Wine Access Awards and Odds 'n' Sod's, November 16th, 2009

This Month's Pic's:

Greetings everyone. I am trying a different format and email delivery system for my wine notes and recommendations. At over 350 names, I was getting too many bounce backs from Outlook. During the transfer of names from one system to another it is possible I may have missed someone or duplicated some names. Please let me know if I have missed anyone you know (like your spouse) or if you have received two copies. I would also like to know what you think of the new format, and if you have any suggestions for improvement.

The results of the 4th annual Wine Access 2009 International Value Wine Awards (IVWA) are now in. The competition, held in Calgary last June is searching for the best value wines that are sold somewhere in Canada for under $25. Five days of intensive blind-tasting, that included a preliminary round, a final round and, in some cases, a final taste-off produced an impressive list of award-winning wines. The 1,200 wines came from 17 different countries and were judged by a panel of 26 judges. The full slate of results are in the Wine Access Magazine, or online at www.wineaccess.ca.

Montalto 2008 Pinot Grigio Sicily, Italy

Price: $12

UPC: N/A

Score: 89/100 Wine Access International Value Wine Awards (IVWA), Pinot Grigio Category Champion...

Remarks: 'A warm, exotic style that is more than impressive for the price'. A delicious mix of peach, honey, apple, and orange, that is great as an aperitif, with or with out food. We served this wine at the Thetis Island Community Fund wine and cheese social. It was the favourite white of the night. It appears to be readily available in BC. Montalto has a red blend that also scored well at the IVWA. We will try it and report back in a future note...

Lujuria 2006, Monastrell Merlot Valencia and Murcia, Spain

Price: $10

UPC: 05604123000814

Score: 89/100 Wine Access International Value Wine Awards (IVWA), Red Blends Category Co-Champion...

Remarks: 'A well made easy sipping red that over delivers for the price'. This wine was also served at the Thetis Island Community Fund wine and cheese social...'look for a soft, round, dry pleasant entry from this 70/30 blend of monastrell (mourvedre) and merlot. The flavours mix coffee, dark chocolate, plummy/blueberry fruits with spice and smoke throughout'...well received, great price.

Boekenhoutskloof, The Wolftrap; Syrah-Mourvedre-Viognier 2008, South Africa

Price: $15

UPC: 746925000564

Score: 89/100 Wine Access International Value Wine Awards (IVWA), Red Blends Category Co-Champion...

Remarks: 'Outstanding value red wine, perfect for robust fall and winter menu items'. Great value under a screw cap. Readily available...

Zin.fat.u.a.tion Zinfandel 2006, Amador County, Sierra Foothills, California, United States

Price: $16

UPC: 0085200027002

Score: 86/100

Remarks: 'Raspberries white pepper and coffee all in one'. Our first bottle of this Zin was a gift from Kelsey's boyfriend Raphael. We had friends over for dinner and served this with BBQ'd hamburgers...its never too late in the season to have hamburgers, especially when they are home made, with a ton of extras, like hot mustard, onions, mushrooms, fresh tomatoes...well you get my drift. It paired fabulously, even Ellen got into the tasting. It really was too bad we only had one bottle. I also chose this as one of the wines for the Thetis Island Community Fund wine and cheese social. It was thoroughly enjoy by all who tried it. The mix includes 10 % barberra and 7% syrah, aged 18 months in French and American oak. Thanks again Raph! It is quite available as I have seen it in North Van, Nanaimo, and Chemaimus.

Quinta do Crasto Douro Vinho Tinto 2007, Douro Valley, Portugal

Price: $20

UPC: 05604123000814

Score: 91/100

Remarks: 'One of the best years in a century makes this a very collectable wine. Cellar a decade or more'. Big rich peppery, black plum fruit went extremely well with grilled sausages. Ellen really enjoyed this as well. Do I detect a trend here? I had spoken a little on cellaring in my last note. This very reasonably priced wine is worth putting a few bottles down for a few years, and see what happens.

My Wine Blog is still at: http://www.winerush.blogspot.com/

Odds 'n' Sod's
Vega-Sicilia: A Tasting with Anthony Gismondi
I attended a tasting event last week at the Everything Wine store in North Vancouver. It featured wines from the Spanish winery Vega Sicilia, and was led by Vancouver Sun Wine Columnist Anthony Gismondi. We tasted a white, four reds and two dessert wines. All the wines were superb, but the $400 a bottle red wine 'Unico 1998' was my favorite. It is a blend of Tempranillo and a little Cabernet. Interestingly, they transfer the wine between French and American Oak, large and small barrels several times prior to bottling. Anthony's knowledge of the wines, the winery, the global wine business and the wines we sampled was very impressive.

Thetis Island Community Fund Wine and Cheese Social
The Thetis Island Community Fund (Ellen is on the Board of Directors) held a Wine and Cheese Social to wrap up its month long fund raising campaign. About 50 folks were in attendance at one time or another during the two hour Sunday afternoon event. I was asked to choose the wines, three of which are reviewed in this issue. Thank you to all who made donations to the Fund.

Thank you Dennis Jones...
A great big thank you to Dennis Jones of the Drunk Monk Winery (which is close to Seattle) for the two bottles of Syrah that he so generously mailed to me a few months ago. We had the 2004 Syrah last weekend. A superb wine, that was thoroughly enjoyed by all of our guests.
2004 Syrah,
Drunk Monk Winery, Washington, USA.
www.drunkmonk.biz
Remarks: Big bold blackberry fruit with a smooth entry.


Wine Recommendation Rationale:

Below is my rationale for selecting the wines that I pass on for you to try...

• I need to have tasted the wine personally, and even better if I have been able to share it with family or friends at dinner or a gathering, to get further input to the taste and value.
• I rely heavily on Anthony Gismondi's tasting notes and his picks of the week in the Vancouver Sun each Saturday.
• For the most part the wine needs to have scored 87 points out of a hundred or more (by AG). If it is the Wine Guys (from the Vancouver Province)doing the review, I aim for a B+ or an A- as a minimum. When I say the most part...I have suggested wines that scores 85 points if it is in the $10 to $13 range.
• Price is also a factor...I am looking for a good score and interesting flavours at a reasonable price...a $10 wine that scores 85 may be a better buy than one that scores 86 and is $17. I usually recommend wines that are under under $20...Having said that, if there is one that is 90+ points that is over the $20 range, I may give it a try and pass it on...but don't tell the better half.
• I often look for recommended wines in LCB locations other than Vancouver to get a sense of its availability...this of course is not fool-proof.
• I like to send a picture of the label with the UPC code to help facilitate easy finding.
• And of course, I do have some favourite grapes and blends...Zin, Malbec, Syrah, Chardonnay for Ellen, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewurztraminer etc...

Coming Up Next Month:

• More excellent buys from the International Value Wine Awards.

Remember my blog is at: http://www.winerush.blogspot.com/

Keith

Keith W. Rush, RPF

keithrush17@gmail.com

Cell: 604-889-5357

Thanksgiving wine, some thoughts on cellaring and family update...

Good evening folks;

I hope this note finds you well and looking forward to some family time this coming weekend. Both girls with their B/F's will be with us for dinner as will our 'third' daughter Nicole and her husband Jason. So...I wanted to get these selections out to you prior to the Thanksgiving weekend. The Viognier and Zinfandel featured below will pair particularly well with your turkey or chicken.

BELLINGHAM SAUVIGNON BLANC CHARDONNAY 2008, COASTAL REGION, SOUTH AFRICA

Price: $16

UPC: 06001506001984

Score: 88/100

Remarks: 'The perfect summer sipper on the patio or at the table'. I have been on the hunt for this since early May. It has shown up recently at many LCB locations. It was well worth the wait. First off, it is a wine that both Ellen and I enjoy, and its fresh lively citrus and tropical fruit flavours with a dollop of pineapple offer a great weight and length in bright fresh style. With a screw cap...even better.

BODEGA LURTON PINOT GRIS 2008, VALLE DE UCO, TUNUYAN, MENDOZA, ARGENTINA

Price: $12.50

UPC: 00635335320211

Score: 87/100

Remarks: 'Year after year, this presents continued good value'. A fabulous Pinot Gris. This is one of my new favourite 'go to' Grigio/Gris wines. Good availability in the lower mainland.

STORK'S TOWER SAUVIGNON BLANC-VERDEJO 2008, SPAIN

Price: $15

UPC: 0084159002115

Score: 88/100

Remarks: 'A fresh, aromatic white wine with a sense of harmony and balance'. An flavourful blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Verdejo. We had this with cold BBQ'd chicken and a great big garden salad. Delicious, and very good value.

PAUL MAS VIOGNIER 2008, L'HERAULT, LANGUEDOC, FRANCE

Price: $13

UPC: 3760040420127

Score: 89/100

Remarks: 'This is a blend of viognier fruit from cool and warm sites using young and old vines with relatively low yields with fewer bunches per vine to better concentrate the flavour of the grapes. On the palate, peach and honey mix effortlessly with a creamy lees character. Very serious value'. I brought this to a recent birthday gathering that featured roast beef. It was a great match and will go really well with your Thanksgiving turkey. Availability appears to be good. Killer value. Other Viognier's to consider: Anakena from Chile ($16) Yalumba Y Series from Australia ($18), Clay Station from California ($20), Cono Sur Limited Reserve from Chile ($11).

TERRA D'ORO ZINFANDEL SHR FIELD BLEND 2006, AMADOR COUNTY, CALIFORNIA

Price: $22 (above my limit, but I love Zin)

UPC: 009460000124

Score: 89/100

Remarks: 'Field blend is a mix of different grapes in the same vineyard. Look for fresh liquorice, tobacco, cedar, vanilla, earthy, peppery aromas in a supple forward style'. We tested this at a small family gathering and got a huge thumbs up. It will go well with your Thanksgiving turkey, or any grilled meats...or cellar for a couple of years. Availability is a question mark. I have only seen it at the Park Royal LCB...but check other signature stores. Other Zins to consider: Wingnut(about $20); Painter Bridge (about $14); Shenandoah an organic wine (about $20); Cline (about $20); 7 Deadly Zins (about $27), all from California, and all readily available in BC.

From time to time I get asked about cellaring or aging wine. Here are a few things to consider. Generally speaking almost every bottle of wine will get better in the bottle. So it doesn't hurt to rest a bottle for a few weeks or months in a cool quiet place to allow the wine to recover from the shock of being bottled, shipped and bounced around in its early life. Again, generally speaking, red wines keep longer than whites, and most whites keep longer than rosé. Having said all this, many wines are not made to be aged, and will not improve no matter how long you leave them. For example, the rosés that we looked at earlier in the summer are meant to be consumed now, while it remains fresh and its primary fruit flavours are distinct. Similar rules would apply to most dry aromatic whites like chenin blanc, gewürztraminer, sauvignon blanc and unoaked chardonnay. According to gismondionwine, price can also be a guide; few wines under $15 are designed for aging. Those that may improve with age would be red and contain large amounts of cabernet, syrah, mourvedre, possibly malbec and/or zinfandel, along with rich tannic varieties from France and southern Italy. As red wine is fermented on its skins and often aged in wood, red wine contains tannin and when combined with the right amount of acidity and alcohol, all in balance, it can live a long life...a decade or more for the top vintages. If you enjoy drinking red wine young, you will see significant improvement in mouth feel and texture if you age everything three to five years. The better the producer, the wine and the vintage the longer you can wait. Remember that all wine was made to drink sometime. I for one need to heed that advice...

The newest Mr. & Mrs. Mattson. Brother in law Darcy and new sister in law Debbie (along with ring bearer Toby) tie the knot on Mt Washington, September 29th, 2009. Fabulous wedding. Congratulations Darc and Deb, it went without a hitch, you did a fantastic job.

I thought I would include a brief family update. Kelsey and Monica (who just turned 23) are back at school at Vancouver Island University in Nanaimo. Kelsey is pursuing a degree in Global Studies where she is in her third year. Monica completed a diploma in Tourism and now is working on a degree in Graphic Design where she is in her second year. Ellen and I are spending a lot of time on Thetis these days. Ellen has just started a course on 'Color' at Vancouver Community College which is part of the Interior Design curriculum, which she is thoroughly enjoying.

I have started to look for contract work or a project to work on where I can make a contribution. My 'default' place to look is the forest sector and the safety file. I would welcome any feedback, suggestions or ideas from any or all of you.

As always, I really enjoy your comments and updates...and you can find any back issues on my blog site: www.winerush.blogspot.com

Best Regards...and Happy (Canadian) Thanksgiving...

Keith

Keith W. Rush, RPF

keithrush17@gmail.com

Cell: 604-889-5357

Four wines...Summer and Bike Trip Update...Aug 29th, 2009

Greetings everyone,

I hope you are enjoying the summer. It certainly has been one for the record books on Thetis Island. The ocean in front of our place got up to 78 degrees F during the last hot spell in July...barely enough to cool you off. Needless to say we have had a bumper crop of tomatoes, and we are already canning sauce for the winter.

We have been fortunate enough to have a lot of visitors this summer...which has been great, so I will be posting an album later this month on my facebook page.

Bike Trip Update:

The week of July 12th we did a family and friends 'Get Outside' bike trip. Although we had no 'paying' customers, we really wanted to experience the route. Thanks to Dean and Sandy, Monica and Marley, Carris and John and Pat Davis for participating with us on parts of the journey. The weather was fabulous and the route turned out to be better than we expected. The back roads of the Cedar, Ladysmith, Cowichan Bay and Mill Bay were fantastic, with lots of great vistas and interesting places to stop. Thanks again to our hosts at Kiwi Cove Lodge in Ladysmith, Affinity Guest House in Cowichan Bay and Rose Bank Cottages in Mill Bay.

Having said that, the activity has not curtailed my enthusiasm to search out and try new wines. I think you will really enjoy sampling the wines below.

Louis Bernard Côtes du Rhône Blanc 2007
Côtes du Rhône Villages, Southern Rhone, Rhone Valley, France
Price: $13
UPC: 604174000974

Score: 87/100
Remarks: 'Floral, spicy, pear, apple skin, slate and citrus aromas. Ripe, round, fresh palate with good acidity and richness. Pear, citrus, butter, slate, quince, floral apple flavours. Good finesse, attractive style for food. Very good value. Exciting value/real wine'. We had this and the red version (below) a few weeks ago with a group of friends. We all thought it was superb. We served it with 'eggplant spaghetti', which is a recent favourite recipe of ours.

Louis Bernard Côtes du Rhône Rouge 2007
Côtes du Rhône Villages, Southern Rhone, Rhone Valley, France
Price: $15

UPC: 00604174000639
Score: 88/100
Remarks: 'Peppery, smoky, dried herb, garrigue, licorice, black cherry, plum jam aromas. Ripe, round, supple and smooth palate with good richness and acidity. Big black cherry, plum spicy, floral, licorice, peppery, mineral, rooty flavours. Warm finish with great fruit and flavours concentration. An outstanding vintage and great value here, buy by the case'. Again well received by a number of folks with 'eggplant spaghetti'. An easy sipping red which appears to be readily available in BC.

MISSION HILL PINOT GRIGIO FIVE VINEYARDS 2008

Price: $16

UPC: 776545995322

Score: 88/100

Remarks: 'Flinty honeyed citrus/pear fruit that grabs your attention'. Another great Grigio/Gris from BC. We served this to a gang a an aperitif...they all loved it. Readily available throughout BC. A few other superb BC Pinot Gris/Grigio to keep in mind. Herder Pinot Gris, Sandhill Pinot Gris King Valley Family Vineyard. Kelsey and her boyfriend Raphael, brought a bottle of Skimmerhorn Pinot Pinot Gris and Skimmerhorn Marachal Foch down from Creston (they had been picking cherries) on a recent visit. Both were delicious wines and very much appreciated...sorry no label photo's.

DON MIGUEL GASCON MALBEC 2007, MENDOZA, ARGENTINA

Price: $17

UPC: 00722358070008

Score: 88/100

Remarks: 'Rich and balanced, it totally over-delivers for the price'. We love Malbec in our family, so this was a big hit with BBQ'd rib eye steaks. The tasting note on the label makes it kind of fun and a good conversation piece at a dinner party.

Bike Trip Update:

The week of July 12th we did a family and friends 'Get Outside' bike trip. Although we had no 'paying' customers, we really wanted to experience the route. Thanks to Dean and Sandy, Monica and Marley, Carris and John and Pat Davis for participating with us on parts of the journey. The weather was fabulous and the route turned out to be better than we expected. The back roads of the Cedar, Ladysmith, Cowichan Bay and Mill Bay were fantastic, with lots of great vistas and interesting places to stop. Thanks again to our hosts at Kiwi Cove Lodge in Ladysmith, Affinity Guest House in Cowichan Bay and Rose Bank Cottages in Mill Bay.

As always...I love to hear from you folks out there, how you are, how do you like the wine, and what is happening in your life...and if you have any friends who you think would like to receive these notes...to forward their name and email address to me...

Remember, that if you want to peruse any of my back issues, go to http://winerush.blogspot.com/ I have notes back to last summer.

Cheers...

Keith

ps: if you want to be taken off my list, just send me a note back...

More Summer Sippers...July 13th, 2009

Good day folks,

I hope this note finds you all well and enjoying the summer or looking forward to your family holiday in the near future...

Ellen and I are off on our first bike trip today...it will be fun. It was fun. I have posted some photo's from the trip on my Facebook page. keithrush@shaw.ca

The wines for you to look at are the full spectrum from light white to heavy red...all are worth a try...

GUNDERLOCH FRITZ'S RIESLING 2007, RHEINHESSEN, GERMANY

Price: $17

UPC: 04022642000749

Score: 89/100

Remarks: 'Tailor-made for barbecued or pull-pork dishes'. Riesling is one of the best west coast summer wines...its fresh, floral, crunchy fruit and juicy citrus flavours can brighten any picnic lunch or patio dinner party. It pairs really well with cheese, which we had with friends a few weeks ago as an aperitif. Delicious.

MIGUEL TORRES SANTA DIGNA CABERNET SAUVIGNON ROSE 2008, VALLE DEL CURICO, CHILE

Price: $14

UPC: 08410113005366

Score: 87/100

Remarks: 'A patio sipper, or serve it with a variety of charcuterie and cheeses'. We have had this a number of times...excellent. For a more detailed description of this wine...I am going to quote a new friend of mine Rick Howie (who I met a couple of weeks ago at the BC Field Ornithologists AGM and Convention, in Clearwater...who obviously is quite a wine lover and connoisseur, [he also is a very accomplished birder]) on this review..."It’s been a warm June so it is time to join the rush for rosé. It is 28 degrees at the time we are enjoying a Miguel Torres Santa Digna 2008 Reserve rose. It is made from Cabernet Sauvignon and is just about the prettiest wine you could have in your glass on a warm day. It gleams a nice raspberry pink or pomegranate hue with fleeting purplish tones although I suppose I could go along with the label notes indicating a cherry colour when in the bottle where the volume is greater and the glass may add some colour. It is surprisingly refreshing despite the 14% alcohol. The acidity perks it right up and it is not heavy at all. The tannins are minimal , which is a good thing. Plums, strawberries and hints of grapefruit on the nose says the label, but none of them are so forward that they dominate. The fresh fruit aromas are apparent with a good deep inhaling with perhaps a nod to the strawberries being a bit more dominant but not overpowering. We enjoyed this wine quite chilled with the balance on the palate just excellent. The flavours are fruity without being “in your face” and so evidently one thing or another that you have to deal with them. Neither are they so bland or neutral that you don’t care. They may even be more black currant in nature but hey are just extremely enjoyable with great acidity to take the edge off of a hot day. This is a dry wine but may taste a bit off dry, but certainly not sweet. The finish is crisp and clean with no bitterness or unpleasant aftertastes. I did not challenge this wine with our rib dinner and in reality, the bottle barely made it to dinner. Torres suggests that it is “sublime” with Chinese food and can be enjoyed with meat, pasta and tomato sauce. I think that the bracing acidity would do fine with all of those items, but if you are the least bit thirsty and start off with this wine as an aperitif, good luck in having enough left for dinner, even if there are only two of you. Those 750 ml bottles just seem to be getting smaller over the years. I don’t know if this wine was fermented in the classic French rose style with a little skin contact and then pressing, or whether it is one of the “modern” rose blends of red and white wines that the French seem to abhor. If it was a blend, I would have thought that the wines would have all been listed. Only the Cabernet is noted so it may be a classic rose in the sense that it is achieved through minimal skin contact with a red wine grape and then a quick pressing. Whatever the technique, it is a good one and I will be picking up a few bottles to have on hand for friends who drop in or just for Carol and I who won’t have any problem enjoying this again. In fact, there are so many rose wines in stock right now, it may be a good idea to buy one of each and do a comparison tasting. Now there in fact, is a good idea. In the mean time, twist the top off of this one and head for the sundeck with a good book or chatty company. You will not be disappointed in the least for $13.99. I am looking at an empty bottle and an empty glass and feel quite disappointed because I did not buy two. I hope that this does not indicate a problem, but I am looking forward to another hot day. Apparently, rosés are hot items at the moment and I can see why". As you can see, Rick really knows how to report on his wine enjoyment...

CLAY STATION VIOGNIER 2007, Lodi,

California

Price: $19

UPC: 5011932008632

Score: 88/100

Remarks: 'Lovely fresh white wine with hints of musk melon and orange blossoms. A more delicate version of this variety without the oily notes. Clean fresh tasty delicate wine with honeysuckle and melon notes. Quite an interesting outcome from the Central Coast. Hard to believe it’s 3.99 at Trader Joe and only 19.00 in British Columbia'. A fabulous wine to go with your BBQ'd chicken this summer...speaking of which, I had better get ours on...

Road 13 Merlot 2006, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
Price: Plus or minus $20 depending where you get it...

Score: 88/100
UPC: 626990081265
Remarks: 'Smoky, vanilla, cherry, coffee, tobacco, chocolate, menthol, cedar aromas with a spicy, peppery edge. Dry, round, supple palate with light, grainy tannins. Full coffee, cedar, tobacco, peppery, cherry, vanilla, smoky, menthol, mineral, stony flavours. Good solid effort that has the ability to age 2-4 years'. We took a bottle of this to a party a few weeks ago. It was extremely well received by the folks hanging around the wine bar. A delightful change from all the Shiraz and Malbec's. It was delicious with the roast beef dinner (and was OK with the salmon as well)...Thanks Pam and Sandy.

Concannon Petite Sirah Limited Release 2005, Central Coast, California, United States

Price: $19

UPC: 081908635471

Score: 88/100

Remarks: 'Orange peel, black cherry, coffee, spicy, mineral, plum flavours'. My brother Graham and I have been looking for a PS for a while and we had this with Roast Turkey a couple of weeks ago. It was good, but a little tart on the finish. Not my favourite grape, but it was worth the test. It may pair better with stew or something like that.

I haven't heard from many of you for long time...send me a note and let me know how things are going.

Cheers...

Keith

Summer Sippers...June 4th, 2009

Good morning everyone...

I wanted to get this out to you during this spell of unbelievably great weather. I hope that you are able to find a way to cool off. Fortunately, Ellen and I are at Thetis, and have the ocean right out front. So...if ever there was a time and a need for a refreshing wine to sip on the patio or deck, it is now. All the wines have been taste tested and represent some really good value. Enjoy.

THE WINERY OF GOOD HOPE CHENIN BLANC 2008, STELLENBOSCH, COASTAL REGION, SOUTH AFRICA
Price: $14
UPC: 00854954000216
Score: 88/100
Remarks: 'The Winery of Good Hope Chenin Blanc 2008 made in Stellenbosch. It is old bush vines in the Helderberg area that are behind this delightfully fresh and juicy chenin grown on mineral based, decomposed-granite soils. There is no wood used here, but lees stirring keeps it all interesting. If pears, limes and bright acidity appeal to you for summer this is the wine to drink'. Fantastic wine, and the first Chenin Blanc that I have recommended, goes great as an aperitif and was delicious with BBQ'd chicken...

Chat-en-Oeuf Dry Rosé 2008, Cotes-du-Ventoux, Southern Rhone, Rhone Valley, France
Price: $14
UPC: 03430560001693
Score: 88/100
Remarks: 'Chat-en-Oeuf Dry Rosé 2008 is a blend of cinsault, grenache and syrah. From its appealing, super pale, eye-of-the-partridge colouring to its fabulously floral, fruity nose, this is as impressive as rosé gets for $14. Bracing citrus strawberry, red currant fruit flavours meld with a just a twist of lemon in the finish. Cool clean and food-friendly, this should work well with lobster but would really excel with local, fresh Dungeness crab. Drink all summer'. We had this with sushi, and it was perfect...

QUAILS' GATE ROSE 2008, OKANAGAN VALLEY
Price: $13
UPC: 778856108248
Score: 87/100
Remarks: 'A terrific pale pink colour with a bright fresh strawberry-rhubarb nose is the story of the Quails' Gate Rosé 2008, Okanagan Valley. The grape is gamay with a dash of pinot gris for extra fruit and lift. The palate is super-fresh and bone-dry. Crab, anyone? Well done'. We had this rosé one afternoon with friends, hanging out around the pool deck...It was surprisingly well received by all who tried it...unexpectedly dry, and went very well on its own.

If you have anyone that you think would like to receive these wine notes, just let me know their name and email address, and I can include them. Conversely, if you do not wish to receive these anymore...just send a note back to that effect. Or, visit my blog: http://winerush.blogspot.com/

I also wanted to take the opportunity to give you all an update on our summer bikes trips...First off, thank you to all of you for your enthusiasm for this venture...it has been nothing short of humbling...

Although we have received a lot of interest in the trips, we have had very few bookings. In light of that, we have decided to consolidate our summer month trips to the one starting July 12th, and we will keep the September date open for the time being. The July trip will be a little different than originally planned...We will be doing the whole route, but with family and friends on a cost basis...If you would like to join us...give us a call.

Best Regards...

Keith

Wine Recommendations: May 3rd, 2009

Good day everyone,

First off, a big welcome to more than 1/2 a dozen members of the Kamloops Winemakers Association. I really appreciated receiving your requests to be included in my wine updates. It looks like you are all having a great time making wine and sharing your knowledge. Thanks Bob for your initiative on this...Anyone interested in what these folks are up to can visit their website at: www3.telus.net/kwa.

I have a bit of a mixed bag for you today. Some recent tastings and a few of the wines I tried quite some time ago, and put them on hold for the report on the Thetis Island wine tasting event.


Obikwa Sauvignon Blanc 2008, Western Cape, South Africa
Price: $10
UPC 06001108004031
Score: 86/100
Remarks: 'Bright grassy pink grapefruit notes with a touch of minerality'. A delicious Sauvignon Blanc. I goes nicely on it own, and is very food friendly...great price also. Readily available in BC...

Michel Torino Cuma Organic Malbec 2008, Cafayate, Calchaqui Valley, Salta, Argentina
Price $13
UPC 7790189040142
Score: 85/100
Remarks: 'Fresh, supple, round plum and cherry fruit'. We had this with friends a few weeks ago with spaghetti...fabulous. Again a great price. Another organic wine and readily available in the organic section of the LCB. The mate to the white version I sent around in November.

Bollini Pinot Grigio, 2007, Italy
Price: $18.99
UPC: 611723
Score: A pair of -A's from the wine guys, Kenji Hodgson and James Nevison. 87/100 Anthony Gismondi
Remarks: 'Fantastic intensity and a balanced finish bookend this floral citrus, and apple skin beauty'. Ellen and I tried this last month, as a before dinner wine. Really good. We picked up, grapefruit, lime and peach notes as well as the good balanced acidity.

FAMIGLIA BIANCHI MALBEC 2005, SAN RAFAEL, MENDOZA, ARGENTINA
Price: $20
UPC: 7790703167645
Score: 89/100
Remarks: 'More of a new World Style versus Euro but should have plenty of fans'. We had this with spaghetti, with one of my brothers and sister-in-laws, which was great. However, it would go really nicely with a nice BBQ steak as well. Rich, soft on the entry, with spicey blackberry flavours, it got better and better as the meal progressed...

La Bastide (Rouge) Syrah-Grenache-Carignan 2007, France
Price: $10
UPC: 003368680002293
Score: 86/100
Remarks: 'A blend of Syrah, grenache and carignan from the Languedoc, the palate is but elegant, with spicy blackcherry, licorice, mineral and dried herb flavours'. We had this with friends on Thetis the other night, and it paired well with the lasagna, and was a big hit with everyone at the dinner table. This wine is solid value, and a good wine to have on hand when your grown up children arrive for dinner, and it appears to be readily available.

Domaine du Tariquet Sauvignon 2007, France
Price: $15
UPC: 3359880123314
Score: 88/100
Remarks: 'The nose is a mix of bright 'sauvignon' fruits - kiwi, passion fruit, lemon and limes with floral mineral notes and crisp acidity'. We enjoyed this wine with the girls and some of their friends the other night with fresh steamed manila clams...a fabulous white wine...

A quick reminder that I post all of these on my blog. www.winerush.blogspot.com and welcome all followers. Also, if you do not want to receive these notes anymore, just send me a note back...

Best Regards and Enjoy.

Keith

Keith Rush

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keith@getoutsidetrips.com
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Wine Course at Thetis Island and Easter wines...Apr 4th, 2009

Easter Greetings;

I had the privilege last Saturday of putting on a two hour wine presentation at the Thetis Island Community Hall. It was part of what we call on the Island a 'Neighbour to Neighbour' series. Thanks again to Bev Greene, of Thetis Island, for suggesting the presentation and for all her work to set it up. We had a great turn out of about 25 folks...including Kelsey, and her boyfriend Rafael, and Monica, with her boyfriend Eric. Ellen was a great assistant, running the PowerPoint presentation.

It was a very enjoyable and fun afternoon, please see attached PowerPoint presentation.

One of the highlights was pealing a grape and eating the flesh first and then the skin...and noticing the acidity (in the flesh) and tannins (in the skin). Then, by comparison, we tasted a whole grape and got a sense of the 'balance' of grapes.

But that wasn't near as much fun as the wine tasting part. The group was just clamouring to get on with the tasting, and were mortified when I told they could not swallow any wine until all of them had been tasted. Yes, we all had little spittoons to spit into.

We tasted a New Zealand Riesling, a Spanish Rosé and a California Zinfandel. Please see the notes below...but before you read that...

Here are some Easter dinner wine ideas...Red: Zinfandel, Pinot Noir, Merlot; White: Viognier, Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Blanc, Gewürztraminer...

Villa Maria Riesling Private Bin 2006

Price: BC $17.95

UPC: 9414416216077

Score: 88/100
Remarks: 'The fruit comes from two distinct regions in Marlborough: the higher plains of the Awatere Valley and the old river bed of the Wairau Valley. Lime, floral, smoky slate, green apple, peach pit aromas. Round, fresh, crisp, moderately dry and elegant palate. Slate, lime, green apple skin, guava, light diesel and nectarine flavours. Good intensity, aftertaste, balance and very good value'. This was a great start to the tasting...the apple and peach flavours jumped out of the glass. This would go very well with your Easter dinner.

Torres De Casta Rosé 2006
Prices: $12.99 (I managed to get it on sale at $9.99)

UPC: 08410113002020
87/100
Remarks: 'The Torres pink is masterful blend of garnacha tinta and cariñena begun in 1941. The nose is clean and fresh, bursting with black raspberry and cherry scents. On the palate it is agreeably round and crisp with the perfect touch of sweetness. Floral raspberry fruit flavours hold your interest throughout. Perfect with a salade niçoise or corn on the cob'. Once I showed everyone how to cleanse their 'nose', by smelling their shirtsleeves, (no not under your arm, but the crook of your sleeve) we were off on the second tasting. A delicious 'pink' wine that is very affordable.

WINGNUT ZINFANDEL 2006, CALIFORNIA

Price: $19 Available at Everything Wine...

UPC: 894509005105

Score: 88/100 (for the '05 vintage)

Remarks: 'The ’06 version is much like the ’05 if not a touch fresher and maybe a bit glossier. The fruit is spicy and warm with mixing black cherry jam, cedar, sweet plums and vanilla with a dusting of tobacco in the end. A fun hedonistic style that offers fair value'. This was the third wine served and almost everyone really enjoyed it. I even heard some folks say it was the best of the day. A good bet for that Easter turkey.

Remember, if you do not want to receive these notes anymore, just send me a quick note back...

Have a great weekend...

Keith

Keith Rush

Get Outside Trips

Cell: 604.889.5357

Off: 604.913.3192

keith@getoutsidetrips.com

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The Three Types of Wine...Mar 2nd, 2009

Greetings.

Today, I would like to share with you some information from my recent wine course.

In this complex world of wine, wine can be broken down into three types wine, light, sparkling or fortified. These three types are further broken down by the style of wine, such as red, white or rosé...then either dry, medium or sweet, and finally light, medium or full bodied.

I have selected a sample of each type for you to try.

The first type is LIGHT WINE: The majority of wines fall in to this category. These are what you normally think of when someone says 'wine'. They are still, that is not sparkling or fizzy, and are between 8 - 15% alcohol by volume. Many light wines are named after the region they are produced in; such as Bordeaux and Burgundy from France, Rioja from Spain and Chianti from Italy. New world wines from countries like Australia, Chile, New Zealand, and Canada are often labelled with the name of the grape, such as Chardonnay or Syrah.

Chono Reserva Syrah 2006, Elqui Valley, Chile

Price: $18

UPC: 07804606220229

Score: 89/100

Remarks: 'Good intensity and balance with a smooth finish. Attractive style'. To me, this is an outstanding Syrah, soft round and supple on the pallet, good acidity and the tannins were not overpowering. We had it with BBQ chicken, which was a fantastic pairing. I have seen it in Nanaimo and West Vancouver. An example of a dry, full bodied red wine.

The second type of wine is SPARKLING WINE: These are wines where bubbles of carbon dioxide gas have been trapped in the wine. Often seen as the wine of celebration, it's best known (and usually most expensive) example is Champagne from France. Other examples are Cava from Spain (see below) and Asti from Italy (which, by the way, is sweet), but sparkling wine is made all over the world. My first encounter with sparkling wine came when a group of us from Howe Sound Secondary School went to Expo 67 in Montreal...no one seemed to mind selling 'Champagne' to 15 year olds, which was fine by us...

Segura Viudas Lavit Rosado Brut Cava N/VPenedès, Catalunya, Spain

Prices: $17.99

UPC: 033293653004
Score: 87/100

Remarks: 'Consistent year after year with an attractive coppery salmon colour. Fresh cherry, red apple, toasty, mineral fruit notes with nutty streak. Serve at most any occasion with or without food'. We had this with Ellen's brother and sister in law on Valentines Day as an aperitif with brochette and cheese done in the oven. Fabulous. An example of a dry, medium bodied rosé.

The third type of wine is FORTIFIED WINE: These are also known as 'liqueur' wines, which means that the wines have had extra alcohol added to them and there for have higher alcohol levels of 15 - 22%. Examples of fortified wines include Port from Portugal (see below). With Port, the fermentation of the wine is halted with the introduction of alcohol part way through, so it remains sweet. Sherry from Spain on the other hand is fermented out to dry and then has the alcohol added. Hence, you can get either dry or sweet Sherry.

Warre's Warrior Special Reserve N/V, Douro Valley, Portugal

Price: $21.49

UPC: 5010867100336

Score: 91/100

Remarks: 'Warre's Warrior Special Reserve is the oldest mark of Port having been shipped continuously since the 1750s. It's still being made the same way - aged in seasoned oak casks for four to five years before being drawn off and bottled following a light filtration. Like all the wood ports in this category Warrior Special Reserve is ready to drink sans decanting. Look for dark, intense ripe prune fruit and a strong cocoa powder flavour. Not as sweet as the Graham's and not as dry as the Dow. A pleasing fireside sipper — break out the toasted walnuts'.

We had this with a delicious cheese cake and dark chocolate. The pairing of the Port and the dessert was exquisite...An example of a sweet, full bodied red wine.

I hope that you enjoy these wines...

Keith

Keith Rush

Get Outside Trips

Cell: 604.889.5357

Off: 604.913.3192

keith@getoutsidetrips.com

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