Category Archives: Niagara

Hunger Games and Blind Wine Tasting

Monday, March 19, 2012    

 

Quince Bistro, 2110 Yonge Street, Toronto 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I play the hunger game all day in anticipation of the big night. Eating little, saving myself for what the chef will throw at me. “Winning means fame and fortune. Losing means certain death.” Five courses and 10 wines later the thrill of victory is sweet. Chef Peter Tompkins takes the group on a Mediterranean wanderlust road trip with stops in no less than five European nations. Our leader generously gifts eight of the ten wines from his cellar. All in all, five continents and 10 countries are represented. A theme runs through the lot and the game is on. We speculate on the grapes, the country of origin and the producer.

Canapés

  • salt and cod fritters, lemon aioli
  • herb and gruyère cheese profiteroles
  • mushroom and goat cheese arangini

Tarlant Brut Zero NV Champagne races out of the gate, unabashedly revealing all. Brioche, apple skin, lemon meringue and Pomello. She’s easy to like, maybe too easy. “My, my my. Once bitten…twice shy.”   87

 

Grilled Portuguese Cornbread, chicken liver pâté, pickled apples

Henry of Pelham Cabernet-Merlot 1998 brings the house down. I think it droit de la Gironde. Who would believe a 14-year old Niagara Bordeaux blend and its milk chocolate, oak domination would not only survive but thrive? From Ontario’s long-growing, patio summer.  Best tomatoes too.  89

Viña Santa Rita Cabernet Sauvignon Casa Real 1997 may wander off over the Chilean hill yet shows continence in a continent away, IGT way. Soft, curvy, lovely. Where tobacco, spices and rich vanilla once fused fusible fruit, there now exists a quiet calm. Good show though.  88

 

Crispy Braised Lamb Shoulder, du puy lentils, lamb jus, mint salsa verde

Odem Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 from the folks who bring us Alfasi out of the Golan revelates in its own way. Oz-like in constitution (Margaret River comes to mind), the vernal persistence is admirable. There is a feeling of disjointedness for some. A summons to Israeli wine guy Rogov (86) to taste again and show some new love.  88

Cathedral Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 (328567, $14.95) the non-ringer, South African VINTAGES essential electrifies blind. I reckon oak/fruit bomb Argentine Cab, a la Michel Rolland but wrong again. Alcohol is very present, green mint and eucalyptus dominate and dark chocolate lingers on. Like Lindsay Lohan.  86

 

Grilled New York Strip Loin, celeriac purée, potato rösti, haricots vert, assorted mushroom sauce

Mondavi Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 1996, the last of Robert’s great wines. Everything changed in 1997  and “…history, like love, is so apt to surround her heroes with an atmosphere of imaginary brightness.” Wex waxes on about “a Tel Aviv Cab” but that roadster was seen flying down Dizengoff in the last flight.  This Napicon has reached high tide and is now a pig in shit, cool, uncoiling  in the mud. AZ announces he is “hanging up his wine shingles.” We have come to the crossroads of the evening and all is good.  93

Château Léoville Barton 1999 is unequivocably the best value, never mind the vintage, in classified growth Bordeaux that some extra cash can buy. Now I’ve done it! MG notes “lead on the right”, as in the right (wrong) hand side of an Aussie road. Common to the Mondavi, a bretty, farmyardy character no longer dominates as a red hot mama. Now smokey berries and if there was thought of fruit not waiting for tannins to evolve, think again. Will rank with the best of ’99. WOTN for most.  94

 

Assorted Cheese Plate, toasts and chutney, piave, delice de bourgogne, 5-year aged perron cheddar

Antinori Guado al Tasso 1999 is closed down and phasing dumb. Pencil shavings fill the glass but no fruit, herbs or spices. Sink smell too, metallurgic and iodine. I’ve had the 2000 twice recently and both examples were expressive, blood thirsty Tuscan specimens. Could this ’99 be years behind its window with fruit lurking in mountain shadows? I find myself walking away in high dudgeon.  NR

Clarendon Hills Hickinbotham Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2003 noses funky pork and seafood, gamboge and gammon. Phantom palate of d’Agen plum, prune, fig and raisin. Pitchy black ink, an operatic meteor shower on a moonless sky. MS says “a sipping wine, with cheese, a fireplace and a boar stew.” To me, crazy Mclaren Vale Cabernet, perverse to look at, deadly to consume.  91

Alois Kracher Scheurebe TBA #4 Zwischen den Seen 2004 is dessert all on its own. Fanta orange, quince (of course), marmalade and honey. Lazer acidity by way of AM, sweet and syrupy. Could imagine pouring it on Austrian Palatschinken.  92

 

 

Good to go!

Triumphant Wine Dinner

 

http://blogs.canada.com/2012/03/12/triumphant-wine-dinner/

 

Six Farceurs, Four Courses, Eight Wines

Count me in when this troupe convenes. The comedy is relentless, la comida outstanding. Wine brings us together and we take care of the rest. Thanks to the E-man for a flawlessly executed feast.

 

BRAISED FENNEL, tomato, parmesan, baguette 

3630 Bubbles 2008 endowed of a fine mist. De-yeastified. Quenched yet the sea refuses no river. Saprolite hue and “pictures itself set up for good in a whole other life…where nobody knows us well.” A shaddock, as if southern hemisphere grapefruit in winter. Bill Turnbull turning fizz on its head. “When we decide what freedom is, turn water into wine.” Procured in the mystery zone.   88

Creekside ‘X’ Blanc de Blancs 2000 is experimental fizz, kept on its lees for a decade. 110 cases made. Leesy, cheesy, big and bouncy. Ever-evolving in the glass, the micro-bubbles coming and going like a teenager in the wee hours. Mr. C. abides despite the sulfuric launch and the thin to win finish. Ample brioche and salinity. Just when the fade out seems inevitable, another act ensues. Disk retry and success. In appreciation of the operating system.  88

  

CAULIFLOWER SOUP, leek, cream, truffle oil, parsley, thuet sourdough

Hidden Bench Nuit Blanche Rosomel Vineyard 2008, Bordeaux blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon, the latter shrouding a would be goosey bench performance by the SB actor. The man in him says more sulfur and for me, marzipan. Musky and risky, on the edge of a roasted, toasted Nutella thing. Lack of brack but balance and superb silky texture the saving grace. Complex Beamsville white.  87

 

CASSOULET, pork hock, bacon, barese sausage, white beans, greens salad 

Louis Jadot Beaune Theurons 2006 casts a mirrored clarity of white-capped mountains upon a lake. A whiff of woodsmoke and the kettle filled with sour cherries simmering in clear sap. Brooding and yet to be chivalrous. Won’t hold the door open so wait three more years for the concierge to be of service.  88

Hartford Court Arrendell Vineyard Pinot Noir 2005 the open box of Queen Anne cherry chocolates that carry on through perfume and palate. Rich lacquer, juicy liquor and just now mellowing. “Now witness the quickness with which we get along.” The group can’t resist the next pour from this one. “There’ll be peace when you are done.” Only 320 cases made. Never left in the lurch by Hartford and the Pinots not mailed in. By way of J.  90

Tenuta Ponte Taurasi 2003 from argute vines so deep they find moisture in the ancient refuse of dinosaurs mixed with volcaniclastic debris within Campania’s subterranean core. Nose this sucker and be pummeled by a violet explosion, sun-dried San Marzano and Strega. Remarkably integrated, the shrewd beast already tamed-ish. Ode to Daniel.  92

Castellare Di Castellina I Sodi di San Niccolo 1997 of Colli Della Toscana Centrale IGT origins and the fountain of youth. How can it be so fresh? 85% Sangioveto and 15% Malvasia. The Sangiovese clone, also known as Sangiovese Piccolo is here a sweet and beautiful elixir. Polished deep purple Amethyst dipped in smokey, black raspberry water. No hard lines, void of animale and free from Tuscan iron. “No matter what we get out of this, i know, i know we’ll never forget.” Better with the cheese course to come.  93

 

CHEESE, 6-month manchego, boschetto al tartufo, niagara gold

Corte Sant’Alda di Marinella Camerani Amarone della Valpolicella 1998 and crumbled cork signals trouble but the wine was born to be alive. Acutely aware of the confident voice noting “roast beef beneath a blanket of cherry sauce.” The group concurs with a “hmmmn.” Black cherry bomb of oily syrup spiced like plum pudding. Impeccable balance at 15.5%. just great. Good on ya Remington.  92

 

 

 

Good to go!

VINTAGES February 18th Release, Thomas Bachelder

BACHELDER NIAGARA CHARDONNAY 2009 (271841, $31.95) goes it alone, leaving LCJ in the dust. Bachelder the Chardcentric man of triple terrior is singularly obsessed and he’s aiming for market snare. This tight knit effort is frenetic like a Muppets Buddy Rich vs. Animal duel.  mjg 89

BACHELDER OREGON CHARDONNAY 2009 (273334, $36.95) is chock full of nuts, spice and ghee on Chapati-lized talc. A capacious bonny whale over an ocean of Willamette Valley Chards.  mjg 88 

BACHELDER BOURGOGNE CHARDONNAY 2009 (272005, $34.95) is an admirable if not exquisite first Burgundian effort. A generation away from making a statement, this is well-defined tree fruit, Uchizy-like, wannabe Bret Brothers  juice, still on the wishful side of greatness.  mjg 87

 

 

 

Good to go!

VINTAGES, Wines and Valentines

One sparkling, one white and one red because “I ain’t seen my baby since the night before last.” All three are VINTAGES releases, readily available and shot through the heart.

The Sparkling

LOUIS BOUILLOT PERLE D’IVOIRE BRUT BLANC DE BLANCS (48801, $18.95) is Crémant de Bourgogne as understudy but it rolls out all the necessary attributes (yeast, toast, brioche) of quality méthode champenoise for a driblet of damage.  Discussing the two side by side is admittedly like comparing apples to oranges yet this Blanc de Blancs sniffs les deux. It should be noted that Paul and Stevie both appeared at the Grammy’s last night (though not together). The Perle D’ivoire goes together with strawberries “in perfect harmony.”   mjg 90

Find it at VINTAGES

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The White

ROSEWOOD NATALIE’S SÜSSRESERVE RIESLING 2009 (258806, $14.95) is down $3 from the ’08, magnetic and resonant of a winemaker’s passion. Crafted with the Deutsches technique of adding reserved, unfermented Riesling juice (must) back before bottling. Candy-coated (technically off-dry), bushy-tailed, brimming with many scents citrus, backed up by a grove of apples and peaches. Pour this and you just might fish your wish.  mjg 88

Find it at VINTAGES

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Red

SISTER’S RUN SHIRAZ 2009 (222018, $15.95) screams value from big, bruising Barossa. A family run, higher altitude SV (Cavalry Hill) and a subsidiary of the Dandelion commonwealth. Coddled like a quail’s egg by Canadian critics, including Stimmel (90) who notes “…smoky charcoal, mint, cedar and mocha aromas are suffusive.” Grape Guy MP’s (****+) rating eschews restraint and he gushes “big fruit, big flavour, big fun.” Pop and Pour out of Alberta (where the Sister is $20) notes “allspice, dried meat and gingerbread.” NA in the US but in the UK WOW says this “rich and powerful wine wears its 14% alcohol on its sleeve.” Twisted maybe, but “what do you want to do with your life? I wanna rock!”  mjg 88

Find it at VINTAGES

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Good to go!

VINE DIRT – RECENT TASTINGS

A heterodoxical winter. No blanket of white stuff.  To that inclination I travel against the grain for an encounter with three smoking pearls off the list at Barque.

 

JEAN-LUC COLOMBO VIOGNIER ‘LA VIOLETTE’ 2010 ($18.25) shows great floral intensity for a Vin de Pays d’Oc.  Condrieu intuition coaxes spiced nuts and yerba apricot tea from grapes grown in Languedoc. I waver not from the joy in its necessity, even as it descends a wafer thin minty slope to peter out. Certainly prettier than a Flyer’s coach.  88

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FIELDING ESTATE CHARDONNAY UNOAKED 2008 ($13.95) is squeaky clean and cheap so “my money flows like wine.” The band plays Dixie while I eat too much chicken, the food and wine marching saintly, effortlessly in. More Mutsu than Meyer, more alfalfa than clover.  A golden, herbal remedy.  87

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PIEROPAN SOAVE CLASSICO 2010 ($19.95) is spring in winter, perennial in its success, consistent and always sharp in attack. Garganega that is oddly mindful of lemon paraffin wax tubes from the Wiz having gone to college in the Loire and now living as a mature adult in the Veneto. Opiate anaesthetic on the finish renders teeth and gums numb and void.  89

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Good to go!