: 2007
Location:Washington, U.S.A.
Alcohol: 13.5%
Blend: 96.3% Syrah, 3.7% other red varieties
Tasting: Wednesday, August 11, 2010 - 4:00 – 7:00 p.m.

It is amazing how far one can come in just 17 years. That is how old Duck Pond Cellars is. In that relatively short period of time, they have amassed 14 wines. Like most wineries, we are not able to get all of them here in Alberta, but we have two lovely ones… the Columbia Valley Syrah and the Willamette Valley Pinot Noir. The Rhone Valley (France) grape varieties seem to do quite well in Washington and the Syrah is a good example of that.

The vineyard where these grapes come from is called Desert Wind Vineyard (see map). It is located on East side of Washington in the area known as Wahluke Slope. This is a hot hot area. Considered to be the hottest area in the Columbia Valley. The vineyard is situated on 520 acres and the vines have an underground irrigation system to assist Mother Nature. Although this area can get up to 110F in the summer, it can dip down to 14F in the winter, giving the vines a chance to get a good winter sleep. The other area where some of the grapes are sourced is called the Sacagawea Vineyard, which is also located in the Columbia Valley.

This wine has been aged for 11 months in both French and American Oak. The French oak brings out the subtle flavours and the American oak adds a bit more ‘oomph’. That ‘oomph’ gives it an edged that helps to match it with so many different types of food. Spice and rich red berries like raspberries and a little bit of vanilla on the side, are the notes that stand out to me in this wine.

Now this time of year our minds go to the BBQ for a lot of food, because we spend so much time outdoors, and who wants to cook inside anyway!!! There are a few suggestions for the BBQ you may not have tried before. Stretch it out a little and head to your best butcher or fish shop and give these a try.

Food Pairing:

Grilled Tuna; Grilled Venison; Mushrooms and Wild Mushrooms; Grilled Duck.

CSPC: 719100
Price:

$15.99 (Minus Winesday 10% discount.)

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

Winery: Desert Wind
Vintage: 2008
Location: Columbia Valley, Washington, U.S.A.
Alcohol: 13%
Blend: Viognier 100%
Tasting: Wednesday, August 11, 2010 - 4:00 – 7:00 p.m.

It was just last month that we sampled a Viognier and the response was so great that we decided to tempt your tastebuds again with this nice one from Washington.

You are probably reading this and thinking that you just read the name ‘Desert Wind’ when we wrote about the Syrah… and you would be right. In fact, the Desert Wind Winery is owned by the same family who owns Duck Pond Cellars. Like many wineries, Duck Pond has their second label. Desert Wind produces 15 different wines and we are lucky to get the Viognier here in Alberta. The first vintage was produced out of Desert Wind in 1997 and the Desert Wind Winery itself opened its doors in 2006.

Now you already know that Viognier makes an aromatic and full-bodied wine. This wine has only a touch of oak, so it still has that wonderful crisp acidity and nice fruit flavours of peach, pear and some tropical fruit. It even has a little bit of orange blossom too. Oh the food pairing for this wine is wonderful. In keeping with the BBW theme that we have going on… try roasting the nuts on the BBQ!

Food Pairing:

Roasted nuts (BBQ style); Lobster; Grilled or roasted pork; Grilled Chicken with a lemon butter sauce.

CSPC: 646083
Price:

$22.99 (Minus Winesday 10% discount.)

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

Who wants to go to Portugal? Pick me… that we where we are heading next week.

Winery: Sebastiani
Vintage: 2007
Location: Sonoma County, California, USA
Alcohol: 13.5 %
Blend: 82% Zinfandel, 9.8% Petit Syrah, 7.2% Syrah
Tasting: Wednesday, June 23, 2010 - 4:00 - 7:00 p.m.

We had the pleasure of tasting the Sebastiani wines a few years ago.  There was a Cabernet Sauvignon, a Merlot and a Zinfandel.  Now they make a number of other wines, but these three we had tried at the time.  After doing a little research on the winery, we discovered some interesting information about the vineyards and winery that made up Sebastiani.

Over one hundred years ago is when the story of this winery began when Samuele Sebastiani emigrated from Tuscany Italy.  A mere nine years after he emigrated he started the winery.  He was a man with a vision for sure.  During the period of Prohibition in the United States (1920-1933), the winery was allowed to continue making wine because it made a small amount of sacramental and medicinal wines, which was allowed under the law.  However not all of Samuele’s neighbours faired so well.  He came up with a plan to initiate some major projects both at the winery and at the plaza around one of the churches to help keep people employed.  When there was not enough at the winery to keep his employees working, he decided to start canning fruit to make up some of the difference.  He was a hard worker himself, and he expected the same of others, but he did everything he could to help people during this period of Great Depression.

Samuele passed away in 1944.  His son and daughter-in-law, August and Sylvie, purchased the winery from the estate and thus began the next expansion of Sebastiani Vineyards and Winery.  August added new varietals and proprietary blends. He was a big believer in supporting the craftsmen of Sonoma and put their skills to good use at Sebastiani, which is why you still see some of the hand-carved Sebastiani barrels at the winery today.  August was also devoted to birds and their preservation.  He had a collection of very rare doves and black swans and was also a supporter of Ducks Unlimited.  Upon August’s passing, Sylvie and their children, Sam, Don and Mary-Ann took over the management of the winery.  Sam left six years later to start his own winery.  During this period, the winery grew and started a ‘value’ brand of wines which became very successful and was eventually sold in 2001 so the family could ‘refocus’ on the family brand wines.

Don eventually left to devote his time to a winery he started in 1985 with his brother-in-law Roy Cecchetti… Cecchetti Sebastiani Cellars (now called Don Sebastiani & Sons).  Mary Ann Sebastiani Cuneo, assumed the role of president and CEO and helped lead the company through its period of transition.  “She spearheaded the multi-million dollar remodel of the Sebastiani tasting room and hospitality center completed in 2001″.  In order to make an emphasis on small lot artisan wines, the winemaking facility underwent major renovations.

In 2008, Bill Foley of Foley Family Wines acquired Sebastiani Vineyards and Winery.  There is a lot of history for sure and a there are lot of wonderful wines to come in the future.   Let’s get tasting this wine…

First of all, as always, get the wine out of the bottle so it can breathe for a while.  The nice zinfandel flavours will be more pronounced.  We usually like to let this zinfandel sit for about an hour.  This wine doesn’t have huge alcohol levels.  It comes in at 13.5% ABV.   With a lower alcohol, the fruit comes shining through.  The colour is dark ruby with purple and violet overtones.  The cherry and juicy red fruit flavours are quite noticeable.  But there are also some notes of vanilla (aged in casks for 5 months).  Bam… there is that nice spice that we love about zinfandel.  It isn’t overpowering, just a wee bit of black pepper… just enough to make it interesting.

Food Pairing:

Braised, BBQ’d or roasted Italian/Chorizo Sausage, Beef, Lamb, Pork or Venison;  Ribs with a nice spicy BBQ sauce; Parmesan cheese; Manchego (Spanish) cheese; Eggplant lasagna.

CSPC:     37275
Price:

$19.99 (Minus Winesday 10% discount.)

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

Next week is June 30^th, the day before Canada Day!  See you then.

Winery: Bonterra
Vintage: 2007
Location: California, United States of America
Alcohol: 14%
Blend: 86% Zinfandel 11% Petit Syrah 3% Syrah
Tasting: Wednesday, June 9, 2010 - 4:00 - 7:00 p.m.

Bonterra - good earth - well that just about describes it in a nutshell.  And that is just what this company is all about.  They make wine out of organically grown grapes.   Now I know some people out there think that that is a bunch of baloney, but that fact of the matter is organically produced products overall are on the rise and many consumers are demanding them.  It just so happens that in the wine part of things, Bonterra was ahead of a lot of other winemakers in producing and marketing their organic wines.

“Decades of learning and winemaking accolades have reinforced our passionate belief that our organic grapes make better wine.”   Now they ought to know, as they started this practice in 1987.  I am trying to think back 23 years ago to see what wines were being marketed as organic and I’ll be darned, but I cannot think of any right off the top of my head.  Today we are seeing many more people asking for organically grown products and it is nice to know that some companies have had a leg up for a while.

Sherbrooke carries many of the Bonterra wines.  Now some of you know that we are Zinfandel fans, so the fact that we picked the Zinfandel out of their lineup of wines to do may not be a big surprise.  Frankly, we have not had this Zin in quite some time, so it is a real pleasure to taste it again.

The grapes used to make this wine are mostly from dry-farmed fruit.  Now what does that mean to you and I?  Well, it means that the vines have to dig deep into the ground to search for that water.  What that gives the wine is more depth and character, generally speaking.  More fruit that is concentrated and less watered down.  We think of growing vegetables and fruit in our back yards, and we water the plants, right?  Well believe it or not, you don’t want do do that with your grape vines.

The grape vines that are used to make this wine are about 35 - 40 years old.  And that is a good thing.  As we humans say ‘with age comes wisdom’ and ain’t that the truth.  So it is also true that the fruit that you get from older vines, well they are going to be a little more complex and give lots of wonderful flavours.

Okay let’s tasting this wine.  Now you know that I am a big fan of decanting, so get this wine out of the bottle and let it breather for awhile.  It will bring out all the wonderful fruit and spicy notes that are so characteristic of Zinfandel.  Red Raspberry, blackberry along with some nice spicy pepper is what you will notice right off the bat.  Try it along with Diana and see what you think.  On to the food…

Food Pairing:

Spicy beef fajitas (or some other Mexican foods); BBQ beef (of course); hard cheeses; spicy spaghetti and meat sauce; turkey

CSPC:     530139
Price:

$20.99 (Minus Winesday 10% discount.)

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

Winery: Viña Maipo
Vintage: 2008
Location: Maipo Valley, Chile
Alcohol: 14%
Blend: 85% Syrah, 15% Carménère
Tasting: Wednesday, April 28, 2010 - 4:00 - 7:00 p.m.

You know, I can remember back to 1988/89 when people were just starting to hear about wines coming from Chile.  They were amazed that wine grapes could be grown there.  What they didn’t realize is that for most of the country the climate is actually considered to be a Mediterranean climate.  It features the warm, dry summers and cold, rainy winters that vines love. With the breezes from the sea and the effect of the Andes Mountains, Chile has bright sunny days and cool nights.  The dip in temperature at night helps the grapes to develop fresh fruit flavors, crisp acidity in the white wines.   This helps the red wines as well.  They develop ripe tannins, deep color, and high levels of antioxidants and flavonols.

Viña Maipo, which was founded in 1948, gets its name from the valley in which it sits - the Maipo Valley.  The Maipo Valley is considered to be the oldest and most important wine growing valley in the country of Chile.   Its history dates back centuries prior to the arrival of the Spanish in the 16^th century.  The Jesuits arrived and settled in the valley until they were expelled by the Spanish crown.  The Town of Maipo was founded during this time to defend the area against native attacks.

The Jesuits returned in the 19^th century, around the same time that the first great wineries appeared.  The merger of different religions and beliefs took place at this time and gave rise to the unique devotion and religiousness that is still felt in this region today.

Viña Maipo is located just 38 kilometers south of Santiago.  Just a minute down the road from the vineyard is the lovely town of Maipo.

In 1968, Viña Maipo became part of Viña Concha y Toro.  Over the next 42 years the winery has grown to become the 4th largest Chilean wine exporter.  Quite an accomplishment since only a decade ago they exported to small number of countries.  Now their wines are found in over 60 countries and they send over 2 million bottles of wine to those countries each year.

The Viña Maipo vineyards are located in Chile’s main valleys:  Casablanca, Maipo, Rapel, Curico and Maule.  The last four of these is known as the Central Valley.  This valley extends more than 310 miles from north to south and lies between the Maipo and Maule Rivers.  The clash of the cold Pacific breezes and the hot inland air masses give this area a pleasant Mediterranean climate with warm days, cold nights and well defined seasons.  Casablanca is known for its fresh whites; Rapel for its fruity reds; Curico for its very intense Sauvignon Blanc; Maule for its powerful and concentrated reds; Maipo for its elegant and classic styles.

This wine is the first in a series of Syrah from Viña Maipo.  The second is called Reserva and the third is Limited Edition.  They each are different and lovely in their own way.  April 28^th we have chosen the Syrah for our Winesday wine.  April 30^th and May 1 we will be doing a two day sampling with the Reserva Syrah and the Grand Devotion Sauvignon Blanc.  You will have to try each and find your favourite ones.

The grapes for this wine were both hand-picked and mechanically harvested in April 2008.  30% of it was aged in American oak barrels for three months and 70% of it was aged in stainless steel for 5 months.  The colour is an intense ruby red with violet hues.  It has some nice fruit with raspberry and blackberry leading the way.  There is a little black pepper spice and toasted notes to boot.  It has a softer body, but is nicely balanced with a medium finish.

Food Pairing:

  Grilled meats (beef, venison, lamb); a pesto based pizza; gouda cheese; braised beef.

CSPC:     735791
Price:

      $10.50 (Minus Winesday 10% discount.)

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

Come by and try this Syrah and then come back on Friday or Saturday to try the Viña Maipo Syrah Reserva and the Viña Maipo Gran Devocion Sauvignon Blanc.

Next week Richard and I are going to stay in Chile and have a bit of a road trip.  Come join us.  I’ll bring a few treats that we can nibble on while we travel.

2008 The Stump Jump Red

Winery: d’Arenberg
Vintage: 2008
Location: McLaren Vale, Australia
Alcohol: 14%
Blend: Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre
Tasting: Wednesday, March 3, 2010 - 4:00 - 7:00 p.m.

What a great name… The Stump Jump!  Of course you can’t have a name like that without there being a story to go along with it.  “The name ‘Stump Jump’ pays homage to a significant South Australian invention - the Stump Jump plough.”   This plough cleared the land around McLaren Vale.  It had the ability to “ride over stumps and gnarled roots”, which saved a lot of time and money.  Because of that, it was adopted worldwide in the late 19^th century.

In 1912 Joseph Osborn, who was a director of winemaker Thomas Hardy and Sons, purchased 25 hectares in what is now known as McLaren Vale.

Along came Joseph’s son Francis Ernest (‘Frank’) Osborn.  Frank had originally decided he wanted to be a doctor.  Well, that was not to be.  He left medical school, “choosing to forsake the scalpel for pruning shears.”  Not too long after he joined his dad, the size of the vineyard increased to 78 hectares. Up until their cellars were completed in 1928, the family sold their fruit to local wineries.

In 1943 Frank’s son Francis d’Arenberg Osborn (nicknamed d’Arry), was just 16 years old.  He came home from school to help his dad, who was ill at the time.  At the age of 30, d’Arry assumed full management.  A mere two years later in 1959 d’Arry decided he wanted to start his own label.  He named the winey d’Arenberg after his mom, Frances Helena d’Arenberg.

Fast forward through the 60’s and 70’s when d’Arenberg won the attention of many.  There were medals… many medals and the winery garnered attention not only nationally, but internationally as well.

As a young lad, Chester d’Arenberg Osborn, d’Arry’s son, would help in the vineyards and in the cellar every chance he got.  He was there during school breaks and Christmas holidays. Chester was very keen on “continuing his family’s winemaking tradition.”

Chester graduated from College with a Bachelor of Applied Sciences in Oenology and toured wine regions throughout Australia and Europe returning to d’Arenberg.  He took over as Chief Winemaker at d’Arenberg in 1984.  ”He immediately set about returning the family’s vineyards to their traditional grape growing practices of minimal inputs and no fertilization, cultivation and irrigation wherever possible, therefore achieving natural soil flavours with very low yields.”  Since Chester took over the wheel, the winery has won numerous awards and accolades.

“All grapes, red and white, are basket-pressed. The reds are still traditionally fermented with the grape skins (caps) submerged in open wax-lined concrete fermenters utilising the age-old technique of foot-treading.”  Yes that is exactly how it sounds.  They stomp the grapes with their feet.  Why would they do that when there are machineries that can do it?

Although technology has come a long way, it is tough to mimic the gentle pressure of walking on the grapes, you gently express the juice and extract colour and press the pips.  The pips (or seeds) don’t get pounded by the machines and therefore you don’t get that bitter taste that you can get sometimes from the seeds if they are over manipulated.  If you don’t know what that taste is like, the next time you have a grape with a seed in it, bite into the seed and see what happens.  If you haven’t peeled a red grape before, try that too.  Don’t just eat the pulp, however.  Eat the skin all on its own.  That drying feeling in your mouth is caused by the tannins in the skins and the seeds.  Tannins are a good thing.  The tannins and the acidity give the wine good balance and longevity.  You just want to make sure that they are extracted gently.

I digress.  Back to the d’Arenberg family…

“In June 2004 Chester’s dad, d’Arry was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for his contributions to the wine industry and to the McLaren Vale region.”  D’Arry has overseen over 65 consecutive vintages.  Since Chester took over the wheel, the winery has won numerous awards and accolades.

“If you travel to South Australia, visit d’Arry’s Verandah Restaurant, one of South Australia’s most loved and highly awarded restaurant, set on a picturesque hilltop with the Cellar Door tasting room adjoining.”

Talking about tasting… on to our wine.  Australian wines are known (what us wine nerds say) as being fruit forward.  What the heck does that mean?  Well, it is just as it sounds.  As soon as you smell the wine, even if you are new to wine, you will smell fruit right away.   In Stump Jump Red, there are nice ripe and juicy red fruit, red plums, dark cherries, rhubarb and even some cardamon spice.

The taste… fresh red berries (yum) a little pomegranate.  After you taste all that, just sit back and have another sip.  Hmmm… plum stone, star anise and a wee bit of cinnamon.  Okay, now I am hungry after talking about all those flavours.

Food Pairings:

Roasted Duck, Lamb Lolly Pops, Grilled Beef with mushrooms, Stew (I would even add a little of the wine to the stew beef).

CSPC: 1024961
Price:

$15.99* (Minus Winesday 10% discount)

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

Thanks for taking this journey with us.  See you on Wednesday

Next week we are off to the all time highest Gold Medal winning country of (drum roll please)… C A N A D A.

Winery: Sokol Blosser
Location: Oregon, U.S.A.
Alcohol: 12%
Blend: 9 varietals (Evolution); Pinot Noir, Syrah &
Zinfandel (Meditrina)
Tasting: Wednesday, February 10, 2010 - 4:00 - 7:00 p.m.

How do you spell fun?  We spell it S-o-k-o-l B-l-o-s-s-e-r.  You probably think we are a few bricks short of a load, but you will see what we mean once you read the following info and come by and enjoy the wines on Wednesday.

Sokol Blosser Winery was started by Susan and Bill Sokol Blosser in 1971.  They have taken a forward thinking approach to the land, the winery and the wine.  Not only were they USDA Certified Organic in 2005, LEEDS certified and are Salmon Safe, but they make some pretty fantastic wines.  The two we are talking about and tasting are the “whimsical” Evolution and Meditrina.  Most wines have a vintage on the label (2005, 1994 etc.).  Evolution and Meditrina are a little different.  They have “Editions”.  Evolution is on its “Lucky” Edition (13… but it doesn’t use that number anywhere on the label, only the word “lucky”), and the latest Meditrina is the 6^th Edition.

Evolution was first introduced 13 years ago.  The “fan base” for Evolution is all over North America and Europe.  Why are so many people enjoying this wine?  It has character.  Sokol Blosser Winery states that it wanted to “kick the wine world up a notch or two.”   This is a splendid wine, and not like any other white wine you have sipped.  The blend is a wonderful “merge” of:  Pinot Gris, Muller Thurgau, White Riesling, Semillon, Muscat Canelli, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay and Sylvaner.  Yes… you read it correctly - 9 different varietals.

Sokol Blosser has stated “It was with great intention that we created this off-dry, somewhat tropical wine with a crisp finish to be enjoyed year round.”  When Richard and I have tasted this wine previously there have been a number of interesting comments, but none more interesting than from a couple of ‘I only drink red wine’ customers.  One person said ‘you know I don’t drink whites, because there isn’t much to them.  This isn’t like any white I have ever tried.  There is something to it.’  Another customer commented ‘I thought white wines had no depth to them.  That was before I tried this wine.  There is a ton of flavour here.  This is a white wine I will drink.’

Food pairings for Evolution:

Thai, Chinese, Indian, Mexican, Caribbean, and Spanish food (the blend of the spices used in these foods matches so beautifully with this wine); seafood, poultry dishes.

The first thing you will notice about Meditrina is the label.  It is a standout red label with a white stylized “M”.  As you look closer, you will notice an outline of a female.  This profile is of Meditrina, the Roman Goddess of wine.  The label is an eye catcher for sure, but that is not where the ‘standout’ ends.

The wine is a blend of Pinot Noir, Syrah and Zinfandel.   Our first thought on this wine before we tasted it was… that is an interesting blend of red grapes.  We weren’t sure what to expect.  What we found was a wine with a lot of red fruit and red berries and a little bit of spice.  One of our first thoughts was - this is going to be very food friendly.  And we weren’t wrong.   Decant this wine for 30 - 60 minutes before drinking.  This will bring out some of the appealing flavours that that each of these grapes brings to the wine.

Food Pairings:

Pasta, pizza, grilled chicken, pork, fish and grilled fish (grilled salmon is very good with this wine).

Price:

Evolution $23.99* (Minus Winesday 10% discount)
Meditrina $23.50* (Minus Winesday 10% discount)

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

Welcome to the first edition of Sherbrooke Sips with R & R (otherwise known as Rosanne and Richard).  Every week we will write about some tasty wines and a few spirits, as well.  We want you to not just have a glass and learn a little along the way, but we want you to have fun.  Yes, there will be a tad of technical speak, but only a tad.

Now, if you could only read about the wines well, that would be no fun.  You will actually get to taste the wines.  No, not virtually… in the flesh.  The wine that we write about this week will be available at Sherbrooke Liquor on Wednesday, February 3 from 4:00 to 7:00 PM for you to come by and have a sip.  So every Wednesday afternoon come by and have a chat with either Richard or myself and have a sip of the featured product.  You never know, you might find a new favourite or two.

Okay, so here we go…

For our first week we are travelling to one of the hot New World wine countries… Argentina.  Over the past couple of years, we have seen an influx of Argentinean wines.  There has been a wonderful selection of Syrah, Malbec, Torrontes, to name just a few.  We decided for our first wine we would sample a Syrah.  Luigi Bosca Syrah Reserva 2006.  This particular vintage from Luigi Bosca was given 90 points by Wine Spectator Magazine.

Luigi Bosca Wines are the pride of a fourth generation family owned winery in Mendoza, Argentina.  The Arizu family planted their first vines almost one hundred and ten years ago.  They have been on the forefront of cutting technology ever since.

The Arizu family has adopted some of the “most beneficial Principles” of Biodynamics.  What is Biodynamics?  “Biodynamic agriculture is a method of organic farming with homeopathic composts that treats farms as unified and individual organisms, emphasizing balancing the holistic development and interrelationship of the soil, plants, animals as a self-nourishing system without external inputs insofar as this is possible given the loss of nutrients due to the export of food.”  (Source - Wikipedia)

For example:  They grow olive and chestnut trees so the vines are part of a bigger system and they “co-exist” and are “harnessed by other species”.  That is just a very small part, but it will show you that they care about taking care of the vines and all that surrounds them.

Now, on to the wine…

This 2006 Syrah has been aged in oak for nine months.  Six of those months were in French oak and three months in American oak.  The winery recommends that if you plan to cellar the wine, a maximum of eight years would be optimal.  Having said that, that doesn’t mean the wine cannot be enjoyed now, because it positively can be savoured right away.  We know this, as we certainly have enjoyed a glass or two (okay maybe three) on more than one occasion.

When you pour the wine, you will notice the deep rich purple colour.  This will give you an insight into the aromas and the taste of the wine to come.

Some of the wonderful aromas you will notice will be black plum, black currant and laurel (bay).  You may even notice a hint of chocolate and a bit of spice.  As soon as you taste this wine, you will notice what a massive wine it is.  The tannins are very firm and you will detect that spice right away, along with lots of black fruit.

Food pairings…

If you like red meat, you will be pleased that this big Syrah will work with many different manners of cooking beef.  Whether you roast, BBQ (steaks or burgers) or stew the beef, you can’t go wrong.  Maybe try the Syrah with grilled sausages, ribs or even some chili (Superbowl Sunday is just days away, after all.)

For those of you who are partial to venison, you might enjoy the Syrah with that too!

Now we can’t forget cheese.  Pair it up with a few favourites.   Experience it with some hard cheeses like aged cheddar (2, 4 or 6 year old), or parmesan.

Well, that is it for our first wine.  I hope you enjoyed reading about it.  I am sure our English professors are cringing when they see our sentence structure and dangling participles, but hopefully you won’t grade us on that.

Now.. come by and try Wednesday, February 3 from 4 - 7.

Next week we will be off to Oregon.