Torrontes

First of all Don't worry about the picture of the bottle having wine in it it was finished the same day it was opened. Its like the scene from Arrested Development once the a bottle of vodka is opened it has to be finished the same day, ahh how I love arrested development.

The Stats:
Sergio Traverso (From Opimian Wine Club)
Argentina (Mendoza)
13% Alc.
100% Torrontes

The Look:
Lite Golden, Lite being the clear word of choice.
Very Pale

The Nose:
When I first smelled it, it automatically made me love this wine it has those aromatic qualities of Gewurztraminer and Viognier have that I just love Floral, White Peaches, Tropical Fruit (Gooseberry, Papaya). Just Thumbs up from me.

The Taste:
Creamy lime zest with the small touch of vanilla bean and the acidity to win me over just awesome (I like my Acid) Medium mouth feel.

Conclusion:
I love this wine, I could drink this all my itself which I did for most of the bottle while I was preparing dinner. This is a perfect summer wine [Meanwhile Im drinking this in the middle of a snow storm.]

Then again it is nice and cozy in here like a warm beach mmm minus the humidity.

Poplar Grove 2005 Merlot

The Stats:
Poplar Grove Winery 2005 Merlot [Okanagan / Naramata Bench]
95% Merlot
5% Malbec
14.2% Alc
18 Month French Oak
12 Month Bottle Aging
1100 Cases Produced

The Look:
Dark Ruby Colour Just a beautiful wine to look at bright, with the tinge of cherry on the edge leaning towards the brown side very pretty.

The Nose:
Fresh Cherry Juice, Smoke, Picking up some of the oak nose which I had picked up in the 04 but a lot less which I really like

The Taste:
Red Fruit on the Tart side (not pucker your lips tart) Sour Cherry, Kirsch Flavored. Has a hint of "Tonic Water minus the sugar" it made me want to grab some gin and limes, If you like Gin and Tonic then I guess its a good thing hah. Soft tannins, Medium body (it is a Merlot) Lots of acid in this wine I would definitely wait to drink this wine needs a year minimum.

This wine would definitely benefit from letting it rest in your cellar I have one bottle left Maybe next year Ill try it again to see how it is doing.

Cold Show 2008 BC Place @ Van Eats

This is some old photos from Cold Show 2008. [Testing too see if I can add a slideshow]

What is Cold Show?
Its where you make stuff look like real beautiful food, everything is non-edible, some of it is real food and some of it is stuff to look like real food it is then all glazed in gelatin to make it shinny and hold its look in a warm envirment for 8hrs.

Here you go Enjoy

View Album

Get your own

Bubbly

I've been craving sparkling wine last little bit, I didn't know it was possible to crave sparkling but hey I guess its true hah. I had a Spanish sparkling last week (Lavit rose tasty) had a glass of Blue Mountain Sparkling NV. I guess I could thank Brooklynguy, him doing a "Friday Night Bubbles" and of course the usual talk about how champagne can pair with food, I mean it is wine with bubble in it its not some magical thing. So I decided to open a half bottle which btw are awesome to have.


The stats:
Georges Gardet
Champagne NV
Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, Chardonnay
Aged 4 years on lees in bottle

The Look:
Golden Colour typical champagne colour fine bubbles bubblying away.

The Nose:
How can I put this, it reminds me of a dessert I had made smelled like "Baked Apple Tart with Cream Cheese" baked apples for sure Cream Cheese it has a cheesy tanginess which is pretty cool.

The Taste:
Tastes of Apply Peels, Green Apple like granny smiths, and mix that with 7up sweetness.

Overall I enjoy this Bubbly (Champagne)tasty and doesn't need to be saved for a special occasion. Drink Now!

on VIP Dinners

Every once and a while we get "VIP" dinners at the restaurant. Now when I say VIP I mean VIP (Very Important Person) who are they? well generally they are friends, family members or people in the industry we know (not people we don't know or care about sorry to say). When we have these VIP's come in they get stuff out side of the ordinary, because our restaurant is casual not every table gets Amuse-Bouches', so we send out an Amuse we have ones we always fall back on which you can not like Baja Diver Caught Scallops with [Pea Risotto, Asparagus Risotto, Brandade, Lemon Mash]. And when we really know them or they want a special menu or something just special we take the time to make them something out of the ordinary. We come into work early making stuff that isn't on the menu.

Funny story about making special items not on the menu at work I like to make the dessert plates that go out its what I like. So I made this dessert plate which is awesome on top of white table cloth.

Food and Air Defiantly the way to go!

First of all I would decant this wine for an hour to two hours in decanter (I have a large base decanter) or at least a couple hours if just opening the bottle.
That being said the colour when first poured comes out light (Im thinking it is young vines) had defintily has the colour of it being sitting in oak (21months says the label)
The Stats:
Poplar Grove Winery
Syrah 2005
100% Syrah
21 Months in French Oak
8 month bottle ageing
475 Cases Produced
13.8% Alc

The nose on first smell is off Dried Sour Cherries, syrupy fruit hint of strawberry leather for sure and a touch of oak. Now when First smelled it had some game notes that I would say you would find in a burgundy red but when I tried it after an hour was no longer there. The oak at about 1.5hr to 2hr came through from the decanter just big wiffs the same smell from the Poplar Grove 04 Merlot, must be the oak they use because it has a smell that is uncanny. Syrupy Eucalyptus notes. Also Notes of leather definitely.
The taste feels like it has a cool climate character like Rhone Valley but really far north not deep south. Notes of tart cherry mixed with cranberries, nice tannins easy drinking now with nice acid which is great for food the finish is medium length.
Now the beauty of this wine is the way it goes with food, I had a tangy Salad and a Rich Creamy Polenta and both went together which is why this is a must have for dinner. If you going to drink this have it with food not by itself it shrines through with food.
Side note: About 3 hours later when I poured another glass the wine was darker no longer as light as I would say

November '08 Wine Recap

From Left to Right

GMH Meritage / 2004 / Limestone Coast / Geoff Hardy
Lots of Oak on the nose getting the liquorish, anise coming through which I don't like, the wine it self is nice but still alot of oak coming through over all not my favourite do have a couple left in the cellar.

Mas de Beaulieu Syrah / 2007 / Vin de Pays
Nice drink would defiantly drink again, not alot of pepper notes which I dont generally like in Syrahs. Thumbs up for me

Chianti Colli Senesi / 2006 / Chianti Tuscany
Didn't like this I have one bottle left in my cellar going to have to find a way to unload it the major problem was the next day the sulfites hit my chest and to me that means lots of sulfites which makes my next day a bad day and the flavour was mild and boring with food it did "alright".

Poplar Grove Merlot / 2004 / Okanagan BC
Read Review here big nose I have 2005 will try that soon to see how it is.

Chateau Beau-Site [70%~ Cab Sauv]/ 2005 / Bordeaux
A 2005 Bordeaux! read review here

Moulin-A-Vent [Gamay] / 2006 / Beaujolais
Its a Beaujolais yes, I drank it while watching Hellboy 2 because I wanted a easy drinking layed back wine. It did the drink it is what it is a Beaujolais. Tasty yes but nothing to write home about, nice fruit on it that and the movie distracted me hah which btw was a good movie I like Del Toro.

Tua Tua Bay Sauv Blanc / 2007 / Marlborough /
Your Typical New Zealand Sauv Blanc grassiness included tasty delicious when in need of a NZ Sauv Blanc would pick this yes sir.

Poplar Grove Chardonnay / 2007 / Okanagan BC
Read Review here

Chateau Beau Site 2005 Bordeax (Mini Review)

The Stats:
Mainly Cab Sauv Aprox 75% I had found what it was on the internet but lost it
Bordeaux AC Saint-Estephe
13.0% Alc

The Nose:
I found it to be closed and I decanted it for aprox 45mins maybe it was due to the fact that I was having the Poplar Grove Merlot 04 at the same time which was big and in your face. Did Pick up hints of candied red fruits some spices going on.

Taste:
Can't remember this is couple days writing this what I can say was I did enjoy the wine wasn't over the top in your face was a nice drinking with food wine.