Just as Al and I anticipated, the Vancouver International Wine Festival was another huge success. When you first walk in to the festival, even I have to admit it is a little intimidating and overwhelming. You're not sure what direction to go at first, you feel kind of like a kid in the candy store so to speak. We were able to try many great wines and we are looking at bringing a few more wines to our shelves soon. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy one of these that I am sharing today. We do currently have wines that were featured at the wine festival's BC Liquor Store. These selections are all one time buy products, definitely worth a try. My first wine I am featuring is from France --the theme for this year's festival. The second is one from the US, which is in limited quantities as it was passed onto us from the festival. Finally, last but not least, is a BC wine from Kelowna.
La CHABLISIENNE
SAUVIGNON BLANC (587238)
FRANCE
$18.99
France and French wines can be confusing at times if you're not up on your geographical skills, or know what grapes are grown in what regions. I have to admit I have been drinking more French wines than I have in a long time.
At the festival, I spoke with French wine makers and got a whole new outlook and appreciation of French wines. The love and passion for winemaking goes deep into their souls and comes out and into each bottle they produce. The French people are very proud of the wines they produce and as they should be. I was lucky enough to attend a three-day workshop where I learned all about the wine regions of France. Talk about learning something new every day. I also learned how important food pairing can really be and the foods that went well with most French wines were very, very rich.
The wine I picked for you is a white from the Burgundy region of France or also known as the Bourgogne region. They would rather been known by the later and are currently making changes to use Bourgogne again. The Bourgogne region dates back 2,000 years to Roman times. Bourgogne is situated in just the right spot as it is influenced by the Mediterranean, oceanic and continental. Originally, wines were made by monks, kings, lords along with other farmers. The wine producers of this region are known to be very environmentally conscious and use a 'gentle' winemaking process. Most of the wines produced in the region are generally using a single varietal, and this white is no different. The Sauvignon Blanc grapes in this dry, white wine were grown along northwest slopes in the appellation of Saint-Bris. The aromas of citrus, crisp green apples and grassy notes make way for very crisp acidity and tart citrus fruits followed by a slightly salty mineral dry finish. You can pair this great white with any white fish meal. It's lively enough you could have this white as an apritif to awaken your taste buds before dinner.
MICHAEL DAVID
INCOGNITO ROUGE (337410)
USA
$21.99
California's Michael David Winery in the Lodi Valley really does refer to two brothers, Michael & David Phillip who are fifth generation owner/operators running the family business.
Some of you may already be familiar with a couple of their other wines -- 7 Deadly Zins and Petite Petit. Unlike these Zinfandel wines, Incognito Rouge is a really big, red wine that includes a blend of grapes. Syrah grapes dominate along with six other well-known Rhne Valley grapes .
Lodi has a climate very similar to France's Rhne Valley it makes sense these grape varietals would flourish in California. This climate has perfect growing conditions for Zinfandel with its cool, wet winters and very warm dry summers which is why it is considered to be the Zinfandel capital of the world.
The Phillips family has always emphasized producing wines to the highest of standards and best environmental practices. The family has about 750 acres of vineyards that flourish from the irrigation it gains from the Mokelumne River which originates from the Sierra Nevada Mountains. This region is designated to be in the AVA or American Viticulture Area. It has only been since 1986 that labels could have Lodi on them and mean something. Currently, there are 80 wineries in the region and they have become a leader in sustainable viticulture practices.
The label on this red is just like the name Incognito. The bottle is completely dark with a bright red cabaret mask near the top. It draws you to the label for sure. The darkness of the bottle reflects the same in the glass on this full-bodied red. The spicy peppery notes of the Syrah are apparent right away followed by dark ripe fruits and a long toasted oak almost campfire finish. Try this red on its own and enjoy each glass. Incognito Rouge is a big, bold new red that has the structure and character to make it worth trying.
ST. HUBERTUS
OAK BAY GEWRZTRAMINER 2012 (597229)
CANADA
$16.70
St.Hubertus just like many Okanagan wineries planted it first vines back in 1928 when land in the Okanagan Valley was plentiful. Since then the winery has changed hands and been renamed St. Hubertus by the Gebert family. Then in 1986 his brother Andy came to join him and together today they are still growing their own grapes and producing their own wines. Leo and Andy are proud that all their wines are estate grown on their 76 acres of vineyards. St. Hubertus takes up fifty acres while Oak Bay uses twenty six acres. Some of you may remember the Kelowna fires of 2003? There were two hundred homes lost in that blaze and St. Hubertus also lost their winery and one of their homes also.
Can you believe it's already been over ten years now? Of course, they've rebuilt and come back stronger than ever. They now produce and bottle around 14,000 cases annually. I am hoping for warmer weather anytime now and this Gewrztraminer reminds me of just that --warmer weather. I can picture myself sipping this white on a hot summer day. The aromas are light with summer fruits into floral notes which open up to more summer fruits with a very dry crisp acidic bite. Enjoy.
Kim Cabral is a product consultant at the B.C. Signature Liquor Store, Pine Centre. The bracketed numbers are the product codes for the B.C. liquor stores.
