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23rd Annual Ottawa Wine and Food Show |
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Reported by Rutha Astravas
This year the Guild rose to the challenge of moving to Lansdowne Park to present nine tastings at the Wine and Food Show. A major kudos goes to Director Bill Ellis who gave so much of his time and energy to ensure the best possible experience for Guild members. A very big thank you also goes out to all the volunteers who worked hard and moved quickly to make the three days a success!
Go for Gold and Best of Show This year’s line-up included two tastings of winning wines with Guild Governor and Wine Judge for the Cellars of the World competition, Vic Harradine. He shared a few judging stories and “edutained” participants while presenting nine of the highest-rated wines at the Show. We were in for a few surprises that defied common assumptions about price, label, or region. Konzelmann Estate cleaned up at the competition and their “White Moose” Riesling won Best in Show-white. Prince Edward County’s Grange Trumpour’s Mills riesling (best dry Riesling/Alsatian varietals $15+) was very received, as was the Citra Montepulciano d’Abruzzzo (Gold/Best value under $9), causing more than a few tasters to rethink their Vintages shopping habits. Waitiri Creek Pinot Noir, Central Otago (Best in Show Red) turned a few heads and sold out before the end of the show’s second day. Other top reds included Woodbridge’s 2007 cabernet sauvignon, the 2007 Montalto Nero d’Avola, Strewn Winery Three Terroir, and the Peter Lehmann Barossa Cabernet. To top it all off, we were treated to Konzelmann Estate’s Special Select Late Harvest Vidal. For the full list of medalists: http://www.playerexpo.com/winecompetition.php.
New Zealand “Sensational Syrah and Hot Reds” Robert Ketchin, the Canadian marketing manager for New Zealand Winegrowers pulled together an exciting series of complex, juicy, and intense reds from a country typically known for sauvignon blanc and pinot noir. Robert structured the tasting by varietal (Pinot, Merlot, and Bordeaux blends), describing the different regions and differences in terroir. It was clear throughout the tasting that New Zealand’s wine industry continues to enjoy explosive growth and continuous evolution, particularly among reds. His picks included pinot from Spy Valley, Wild Earth, and Palliser Estate, syrah from Trinity Hill and Villa Maria, merlot from Coopers Creek (Hawkes Bay) and Villa Maria, and blends from Cable Bay Five Hills, Craggy Range Te Kahu and Newton Forrest Cornerstone. Most of these wines are available through agents, although plantings of red varietals still only account for 30% of total plantings, so one cannot count on large quantities reaching Canada. Some of these wines exhibited development since the New Zealand wine fair back in May.
Great Wines of Argentina Sommelier Debbie Trenholm of the Savvy Company (formerly Savvy Grapes) led tasters through a very interactive tasting of hot reds from Argentina, whose signature grape is Malbec. The first four wines were made of this grape, all proving to be dark, juicy, powerful, flavourful, and fruity. All were 2006 vintage, from Catena, Trapiche (x2) and Pascual Toso. While they were good on their own, they begged for a thick steak or other grilled meat from a parillada, but would go just as well with well-sauced pasta or pizza. Next came the (in)famous Fusion (Malbec/Shiraz), which seemed especially sweet, but all agreed was an excellent buy at only $7.45, surpassing value picks from Australia. Among the full-bodied wines, Debbie selected the Los Arboles Cabernet, 2007 Cava de Crianza, a very fetching Rutini/Familia Zucchardi Merlot and a Tempranillo from Tempus. All of the wines were from Mendoza or the surrounding regions, although Argentina has a number of other expanding wine regions in the north (Salta, Jujuy), south of Mendoza and even further south where penguins live, in Patagonia.
Six Great Value 90+ Wines from Spain The Wines of Spain Ambassador, Roger Randolph, returned to the Show to present two tastings. In this tasting he presented seven wines from seven DOs, ranging from $16-$32 (except for a surprise 2001 Rioja listed around $80). Each wine received high scores from Robert Parker and his Spanish reviewer, Jay Miller. Some of the following are Vintages products and most were from the very good 2005 vintage. Starting in the northeast: the intense Garnacha-dominant Torres Salmos from Priorato, and the concentrated Mas Donis from DO Montsant, made from 80+ year-old vines. The wine from Ribera del Duero was a dark, deep, spicy, and jammy Emina Prestigio. From Toro: Tempranillo-based Estancia Piedra Azul. The comparatively lightest-bodied sample was the smoky Cuatro Pasos (2006) from Bierzo. From Jumilla in the south, Roger showcased the 2006 Juan Gil, well-known among the tasters. While some raved about the Culmen Rioja (despite price), others pointed to its stemminess and touch of green. Spanish wines continue to gain in popularity and also in quality. A recurring theme during Roger’s presentation was the modernization of the industry through significant investments in quality, vineyard expansion, and in winery architecture but also through an increasingly international focus for wines that used to be consumed domestically.
Bordeaux Vintages Release Tasting This year Guild brought its signature event to the show! The November 8th Vintages wine release featured Bordeaux wines and was presented by LCBO Product Consultant Kent Currie. It was a semi-blind tasting, where a list of wines was provided, but in no particular order. Kent’s tasting was structured by technique (sight/aroma/taste) and basic Left vs. Right Bank characteristics, encouraging tasters to make informed guesses in identifying the wines. His picks included the 1996 Chateau de la Gorce (Medoc), the 2003 Chateau Lilian (St-Estephe), 2001 Ch. Loudanne, 2004 Ch. de L’Estephe (Cote de Castillon), 2005 Ch. Franc Moullet (Pomerol), and 2006 Ch. Duclaux (Bordeaux Superieur). Votes for favourite wines were split across the range of wines, although many tasters had clear Left vs. Right Bank preferences.
Top 500 Wines Rod Phillips, Guild Governor and author of The 500 Best-Value Wines in the LCBO 2009, led participants through a few notable highlights from his book. The group of wines included Wolf Blass Reisling, Bouchard Pére et Fils Beaujolais Village, Cono Sur Shiraz, Liberty School Cabernet Sauvignon, and Rosemount Diamond Series Shiraz, all of which are easy to find in the LCBO. In his usual interactive style, Rod challenged tasters to guess countries and prices before unveiling the wines. And he confirmed that you can get a decent wine at a good price. He didn’t stick to the “under $10”, but expanded it to include some of the General List products that were nearing the $20 mark, but are still good value for money and reliable buys every time.
Sherry and UmamiPoor Roger Randolph battled with technological gremlins and noise to impart his love for Sherry across the full spectrum (and rainbow of colours!) of dry through syrupy sweet Sherries. Sherry is becoming a trendy wine, given its versatility in food matches and of the cuisines it goes best with. It is also an excellent value and sturdy wine (no need to finish the bottle during the meal). Roger made frequent references to Heston Blumenthal, the owner-chef of the world’s allegedly best restaurant (The Fat Duck). He is a strong adherent to Sherry as an umami booster in food and the magic effects of good pairings and of its use in cooking. We were thinking about so many delicious food pairings and getting hungrier by the minute! At this particular tasting, we started with a Fino from Tio Pepe, moving to San Leon Manzanilla Classica, Don Jose Maria Very Old Amontillado, El Maestro Sierra 15 anos Oloroso, Lustau Peninsula Palo Cortado (quite the gem), Harvey’s Bristol Cream, and the glorious finale of a Pedro Ximenez 1827 sweet Sherry. This final wine was served with bite-sized chocolatecovered ice cream! The salted nuts were also a very good complement.
Uncork the Diversity of New York Wines with Robert Ketchin!Robert Ketchin was wearing his NY State hat in his second tasting at the show. This tasting proved the ongoing evolution in breadth and quality across the lake. Robert provided an overview of the three wine regions and shared some lovely photos from Long Island, Hudson River and the Finger Lakes. He presented Rieslings from Dr. Konstantin Frank and Peconic Bay, a Chenin Blanc from Paumanok, an impressive and food-friendly Chardonnay/Viognier from Bedell Cellars, and a very floral Gewurz from White Springs Winery. Among the reds were three Cabernet Francs (Millbrook, Prejean, Castello di Borghese). The 2001 Raphael Merlot was voted Best NY Red by the New York Times and many tasters enjoyed the Osprey Dominion 2005 Meritage (double-gold at the Aspen Wine&Food Classic). All were very good wines and a great way to close the 2008 Show! |
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Last Updated ( Friday, 05 December 2008 )
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Moderation |
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The National Capital Sommelier Guild strongly supports moderate and responsible consumption of wine and spirits. Guild dinner events allow a designated driver to attend at a reduced price. The designated driver will not be served alcohol. Guild tasting events provide and encourage the use of spit buckets. |
"Wine is bottled poetry."
— Robert Louis Stevenson
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