September, where did you go?

September was a great month.  i started out taking a short weekend trip to Halifax, Nova Scotia.  i didn't have the funds to join my family on their cruise vacation but i needed a break badly.  the entire summer was spent working long hours.  i barely took any time off except when i really had to for medical appointments.  despite working the long hours, i still didn't have the means to take an extravagant trip .. so what does a girl do?  two words: AIR MILES.  :)

i funded my entire trip with air miles.  i've been collecting for a while now and what a better time to use them!  i just had to pay for the taxes which was minimal.  but i spent a wonderful three days in Nova Scotia .. and i didn't have to sacrifice a work day.  the weather was perfect and i saw almost everything i wanted to see .. from wineries in Wolfville, to the tides at Blomidon Park, Peggy's Cove, Lunenburg, Mahone Bay .. by the end of the trip, the rental car's service light came on.  :)  same thing happened when i went to Kelowna a few years ago.  also, i think i put close to 800 km on the car in 3 days!!  nuts eh??

but it was so much fun.  i am definitely going back because i didn't get to see Cape Breton Island.  a nice retired couple said i had to come back to see it but i needed more time because the drive from the airport to CBI was about 3 hrs way.  apparently it's stunning out there.

on the work front, i recently interviewed for a new contract position and got the job.  the great thing about the new job is that it pays more than my current contract.  but i recently switch projects at my current contract and i am starting to love my job again.  and when i say 'love my job' .. i really do love it.  i go to work early, stay late, i am really focused on the tasks, and it challenges me in new ways.  i have a great boss, brilliantly fun team members .. since it was so difficult to leave the team, i've offered to work part time on with them since my new job is in the same building.  i'll work at the new job from 8 to 4 and then from 4 to 7, i will work part time at my second job.  i know it sounds like a huge undertaking but it's temporary and when you love what you do, it won't feel like work.  i mean heck .. even now, i work long hours and i still have the energy to play badminton!

Speaking of badminton, life isn't all work and no play though.  I joined a competitive badminton club this year.  finally made the jump to the Westboro badminton club.  on any given night, there are maybe 3-4 female players including me out of 50 players.  i don't mind as long as the games are decent.  i need to be careful though .. my shoulder has been bothering me a bit.  which reminds me .. i need to hit the gym for some strengthening exercises.

at month end, i volunteered at the Ontario Wine challenge on behalf of the National Sommelier Guild.  yup, my first serving experience.  i think the organizers were extra concerned for me because i had this fearful/nervous look on my face all day.  but i did it .. no wine spilled, no glasses broken.  i also scored tickets to the Ottawa Food & Wine show.  i got to see all of the wine submissions for the OWC.  other volunteers were eager to try some of the wine .. me?  no thanks.  i wasn't impressed with the line up of wines.  most were general list wines available at the LCBO.  they are not the best wines produced by the wineries .. in fact, my friend Evan was one of the wine judges and even he could tell they were mediocre wines.  it's like why would Beringer submit a wine from their low end Stone Cellars line when they have Knight's Valley which is one of their better mid range wines?

despite that, the experience was great.  i even brought my camera and took some photos of my favorite wine judges. i might also be volunteering my sommelier skills at the tutored tasting sessions at the Food & Wine show.  it'll be a completely different environment so hopefully i'll get better with practice.

with my busy schedule, i missed out on harvest at Norm Hardie's this year.  it was a real bummer because i've participated in the last few years.  i had a dental appointment scheduled that morning :(

after catching up with Evan, i realized how much i missed wine education.  he and my WSET classmates have moved on to the diploma program.  i was really hoping to join them but my health issues at the time prevented me from doing it.  now that my health issues have cleared up, i am looking to go back for more .. maybe French Wine Society?  :)  stay tuned.

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when in British Columbia

My first visit to Vancouver came courtesy of my friends Clement and Gigi.  I was invited to their wedding ceremony and reception in the beautiful city of Vancouver.

I was excited to see the city because I've heard great things about it.  During my last visit to BC, I wasn't able to make it out to Vancouver.  This time, I booked five days to be a full-on tourist as well as attend the wedding.

On day 1, a few friends and I went to Stanley Park.  We walked about 1/3 of the park before finding our way out for some lunch.  The park is enormous .. With the weather so hot and sunny, there was no way we were going to walk the entire park in a day.

For lunch, we went to the most recommended ramen restaurant in town - Hokkaido Ramen Santouka. Was it as good as they say?  I thought it was ok.  I wasn't blown away. The broth was a tad salty and greasy despite me asking for less salt and less lard.  Anyway, it was my first ramen experience so bucket list item? Check.

Later that night we attended the wedding rehearsal at St. Augustine church. The church had a plain exterior but inside .. Wow.  It was beautiful.  With the sunlight shining through the stained glass windows .. I sat in the pews and took it all in. The photographer in me kept looking for the perfect spot to take photos.

I woke up early Friday morning to meet up with Shirley and Briant to head out to Whistler.  Our plan was to do zip lining and the Peak 2 Peak hike.  I had never been zip lining before but a coworker had highly recommend that I do it.  So I did. :). The zip lining package included 5 zip lines. The first was 2500 ft, followed by a 400 ft, 300 ft, 2200 ft, and a 500 ft.  I screamed and held on so tightly on my first zip that my hands hurt.  As we completed each zip, it got more fun.  By the end of the adventure, we were zip lining upside down!  

After lunch, we went up the mountain via gondola and then by chairlift.  It was probably the scariest chairlift ride ever.  The ride was at a 50 degree angle but felt like 90.  The chairlift would stop half way up, the chair would swing a bit. When all you see is the mountain side beneath you, it's petrifying.  When we got up to the mountain top, the air was crisp and clean.  The views were gorgeous.  We completed a few hiking trails before riding the gondola across to the other mountain top - hence the name of the hike "Peak 2 Peak".

The views of the second mountain was nice but not as beautiful as the first one.  I saw snow capped mountains, emerald colored lakes, and wildflower.  I never thought I would see the mountains again but thanks to my adventure seeking friends, I got to see it again.

On Saturday, I was up early again - are you seeing a trend?  :). I had to get ready to be at the bride's house to help photograph the wedding.  They had hired a professional team of three photographers for their big day  I was the fourth shooter.  It was my first time shooting a wedding.  I've always wanted to do this but the opportunity didn't come along until now. Clem and I used to shoot the badminton events together so he kind of knew what my photography skills were like.  My shooting style is photojournalistic - I tend to capture the natural expression of my subjects.

I liked a lot of the photos I took and I think Clem and Gigi will be pleased with them as well.

I can now check "photograph a wedding" off my to do list.

The day after the wedding, a few of us decided to hit Lynn Canyon for a hike and to walk the suspension bridge.  It was a different kind of hike and so much stair climbing!  After hiking for three hours, we decided to head back downtown.  My friends are avid cyclists.  And me?  I've never biked before.  I never had a bike as a child and so I never learned how to ride one.  We went to EzeeRiders and rented three bikes and a trailer portion.  The trailer attaches to one of the regular bikes to create a tandem bike.  I wasn't going to do it at first but Shirley encouraged me to try.  It was the perfect opportunity to learn.  So I went along.  My lead cyclist was a strong cyclist so he would be able to control the bike.  He guided me through the ride as we biked around Stanley Park.  Our ride was perfect because the sun was starting to set and the scenery was breathtaking.  It was a great first bike ride - yes, I pedaled and got the hang of it.

I had the best time in Vancouver.  I left with three bottles of wine, six bruises on my legs, and many items crossed off my to do list.

I definitely will be back :)

Cheers,

Pudgy

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Day 5 - last day in Niagara

on my last day in Niagara, i went back to Pillitteri to make my purchase.  the winery parking lot was packed!  luckily, my friend at the winery was able to set me up at the tasting bar again.  Justin and i have had wine discussions for a while now and although he works for Pillitteri, we discuss our favorite and not so favorite wines of the region.

after my week long tour, this is what i had to say about the wines we tried and discussed.

Tawse Winery makes the best chardonnay musque in the region.  the musque clone means it inherited certain qualities of the muscat variety - which is a very aromatic grape.  i've tried the chardonnay musque from chateaux des charmes and pillitteri but Tawse was my favorite.

i was not a fan of Pillitteri's Pic'd line of wines.  it didn't wow me in terms of finish, taste, and aroma.  the interesting thing about that line is that people can send in photos they've taken and it might end up on a label of one of the wines from the Pic'd line of wines.  it's been a popular series and although it's a great idea, i couldn't bring myself to buy one.

as i mentioned before, the Exclamation series cabernet franc was one to buy and i ended up picking up one for the road.  

the ice wine trio that i tasted at Pillitteri were quite good.  i'm not a big fan of sweet wines but the Sangiovese ice wine was definitely interesting, as were the Vidal and Cab Franc.

Vineland Estates cabernet franc for their Elevation Series is terrific for $25.  the general list is okay for $12 but if you have the money, spend it on the Elevation Series.  i also think Vineland Estates makes a fantastic riesling.  honestly, you can't go wrong with the Cave Spring estate bottled riesling or even Tawse Sketches of Niagara riesling. all three of these are priced in the $18-$20 range.

speaking of rieslings.  one of my last stops was at an up and coming winery called Back 10 Cellars.  i found them via twitter and decided to stop in since i was in the area.  Back 10 Cellars was easier to find than Henry of Pelham even though the winery didn't even have a sign up!  i met Andrew, co-owner of the vineyard .. and he was a super nice guy to talk to.  he gave me a brief history of how he and his wife ended up in Niagara and the significance of the number 10.  their dream of owning a vineyard started 10 years ago and after all these years of buying the land, cleaning it up, preparing it for vines, planting, growing, pruning, and producing fruit .. it has finally paid off.  they currently do not have a retail store or tasting room and no bottling facility on site.  all of their wine is produced by Featherstone Winery.  but already their first riesling vintage has won an award at wine competitions.  i got to try their riesling and it was .. interesting.  i'm not sure if my glass wasn't clean but there was a distinct ... chicken coop aroma coming from my sample.  there was minerality, some tropical fruit notes but definitely chicken coop or some odd barnyard that is not the same as the barnyard from a pinot noir.  

nevertheless, i think Back 10 Cellars is a winery to keep your eye on.  it just started but i think they bought a gem of a piece of land.  they have a cabernet franc coming out in October 2013.  if you're in the area, stop in and try it.  i know i will.

the drive home was a test of my patience and my patience lost.  as much as i tried to avoid taking the 407 home, i eventually caved and hopped on the 407 from Dixie Road to Kennedy.  that's going to be one heck of a toll bill.  :(

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Day 4 - getting lost in Beamsville

after my brief stay in Cambridge, i drove all the way back to Niagara to finish my tour of wine country.  this time, my focus was on the Beamsville Bench region.  my first stop was Henry of Pelham.  according to eugene, this was a winery that i should go see.  so i set my gps to find the winery but when i got to my destination, it turned out to be an empty field.  Henry of Pelham isn't a new winery so i was expecting an elaborate tasting room and entry way.  but i followed the gps and followed the signs but it led me to nowhere.  i could not find the winery for the life of me!  what's funny is, i spoke to my friend Justin at Pillitteri and he told me that he too has never been able to find Henry of Pelham - and he lives in the Niagara region!  :)  so it's not just me.

after wasting so much time, i gave up and decided to continue looking for other wineries in the area.  i manage to find 13th Street Winery, Flat Rock Cellars, Sue Ann Staff, and Hidden Bench Vineyards before heading to my next hotel.  i didn't spend much time tasting at these wineries though.  why?  well, after tasting the cabernet franc at Vinelands, i decided to go on a mission to taste a bunch of cabernet francs from other wineries.  and my luck started to run out after failing to find Henry of Pelham because when i stopped in at 13th Street, no cab franc.  i moved on to Flat Rock Cellars - no cab franc.  the kind folks at Flat Rock suggested i try Sue Ann Staff down the road.  i got to Sue Ann Staff's tasting room and there was nobody there to greet visitors.  so i left.  i headed off to find Hidden Bench - my other must visit.

there were no visitors so i had time to chat with the lady behind the tasting bar.  we went through a number of their wines.  i tried their "lightly oaked" chardonnay, riesling, meritage, and rose.  their wines are actually quite good but i was most impressed with their rose.  i'm not a fan of roses because the roses i've had were usually pink coloured pinot gris .. very acidic.  but the rose by Hidden Bench had a beautiful aroma of ripe strawberries.  it even tasted like it on the palate.  i was so impressed that i actually bought one.  i was least impressed with the tasting fee - $10 for 3 samples.  most wineries charge a fee and deduct it from your wine purchase.  at Hidden Bench, they deduct the $10 only if you buy three bottles.  yikes!  so my $20 roses became a $30 rose.  ugh .. oh well.  just once.  never again.

Hidden Bench 2011 Riesling

Hidden Bench 2012 Rose - delicious

Hidden Bench 2011 Chardonnay

Hidden Bench 2009 Meritage Terroir Cache

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Day 3 - From Vineland, ON to Cambridge, ON

i checked out of my hotel to head out to Cambridge, ON.  before driving out of the Niagara area, i had a few visits to make before my spa appointment at Langdon Hall.  i drove out to Vineland, ON to meet up with a class mate of mine from the sommelier program.  we had scheduled a meet and tasting with winemaker, Brian Schmidt at Vineland Estates.  the last time i was at Vineland Estates, Brian was out of town so i wasn't able to meet with him.  Brian is a brilliant winemaker and i say that because when we talk about viticulture and vinification, he goes right down to the scientific level and that's how you know the depth of his knowledge in the subject.  i could listen to him talk for hours.

while at Vineland, i was greeted with a handshake and a glass of their 2011 Pinot Gris - a medium yellow wine with notes of citrus (lemon/lime), hint of tropical fruit (pineapple), and minerality.  the medium length finish is punctuated with medium low body, yet high acidity.  it was a great palate refresher for what was to come.

Brian led us to the fermentation room.  the room was chilled like a refrigerator and housed several tanks of riesling.  i was in heaven.  :)  we sampled a dry riesling that will be bottled for general list, a semi-dry riesling that will be bottled under the Elevation Series (my favorite), as well as the chardonnay that will be bottled under the O'Leary brand.  after a lengthy stay in the cool fermentation room, we turned our attention to their signature red - cabernet franc.

cabernet franc has a distinct aroma of green bell pepper.  as you may know, i'm not a fan of green aromatics - and that includes the fresh cut grass aroma that is common in sauvignon blancs from New Zealand.  i think it's just odd for green vegetal aromatics coming from a red wine.  i usually associate red wine with red fruit, dark berries, baking spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, all spice, clove), vanilla, leather, tobacco, savory spices like black pepper .. but green bell pepper?  cabernet franc is a fairly hearty grape with a thick skin - which makes it an excellent cool climate red varietal.  it grows well in niagara so you will find many wineries that produce a single varietal cabernet franc.

anyway, i tasted the cabernet franc from barrel and from tank.  it was actually pretty good.  we've determined that i have fairly expensive taste because i preferred the cabernet franc that will be bottled under the Elevation Series ($25) over the general list ($12) version.

Brian invited us to stay as long as we wanted and tastings were on the house.  i had the opportunity to taste four rieslings from the Expression in D set.  i purchased a set a few months ago and they are laying down in my cellar at the moment.  there are four rieslings in the set and since i won't be opening them any time soon, i was curious to see what was in store for me.  and oh. my. god.  the rieslings were delicious!  after the rieslings, i tried the 2011 Pinot Meunier.  the only other winery in ontario that produces a pinot meunier is Keint-He in Prince Edward County and theirs is awful.  Pinot Meunier is one of the three main grape varietals that is used to produce champagne so it is often grown as a blending grape.  it's actually very similar to pinot noir but lighter in body and colour.

At Vineland Estates - Tasting the four rieslings in the Expressions in D collection

after a great tasting, i was on my way to Langdon Hall in Cambridge, ON.  i heard about Langdon Hall from my friend Eugene.  i didn't know much about it but it looked like a nice quaint hotel.  earlier this year, it was voted the best hotel in Ontario by a travel magazine.  at that point, i knew i wanted to go.  i looked up the website and the hotel packages were pretty pricy but to mark a milestone?  it was worth it.  i gave myself a great gift.  i had a spa treatment, a three course dinner, a full country breakfast, and one night stay in a beautiful room.  when i got there, i was greeted by the valet guy.  i have never handed the keys to my car over to anybody - they don't even do that for you at the Fairmont hotels!  it was a different experience for sure.  after checking in, i went to my room.  the room was beautiful.  there was a special plate of brownies with a card from the staff and management.  on the coffee table in the sitting area, there was a half bottle of Tawse riesling and a cheese plate on a slab of wood.  it was delicious.  i couldn't relax for too long because i had a spa appointment scheduled shortly after check in.  my spa treatment was a vichy aroma rain scrub.  the spa treatment was wonderful.  i felt spoiled.  it was my first real spa experience.

My room at Langdon Hall.  It was so clean and pretty.

after the spa treatment, i went back to my room to prepare for dinner.  i brought along a black cocktail dress and a pair of killer shoes to complete the outfit.  i wanted to make sure that i was dressed appropriately for dinner.  in the entire dining room, i was the only one who ate at a table for one.  i didn't feel uncomfortable however, i wasn't sure if it was appropriate to take pics of my dishes at such a high class establishment.  i mean, the menu said "please turn your cell phones off".  they must mean business.  the amuse bouche arrived and here is where dining alone has its perks.  the portion was enough for two but since it was just me, i got two helpings.  :)  for the appetizer, i had the digby scallops.  the plate was so pretty and colourful.  the portion was huge too .. i was full after the appetizer.  for the main, i had the pan-fried turbot.  my other choices were halibut, beef tenderloin, and muscovy duck breast.  since i've had all of those before, i opted to have the turbot - a delicate white fish.  it was served with grilled squid and a clam vinigrette.  and finally for dessert, i had the blueberry lemon souffle with hazelnut ice cream.  there was also a complimentary cookie plate that included some mini macaroons.  the meal was so good .. breakfast took the top prize though.  I love breakfast and at Langdon Hall, I had lobster for breakfast!!  :). It was on top of brown butter scrambled eggs and chunks of leeks.  Included in the breakfast was a buffet of pastries, smoothies, smoked salmon, fresh fruit, and freshly baked scones.  Yes, I tried it all .. How could I not?!  

It was definitely a night to remember .. It was truly a hotel in a class of its own and proved why it was the best hotel in the province.

My Appetizer - Digby Scallops.  Love the colours on the plate!

My Main - Pan fried Turbot with calamari and clams.  It was so good.

Dessert - Blueberry and Lemon Souffle with Hazelnut ice cream

Cookie Plate - Macarons and other cookies.

Breakfast - Lobster Nage with brown butter scrambled eggs

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Day 2 - Niagara on the Lake

Started the day off at Colaneri Estate Winery.  This is a new winery owned by three brothers who married three sisters. The building on the property is over the top beautiful. The wines are pretty nice but .. I know, there's a "but".  Sigh .. Generally I don't like to write negative things about a wine or a winery but I have to say something about this winery.

Colaneri's claim to fame is their production style called appassimento.  This process involves drying the grapes and the resulting wine is usually sweeter and higher in alcohol.  In Veneto, Italy .. This process is done by air-drying the grapes on straw mats for 3-4 months. The juice from these dried grapes are used to produce Amarone.  When the pressed skins from these grapes are added to a valpolicella for a second round of fermentation - the resulting wine is called a ripasso.

The true appassimento process is air drying for a duration of 3-4 months.  At Colaneri, the drying process is done in kilns and process can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks.  What I believe is key is that air drying over time, you allow the grapes to continue to ripen and have the sugars develop. With quick drying, you succeed at reducing moisture content but you are not giving the grapes time to further ripen and develop those sugars.  In a cool climate where growing seasons are short, this is rather important.  So I wouldn't call their wines true appassimento.

Secondly, their portfolio consists of a wide variety of grape varietals that have been produced in the appassimento style.  In Veneto, you have corvina, rondinella, and molinara as the main grapes in an Amarone.  At Colaneri, they have appassimento style Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Cabernet Franc, etc. however, most of these are not 100% appassimento.  Most of the wines contain maybe 30% of the appassimento grape.  Yet, the bottles still command a higher price tag.  Is it worth it?  From what I've sampled, I would probably spend the money on a ripasso or Amarone from Italy.

The wines were good and the labels are artistic but I can't help but feel that I'm paying for their over the top image rather than the work that has been put into the wine.  Colaneri is not the only winery in Niagara that produces appassimento wines.  Foreign Affair, Organized Crime, and Burning Kiln all produce this style but guess who the winemaker for these wineries are?  The same winemaker for Colaneri.  So how does this guy ensure that each winery produces something unique?  I've been trying to get a meeting with the winemaker for a while now but it has been difficult.

Speaking of winemaker, I had the pleasure of meeting the winemaker for Le Clos Jordanne.  Sebastien Jacquey took time out of his busy schedule to walk me through the entire process at LCJ.  We then tasted the three grades of Pinot Noir that are produced.  There are actually distinct differences in each grade.  The grades differ by which areas of the vineyards that the grapes are sourced from. After a vertical of Pinot Noirs, we proceeded to sample the 2012 vintage from the barrels.  As a sommelier student who loves winemaking, it was a great experience for me to taste what the wine is like at various stages of aging. I offered my view of the wine and an estimate on how much longer in oak the wine must remain.  Sebastien seemed to agree. :)

After our Pinot tasting, we moved on to Chardonnays. A few years ago, I tried the Village Reserve for the first time and I wasn't a fan.  It was so acidic that I dumped out my sample.  But the Chardonnays that I tasted was surprisingly different. They were actually quite good.  I'm not a fan of oaky Chardonnays and often times, they are over-oaked.  Seb does a careful job of lightly oaking the Chardonnay and it does show.  Following the vertical tasting, we moved to the barrel room and sampled the Chardonnay at various stages as well.  At one point, the sample from the barrel tasted deconstructed - the only way to explain it was that in one mouthful, I could taste the alcohol, the acidity, and the fruit in different areas of the mouth .. Leaving me with the impression that it was a deconstructed version of the wine.  It was so cool.  It's not every day you get to experience something like this.  Thanks to my friend Eugene, I was able to do this.

@ Colaneri Estate Winery

Colaneri Pinot Grigio

Colaneri Sauvignon Blanc

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Day 1 - Niagara on the Lake

I drove in to Toronto on Sunday night - shortly after my final cake decorating class.  I loaded up my car with gifts and candy for my family and nieces/nephews and my cake.  Since my youngest sister has a birthday this month, I thought it would be great to have it with the family for birthdays this month.

I stayed just one night and off to Niagara I went.  Before leaving for Niagara, I stopped at a local LCBO to pick up a bottle of Ironstone Obsession for someone at Pillitteri Winery. A while back, we had chatted about a grape varietal called Chardonnay Musque and the rep at Pillitteri (Justin) had assured me that I would like theirs.  I had compared it to the symphony grape but Justin had never tried it before.  I told him I'd bring a bottle the next time I was in town.  I kept my promise.  Meeting Justin for the first time was pretty cool .. I tried many different wines.  Their Cabernet Franc was exceptional.  I was not a big Cabernet Franc fan because quite often it is heavy on green bell pepper.  I find that strong green aromas overpower the senses, making it difficult to pair food with.  But Pillitteri makes a beautiful Cabernet Franc .. Their award winning Exclamation Cab franc is a balance of black pepper, oak, black cherry, and a hint of bell pepper.  It's a tad on the tannic side which means it needs some time in the cellar.  This is a must-buy for me.

Also very memorable at Pillitteri was the trio of ice wines I sampled. Think ice wine is all about the Vidal grape?  No way.  They had a Cabernet Franc ice wine as well as the only Sangiovese ice wine!  Yeah, can you believe it?  It's truly something to try.  I highly recommend you visit the winery.  They are a fantastic family run winery.  They also hold a special place in my heart because of their support for the Algonquin College Sommelier program. 

I spent several hours at the winery that I didn't have time to visit others I had on my list.  Oh well .. Pillitteri left me on cloud nine and I'm okay with that :)

Pillitteri Exclamation Series Cabernet Franc

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wine vacation planned

I just booked my accommodations for my wine education / vacation this summer.  I'm excited about my itinerary and about what's to come ..

I'll post my adventure as I go .. So stay tuned!

Cheers,

Pudgy

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short trip to Niagara

I've been meaning to go to the Niagara region for the longest time but just never had the time to go out there. Usually when I drive home on a long weekend, it is mainly to see family. But Remembrance Day weekend, I decided to skip out on the food & wine show this year and make a short trip out to Niagara instead.

Before my trip, I contacted the winemaker at Vineland Estates to see if he was going to be around. Brian kindly arranged for me to tour the facility and do a tasting as part of my tour. The main reason for my visit was because I had chatted with Brian about their Pinot Meunièr still wine. Pinot Meunièr is a grape that is mainly used in making sparkling wine or champagne. But a single varietal still wine? I've never seen that before and was curious to try it. In all of Ontario, there are only two wineries that produce this - Keint-He vineyards in Prince Edward county is the other producer. And just between you and me, the Pinot Meunièr at Keint-He is awful. I tried it at a wine event recently and it was so bad that I could not believe they thought it was good for public consumption. It smelled like week old hockey equipment that was marinated in garbage. Btw, Pinot Meunièr is a red grape varietal. I was assured by my fellow wine friend that Vineland makes a very nice Pinot Meunièr.

Anyway, due to a mix up .. I didn't get a full tour but I got to see the barrel room and had a nice chat with the guide. Vineland graciously contacted me and invited me back for a private tasting. I hope to go back for a visit in the spring .. Maybe this time, I'll be able to have a talk with Brian about his wine making philosophy.

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short update ..

was bummed that my winemaker's meeting was canceled yesterday. I used the time to tour the other wineries in the area and road 13 vineyard was kind enough to give me a tour of their bottling plant and "chemistry" lab. they answered some of the questions I had on the process as well.

I ended up back at the hotel early as the sun was finally getting to me. It's been really hot and the heat was giving me a headache.

I'll provide an update later on where I've been ..

Today is another big day .. My last day in Osoyoos.

Wish you were here.
Pudgy

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pudgy hits the wine trails - day 4

first real day in osoyoos and what a day it has been.  for four days straight, it's been non-stop touring.  i can't complain because i want to make the most of my time here in BC but it can be tiring.  luckily for me, i don't venture out after 7 pm and there really isn't much of a night life here in osoyoos anyway.

the day started with a lunch at mica restaurant at the spirit ridge resort next to nk'mip cellars.  the short rib grilled cheese sandwich was really good.  i think i liked the side salad the best .. mixed greens topped with sliced almonds and crumbled goat cheese.  the view was beautiful and it wasn't too hot.

after my lunch, i wandered over to nk'mip cellars tasting bar.  it was busy so i walked over to the patio restaurant, sat on one of the benches and took in the view.  it was just so pretty.  eugene was right - the view was gorgeous.  when the crowd cleared, i went up to the tasting bar to see what they had to offer for tasting.  i tried a riesling, 2008 meritage, and 2009 meritage.  the wine was very good but the best part was giving tips to the lady behind the bar.  she admitted that her tasting skills were not the best, so i guided her through a tasting with their wines.  that was pretty cool because one of the things i enjoy is teaching others about wine tasting.  she was very appreciative and i think she learned a thing or two from me.

my visit to nk'mip cellars wasn't just for the wine.  i was there to meet with the lead winemaker to talk about their wine making process.  as you know, my favorite course in the wine program so far has been vinification and i have made it my goal to continue learning about wine making and the techniques used by different winemakers.  unfortunately, the winemaker had an emergency and our meeting had to be postponed until tomorrow.

with the afternoon free, i decided to take a drive up along the okanagan lake.  i felt at peace and it didn't matter where i was headed.  eventually, i made my way to jackson-triggs okanagan.  they had four complimentary wines to taste but were collecting donations for a charity.  i appreciate wineries that donate to charity so i decided to try a few.  i started off with their sparkling wine.  initial nose was all toast but as the sparkling was given a bit of time, the toast was replaced with an apple aroma.  it's no wonder it's an award winning sparkling wine.

i followed that with a 2008 meritage which was a predominantly merlot and cabernet franc blend.  it was heavy on the cabernet franc notes (fairly herbaceous) and it's an acquired taste.  it wasn't the most popular but i think with food, it could work.  the 2009 cabernet sauvignon was more consumer friendly because it had sweeter notes of dark chocolate and cassis.  the wine host gave me some chocolate to pair with it.  wow.

i stopped in at tinhorn creek but friends had mixed reviews.  claire said she wasn't blown away by their wines but eugene had mentioned it as one to go to.  i'm glad i went in because their tasting notes were some of the best i had seen.  how many tasting notes do you see that explains how much of their stock went through malolactic fermentation?  they were more technical notes than tasting notes.  i tried their gewurztraminer and it was all rose petals and lychee.  very sexy.

gehringer brothers was just about to close when i drove up.  they kept the tasting bar opened a little long so i could try some of their wine.  claire mentioned that their desert sun white was very nice so i tried it.  and she was right .. very refreshing.  i had to pick one up for claire.

across the road from gehringer brothers was hester creek.  before i entered the tasting bar, i checked in on foursquare.  and good thing i did because i unlocked a special treat at hester creek!  it said show this to someone at the tasting bar and receive a late harvest pinot blanc in a chocolate cup.  the ladies at the tasting bar thought it was a hoot - they had never seen it before. but they gladly honoured the special.  the late harvest pinot blanc is not like an ice wine.  an ice wine usually has a BRIX of about 22 and the BRIX for their late harvest pinot blanc is about 8.  for those of you who don't know, BRIX is a way of measuring sugar content of the grapes. the higher the BRIX, the more natural sugar in the grape.  the late harvest pinot blanc is sweet but not as sweet as ice wine.  for me, it's the perfect level of sweetness.

leslie, the tasting bar host, gave me a mini tour of the property.  we walked through the vineyards and we picked a grape off the merlot bunch to taste.  it was definitely tart.  we talked about the age of the vines, the training system, canopy management, etc.  i was in awe that she knew so much.  she really knew her stuff.  she thought i worked in the wine industry because i was asking questions that regular visitors don't ask.  hmm, you mean people don't usually ask what they do for disease control?  ;-)

i was near exhausted at that point and decided to head back to my hotel.  i'm seriously pooped.  thanks eugene for helping me reschedule my meeting with nk'mip.

wish you were here.
pudgy

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pudgy hits the wine trails - day 3

day 3 was a big day for me.  i check out of my hotel and head south to osoyoos.  after a good breakfast at the hotel, i pack up my things and load up my little green Fiesta.  before i continue, i want to mention the landscape in Kelowna.  much of the landscape was ravaged by forest fires many years ago. it's very evident as the mountain sides show "bald spots" where trees used to grow.  the city is also growing so there is development everywhere.  but still, wherever i drive .. i am blown away.  i have a soft spot for the west coast .. especially the Rocky Mountains.

anyway, let's talk wineries!

my first stop today was sumac ridge.  eugene m. mentioned that i should visit the winery and try their sparkling.  so i did.  :)  the sparkling was really good - what a way to start a morning, right?  i followed that with their gewurztraminer - very good.  and then they also recommended that i try the sauvignon blanc.  i must say .. i was impressed with their wines.  they are very affordable and true to the varietal.  the gewurztraminer had notes of rose petal, tropical fruit, and i got banana off it.  just the right amount of sweetness .. i can see it working with spicy thai food.

since i was the only one at the tasting bar, we started talking about the various wineries in the area. she recommended that i check out "see ya later" ranch vineyards.  it wasn't on my itinerary but since she recommended it, i'll make time for it.  i did not purchase any bottles since the sauvignon blanc and gewurztraminer will be available in ontario.  i highly recommend you check those out.

the next winery had a funny name .. dirty laundry vineyard.  unfortunately, the only thing quirky about the place was the name.  i dunno, it didn't seem like a serious winery to me because the entire place was decorated in clothes lines with undergarments hanging off it. even the wine shop looked more like a lingerie store than a tasting bar.  i didn't bother asking about the wine .. i just took a few pictures and left.

i looked to my gps for the next winery - lake breeze vineyards.  at first, the gps says it's really close by.  wrong!  it was so far from dirty laundry.  luckily i have a sense of humour .. but sometimes getting from one winery to the next is an adventure .. the gps took me on some really winding roads and hairpin turns.  sometimes i wonder whether my little Fiesta will be able to handle all the twists and turns.

at lake breeze, they had some really nice views of okanagan lake.  the restaurant was busy but the tasting bar was fairly quiet.  maybe the food there is better than the wine?  the highlight of my visit was the convertible Bentley parked behind me.  omg .. who was the baller owner of that baby?!  it was two older ladies.  it was a gorgeous car.  where was i again?  oh yeah .. wine.  sheesh.  :)

i was feeling disappointed in the Naramata bench.  i went on to red rooster and it was fairly busy.  the property was interesting and reminded me of Huff Estates in Prince Edward County.  they had wrought iron sculptures and a wishing fountain.  i couldn't help it .. i made a wish. 

after my wish, i headed to La Frenz Winery.  eugene m. recommended i try the wines here .. so i did. i looked at their sampling menu and i decided to try the 2011 semillon and the 2010 montage.  the semillon was very nice, fruity, refreshing, and just the right amount of sweetness.  the 2010 montage was amazing.  long finish of dark chocolate, blackberry, plum, and hint of vanilla.  medium tannins gives it some roundness. i think the malbec component of the blend really stands out in this wine.  i was tasting it for a long time and i couldn't stop thinking about it.  i could be in love.  :)

after La Frenz, it was getting a bit late and i had to get to my hotel.  i'm staying at a luxury resort called the Watermark Beach resort.  my room is like a small apartment, complete with a full kitchen.  i feel like i'm in my previous apartment.  anyway, i have to review my vinification notes for tomorrow.  i'll be in osoyoos for the next three days .. there are even more wineries here than in kelowna.  but i have three days to enjoy the sights.

i can't say enough about how beautiful it is out here.  i wish i could stay.

good night .. and i still wish you were here.  even though i traveled alone, i laughed and smiled a lot.  perhaps it's because this is what i've wanted to do all along.

cheers,
pudgy

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pudgy hits the wine trails - day 2

day 2 was another day of winery hopping.  am i tired of wineries yet?  nope.  :)  every winery has a story and i enjoy the different stories about them.

first stop today was Quail's Gate.  the property was gorgeous and the views were stunning.  they had a couple of complimentary tastings at the tasting bar and i sampled their chenin blanc.  it was okay .. good acidity but i'm used to the south african style of chenin blanc.  i didn't try anything else but was interested in taking their tour.  the tour included a walk along the grounds as well as a tour of the wine making facilities. that's what peaked my interest because i wanted to see the barrel room, the tanks, etc.  but i couldn't really spare an hr to do this.  after a few photos, i left and went on to my next stop.

before arriving at mission hill, i knew it was going to be very touristy.  it's *the* winery in the okanagan valley.  i really wasn't expecting to buy or taste anything and was only there for pictures because the property is beautiful.  i went into the tasting shop and there were two tasting bars to choose from:  a high end tasting bar and a more affordable tasting bar.  i wasn't going to try anything but if the Oculus was on the sampling menu, i was in.  Oculus is Mission Hill's high end wine and they hardly ever have it at the LCBO.  i've heard great things about it so i wanted to see what the big deal was all about.

i went over to the high end tasting bar.  i looked at the tasting menu and to my disappointment, it wasn't on the menu.  the bottle was on the shelf for display but no sample?  i walked over to the "more affordable" tasting bar on the other side of the room.  i looked at their tasting menu and noticed that it wasn't on their menu either.  so i asked the young lady behind the tasting bar if it was possible to purchase a sample of the Oculus.  she explained to me that Oculus wasn't a wine that they open for general sampling.  it was part of a high end tasting package where you taste 3 wines (including Oculus) with the sommelier on site.  so i agreed to purchase the high end tasting package .. for a whopping $10.  :)  hey, i came all the way from Ottawa for this - i was going to taste this wine no matter what.  the young lady walked over to the site manager and informed her that i would like to try the Oculus.  they grabbed a Riedel glass from their stock, walked into the special tasting room, and emerged with a sample of Oculus - on the house.  i couldn't believe it.  when i tried the wine, it was really good.  lots of fruit, medium tannins, and with a few years in the cellar, i could see the wine get better.  i've discussed purchasing a few for my trip home.  this is definitely something i would like in my cellar.  i just gotta figure out how to wrap them up and put them in my suitcase for the ride home.

i spent a good hour and a half at the winery.  i packed a picnic lunch for the trip and enjoyed it on grounds in the shade.  it was a hot day but i was a happy traveler.

next, i went to a few smaller wineries.  the Little Straw vineyards was a small family run/owned vineyard.  they own 16 acres of land and produce approximate 3500 cases a year.  i toured the grounds on my own and noticed that the rootstock of their vines were huge.  this tells me that the vineyard is fairly old.  the vines were approximately 40 years old.  i didn't get to taste anything at the tasting bar but it was nice to know some of the history of this winery.

across the street from the Little Straw was a fairly young winery called Volcanic Hills Estate Winery.  i toured the grounds myself and the vines were very young - skinny rootstock.  for a young winery, their wines have won a number of awards already.  their single vineyard gewurztraminer is supposedly fantastic.  the vines themselves seemed less kept than the other vineyards i've been to.  the vines needed pruning or the trellis wasn't doing its job.  the vines appeared to be growing wild.  there were no roses on site so how were they checking for disease?  there wasn't anybody around to answer the questions so i moved on.

my final stop was at Mt. Boucherie Estate Winery.  the info on the winery was that the languages spoken at the winery included punjabi and hindu.  come on, i had to check it out!  the first thing i noticed when i arrived were the peach trees.  they were full of peaches!!  i was so tempted to pick one off and eat it .. but i didn't.  :)  along the path to the wine shop, there were a few rows of vines.  i went into the tiny shop and asked if i could tour the grounds.  i asked which varietals were planted along the path, the wine shop attendant wasn't sure but said there were a few varietals along one row.  it's no wonder there were a variety of ripeness on one row.  they had some of the most purple grapes i had seen so far.  the attendant said that it was likely marechal foch.  the attendant also explained to me that their main vineyard was in the similkameen valley and not in kelowna.  hmm .. ok.

anyway, it was a full day but i feel like i'm falling behind already.  tomorrow, i will be hitting a bunch of wineries in the naramata bench and summerland areas.  i've been averaging about 4-5 wineries a day, but there are so many more as i go south.  sigh .. so many wineries, so little time.

i must say that traveling on my own has been a great experience.  had i been traveling with someone, i don't think i would be getting the perks and special treatment that the wineries have shown me.  i have been lucky enough to get private tours and complimentary tastings at many wineries. it's been great so far and i've learned a lot wherever i go.

i check out tomorrow and head south to osoyoos.  stay tuned for the next installment of pudgy's hits the wine trails.

wish you were here.
pudgy.

 

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pudgy hits the wine trail - day 1

it was day 1 of my wine adventure and already, i deterred from my itinerary.  :)  sigh .. i know, my itinerary was somewhat of a guide but somehow i ended up in other wineries that weren't on my list.  my original day 1 winery list included:  mission hill, quail's gate, gray monk, summerhill pyramid, and cedar creek.  what did i really do?  here's a run down:

first stop was a vineyard called tantalus.  with a name like that, how could i not go?  it reminded me of the days at IBM when there was a server named tantalus.  so i just had to go check this place out.  i'm so glad i did.  when i got there, the place was quiet - not a single visitor there.  i went into the tasting shop and was greeted by Martyn and Patti. we started talking "shop" .. err i guess in my case .. wine and since the place wasn't busy, Patti offered to take me into the vineyard to look at the various varietals that they grow.

tantalus is one of the oldest vineyards in kelowna - dating back to 1927.  much of what was grown then have been replaced over the years with new varietals (mostly vinifera).  they were recently LEED certified - meaning the site operations and buildings are environmentally friendly (water efficiency, reuseable resources, etc).

there were several beehives around the vineyard and they serve an important purpose to the vineyard.  the amount of honey produced is an indication of how well the crop is doing.  the more honey produced, it means flowering is abundant.  more flowering, more grapes, bigger yield.  Patti also mentioned that some vineyards grow rose bushes nearby.  roses act as an early warning system for diseases such as powdery mildew.  powdery mildew is a fungus that can grow on the leaves and berries themselves - hindering berry growth and maturity.  roses are susceptible to powdery mildew and usually show up on roses well before they show up on grapes.  so if the roses are showing signs of powdery mildew, the winemaker can take protective action to control the development of the fungus and ensure that the grapes will not be destroyed by it.

anyway, seeing the grapes up close was very cool.  i see photos of grapes and i know what table grapes look like but how big are wine grapes?  they are actually smaller than what i thought.  the smaller the berries, the more concentrated the flavours are.  the bigger the grapes, the more water content there is.  wine grapes are as small as blueberries.  when they are ripe, there is just a little give to the touch. i asked to try one and Patti was afraid it would be too tarte.  but she pulled one off for me to try and it was tasty.  they still weren't ready yet but it's practical knowledge for me to know what the grapes taste like during various stages of growth.  even though the one i tasted seemed okay, it was one out of a bunch and other grapes in the bunch were still green.  this stage is called veraison - the onset of ripening.  in another week, the entire bunch will be purple.  wish i could be around to try a grape at that point.

by the time we walked back to the tasting shop, the place was packed with visitors!  poor Martyn had to man the tasting bar all by himself.  Patti made sure i tried some wine as well.  i had their 2011 riesling - good minerality and tropical fruit, very crisp.  i really enjoyed it on its own.  i also tried the 2009 old vines riesling.  this vintage was sold out at the shop so i couldn't buy it even if i wanted to.  it had a petrol aroma to it, along with melon, citrus, and apple notes.  but i guess i'm just not used to rieslings with petrol.  the chardonnay had a nice balance of citrus and oak.  i'm not a fan of oak but this wasn't overpowering.  lastly, i tried their pinot noir.  also very nice but i did not give it enough time to open up.  i was also sampling my pinot noir out of a Riedel riesling glass.  :P  .. i know, i'm such a wine snob.  ;-) 

i ended up buying the 2011 riesling.  it was too good to pass up and it's not something i can get in Ontario.  it was worth buying, in my opinion.

next stop was summerhill pyramid winery.  after experiencing some incredible hospitality at tantalus, summerhill had much to live up to.  and it did not.  when i arrived at the winery, it was packed with tourists.  i went in to the tasting room and it was a zoo.  people were crammed along the tasting bar, people taking photos.  i took a few pictures and then left without trying anything.  it was almost impossible to get up to the tasting bar anyway.  bad timing for me because a tour bus had just pulled up as i arrived.

at st. hubertus, it was also very touristy but there weren't many tourists when i stopped in.  i can tell when it's geared towards large tour groups because the tasting room looks like a retail store with lots of knick knacks other than wine.  i stopped in, looked around, and then proceeded to walk into the vineyard to see the grapes progress.

my last stop was all the way out in Lake Country to visit gray monk vineyards.  it was the furthest one yet and it too was very touristy.  however, the property had some of the most stunning views.  it was too bad i went in the afternoon because the sunsets are quite amazing from the building's balcony.  gray monk had a complimentary wine tasting of 4 wines.  i sampled two of their whites - a riesling and a gewurztraminer.  both were good but nothing spectacular.  i was interested in their Odyssey III but for a 500 ml bottle it was really heavy.  so i passed on the wine and thanked the young lady for the samples.  i think i will go back for a wine tour and try the other strange varietals that they had to offer.

wow .. that was the end of day 1.  tomorrow is a big day because i'll be covering west kelowna.  oh and my little green car?  as cute as it is, the automatic transmission on the car is like driving a manual tranny.  it jerks as it switches gears but it's quite good on gas.  i've been driving for most of the day and the gas needle barely moved.  :) 

note: not sure why i am unable to add photos to my post.  will have to add them later.

wish you were here.
pudgy.

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Hello Kelowna!

i made it to Kelowna!  it's gorgeous out here.  the hotel is clean and well kept.  i was worried that the hotels were going to be run down and dingy because i read a lot of scary reviews online.  anyway, i got a cute little rental car.  i'm used to my "bigger" CR-V so downsizing to a little Ford Fiesta in lime green?!  haha .. i couldn't help but laugh.  it was a cute way to start my vacation.

the plane ride to calgary was pretty smooth but there was one big jolt that sent my lunch flying off the tray.  that was the only scary moment because i've never felt turbulence like that before.  anyway, my connecting flight was via air jazz - one of those prop planes.  if you ever fly to Kelowna, i highly recommend the flight path i took because the flight from Calgary to Kelowna was breathtaking.  we flew over the Rocky Mountains.  i got a little nostaglic at one point because it reminded me of one of the best vacations i ever had.  and then i realized that if there is a will, there is a way .. and you can bet that i'll go there again soon .. and make new memories on my own.

as usual, i overpacked for the trip and packed the wrong clothing.  it actually gets quite chilly here in the morning and at night - we're talking 7 degrees Celsius.  this is a far cry from what we are used to in Ontario where it has been hot all summer.  but during the day, it's about 30 degrees.  i like this weather because it reminds me of fall - my favorite season.  but i'm going to have to look for a pair of sweat pants or something warm.

aside from my hunt for sweat pants, there will be a list of wineries that i'll be visiting today.  my camera battery is charged, my 16 gb card is empty .. and i'm ready to go.

let the adventure in wine country begin.  hopefully later on tonight, i'll have some pictures ready.

wish you were here.
pudgy.

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much ado about nothing ...

i went online to sign up for my next course and to my surprise, the program now requires 10 courses to be completed for certification, instead of 8!  i thought i was half way through the program but apparently i'm only 40% there.  they've added a whisky course and a 30-hr practical experience requirement.  so does this mean pudgy is going to be serving wine at a restaurant in the near future?  hmm ..

my vacation plans are shaping up.  slowly but surely.  my schedule is pretty packed so far ..  i don't even know if i will have time to see a couple of friends who want to drive up from Vancouver.  i must say that i am very grateful (and blessed) for all the help and suggestions that others have given me.  i went from "i have no idea what to do or see" .. to .. "omg, is there enough time to do all of this that i want to do?!" in just a matter of days.

credit goes to eugene, gav, claire, and dave.

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