Featured Wines: The Quaran-Vine Papers #4: Pinots of Privilege

If the wine in this week's Featured Wines column tickle your fancy, you can order them directly from Jordan by email (JCarrier@everythingwine.ca) or find him in the Vintage Room of Everything Wine's newest location River District in South Vancouver (8570 River District Crossing).

The Quaran-Vine Papers #4: Pinots of Privilege

By Jordan Carrier

Hi Everyone!

Like many “essential” workers, I have come to know quite a bit about masks and gloves, lately. Gloves are a complex topic that we talk a lot about, here, with different pros and cons:

THINGS GLOVES MAKE EASIER
- Not touching my face (prime directive, 90% success rate)
- Picking up boxes of wine (omg so much better, I’m like Spiderman)
- Protecting against an angry cat (see below)

THINGS GLOVES MAKE HARDER
- Picking up a pen (why can’t they be bigger?)
- Taking a piece of @#*% paper out of a @#*% envelope (@#&% #$)
- Petting a cat (see above)

But our topic for today’s read is Pinot Noir, and the access I temporarily have to some wines that were reserved only for restaurants. PLEASE understand that I would trade back this access in a nanosecond if it meant that my restaurant brethren could fully return to work, but for now I can offer some amazing Pinots to you:

B.C.

Blue Mountain Block Series, Okanagan Falls. The Mavety family has spent the last few years identifying which areas of their original vineyard near OK Falls (one of the only own-rooted, ungrafted sites in the province) made the most distinct statements of Pinot Noir, and this is the maiden vintage of those terroir-driven bottlings. I have long been a fan of Blue Mountain, and I’m unsurprised to see them leading the charge towards a more Burgundian, geographic designation concept for BC (Oregon is already largely there).

Blue Mountain 2017 Pinot Noir Block 23 River Flow

The prettiest Pinot from the top of the hill, light and graceful from a sandy block with almost northern exposure. Red fruited and elegant with soft tannins, lovely. 12 bottles available, $54.98 +tax

Blue Mountain 2017 Pinot Noir Block 14 Gravel Force

As the name suggests, this is rocky soil with bits of clay acting as a sauce. Southwestern exposure means deeper everything: colour, body and tannin, with tangible strength and lots of layers. 12 bottles available, $54.98 +tax

Blue Mountain 2017Pinot Noir Block 9 Wild Terrain

The wild card with the most diverse aspects, steepest slopes, windiest area and sunniest part of the vineyard. This collection of extremes offers a gorgeously savoury, racy Pinot with herbs and flowers. 12 bottles available, $54.98 +tax.

Little Engine 2018 Pinot Noir Silver, Naramata

A bunch of us “Wine Types” went up to a special tasting at the French Family’s Naramata winery a couple years ago (so gorgeous up there, sigh), where we were treated to a blind comparison of Little Engine Pinots vs. Oregonian and Californian offerings. Two things crossed my mind, 1) wow, even the cheapest tier (silver) of this house really holds up against the Yanks and 2) the contrasting choice was fairly revealing as to where Little Engine’s compass is oriented. Almost every premium BC Pinot mentions Burgundy in their marketing, either as a North Star or (more incredulously) as an analog; Little Engine is admirably happy being a West Coast Pinot, full of fruit and fun and occasional punches to the face. This 2018 is vibrant and loud with cherry and dried strawberry notes, hints of fig and herbs toward a pretty darn satisfying medium-full mouthfeel with supportive (not racy) acidity. 2 cases (of 12) available, $41.98 +tax

Martin’s Lane 2015 Pinot Noir Simes Vineyard, Kelowna

Martin’s Lane has come a long way since this little offshoot of Mission Hill won its Pinot category at the Decanter World Wine Awards. Now its own winery with its own winemaker (New Zealander Shane Munn), Martin’s Lane has wisely narrowed their focus to perfecting two varieties: Riesling and Pinot Noir. Planted in 2008 and named after Mission Hill’s Wine Wiz John Simes, this vineyard near Kelowna boasts a rare northern aspect with Pinot at the top of the hill, allowing a long hang time for phenolic ripeness whilst keeping that bracing acidity that helped it beat its competitors years ago. Ripe cherries, cola and flint notes dive into a soft bath of plums and flowers. The bottle says 14% alcohol but it drinks like 12%. Quite lovely indeed. 12 bottles available, $100.98 +tax

FRANCE

Gerard Raphet 2016 Clos de la Roche Grand Cru, Burgundy

The perfect way to tell 10-years-from-now you that you’re special and deserving of love. The 100-year-old rows near the top of this Grand Cru near Morey-Saint-Denis make very little juice, but what is produced is deep and earthen with hues of licorice and baking spice amongst the black cherries, the tannins are still at fighting weight but should soften enough to slip into a supporting role in a few years. Raphet is the Burgundian winemaker that other Burgundian winemakers drink, I’m discovering. 3 bottles available, $306.98 +tax

Domaine Faiveley 2017 Corton-Clos-des-Cortons-Faiveley Grand Cru Monopole, Burgundy

One of the precious few Grand Cru Monopoles (whole appellation owned by one house) in existence, the Faiveley family has farmed this patch since 1873, and besides being a blessed, east-facing terroir with a reputation for making Cellar Stars, it’s also one of only two Grand Cru Monopoles that bear the name of the family (the other is DRC). The 2017 vintage was one of those rare nothing-horrible-happened years that the family calls “classic” in style, spicy cherries constrained by bracing minerality that’ll develop amazingly over the coming decade but with enough fruit to drink earlier – unlike many vintages from this cru it doesn’t drink like a wolverine who stubbed his toe. Energetic but generous. 3 bottles available, $330.98 +tax

Marquis d’Angerville 2016 Volnay 1er Cru Taillepieds, Burgundy

So synonymous are the d’Angervilles with the village of Volnay that 1) you’d need to go back several centuries to find a time when they weren’t there, and 2) they’ve been farming these same vineyards so long that the grapes are now their own recognized clone of Pinot Noir, Pinot d’Angerville. The current Marquis is Guillaume d’Angerville, who took over after his father’s premature passing in 2003, and he makes the kind of Volnay that reaffirms why this is pretty much my favourite village: gorgeously textured, silken delivery with just the right balance of perfume and stank. The gamey, herbal notes are countered by opulent deep blackberry and licorice, I think we’re 5 years away from the Golden Years here but the universe wouldn’t retaliate if you gave in to your urges now. 3 bottles available, $270.98 +tax

Butterfield 2008 Corton Grand Cru, Burgundy

I’ve introduced David Butterfield to you before – he’s the Canadian who trained under Jadot’s crazy druid Jacques Lardières – but I kind of hit the jackpot in both vintage and value with this amazeballs 2008 Corton, $156 would be peanuts for this Grand Cru in a new release let alone a library one (this is straight from his cellar). Taken from the tiny Pugets lieu-dit in Corton, this is an elegant, perfumed expression of the Cru with black cherries and leather taking centre stage – one need not wait for this, all engines are engaged. Doubtful that I’ll be able to get this again. 2 6-packs available, $156.98 +tax

Maison Roche de Bellene 2002 “Collection Bellenum” Beaune 1er Cru Les Grèves, Burgundy

I tucked this one near the end to reward diligent readers: Bellene’s Nicolas Potel recently embarked on a new project: to liberate the cellars of his colleagues (as well as his own) and sell back-vintaged Burgundy for reasonable prices (in context, naturally). This 2002 Beaune Grèves exudes red fruits and flowers over spice and forest floor, and drinks like a dream as long as your dream involves dried cherries. I don’t expect to be able to get this again either. 9 bottles available, $119.98 +tax

USA

Lindstrom 2016 Pinot Noir Dutton Ranch, Russian River Valley, Sonoma

Greg and Carol Lindstrom only produce two wines, a Napa Cab and this Sonoma Pinot, both of which are made by Celia Welch – the winemaker of Screaming Eagle peers Scarecrow and Staglin (and she was 2008 Winemaker Of The Year) – which seems like hiring Spielberg to direct your Tik Tok video but she loves the fruit these vineyards produce, the collab was her idea. Only 200 cases were made of the Dutton Ranch 2016 Pinot (in the US you can only get this at the winery) and we have the only ones that came into BC because we are very clever (usually goes to restaurants). Cherry cola and cinnamon swirl around soft cedar notes and blackberry jam with plum and pomegranate. Remarkable intensity, smooth delivery. 2 6-packs available, $118.98 +tax

Until next time, Happy Drinking!

Featured Wines: The Quaran-Vine Papers #3: Shooting Blancs

If the wine in this week's Featured Wines column tickle your fancy, you can order them directly from Jordan by email (JCarrier@everythingwine.ca) or find him in the Vintage Room of Everything Wine's newest location River District in South Vancouver (8570 River District Crossing).

The Quaran-Vine Papers #3: Shooting Blancs

By Jordan Carrier

As the weather gets warmer and we continue to find ourselves with time on our hands, I thought I’d shoot out some suggestions for some amazing French white wines to enjoy on your patio, with, of course, some contemporary precautions:

FROM THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT – April 16^th, 2020. Wine Product may be consumed in outdoor areas if consumers adhere to the following restrictions:

1a. All consumers of Wine Product must stay 2m apart from each other on patio.

1b. Patio must be 2m apart from neighboring patio.

1c. If two neighboring patios are occupied, eye contact between patios is forbidden.

1d. If accidental eye contact between neighboring patios does occur, eyes must be washed for 20 seconds before returning to patio.

Well, now that we’re safe, let’s get to the yums:

PRODUCER SPOTLIGHTS

Domaine Marius Delarche, Burgundy. Simply put, this is some of the best Burgundian value I have seen in a few years, from a tiny producer who should change their name to When Mice Roar. When Etienne Delarche took over after his father passed in 2007, there was every reason to expect that he would continue his family’s tradition of making passable, agreeable wines from the vineyards they’d owned for generations on and around the hill of Corton. Having apprenticed in a series of forward-thinking Burgundy houses, he set about reducing the oak treatment and the yields and stunned the region with pure, focused Chardonnays that shed new light on the unassuming hamlet of Pernand Vergelesses (or as I call it: Shadow Corton). Etienne now plays with the big boys but charges the kiddie rate: Delarche hasn’t increased their prices since 2010, putting them starkly in contrast with… France. I have 2 wines by Etienne:

Domaine Marius Delarche 2017 Pernand-Vergelesses AOC Les Boutières

From vineyards literally around the corner (other side of the hill) from Corton-Charlemagne (that’s why I call it Shadow Corton, clever Jordan!). Wet stones and spicy apples with zing and tenacity, finishes with lemon zest and a drum fill. Truly amazing value, you will want more than you buy. 4 6-packs available, $52.98 +tax

Domaine Marius Delarche 2017 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru AOC 

A creamy whopper of a Corton-Charlie, full, rich, loud and solid, like a lemon-cream-pie with rocks in it. Delicious now, delicious in the future second term of President Joe Exotic. I don’t mean to blow the “value” horn too much but just look at this pricing compared to anything else from this Grand Cru and you’ll see why I’m so stoked on this house. 2017 not yet rated, previous 2 vintages scored 94 with Wine Spectator. 1 6-pack left (this horse is partially out of the barn) $161.98 +tax

Nicolas Joly, Loire. The Godfather of Biodynamic viticulture. This dude’s book has almost too many chapters in it: born in France, educated in New York and a former investment banker at J.P. Morgan, Joly returned to his family’s estate in the Loire Valley after reading a book of biodynamic viticulture, and he became a pioneer of organic winemaking in France during a time when pesticides and herbicides were liberally used as seasonings. He effectively put the small appellation of Savennières on the map, working exclusively with Chenin Blanc and elevating both grape and region to a level where one of his crus, Coulée de Serrant, was awarded its own appellation, becoming a monopole (entire AOC under one proprietor) and joining the tiny club of Romanée-Conti and Chateau-Grillet. (In contrast, I just learned how to work our Moneris machine, huzzah!). I have 2 Chenin Blancs by Mr. Joly:

Nicolas Joly Coulée de Serrant 2016 Savennières-Coulée-de-Serrant AOC 

If you wash your hands long enough to speak this wine’s whole name, you should be fine. Like Corton and Vougeot, this hallowed land has been under vine since monks first planted it in 1130. Harvested in 5 different passes and fermented with indigenous yeasts, aged in old oak, showing crushed rocks and grapefruit over dried white flowers and mild green herbs. Probably 5 years out from Prime Yum, age it like a dry Riesling. Not yet rated, 12 bottles available, $135.99 +tax

Nicolas Joly 2016 Les Vieux Clos, Savennières AOC

The estates youngest vines (20 years, ancient in BC context) are in this east-facing vineyard of schist and quartz, severely harvested so that only the ripest berries get used. This is Joly’s earliest drinking wine, golden and rich with flinty lemon and lemongrass and a faint saline note. 12 bottles available, $79.99 +tax

OTHER YUMS

Domaine aux Moines 1999 Savennières-Roche-aux-Moines AOC, Loire Valley

Mother-and-Daughter team Monique and Tessa Laroche run this absolutely crackerjack, under-the-radar biodynamic neighbour to Joly, next door to Coulée de Serrant. This organic Chenin is aged to perfection, still showing dried pear and honey over tertiary notes of menthol and pineapple. Medium bodied, firm with a persistent finish. Still has the acidity to go another decade, but you’re in quarantine now, so… 12 bottles available, $59.98 +tax

Gerard Duplessis 2017 Chablis 1er Cru Montmains AOC, Chablis, Burgundy

Gerard’s son Lilian now runs this organic, classic Chablis estate in the heart of the appellation, and the Montmains cru (means “medium mountain” because it’s on a medium mountain) is his favourite. Flint and smoke surround the citrus notes, it takes a bit to coax the snail out of the shell, here, so decant and re-chill would be my M.O. or a 3-years nap would work as well. So many hazards befell Chablis in 2017 – hail and frost above all – that it’s wondrous we got anything, and accordingly the quantities are tiny. I have one 6-pack. $69.98 +tax

Domaine Oratoire 2017 St Martin Cairanne Blanc AOC “Haut-Coustias”, Cairanne, Rhône Valley

Continues to be one of the best values in White Rhône, but the world is slowly catching on. Clairette-led with Grenache Blanc, Marsanne and Roussanne doing dishes, this is an opulent, rich white, made by the Alary brothers from 90-year-old vines on the geologically unique hill of Haut-Coustias, which like the village of Cairanne is largely planted to red wines. Intense tropical fruits and a massive body are all tied up in a zing on the luxurious finish. 94 points Robert Parker, 12 bottles available, $52.98 +tax

Domaine de Beaurenard 2017 Chateauneuf-du-Pape Blanc AOC, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Rhône Valley

It seems like a lifetime ago but we had Victor Coulon from Beaurenard here for a Collectors Tasting in late February (omg time is folding on itself) and this was one of the hits, a rare white CDP that uses an unusually large (25%) portion of the ancient grape Bourboulenc in the blend. White flowers, almond and apricot control the nose, and although quite crisp, it drinks like silk. This wine will give you the hugs your friends cannot. 12 bottles available, $77.98 +tax

Until next time, stay safe and Happy Drinking!

Featured Wines: The Quaran-Vine Papers #2: Bella Italia

If the wine in this week's Featured Wines column tickle your fancy, you can order them directly from Jordan by email (JCarrier@everythingwine.ca) or find him in the Vintage Room of Everything Wine's newest location River District in South Vancouver (8570 River District Crossing).

The Quaran-Vine Papers #2: Bella Italia

By Jordan Carrier

As the sunrise to the night,
As the north wind to the clouds,
As the earthquake’s fiery flight,
Ruining mountain solitudes,
Everlasting Italy,
Be those hopes and fears on thee

Percy Bysshe Shelley, 1817

We honour the wines of Italy today with empathy and optimism: soon the cafes will reopen, the wine will flow and the music will start again. The things that make Italy one of the world’s hearts will return as vibrant and vital as ever - I will be at the front of the line to drink it all in.

Salute. We begin with the Italian Red Wine Of The Year, as chosen by Italians:

Piaggia 2016 Carmignano Riserva, Carmignano, Tuscany

Boasting roughly the same Sangiovese-to-Cab/Merlot blend as Tignanello, the wines from the village of Carmignano are still Terra Incognita to many Canadian wine collectors but by rights they shouldn’t be: the true Tuscan values are in the hinterlands and this 2016 Riserva by Piaggia is an elegant, nearly-perfect tribute to that northern terroir. Carmignano’s Cabernet Sauvignon plantings go back to the 1500s when one of the Medicis became queen of France, and she imported her favourite French grapes to these hills that overlook Florence from the north-west; It’s weird that so many Tuscan traditionalists freaked out in the 1970s when the Antinoris blended Sangiovese with Cab – that same so-called Super Tuscan formula had been baked into the Carmignano cake for centuries. Dried and fresh cherries sing lead on this track but they let others take solos: blood orange, mint, plum and lavender all get to belt out a line or two. Repressed intensity follows on the layered palate, the structure is dense but not angry, a good deal of fruit comes back onto the long finish, accompanied by its fondue-friend Chocolate. This is actually pretty tasty now but I suspect a future legend – 20 years cellaring time is possible, 4 years is advisable. Remember when you saw the ads for The King’s Speech and you thought “Oh that’s obviously going to win the Oscar”? This. Red Wine Of The Year: Gambero Rosso. 5 6-packs available, $65.98 +tax

Salcheto 2015 Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, Montepulciano, Tuscany

A wolf in sheep’s clothing. Because of Michele Manelli’s dedication to sustainable everything, the wines are packaged in diminutive, unassuming bottles that don’t even look like they could hold 750ml (they do) so as to decrease the carbon footprint needed to ship them. We carry wimpy little White Zins with more imposing bottles than this. It’s all a trick, however: like a hand grenade wrapped in a pink scrunchie, the wine trapped inside is a beast of many claws – I can’t believe it hasn’t already escaped given that the bottle’s so thin. Deep notes of iron and smoke hover above the black fruits and violets, you can almost smell the sunburnt soil through the plums. Carries the same body and structure as a Saint-Estephe, or maybe a tractor… This Sangiovese needs further imprisonment – 2 years should do the trick – but will be quite stunning on the other side of that. #11 – Top 100 of 2019, Wine Enthusiast, 94 points Wine Spectator, 4 6-packs available, $44.98 +tax

Tenuta San Jacopo 2015 Caprilius, Valdarno, Tuscany

Remember how “Montepulciano” is the name of a grape and the name of a Tuscan wine village, but the Montepulciano village grows Sangiovese and the Montepulciano grape is never grown in Tuscany? Ok, forget all of that because this is a Tuscan wine made out of Montepulciano, oopsy. Besides being a fish-out-of-water, oh-no-the-Ghostbusters-crossed-the-beams kind of specimen, Caprilius is actually quite delicious, and certainly pushes the pleasure buttons earlier and more frequently than the last two wines. Big, round and loveable with spiced blueberries and blackberries, this is a rich, opulent wine from just outside the Chianti appellation, bursting with body and just generally in a good mood. Didn’t know the Montepulciano grape could get this large. Sheer concentration will allow aging but there’s no waiting period, this is a way-tasty little paradox already. 97 points (Platinum) Decanter, 3 6-packs available, $64.99

Trinoro 2017 Le Cupole, Val d’Orcia, Tuscany.

What’s the name of that thing that always stands back up with a smile after it gets punched? Oh, right: Trinoro. The 2017 growing season was so hot and dry in southwestern Tuscany that proprietor Andrea Franchetti said that the “Val d’Orcia became the Sahara, the grapes were all skins!” As a result, the 2017 red wines from Trinoro are denser, deeper and darker than Goth eyeliner, and the hydric pressure on the vines led Andrea to let Merlot drive the bus in Le Cupole, instead of the usual leader Cabernet Franc, whose berries looked like Voldemort after all the Horcruxes were broken. Le Cupole 2017 is a rich, ripe affair despite the drought, the velvety Merlot brings the love and the co-stars Cab Franc and Petit Verdot bring the brisk balance. Leathery plums and blackberries rule the roost. This has been a super popular wine in my Vintage Room for years, I’m sure many of you have older vintages in your cellars, but I guarantee you’ve never had one quite like this. 93 points Robert Parker, 2 cases available, $57.98 +tax

Dal Forno Romano 2012 Amarone della Valpolicella, Valpolicella, Veneto

I keep telling people that I’ve never been run over by an Italian sports car, but I’ve drank Dal Forno so maybe that’s not true. The apprentice to Giuseppe Quintarelli has emerged as the King of Precision and Munitions: Romano Dal Forno’s chromed drying rooms (called Fruttaios) look like NASA test chambers, and his wines taste like the universe - vast and unending. Romano took the rustic, local Amarone practices and used new tech to refine each of them to maximum effect. In fact, “maximum” is the word that applies to every aspect of his winery and wines, soup to nuts. This is the maximum extraction, power, pigment, intensity and longevity that humans can wrest from the local grape varieties Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara. If Romano were permitted to start with a heavier grape like Cab, our known universe would fold in on itself. Sweet spice, brandied cherries and charcoal dominate the nose, the body and finish both scream “Ozymandias!” for hours. The sheer concentration and price preclude it from being a Wednesday Wine (but oh, what a Wednesday), as does the fact that he makes hardly any wine – I was allocated one six-pack and already sold one bottle. 97 points James Suckling, 96 points Robert Parker, 96 points Decanter, 5 bottles available, $534.98 +tax

Domini Veneti 2013 Vigneti di Jago Amarone della Valpolicella, Valpolicella, Veneto

The Jago hamlet overlooking Negrar, north of Verona, supplies the Corvina-led fruit salad that comprises this friendly dragon. Started in 1989 by an established co-op (co-ops are owned by grape growers) called Cantina di Negrar, Domini Veneti’s mission was to start making amazing wines, standing apart from the starkly functional wines that the co-op was famous for (some co-ops make really good wine but they are often Purveyors of Meh). You can’t just “decide” to make great wines, can you? It doesn’t work like that, does it? Evidently it can work exactly like that because the wines from Domini Veneti have been stellar pretty much since the starting pistol. Their emphasis on terroir – not a priority of even some of the best Amarones – has been a calling card, and this wine from Jago sings. The expected dark fruits are balanced by citrus rind astringency and a truly exotic nose tied together by tobacco and vanillin. They don’t submit to American reviewers but they’ve racked up some European awards: Gold – Mundus Vini, Platinum/Best In Show Decanter World Wine Awards, 97 points Decanter, 2 6-packs available, $91.98 +tax

Pieropan 2016 Calvarino Soave Classico, Soave, Veneto

An intensely perfumed, balanced white wine grown in volcanic soil (the Calvarino vineyard), and one of the last wines made by Leonildo 'Nino' Pieropan, considered by most to be the Father of Soave. Nature gave Leonildo a gift for Pieropan’s 45^th anniversary harvest: a long, mild, dry autumn where the thick skins of Garganega got extra hang time to soften and collect knowledge and wisdom; the nose is teeming with lime zest, marzipan and stone fruit, accompanied by smoke, stones and spice. Big, dry footprint in the mouth, balanced by elegant acidity, amaze-balls. #6 – Top 100 of 2019 Wine Enthusiast, 96 points Wine Enthusiast, 94 points Robert Parker, 3 6-packs available, $41.98 +tax

BACK VINTAGES

I’ve lucked into a few library releases lately, I share these with you now:

Carpineto Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Riserva, Tuscany

One of the leading names in Vino Nobile has released a few glimpses into the past (or into the future, if you scored some of the famous 2013s and want to taste what’s in store). The 1989 is astounding, showing dried violets and forest floor with fresh berries poking up ever so faintly, a good amount of anise on both nose and palate, the acidity is almost intact although the tannins are minimal. A shade peppery on the finish also. The 2007 is a teenager and can’t be told what to do. Red currant and green peppercorn abound, pushing slightly past the espresso and cherry. A nice head start on aging, here, but there’s certainly an argument to be made that it could use a couple more spins in the cellar, the body and acidity are nicely balanced but you can see the tannins from space. My money is on the 2007 being astounding in 2023. Neither vintage was reviewed insofar as I could find.
1989: 1 wooden 6-pack available, $87.98 +tax
2007: 2 wooden 6-packs available, $150.98 +tax

Brancaia 2007 Ilatraia Toscana I.G.T., Maremma, Tuscany

A generous, gorgeously layered Toscana directly in the downtown of Awesomeville, timing-wise. Cabernet Sauvignon with Sangiovese and Petit Verdot all get together to sing songs about how amazing you are, and how they loved spending a year and a half in French Oak (“it was so toasty” they sing) and how they used to be really angry but then they spent a long time in a bottle thinking about life and now they just want to spread joy. Then blueberries and vanilla beans show up and dance really inappropriately but it’s ok because things were different in 2007 and they don’t know better. You’re welcome. 96 points Wine Spectator, 2 6-packs available, $100.98 +tax

Antinori 2007 Tignanello Toscana I.G.T., Chianti Classico, Tuscany

We had Alessandro from Antinori here for a tasting in November and it was great and he was dreamy and we all had a good time but the wines didn’t get here on time for the tasting. “No problem” I said, “just fill out the order forms and we’ll order you all the back-vintaged Tignanello that you could possibly desire”. Sigh. Those were simpler times and I was a different man, so full of hope and faith. Then I went through the experience of trying to procure specific vintages of the same wine, refracted through two separate but equally opaque bureaucracies, and now I’ve grown my beard out and I only wear T-shirts of Che Guevara getting eaten by a lizard-person. It was a mess, nearly nobody got what they wanted, but I did seem to come out the other side with 4 bottles of the 2007 that aren’t spoken for. It’s a classic vintage, one of my favourites, very much drinking like a million bucks. Have at ‘er, folks. 95 points Robert Parker, 4 bottles available, $229.98 +tax

Until next time, Happy Drinking!

Media Release: Honour BC Wine at Home

From the BC Wine Institutes Media Release


Kelowna, BC –  As we continue to navigate these uncertain times surrounding COVID-19, BC wineries are doing what they can to ensure the community and industry remain strong, which is why the Wines of British Columbia welcome the return of BC Wine Month in April to encourage buying local while respecting physical distancing.

Once again, the BC government has proclaimed April as the official province-wide wine month, encouraging all British Columbians to enjoy 100 per cent BC wines from their homes.

“Communities all around the province continue to rally together by supporting local businesses and choosing to Buy BC products,” says Lana Popham, Minister of Agriculture. “Many BC winemakers depend on sales within our province to keep their businesses running, and our support for them and all BC farmers and businesses during this pandemic will help the resiliency and future of food and beverage production in British Columbia.”

With 929 vineyards across the province, BC’s wine industry is doing what it can to protect the more than 12,000 jobs BC wineries support. More than 175 wineries, along with local retailers and restaurants, are stepping up to make it easier to enjoy BC wine by offering free shipping, delivery, virtual tastings, charitable donations and curbside pick up for British Columbians. The BC Wine Institute launched a dedicated webpage to highlight these promotions and provide a simple way for wine lovers to find BC wines and engage with their local wineries online.

"It is more important than ever to support local,” says Miles Prodan, President & CEO of the BC Wine Institute. “And while tasting rooms are closed for visitation, wineries remain open for business and are taking necessary precautions to make BC wines accessible for British Columbians while ensuring the safety and well-being of their communities, staff, families and customers. We invite wine lovers to experience BC wineries virtually in honour of BC Wine Month.”

A proud supporter of the local community, growers, suppliers and winemakers, Save-On-Foods is a key retail partner for BC Wine Month. April also marks the fifth anniversary of Wines of British Columbia at Save-On-Foods stores. 

“By partnering with more than 175 BC wineries and producers, Save-On-Foods offers the world’s largest selection of BC VQA Wines in 21 Wines of British Columbia at Save-On-Foods stores,” says Steve Moriarty, Director, Save-On-Foods. “We take immense pride in the sale and promotion of more than 1200 different wines produced right here in British Columbia. Our customers have grown to appreciate the distinct quality and unique freshness that comes from local wineries, and we continue to grow and support the industry.”

Save-On-Foods will support BC Wine Month through in-store signage and displays, and BC Wine Month billboards will be displayed in various regions of BC and Alberta throughout the month of April.

Learn more about how you can support BC Wine Month throughout April and show local wineries, retailers and restaurants some love at WineBC.com. 

Featured Wines: The Quaran-Vine Papers #1: Chardonnay

If the wine in this week's Featured Wines column tickle your fancy, you can order them directly from Jordan by email (JCarrier@everythingwine.ca) or find him in the Vintage Room of Everything Wine's newest location River District in South Vancouver (8570 River District Crossing).

The Quaran-Vine Papers #1: Chardonnay

By Jordan Carrier

Hi Everyone!

Seeing as many of us will have a bit more down time for a stretch, I thought I’d send out a few deep dives that I’d normally reserve for summertime. Nice to fill the mind with things that aren’t current events or tiger collectors. We begin with one of my favourite grapes: Chardonnay.

I was talking to a friend with young kids about their schedule, working from home, and he noted that he had to allow for his kids to have at least one meltdown per day, it’s just baked into his routine. I barely remember that. My kids are pretty much grown, so daily crying (them not me) isn’t a part of my life anymore, but I can’t quite pinpoint exactly when it stopped. That milestone wasn’t properly observed.

I also can’t remember the last time I had to defend Chardonnay to somebody – at some point I stopped having to but I’m not sure when that was. The majority of fine wine drinkers have come to appreciate this noble white grape for what it is: a versatile variety that serves as a conduit for terroir and, most importantly, a grape for which there are no short cuts. One cannot hack Chardonnay, the price reflects the processes and vineyard quality, you absolutely get what you pay for and I think that everyone gets it now: gone are the days where I’d recommend a Chard for food pairing and it would elicit a furrowed brow, like I’d just suggested that they pair their salmon with tuberculosis.

Will Chardonnay again reach the heights of popularity it enjoyed in the 1980s? No, and it shouldn’t. A lot of the top brands from that era were cheap, oak-chipped fruit-bombs that tasted like Eau De Marmalade stirred with a hockey stick – those “short cuts” I was talking about – and their ubiquitous middling quality is what helped bring about the backlash that we’ve only just emerged from. No, Chardonnay feels right remaining as a premium wine, consumed by those in the know and enjoyed as a visceral opulence. Let Pinot Grigio be the Boy Band, this grape plays Jazz.

I have been… collecting a few mind-blowing Chardonnays (using the term “hoarding” isn’t as pleasantly absurd as it was in, say, February) and I’d like to share them with you today, starting with:

ARGENTINA

Catena Zapata 2016 White Bones Chardonnay, Mendoza, Argentina

Turns out that while few of us were paying attention, the Catena family started quietly producing some of the best Chardonnay in the New World, all because of the magic bullet in their arsenal: the Adrianna Vineyard, sitting at 5,000 ft. elevation. About a decade ago, the family started to parcel out that vineyard into specialized bottlings (it used to all go into the Catena Alta tier) according to what was in the underlying soils. “White Bones” refers to the soil underneath the carefully selected rows in Block 1, teeming with calcareous deposits and limestone as well as fossilized animal bones from when the site was under a river. This is lightning in a bottle: full bodied Chard with electric tension from Adrianna’s 20-C diurnal shift, partially aged under a “flor” (floating layer of yeast that allows micro-oxidation), showing stone fruits, saline, jasmine, pineapple and chalk, all before a finish longer than The Irishman. Chardonnay this good from France would be $500 at a base level, this feels exciting and zeitgeist-y. 98 points Decanter, 98 points James Suckling, 97 points Robert Parker, 3 wooden 3-packs available, $150.98 +tax

BRITISH COLUMBIA

Fitz Blanc de Blancs 2014/2015, Okanagan Valley, B.C

Do y’all remember Greata Ranch? It’s that little pull-out off of Hwy 97 with all the condos beside it, in the terra incognita between Peachland and Summerland? Gordon Fitzpatrick sure remembers it because it’s the part of Cedar Creek that he didn’t sell to Mission Hill a few years back, changing the area’s output to focus mostly on sparkling wines. The now-tiny winery admittedly flew under my radar for a few years before scoring Gold/95pts at the Decanter Wine Awards in London (for the 2014 vintage, the equally good 2015 will be submitted in May), the same score that Moet & Chandon got for MCIII (BC price approx. $530). This 100% Chardonnay (from the wee Greata estate) has gorgeous bubbles, a fresh yeasty nose of lemon and acacia with a beautifully complex delivery (3 years on lees will do this) and a streak of cold-climate acidity. 95 points Decanter (2014 vintage), 12 bottles 2014 available, 6 bottles 2015 available, $43.98 +tax

FRANCE

Francois Mikulski 2017 Meursault, Burgundy, France

A lightning bolt of clarity and precision, Mikulski always pulls off that most Burgundian of tricks: wielding intense concentration whilst seeming lighter than air. The road Francois took towards winemaking could fill a miniseries, his father escaped occupied Poland and found himself fighting alongside the British in the Free Polish Forces, where he met Francois’ mother who was from Burgundy. Francois fell in love with Burgundian wine and in 1992 inherited some plots from his uncle Pierre Boillot, then spent the next 3 decades in the cellar doing the opposite of what his uncle did. Mikulski favours elegance over opulence, and limits his new oak use to 20% to let the dirt shine through, this 2017 Meursault contains a novella on the nose: honey, almonds, anise, caramel, melon – the aromas suggest that a much heavier wine is on the way – then pivots to laser-tag on the palate that you could forgivably mistake for a Grand Cru Chablis, minus the minerality. This guy is famous for a reason. 94 points Decanter, 2 6-packs available, $113.98 +tax

Lou Dumont 2017 Meursault, Burgundy, France

To many of my clients this will be the first time you are hearing about Dumont but to my Asian clients this may be somewhat of a reunion, as the Dumont wines are hella-popular in Asia but are making their BC debut only now. Japanese Somm Koji Nakada followed his passion for Burgundy to Dijon, where he was taught French by his future wife/co-winemaker Jae Hwa Park, a Korean ex-pat living in France. Together they started a micro-négocient house called Lou Dumont to honour their kids and the mountains of their youth (and also, I’m guessing, to not freak out an agrarian French culture). Kind of a switched-polarity image from the previous Meursault, where the Mikulski is a streak of acid saved by concentration, Dumont is intense concentration saved by a streak of acid. Koji is most definitely not afraid of barrels, but the rich body and toasty nose (imagine hazelnuts, apples and shortbread in a toaster-oven) is balanced by that streak of tartaric freshness that ties everything in a beautiful bow. I love this wine in a surprising and almost sheepish way: rich toasty Burgundies are not what the cool kids are doing these days (not that I’ve ever cared), but Lou Dumont more than pulls it off with ample style and grace. Welcome to Canada, Jae and Koji, I think we’ll get along. 1 6-pack available (I had more but it’s selling already), $91.98 +tax

Domaine Laroche 2006 1er Cru La Chantrerie, Chablis, France

Hey, looky what Jordan did! I found a Premier Cru Chablis for under $50! Things are looking up, world!! I shudder to imagine what they did at the medieval monastery called “Le Obediencerie” back in the day, but they make wine there now cuz that’s where Domaine Laroche has their cellars. This 1er Cru Chantrerie, culled from different 1er Cru vineyards, is a relatively round affair, with intense yellow fruits and chalky notes on the nose and finish. Aged mostly in stainless steel with about 10% in wood, nice generosity and fruit purity, this would be a steal even at $60. 18 bottles available, $43.98 +tax

Jean-Marc Brocard 2016 1er Cru Montée de Tonnerre, Chabils, France

Most Chablis lovers (Chablisiacs? Chablisketeers?) can agree that in the very unlikely event that any Premier Cru was elevated to Grand Cru, Montée de Tonnerre would be first in line for the upgrade – it’s directly adjacent to the Grand Cru cluster on the right bank and shares a similar exposition. These are serious Chards with regal structure, and the Brocard expression of the vineyard hues a shade riper than some of the more austere versions: unusual apricot and nectarine notes can be found amongst the expected citrus and granny smith apple. A citrus-rind-ish astringency holds everything together on the very dry finish – this just entered the drinking window and will live here for another 10 years before taking the train to Cheesetown, not unlike a Grand Cru. Gorgeous and, in context, a screaming deal. 94 points Tim Atkins, 12 bottles available, $76.98 +tax

ITALY

Passopisciaro 2017 “Passobianco”, Etna, Sicily

The Chablis of the Volcano has returned. There isn’t much Chardonnay grown up on the slopes of Etna, and the Chard that is planted is so affected by the high altitude and marine influences that it seldom resembles Chardonnay at all. The saline notes underscore the wine’s more effusive qualities: honeyed apricot, red apple, marzipan, all bound by enough energy to run a time machine. Honestly if you told me that this was a fat little Vermentino, I’d believe you without blinking and then change my license plate to VRMTNO in tribute, but it’s legit Chard under a unique refraction, totally idiosyncratic and totally Passobianco. So glad this is back, I missed it from last year! 92 points Robert Parker, 3 6-packs available, $59.98 +tax

USA

TOR 2017 Chardonnay Durell Vineyard, Sonoma, California

After spearheading the Private Reserve line of Chards and Cabs at Beringer for a quarter-century, Tor Kenward, who studied under Mondavi, André Tchelistcheff and Warren Winiarski, left to make only single-vineyard Chards and Cabs across Napa and Sonoma. Tor wants to focus on the vineyards, not the winemaking, so let’s do that: the Durell vineyard, made famous by Kistler and the top Chateau St Jean wines, lies just west of the town of Sonoma, and favours the Wente clone of Chard, which boasts smaller berries and thicker skins. The intense fruit is well suited to barrels, and Tor spins silk with this 2017 – well off the vines by the time the fires started, if you smell smoke while drinking this you are probably on fire. Gorgeous notes of peach pie, melon and fresh bread on approach, drinks like a cardigan sweater woven out of neck rubs. Exclusive to Everything Wine. 95 points Robert Parker, 6 bottles available, $119.99

Grgich Hills 2016 Chardonnay, Napa Valley, California

To coopt a phrase originally meant for Keith Richards: We should think very hard about the kind of world we’re leaving for Mike Grgich. When I met him a few years ago (feels like a million in 2020 years) he was shuffling with a walker but still spry and funny for a guy in his early 90s – he still takes part in his namesake winery’s blending sessions, welcome advice I’m sure from the dude who beat the French in the 1976 Paris Tasting. Grigich Hills bottles many varieties but Chardonnay has always his Pegasus, his signature imprint of volatility/depth very present in this overachieving 2016 effort. Indigenous yeasts and lack of Malolactic fermentation bring both funk and zing to the party where orange peel and marzipan are already spinning records; every Grgich vintage is different but the best ones (like this) are vibrant, exciting wines with a welcome overabundance of character. 97 points Decanter, 12 bottles available, $76.98 +tax

Until next time, Happy Drinking!!