Doug Jamieson is a local wine and food consultant, educator and writer. Jamieson holds an advanced certificate in wine and spirits from the world renowned Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET - UK) that he achieved through the Art Institute of Vancouver. He is currently enroled in the diploma of wines program through WSET and is focused on entering the master of wine program once his diploma studies are completed.
Along with consulting private and institutional clients throughout British Columbia, Jamieson is the resident sommelier of the Riverstone Bar & Grill and the Urban Liquor Cold Beer & Wine Store. He has worked in the hospitality industry since the 1980s.
Jamieson will be writing a weekly wine column matching a wine to our weekly food column provided by the chefs at the College of New Caledonia.
Le Vieux Pin - 2009 - Vala - Ros
Doug Jamieson
This article is intended to focus on fresh made food and amazing British Columbia wines. There are so many outstanding B.C. wines being produced that there won't be a shortage of interesting selections to share in coming features.
The pairing this week is with beautiful, wild caught, Fraser River sockeye to celebrate the record return of sockeye to this formerly depleted West Coast mega-run. Director of culinary programs at the College of New Caledonia and executive chef of the Riverstone Bar & Grill, Ron Christian has created for this fillet, with its scratch-made, wild blueberry glaze, is well suited to a good number of Okanagan wines: sparkling, white, light-bodied red and ros.
I have selected the 2009 - Le Vieux Pin - Vala. A wine carefully crafted by a winery renowned for small harvests (on a tons/acre scale), attention to detail and unique labeling. Check out their label for additional vintage information, of interest to wine geeks like me. At a production of 315 cases for this vintage, it won't last long through the standard distribution channels.
Le Vieux Pin is an Okanagan winery at the north end of Black Sage Road in Oliver (more about the Black Sage Bench in future articles).
The winemaker, James Cambridge, has employed the time-tested Burgundian method of saigne, which literally means "to bleed" (juice from the grapes). From these gently nurtured Pinot Noir grapes, comes the best 'free-run' juice to make this exceptional Okanagan ros.
This is a pale garnet coloured wine, that's an attractive alternative to traditional pairings for salmon dishes. The nose displays nuances of apple blossoms, sour cherry, strawberry and cedar. On the palate, you'll experience a delicate balance of red fruit flavours, medium-plus acidity, soft tannins, medium-plus alcohol (13.5 per cent abv.) and a lingering, medium-plus finish of white pepper and raspberry.
The wild strawberry, sour cherry and refined spicy entry of this wine is an enticing match for the delicate flavour of sockeye salmon finished with a wild blueberry glaze. The tart/sweetness of the glaze accentuates the same in the wine and plays off the anticipated shrimp/salmon flavour profile of the salmon fillet.
Le Vieux Pin - Vala is available at local liquor and cold beer and wine stores.
