Wine Fest Wrap Up

You can hear the sighs of relief across the city. It's not that we don't like the Vancouver International Wine Festival, it's just that it takes up a lot of time and energy and when it's done, well, there is a sense of relief among distributors, suppliers, retailers, the media and many more who are connected to wine in the city.

It was a busy week, so in deference to the many Sun readers who were prowling the tasting aisles and asked, here are some highlights:

Monday night at Oru (Fairmont Pacific Rim), Bonterra Vineyards wowed the crowds with its organic wine program. Loved the bison carpaccio with the Bonterra Pinot Noir and Zinfandel and the wineries two, top bio-dynamics labels The Butler and The McNab demonstrate why connecting with the cosmos is more than just a phase.

Tuesday afternoon at Blue Water Café, Vancouver born Ray Signorello offered up a vertical of his finest wine, Signorello Padrone, dating back to 1997. Padrone, made in honour of Ray Jr.'s father, has been tweaked over the past 15 years and now ranks among a handful of top Napa Valley reds.

Wednesday afternoon at the Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue, a sold out room discussed the culture of wine in Vancouver. From Barossa Valley to Sonoma County and Alberta's private wine sector, we heard what it takes to build a "culture" around wine that is beneficial to producers, retailers and consumers that over time makes wine a part of your life. Truth be told, an uncountable number of visitors marvel at Vancouver's growing wine culture and obvious interest in wine.

Wednesday evening, West Restaurant knocked it out of the park hosting Joseph Phelps Vineyards serving the Phelps Sauvignon Blanc, Freestone Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, Phelps Napa Cabernet Sauvignon and then surprising the guests by pouring the winery's flagship label Insignia 2005 with bison striploin.

Thursday morning, Ridge Vineyards winemaker Paul Draper spoke passionately about making wines "naturally" at Montebello as he kicked off the opening plenary featuring ten wineries from California. To the many who were tasting the latest from California all week it is clear the needle is finally shifting toward fresher, more food friendly wines, albeit with ripe fruit flavours.

The biggest star of the week was Margrit Mondavi. The first lady of Napa Valley, who was born in 1926 in Switzerland and is still going strong. I heard she stole the show at the BCLDB breakfast before garnering a standing ovation for her luncheon address to the trade on Friday. Standing on her toes to reach the microphone -- and easily the best dressed person in the room -- she spoke about her husband Robert Mondavi's passion saying, "Wine is cultural, it has a wonderful mystique about it."

Back in the 1970s, "He (Bob) knew that we had the soil; we had the climate, the grape varieties and the people who can make the wine. He always said we, in California, we could make wines equal to the rest of the world. He never said better, but equal. And I think he would be proud to be part of this great success -- (the festival) that started 35 years ago in Vancouver."

"Bob always also said that wine ... is a drink you should also enjoy in moderation but with glorious exceptions. And not only was he involved and passionate about wine, globally, before global was used, but also with the wonderful ambience that wine can bring to the table, the table where you all get together with your family, your friends, with good food, with good wine, with music. Looking back, some of the most beautiful moments are around the table, I can't imagine drinking milk.

"We say -- and I hope I'm not hurting anyone -- there are more old winemakers than doctors."

Margrit wrapped up by saying, "Wine is friendship. In a glass of wine there is community." We saw that community last week all across the city and it will continue until next February as we prepare to receive France and its many wine regions in year 36 of the Vancouver International Wine Festival. 

Bottega Il Vino dei Poeti Gold Glera Spumante Brut N/V, Treviso, Veneto, Italy

Price: $25 | Score 87/100

UPC: 8005820230333

The golden bottle looks gimmicky but it does protect the wine from light, preserving freshness and extending bottle life. Look for floral, pear, peach skin, baked citrus aromas. Fresh, creamy, slightly foamy palate with baked pear, citrus rind, peach, almond and apple skin flavours. It is made in the Charmat method yet remains restrained in style with a drier profile perfect for seafood appetizers.

Wirra Wirra Scrubby Rise Sauvignon Blanc Semillon Viognier 2012, Adelaide, Australia

Price: $17 | Score 88/100

UPC: 9315125150990

Most years this wine over delivers for its price, offering an exciting fresh mix of passion fruit, grapefruit, cherries and grassy, aromas. The mid-palate is alive with minerality and fresh green melon fruit with more grapefruit and lime flavours with bits of creamy vanilla on the finish. Juicy fresh and elegant it is the perfect, mid-week seafood/shellfish wine.

Wente Morning Fog Chardonnay 2011, Livermore, San Francisco Bay, California, United States

Price: $18 | Score 87/100

UPC: 00089636190002

Bright fresh, spicy, honey, floral nose with citrus, butter, nutty lees and baked apple aromas. The attack is fresh and light with a mix of green apple, citrus, butter, guava, butterscotch and pear flavours. A good example of what the new California Chardonnay can be. Clams anyone.

Yalumba Organic Shiraz 2011, South Australia

Price: $17 | Score 88/100

UPC: 9311789001692

Attractive clean peppery, blackberry, black cherry jam, and licorice scented red with mincemeat aromas and a floral hint. It has a fresh, juicy, elegant palate with orange peel, licorice, peppery, savoury, blackberry, tobacco and meat flavours. A ripe, warm, juicy style for lamb and duck. Suitable for both vegans and vegetarians.

Ridge Three Valleys 2010, Sonoma County, California, United States

Price: $35 | Score 88/100

UPC: 744442081004

Big fruity, jammy nose with black raspberry jam, orange compote, peppery, licorice, spicy, briar, blackberry aromas with some root and twig notes. Dry, fresh, slightly tart palate with light tannins that lead into black raspberry, briar, orange peel, plummy, licorice flavours. It has fine fruit intensity but finishes with some youthful rusticity. Needs some time in bottle or serve now with lamb stew.

Ridge Montebello Cabernet Sauvignon 2009, Santa Cruz Mountains, California, United States

Price: $170 | Score 97/100

UPC: 744442101009

The 2009 Monte Bello a 72/22/6 mix of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and petit verdot was easily the best red wine at the festival last week. From the sophistication of the nose to the length and depth of flavour is hard to believe this wine comes from any New World Vineyard yet Montebello sings out from its Santa Cruz Mountain site. So big yet so restrained and focused and packed full of fruit. This wine is built for the long haul and will be drinking well into 2030. Fabulous.