A Tribute to ‘Lost’ Wine Names

Posted on August 27, 2010 by AdminSidney

Due to a historical agreement between the European Union and the Australian government, your wine shopping experience may be a little different from now on. Wines you typically look for from the Australian region such as Sherry, Champagne or Port will no longer be on the shelves. The wines will be there but they will, from now on, be there under different names such as sparkling wine, ruby and apera. This agreement was put into place to help protect the world’s most revered wine growing regions, such as Champagne, France. With this change going into effect, you can bet to see other popular names take the chopping block as well. Names like burgundy, sauterne, claret, chablis, moselle and marsala will also eventually be banned from Australian use. Another condition of this agreement that Australia will no longer have access to use particular names on other items such as cheese, meats and regional dishes.

On the plus side of this agreement, Australia will now be able to import their wines into parts of Europe where, before, they were banned. Because of their use of oak chips and reverse osmosis, many Australian wines were not allowed to be imported into Europe.

Looks like it might be time to update your wine tags to reflect the proper names of wines from different regions. Wouldn’t want Europe to take your wine rack hostage for breaking their new rules!

The Wine Rack Store and Northern Lights

Posted on August 23, 2010 by Candice L.

We’ve been looking for the Northern Lights around here on clear nights. Patrick is especially keen, having heard from a friend that they appear quite frequently in our area of the world. So, he looks, and he looks.

Meanwhile, I found Northern Lights quite easily. I just walked into a winery. Imagine: a celestial phenomenon on your wine rack! Naw, just a 2007 white wine from Larch Hills Winery.

I tried their Northern Lights the other day in spite of its being a Chardonnay (not my favorite) mixed with Verdelet. Their Siegerrebe and Ortega had already won me over, so I decided to branch out. Ranked (1) for sweetness, this is a refreshing tipple.

Crisp and aromatic, the label boasts pear and apple flavors. An off-dry treat. Can you get to Larch Hills, Salmon Arm? They were selling this at a discount to make room for the next season’s wine. Granted, it would feel like stealing when the wine is so good. No wonder the sun glinted off of so many medals and certificates on the wall behind their tasting bar, creating a light dance of its own.

Smoke Effects Next Year’s Wine?

Posted on August 22, 2010 by Candice L.

According to one winery rep, the answer to that question is ‘nothing’. BC is suffering from an awful forest fire season, somewhat ironic since our summer got off to a wet, chilly start. To make up for it, temperatures have routinely been in the 30s, close to 40 in late July and August and I have not been cooking suppers (sometimes on the BBQ, but even that is too much on a really hot day). Today we are eating roast beef and Yorkshire pudding because we woke up to 15C and rain. None of my carnivores is complaining.

For a few days the smoke around here has been horrible, but we also cannot complain too much since we are nowhere near the fires. They have been raging many miles away, so a bit of smoke is nothing compared to the tragic loss of homes and livestock which some BC residents are facing. We just stayed inside as much as we could until the wind changed. When it changed back we got indoors again.

So, will the smoke affect the quality of what we find on our wine racks in the months to come? One article from last summer brings forth some anecdotal evidence to suggest that smoke taint might indeed affect the quality of grapes. If you like that smoky taste, this is fine, but not all varietals are meant to taste smoky. What we have going for us in the Shuswap and Okanagan is that smoke is drifting in from a long way. Also, a number of wineries grow their grapes at high altitudes while smoke tends to settle in lower-lying regions. The verdict is still out, but look to the vintages which followed past forest and bush fires in parts of Canada, California, and Australia to decide for yourself if smoke makes a difference and, if so, exactly how that tastes and smells.

Grandview Bench Red

Posted on August 22, 2010 by Candice L.

My family and I were out and about, on a gentle boat trip in my husband’s little dinghy with its ultra-quiet electric motor. We were looking for turtles, eagles and fish on Gardom Lake, near Enderby in BC. Faye and I took turns in the kayak, gently getting our exercise and sitting low against the water, a relaxing way to travel. On the way back I commented that I would like to take Faye to a winery as she seems fascinated with my job and wants to approach the subject maturely. Instead of saying yes, go ahead and take her, my husband said:

‘Why don’t we all go, on the way home. We’re half way to Larch Hills Winery.’ He’s so supportive. The benefit of stopping there with Pat at the wheel was that I didn’t have to worry about drinking and driving. I only sipped, but I might not have. The option was there. His only question: ‘What’s it going to cost me?’ Wow, I even called the shots there too. What a guy.

The wine I selected is called Grandview Bench Red, 2008. Ranked ’0′ for it really is a dry wine, yet not suck-in-your-cheeks dry. Mild, low in tannis, easy to drink and light in flavor. This is definitely not a bold drink, but does it have to be? Bold has its place, of course, but so does gentle, like our boat ride with the electric motor. Sure, high speed engines are thrilling, but you sure can miss a lot (including your hearing after a while). The Mansers make this wine by blending Marachel Foch, Merlot and Lemberger. Bought directly from their winery it cost less than $17, so expect around $20 at an independent wine rack.

When I got back outside the girls were talking to a gorgeous gray cat as more people arrived to purchase bottles (I felt quite stingy with my one compared to their five and ten).

Now, what family day out can we enjoy near another winery…?

BC Wine Racks Get a Boost

Posted on August 20, 2010 by Candice L.

On the news today the public learned that our provincial government is injecting $2.1 million into the BC wine industry. The money will help winemakers fight pests and diseases to improve the crop and, consequently, output. This will help them to compete with products coming in from around the world. Wine racks across the province jumped for joy.

Though the Okanagan alone boasts lots and lots of wineries, not to mention a bunch more closer to Vancouver and on Vancouver Island, most produce too little to make their way onto Government Liquor Store shelves. Consumers purchase them on-line or at independent outlets, including the wineries themselves. This is hardly unusual. There are plenty of tiny, even artisan wineries across the globe looking to make just a few bottles of something unique.

Still, what this says to the general public is that wineries matter to provincial economy. They provide jobs not just directly, but also through the bottling process, labelling, advertising, plus tourism. The Okanagan Valley Wine Route draws thousands of visitors who then stay in hotels, stop at petrol stations, eat at restaurants etc., etc.

There will be nay-sayers, of course. What about roads (there are potholes in Salmon Arm big enough to swallow our VW Golf)? What about hospitals (I have two young children, I appreciate the ER for removing things from places they should not have been and telling me my screaming child was just being a brat when she tried to pound me into a coma. Then she turned three and got better). On the other hand, the tourist dollars should soon see that $2.1 million investment paid for and more.

Learning About Liquor at the Wine Rack Store

Posted on August 20, 2010 by Candice L.

Remember how I mentioned in a previous article that one New York winery suggested that summer is the time to drink cocktails, not Chardonnay? That it was too hot for Merlot? My wine rack groaned, but I thought, what the heck. I can learn about cocktails too (just not rum).

I’d been tempted by some individual shots at one of our independent liquor stores as they looked so pretty. There was one called ‘Sour Monkey’, which I expected would taste like sour candy. I’m not fond of spirits, but they were so pretty. Did I say that already? I’m kind of like a magpie that way: shiny things make me look twice, although I have the self-control to turn away again and no taste for fancy, expensive stuff. Still, with all of those vivid and unnatural colors, they were so pretty…

I bought the sour monkey, though the pot gave no indication of what sort of spirit was inside. My husband suggested it was medical alcohol. ‘It looks like cough syrup’ he remarked. I must admit I only took a tiny sip. Ingredients listed included syrup and artificial color. The one I picked was (is, sitting in my refrigerator in case I have a coughing fit) bright red. At around $3 Cdn, worth a try. Much better than buying a whole bottle of medical alcohol. Then again, I suppose I could have bought the alcoholic base and used it to sterilize stuff or make my own cold remedy.

Gobs of Money Could Have Been Spent

Posted on August 19, 2010 by AdminSidney

It seems as though in times of economic stress, buyers stick strictly to strong investments that they can feel safe about. Gold and, believe it or not, wine are among the top investments that people buy. Top growth Bordeaux goes in auction houses, such as Sotheby’s, for nearly as much as pure gold. With an increase in separation of the wealthy and ‘less fortunate’, many action houses have noticed that wine sales have become more popular than things considered ‘defensive’ such as gold. It turns out that wealthy people like to ‘share their wealth’ and by that I mean treat all of their rich friends to the finer things in life and then compare.

At a recent auction in China, a lot of wine sold for a whopping $320,250!! Man, I could buy a house with that! I have a feeling that people spending that kind of money on a measly 75 bottles of wine for their wine racks tend to spend a bit more lavishly than I do but man, I can think of so many other things that I could spend that much money on! Think of all the charities that they could be donating to (namely me)! The closest I will ever get to being that much of a big spender is with a set of Hey Big Spender wine charms…

Oklahoma Or California

Posted on August 19, 2010 by AdminSidney

According to the Oklahoma Grape Growers and Wine Makers Association, this year Oklahoma wineries will leave 50 tons of grapes to waste. In fact, some of them even just stopped watering their grape crops altogether. Due to poor sales and expensive production costs, many of Oklahoma’s wineries ave begun buying grape concentrate or grapes from California and simply packaging it up as their own. This is really unfortunate for the wineries who actually pride themselves in making true Oklahoma wine because they can no longer compete with the much cheaper pricing of ‘imported’ wines. It isn’t as though there aren’t enough Oklahoma grapes for the cheaters to produce true Oklahoman wine, they are simply looking to make a bigger buck off the average consumer looking to fill their wine racks with Oklahoma wine.

Really makes you wonder about some of the ethics of these grape growers. Where did the Oklahoma pride go?

A Selection of Top Value Wines

Posted on August 18, 2010 by Candice L.

Gayot offers an authoritative look at all things culinary and they also have their finger on the pulse of the wine industry. Whether judging the best wines for a residential wine rack or a restaurant cellar, their experts sound like they know a thing or two. For this reason, their list of top ten value wines was a must-read for me. Not that I will tell you all of them here, you can go to their website and see for yourself. It seems fitting to draw out a few, however; wines suitable for the remaining evenings of summer; selections suitable for lazy brunches or easy pasta dishes.

I also stuck with a $20 USD or under policy when choosing which ones to list here.

First on my list is a pretty little number: Korbel Brut Rose. For $12 you get a mixture of Pinot Noir, Gamay and Chenin Blanc in sparkling format, perfect to accompany light, fruity desserts (not jell-o).

Biltmore Springs, like the Korbel, comes from California; Napa Valley specifically. Their 2008 Reserve Chardonnay makes the list as an accompaniment to seafood dishes.

Try a Navarro Vineyards Gewurztraminer for $19, full of tropical and citrus fruits plus spice.

The Da Vinci Chianti, $16, is mainly comprised of Sangiovese for plum, cherry and red fruit flavors.

Finally, Villa San-Juliette’s 2006 Pleasant Valley Pink Rose looks a likely candidate for Saturday brunch (not Sundays, I’d be in church, and my pastor wouldn’t approve if I brought pink wine in my coffee mug. At least, not unless I brought enough for everyone). This is a $12 wine great with smoked salmon and, of all things, eggs. I’ve never seen that before, wine and eggs, but it makes sense. They’re a pretty common ingredient in North American cooking. In my house we eat them at any and all meals, having a policy that if it fills our bellies, we do not fit foods into boxes. So, for instance, pancakes for supper (not with syrup, I’m a sugar grinch) makes a perfectly suitable meal while if the kids eat cold pizza for breakfast, they at least get all of their food groups in one hit.

Now, if I can sit back sipping a Rose wine at 9 am… but then, I’d be far less productive and my articles might start looking like the ravings of a lunatic.

‘What’s new,’ you say. Yeah, I know.

Pinehurst Labor Day

Posted on August 18, 2010 by Candice L.

I’m not likely to report from inside an event like the Pinehurst Labor Day weekend Food and Wine Festival, 2-6 September, but that doesn’t mean you don’t want to know about it. From the photo alone I’ll lose one or two readers who, like me, wouldn’t be able to get in. I mean, they probably have a metal detector to be sure your gold is 18c or better instead of checking for weapons. A complete absence of buzzing would give me away completely.

For the rest of you, Pinehurst Resort is more than a fancy wine rack. They will be hosting the Women’s Open Championship on their world-famous golf courses in 2014 and attract plenty of golfers, tennis players plus those on a spa retreat. Situated in North Carolina, impressive colonial architecture will definitely remind you of sugar plantations and Gone with the Wind. If you think you can get away with wearing re-purposed curtains, however, you will be turned out on your head. There’s a dress code. This leaves me out. The only thing trendy about me is the natural grey starting to show through where I don’t color (yet). Did you know people pay to go grey?

The Pinehurst wine and food festival offers discounts for purchases of $200 or more in tickets at one time. This should give you an idea of how lavish the event will be. There may very well be something like an inclusive pass, but all I saw was $30 per 1 1/2 hour wine seminar, $40 for Sunday breakfast, $100 for one of the gala dinners, and one that was even more. There will be cooking demonstrations, boutique wine tasting, education and experts on hand from restaurants and wineries. Many of these sessions have limited seating.

You can book an overnight or weekend package which includes a pass during your stay, but you must remember: first come, first serve.

Call 910-235-8415, email resort.services@pinehurst.com, or get your butler to do it. I assume, if you’re contemplating a weekend here, you do have ‘help’.