Category Archives: Rosé

Quick Sips

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EastDell Estates Black Cab Ontario VQA 2009

Opened on December 29, 2010. A blend of Baco Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. I haven’t had too many good examples of Baco Noir, and this wine basically confirmed that I will probably never be a fan of the grape, which is a hybrid variety.

Most wines you see on store shelves, particularly European wines that only allow specific grapes, are made of vitis vinifera varieties only – Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are popular examples.

Today Baco Noir and other hybrid wine grapes (those bred between vitis vinifera and other species; Vidal and Maréchal Foch among the most widely known) are generally grown in North America, where their hardiness copes well with the extreme northern climates and potential vineyard diseases, and local regulations allow for wine to be produced commercially out of these grapes.

It is said that non-vitis vinifera grapes tend to produce wines of a “foxy” aroma and palate, which can be a unique characteristic. Unfortunately, the trait doesn’t appeal to me at all, and is exactly what I detected out of this bottle of EastDell Black Cab.

However, this wine is also quite typical for the varietals and region, with its cool climate greenness on the nose and palate, and so for the sake of education is probably worth a try.

Unavailable in British Columbia, as far as I know, but if you have a friend returning from Ontario, get them to bring a bottle home for you.

Deep ruby purple in the glass, this wine exudes youthful black fruits, berries, currants and red fruits on the nose which is veiled by a slightly musky or skunky tone. The palate is dry, with ample acidity, low tannins and a fairly light body that carries youthful, green flavours of sour cherry, unripe berries, herbs, asparagus and hints of metal and oak that finish short. Drink now and forever hold your peace. $13 in Ontario.

Dirty Laundry “Naughty” Chardonnay BC VQA 2007

I got this a couple of summers ago while driving through Summerland. I recommend visiting the winery if you get a chance, it’s one of the more idyllic cottagey shops in the area and has a nice tasting bar. The people working there are really nice and also have good knowledge of the winery’s history as well as that of the locale.

Rich citrus, ripe apple verging on stone fruit aromas with hints of biscuit combine in the mouth to form a juicy, ripe palate with a clean finish. Easy drinking, approachable Chardonnay with just the slightest touch of oak aging. $25

HenkellSeed

This elegant sparkling cocktail was concocted by me, but derives its crazy moniker from the brain of Sean Minogue.

I served this and the Naughty Chardonnay at a holiday dinner with the family, and was pleasantly surprised at how quaffable the former was as an apéritif.

The recipe is simple, and serves up to 8 per 750 ml bottle (by the way, Henkell Rosé is around $15):

  • In chilled champagne flutes, add half a handful of pomegranate seeds and a slice of ruby grapefruit, lemon or lime. (The lemon lookalike slices you see pictured are actually slices of sweet lime, which I found at Thrifty Foods one day, and yes, walk and talk like a duck, but smell and taste floral and soapy.)
  • (You may choose to add a squirt of simple syrup at this time, but I like my drinks dry.)
  • Top up with chilled Henkell Rosé or any other pink bubbly and serve. You could also use a combination of rosé wine followed by sparkling water but that’s up to you.

Summertime and the Living is Easy

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Just wanted to share some photos of random summer beverages and meals I haven’t blogged about.

For those out there reading, I hope your summer is going swimmingly!

Pairs well with rose quartz and amethyst.

The 2009 Prospect Winery Trutch Map Rosé is the latest vintage of this yummy summer sipper. Juicy and fresh with loads of red orchard fruit on the nose and palate, it is ideal for enjoying out on the patio. I’d be willing to wager that it’d make a fantastic rosé sangria base as well! $13

This is Gucci trying to cool down from the insane sauna-like temperatures in my apartment. Notice his primo placement right in front of the fan in the background?

Full of refreshing summertime flavours like grapefruit, citrus and freshly cut grass, how can one resist a glass of Mission Hill Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2007 under the blazing heat of the sun? $19

This was an interesting wine to try: RABL Gruner Veltliner Speigel 2005. I got this at Peninsula Village BC Liquor Store, where it was heavily discounted at 30% off ($14 instead of $20). I’d say that this was a little past its prime – the fruit character was presumably diminished from its former self, and there were lots of secondary flavours of musk, petrol and fungus. Still worth a try though, and not a bad match with my pan-seared halibut cheeks topped with cooked herb salsa and warm potato salad.

Here is Gucci getting curious about the sounds and people in the alley. (Cat lovers: Don’t worry, my Juliette balcony is bordered off with chicken wire!)

Last night’s meal – sweet corn on the cob with butter and cornmeal-coated catfish fritters topped with jalapeno salsa. I found a gigantic fillet of catfish at IGA for just $7! How could I resist? The crusty coating was a success. I didn’t photograph the wine, but it was Sumac Ridge Private Reserve Pinot Blanc 2006. Surprised to still see a wine of that age on the shelf (as above), but it was still decent nonetheless.

And last but not least… Regular readers can probably tell I’m into Caesars these days. I made this one myself!

The Veni Vini Vici Caesar

  • Add directly into a tall glass:
    • 1 tsp Cholula hot sauce
    • dash Worcestershire sauce
    • the juice of 1 wedge lime (throw the lime in afterwards)
    • 2 oz clam nectar
    • splash olive juice
    • 2 oz frozen vodka
    • a few grinds of fresh black pepper
  • Top with V8, garnish with celery stick and some olives, serve immediately.

Happy summer everyone!

On Kiwis, Kitties, Cocoa and Korea

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I usually forget to bring my camera when I go out and about, which I typically lament about later as that means I have no photos to accompany my posts. Someone must be slipping Gingko Biloba into my drinks lately, because my memory’s been much better than usual!

I’ll keep the commentary brief. You know what they say; a picture says a thousand words – I’ll spare you the essays!

Tiki Tour of New Zealand

April 25, 2010 – My friend Robert Ketchin of New Zealand Wines kindly allowed me to drop in to the second half of one of the final events during the week of Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival, a walk-around tasting of some of the stars of this year’s Festival theme country.

Chef Chris Whitaker and the O’Doul’s team at Listel Hotel did a marvellous job of catering the tasting. My favourite dish of the night was a creamy, heavy wild mushroom risotto that paired perfectly with the New Zealand Pinot Noirs on offer.

Me and my risotto. Check out Chef Chris and his enormous cheese wheel / risotto serving dish in the background - ingenious!

Although I enjoyed all the wines, the ones that particularly stood out for me included:

  • Elephant Hill Reserve Syrah 2008 and Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2008, both from Hawke’s Bay – super length, tight flavours and a lean elegance that seems to imply aging potential;
  • Man O’ War Flagship Dreadnought Syrah 2008 from Waiheke Island – definitely one for the cellar and one to watch for future vintages – I’m sure these young vines will evolve into greatness; and
  • Sileni Cellar Selection Cabernet Franc Rosé 2008 from Hawke’s Bay – a fresh and fragrant yet dry and subtle-tasting example of what a good New World rosé should exude.

Me and @seanminogue with Bronwyn Skuse of Man O' War Vineyards. I'm holding a bottle of their Flagship Ironclad 2008 (a very nice Bordeaux blend).

Humberto Canale Estate Malbec 2008

May 5, 2010 – Not much to say here: The bottle pictured was badly tainted! Alas, that’s the risk one should always consider with wine purchases – make sure you buy from a place with a good return policy!

I think Gucci could tell something was fishy about this wine.

Luckily, I had a second bottle on hand, which was quaffable: Deep black fruits, roots (licorice, burdock) and medium tannins were the primary flavours I picked up. It was quite different from my initial tasting of this at Playhouse, so I’m not fully convinced this second bottle was free of fault.

I’ve got one last shot available with my third and final bottle on hand, so this story is to be continued… (Here’s hoping for a happy ending!)

VCBW Presents: Women & Beer

May 13, 2010 – Although I blog mostly about wine, I’ll confess this: Sometimes there just isn’t anything more satisfying than an ice-cold beer. (You can take the girl out of Coquitlam, but you can’t take the Coquitlam out of the…)

Asking me to attend a tasting featuring quality BC microbrews and tasty local cuisine is a no-brainer. Do bees like honey? I had to buy tickets the moment I heard about Vancouver Craft Beer Week and its Women & Beer event.

What a fun night! I sampled delicious brews by Saltspring Island Ales, Howe Sound Brewing, Cannery Brewing, Red Devil Brewing and Crannóg Ales, matched with mouth-wateringly good appetizers by The Refinery. It was the perfect Mother’s Day gift for my mom and the fantastic gift bags we received at the end were a pleasant surprise.

The city’s (and country’s, for that matter) inaugural craft beer celebration was excellent and I am glad that I got to take part. See you at the next one!

Sabrina of Twenty-Something Theatre and me with Crannog's Back Hand of God Stout, a complex, malty, chocolaty brew with handmade sweets by CocoaNymph. We were in paradise.

DougieDog

I like a lot of ethnic foods – which in a city like Vancouver, is almost an oxymoron of a term – and so was very excited to try DougieDog, this new hot dog joint that I heard offered a selection of dogs with a multicultural twist.

Anyway, my mom and I stopped here following the Women & Beer tasting for a late-night snack. I just had to post this because the sausages were indeed of a snappy texture, exactly as advertised, and the Seoul Dog variation seemed quite simple, yet original. Why hadn’t I thought of this combination before?

These bad boys are big! Mom and I split one. Toppings included spicy kimchi, Korean BBQ beef, pickle and sesame. If I had to choose a wine pairing, I'd go with some cheap and cheerful cava or brut to tone down the heat.

Plus the server thought I was only 21. Vanity one, modesty zero.

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