Vancouver Festival Wrap 2008

Leone is one of 175 winery principals in Vancouver this week to attend the Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival, many of whom are owners or winemakers.

I'm often surprised by just how many top people make it their business to be here this week given the demands on their schedule and the relatively small size of this market, but it would seem the wine world likes to come to Vancouver despite our preposterous listing regulations and taxes.

Some have suggested to me that sooner or later this market and other Canadian sectors could be left behind if we don't adapt a more modern business approach to wine and liquor. The entire world is chasing too few fine wines and that means those countries or states or provinces best organized to buy and sell wine in a timely manner will be the ones who get all the good stuff. And we are not one of those places.

My advice to suppliers and distributors doing business in B.C. is to push for change now. It seems the provincial government is willing to do just about anything to make the 2010 Olympics a success and they have similar ambitions for food and wine tourism, so reorganizing the liquor-wine business by establishing a true wholesale system for restaurants and retail stores, and a revenue-neutral flat tax for consumers, would be much welcomed. This is especially true if the government, as it has demonstrated, has no intention of getting out of the liquor business.

Just wine for thought.

For those of you unable to attend the festival this week I have selected six wines sold in B.C. government and private wine stores and whose driving force "principal" will be at the festival, standing behind the booth, pouring the same wine. Enjoy.

Leonardo Frescobaldi's family has been in the wine business for 700 years and some 30 generations. If you need more incentive to meet the man, try his Frescobaldi Mormoreto Castello di Nipozzano 2004, Tuscany. Mormoreto is a blend of 60 cabernet sauvignon, 25 merlot, 15 cabernet franc, a sort of Tuscan version of Bordeaux. The palate is rich and concentrated with fine, supple tannins and structure. It has fine acidity with cassis jam, spicy, peppery, coffee, orange, floral, tobacco, black berry and coriander flavours. It has excellent aging potential.

Winemaker Riccardo Periccioli would be the right guy to spend a few minutes with to discuss the delicate nature of Italian white wine. As we West Coast Canadians continue to fine-tune our palates, verdicchio is a grape we should all come to know. In this case the Fazi Battaglia Titulus Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico 2006 is a 100-per-cent verdicchio wine that never sees any wood. Look for floral, mineral, almond, citrus notes on the nose and the palate. On entry it's dry and round with fine balance. Lemon, minerals and almonds dominate the finish.

Miguel Roquette has attended many festivals in an effort to build the reputation of the upper Douro Valley. His Quinta do Crasto Douro Vinho 2005 is not to be missed. Look for an attractive floral black plum fruit nose, a youthful entry and firm peppery, licorice, black plum Douro fruit that finishes with a chocolate pudding note. It is still rambunctious and youthful but we know this will settle down for the long haul in the bottle.

Randy Ullom is the COO and Winemaster of Kendall Jackson and he's pouring an impressive lineup of new wave California wine but make sure you try the Highland Estate Hawkeye Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2004. This is a all Alexander Mountain with big peppery, smoky, spicy notes and blackberry, licorice, vanilla, mineral, and tobacco flavours. It has fine concentration and finesse with just a touch of alcohol showing in the finish. It will get better over the next three years in bottle.

Winemaker Bob Blue will be pouring Bonterra Vineyards Chardonnay 2005, the all-organic chardonnay from Mendocino County. Stop by here for a complete update on the state of organic grape growing and wine-making in California. We love the fresh leesy, citrus, baked apple nose and the cool mineral threads that run throughout. Fresh, soft and dry with soft, buttery, nutty, citrus, fruit flavours. Modern California chardonnay suitable to a wide variety of foods.

Winemaker Dave Carson is the man behind the rising quality at See You Later Ranch and given that his sparkling wine is now one of the best in B.C., and an underlying theme of the festival, check out the See Ya Later Ranch SYL Brut. Look for a floral, meaty bread dough-brioche nose with nutty lees and peach pit aromas and crisp, fresh flavours of baked pear, marzipan and peach. Well done.

Price: $51

UPC: 8007425001706

Score: 92/100

Remarks: Rich, concentrated palate with fine, supple tannins.

FAZI BATTAGLIA TITULUS VERDICCHIO DEI CASTELLI DI JESI CLASSICO 2006, Italy

Price: $15

UPC: 632741102011

Score: 86/100

Remarks: Look for floral, mineral, almond, citrus notes.

QUINTA DO CRASTO DOURO VINHO TINTO 2005, Portugal

Price: $19.99

UPC: 05604123000814

Score: 88/100

Remarks: Still rambunctious and youthful; buy and cellar for the long haul.

HIGHLAND ESTATE HAWKEYE MOUNTAIN CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2004, California

Price: $83, private wine stores only

UPC: 081584002697

Score: 92/100

Remarks: Supple smoky, resin, blackberry, licorice, vanilla and tobacco flavours.

BONTERRA VINEYARDS CHARDONNAY 2005, California

Price: $20

UPC: 082896780419

Score: 88/100

Remarks: All-organic chardonnay from Mendocino County.

SEE YA LATER RANCH SYL BRUT N/V, Okanagan Valley

Price: $19.99

UPC: 624738011048

Score: 88/100

Remarks: Crisp, round and fresh with floral, peach flavours.