....CAB.... Therapy, Zero Balance and Soaring Eagle

Sixth of many sips...

After our initial 4 stops on the right side of the road, the day was running a little short and we still had to check into the condo that we had rented in Okanagan Falls. The was Midnight Mass to get ready for with some of the best blues and BBQ on the planet with the Ruthie Foster Family Band at Blasted Church with Memphis Blues BBQ. We decided to go up the road to Therapy and work our way back. Setting a torrid pace of 7-10 wineries a day is difficult. Time is limited and you want to take it all in and not miss a drop or the spinning of a great yarn.

Therapy Vineyards  is almost at the end of the road and features some of the coolest labels and wine names in the Okanagan.We parked at the end of the lane and walked up. There was a great vibe to the place as there was a young trio of musicians getting their groove on. We enjoyed the sound for a time, soaking in the last of the beautiful day - I must say that I can never tire of the view of Okanagan Lake whist peering over perfectly manicured vineyards.

The tasting room was bright and cheery and the staff were really sweet. I have to say, that as soon as we walked on the door, I spied a wine bottle with a hockey player on the label. How Canadian - I made my mind up right there to love the wine regardless of the flavour 'cause I was taking that baby home. (I figured if I didn't like the wine, I could replace it with maple syrup and it would still be Canadian. - turns out, I didn't have to) You can take the referee off the ice, but you never get the ice out of the referee. It was a Malbec - I'd never heard of the variety before. According to Wikipedia, Malbec grapes can be inky-dark in colour and feature robust tannins. It is one of the six grapes allowed in a Bordeaux blend. I am fond of Bordeaux - so I was delighted to find that I was verrrrry partial to this Malbec wine.We also tried a good Merlot, Pink Freud, Freudian Sip, Freud's Ego and a Pinot Gris. We squirreled a few bottles into the getting-weighted-down truck.

We got ourselves headed towards OK Falls...but as luck would have it, not too far down the trail, we spotted a sign that said Zero Balance. We had been in the car for a least a few minutes and had worked up a mighty thirst. What the heck. We pulled down the bumpiest path in the Okanagan. It was small little after-thought of a place and the lady that ran the tasting hut was quite a character. If I recall correctly we were told that this winery was somehow linked to Lang and also Soaring Eagle. (Seeing as Soaring Eagle was right next door, we resolved to stop there too before we jetted into the night) At Zero Balance, we tried an outstanding white that was called Project 743 - it was very light and crisp. Last year we headed back to fill up, only to not be able to find the property. I hear that Lang has since sold and it sounds complicated. I hope that I can one day rediscover something similar to Project 743. At Soaring Eagle we sampled a Pinot Gris and a Viognier that made the cut to join the mixed cases in the truck.

At this point we had to get a move on - the was Midnight Mass at Blasted Church in only a few hours, but we did decide that we needed to return to the Bench the next day.

Meatgoddess Recommendations:

Therapy Vineyards - Malbec, Freudian Sip, Freud's Ego

Zero Balance - Project 743

Soaring Eagle - Pinot Gris

Musical Pairings:
Therapy Vineyeards - Malbec - Stevie Ray Vaughan - Ain't Gone 'N' Giving Up On Love
Zero Balance -Project 743 - Trampled Under Foot - Get it Straight
Soaring Eagle - Pinot Gris - Ana Popvic - Unconditional

.....CAB....Black Widow Winery, Laughing Stock Vineyards

Fifth of many sips...

Still traveling along the Bench, we spied a most intriguing sign. A spider with a telltale red hourglass on the abdomen. How could truck full of women not stop!!!

Black Widow Winery is smaller and built on many sustainability principals - in fact the tasting area and vats are in the same open building. They feature a limited selection of vintages...and they sell out quickly. We scored a Merlot and an Hourglass and headed on our way. But not before learning that there are black widows in the Okanagan - eeek. Luckily the little divas, although quite poisonous, are on the skittish side and shy away from wine lovers...at least that's what I convinced myself!

A short distance down the road there was a  small, but aesthetically pleasing building perched above the road with a sign made up of green dots that are reminiscent of digital ticker tape.Our curiosity was piqued enough to take a look.The tasting room was beautiful and simple and the wine was good. One could not help appreciate the work that went into creating this brand. The labeling on the bottles is beautifully intricate and elaborate. The concept, based on the stock exchange, is whimsical and clever - Laughing Stock Vineyards has a great website and is well worth the stop if one ever finds themselves on Naramata Bench.

But our journey was not over and we hastened on our way...

Meatgoddess Recommendations:

Black Widow Winery - Merlot, Hourglass...I hear the whites are great, but they've always been sold out when I've been by.

Laughing Stock Vineyards - Portfolio, Blind Trust White, Chardonnay

Musical Pairings:
Black Widow Winery - Hourglass;  Joanne Shaw Taylor, Blackest Day
Laughing Stock Vineyards - Blind Trust White:  Deanna Bogart,  Baby You Got What it Takes



 

....CAB.....La Frenz, Hillside Estate Winery

Fourth of many sips.....

Naramata Bench - I have to say, if a colleague of mine had not mentioned to visit - I probably would have missed it. North of Penticton, on what what appeared on the map at least, to be a 'road less traveled' (not my first, nor my last out-in-left-field concept), it was the busiest single-lane we'd been on. There is a literal crush of wineries on this Bench.

We thought that we would head to the end and sip our way back - but first, we thought that we'd better stop and sample a little to make sure we were on the right path. As luck would have it, we chanced upon La Frenz -  my appreciation for Semillon forever altered. Wikipedia says that Semillon is a golden-skinned white grape. What they don't say is that La Frenz makes the most beautiful dry white Semillon - ever!. My first taste was magic - another case in the back of the truck. On subsequent trips back to the area, I've arrived at the winery too late in the season and the Semillon cupboard is bare. This sends me scurrying around Kelowna and Penticton wine shops, trying to find the last few unspoken for bottles. (This year, I think I'll try ordering online provided that archaic prohibition legislation dissolves.)  Another explosion of perfectly balanced flavour was captured in the Tawny Port - and I really don't like sweet vintages - well done, La Frenz. Much to my delight, more Alberta wine shops are stocking La Frenz - but if you see it, snap it up as it may not be there tomorrow...I must not be their only fan.This place also boasts a million dollar view - well, $100 anyway as it was featured on the old brown bills.

After such success, we altered our plans and decided to stop at wineries on the right hand side of the road. That seemed only logical - we didn't want to miss out. That turned out to be me most brilliant idea ever as I was fortunate to discover the ultimate Cab Franc.

There was a wonderful rustic wooden building in the distance with whimsical garden area - Hillside Estate Winery We entered the tasting area - it was so comfortable and inviting - and staff were terrific and welcoming...and pretty darn funny! We were guided through a few of the whites and then onto the reds...everything was lovely, but I have to admit that I remember nothing save for the peppery perfection of the 2008 Cab Franc that effortlessly spilled over the back of my tongue. It was unbelievable - here it was, the wine I had been searching for for so long. You see, I love crafting sausages, quality artisan sausages - and I love blending in wine or beer...my mantra is that 'I eat for pleasure and not for fuel'. Knowing that the final product is only as good as quality of the ingredients, I had been searching for a peppery red that would not get lost is the richness of source-verified Alberta pork. It needed to be smooth, strong and distinctive, yet not too over-bearing or complex.

When I started my meat career, I apprenticed under a German Master Butcher for a couple of years and although apprentice is code for '24 months of cleaning grease traps' I learned so much about the spice complex - mostly for marinades. The next firm I worked for, the Master Butcher there made his own sausage from scratch and I knew I'd found my calling. We made all types of sausage including Italian, however - much to my chagrin, we added cooking wine. The stuff is awful, salty and would often overpower the mix, but like the good junior cutter I was - I kept my mouth shut. Never mess with a Butcher's recipes when they have been handed down from kin.

When I finally had free reins in my shop, I started tinkering with the recipes that I had accumulated over the years and I now believe that every great sausage can be made that much better with really good wine or beer. I always use quality ingredients - that way I get a quality product. 'Eating for pleasure and not for fuel.'

I was so excited to return to Alberta with my 'Magic Case' - Hillside's Cab Franc. My first batch of Tuscan Italian was bang on - the added bonus is always the sampling of the ingredients. I love sausage making day!

Meatgoddess recommendations:

La Frenz - Semillon, Tawny Port

Hillside Estate - Cab Franc

Musical Pairings:

La Frenz - Semillon : Ruthie Foster  Phenomenal Woman
La Frenz - Tawny Port:  Keb'Mo  Gimme What You Got
Hillside Estate - Cab Franc:  Buddy Guy & Junior Wells   T-Bone Shuffle

....CAB....Sleeping Giant Fruit Winery, Dirty Laundry

The third sip of many...

After turning off the highway, the topography changed immensely. The rolling hills seemed a little more arid and the winding road turned out to be tons of fun in a 4X4. We were on the quest to find the winery that was rumored to be located in an old brothel – run by an Asian gentleman during the gold rush – laundry on the bottom floor, ladies upstairs. It seems that clean clothes became all the rage. How could I not check that out!

As we started our ascent through Summerland, our curiosity was piqued by a sign for ‘fruit wine’ – Sleeping Giant Fruit Winery.  This place was not at all what I expected. There were lots of amazing jams, syrups and fruit leathers (Summerland Sweets) and then there was the wine. When they suggested fruit wine, I thought it would be like dessert wine. So wrong was I. Now they do have dessert wine, but they also have table wines that are made from pumpkin- yes pumpkin and raspberry, cranberry, blueberry, cherry and so on – and they weren’t too sweet. These table wines are awesome in martinis or in iced concoctions that come out of the Margaritaville machine! Just like that, I was squirreling a mixed case away in the back of the truck.

A short, but twisty drive away, we found Dirty Laundry  - an awesome name for a former laundry/brothel-come winery. The wrought iron gate was so cool and the view was a very different perspective of the area. The tasting room did not have a restaurant, but was picnic-friendly with cheese and Freybe meats for purchase. One can also purchase a bottle of wine and consume it on their patio - worked for me! The atmosphere was so laid back and lots of fun.(You get a Dirty Laundry branded clothes peg after you complete your tasting.) The wine that we tasted was a little young for my taste, but we did take home a bottle of Bordello that is still in the cellar perhaps it's rested long enough?  We have been back recently, and they have renovated their tasting and patio area - a sight to be seen - and seem to have expanded their vintages - (I need to try Hoar Frost Ice Wine next time through.) My treat with every Dirty Laundry visit? - my guilty pleasure - a brothel-inspired bottle topper…shouldn’t they all have fish net? A limited selection of wines are now available in Alberta.

By the time we were done, Naramata Bench was calling our name…subtle, yet oh so softy. 

Meatgoddess recommendations:

Sleeping Giant: Cranberry Wine and Pumpkin Wine - not available in Alberta to my knowledge

Dirty Laundry: Bordello, Gerwurztraminer – Woo Woo Vines, Hush, Kay-Syrah

Musical Pairings:

Dirty Laundry - Bordello: Taj Mahal  Scratch My Back

...CAB...Quails' Gate

 Sip 2 of many delightful sips....

After leaving the wonderful estate vineyard that is Tantalus, we wandered up the hill a discovered a lavender farm. As it was late in the season, the blooms were mostly done, but we did pick up some loose buds for cooking, stems for chicken or fish skewers, and some delightfully scented honey. (Upon returning home, I made lavender fudge and lavender shortbread. – my palette again expanded.)

Crossing the Okanagan Lake and heading through West Kelowna, we were mesmerized by the beauty that is Quails’ Gate. Perched right on the lake, there is a grassy area where you can walk through some of the vines – on the sunny warm autumn day - the lake, the colours, the smells – it was one of life’s perfect moments.  Unobtrusively nestled into the hillside, Quails’ Gate has an office area and tasting hall is separated by a landscaped area leading to a delightful restaurant, Old Vines. When in Rome…one must dine – and we did. We enjoyed a delightful meal with a stunning view.

Not ever being in a tasting hall, we were a little intimidated at first, but the friendly folk at QG nurtured us through it. I tasted an unreal Old Vines Foch Reserve. I describe wine differently than the experts – they use terms like tobacco, berry, smoke, earth…blah, blah, blah…that usually sets me up for disappointment, because if I cannot pick up the hint of – say spice…I miss the rest of the taste. I‘m pretty simple – I like my reds smooth and even smoky and sometimes peppery and my whites clear, fresh and not too perfume-like. I am not a fan of sweet. In short – I know when it works for me. I think I experience tasting different – this vintage ‘filled my mouth’. It was very smooth and I believe I still have a bottle resting in the cellar. 

The Irish blood in my veins loves a good story, so when the QG tasting goddess started spinning one about the Chenin Blanc I was fully caught in her intricate web. Turns out, this delightful clear-not-too-sweet nectar was served to President Obama one his Canadian visits. The actual menu is on display as you enter the tasting hall – How cool is that! Stories make the experience and as an added bonus, really I enjoy this wine.

Because Quails’ Gate is a larger outfit, vintages are readily available in Alberta. 

Our next stop - Naramata Bench....

Meatgoddess recommendations: Quails' Gate Chenin Blanc and Old Vines Foch Reserve

Musical Pairings:
Quails' Gate - Chenin Blanc: Toshi Reagon  How Long
Quails' Gate - Old Vines Foch Reserve: B.B. King & Joe Cocker   Dangerous Mood

....Chronicles of an Alberta Brewlover....Tantalus Vineyards

The culture of change...how I became to be a lover of Canadian wine.

 ...one of many sips.....

From a meat perspective, I have always supported local. My biggest delight in moving to Western Canada was better access to Alberta Beef. I soon discovered wonderful pork, poultry and game. So why then, was I a drinker of french wine? Did I not understand that all Canadian wine was not Baby Duck? It seems not, but I have evolved....and this is how it innocently happened.

When I was younger, I  spent 13 incredible months living in the South of France. We lived in one third of a 14^th century castle in the middle of the village overlooking the park. I bused to school and worked in the small café around the corner from our chateau – even still…if I close my eyes I can hear the erratic chiming of the two old pin ball machines punctuated by the thud and whirring of the fooseball game. We would travel to other countries on the long weekends and holidays and I logged a lot of time in the Mediterranean.

The concept of local was supported by the skinny green Michelin Guide. There were these unreal whole-in-the-wall restaurants the served bliss - prix fixe. In this manner, I tried things that I never would have selected. I joyfully expanded my palette. Much discovery was made word of mouth and the house wine was mostly delightful and as plentiful as water. In France, food is for pleasure. The portions were smaller and varied, but we were never hungry nor disappointed. 

The village of St Drezery was surrounded by vineyards. In the fall, my brother and I would help with the vendange, or grape harvest. That was some hard work! You shoulder these huge plastic funnels on your back, fill them with plump sweet orbs of sticky juice and flesh until the funnel is full and weighs almost as much as the picker. When the harness threatens to tear your shoulder out of the socket, or you reach the end of your row, you then climb on to a shallow wagon with an auger down the spine (that reminded me of a manure spreader) and tip the bounty in over your head….and repeat. The harvest would then be transported by tractor to the village wine co-op where magic would happen. When you needed wine – you headed down to the coop with a refillable jug and I don’t remember much money changing hands. At the time, a 750ml bottle of beer was half a dollar.

So then we moved back to Canada – the wonderful French wine that we had grown accustomed to seemed very ‘pricey’ and there didn’t seem to be much from the region that we had lived. We were in Languedoc and most french on the shelves of the LCBO was from the Rhone or Bordeaux. (That has now changed considerably) I have to say that an ‘anchor’ was set – French wine was at the top and wine was expensive in Canada - So we cut back our consumption of wine.(This was a hard anchor to change - because of cost or production and other factors, much of the good Canadian wine can cost more than some of the french that has traveled across the pond.) But the change did occur and here's how it happened:

A few years back, I had learned that one of my favourite blues artists – Ruthie Foster whom I’d seen one year at Folkfest, was going to be playing at a winery in the Okanagan. We made plans to go and take in a bit of the regional wine festival. This trip forever changed my perception of BC wines. We signed up for a wine pairing dinner, rented a condo in Okanagan Falls and scored 2 nights of Ruthie Foster tickets for the Blasted Church ‘Midnight Service’.  and we were off. Nothing like a ride through the Canadian Rockies in October to get the heart racing – the winter-laced autumn weather changed every 10 minutes – yes there was snow - and sleet, rain and fog- and the headlights picked up endless eerie eyeballs on both sides of truck on our 9 hour winding path.

The pairing diner was at a now closed restaurant called 764 on Lakeshore Drive in Kelowna– the brain child of Mark Filatow, chef and sommelier at the Waterfront Restaurant and Wine Bar  It remains one of the pinnacle meals that I have ever had the pleasure to enjoy. The smoked trout was out of this world! The coolest things about this night were 3:

1. It was a laid back comfortable atmosphere hosted by Mark and David Paterson, production winemaker of Tantalus Vineyards. Both gentleman told wonderful stories of the food and wine; 

2. All of the ingredients were local (a newer concept for a dweller of 6-month ice ravaged Alberta); and 

3. We got to meet Jane from Tantalus who invited us for a tour of the under construction soon-to-be LEEDS certified facility the next day.

Tantalus – we did take Jane up on her offer and headed to the Winery the next day. They were selling wine on the road out of a temporary trailer. (We loaded up) We also toured the soon to be completed facility and met David who let us taste the very young rose that would be bottled the following season. Tantalus takes sustainability and quality very seriously. Their Riesling is wonderful and now available in specialty wine shops in Alberta. Not normally a fan of rose, theirs hold a special place in my heart – perhaps from the personal experience of a celebrated wine-dude breaking down the fresh tasting that was steeped in potential. The silky-smooth Pinot Noir is excellent and I am still hoarding a Blanc de Noir 2004 –(I opened one of two after skating the Midget AAA Esso Nationals gold medal game).

That exceptional wine pairing meal and visit to Tantalus forever changed my perception of Canadian wine - totally for the better. Already a fan of touring micro-breweries (Granville Island, Steam Whistle and Mill Street), we sat down with a wine map of the Okanagan and set out to discover the stories of the people, places and vintages as well as my holy grail - the quest for the perfect Carb-Franc for my Mediterranean-inspired sausage. But more of that in another post......

Recommendations:

Tantalus Vineyards, Kelowna, BC. – Riesling, Pinot Noir and Rose.

Musical Pairings:
Tantalus Vineyards - Pinot Noir: Tab Benoit  A Whole Lotta Soul
Tantalus Vineyards - Blanc de Noir;  Albert Cummings  Hoochie Coochie Man
Tantalus Vineyards - Rose;   Eric Bibb Spirit I Am