6days 2139km Later

Was on a 6 Day Wine Vacation, well it what I told the Canadian Border guard coming back and he didnt get me to pay the extra duty on the extra 3 bottles I brought back [only allowed 2 bottles, after that its about 117% Tax on the rest]

2136km [ 1327mi] in 6 Days
Vancouver > Seattle > Issaquah > Yakima > Kenniwick[aka TriCities] > Walla Walla > Portland > Mcminnville[Willamette Valley Wine Country] > Oregon Coast > Eugene > Home

BioDynamic workshop
wine dinner in Eugene
now on to transcribing all my notes, and going through over 700 pictures argh so many

Tourist In Your Own Town

Dear Diary;
Last week the new "Canada Line" opened up which is our skytrain system that runs now from YVR to Downtown. Big news here in Vancouver, we were [dad and I] planning on going on it last week when it was free but that turned into a ..... well lets just say paying for it when its running normally and without all the media photo ops is a way better way to go.

Took an extended lunch break to downtown, went by the new Vancouver Convention Centre which is massive and really nice to look at [Had a wine tasting on the 3rd Floor that faces the mountains with glass windows really nice].

Headed on over to Miku Restaurant for some Lunch time sushi and a bottle of wine, found a Chenin by Chateau du Varennes Savennieres 2005, it was really a perfect sushi wine, not overly complex but had a touch of minerality and lemon zestyness and great acidity. A wine that goes perfect with raw fish, seasoned with a little soy and wasabi. The food was really good, Abrui style sushi which from my understanding the fish on the top was lightly torched with a charcoal "brick" and it added a nice smokiness but also on the fatty fish it just warmed up this good fatty oil. The Dessert was fantastic too made in house two pastry chefs from what the menu said not to shabby.

All in All a Fantastic Lunch heck even dinner be good [prices are not crazy compared to other top end sushi places], in a nice business area of down so the night crowd might be a bit more .........You know business men and high class hookers? haha its in that area.

Then we head back down the new Line and out to the Airport, Airport really quiet for a Summer, must be the recession I know the restaurants in general are down 25% Im guessing

SaltSpring Island Vacation Wines (6)

So I went down to my local wine store [Liberity Wine Merchants, Granville Island] Always so helpful, it must help being in a tourist location so that's great. I mean I know enough about wine but I don't know what each individual wine taste like and that's why you need to ask these people what they have tasted and if its any good, and if so is it worth the money 5$ to 100+$

I wanted wines that I generally don't drink, and one expensive one that I would assume I would like [we will get to that later on]. I wanted a Loire Sauv [check] a sparkling [no-check] why no sparkling didn't really want to buy a bottle of champage shrug. Another white was thinking a Viognier Condrieu [check Viognier, no-check Condrieu]. Italian, I don' drink Italian, have been turned off by Sangioveses [check Nebbilio, Check Chianti] And I wanted a Bandol! [check] Because It was summer - Vacation - warm - water front property - just like Provence minus all the people? Then I had some Coronas too but eh that beer is too sweet for me, I prefer Kronenberg 1664

2007 Domaine des Corbillières Touraine Blanc
This was such a nice surprise for me, I went to a NZ wine tasting and really was turned off by all the Green Pepper [under ripe IMO]. This had a touch of that but with a touch of sweetness, lots of fruit just fantastic, the nose translated to the palate which was really good. Ripe Roaring Acidity which I love, which is why on Cellartracker I gave it 92Pts.

2008 Marichel Vineyards Viognier
A Viognier Trying to be a Sauvignon Blanc? As weird as it sounds it was maybe the fact that the fruit was very Sauvignon Blanc with good acidity (with no Greenness). Had Aromas of Zestyness with some Candied Orange Peel Day 2. Floral Notes were more pronounced becoming more Viognier but still not there. Tasting it It got my thinking is this a Viognier or a Sauvignon Blanc. Lots of really good acidity pure fruit can start to taste the alc at room temp. This wine is good but I wanted a Pure Viognier! this would be really amazing to I think someone who liked a Sauvignon Blanc but didn't like those under ripe greenness that usually it comes with. I gave this a 90pts

2004 Mauro Veglio Langhe Nebbiolo
Nebbiolo I have had a Barberesco, which I thoroughly enjoyed and so this was better then that one. At First it hits you with all those Tannins that you are going to get, some fruit. I stopped after that glass, and moved to the Bandol and had a glass of that then came to this again, and now the wine was tasting better maybe because of the fruit of the Bandol made it more palatable? I would of liked to decant this a lot longer tho. I have gave this a 90pts I would definitely like to try it again

2004 Castello di Bossi Chianti Classico
This was very nice but not my style because of the spiced Plums, its not a smell I generally like myself but it was good in that sense. Aromas of Stewed Spiced Plums Taste not stewed, initial attack was bubble gum then opened up into good dark cherry touch of spice good acidity. I gave this a 88pts

2004 Bunan Bandol Moulin des Costes
Ah Bandol the Warm Climate wine, the Original Fruit Bomb? This was Pure Fantastic Fruit, not over the top but controlled, it was fruit it was real. Just big dark Jammy (but not over cooked jammy) Really Yummy. This wine I could drink all the time just for shear pleasure I mean, want to open a wine for yourself and for someone who doesn't drink wine you both will like this. Maybe even two bottles! I gave this 91pts

2005 Domaine du Coulet (Matthieu Barret) Cornas Brisse Caillou
This was suppose to be my piece de resistance, the most expensive a North Rhone Syrah! I love Northern Rhone Syrah because of the cooler climate Syrah, then after I drank it I read that Cornas is the warmest of the northern, or something like that! Now I know pfft. I think this would of tasted better if Let it sit for 10years but nope I didn't. Day 1. Aromas of Sugar Fruit, over the top crazy not pleasant to me. Day 2. Got more interesting Of Moroccan Dried Olives like really shriveled salty olives with little splash of Cherry Juice over it (Real Juice not that Sugary stuff from earlier). but the olives were in your face. Tasting wise they both followed the same path. I had a beautiful lamb dinner made from Salt Spring Island Lamb and everything it failed to live up to the expectation ah well. 88pts I gave it 89 on cellartracker I just down graded it. Tho maybe in 10years this vintage will be good.

Salt Spring Island 2009

Back from Salt Spring Island. Take the Ferry over, which is stops at 3 other islands first. (Mayne, Pender, Galiano) then Salt Spring the biggest population and size too I think.

Went to Visit my brother who is staying at his fiances dad house that he is remodeling. So Free Rent with a Hot Tub and a View of the Ocean.

Brought over 6 wines to drink and take some notes and relax, visited David Woods Salt Spring Island Cheese Farm/Factory (Awesome Goat Cheese) Bought some local Lamb, and some Fresh Baked bread all in all all right. Couple Raining Cloudy days couple Sunny days

Ok here are the photos, random didn't really delte doubles so there are 250 or so

Here is the link if you want to skim through them the fast way hah

I am Off to Salt Spring Island!

So I Leave tomorrow for Salt Spring Island, going by BC Ferries really the only way unless I want to fly by float plane but a little pricey for me today.

I have 6 bottles of wine for 4 days, really 2 half days and 2 full days.

Plan to Visit Salt Spring Island Winery, David Woods Goat Cheese mmmm, and buy some Salt Spring Island lamb to go with the wine!