∫ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ • ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∫
And now I'm in Vancouver BC, where I cannot practice law. Whew. I set out this morning to find out what's happening in the BC wine scene and I learned plenty. While plodding around some of the downtown neighborhoods of Vancouver, I turned in to Liberty Wines and found a BC rosé tasting going on. Stunning is all I have to say about that. If it was a blind tasting I would have guessed Provence. I don't claim to be an expert wine taster, a sommelier, or a vinologist, but I have been told by several different people that I have a more sensitive palate than most. I'm not sure how that translates to knowing a lot about wine, but I do know that there are a wide range of flavors among all varietals, I know what I like, and that's what I tap into. These BC rosés mostly looked pale salmon-colored, tasted dry and complex, and it was apparent someone was paying attention to detail. The Okanagan has in many ways a climate similar to eastern Washington for growing grapes, with the cool nights especially being a great benefit. It shows.
Progressing further down my urban wine trail, I next turned into a nice little bistro called Whet where I had the pleasure of experiencing more delicious BC wine from the Okanagan Valley. I started with some lovely Kusshi oysters from the BC coast and paired them with a glass of Poplar Grove Chardonnay from Penticton, a sub-area of the Okanagan VQA. It had a nice, not-too-oaky silkiness and a dry finish. Then I progressed to a succulent piece of wild salmon on a bed of wild greens with strawberries and goat cheese and combined it with the Black Hills Sauvignon Blanc from the Oliver area, another subarea of Okanagan just south of Penticton. This one had the characteristic mineral and steel of this varietal, but drier overall than the chardonnay. Both were stunning and a tribute to the styles.
I also had the pleasure of discovering Kettle Valley wines, and the 2009 Pinot Noir was surprisingly delicious. It is definitely a BC style, which to me differs from the Oregon style. It was produced from grapes grown in the Lazy Dog vineyard in Penticton, the Elgert vineyard in
Okanagan Falls, the Hayman and Trovao vineyards in Naramata and the
Thibault vineyard in Summerland, according to their web site. This is a light, elegant style with almost no tannins. It seems to have a lighter structure than Willamette pinot noirs. I am a giant fan of Oregon pinots, but they definitely have some competition in BC. Good luck coming over to my living room and expecting to try a glass of the Kettle Valley pinot. I can't guarantee there will be any left. This is the type of wine I might stash under my desk when churning out a late night brief. Woe to my opponents if that happens.
Aaaand...Scene.
And now I'm in Vancouver BC, where I cannot practice law. Whew. I set out this morning to find out what's happening in the BC wine scene and I learned plenty. While plodding around some of the downtown neighborhoods of Vancouver, I turned in to Liberty Wines and found a BC rosé tasting going on. Stunning is all I have to say about that. If it was a blind tasting I would have guessed Provence. I don't claim to be an expert wine taster, a sommelier, or a vinologist, but I have been told by several different people that I have a more sensitive palate than most. I'm not sure how that translates to knowing a lot about wine, but I do know that there are a wide range of flavors among all varietals, I know what I like, and that's what I tap into. These BC rosés mostly looked pale salmon-colored, tasted dry and complex, and it was apparent someone was paying attention to detail. The Okanagan has in many ways a climate similar to eastern Washington for growing grapes, with the cool nights especially being a great benefit. It shows.
Progressing further down my urban wine trail, I next turned into a nice little bistro called Whet where I had the pleasure of experiencing more delicious BC wine from the Okanagan Valley. I started with some lovely Kusshi oysters from the BC coast and paired them with a glass of Poplar Grove Chardonnay from Penticton, a sub-area of the Okanagan VQA. It had a nice, not-too-oaky silkiness and a dry finish. Then I progressed to a succulent piece of wild salmon on a bed of wild greens with strawberries and goat cheese and combined it with the Black Hills Sauvignon Blanc from the Oliver area, another subarea of Okanagan just south of Penticton. This one had the characteristic mineral and steel of this varietal, but drier overall than the chardonnay. Both were stunning and a tribute to the styles.
 |
| Kusshi Oysters in Vancouver ©Jill J. Smith 2013 |
Aaaand...Scene.
 |
| Kettle Valley Pinot Noir and Sauvingnon Blanc ©Jill J. Smith 2013 |
No comments :
Post a Comment