a taste of something new

And this is why the industry is in desperate need of good sommeliers. Despite the fact that we'd like to think we know what we're doing, we still need guidance from true wine professionals to introduce and teach us new things. New regions, new varieties, new producers. And this particular bottle is by far the greatest wine experience I've had all year. A Croatian plavac, served by the glass at The Spoke Club in Toronto, brought in by sommelier Ludo.

I've heard great things about Croatia. It's sort of a hidden part of Europe, a little gem that tourists haven't yet picked up on. It's wine history dates 2500 years ago to the Ancient Greek settlers, who arrived on the Croatian coast in the 5th century BC, with wine production on the southern Dalmatian islands of Vis, Hvar and Korčula. Empires came and went, and in the 1400's, the Ottoman Turks governed under Islamic law, which forbade alcohol. However, they allowed Christians to maintain Catholic traditions, and this was to have saved wine production, in the form of Sacremental wine. The Habsburg Empire came into power in the 18th century, and wine culture really developed during this time - it lasted until the early 1900's, with the onset of phylloxera, and then Communism under Yugoslavia, which decimated fine wine production by swallowing vineyards into large cooperatives. The early 1990's saw the beginning of a revival of traditional Croatian wines, after the Croatian War of Independance.

Plavac Mali is the most widely planted grape along the Dalmatian coast of Croatia. In Croatian, mali means small and plavac means what is blue. It's the descendant of zinfandel - a cross between Crljenak Kastelanski (an ancestral Zinfandel) and Dobričić. The best quality is achieved on the southern slopes of Hvar Island, which is where this wine is from. This particular bottle, the 2010 Tomić Plavac Mali from Hvar, is stunning. So unique and utterly original. A bright crimson hue, showing lots of spicy, floral notes, with delicate red berries. This follows on the palate, showing great balance and texture. Finishes very dry, finely structured, with a soft kiss of cranberries and red currants.

We need good sommeliers. How else do we get to learn about, and experience wines like this? As winos, we always speak to the importance of keeping an open mind, and trying new things, but sometimes that's the hardest thing. Vintages and the LCBO certainly don't mind it if people drink only French/Italian/Californian/Australian. So the burden falls upon agencies, restaurants, sommeliers, and yes, wine consultants, to introduce people to truly unique wines from previously unheard of parts of the world. It's only when we step outside what we're familiar/comfortable/accepting of that we come to a  closer understanding of what wine is. Now - where do I find a bottle?

DF

ApéroChic, The French Touch in Toronto

Timing really is everything.

Last Thursday was the kind of day that turns you inside out. All of last week actually - I think I slept a total of 20 hours over 5 days. Exhausted, but after sending off my third application, it was time to head to The Spoke Club, to celebrate the release of 2012 Beaujolais Nouveau.

The event was put on by ApéroChic, a social club that puts together monthly events in Toronto, all with a French flair. They partner with some of the top venues in the city, always looking for interesting new things to do. Take a look at the website to see past events. In their own words, ApéroChic was born a year ago, created by Peggy Harvey (aka « La Parisienne »). Her idea was to initiate a monthly itinerant and informal evening, starting just after work hours where one could take time to share a glass and experiences, meet with friends and new people and even a dance for those who want to. Estelle Saint-Martin joined Peggy a few months later, helping her continue and further develop this new “rendez-vous”. Every ApéroChic has a theme : Beaujolais nouveau, the Galette des Rois  - Twelfth Night Cake - Red, Spring, VIP Night , Summer garden Party, Chic Escape , Serenity … We also organize special events following the life of Toronto (A kick-off TIFF party in September), or a sponsor or venue’s demand (Girl only in December).

The night was a lot of fun. And the two Beaujolais Nouveau wines for taste were ... incredibly drinkable. One from Beaujolais, one from Ardèche. Both showing good structure, freshness - some fumes from the carbonic maceration, to remind you that these are barely wines - and overall, not bad. From a wine standpoint, however, what really got me excited was learning about the wine list at The Spoke Club. Sommelier Ludo is putting together a really interesting lineup of wines by the glass, as well as a selection of natural wines. We tasted two, both available by the glass. A muscadet, completely blowing me away with its refinement and texture. A certain purity of fruit too, that you don't get out of most muscadet which tends to be very lean. And then he showed me a red wine that left me speechless. A Croatian plavac, my first ever experience with wines out of this part of the world. Incredible. Just ... incredible. So unique, with indescribable character. Balanced and fresh, with a lovely spiciness and delicate red berry fruit. Finished so dry, with a lingering cranberry/red currant kiss on the palate.

And now we're getting a little carried away. Sign up with ApéroChic to receive event news. A fabulous way to meet people, socialize, and get your French on!

DF

reaching for the green bottle

2010 Dr. H. Thanisch Riesling Spätlese | QmP Bernkasteler Badstube | Mosel

Re-reading the last few posts, and yes, the phrase it's been a long week does come up a lot, in one form or the other. Toronto's really cooling down, and I haven't had one single damn oyster yet - serious problem here, guys. Keep having these ideas of what I want to eat, what I want to cook, what I want to drink ... we'll wait until all the applications have been submitted, and really go all out for the holidays. Until then, bread and water.

Wow, I love riesling so much. As much as I try to remind myself of the need to drink different things, Mosel keeps drawing me back. My true love, in all its green bottled glory. I know exactly what to expect out of these wines, yet every time ... every single goddamn time ... they blow my mind and leave me spread-eagled on the floor (figuratively, of course). Completely riveting, a bolt of lightening; perfect extract and tension, lingering on the palate like a sweet, sweet kiss from your beloved. My true love.

You know, writing all these business school applications - I know it's so important to write for content before style, but can it all go too far? I've been writing for a long time, and whether it's any good or not, I've developed a personal style of putting my thoughts into words. Writing all dry and stern and business-like seems like I'm not being true to myself. Because if anything, I hate being tense - taking the piss is my way to cope with things. It's been far too long since I had dinner with my friends. Cooking at home, that is. The last time was literally 7 months ago, for my birthday. I know, I need to stay focused for the last of my apps, but I miss the excitement of grocery shopping the day of, the prepping, the drinking ... and most of all, I miss getting everyone around the dinner table. A few more weeks of hard graft to go.

DF

ready to go at it again

All photos courtesy of ROKChoi Photography

It's been a long week. A long year, in fact. A tough few months all around, but amidst all the bitterness and suffering, a glimmer of sweetness.

I've been missing from here, was busy all of last week sending in my 3rd application. I knew this whole process was going to take a lot out of me, but I didn't expect this much. Writing the essays and reflecting on what I bring to an MBA vis–à–vis existing skill-sets and experience ... goddammit, it's drawing out all these insecurities. You think you're a clever, unique person, but really, you're not. You're just like all the other schmucks submitting, innit. It's a bit difficult to accept, but there it is. This last application in particular, has actually taught me a lot. You think you're creative, you think you're brilliant and have all these profound ideas ... much more work needed, more focus, more thought.

And this process has really made me thankful for my true friends. I'm so lucky to have people in my life I trust, who always have my back, who always speak the bright, blessed truth. So the overriding question of this whole thing is Who am I? And shit, that's one of the most difficult questions I've ever had to answer. So let's take it one step at a time, one topic at a time. And naturally, I start with wine.

I suppose above all, I love wine for its honesty. For the moments of clarity it gives, when you taste something so deeply meaningful and profound that the clouds part, the sun shines through, and you suddenly understand the point of it all. Fleeting, and like a good dream, forgotten just as quickly ... but we know those moments exist, and we try to cherish them when they come. I was asked if the wines you like the most are a reflection of your personality. I believe so, strongly. I can only speak for myself - if you take a running list of the wines that mean the most to me ... well, that's DF right there. Honest, authentic wines, completely odious and hard to love right away. But over time, as they mature and you really come to understand them, they will be the most enlightening wine experiences you will ever have. Yes I'm introverted, yes I don't generally get along (or even like) most people, but come on, I'm old enough to not waste my time hanging out with people I don't particularly care for. And you can call me snobbish or standoff-ish, or even asshole-ish for it.

So what's next? I haven't actually been drinking much wine recently. Not in the mood, kind of trying to budget more carefully - lots of reasons why things have been a bit dry at home. One more school to work on, then it's a few months of sweating it out for a decision to come down. Fun. But at least the holidays are coming up. Hope everyone has a great week! No rest for the hard-working.

DF

white wines on the table

2010 Domaine Long-Depaquit Les Vaillons | AC Chablis 1er Cru

As winos, we go through love affairs with different wines - intense periods where we're so focused on a certain wine or style as to almost be obsessive. Clearly, winos don't place a premium on taking it easy.  I've had a Bordeaux phase, a Mosel phase, a Chinon phase, a Barolo phase ... there isn't much of a plan anymore, beyond what am I in the mood for? There's still a thrill though, of really focusing on a specific wine, sort of on an accelerated learning curve. Be intense or don't even bother - that's what I've always believed in, in wine and life.

The past 12 months have been rough. Lots going on, from GMAT to the still ongoing business school application process, so wine really has taken a bit of a backseat. Add on the need to really start budgeting more aggressively, and well, the boozing has suffered. I've been drinking more white wine though. Riesling and chardonnay really, if we're generalizing. I think it's this subconscious craving for focus and precision, which I find more consistently in the white wines that I drink. All high acid, low alcohol, linear wines that go beautifully with food. No posturing, no chest-puffing ... I think my palate has readjusted to the point that I'm turned off more than ever by overdone, macerated reds.

This bottle, from Les Vaillons, a Chablis Premier Cru, is sublime. It's still a baby, but already showing beautiful chardonnay character, and that textbook Chablis minerality and focus. Seductive yet with a backbone of steel. So now that the weather is cooling, what wines are you in to? What phase (if any) are you in now? 

DF

choosing wine that mirrors its drinkers

1989 Cruz Vintage Port | Douro

So the elections are finally over for America and the rest of the world should be very grateful that the President has been re-elected. In my opinion, the job of POTUS is at least 75% foreign policy. The government is more than capable of handling domestic issues on its own - what the President needs to focus on is how to maintain and spread American influence internationally. And with all sorts of conflict happening, you just can't trust a corporate shark who can't point out Syria on a map to capably devise and carry out foreign policy. Just can't. So thanks America, you've allowed us all to breathe a sigh of relief until 2016. 

Monday night was my old man's birthday, and since my mother's in Shanghai at the moment and I'm smack in the middle of the worst shitstorm of my life ... a more subdued celebration seemed more appropriate. So we just cooked a simple dinner, and I pulled my last bottle of this 1989 Cruz. Like the other bottles I've had, it looks remarkably youthful, but is anything but a refined example of how grand of a wine Vintage Port can be. Coarse and thin, with the alcohol overwhelming the wine. Some sweet, dried berries on the nose, but you do have to search a little. A drinkable wine, at maturity ... it'll hold on for many more years, but what's the point?

I like to think that when you pull a special bottle to celebrate a person's special occasion, the wine doesn't just have to be something that they like - wouldn't it be interesting if the wine actually mirrored that person? We talk and write about wine in human terms, so wouldn't it be logical if we tried to choose wine by corresponding personality traits. Pleasant, honest, straightforward; lean, odious, understated - those are all things we can apply to both wine and people. Beyond choosing wine for flavour profile, let's see if we can dig deeper, and choose wine by its character. I already know what wine I'd like served in my honour. Something linear and acidic, subtle yet focused; elegant on the palate with a firm, long finish. That is, unless I'm in the mood for gin .....

DF

dogmatists in beer & food

The Royal Ontario Museum is showing a photo exhibit called Observance and Memorial, Photographs from S-21, Cambodia. It's a collection of photos recovered from prisoner documents of the most notorious detention facility during the Khmer Rouge's time in power from 1975-1979. The photos were of detainees, the majority of whom were innocent, who were tortured for false confessions, and ultimately executed. Entire families exterminated. The exhibit explains the history first, to give some context before you see the photos. I left feeling angry, sad ... there's a photo of a mother and her baby I can't get out of my head. The photos almost feel like portraits, with many of the subjects projecting a certain calmness, weariness. I'm shocked at how meaningless their deaths were, how utterly horrendous an extreme idealogy like communism can be. Which reminds me - now seems an appropriate time to watch Land of the Blind again.

So we stepped out a bit too early for dinner (why in the fuck the museum closes at 5:30 on a weekend I'll never comprehend) and we slowly wandered westward to Yorkville and then out to Bathurst, where we ate at Fresh, a vegetarian restaurant. Packed, and if even only half the people were true vegetarians, a depressing thought. But you have to suck it up sometimes. The food was ... edible? I refuse, however, to abide by the beer they choose to stock. Nickel Brook Gluten Free beer - and we're being very, very, motherfucking very, charitable with the word 'beer' - was a mess. Sorghum being the grain of choice, with pear juice and demerara sugar because really, sorghum gives you jack shit. This is what happens when idealogy and dogmatism trumps common fucking sense. If you can't drink beer for whatever reason, DON'T. There's no reason for gluten free beer, just like there's no reason for non-alcoholic beer. At best, they're dirt cheap imitations of the real thing. Exactly like vegetarian food.

You can call it a beer if you want to, but really, what's the point?

DF

I want some dirty

Hope everyone had a good weekend! So Daylight Savings Time ended for us here in Canada, and I was looking forward to it because well, it was going to let me sleep in a bit more on Sunday morning, after a long day (and night) out. But alas ... it was not to be. My neighbour decided that Sunday morning, 10 am, was the perfect time to start blasting 'Pagliacci'. Now, I live in a townhouse, and we have thin walls, made all the worse when his room is adjacent to my bedroom. And I love Pagliacci. But being roused awake after a night of drinking by ...

La gente paga, e rider vuole qua.

E se Arlecchin t'invola Colombina,

ridi, Pagliaccio, e ognun applaudirà!

 ... is not my idea of a good way to slowly arise from a deep slumber. Right. So he won't mind if I get my bluegrass on and start wailing to Man of Constant Sorrow.

I haven't been drinking much wine lately. Something about budgeting more carefully. So I guess I'm paying a bit more attention to the things I have been buying. And so the wine I want to drink now is moving away from I just want a pleasant bottle to drink with dinner to this bottle better blow my mind. That's not asking too much now, is it? At the very least, wines to make you think a bit, and teach a little something. And it's become quite obvious that while many, many new world wines are pleasant and drinkable enough, only occasionally do they satisfy on an intellectual level. Everyone speaks marketing cliches about terroir and bottling the vineyard, but so few actually understand what an actual terroir-driven wine is. There's an endless argument about the role of fruit in all this, but it's clear that while fruit expression is a big part of a wine, truly terroir-driven wines encompass a whole lot more.

North Americans like to be too clean. Though cleanliness is a virtue, it can often take a sharp left into sterility and lifelessness. Wine has to be a bit dirty to be interesting. It's the winemaker's perogrative to scream and fuss about brett and VA, but middle-of-the-road fruit and nondescript varietal character is no better than obvious flaws in the wine. And really, it's the flaws that make it all the more interesting. I don't believe in dogma, in wine or anything really, but many of these wines seriously veer into an almost neurotic approach to technical proficiency. I think these wines, as clean as they may be, lack all nuance and charm. What then, is the point, if winemaking is no more than an exercise in chemistry? Life is depressing enough as it is ... I'd like the things we eat and drink to be heart-thumpingly romantic because after all, we're all a bit soft and cuddly inside.

Wine crystals are potassium bitartrate crystals that most commonly forms sedimentation in white wines. Wines which have not gone through extensive fining or cold stabilization retain this important tartaric acid, and white wines that exhibit these sediments are often good examples of non-interventionist winemaking. This particular wine is a Mosel riesling, from Bernkasteler Badstube vineyard. And it's everything I want in a true terroir-driven wine. Racy and pure, with fabulously ripe fruit, but the most amazing underlying complexity and structure. This shouldn't be a debate about new world/old world sensibilities, or to insinuate that old world wines are the only true wines of the world, but to, as they say, truly bottle the vineyard, I think winemakers need to be a bit less finicky about getting a bit dirty.

DF

Moonshiners

This is legitimately the best show Discovery Channel has ever aired. Appalachia suddenly jumped into the list of places I want to visit. Bluegrass and hooch ... and overalls coming back in a BIG way. It's all a bit of drummed up drama - running around in the woods, hiding your distilling equipment from the police. Maybe the bigger (and more important) question is why moonshine operations are illegal. America needs to get over itself with alcohol. Really, it's almost a joke that so much effort is expended to catch a few moonshiners, and all the while, they have their own tv show. Come on guys, it's just a little booze. And as dangerous as hooch can be, watch the series, especially the bit about how they find the best water for brewing the mash - these are hillbilly artisans.

DF

looking for some sunshine

2009 First Press Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley

We were lucky in Toronto - intense wind and rain last night, but nothing too catastrophic from Post-tropical storm Sandy. Was looking at pictures of New York, and they've been hammered. Hope my buddies in NYC and Chicago are ok ... stay dry and safe my friends.

I don't drink much Californian wine. Price certainly has something to do with it, but it's also that much of what I drink seems to be so boring. Yes, we all know how much Americans like fruit in their wines, but really, by that logic, they would just as be well served by drinking juice. Wine is wine only because it expresses something a bit more than middle-of-the-road, clean fruit flavours. Oak and alcohol are always going to be obnoxious issues to talk about in American wine, but in this wino's opinion, it's how they choose to express their fruit that turns me away from these wines. Of course, I'm generalizing here, as you could make the same claim for any new world wine.

I like First Press a lot. Maybe it's just me, but it's always these sub-$20 wines that seem more interesting. A little less ripe, a little less showy - simply more drinkable, pleasant wines. This cabernet, showing all the slightly jammy fruit that reminds you of its origin, but with this subtle stemminess that holds onto that bit of varietal character. Alcohol a bit high, but balanced, and altogether, a very agreeable wine with dinner. Now why can't more new world wines be like this? I mean, is it so painful for people to pick just a bit earlier, and hold back just a bit on the extraction?

Eventually, I think all the worst excesses of this whole high alcohol, macerated fruit nonsense will be reined back, at least in America (the Australians can keep their syrup wines). But as consumers, we have to send a message that what we're looking for is elegance and balance - true balance, with acidity - instead of a wine that's constantly shouting and trying to prove how impressive it is.

DF

a rainy, fall weekend

So amidst all the work and stress and all that, we still have to make some time for fun, right?  RIGHT??!!  Absolutely.  Even if there is a Frankenstorm heading up the East Coast, threatening $1 billion in damages.  We all need to keep a sense of humour about these things, after all.  So in between worrying about my next set of applications, my pretty lady and I ventured out in the rain and wind for some food and culture.

Friday night was spent experiencing the tasting menu at Yours Truly Restaurant on the Ossington strip, because tasting menus aren't just meals - no, ma chérie, it's an event. A few standouts for the evening were the raw scallops, beet salad, and seared halibut. To drink, a 2011 Ciù Ciù Oris | DOP Falerio dei Colli Ascolani, a blended white (Passerina, Pecorino, and Trebbiano) of Marche. The server really didn't have a clue what it was beyond oh, it's light and refreshing, so I went with my gut because, and how do I put this delicately, my gut is always right when it comes to wine. Fresh and vibrant, with a steely minerality and a beautiful acidic structure. Proof that with multi-course, multi-textured meals, young white wines with high acidity are always winners. I'm really beginning to feel these obscure Italian whites. There is a very confident chef working this menu here. Lots of simple plating, the basics really - protein, sauce, and (one) garnish. But it's the execution that makes the meal. The beats were beautifully fresh, with the most amazing concentrated sweetness. A thick chunk of halibut, cooked perfectly. Some courses (devilled eggs, cod) a bit of a head-scratcher in terms of conception and place in the menu. But once again, tasting menus are experiences - take it as an evening of adventure, where the dinner conversation with your lady is completely devoted to the food, and you should have a good time. In and out in a tidy 3 hours.

The Art Gallery of Ontario is showing an exhibit of the works of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera. So inspiring, and personally, I have a newfound appreciation for Frida's genius. She was an absolute master of capturing human expression, especially in the eyes. Rivera's murals are impressive and all, but as a history guy, knowing that he spent the entire years of the Mexican Revolution eating, drinking, and banging his way through Europe, only to return triumphantly as some of kind of socialist hero to the people is a bit of a joke. Frida's work is deeply personal, as if she's healing her trauma through her work. From her polio to her trolley accident, to even her miscarriage - she's so eloquent at depicting (personal) suffering, more intimately than I think any artist I've ever seen. And the way she paints eyes ... simply captivating. Left the gallery a bit quiet, a bit contemplative. Quick hangout at O&B Canteen at TIFF Lightbox for a coffee, before scurrying over to Khao San Road, one of those Thai dives off of King St. that all the locals seem to know. Packed and all, but the food was the real deal, and a bottle of Singha was a good way to end the day with my pretty lady.

This is going to be a busy week. Right. And once again, back to work. Hope everyone had a great weekend Hallowe'en partying.

DF

whispering to Marcel

2010 Marcel Lapierre Morgon

Can you get to know someone through their wine? I mean really get to see the winemaker's personality - dare I say soul - come through in the glass? I think so. Wine, and terroir, after all, are simply a reflection of what the people who bring them to life. And this one made my head spin - all speechless and red in the face. I actually got emotional from it, as silly as that sounds. Well, considering that it's me, maybe not so silly.

Lapierre Morgon is one of those wines that every true wino knows about. I don't care much for the 'natural wine' label - what's so special is how the biodynamic viticulture and winemaking has shaped how the wine makes you feel. Simply talking about aroma and flavours feels completely inadequate, doesn't it, especially for a wine like this. Even more meaningful, considering Marcel's passing in October 2010. Even though his son Mathieu had taken over winemaking for a few years, the man's soul never left these wines. And that's what comes through - a vinous expression of joy and character.

I drank my first bottle of Lapierre Morgon in Paris last year, in a little bistro called Philou. It was, in a word, magic. So when I saw a case of the same vintage come for sale, there was absolutely no hesitation ... this was going to be the first case of wine I ever bought. With another year in bottle, the wine feels a bit more open, more pure in fruit. That same inimitable depth - the wine feels so in tune, like it just runs through you effortlessly. So silky, so weightless. Achingly beautiful.

So what does this wine teach? I think it teaches that wine can sometimes transcend simply flavours. True wines make you feel something, physically and yes, emotionally. We share something, the winemaker and the wino. From the vineyard, into the bottle, into the glass - it's all life flowing through, and as a wino, if we listen carefully, maybe the clouds will part and we'll see a bit of soul. After all, wine shouldn't be fetishized. It shouldn't be worshiped, it shouldn't be placed on an altar. No, it should be shared and drunk over an honest meal, with the people you love. And if you're lucky, sometimes the wine's so exciting, it just might take you over the moon.

DF

him and his nephew

2009 Max Ferd. Richter Riesling Kabinett | QmP Wehlener Sonnenuhr | Mosel

The familial resemblance is uncanny. I've had Max Ferd. Richter's 1992 Mülheimer Sonnenlay riesling spätlese twice, in 2011 and this summer, and this Wehlener Sonnenuhr kabinett shares some of the same traits. The wines are never really powerful, which I initially thought was because of age. No, even when young, the wines rely more on finesse than concentration and extract, and while it certainly doesn't impede its ability to age, it does lack a certain impact on the palate.

I was talking to a friend recently, about drinks (naturally), and she casually remarked that some drinks are just stereotypically girly. I'm not sure I agree. Of course, the term implies something that is fruity and sweet, and that horrible expression easy-drinking. I think it's a bit of an insult to automatically label any cheap, sugary concoction a girly drink, as if to imply that females naturally have a more infantile palate. Why can't we just call those drinks what they are - alcohol for people who don't know any better - and wrap our heads around the fact that the simple presence of sugar doesn't imply anything.

It's no secret that I love German riesling. Most of the wines I drink from here are sweet, although Germany does also produce dry (trocken) rieslings. But you see, it's not trying to be a sweet wine, so much as it simply being what it's supposed to be. The residual sugar balances the acid and minerality - without it, the wines would be painful to drink. And anyone who has some experience with these wines will immediately recognize that if anything, these are inherently masculine wines. Like steel beams and cables, held in tension.

Drinking old wines always teaches you what the true character of the wine is. The 1992's were getting a bit tired, but showing that beautiful, pure, mineral expression of the middle Mosel. But it's also useful to taste the same wine in its youth, to see the starting point of its evolution. Granted, the two wines I'm talking about are from different vineyards, and therefore are different wines - but made with the same hands, you definitely see a resemblance. There's almost a fragility in both wines, particularly the way the acid breaks on the palate. Great purity of fruit, and the wine never really gains or loses in weight - it's almost as if it's able to maintain that level of texture as it ages. Very interesting indeed, a wine to think a bit about.

Well, what of my friend? I don't think I was able to convince her of my point above, but we'll drink some interesting wines and see if I can change her mind. What can I say, I'm a charmer with a corkscrew and a stem.

DF

Catch the Wave, October 17, 2012

There's been a dearth of Vintages tastings this year, so I was all over this one - Catch the Wave, described as new sophisticated wines from 40 top Australian producers at a casual, waterfront tasting event. I was looking forward to really wrapping my mind around what Australian wines were, outside of Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale, and more importantly, to see if there were going to be any surprises beyond that stereotypical Aussie style of wine.

Sadly, there were no surprises - not with the red wines at least.

The reds, whether a varietal shiraz, some blend of grenache/shiraz/mourvèdre, cabernet sauvignon, petit verdot, or pinot noir were all utterly devoid of character. Certainly sticking to that Australian style of nuked fruit (wayyy past overripe), high alcohol, no structure, no acid ... simply flaccid, boring, completely uniform wines. They didn't really need to name the varietal - a simple "Australian Red" label would have sufficed. And that's either indicative of the Australian palate preference, or a really sad lowering of expectations about what red wine should be among New World wine drinkers. Judging by the prices some of these wineries are charging, dead wines obviously still hold some kind of appeal.

But it wasn't all gloom and doom. The chardonnays were wonderful. Many possessing great balance and finesse, and if not showing a degree of complexity, then at least showing a certain charm. Acid, ladies and gentlemen. It doesn't matter WHAT wine you're talking about - it's the acid that's the most important determinant of complexity, ageability, and drinkability.

Overall, the event was a lot of fun. Great venue, at Corus, right on Toronto's waterfront. I was with 6 other friends, a few who had never been to one of these tastings before. Going with a large group does mean that I can't be so intense about tasting everything - but it was fun to hang out a bit, relax, and taste together. Notes below, by region. Apologies if the shiraz notes are similar to each other, each more curt than the next.

Canberra District | New South Wales

2010 Clonakilla O'riada Shiraz: cooked fruit, really nothing here

Sunbury | Victoria

2010 Galli Estate Winery Camelback Chardonnay: buttery, rich, obvious chardonnay; focused palate, very good indeed

Yarra Valley | Victoria

2011 Oakridge Wines Over The Shoulder Chardonnay: slightly closed, leesy, citrus fruit, fresh lean palate, good energy
2010 De Bortoli Wines Gulf Station Chardonnay: bit tight, lean and closed, some leesy quality on the palate
2010 Oakridge Wines Pinot Noir: overripe, jammy, what's the point?!
NV De Bortoli Wines Deen Vat 10 Pinot Noir: delicate, but even then it's ripe and to the Aussie style

Mornington Peninsula | Victoria

2010 Stonier Wines Chardonnay: open nose, good richness, young at the moment, showing some bitterness on the finish
NV Yabby Lake Vineyard Cooralook Pinot Gris: soft and pleasant
2010 Yabby Lake Vineyard Single Vineyard Chardonnay: focused nose, leesy, some oak, but no palate
2010 Stonier Wines Pinot Noir: nondescript, an overripe mess
2009 De Bortoli Wines Riorret Merricks Grove Vineyard Pinot Noir: quite a delicate nose, good fruit, linear, slightly smokey

Nagambie Lakes | Victoria

2008 Takbilk Cabernet Sauvignon: good freshness, alcohol comes up, but good fruit and structure
2006 Tahbilk Eric Stevens Purbrick Cabernet Sauvignon: deeper, darker fruit, alcohol rises, dense palate, good texture

Strathbogie Ranges | Victoria

2011 Fowles Wine Ladies Who Shoot Their Lunch Wild Ferment Chardonnay: quite sweet fruit, leesy, good thing the name is interesting

New South Wales

2008 De Bortoli Wines Noble One Botrytis Semillon: good acid, apricots, much more like an old, slightly oxidized icewine than any Sauternes

Margaret River | Western Australia

2011 Fraser Gallop Estate Chardonnay: yes, the region I was most looking forward to; fresh, quite subtle, oak comes up on palate, elegant and very young, some bitterness on the finish

South Australia

2011 Yalumba Organic Viognier: soft fruit, pleasant, a good fruity wine that goes down easy
2009 Penfolds Yattarna Chardonnay: oak and all that, big chardonnay but focused on the palate

Adelaide Hills | South Australia

2009 Hardys Heritage Reserve Bin Chardonnay: leesy, down the line fruit, obvious chardonnay

Eden Valley | South Australia

2006 Peter Lehmann Wines Wigan Riesling: petrol, oily nose, that old fashioned New World style; if you tell me it's riesling, I'll believe you, but what's the point?!

Barossa Valley | South Australia

2006 Massena The Eleventh Hour Shiraz: jammy, rich, that soft fruit, from 100 year old vines
2008 First Drop Wines Fat of the Land Ebenezer Shiraz: rich and ripe, big fruit but otherwise balanced, dried on palate
2010 First Drop Wines Half & Half Shiraz/Monastrell: ripe, slightly overdone, but palate tightens up
2010 First Drop Wines Pinot Tempranillo: jammy, no varietal character
2008 Langmeil Winery Blacksmith Cabernet Sauvignon: super ripe, soft, but pleasant
2009 Langmeil Winery The Fifth Wave Grenache: overdone, macerated, hollow middle on the palate
2008 Henschke Wines Tappa Pass Vineyard Selection Shiraz: ripe, almost immediately forgettable; and you pay $112 for the privilege
2008 Henschke Wines Mount Edelstone Vineyard Shiraz: high alcohol, jammy, nondescript, macerated, almost like a burnt aroma; will cost you $119 for the pleasure
2009 Rusden Wines Black Guts Shiraz: at $99, nothing but alcohol and macerated fruit, forgettable
2009 Teusner Wines Avatar GSM: that southern French blend, alcohol on the nose, dried out fruit, some juiciness on the palate though

McLaren Vale | South Australia

2010 Paxton Vineyards AAA Shiraz/Grenache: some reduction here, ripe fruit underneath, but otherwise nondescript; awkward
2008 Pirramimma Wines Old Bush Vine Grenache: good focus, complex, earthy fruit, but overtly sweet palate destroys its charm
NV Pirramimma Wines Petit Verdot: a biodynamic vineyard, fat and all but showing better focus on the palate
2009 Mollydooker Wines The Maitre D' Cabernet Sauvignon: harder, ripe fruit, almost slightly stemmy, but overdone and completely macerated on the palate
2010 Mollydooker Wines Carnival of Love Shiraz: overdone palate, jammy palate, very cooked and boring at $99
2009 Mollydooker Wines Velvet Glove Shiraz: the most shocking wine of the tasting at $211; soft, jammy, overdone, limp, dead; everything a red wine shouldn't be

DF

change in temp

We've been getting lots of rain in Toronto lately, just that grey, cold, constant drizzle.  Temperatures have been ok, around the mid-teens, but they're predicting a colder than usual winter this year.  So what do we drink in this kind of weather?  Our wines need to get heavier, our beers need to get darker ... and in terms of local craft brews, few make a better stout than McAuslan St-Ambroise.  In fact, I would go so far as to say that this is one of the finest stouts I've ever tasted.  Aroma, texture, concentration, and finish - it has it all.  And really, with braised dishes, beef or pork, few things bring as much pleasure as a good stout.

I had a busy weekend.  Busy week in general, in fact.  Lots of fun stuff going on, but in between, I had to attend a funeral Saturday morning.  A member of my parent's church - a great man - died after a long illness, and no matter what was going on, I had to attend.  I had a rough time dealing with it, especially after talking to his widow.  They met in 1949, in Hong Kong, marrying in 1955.  That's more than 60 years together.  A lifetime.  She's a very strong lady, but the pain must be so deep, a true heartbreak.  A reminder that we all need to cherish who and what we have in our lives now, and really enjoy every moment, not just go through the motions.  I mean, we're all just hanging by a thread here, aren't we?

DF

the Gimlet

So when you have some leftover limes or lemons ...

... juice them ...

... add a splash of simple syrup and gin ...

... shake with ice and enjoy it on a quiet night in with someone pretty and nice.

DF

Cameron's Sirius Wheat Ale

Cameron's Sirius Wheat Ale

Cameron's sent me a few samples of their new beer, just in time for Thanksgiving.  This beer is described as an interpretation of the American wheat ale style, brewed with Canadian malted wheat, and two row (?) malted barley on the press sheet.  It all comes together to make a very drinkable brew, that clean, round profile in the mouth.  A great beer to drink with dinner, nicely supporting the food.

Wednesday night's tasting was great, lots of fun.  Tasting notes will be up shortly, but overall impressions ... whites were interesting, no surprises with the reds.  Australian red wine seems determined to be in that style, that soft, cooked fruit, with lots of alcohol underneath.  But we weren't there to critically evaluate the wines - no, we were there for a good time.  My first time tasting with such a large group of friends, so I tried to run out first and focus on the white wines before regrouping.  A great way to spend a Wednesday evening.

DF

Catch the Wave

Another one completed - I submitted my application to Berkeley Haas School of Business last night. I don't know whether to be happy or relieved ... to say it challenged me is a gross understatement. But it's over, and I'm taking the next few days off until the next one. Until the next one.

A really great next few days lined up, starting with tonight. We're going tasting! My first time going with a large group of buddies, so should be interesting by the 4th or 5th table down. Australian wines being shown, described as new sophisticated wines from 40 top Australian producers. Photos and tasting notes will be posted shortly! If you're attending ... please say hi! We'll be the only group of Chinese people without the Asian glow.

DF

taking a time-out

You have to take your time to brew a good cup of tea. The most amazing 涌溪火青 - sadly I only have a few grams of it left. A little ritual to calm you down, refocus the mind. And dammit, this is like slow torture ... still a bit to go before I can submit that application. No one said it would be easy, but then they neglected to say it would be this tough too. 

Let the tea relax, warm up the clay teapot ... quickly pour out the first potful, steep quickly, then drain the water into a covered teacup. And for the first cup at least, forget all your problems, and take a time-out

DF

the Porsche shirt

I'm terribly prone to bouts of sentimentalism.  Which is why I end up wearing shirts for 10 years.

Slightly gross, but this shirt means a lot to me.  And now, after many, many years of service, it's time to retire the Porsche Cayenne concept art shirt.  I got it many years ago at Toronto's Canadian International Autoshow - a family friend had given me his voucher.  That's right ... Porsche required you to present a voucher for a cotton shirt.  So I wore it through university, and the past few years, at the gym.  It's begun collecting the strangest dark spots around the collar, and really, it's just time.  Also, portions of it are starting to sag.

It's a new week, time for some new energy.  Looking to submit my Berkeley Haas application either later today or early tomorrow.  Seems like a lot of stuff going on in the next few days - my mother's leaving for Shanghai, a tasting's coming up, someone's celebrating a birthday (!).  So let's get to it, my friends.  Hope everyone has a great week!

DF

end of the line

I love tasting wine.  It's all I ever wanted to do - a good stem and notes in hand, glistening bottles ready to be poured.  There's something magical about the whole process, this intense concentration when all you want to do is understand what's in the glass, calling on all your knowledge and experience.  And of adventure too, when you come across something completely unexpected and wonderful.

I was never taught how to taste.  So you just figure out what works, what doesn't.  It's just about working at it methodically - taking notes, reading/learning how professionals write, and developing a routine.  And of course, being patient, because it takes a long time (and many, many bottles) before you begin understanding why a wine tastes the way it does.  I've been to enough tastings to understand how fallible the palate is, how you can easily be overwhelmed after tasting dozens of wines.  It's always fun to sledgehammer through 70, 80, 90 wines in one go, but we have to be honest with ourselves, and admit that after the first 15-20 or so, our palate sensitivity and accuracy starts taking a steep dive.

It's been so, so long since I've had the opportunity to just taste.  Was in Niagara in the spring, and it was great to look at the new vintage - need to go down sometime soon to check out how the 2012's are showing, and this time, with the right tasting companion.  Want to share in all this with my friends, but for the most part, have to temper my enthusiasm, because not everyone gives a shit about the swirl, nose, and spit.  Another weekend at home, working on finishing my Berkeley Haas application.  Still waiting for that breakthrough, that moment of inspiration ...

DF

another look at sauvignon blanc and oak

So turning things around, attitude adjustment.  Constantly moping is not an attractive quality, for anyone.  Trying to think of a wine I'd love to be drinking more of (and have more in the cellar) - dry white Bordeaux, or in the New World, the oak-aged style of sauvignon blanc.

My first taste of this kind of wine was a bottle of 2005 white Graves, a simple wine I had picked up while I was still studying in Waterloo.  With no preconceptions, I was completely blown away by how unique it was - the sharp aromas of the sauvignon, the texture from the semillon, the incredible levels of extract and concentration on the palate.  A seriously impactful wine, and one that completely changed my views about how stunning oak can be, when used judiciously.

I got more of an in-depth look at these wines during the annual UGC tastings: UGC 2008 white Bordeaux, and UGC 2007.  For both these vintages, these were some of my favourites.  Racy and pure, concentrated and structured.  That oak works so well, lifting up the grassy, herbal sauvignon aromas.  And to think, only 50 or 60 years ago, some areas of Graves and Pessac-Léognan had more acreage of white grapes than black.  They drink well young, and have all the acidity and structure to age - I've put away a few bottles, starting with 2007 Bordeaux, which I think is a very successful vintage for the whites, dry and sweet.  Eric Asimov of the New York Times wrote a good article about these wines a while back - very much worth another read.

There are a few examples now coming out of Niagara that I find exciting as well.  Top of the list is Stratus, who is very faithful to that Bordeaux model of sauvignon.  Most of these wines are referred to as White Meritage here, not the Fumé Blanc the Californians use.  Whatever the name, we're looking for the same things, namely: sauvignon aroma, acidity, and density on the palate.  These wines, at their best, feel alive in your mouth, just full of tension and energy.

So why don't we drink more?  At the UGC tastings, the red wines get all the attention, followed by the sweet whites - why doesn't anyone talk about vintage conditions with respect to the dry whites?  It's almost a shame that when people think of sauvignon blanc, that taste of New Zealand's slightly sweet, almost shamelessly fruity style comes to mind.  Those are fine and all, but there are other styles of sauvignon too.  We've got to explore, my friends.  Bordeaux isn't just about expensive red wines and sauvignon blanc isn't just about lightweight mommy juice.  Really looking forward to seeing how these age - all the elements for ageworthiness are there.  In the meantime as we wait, there are lots of sub-$20 bottles that are delicious to drink now.  And now that shellfish - oysters (!) - are coming into season, what better time to start looking out for these wines.  朋友们, happy drinking!

DF

at my best

At my best, I'm always up for a drink, always up for a good time.  So what's happened lately?  I've been moping and moaning, screeching like a nancy.  And it's got to stop.  Seriously man, if I don't, my friends aren't going to be my friends for long.  I always thought I knew how to handle stress, but lately, it's been a bit overwhelming.  Work and applications and just a lot of personal stuff just starting to add up.  I'm having trouble dealing with it.  But it's no excuse to act like a wet mop.

This is me and one of my "uncles" here in Toronto, my favourite drinking buddy. I like boozing with him not (only) because he drinks recklessly but because his joy is contagious.  I have a chronic issue with over-thinking the shit out of everything - as a certain zen concept teaches, you have to empty your mind to find the truth in what you're doing.  Heady stuff, but it applies here too.  I keep thinking about all the work that still needs to be done that I completely forget to live in the moment, enjoy the people I'm with now and what we're doing.  That's no way to live.  So I've got about 2 more months of this carnage left, and I'm going to live up the experience, because most likely, this will be the only time I'll ever be applying to graduate school.

I don't want to be talking about personal problems here, but hopefully, we can work things out and everything can go back to normal.  Right.  At my best, I'm the best kind of company.  Just need to remind myself of what that's like again.  When you're performing (piano that is) no matter where, concert hall or otherwise . . . you're always just wound up beforehand, all nervous energy.  Shaking even.  But there's a point after they call your name, when you're in front of the bench, looking out on the audience.  And then, just silence.  That's the moment all performers are addicted to, that moment when you know you're in control - absolute control - and you've got the audience at your fingertips.  I miss that a lot.  It's that addictive ride of nerves, calm, and adrenaline, ending with you soaking in your audience's applause and adoration.  Those days are long gone for me, but still chasing that thrill.

DF

distracted on a long weekend

And we're back to work tomorrow.

Hope everyone had a good long weekend and a wonderful Thanksgiving spent with family, friends, and the ones you love. I need to stop moping for a bit, and be thankful for what (and who) I do have in my life now. Thanks. I spent the long weekend working on applications, running, and alternating between drunkenness, raging hangovers, and general malaise. Fun. I'm far from a quitter, but I don't know how much more of this stress I can take before I actually, full-on lose my goddamn mind. I've been pretty much drinking the strongest coffee I can brew to wake up in the mornings and pound out some writing, and turning to liquor in the afternoon to take the edge off cuz I think I'm 2 essays away from a nervous breakdown.

I learned today that I may not be able to go to Shanghai this November after all.  Scheduling problems with application deadlines, and potential interview time slots.  Of course, that's (a big) if I get an interview invite. Fingers crossed.

Berkeley Haas' deadline on October 17, and that'll be a good day. I have tickets to go to a tasting of Australian wines that day. With a bunch of friends too, so if anything, it'll be a chance to unwind before the next one.  Tired of hearing me moan all the time yet? Whatever.  I'm an immigrant - if things suddenly go smoothly, we get nervous. We had a Thanksgiving meal last night with our family friends. Funny . . . all our host had in the fridge were cheap Mexican beers.  So cervezas all night, and about 8 (or 9, memory's fuzzy) bottles later, I paid for it with a splitting headache at 5 in the morning. Went out for a run today, in probably one of the last good running days of the year.  Good sun, really cold, but still able to get out in shorts. I like this time of year.  Shellfish coming into season, time to start drinking heartier red wines. Steak and braised dishes and all that.  And, time for trench coats and Chelsea boots and long scarves. Lots to do in the next few days.  Let's get to it!

DF